“What would be the method of my death?” I joke.
He strokes his chin. “I like a good strangulation.”
My eyes widen, and I gulp loudly.
“I’m joking.” He disappears into the kitchen, grabbing a few bowls from the counter. He puts a silver pot on the stove and grabs some seasoning from the cabinet.
“Is he always this unhinged?”
I glance at Lyrical, and she pulls the scrunchie from her wrist and wraps her hair into a high ponytail.
“Yes, he has always been that way since we were teenagers. How are things between you and Irvin? Did that bastard really trick you into marriage?”
I nod, then shrug. “He’s unhinged as well, just in a different way. He wants full control over my life, and I’m not about that. I mean… I don’t know. I’m confused about a lot of things, to be honest.”
“This lifestyle isn’t bad, I suppose,” she answers. “I was born into it. I had a lot of restrictions growing up.”
I set the cards down on the coffee table. “How did you meet Snow?”
“We met when I was seventeen years old. I wasn’t into boys or sex at the time. I showed him my artwork, but he never told me how he felt until last year.”
“I had no idea.”
Snow hands us each a bowl of garlic butter noodles. Lyrical and I eat quietly. My heart aches. It’s not the same without Winter around. She’s usually the one who lightens up the room with her big smile. Now I walk around with an ache in my chest, hoping and praying that she’ll live. That she’ll wake up. Whoever the killer is on campus needs to pay. I hope the board members find out who did this.
The doorbell rings. Snow grabs his gun from the back of his pants. Does he always answer the door with a gun? I don’t blame him. Can’t be too careful. Irvin still has guards patrolling the estate. He opens the door. Irvin leans against the archway and hands Snow a case of beer.
“Lilac is here, and I want to be with her tonight,” Irvin murmurs.
He tracks Snow’s every move. Snow tucks his gun back into his pants, then opens the door wide.
My breath hitches, and I grip the fork hard until it hurts. God, he gets on my fucking nerves. What does he want? Why is he here?
My eyes drift to his, and a smile spreads across his face.
“Princess.”
He doesn’t seem mad that I disobeyed him.
“Lunatic.”
Lyrical giggles, and a smile spreads across her face.
I shake my head. “What do you want?”
“Do you want me to throw him out?” Snow asks.
Not taking my eyes off Irvin, I say, “No. He can stay.”
Irvin folds his arms across his chest. “We need to talk.”
“No. I’m in the middle of a game,” I say. “We’re playing Go Fish. Now, I need to win this round.” I set the bowl of noodles down, then pick up my cards.
“Lyrical, can you please give us some privacy?” Irvin asks.
My heart hammers in my chest. He’s up to something.
Lyrical looks between me and him, then swallows thickly.
