Dark brown eyes caught mine and held. My pace stuttered, but I was able to cover it, flicking my hair over my shoulder and setting a disdainful expression on my face. It came easily when I was faced with Jayesh Attwood. He might have been one of my twin’s best friends, but he was still an asshole who loved to make my life a misery. True to form, when he caught sight of me, a sneer twisted his lips, and I tore my gaze away, ducking into the open doorway of the lecture hall.
“Nova! Over here!”Liana Lazovsky waved to me from her position halfway up the rows of tiered seating. I exhaled unsteadily, passing Jay as I entered the room, doing my best to ignore the heat of his body as my shoulder brushed against his solid chest. I thought I heard him say my name, but it was lost in the sound of the crowds, louder than usual after the long summer break.
I reached Liana and swung into the seat she’d saved for me. A wave of shimmering red hair spilled across her desk as she cocked her head, eyeing me with a frown.
“I was going to go for a simple greeting, but then I saw your face. What’s wrong?”
“Just contemplating my life choices.”
Her lips curved upwards. “Sounds painful.”
“It is.” I sighed, busying myself with getting pens and my notebook from my bag to give my hands something to do while I avoided Jay, who was sliding into the row behind me, a few seats to my left. Despite pointedly not looking in his direction, I could feel him in the same way I could feel the presence of my twin.
No, not the same way. It was a different kind of awareness. The kind that a deer has when it knows it’s being hunted by a wolf. That prickle up my spine. The need to run.
Except I was Nova Thorpe, and Thorpes didn’t run.
“You’re not excited about the big party?” Liana said mockingly, one delicate brow raised.
I snorted. Keeping my voice low so I wouldn’t be overheard by the people behind me, I leaned closer to her. “Would you be happy if you were in my position?”
Her humour disappeared. “I know what it’s like. Being in your world. I— No. I wouldn’t like it. I’m surprised my father hasn’t been more forceful with my choice of partners. He’s…different from the way he was when I was younger. Softer, I suppose. He moved to the UK for my mum, and ever since she left, he…well. I sometimes wonder if deep down, he’s afraid I’ll leave him too, and he’ll be all alone.”
“Oh.” It was all I could think of to say. The thought of the hard, drill sergeant hockey coach having a heart buried inside his layers of ice was almost impossible to contemplate. But I guessed none of us knew what happened behind closed doors. What people were truly like when they let their masks drop.
“Yeah.” She flashed me a quick smile, lifting her hand to tick off points on her fingers. “Think of the pluses, though. A hot man to keep the other assholes away. Premium vodka. Diamonds. The kind of connections money can’t buy?—”
“The kind of connections my family bought,” I reminded her, smiling despite myself.
“Yes.” Lowering her hand, she gently squeezed my arm. “No matter what, you have me and Vesper. If you need anything, and I meananything, we’ve got you.”
A throat cleared loudly at the front of the room, and the chatter around us died down. Liana turned her full attention to our lecturer. I shifted on the hard plastic seat, designed to be just as uncomfortably spartan as the rest of the university, and did my best to ignore the eyes boring into the back of my head.
It was a lost cause.
“Nova. Wait.” Ryker placed his hand on my shoulder, and I turned to look up at him. It was weird to think that we were the same height once. Now, he towered over me. His jaw was tense as his grey eyes scanned my face. “I wanted to make sure you’re okay. Fucking hell, I can’t believe they brought the engagement forward.” He scrubbed his hand through his hair, frustrated. “I tried— I can talk to Dad again.”
I shook my head. “You’ve done enough, and there’s no point in dragging it out. We both know the deal has been made and signed in blood. This is too big of a deal to back out of, and if I break it, I’ll be disowned. Or worse. And I don’t want you to get into trouble on my behalf, either.”
His hand tightened on my shoulder before relaxing. He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t need to. I knew the words that had gone unsaid.
We can’t break the agreement.
Divorce was a potential option further down the line, ifAnton was agreeable. But first, I had to get through the engagement and marriage part.
“I’ll be there for the meal tonight,” he said aloud. “Arson and Banks will be with me too.”
“Still not my nickname,” a low voice said, and I flinched, seeing Ryker’s two best friends appearing in my field of vision. Daniel was grinning as he slung his arm over my shoulders, on top of my brother’s hand.
“Nah. I really feel like you’re starting to embrace the name, mate. We’ve finally found one that sticks.” Ignoring my brother swearing under his breath as he pulled away from him, Daniel turned his gaze to me. “Whatchu up to, ice princess?”
I slid out from under his arm, jabbing him in his hard chest. “No. What have I told you about using that nickname? You call me that again, and I’ll de-ball you.”
“Ooh.” He hissed, his hand going down to cup his crotch. “Ry. Your sister’s vicious.”
“Do what she says,” he replied in a bored tone, and it was my turn to study him with concern. Ever since we’d left school after finishing our A levels, he’d withdrawn into himself even more, and despite my “twin telepathy,” I found it harder and harder to read him.
“Sorry, Nova. Supernova. The brightest star in the sky, lighting up my world?—”
