We sit on his bed while I tell him about showing Henry and Amy. About noticing the discrepancies. He listens with his head hung.
“...told him that it feels like a bait and switch.”
“What?” His head snaps up. “The chapel is closed. What would the purpose of that be?”
Aaron knocks but doesn’t wait to be invited in. I look away as soon as I see he’s joined us shirtless. He’s just trying to get a reaction at this point. Damn him.
“Can you put on a shirt?”
“You’re lucky I’m wearing pants.”
Before I can stop him, Eric tells Aaron everything, like we can trust him. Which I absolutely do not.
“So noble. So brave,” he says to me in a scathing voice, giving a slow clap.
I hate him.
If I could wish him away, I would. Instead, I have to deal with him all the time. “No one asked you,” I say.
Eric rubs his cheeks. “You’re sure it’s a replica and not the real painting?”
All the way to the parking lot, Henry tried to convince me not to make this my problem, but he doesn’t know what this painting means to me. It’s not mine, or my responsibility to find, but I don’t care.
There’s still the nagging thought that I could be blamed if anyone discovers the real painting is missing.
I’m relieved when Aaron leaves us alone, growing bored with my talk about the painting.
“Oh, another thing. Why were you and Aaron with Henry earlier tonight?”
Eric has a tell when he’s holding something back from me, or straight-up lying. He can’t look at me. He turns to stare out his window. “Henry? We weren’t with him.”
I blink. I didn’t think Eric would lie to me this easily.
I think it’s about time to dig around about the rumors. “Oh, really? Do you know anything about some secret group on campus?”
His head is still turned, his hand gripping one of his knees. “Biz, I’m really tired and I’m not in the mood to listen to any gossip right now.”
The keys to my car dig into my fist as I leave. Tears well in my eyes.
That’s when I realize I tell him everything.
Eric Hewlett isn’t just my boyfriend. He captured my attention from that first day three years ago, and I happily handed him my heart. There isn’t an hour that passes where I don’t think about him.
But obviously I’m not as important to him.
He can lie to me, then make me feel unwanted in one breath.
I guess he’s more like his mean best friend than I wanted to believe.
Chapter Sixteen
Eric Hewlett
My obligations to the House of Eights just grew trickier, because Bizzy can’t know the truth. But I saw it in her eyes when she left. She's not going to let this go.
I can’t lose her. I’m spending the rest of my life by her side.
Aaron shakes his head at me where he’s sprawled on the couch. “Don’t even think about it. If you tell her any part of it… you know what happens.”
