Gideon rolls his eyes. “Griff’s not the only one on the planet with red hair.”
I don’t argue. Not only is that true, but he wouldn’t get it. Only us Savage siblings would notice the nuance. Our mother had amber hair—red with threads of gold. That’s where Griff gotit from. And there’s just something about the way the light hits it …
There’s also the way my stomach’s been flipping upside down since he mentioned where he got that hair.
“First of all, that’s fucking creepy, bro. Just sayin’.” Though I’m one to talk. I’m the obsess-ee—is that the right term?—in my situation, and apparently, I’m good with it. I take a breath. “What’s the guy’s name?”
Gideon rocks back and forth on his feet. “That’s the part I don’t really wanna tell you if I’m bein’ honest.”
“Gid.”
“His dad’s Gregory Kline.”
“What the fuck?” I almost grab his throat again. That’s super messed up.
“Sorry, I’m fucking sorry, okay? Yet another reason why I’m just … enjoying him from afar.”
“You’re stalking him, Gideon.”
“Okay, fine. Somelightstalking. But I’ve tried to give him up. I fucking can’t, Rye. I’m fully addicted.”
There it is again. Wistful longing I’ve never seen on Gideon. My chest tightens because I get it, but it’s fucking Kline’s son. Wait,oneof Kline’s sons. Kline said there were two. He didn’t say the other one went to North Point. For all I know, he has him locked up at the estate somewhere.
And goddammit. Now I’m thinking about that again. I have to play the exhausting game of pushing it out of my mind way more than is healthy. I’m waiting for the dominoes I knocked over—fucking karate chopped over—to fall. Father thinks he’s going to make me marry Kline. Once again, his insurance was Griff until I told him I’d walk. So far, he hasn’t done anything, but he could any day, so I think about it every day.
“Look, I know Kline’s a huge dick, but Cooper’s nothing like Kline. And I also know he’ll be your stepson, so I guess that’s weird and?—”
I push his shoulder. “He’s not gonna be my stepson, Gid. Fuck.”
“I mean, it’s looking pretty bad on that front.”
“Not helpful,” I bite out.
Running a hand through my hair a few times, I look over his stuff, mind racing with everything that’s happened. “Are those … sequins?” There’s a square of fabric with shiny blue.
“Yep,” he says, pride filling his chest. “Cooper’s a figure skater. He’s so fucking beautiful. Wanna see some footage?”
“You record him?”
“Not doing anything private. Well, I mean, he doesn’t want me anywhere near him, so I guess anything counts as private, but just of him practicing. I sneak into the rink sometimes, film for a bit, then leave.”
“I need new friends.”
“Hey. You wanna marry a psychopath. You don’t get to judge me.”
“I never said …” I never said I’d marry Tate, but yeah, I’m probably gonna marry Tate, so I leave it. “I don’t want to see your creepy ass footage, Gid. No offense.”
“None taken.”
I’m still staring at the lock of hair. Something’s not right.
“Are we cool?”
Exhaling, I nod. “Yeah, we’re cool, but Gid? Be careful. Kline’s not gonna want you near his son. He’s probably got some weird ass merger planned with another family.”
“Yeah, I know. That’s why I want the hundred thousand, by the way. I want to do what I have planned with money that’s mine, rather than with Thorne money. I don’t want this coming down on my family when I make my move.”
“What the fuck are you planning?”
