Page 43 of Stormbreaker

“Trinity is my best friend,” I say in a low voice. “You cannot stop me from seeing her. I’ve put up with a lot of your shit, Knox, but this is where I draw the line. If you keep me from her, any chance we have for happiness is over. I’ll never forgive you for this.”

His mouth presses together, but he must understand how serious I am because he says, “Fine. Go. But you’re having dinner with me and my boys tonight.”

When I open my mouth to argue, he shakes his head.

“I know things have been . . . distant between us this past year, but you’re my fiancée. We need to present a united front. Your best friend is about to be kicked out of Society, and your position protects you from some of the fallout, but you’re also on thin ice. People need to see that we’re solid.”

I stare at him for several silent seconds. It’s the most articulate thing I’ve heard him say, possibly ever. He almost sounds like the leader he’s intended to be.

“Understood,” I say. “But I’m not waiting for you after every class. I can find my way around school without a babysitter.”

“Then you’re eating all your meals with me,” he counters.

“Fine,” I say. “I can live with that.”

We’ve never engaged in this type of negotiation before. It’s the first time in a long while that I feel like maybe I could make this work. Skies, I must need more sleep because that’s preposterous. I will find a way to escape him without blowing up my family, but at least for now, I can find peace in this arrangement.

“Then say hi to Trinity,” he answers, his lip curling in derision. The bitterness in his words crashes me back to reality, reminding me of every invisible scar he’s scored under my skin.

“Sure,” I bite out. “I’ll do that.”

I wait for him to move. Slowly, he steps aside, and I glare at him before wrenching open the door and stopping. “I have no idea why you’re like this,” I say. “Sometimes I think you could be so much better, but then you have to go and become the worst version of yourself.”

Something flashes over his expression. Maybe a tiny moment of comprehension. Or maybe I’m just seeing what I want.

Before he can reply, I slam the door behind me.

A real partner would have asked to join me—not to watch over me but to offer support.

A caring fiancé would make sure my best friend is okay.

One moment of possessive reasonableness doesn’t wipe away the years of hurt Knox Arden has caused.

What was I just thinking? We could never make it work.

And yet, unless I can find a way out of my engagement, someday I’ll have no choice but to live with it.

15

On my way down to the med wing, my phone pings.

silver: poet, where the fuck are you girl??

silver: where’s trin???

me: i’m here. on my way to see her.

hazel: is she okay??? we heard what happened

silver: ppl are saying she passed out in the hall

silver: is she ok???

me: I think so. they’re taking good care of her.

hazel: can we come?

me: i’ll let u know