Page 62 of Divine Oaths

I pulled him closer, yanking off his shirt and running my hands along the hard lines of his muscles. We were flush against each other, my soft curves pressed fervently against his toned body. I melted at his touch, heat building inside of me when he caressed the line of my collarbone, his lips peppering kisses along the trail of stretch marks on my breasts. When he brought his mouth to mine, my desire for him consumed me. Between breaths, I whispered his name, over and over and over again.

He drew back, frowning, and suddenly, his face had transformed.

“That’s not my name,” Jojo said.

I jolted from my sleep, gasping as sweat covered every inch of me. At my bedside, there was a half-eaten chocolate chip cookie with a partially melted candle beside it. I wasn’t sure how much of that had been a dream and how much had been real, but my heart ached in a way that was foreign to me, like it was speaking another language.

There were voices in the other room, voices arguing.

“I told you to stay away from her.”

“Or what, you’ll try and have me killed again?”

“You know that’s not what happened.”

“That’s not what Jay told the police.”

“Your friends are liars and idiots. If I had anything to do with what happened that night, don’t you think they would have arrested me first?”

There was silence.

“I couldn’t think of where else to take her.”

“You shouldn’t have let her go to Theta in the first place.”

“She has a mind of her own. You realize that, right?”

“She’s here because of you,” the second voice said, shouting now. “You did this, Kasem. She would have never known anything about our family or the curse if it wasn’t for you.”

In the other room, Kasem laughed.

“If you think she came to Westfield because of me, then you’re really the fool.”

I slipped out of bed, making my way to the living room where Jojo and Kasem were arguing with each other.

Kasem had showered and changed. He wore a loose-fitting T-shirt and baggy sweats, while Jojo was meticulously put together in his turtleneck and trousers.

“Sianna,” Jojo said. “What are you…”

Kasem rolled his eyes. “I told you she was here.”

I was wearing the baby doll dress from the night of the party. Jojo and Kasem both watched me, their gazes hot as they admired me from a distance. I was acutely aware of how the tight-fitted dress drew attention to my chest—which, moments ago, had been exposed as a dream-Kasem kissed me passionately. More than just “kissed,” actually. And I hadn’t wanted him to stop.

I swallowed, crossing my arms and clearing my throat.

“Do you have any extra clothes I can borrow, Kasem?”

Jojo stiffened and looked away, but Kasem effortlessly went to a hamper with fresh laundry, tossing me a blue hoodie and gray sweats. Yet they smelled like him, that trace of mint and musky cologne and spice. I cupped my cheeks, hiding my face even though my blush was imperceptible.

After I changed in the bathroom, the three of us sat awkwardly at a small table in the kitchen. Someone had brought breakfast—runny eggs, bacon, toast, and jam—and Kasem quickly cut a salad to add to the spread.

“Sianna doesn’t like jam,” Jojo said when Kasem began spreading it onto toast for the plate he was making me.

Kasem ignored his brother.

“Do you like jam?” he asked me.

I shook my head.