Page 216 of Only Be Mine

Just slightly.

He noticed. “There it is again,” he said softly.

The fear, and this time, he didn’t smile.

“Cate,” he said, his voice lowering, losing its polish, “if you’re not with me… you’re against me.”

The air left my lungs.

“And I can’t afford that.”

That was the threat.

Not shouted.

Not explicit.

But clear.

Across the room, my phone buzzed.

Once.

Then again.

Seth.

The name lit the screen.

Trevor’s gaze flicked toward it, then back to me. “Well?” he asked.

The test.

And I knew, instinctively, sickeningly, no matter what I chose next…

I was going to fail.

Chapter 74

Cate

Present

The phone started vibrating again before I could stop it.

Seth.

His name lit up the screen like a flare.

Trevor didn’t look at the phone immediately.

He looked at me. “Go ahead,” he said quietly.

My pulse was loud in my ears. I forced my breathing to stay even, forced my hand to stay still in my lap instead of snatching the phone away.

It kept buzzing.

Seth would keep calling. I knew he would.