Page 67 of Legacy Elite

"This." I point between us.

His jaw locks. "Linnea has been part of my life since I was six."

"I know."

"Our families—"

"I know."

"You don't know anything."

"Then tell me."

"I can't."

"Can't or won't?"

"Does it matter?"

"To me? Yeah. It fucking matters."

He looks away, and that hurts more than it should.

"Fine. Marry Linnea. Don't marry Linnea. Do whatever the hell you want, Ander. But don't come looking for me and tell me to stay out of something when you're the one who just put me in it."

I turn away, angry enough that I almost make it down the path before he speaks again.

"Jessica."

I stop.

"I've known since the first day in the dining hall."

That gets me to turn around. He's still standing exactly where I left him, except some of the fight has gone out of his face.

"And you weren't ever going to tell me."

His expression closes again. "I wasn't planning to."

The warmth under my ribs pulls at me even from here, which feels particularly unfair considering I would really like to punch him.

"And how's that working out for you?"

His eyes meet mine.

Not well. He doesn't have to say it.

Chapter nine

Jessica

"Stop stepping on the tracks."

I look down.

"What tracks?"

Freya closes her eyes for a moment, the way you do when you're deciding whether a friendship is worth the effort.