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“I’m fascinated. I’ll admit that I’m not emotionally invested, but I’d like to help if I can.”
I frowned, touching my lips. “Why would you help me?”
He moved closer again. I tried not to breathe, but it was impossible around him. My heart rate doubled as he stared down into my eyes, and all the students hurrying between classes melted away as he leaned down.
“I find myself drawn to you,” he said, and I had to lean forward to hear him. “I know it’s strange, but it’s the truth. You fascinate me.”
“I’m not that interesting.”
“I disagree. You came all the way to Stanford for this family issue, something that happened in the past and doesn’t affect you. Why do that, when you could go to Blackwoods and thrive?”
“I need to know,” I said, staring into his eyes. I wanted to shut my mouth but the way Nervosa looked at me peeled away my layers of defense and left me quivering, lips numb.
“And that’s why I want to help. Your drive is intoxicating. I wish I still felt that way.”
“If it’s so great, you can take over. I’d gladly turn my stupid, obsessive brain off for ten minutes.”
“Don’t underestimate the power of obsession.” His lips came forward and brushed against my cheek. “I know first-hand what it can do to a person.”
I stayed there, his mouth so close to mine, his breath warm against my skin, his body massive and gorgeous, and I wondered if I’d ever get away, if Nervosa would ever let me go. Now that he had his claws deep in my skin, embedded into my flesh. Now that he owned me—
I pushed him away, my palms flat against his muscular chest.
He smirked but there was no humor in his eyes. Only a dark, deep need, one that terrified me.
“I should go. I have class soon.” That wasn’t true. I had the rest of the afternoon off, and I suspected he knew it.
“I didn’t come all this way to talk about your family,” he said, watching me for a reaction. “I want to collect and make good on our deal.”
I worked my jaw. “I told you, I’m not ready.”
“This weekend. We’ll take my plane Friday night, spend Saturday and Sunday morning at your place, then fly home Sunday afternoon. You’ll be home in time for Monday classes.”
“You have a plane?” I asked, but immediately regretted it.
“I’m an Oligarch,” he said, which explained everything.
I didn’t know how to turn him down. I didn’t want to go home, not when I’d just gotten away. Being at Stanford was the best I’d felt in a long time. I had a friend in my roommate, Sarah, and I’d finally met my cousin, Laurel, and I was losing myself in a mystery I’d thought about for years. I was making real progress toward solving what happened back then, and toward finding myself as a person distinct from the family.
And he wanted to drag me back.
“We don’t stay a second longer than we need to,” I said, glaring at him, hoping he’d understand. “Once you talk to my brother, we leave. Even if that’s at midnight on Friday.”
He nodded slowly, watching me with an uncomfortable intensity, before he turned away. “See you in a few days, Melanie.”
He walked off and I stood there, hands balled into fists, wondering why I felt like a child.
I was a child getting tugged around, rolling with the waves, wondering when I’d capsize, and if I’d survive the swamping.
Chapter 14
Melanie
Nervosa was quiet on the flight to Colorado and I didn’t push him to speak. I say back and enjoyed the plush seats and watched the Earth tumble past as we hurtled through the air in relative comfort. The cabin was warm, and the engines hummed a pleasant baritone, and I managed to sleep for an hour before we began our descent.
On the ground, Nervosa had men waiting with a car. I couldn’t tell if they were his normal bodyguards or local men he’d hired for the occasion, but it didn’t matter. They drove in a fleet of black trucks down the wide-open highways toward the looming mountains and home.
“I should warn you about everything,” I said, not meeting Nervosa’s eye as we pulled within a few minutes of the house.
“That’s ominous.”
“Nobody visits the Orchard estate. At least, nobody had until Redmond brought his current wife. And that didn’t go well.”
“What happened?”
“Mom acted like a dick, like always. Called her a peasant or something like that. I liked her, though.”
“Do you get along now?”
“We text a little bit. I think she’s cool. Better than I thought Redmond would ever do.”
“What’s there to be afraid of? Your mother won’t call me a peasant.”
I pursed my lips and gave him a look. “You don’t know my mother.”
He laughed, genuinely delighted. “There are a lot of people within the Oligarch world that don’t believe I deserve my position, so it won’t shock me to hear it from your mother.”
