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The vibration of my mobile phone startles me, and I dig it out of my pocket.
Reese: We need to talk.
Talk.
He can go to hell for all I care.
Another text comes through, and I roll my eyes at his obvious frustration.
Reese: I swear to God, Olive. Stop acting like a little brat and talk to me. You know why I had to say yes.
Of course I know why he agreed to go out with my brother on a stupid double date, but it just had to be her.
It had to be Darcie.
I start typing a reply but think better of it and delete the message.
Everything has gotten too confusing, the lines more blurred than ever.
I like Reese. I shouldn’t, but I do.
I don’t want him to go out with Darcie or to be promised to Abigail, but tradition—the stupid fucking rules the Heirs have to adhere to—mean I don’t get a say.
I can choose Reese. I can tell everyone that he’s the one I want, but ultimately, unless he decides to choose me, to fight for me, it means nothing.
* * *
Imanage to avoid Reese and my brother for the next three days. Oak texts me throughout the day, checking in with me, but he doesn’t push. And I’m grateful.
The truth is, some space has been good for me. Last night, I went over to Charli’s house and we watched some trashy TV show and ate our body weight in ice cream. Part of me wondered if Reese would show up in the middle of the night and climb into bed with me, but he didn’t.
Because he’s going on a date with Darcie.
It’s all she’s talked about. Telling everyone and anyone who will listen that she’s dating an Heir. She makes me sick, the way she uses him for her own ends. She doesn’t care about Reese, she cares about his name, and his status in All Hallows’.
Still, she’ll be the one on his arm tomorrow night. I heard her telling her friends that the guys are taking them to the Wilde Terrace, a highly exclusive bar and restaurant on the outskirts of Oxford.
The thought of them together makes my stomach churn.
The second class is dismissed, I shove my things in my bag and hurry out of there. I have to be quick, or else Oakley might see me as he’s in the class right down the hall.
I slip into the stream of bodies and keep my head down as everyone fights their way out of the building. But I don’t make it, someone grabbing my arm and yanking me into the storage closet.
“What—”
Reese cups his hand over my mouth and pushes me up against the wall, his eyes glittering with dark intent.
“What the hell are you doing?” I whisper-hiss against his palm.
“Drastic times call for drastic measures, sweet cheeks. Now, if I remove my hand, can I trust you not to scream?”
My eyes narrow to deadly slits.
Reese slowly unfurls his fingers but drops his head to mine, caging me there.
“You’re a hard girl to track down.”
“You know exactly where to find me if you try hard enough,” I spit back.
