AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I make myself cross the length of the room until I’m standing next to Eriks Goltz.
“I’m ready.”
I’msonot ready, but I’ll fake it until I make it.
83
SARAH
Ifollow Eriks’s large frame without a word. From the back, I can almost trick myself into thinking it’s Marius and not his much more intimidating father.
I should take advantage of that false sense of security. Let the illusion last a little longer. But the silence is getting too unbearable.
“You’re wrong, you know,” I whisper. “If you disowned him, if he had no money at all…Marius would beeasierfor me to date.”
Eriks just makes a noise at the back of his throat, halfway between a laugh and ahmmpf, and one hundred percent contempt.
He doesn’t believe me. I tell myself I don’t care.
I should drop it entirely, but I can’t stop myself from saying, “I’m so surprised you’re with someone like Marcella.”
“Oh?”
That got an actual word, so I must have hit a nerve.
“She’s sweet,” I say.
“I understand you’re a STEM kid, are you not? You’re likely familiar with the concept of opposite charges attracting each other.”
“Yep. Middle school kids are familiar with that concept. You still don’t seem to match.”
He glances at me over his shoulder. “You really don’t know what’s good for you, do you?”
I lick my dry lips. He’s correct; right now, staying quiet is definitely in my best interest. I’m not dealing with Marius. He’s something else. Someone capable ofatrocities.
“How does she like it when youinitiate collegegirls?” Why can’t I seem to shut up?
“Usually, Marcella likes to hold their hands,” Eriks says smoothly. “She made an exception today because she figured Marius would need company.”
I suck in a breath. He can’t mean that, can he?
But I did see the edge in Marcella’s eyes. I heard it in her words. And I definitely saw it in Cherry’s uniform, as well as her job description. At first, I wondered how she could be okay with something like that. Now I’m guessing she designed the uniform.
He opens a door, leading to what looks like a large conference room with a glass table, around which four men are seated.
Men I recognize.
I blink several times, looking up at Eriks.
“What, you would have preferred for us to do this alone? That’s not how initiations work, my lovely.”
Lovely is supposed to be a good word. He says it like I say trash.
I make myself walk in. It’s not like any of these men is repulsive; quite the contrary. Mael Beaufort. Arlo Keller. Another man who looks too much like him for them not to be related. And last but not least? Adrian Hunt, newly elected senator, and as gorgeous in person as he was when I looked up his picture yesterday.
I gulp as Eriks closes the door.
I am alone, surrounded by five men much stronger than me, and twice my age. This should be nightmare fuel…except it isn’t.
