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Hannah has always been sensitive to the energy of people around her. I think it’s one of the reasons getting sucked into Aubrey’s bullshit with Dare last year was so tough on her. I never met him in person, but I saw how taxed Hannah was dealing with him, and that tells me all I really need to know about his energy.
I suppose Arden echoing the same sentiment when it seems like Dare isactivelyin the process of trying to sic Anae onherfor revenge… doesn’t make her eager to sit next to him.
I should have probably sat there and insulated her a little better. This is a table for six, so the seat between me and Landon is empty. I could have put her there and sat next to Arden myself, but I didn’t think about it when we sat down.
“You want to switch seats?” I ask her via text. “We could go to the bathroom and when you come back, just sit in the one on my other side.”
“No, it’s ok. He’ll know I’m moving because of him, and I’d rather not deal with his smugness.”
Interrupting, Arden asks, “Are you ladies having a nice conversation? Want to loop the rest of us in?”
I look up. “Sure. I was just telling Hannah how funny I think it is that big, bad Arden Prince needs Anae Richards to do his dirty work for him,” I say, smiling sweetly.
Arden’s jaw locks, and his already glacial blue eyes cool. An answering shiver shoots down my spine.
It’s pure physical instinct, though.
I’m not afraid of him.
Most people are because he has far too much money and painfully few morals. As a spoiled rich boy who has always had access to everything he could ever want, he’s also prone to boredom and given to wrathful swipes at anyone he considers an enemy. The drama spices things up for at least a little while.
But he also has a very simple weakness: his beautiful face. Truly, annoyingly gorgeous, as if sculpted by the universe’s finest sculptors. He’s done a little modeling just for fun, and women fall at his feet everywhere he goes. While he doesn’thaveto hang his hat on his good looks given his family’s money and consequent power, he’s vain, and very muchenjoysknowing he’s the most handsome man in any room he steps into.
And, friends or not, Landon would not hesitate to wreck that pretty face if he turned his wrath on me. He’s lost friends for me before and didn’t bat an eye over it. Arden would be no different.
Arden also isn’t an idiot, so he knows that.
Sure, legally, he knows Landon’s not allowed to hit him, but he also knows Landon does whatever the fuck he wants. And his father is Hayden Atwater, so he always finds a wayoutof the trouble he finds his wayinto.
Most importantly, Landon just doesn’tcareabout the consequences, so it would be unreasonable to expect restraint from him.
I can see how annoyed Arden is to have to exercise restraint when he’d like to verbally eviscerate me, but he doesn’t run as hot as Landon. He runs much colder.
Arden is intelligent and articulate. He solves problems with his mind and his resources, not his fists. He can be measured and strategic, and as I’m going over it in my head and hearing the echoes of familiarity, I’m realizing those are probably qualities that make Hannah uncomfortable around him.
The last time she brushed with a cold-hearted strategist, it didn’t go so well for her.
She didn’t have me in that fight, though.
Hannah looks like an easy target because she’s visibly alone in the world. Her parents are dead, her guardian takes advantage of her. Without anyone around to protect her, she’s the perfect prey for a cold-hearted rich boy to play with.
Anae never would have protected her, so Hannah hid from Dare right in plain sight for a long time. She recognizes a predator when she sees one, even if it took everyone else a little longer to notice.
But then,henoticedher.
Going back over our recent interactions, I’m realizing Arden has made an unusual number of inquiries about her this year. One of them even included a comment about how vulnerable she is to those who would seek to prey on her.
“I bet they’d sell her to me if I made a good enough offer.”
I took it as a distasteful joke, but now I’m overthinking it.
That creep had better not set his sights on my best friend.
Aubrey didn’t protect her from Dare, but I would protect her fromanyone.
Mercifully, before I can decide to preemptively take on the current king of Baymont High, the waitress comes over to see if we’re ready to order.
Less fortunately, Arden is unaware of my stance on octopus as a food and leads with, “We’ll start with the charred octopus.”
