“Yeah.” His voice is husky, both eyes mooned by purple shiners, chest wrapped with tape. With a groan of pain, he rolls his capped shoulders, shifting the pillow wall between us. One hand tugs down the waistband of his briefs awkwardly, his morning wood bobbing free like it owns the room.
“So our contract is over.” My mouth waters at the sight of his dick. It’s been my breakfast for weeks now.
Part of me wants to see what he’ll do if I remind him. I’m ripped apart inside. One piece hopes he’ll force me to stay. Just like he threatened he would.
Butfuck himif he doesn’t.
The dreamy expression he holds morphs into a scowl. “Fine. Get your shit out of my closet this weekend, then.”
And there it is. I don’t need to stay for this kind of pain any longer.
“I need the key,” I say, trying to steady my voice.
He flips onto his back with a deep breath, jerksup his underwear, and stares at the canopy above us without blinking. For almost a minute, he appears frozen until I poke his side between blue and yellow marks with a fingernail.
“Just…give me a minute.”
“I gave you, like, two.”
“Fuuuck!” he growls, then gets up and grabs the keys from his desk drawer. Unlocking the closet, he flings the door open and waves his hand inside impatiently.
“Thank you,” I say with a sugary sweet smile.
A new tuxedo hangs in a bag on the far wall, and next to it is a forest-green ball gown. My heart skips a beat. His family’s event is tonight. And a fire pit of jealousy burns deep in my belly looking at the beautiful garment. One probably meant for hisappropriatedate.
“Whose is that?” I point to the silky garment, eyeing him suspiciously.
“I have my grandfather’s holiday party tonight. Don’t come.” Bristling, his shoulders stiffen as he nods at my other stuff. “Grab your things.”
He won’t look me in the eye.
“I’ll go wherever I damn well please,LordCardell. But you don’t need to worry. I don’t want to show up where my presence isn’t treasured.”
I shove past him and grab some panties, tank tops, pajamas… Things I’ll need for a few days. Stuffing them into my suitcase, I whirl around and gather what I can.
By the time I’m finished packing, he’s in the bathroom. Like he expects me to wait on him so he can drive me to campus.
Quietly, I lift a key from his desk drawer. My fingers climb to my throat, trembling as I unlock the leather collar. The absence hits instantly—skin bare, neck exposed, my pulse thrumming like it already misses the weight. I set it carefully on his desk, but my hand lingers over the bottlecap charm—Aiden’s relic from Crest.
I want this over with. He can’t see me cry when I try to say goodbye.
I let myself believe the delusion that this month would change him. That he’d want me again. He doesn’t.
Maybe he never will.
Heart squeezing, I twist it free from the ring and slip it into my pocket, nestling it beside the swiped key. A secret tether. A stolen piece of him that he won’t even realize is missing.
Aiden doesn’t know about the other prize I have. The one his sister gave me for doing her a favor. I’m sure it will come in handy if he presses me too much for leaving.
Waltzing out of his room, I give it one last tearful glance before I head downstairs and catch a ride with one of the pledges.
What I told him was all a lie. Ilovegoing places where I’m not wanted. If only to piss him off that I’m there.
It’s like acid in my blood to know he bought someone else that dress to takeherto his family’s gathering. But worse…
That I’ll never be welcome.
“Oh. You’re back,” is all Athena says when I reach my door. “I thought you had left college.”