Chapter 27
twenty-seven
“It’s December thirteenth,” I say on Saturday morning, waking up in Aiden’s bed with a snap of my eyes.
“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.
But fuck him if 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, jerks up 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 his appropriate date.
“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, Lord Cardell. 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. I love going 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 take her to 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.”
I stand in the center of the room, dropping my stuff. “Nope. Only a minor kidnapping.”
She glances at me for a moment, deciding if it’s a joke. “Welcome to Hell,” is all she says before gathering up some books and heading out the door.
After making my bed and throwing some clothes into my drawers, I head to the coffee shop on campus. But the entire way there and back, it feels like someone is following me. I cut through a short alley to see if I’m right.
Sure enough, loud footsteps crunch on the pavement behind me.
I flip around, ready to douse the person with hot coffee.
It’s Rowan. The guy who accosted me in the library.
I peel off the lid of the latte and hold it out like a weapon. “What do you want?”
He pauses a few feet from me and holds up his hands. “I still want to know what you did to Julien.”
“I didn’t do anything to Julien. I tried to help him that night. Someone must have given him alcohol.”
“You’re saying it wasn’t you?”
I scowl. “No. It wasn’t me! I wouldn’t do that.”
“I don’t believe you. You don’t have the reputation of being the most stable Omega… Was Julien in the way when you burned down that other bitch?”
How does he know about that? I choose innocence. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Sutton told me it was you who did it. So don’t play dumb with me. She also said you were there with Julien before he was wheeled out to the main circle. Said you’d given them beer.”
“I didn’t give Julien shit. I tried to get him out.”
“I’ll get to the bottom of this.”
With a quick spin, he gives me his back. My mind is a whirlwind, trying to figure out why he’s so angry with me. And also, why does he care?
“Hey! Who are you to Julien?” I yell, but he ignores me and keeps moving.
It’s been two weeks since I was with Talon in person. Surprisingly or not, he hasn’t texted me after Thanksgiving. Part of me wonders if he’s finally moved on to whoever was sending him pics.
When I reach my dorm hall, tepid drink and all, he’s pacing outside my door. While not unusual for us to be apart, I try not to draw attention to it. Otherwise, he assumes I want quality time, which is the exact opposite of what I want.
“Where the fuck have you been?” he spits out through gritted teeth.
I roll my eyes and hurry him inside before he can cause even more of a scene. Fortunately, Athena is still out, so it’s only he and I in the small, white room.
“I told you. Omega stuff. I’ve been busy.”
His tongue slips out to lick his bottom lip as he crosses his arms. “Doing what?” It’s an accusation, not a question.
Ignoring him, I set down my drink and fold some clothes, hanging them in the closet. “I was staying over at Theta Manor. You must have known what happened on Wicked Wednesday.”
The blank expression he wears tells me everything. He does know. Maybe he was too distracted by whoever was on his phone to say anything. But the prospect of losing out on his future has propelled him over here anyway.
“No. What happened?” he asks, as if he doesn’t want the answer.
As casually as I can, I slip around him to tidy my side of the space. “I lost a bet. I stayed where I was told.”
“And you didn’t even bother to message me? Didn’t call for help? Fancy! Stop.” He grabs my arm as I pass, so I’m forced to look at him, and my pulse races. It’s heading for another full-out fight. I can feel it.
Blinking slowly, I give him a half-smile. “Thought you were hiding out and didn’t want to show after the bar incident.”
“I was! But you didn’t come to visit me at Delta House. Didn’t text or call… After Thanksgiving, I thought you’d at least reach out to me.”
When he’s like this, it’s best to remain silent. So I do.
He puffs out a breath like he’s been holding it for years. “Because he wouldn’t let you.”
Flatly, with as much stoicism as I can muster, I take a step back and state, “I want to break up. Like…officially.”
A little huffed laugh escapes his lungs, and he stares at me like I’m deranged. “We’re never breaking up, and you know this.”
“No, I don’t.”
“You’re appointed to me, Ash. Stop being ridiculous.”
“No, I’m not.”
His brown eyes dim. “You will be. Your dad already agreed to it. As soon as I’m a senior. It’s as good as done. Maybe I’ll get it arranged to happen before then.”
With one step forward, he wrenches the back of my neck, holding me as if I’ll slip away.
It’s a threat, even if he doesn’t realize it yet.
His eyes fill with tears. “I know you’re still messed up about the baby.
That’s why you push me away. Why you keep going to him…
It’s fine—we’ll have more kids. I’ll fix it. We can start tonight if you want.”
I swallow back a wave of nausea.
“No. We’re over.”
His grip tightens until his nails dig into my skin, and I lose a breath. “Fancy feet, stop. You’re not hearing me. This isn’t a breakup. Maybe a rough patch. In a year or two, you’ll be my wife. Everyone knows it. Even he does. Your entire family—hell, the university agrees.”
I shove his chest, but he wraps his arms around me in a tight hug as I squeal. “Let me go!”
“No! I’m never letting you go. You’re my girl!”
He’s left me no choice. I swiftly drive a knee into his balls, and he crumbles to the ground with a simpering groan.
“We’re finished, Talon.” My voice trembles with fury. “I don’t care if I have to torch every thread of my parents’ expectations to prove it—I’ll never be yours.” Even if it takes setting his hair on fire. “Leave.”
He sniffs, his face burrowed low as his body writhes in pain. Once he gathers himself up, complexion slightly green, he manages to say, “This isn’t over. We’re not done. I’m calling your dad and telling him what happened.”
“Fine! Whatever! Just do it away from here!” I say, pushing him out of my door and locking it.
He bangs on the other side, his muffled yell sending me into a rage. “We are not over! And tell that prick he better watch his fucking back!”
I feel like opening the door and greeting him with my gun. But I’ll resist.
For now.
The anger doesn’t quell as evening approaches. Talon set me on edge, but all I can hear are Aiden’s words… “Don’t come.” They replay in my head like a taunt.
Don’t come.