Total pages in book: 131
Estimated words: 125121 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125121 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
“You thought wrong,” I hissed, shoving him against the wall. “Why did you take off and leave your key?”
He shrugged. “Because you win.”
“What does that mean? What did I win?”
“I’m moving back into my house. You’ve got the place just you and your Rogues again.” He sidestepped me. “We done here? I need to calorie up before practice.”
I shot in front of him, shoving him back. “Why did you move out? I didn’t ask you to. I didn’t want you to.”
He shrugged again, making me almost lose it. Victor was so relaxed and nonchalant; you’d have thought we were talking about what I liked on my pancakes instead of our messed-up relationship. “Wasn’t about what you wanted. We’ve been doing this back-and-forth for months. I’m done.”
I flinched, breath trapping in my chest. “You’re done? So that’s it,” I rasped. “Are you serious! We get into one fight because you’re crap in bed, and you’re ready to end it.”
The calm mask broke. “I’m not crap in bed! And it wasn’t one fight. It’s dozens of fights we’ve had every other damn day. The only civil conversation we’ve had since we met was that night in the kitchen.”
“So what, Victor? We fight. That’s what happens when your fiancé is an arrogant, insensitive jerk who says you belong together one minute, and then dumps you in a note!” Tears stung my eyes. “You could’ve at least ended things to my face.”
“I’m not ending anything, Luna. That wasn’t a break-up note.”
“It—it wasn’t?”
He rolled his eyes—almost fondly. “Course it wasn’t. Think I put up with you for months, just to give up when you finally start putting out?”
“I will kill you.”
Victor barked a laugh. “I’m not breaking up with you, but I am done with this thing we’ve been doing. I can deal with marrying a woman who doesn’t love me. I can’t deal with marrying one who refuses to.”
I quieted.
“Our folks picked us, now you need to pick me. Propose to me,” he announced. “Ask me to marry you for the right reasons. Because you want me as much as I want you. Do that and we can elope tomorrow. Don’t... and consider us over, Luna. My inheritance can go fuck itself.”
“Propose to you.” I repeated it and it still didn’t make sense.
“Woo me, baby. It’s your turn to do the chasing.”
I gaped at him. Victor swooped in and kissed me open-mouthed, ignoring my squawk. “Decide what you want, Luna, then stop feeling guilty about it.”
My voice didn’t return until he was out the door with a bacon and egg sandwich, heading out to practice.
I wanted to sit my butt in that booth and enjoy my morning in my thoughts—basking in the victory of killing Owen and walking away from the cops before the enraged Levi. If only I’d done that, I wouldn’t be standing in the middle of the café, more confused than ever.
I had to propose to a man I was already engaged to? Convince someone who already wanted to be with me... to be with me? How was I supposed to do that?
Do I want to be with him? The question bowled me over. Do I want to be with Victor Wilson? If I didn’t have a deal with Martha. If I didn’t have a promise to Winter. If we were just two people who met and started talking about forever, is that something I’d want with the rude, brass, hot jock who sees right through me?
My shoulders slumped. Can I even answer those questions while I’m falling for his brother?
“—go. We’re going to be late.”
I roused myself, checking the time. I was going to be late too.
Hurrying, I scarfed down my pancakes, ditched the tray, and rushed out of the cafeteria.
It was early. Early enough for practices and sweet breakfasts. Too early for students who scheduled late classes so they could sleep in. There weren’t many people milling about as I crossed the quad, making for the natural sciences building. But the few students that were around had one topic on their lips: Owen Thasher.
“—hit and run. The guy just ran him over and kept driving. Kimberly said they didn’t even slow down.”
“I can’t believe it. First Ashton, then Giovanni, and now Owen? It’s awful.”
“Wait. Did you hear what they’re saying about Ashton?”
I slowed down on the steps to the building. Two girls propped on the railing, not bothering to lower their voice.
“No, why?”
She made a disgusted noise. “Don’t shed any tears for him. Turns out he was a rapist. I bet the girl he attacked saw her chance and stabbed him while everyone was rushing him. She went easy on him if you asked me.” The girls set off inside. “If it was me, I would have...”
I smirked. Good. That shithead doesn’t deserve an ounce of sympathy.
Word spread fast about Ashton, and the wild thing was, no one had trouble believing it. Despite Levi shouting me down, saying I was lying. If they didn’t believe I was lying about Ashton, what were the chances they believed me about Levi too? I’d bet anything that Iris spent last night trying again to contact Sadie.