Page 63 of Underground Prince

“Eric Strausen is a lot of things, but a killer is not one of them.” Theo’s grip loosened. “The gun wasn’t loaded.”

My mouth worked for a minute. “How can you be so sure? For all you knew he stumbled on a pack of bullets on sale and thought gee whiz, I think I’ll load my gun today.”

“Strausen is a coward. Any weapon he has near him could also be used against him.”

I shook my head.

“He’s a role player, Scarlet. And enjoys all the games that come with it.”

“So you…it was all for fun? I’ve been turned into a joke?”

“I don’t consider you a pawn. But what you experienced today is nothing compared to the moment where your death is truly imminent.”

I laughed, and it was actually genuine. A joyful trilling for the milling masses around us. “You have no idea.”

“Neither do you,” he said, unaffected by my inappropriate cheer. “What did you feel in that room?”

“Anger at you,” I said, losing my laughter. “Pissed off at myself for not reacting better. And…” I admitted, softer now, “Fear.”

“You breathed heavier, didn’t you? Your heart slammed in your chest, your hands strummed with your pulse, your body went so voltaic your mind was about to short out.” After I didn’t respond, he prompted, “Right?”

“Yes,” I said, the reluctance of admitting it bitter slime against my tongue.

“In other words,” he said. “You felt alive again.”

My mouth went slack. He dissolved my acid with that explanation, stifling my rage and spinning it into memories.

“Don’t you ever insult me again by accusing me of not caring. I’d never send you into a situation where I couldn’t get to you.” His lips rose in a suppressed snarl. “And I’m furious you had me admit it.”

Theo didn’t give me a chance to respond. By the time I got my wits back he was halfway back to his car and didn’t bother with any second glances. He yanked open the passenger door, slamming it so hard behind him the entire vehicle swayed.

And it wasn’t until he was out of sight that I allowed myself a long exhale and a growing, careful smile.

Theo Saxon had a heart.

15

TO DO LIST

On the fourteenth morning of no Theo, I woke up with a regular, well-behaved list. Things I needed to remember to buy regardless of my lot in life: coffee, coffee filters, and cream.

I stared into our fridge, my arm hanging limply over the door, hoping against hope there was a carton of cream behind all our containers of pad thai and tandoori chicken.

Our buzzer sounded, a screech of fingernail-chalkboard proportions and I cringed before shutting the fridge. Verily was notorious for her pre-exam spaciness.

“Oh,” I said as soon as I answered.

Expecting it to be Verily, hoping it was Theo here to confess his sinful wishes and at last see me again, I instead was greeted by Noah.

He looked just as surprised to see me as I did him. “Verily told me to come by at this time…said you’d be at work…”

“She has a midterm this morning. And I’m late,” I said, and figured Verily got her days wrong. But when stating Verily’s absence to Noah, I sounded pissed about it. “Did you need something?”

“I—I’ll just come back.” He cleared his throat, refusing to look anywhere but above my forehead. A draft coasted up the stairway, bristling against my legs and reminding me that I was addressing Noah with no pants. All I wore was an oversized white shirt and underwear. I was being rude to him braless.

I shuffled behind the door as covertly as I could. “I can probably get whatever it is you need.”

He messed with his hair, a habit I was all too familiar with. “Yeah, actually. Her notes for Cognition. She said she wrote an outline.”

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