Page 87 of Foolish Games

“Nope,” Lexi says. “Billy nicked it for me.”

“I could get you cash for it,” Lennox says.

“Y’all know the Darlings,” I say, nodding to Tony. “Think this’ll get her into the party tomorrow?”

The Dolces glance at each other, frowning. “You gotta have an invite,” Benny says.

“Says who?” I ask.

“Says the Darlings,” Tony answers, kicking at a clump of dead grass clinging to the dirt. “I’m doing an independent study with Justin, and he told me all about it. The bastard was acting all sorry, like he couldn’t pull an invite out of his ass if he wanted us there.”

“Who says the founding families get to make all the rules?” I ask. “They’re no better than the rest of us. It’s our town too.”

“Yeah,” Tony says, punching a fist into his palm. “We don’t have to follow their rules.”

“Exactly,” I say. “If they want a party, we can show them a party.”

twenty-five

Sebastian Swift

“Hot damn,” I say, letting out a low whistle as Vivienne enters the sitting room where I’m waiting with Robert. He gives me a sour look but doesn’t say anything. Vivienne beams, holding her arms out and doing a little twirl. I want to get up and pull her into my arms and kiss her, but of course I can’t. Her brother is sitting right there.

Her brother, who’s supposed to be my best friend, who I’m fucking over every damn day.

But I’m in way too deep to save that relationship.

“Good thing I came over early,” I say. “If I saw you at the party, I’m not sure I’d recognize you.”

Vivienne’s wearing a tight black dress with silver threads sparkling in the fabric, a pair of red heels, and a black lace mask wrapped around the top of her face, little jewels inset around her warm brown eyes. Her caramel hair falls around her shoulders in big, soft waves. Bright red lipstick colors her lips and matches her shoes, bringing the whole thing together in a gorgeous, sexy, classy package.

“You’re not wearing a tux,” she says, her smile faltering.

The look of disappointment on her face is a knife to the fucking sternum.

“I already had a suit.” I paste a grin on my face, though this lie tastes more bitter than the others.

I didn’t have a suit.

I scraped together enough to buy one and have it cleaned so it doesn’t smell like the secondhand store where it came from.

“It’s fine, man,” Robert says, standing and clapping me on the shoulder.

“Yeah, totally fine,” Vivienne says, graciously hiding her disappointment.

Their awkward attempt to make it okay only makes me feel shittier. Rob knows I don’t have money for a tux, but his sparing my dignity only makes me feel about as big as a flea sucking the lifeblood out of his family. That’s what the rest of the town is to the elite families. Parasites that feed off their generosity. After all, Vivienne didn’t have to invite me to this. She could be going with Nerd Boy, who probably owns a tux, and if not, definitely has the money to rent one. I’m the only thing standing in her way.

“Want to ride together?” Robert asks as we step into the garage. He hits a button on the wall, and the doors slide up, revealing the grey, rainy day outside.

Vivienne snorts. “Are you going to sit in the back with your date?”

Robert gives me a resentful look before turning to his sister. “You’re leaving with me, though.”

“I’m fine,” she assures him, rolling her eyes.

“Yeah,” I say. “I’ve been your sister’s fake boyfriend for months now. Why the sudden suspicion?”

“It’s been months,” he says. “I think it’s gone on long enough, don’t you?”

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