Page 17 of The Retreat

“A little warning would have been nice, so I could have more time to plan,” Owen’s mother says at length.

“And what are you planning?” he asks her.

“There will have to have a reception. A formal announcement in the paper. Invitations have to be sent out, and you know how quickly the Governor’s calendar fills up.”

God forbid the Governor not be there, Owen! Imagine what people will say!

It’s physically painful not to roll my eyes at this point.

“I’m sure the Governor will make time,” Oscar, Mr. Godfrey, says.

“When is dinner? I’m famished. I worked up quite the appetite before coming here.”

Owen leans down to snarl into my ear. “Behave.” His lips against my skin send shivers down my spine and make my dick perk up.

“Keep talking to me like that and I’ll have to jack off in the bathroom before dessert.” His fingers dig into my hip, and I hide my smirk behind my glass.

“Where is Cassie, by the way?” I ask my parents.

“At school,” my father snaps.

I lift an eyebrow and make a show of checking the time on my watch. “At seven p.m.?”

“Owen, come here,” Beatrice says, flapping her hand. “I need you to approve these plans.”

He sighs and walks toward where his mother has a laptop open and sits next to her on the couch.

“Do you have any idea what kind of scandal this will cause? People know Owen and Cassandra were engaged,” my mother whisper-yells at me.

“They absolutely were not. We’ve been together for months.”

“How could you do this to us? Cassandra doesn’t have a lot of prospects!”

“Cassie is an intelligent, beautiful young woman with her entire life ahead of her. She can find her own husband if she wants one.”

“You’re so selfish. You always have been. Always have to be the center of attention, don’t you?” The disappointment in her voice might have hurt me in the past, but I’d long ago hardened myself to it.

It would be funny if wasn’t so pathetic. She doesn’t get it. She never has. Being the center of attention protects the people around me who aren’t brave enough to stand up to their bullshit.

“Colin?” Owen’s voice has me biting my tongue. He waves me over when I glance at him, and I take the opportunity to walk away.

“Since you got married in Las Vegas, we can do a Vegas-themed event with craps, poker, blackjack. All black and gold.”

That sounds terrible.

“Sounds great.” I smile at her and wrap my hand around Owen’s arm.

For the first time since all this started, I feel so fucking alone. We might be a team against our parents, but he can barely stand to be in the same room with me. Not that I blame him. I push him at every opportunity. How else am I supposed to keep him at arm’s length?

No one wants me around long term. I’ve gotten used to that fact. It’s probably why I act the way I do. It’s easier if I push them away than if they leave me.

But all I want is to be someone’s entire world. For someone to see through the act, the bullshit, and still want me.

The butler comes back into the room and announces dinner. Begrudgingly, my parents follow him into the formal dining room. Owen and I are seated next to each other. I make a point of moving our chairs closer together and leaning into him. Owen grits his teeth and puts his hand on my leg.

“Getting awfully friendly there,” I say behind my glass.

“If it keeps your mouth shut, I’ll suffer through it.”

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