Page 98 of Obsessed with the Heartbreaker

We’d been rounding each other for years. I’d been avoiding and fearing this realization, but feelings were about to burst out of my chest, and they wouldn’t be quieted anymore.

So I went to get him.

The first bad sign was the sight of a party already in full swing at the frat house. We were still in the middle of the week. Henry hadn’t hosted any mid-week ‘get-togethers’ since we’d started this whole ruse, none that he’d attended at least, and this was no friendly, cozy hang-out session. This was a step away from a club on a Saturday night.

My gut churned, but I let it go. It was probably nothing. Maybe someone felt like celebrating and they were doing this.

But then, once inside, the ominous feeling didn’t abate. The frat guys who I’d been slowly and unexpectedly getting to know for the past few weeks were now looking at me with a mixture of surprise, relief, and wariness. Even Adam, usually good-natured and chill, was now coming to me like I was the answer to his prayers.

“Ant! Good, you’re here. For a moment I thought…”

“You thought?”

I didn’t like where this was going.

But Adam just shook his head and tried for a smile. Even his dimple was weaker than usual. He gave me a pat on the shoulder. “Never mind. It’s good that you’re here. King is—”

There was the sound of glass shattering somewhere behind me, and Adam excused himself quickly before calling for order in an unexpectedly bossy, no-nonsense tone.

Then there was Maddox.

He approached me, cloudy expression on. “Did something happen?”

“Whatsomething? What’s going on?”

My skin felt too tight. Like someone was going to give me terrible news any second now, and I was already bracing myself.

The Hellhound searched my expression, icy eyes inspecting me, before he said. “Henry’s drunk.”

“Drunk?”

I didn’t wait for him to elaborate. I shouldered past him, past all the rowdy students partying like midterms wouldn’t be any day now, and went to find the guy who owned my very heart.

He wasn’t sitting on his usual throne. That lay empty, like a respectful gesture from everyone to him, but he was instead standing alone by a potted plant, looking like a dark cloud hung all around him, drinking deeply from a red cup.

Crossing the distance at record speed, I put a hand on his shoulder. “Henry—”

The cup fell, spilling its contents onto the floor, as Henry whipped his head toward me. “What areyoudoing here?”

“Why are you drunk?”

Eyes darker than ever, he looked away from me momentarily before his gaze met mine again. Like he couldn’t force himself to look away for too long. “It’s none of your business.”

My chest felt tight with the sting of his rejection. “Don’t give me that bullshit, Henry.”

“It’s not bullshit—”

“Let’s go to the kitchen.” With a hand on his lower back, I guided him there, so at least there wouldn’t be dozens of eyes on us when we talked.

There were some guys and their dates there, but as soon as they saw Henry and me, and as soon as they sawmyexpression, they all scurried out.

It would have been satisfying if it didn’t feel like my whole world was about to crumble.

Getting a glass from a cupboard and putting some water in it, I handed it to Henry, who reluctantly downed it before almost shattering it on the counter.

“What is going on?” I asked, nerves threatening to eat me alive. “Why are you like this?”

“What’s going on?” His chuckle had an edge I didn’t like one bit. Self-deprecating. Cruel. “Funny question that.”

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