Page 70 of His To Claim

“Well, that was awkward,” Drake says once they’re out of sight.”

“Grab me a drink, will ya, Dragon,” I ask him, not acknowledging what he’s said.

He nods, turning to Jade and Stella. “I’ll be right back. Girls want anything?” he asks.

“Do you even have to ask,” Jade tells him. Where alcohol is concerned Jade’s answer will always be a yes.

“Not for me, thanks. My uncle doesn’t like when I drink in his presence,” Stella tells him.

“Lame. Luckily for my dear dads gone missing. Not that he’d care. Anyway, I’ll go with ya, Dragon,” she says, walking off with Drake.

Stella and I walk over to a table to the right side of the pool. They set the entire yard up with tall, circular cocktail tables surrounding the pool and gardens.

“So, that was your uncle,” I say when we arrive at the table.

“Yeah, my dad’s twin brother. He looks exactly like him. I still get kind of weird around him. And if I’m being honest, Eliza is just like a blonde version of my mom.”

Shit. I didn’t know Stella’s dad and Bass’s dad were twins. That’s completely morbid.

“That must suck,” I say bluntly.

“Yeah, well, it was harder at first because I blamed my father for my mom killing herself. It’s why I was glad to come to the academy. Less time spent at home. I only go home some weekends and holidays. Other than that, I’m usually on campus. Well, until you guys came around.”

“So, no other friends, huh?”

“I was actually friends with Leighton, Casey and the other girls that came over earlier. That was until the whole thing with Kinsley happened, and well, I realized they were only friends with me to get to my cousin. So yeah, no friends were better than fake friends.”

“Ugh, girls suck,” I say, and we both start laughing. We’re interrupted again, this time by the obnoxious pests that seem obsessed with torturing us.

“Well, what’s so funny? Did you girls realize you’re only hereout of pity?” Carrington says as she approaches our table. She’s dressed in a black, halter-style, sequined dress that shows way too much cleavage but gives her a perfect hourglass shape. Tan skin glistens with what must be some type of body oil. Nobody is that shiny. Her mask is a simple black mask tied around with a gold ribbon that hides perfectly in her trademark golden curls.

“That is pretty funny,” Kinsley, who stands beside her in a rose gold, metallic dress with a chiffon skirt that’s shorter in the front than in the back, agrees with her pitiful joke. Kinsley, whose family apparently owns some high-end jewelry brand, wears a rose gold mask accented with real diamonds.

I turn around pretending to have just notified them. “Speaking of the devil.”

“I’m flattered,” Carrington sneers. “So, you’re flying solo today, Scarlett?” she asks, and I think it’s the first time she’s actually used my name.

“Wow, not calling us ‘trash’ today, Carrington. I must say I’m impressed.”

“Don’t flatter yourself, I’m on my best behavior. I told you tonight is important. Only the most prestigious academia’s are invited to join the school’s festivities. Representatives from all the top Ivy’s are here, and I’m going to make a perfect impression.”

“Don’t worry, Carrie, you can count on us. You’ll manage to make a fool of yourself all on your own,” I say mockingly.

“Fuck you, Scarlett,” she huffs storming off. Well shit, guess she was serious about behaving.

I feel my phone buzz in my purse and am suddenly terrified to look who it is. Of course, as I pull it out, it’s a text message from an unknown sender. My stomach drops and twists as bile rises in my throat, but I open the message to find it’s exactly what I suspected.

Unknown: It’s time, angel.

“Everything okay, Scar?” Stella asks, my face surely as pale as I feel.

Drake and Jade haven’t made it back from the bar, so it’s the perfect opportunity for me to sneak off. “Yeah, everything’s good. I am just gonna find a bathroom.”

“I’ll go with you,” she says, and I panic.

“No!” I shout, and she looks at me stunned by my reaction.

“I mean, stay here and save our table. Drake and Jade will be looking for us. I’ll be quick.”

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