Page 20 of Forsaken Oath

“What?” It comes out as an exasperated gasp.

My sister is oblivious, chattering away like I didn’t say anything. “And the buy-in wasn’t even that bad. Only five Gs.”

My eyes feel like they’re bulging out of their sockets, shock stealing my voice. Disbelief is swift on its heels, and I clear my throat. “Where exactly did you get that kind of money? If you’re about to tell me that you dropped out of school without telling me, we’re going to have a problem.”

“Please, like your eagle-eyes wouldn’t notice if I had?”

I’m a little ashamed to admit that she’s wrong on that account. I’m not sure I would have. I’ve been preoccupied lately,my head stuck in the clouds, with a certain memory playing on repeat.

“Where, Margot?”

She blinks. “Nate.” She pauses. “Or maybe you’re sponsored by Seven Pines now? I’m honestly a little unsure. Once we got to The Alley, I kind of tuned Nate out, no offense. That man just talks and talks sometimes, ya know? Anyway,” she says with a sigh. “You’re paid up. No refunds, no take backs. Your pre-qualifier is in three days, sis.” She blows out a breath with a quick nod.

I clamp my lips shut, stuffing all the words I want to unleash behind my teeth. Glaring at my sister, I swipe the goddamn octopus flyer off the counter and turn on my heel.

“Watch Vivie,” I toss over my shoulder.

“Wait, where are you going?” she calls to my back.

“I’m going to find my ex-friend, Nate, and run him over with my car.”

9

ELOISE

The screen doorslams behind me, the aluminum sound sharp in my ears as I stalk toward my oldest friend’s house. I don’t need to go far. Three houses down, to be exact. I storm up the front steps and pound my fist against his front door. I don’t even give him time to answer it before I twist the knob and let myself inside.

I stop in the middle of his living room and yell, “Nathan Cameron Thomas, you better put some pants on and get your ass out here!”

“Thorne?”

His voice sounds muffled, and I stalk across his living room to look through his kitchen window. He’s lounging on his back patio, drinking beer and soaking up the sun like he doesn’t have a care in the world. I don’t know why I didn’t look there first. There are only three places Nate spends his time: at Levi’s place on the other end of the neighborhood doing Seven Pines shit, at the garage working on his car, and in his backyard.

“In the back, Thorne,” he yells, curving his hand around the side of his mouth.

I storm outside, letting the aluminum screen door slam against the doorframe behind me. The sharp smacking sound usually makes me flinch, but I’m too keyed up today.

“There she is,” Nate croons, holding out a second beer can, like he knew I was going to come over.

“What have you done, Nathan?” I growl out, leveling him with my most lethal glare as I advance on him.

His grin only grows wider. “Ooh,Nathan, is it? I must be in trouble now. Here, take a seat?—”

“I don’t want a drink.” I slap the beer out of his outstretched hand, and it tumbles onto the sparse lawn.

“Damn, Thorne. No need to waste good beer.” His endless amusement only irritates me more.

I straighten up and exhale, rolling my shoulders back. Then I look my pseudo boss and oldest friend in the eye. “Sorry. What I meant to say was: tell me you didn’t let my sister borrow money from Seven Pines. Tell me you’re not throwing away a twenty-year friendship, Nate.”

His dark brown brows rise toward his hairline. “What’re you talking about, baby?”

I grit my teeth at the nickname. Some men use the term of endearment so they don’t have to bother learning a woman’s name, but not Nate. He only calls me that when he’s trying to get away with something, trying to soften me up.

“I’m not fucking fourteen anymore. That shit doesn’t work on me.” Irritation prickles under my skin like the beginning stages of a sunburn.

“I seem to remember it working just fine a few years ago,” he murmurs, taking a deep swallow of his drink.

I lift my arm, shaking the crumpled up neon green flyer clutched in my fist. “We’re not talking about that. We’re talking about why the fuck you gave my sister—my fucking sister,Nate—money and sent her to The Alley. What the fuck were you thinking?”

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