Page 52 of Bad Little Bride

God, she couldn’t be at least a little unattractive.

Her smile curves higher and I grind my teeth, focusing on my half-empty glass in my hand.

“Looks like big brother has no intention of letting her get herself some.” Rocklin laughs and my head snaps to where I left Enzo, gaze slicing through the faces until I spot him, charging right for the group fawning all over his precious ex.

I should tell my sister. Enzo is essentially lying to get her into the protective walls of Greyson Elite Academy. There are no lies allowed on Greyson grounds and she’d be expelled immediately.

But if she goes to GE in the fall, you’ll have him to yourself.

Ugh. I cringe at my damn self.

Pathetic, Boston. You already had to bribe a man to marry you, don’t go getting attention-starved.

I really am a train wreck.

“My favorite sight.”

Rocklin and I look over to find our dad walking up with a soft smile.

“My girls in one place, not tearing each other’s throats out.” He puts a hand on both our shoulders.

“The night’s still young, Dad,” I remind him, “Give us a couple hours.”

“Or couple more of these?” Rocklin lifts her glass.

He chuckles, shaking his head, his eyes falling on me. “I haven’t heard from you. Enzo said you weren’t ready to speak to me after what I did.”

Did he now?

“Can you blame me?”

My father watches me closely, before a small smile pulls at his lips. “No, I can’t. Tell me, how are things going at the Fikile estate?”

“Fine.”

He waits for more, as does my sister, but they’re not going to get it.

My father’s frown is all-telling. He can see right through me, as always, but he doesn’t demand to know what it is I’m not liking, and honestly, it’s kind of shocking. Even if he did, it wouldn’t matter. I’m not being beaten or starved. I’m not left out in the cold or passed around the guards as a plaything.

So yes, things are fine. I’m fine.

Same story, new view.

A knot forms in my throat, but I use the chardonnay to swallow past it.

“Are you coming back to Greyson Elite in the fall?” It’s my sister who asks this.

“I haven’t decided.” I shrug, looking out over the room as if I couldn’t care less when really, I don’t know what I’ll be allowed, or forced to do. Things with Enzo are complicated in a way I haven’t quite figured out yet.

He loves to remind me he owns me, but then sometimes there’s passion behind the possession. It’s confusing.

He is confusing.

“You should return. There is much training you could benefit from there, third years go into Assassin 101, and being the wife of a man like Enzo, you need knowledge in not only defense but offense.” My father studies my expression. “With Katana’s attendance, it should be no problem.”

Katana. Right.

He might make me go back to Greyson to help watch over his precious Katana.

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