Page 62 of Divine Obsession

Maria was gone.

And I couldn’t tell Kali…

“Hey, stranger.”

Looking over my shoulder, the first real smile of the night touched my face. “Francesca. Hi.”

Francesca DeMone was the daughter of another Don of the five families. Her older brother, Gìo, introduced us at my birthday a couple weeks ago, and we clicked immediately. Though, I hadn’t seen her since.

“I forgot you go to Columbia. Should’ve expected to see you here.” Her platinum hair glowed in the moonlight, bringing outher olive skin, dough eyes and bold red lips. “I heard the game was crazy.”

It had been.

This party was even crazier.

I didn’t know how I’d let the other girls on the cheerleading team convince me to come here. They promised dancing, music and good food. Then abandoned me once we arrived, to go find some guy on the team to make out with.

Bad trap music boomed through the speakers.

The rooftop was packed. No one was dancing, but somehow everyone except me and Francesca was making out with somebody else.

And the only food present was weed.

“Apparently, someone got hospitalized?” Francesca made ayikesexpression.

“Yeah… Harvard’s captain.”

“No shit. Was it Trevor that did it?”

“Yeah. How–”

“Thought so. He’s captain of Columbia’s team, right? Guys always do dumb cavemen shit like that. Territory-property bullshit and all.”

I got a sour taste in my mouth.

Was that how Trevor saw me?

His territory? His property?

I didn’t have to think more about it to know I didn’t like it.

There was a difference between belonging with someone, and belongingtothem.

I wanted to be owned romantically. Who didn’t?

But this wasn’t romance.

And neither was what Trevor and I had.

He didn’t like me. He didn’t want to date me. And he sure as fuck didn’t get rid of other guys because hecaredabout me.

Francesca was right. It was territorial, proprietorial caveman bullshit.

“Hey. You okay, Nat?”

My eyes snapped up. “Yeah, I’m fine.” I cleared my throat. “What about you? How come you’re here? I mean, don’t get me wrong. I’m not complaining.” Now I was the one sayingyikesin regards to the party.

“Oh, my gosh, of course.” She smiled, hooking our arms. Taking a deep breath, she continued. “Tony.” She rolled her eyes, and I covered my laugh.

---