Page 166 of Teacher's Pet

She looks ethereal. A vision in white silk, her dark hair adorned with delicate gold vine embellishments. As she introduces Roman to her colleagues, his attention flickers across the crowd, his mind constantly assessing, scanning.

Good.

At least one of us is keeping a sharp eye on the event.

Across the space, Roman catches my stare. A brief but mutual nod passes between us. My jaw tightens as I try to subtly motion for him to come over.

Before he can make a move, a grating voice cuts through the noise behind me.

"Quite the turnout."

I don’t need to turn around to know who it is. But I do anyway.

Walker stands there, a smug grin plastered across his face, a glass of whiskey in hand. Cole stands beside him, mirroring the expression, his own drink reflecting the golden light of the courtyard.

“The drinks aren’t for little boys,” I snap, gripping my champagne flute a little too tightly.

Walker rolls his eyes. “They are if your parents are paying for the liquor.” He nudges Cole’s arm with a smirk.

“So,” Cole drawls, his smile curling like smoke, “has our sweet Ana heard the news yet? About her little fuck-up with Levi?”

The words hit me like burning coals pressed to my skin.

“You mean your fuck-up?” I scoff, raking my gaze over him, disgusted.

Cole doesn’t get a chance to respond before another voice joins in, one that turns my blood to ice.

“No, big brother.”

Jake’s hands slam down on my shoulders from behind, his grip firm. “He means Ana’s fuck-up.”

I whip around, my fists already curling, but Jake just grins, standing beside me with his own glass of whiskey. The faint bruise from our last encounter is blooming across his forehead, an ugly reminder of the last time we spoke.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” I spit.

Jake scoffs, tilting his glass toward the entrance. “The Briars are here. You and Ana are here. Her parents… it all seems perfect, doesn’t it?”

A sick feeling coils in my gut.

I told Ana to wait. I told her not to come until I gave the okay. I needed to speak to Roman first...needed to make sure he’d even consider helping me before I dragged her into this mess.

But it’s too late now.

Family might be blood, but Ana is so much more than that. And if this goes sideways, if Walker, Cole, and Jake have their way, she’ll be the one to suffer for it.

Catalyst might be my last hope to save her.

And I won’t let these bastards take that from me.

"So what? You're here to stalk your prey?" I snap, locking eyes with Jake, my grip tightening around my drink.

He doesn’t even flinch. Instead, a slow, insidious smirk spreads across his face. "I'm here to make sure you stay in line," he hisses, his gaze drifting past me. Then, with a sick sort of amusement, he adds, "And to marvel at our lovely Anastasia."

There’s something hungry in his tone...something that makes my blood run cold.

I follow his gaze.

The moment I see her, the world around me tilts.

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