Page 37 of Blood & Betrayals

I check my running app and am pleased to see I’ve met a new personal best, probably thanks to my anger at stupid Connor Morningstar. I have no doubt it was Connor who forced his brothers into humiliating themselves as punishmentfor humiliating me. Connor Morningstar is probably telling the truth about not having anything to do with what they did.

I run to the student union and grab a table outside in the sun. The summer days are still so lovely here, but I know it won’t be long until fall is upon us, and sitting outside won’t be nearly as pleasant.

“So… how was your run?” Alice asks, dropping into the seat across from me around five minutes later.

I glance at her. “It was fine.”

“Did you chat with… you know who?”

I roll my eyes. “You can say his name, Al. I will not burst into flames or curse you for eternity.”

Alice chuckles softly and lifts the menu, using it as a fan. “Well?”

I nod.

Alice blinks, waiting for more details, but when it becomes clear I’m not going to provide more without prompting, she asks, “And? How’d it go?”

“I believe he had nothing to do with it.” My stomach twists again, and this time, there is no doubt it’s guilt. Connor Morningstar’s stupid, sad face keeps flashing in my head. There is probably no feeling in the world I hate more than guilt, especially when I have done nothing wrong.

Alice stops fanning herself and looks at me expectantly. “Uh huh, and…?”

I pick up another menu and read through it. “And what?”

“I wasn’t sure if I should show you this, but…” Alice picks up her phone and taps on the screen a couple of times before turning it toward me.

Rafe

Connor is acting like a war widow waiting for her husband to come back from sea. What did Summer say to him?

I glance at Alice, one eyebrow raised. “You’ve been texting Rafe?” I roll my eyes. “Fine. Send Rafe my number to give to Connor. He did look like a kicked puppy when I told him to leave.”

“Why?” Alice asks, tilting her head.

“Why what?”

“Why give him your number when you asked him to leave?” Alice asks, her eyes assessing.

“I don’t know, okay? Stop asking difficult questions, or maybe I’ll have some difficult questions like why do you have broody, dark angel boy’s number?”

Alice tenses and rolls her eyes. “Okay, well, his brothers notwithstanding, how was it?”

My lips curl into a half smile. “It was… pretty good.”

She leans forward and lowers her voice. “Onlyprettygood.”

“Maybe a little more than pretty good.”

Alice smirks. “Well, he carried you up the stairs like a caveman.”

My cheeks heat a little, but I push away the memory. It is quickly replaced by the one that started when Alice banged on the door. “Whatever. It’s not happening again.”

Alice’s phone alerts, and she grimaces when she looks at it before showing me. It’s a photo of Connor sitting on the window ledge and staring out of what I assume is his bedroom window. Rafe wasn’t lying. Beneath the photo is another message from Rafe.

Rafe

I’m going to have to build him a Summer watch instead of a widow's watch.

I sigh again, but my stomach knots a bit more as I look at the photo. “Send him my number to give to Connor.”

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