Page 110 of Eternal

“And you’re surprised by this?” Declan raises an eyebrow.

“Not really. But you do see that your friend is creepily obsessed, right?”

“She’s his girlfriend. And Kole’s always been a little territorial.”

“What about you?”

Declan smirks. “Are you asking if I’m obsessed with you? Or if I’m territorial?”

“Neither… both… I don’t know.” I probably should have kept it to myself.

“You’re my girlfriend, Teal.” A dark smirk climbs his cheeks. “There’s nothing I won’t do for you.”

I swallow hard, staring into his eyes, and I believe him.

“What about in the long run? When they’ve all gotten over the fact that we’re together, and no one cares anymore.”

“Do you want to be my girlfriend for the long run?”

I bite my lip, nodding.

“Good.” He leans in, nipping at my lower lip, and it sends a current of heat straight to my core.

“Good,” I whisper, not sure he’s considering what that means but letting it be what it is for now.

“I like this song.” Declan taps his ear.

“Me too.”

He cups my face and pulls me in for a kiss with the music playing in our ears. It’s an unearthly tone with a hum that consumes the night. A hymn of hope when I’m more accustomed to the haunting whispers of doubt.

“Hey, Dec,” a voice comes from behind us, and he breaks the kiss.

Glancing over my shoulder, I see a man walking down the hill with Maddox and Asher on either side.

“You got a second?” The man waves a piece of paper in the air.

I don’t recognize him, but he appears to be in his mid-thirties. He’s handsome, and from his presence and outfit, I guess that he must be rich and powerful like the rest of Sigma Sin. His gaze meets mine, and my back stiffens because there’s also something terrifyingly intense about him.

“Yeah.” Declan nods, and the three of them stop at a distance.

“Who is that?” I ask Declan.

“A friend from California.” He brushes his thumb over my lower lip. “Professor Jacob Gray.”

My eyebrows pinch. “Why does that name sound familiar?”

“I think your friends got into his summer internship program.”

“Professor Gray,” I repeat the name, looking at the man again. “He’sthatProfessor Gray?”

Declan chuckles, catching my chin and forcing my face back to his. “Yeah, why?”

“He’s just not what I expected. Why is he here? Do you know him? Or… he’s a legacy of the House, isn’t he?”

“More than that.” Declan brushes his thumb over my lips again. “He’s a former Council member.”

Patience and Violet are both attending his internship this summer. Hopefully, Patience doesn’t figure it out. Because if she discovers the professor she’s revered for his research on criminal motives has ties to the fraternitythat sent her brother to a psychiatric ward, I’m not sure how she’ll react.

---