Page 44 of Entangled Mafia Princess

“He didn’t make me,” I retort, thinking he could have made me do just about anything—I was that thirsty for him. “I wanted to. Kenton would never have done anything like that.”

“How do you know?”

“When he was at Notre Dame living off campus, he told me how he and his housemates had a BB gun, and they had this ongoing competition with who could kill the most animals with it. Birds and squirrels were like a point each. He won because he shot a gopher.”

“Your parents aren’t going to be happy you’re seeing some other guy.”

“I know, so please, please don’t say anything. I mean, I just met the guy. In less than two weeks, I’ll be back at school. So this is like a winter break fling. No big deal.”

“What are you and this Jack doing tonight?”

“Clubbing.”

“So what do I tell Kenton if you don’t come to drinks with us?”

“Just tell him I’m not up to it. It’s not his business anyway if I have other plans.”

“Did you sleep with this Jack guy?”

“On the first date?”

“What? It happens all the time at school.”

“No, we didn’t sleep together,” I reply, silently adding, Not in the traditional sense. But if I’m lucky, I’ll make it past ‘first base’ tonight…

I spend the afternoon with Hannah. Back at home, I rewatch video clips of some of my favorite snowboarders like Chloe Kim and Lindsey Jacobellis. Hannah continues to text me trying to get me to join her and Kenton later. My mom, preferring warmer weather, decides she’s going to visit her sister down in Palm Springs. She’s barely gone two hours before a woman who looks just a few years older than me shows up at our house. The woman wears a skin-tight dress that makes no sense for casually stopping by someone’s house.

From upstairs, I glimpse her as she heads down the hallway toward my father’s office. Seriously? He can’t get a hotel?

Deciding I’m going to tell my dad just that, I stomp my way downstairs, but Maria, one of our house staff, accosts me.

“Mr. Kenton Brady is here to see you,” she informs me.

“What’s up?” I greet, not particularly excited for him to show up unannounced.

“I wanted to see that you’re okay,” he replies. “Is there somewhere we can talk?”

I lead him into the living room.

He looks around. “Someplace more private?”

“You didn’t want to just call?”

“You see, that’s what I’m talking about.”

I’m taken aback. He just got here and has barely said anything to me. What is he talking about?

“I get the feeling you’re blowing me off,” he says.

“If I was blowing you off, I’d be ghosting you, not responding to your texts.”

“Hannah says you’re not going out with us tonight.”

“Yeah. Trying to save my energy to do some snowboarding.”

That probably didn’t sound all that believable, but I’m not sure I care that much.

Kenton narrows his eyes at me. “What’s your deal?”

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