Page 71 of Princess of Hawthorne Prep

“So this is what Stockholm syndrome looks like, huh?”

A snort escapes from me. “Austin isn’t forcing me to do anything. I’m in total control of my decisions. Okay?”

Even though he jerks his broad shoulders, a dubious expression settles across his face.

Instead of arguing, I redirect the conversation back to my original question. The one that forced me down to the beach in the first place. “Have you seen him or not?”

Duke’s whiskey-colored eyes turn guarded. “Yeah. Just a little bit ago.”

My muscles relax as the corners of my lips lift in relief.

Good.

I want to find him and get the hell out of here. It only takes one glance to realize that this is just the beginning of the craziness sure to ensue, and I don’t want to be anywhere near it.

“Where?”

There’s a moment of hesitation.

“With Aubrey.”

My heart stutters a painful beat before pounding erratically against my ribcage.

He breaks eye contact and scans the crowd. “I saw them together earlier, but it’s been a while.”

Almost reluctantly, his gaze returns to mine. The look he gives me is chockful of pity. Even though he presses his lips together and doesn’t say a word, I hear his thoughts loud and clear.

You’re being played.

I straighten my shoulders and force a lightness to my voice. “Thanks.”

Just because he was spotted with Aubrey doesn’t necessarily mean anything. Although, I would be lying if I didn’t admit that doubt is creeping in at the edges and some of the happiness I’d found in his arms earlier has evaporated. The questions that lurk in Duke’s eyes continue to circle through my brain, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.

Aubrey might have spent the past couple months turning her nose up at Austin, but clearly, her thoughts on the matter have done a one eighty. She’s been hanging all over him, vying for his attention.

The urge to find him and lay my concerns to rest rushes through me and I point toward a group of students. “I’m, ah, going to take off.”

I don’t get more than a few steps when he says, “Don’t go. Just chill here for a while.”

With a glance over my shoulder, I force a smile. “I’m fine. No worries.”

By the concerned expression that flits across his handsome face, I can tell his mind has tumbled back to the party at Kingsley’s.

“Are you sure? Want me to help find him?”

Hard pass. Having these two boys together is a recipe for disaster. “Seriously, I’m good.”

I’m almost out of earshot when his raised voice meets my ears. “You can always bunk in my room with Everly, and I’ll sleep on the couch. You don’t have to stay there.”

Duke is a good friend who only wants the best for me. I rush forward and throw my arms around his neck before whispering, “Thank you, but that won’t be necessary.”

I give him a quick peck on the cheek and hurry through the thick crowd. Now that I’m in the middle of it, the number of revelers has swelled and there are even more people packed onto the beach.

All I care about is finding Austin and clearing the air. The idea that he would hop from my bed to someone else’s makes me sick to my stomach. How is it that the fragile peace we managed to find is already crumbling around our heads?

After twenty minutes of searching, there’s still no sign of Austin. Either we keep missing each other or he’s not here. That alone isn’t enough to cause concern, except…Aubrey is MIA as well.

My mind tumbles back to all the ways I allowed him to play with my body. I was practically panting for him.

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