Page 7 of Protégé King

“Oh my God. How did I not know what an ass you are?”

“Are you serious? I’m your best friend, Alana.”

“No, you’re not. You would not have kissed me while committed to someone else if that were the case. Go to college, Damion. I hope you grow up there, I really do.” With that, I turn for the door.

He catches my arm. “Don’t do this. I don’t want us to be like this.”

“It’s too late. Now I know the real you.” I jerk my arm from his and shove the cracked door open, slamming it behind me. That’s all it takes for me to burst into tears, hit the wall with my back, and slide downward until I’m on the floor.

Almost immediately, my mother is in front of me, squatting at eye level. “What just happened?”

“You were right about him,” I sob. “He’s not who I thought he was.” I fling my arms around her.

She hugs me and whispers, “He’s young honey. You’re both young.”

But she’s wrong. I would never do what he just did to someone and we’re the same age.

I can’t believe I’ve secretly believed I’d one day marry him all my life.

Chapter Three

Alana

Three years later—age twenty-one

While it might seem an impossibility for Damion and me to attend the same university and never run into each other, that is, in fact, the way my first three years at Yale have played out. I spent the first year on campus telling myself I wasn’t looking for him, but secretly watching for him at all times. I was convinced he’d transferred schools, and impatiently dove into his father’s financial empire, but I never let myself look at the student body directory.

Damion West is the past.

I’m looking toward the future, nose down, books open—quite literally—as I study for an exam the entire class fears we will fail.

“You do know it’s my birthday, right?”

This from my best friend and roommate, Sally, who is now sitting in the chair next to my desk. “We did cake and pretty things in a bag,” I say as I laugh. “Yes. I know it’s your birthday.”

“Then put down the books and let’s go out.”

“This test—”

“You’ll nail it like you nail them all.”

“I’m trying to get into law school,” I remind her, which is a big deal for me.

My family sells high-end real estate, and despite us doing quite well, to people in this world, we’re the service industry. Too often I have to point out how whatever another student’s family does is in fact, service. Which is exactly why I’m going to law school. If we had a legal side to our business, which would include real estate law, we will be bigger and stronger.

“Max’s fraternity is having a party. He wants us to come.”

My lips press together. She knows I hate the fraternity scene. I have no interest in snobby guys in heat. They all believe themselves better than everyone else, but they’ll still get you naked. Max has shades of such things in him, too, which didn’t set well at first. He’s a good guy underneath it all though, and once I got to know him, he accepted me and me him. Of course, he did. Sally loves me. I love Sally. And Sally’s family is big tech rich. He looks up to her, not down as he would have me without her by my side. “I really have to study.”

“We only have a year until law school. Then it gets intense.”

She has a year until law school. I’m still not accepted.

“This is our last year to just be college kids, you and me against the world.”

The future attorney in her is one heck of a negotiator. “How do I turn that down?” I ask. “You’re my best friend.” I’ve barely spoken the words when she stands and pulls me to my feet. “Let’s pick out the perfect dresses.”

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