Page 80 of Be My First

“It isn’t fair. They won’t let me within ten feet of a man. I know they don’t want me to get hurt but...”

“You can’t live,” he says.

My eyes widen in surprise. I wasn’t expecting him to agree with me.

“Yeah. I can’t. They might as well put me in a tower or something. What’s the plan? Some sort of arranged marriage? How am I supposed to meet anyone? They won’t let me go anywhere. And men are scared of them – rightfully so. Did you know they actually strangled Kip when they first met him because they were worried he was hurting Brooklyn?”

“Yeah, Eli told me about that.”

“It’s insane. Brooklyn had to literally run away for a summer to live her life. Maybe that’s the only shot I have at...”

He cuts me off. “Please don’t do that.”

I hold his gaze for a moment, and then I start walking toward the villa. He trails after me, neither of us speaking.

He opens the door to the villa, and I walk in. As soon as we enter, O’Shay rushes up. He opens his mouth, but I hold up my hand. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

I storm up the steps before either of them can respond. Once I’m inside my room, I slam the door. A few minutes later, I hear a soft knock at the door. I’ve changed into a tiny tank top and shorts to go to bed. I pull the door open. Bode blinks a few times. I know he’s trying not to look at my body. I’m not wearing a bra – it’s obvious.

He opens his mouth, and I hold up my hand. “Whatever you came up here to say, I don’t want to hear it. I’m tired. I just want this night to be over.”

I start to close the door, and he says, “Juno.”

I blurt out. “I’m a virgin.”

His jaw drops open just a little.

“Bode, I’m a virgin, and I came on this trip to lose my virginity. I’m going to do it, and you and my overbearing brothers are not going to stop me. If I literally have to run away or let someone kidnap me, I swear I will do it, because I’m not graduating college a virgin, and I don’t really think it’s fair I’m in this position at all. I know I’m acting desperate, but that’s becauseI amdesperate. I really don’t want to be with someone like Justin, but...”

He closes his mouth and clenches his jaw.

I don’t give him a chance to respond. Instead I callgoodnightas I shut the door in his face.

Chapter Thirty-One

Bode

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