Page 52 of Jack of Diamonds

Pursing his lips, Jack shook his head, then took another two steps away from me.

“Dude, I’m just on my period. It’s not like I’m dying of the plague and you’re gonna catch it!”

Jack’s jaw tightened and he winced like my words had punched him right in the gut. He looked like he was going to be sick.

“You should go.Now.”

Embarrassment and rage battled for my attention as I stared at him incredulously. Was this really happening?

“Very well. If you won’t leave, then I will.” Jack turned on his heel and stormed past me, his fists clenched at his sides. “Have Queen Amari send word once you’re no longer bleeding.”

My blood boiled at his blatant misogyny. Menstruation was a normal, healthy bodily function, not something unclean or shameful. His attitude was beyond infuriating and demeaning.

“Do you seriously expect me to just lay around doing nothing for the next four or five days?” I called after him. “We have work to do!”

My jaw fell open as Jack ignored me and slipped out of the door, slamming it shut behind him. I stood there in disbelief, shaking with anger.

I hated him.

I hated his fuckingguts. What kind of shitbag treated women like this? I was wearing a tamponandclean underwearandclean yoga pants. It’s not like I was going to slide down the ropes and paint them all red.

Fucking jackass...

That was his new name—Jack Ass.

The rope still hung from the ceiling, but the last thing I wanted to do in that moment was to play and swing on it.

All I wanted was to run back to my room, jump into my bed, and cry.

Maybe I’d punch my pillow a few times.

But mostly I wanted to cry.

I slipped out of the same door Jack Ass had slammed, and hurried back to my room before anyone could see the tears in my eyes.

* * *

ChapterTen

ALICE

“Shit!” I hissed as I sat upright and threw back the covers. Golden yellow sunshine was steaming into my room. I was so fucking late for my lesson. It had to be well past lunchtime.

Suddenly I remembered that I had the day off. Maybe the next few days, for that matter.

Unless that bullshit from earlier had only been a dream...

I legit ran to the practice courtyard and burst through the doors, fully expecting to find Jack waiting for me with a disappointed frown on his beautiful, chiseled face.

The ropes and ladders of the new obstacle course were still set up like I remembered, but Jack wasn’t anywhere to be found. Then I saw my empty coffee cup sitting on the balance beam. I remembered the way he’d treated me, and all my panic about being late for practice soured into low, seething anger.

I felt like such an idiot for being so proud of showing up early to practice. I thought he’d be impressed with my dedication, and instead, he’d treated me like I was radioactive waste.

Why did he have to be so infuriating? And why, even now, did some part of me still hope not just to prove him wrong, but to win him over?

Maybe I was just hangry.

Food didn’t fix everything, but it definitely wasn’t going to hurt. I headed for the Great Hall to get some lunch. I loaded up a plate with waffles covered in butter and syrup and whipped cream and strawberries, added a side of fries, then grabbed a mimosa.

---