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Everyone scurried out like they always did, far, far away from me.

I hadn’t made a lot of friends to begin with because I’d been an idiot and attempted to triple major so it was my fault in the beginning. I’d done a deep dive into my studies and had already finished two of my majors before this year. Why did I need to finish out junior and senior year, again? Even then, I’d only ever really hung out with people because Tempest was a social butterfly and wanted me to get out more on account I was too intimidating with my loud clothing and loud mouth.

That all seemed like a lifetime ago, though.

When I was a freshman, when the world was my oyster at eighteen, when I was just trying to find my place in it—and when I dumbly thought it would be easy to become an adult.

And now I was pregnant at twenty.

My bodyguard was dead.

And I was married.

Not how I planned on things going.

A shadow cast over my desk. I looked up. Ace still had his AirPods in. “You ready?”

“I should quit.”

“What?”

“School.” I stood and grabbed my bag. “Seriously, this is a waste, I mean I have three majors for what? I have more money than I need, I can work for the family doing whatever I want, I’m pregnant. Like, why am I even here?”

He fell into step beside me as we walked through the halls on campus and out the door to the grassy area between the student union building and the business building.

“To get an education,” he said in a clipped voice. “It’s kind of a requirement for every family to go to Eagle Elite, get your piece of paper and move on like the rest of us, plus you were so busy studying your ass off the first two years the only time you ever really socialized was when Ivan made you.”

I made a face. “He was always a pain in our asses, still is, and even though you’re older than him he still bossed you around until you left for Italy.”

Until he left us.

Left home without as much as a word other than he needed to get away.

“Why did you leave, anyway?” I asked. “Really?”

“I got an assignment.” He said it slowly, carefully. “And you don’t say no to Phoenix Nicolasi.”

“Why did he out of all people give you an assignment?” I asked. “I mean why not Dad?”

He swallowed and looked down. “Because telling him the real reason I wanted to leave wasn’t really a topic I wanted to discuss with him.”

I rolled my eyes. “So Phoenix, the death bringer, was your next logical choice?” I shook my head. “I don’t buy it.”

He touched my elbow and gently led me to the cafeteria. “That’s the best part, Raven, you don’t have to. All you need to know is it was a decision that needed to be made.” He started walking through the little store before we actually made it into the cafeteria and grabbed two of my favorite protein bars, some yogurt, a can of Sprite, and licorice, paid for it with his phone app, then escorted me back outside like I didn’t have an opinion on snack time—which I didn’t because it was like he could read my mind these days.

We went back to the townhouse where he would somehow convince me I needed a nap, I’d complain and then sleep for two hours and find myself covered with my favorite blanket and then we’d make dinner.

I hated it.

I loved it.

He confused me.

So much.

I kicked off my shoes and put them next to the door then walked over to the breakfast bar. He tapped on his phone and checked the cameras like he always did, then he went and locked the door and did a check of all the windows.

Again, like he always did.