Page 18 of Eternal

“How do you think?”

“Your stupid fraternity.”

“You mean Sigma House,” I correct her.

“That’s what I just said.” She glares at me, trying her best to pretend not to care. “So why do you think you can help me with this?”

“I have a proposition for you.” I click my tongue, looking her up and down. “Be my girlfriend.”

It takes a moment for her to process what I’ve said. First, her eyes widen, and then her back gets stiff as a board. Finally, she bursts out laughing.

“You want me to date you?” Teal can barely catch her breath, and it’s the first genuine smile I’ve seen stretch her face in years. “Of all the things you could have said to me, Declan. You really got me with that. You want me to be your girlfriend? I’d rather run into oncoming traffic.”

The moment she says it, her laugh fades, and she cuts herself off.

“I mean—” She shakes her head. “You know what I mean. Besides, what good would that even do? Clearly, I’m already spoken for.”

I take a step toward Teal, and she smells like a garden in bloom. “My father ranks higher up on the Sigma Sin food chain than Jase’s. So long as you’re mine, they can’t challenge it.”

“Yours?” The word is nearly a whisper on her exhale, and I really wish I didn’t like the sound of it as much as I do.

“Mine.”

She swallows. “Why would you want to help?”

“I have my reasons.”

“Like you trying to piss off my father?” She rolls her eyes. “Who are you really trying to annoy with this idea, Declan? My dad or yours? Because we both know neither of them will be okay with this.”

She’s right.

My father hates the Donovans. Which meansI’ve always hated the Donovans. I’m the good son. The family’s soldier. I follow orders without asking questions and do my father’s bidding. I’ve always respected my father and understood his reasoning, whether or not it crossed moral boundaries. I’ve supported his decisions regardless of the outcome.

Not anymore.

“Who cares why I’m doing this or who it pisses off. Do you want my help or not?” I dig my thumbs deeper into my pockets.

Teal bites her lip, really looking at me. “What are you proposing exactly? You want me to fake date you and put off the inevitable with Jase? Just so you can get whatever it is you think you will out of this?”

“Exactly.”

“And why would anyone believe it?” Teal crosses her arms over her chest. “You don’t fuck one person at a time, much less date one person.”

I smirk because Teal might tell herself she doesn’t care about me, but clearly, she’s done her homework.

“You’ll make them believe it.”

“God, you’re such a dick, Declan.” Teal steps toward me, planting her paintbrush in the center of my black T-shirt and making a golden-yellow mess.

I rest my palm over the bristles when she tries to pull it away, smearing my skin with the collage of colors she’s using on her canvas. “You might want to watch that mouth of yours if you’re going to convince people you like me.”

“You actually think I’ll go along with this?” Teal grits her teeth. “Your ego really does know no bounds. I’d rather marry Jase than even pretend to date—”

I grab her by the throat and cut her off mid-sentence. Paint slicks between my palm and her neck.

Tightening my grip, I push her backward so she’s pressed flush with her painting.

It sticks to her hair, matting it to the canvas, but she doesn’t fight. She submits like the good girl I know she wants to be for me, no matter what her dirty fucking mouth says.