Page 32 of Revere

“I doubt my participation is winning me any points.”

“I don’t know…” Violet’s smile turns devious. “You sure do fluster him.”

“More like irritate him.”

“It’s a fine line.” She winks, and thankfully, my phone pings, giving me an excuse not to respond.

My friends still bring up Professor Gray, but not as frequently, so I’m trying to keep it that way.

Frowning, I read the text from my mom.

“Your parents?” Violet guesses.

“How’d you guess that?” I groan as I respond to Mom’s continued text rant about how she doesn’t understand why my friend would be stopping by the house with my brother.

Honestly, I have no idea. When I asked Mila to do me a favor last week and drop off the books I was supposed to bring back before I left town, I didn’t think Alex would join her. It doesn’t make sense why they’d be hanging out, unless Mila’s really taking my request that seriously to look after him while I’m away for the summer.

She always has been a better friend to me than I’ve been to her.

“Mom’s pissed that Alex was hanging out with Mila.”

“What do you meanhanging out?”

I shrug. “She’s keeping tabs. You know Mila’s always at Sigma House anyway.”

“Right.” Violet’s eyebrows pinch. “Why would your mom care?”

“Because Mrs. Holier-Than-Thou doesn’t approve of anyone when it comes to my brother. She and my father have had his future-bride picked out since we were kids.”

“Who?”

“Do you know Chastity Rencutt? Red hair. Junior this year.”

Violet bites the inside of her lip, thinking. “The girl in Teal’s art program.”

“Mm-hmm.” I nod. “That’s the one.”

“Does your brother know about his arranged marriage?”

“He knows it won’t actually happen. Chastity has been with her boyfriend since high school, and her parents have been trying to expand into the oil sector, so they’ll approve of her marrying her boyfriend to advance that. His family can help.”

Violet frowns, watching me.

“What?”

“You make it all sound so political.”

“It is.” I shrug. “Another reason in a long list that Sigma House is the worst. Your decisions aren’t your own. Your relationships aren’t your own. Nothing is your own.”

Her gaze moves across the courtyard on campus to where Kole has just pulled up in his car. “I wonder if Kole’s family has someone they had picked out for him.”

“If they did, that plan probably died with his father.” I watch Kole climb out of the car. “His stepfather’s interests don’t seem to go beyond law enforcement, and he already has his hooks in that part of Bristal.”

I shiver thinking about what it would mean if that weren’t the case. While my family is ruthless and power hungry, Kole’s stepfather is another kind of monster. One, in ways, who is far worse, as indicated by the scar that starts at Kole’s temple and goes down the side of his face. Not many people know how he got it. I only do because Alex used to tell me everything.

“What about you?” Violet asks, turning her attention back to me as Kole starts to cross the parking lot. “Did your parents pick out anyone for you to marry?”

My stomach starts to turn. “Not exactly. My mom had ideas, but it didn’t pan out.”