Page 48 of Revere

Either from my flesh or worse, through marriage.

I wasn’t exaggerating when I told Violet about how common arranged marriages are within Sigma House. And while I downplayed it for Violet’s sake, making it sound like escaping it was as simple as one person being unavailable, that’s not the case. It takes something serious for those types of arrangements to be broken. And while yes, Chastity is dating someone, it was Alex’s stint at Montgomery that actually got him out of that contractual marriage.

At least, for now.

If I had to guess, my parents will continue to plot and manipulate until they find someone they deem worthy of him—their golden child.

My stomach sours at that thought. What if that’s the real reason they’re summoning me back to Bristal for the night? They’ve found someone for him. Or worse, me? At least Alex will fight it. They might even allow him the out considering what he’s been through. But I have no real stance on the matter.

The fact that I’m twenty and living on my own means nothing. As Mom likes to remind me, my life isn’t mine.

I pull out my phone and skim through my texts again. Nothing new from Mom since this morning when she confirmed Alex will be there tonight. At least in that regard, I won’t be alone.

Someone slides into the seat beside me on the plane, and it takes me a moment to look up. It isn’t until I get a hint of apple spice cologne that my gaze snaps to the man sitting beside me.

Jacob smirks, smoothing his hands over his pants as he gets comfortable. “Hello, Patience.”

“Are you stalking me?”

“Would you like me to be?” He winks, sending my insides tumbling.

I narrow my eyes at him. “Why are you here?”

We haven’t spoken one-on-one since his office, and him beside me on the plane is too much. It reminds me of before he was my professor. When I thought he was just a man I couldn’t stop thinking about.

“I have a dinner meeting in Bristal.” His answer is as nonchalant as his tone.

“And you just happened to be on the same flight as me?”

“Or you just happened to be on the same flight as me.”

“I’m not stalking you.”

“I wouldn’t mind if you were.” His grin is blinding.

This man is going to destroy me to the point I’ll never recover. “How is it you have a dinner meeting in Bristal the same night I do?”

“We could go in these circles all night, Patience. Or you could just accept it as coincidence.”

I’m sure to him, this is a coincidence. Albeit a bit far-fetched, considering this is how I met him. But Jacob isn’t Sigma Sin, so he doesn’t understand how much manipulation I’ve witnessed in my life. Too much to trust that anything happens by chance.

I sink back in my seat and try to ignore this feeling rattling in my chest. “When do you return to LA?”

“Around eleven.”

My eyes widen. “Tonight?”

“Tonight.” He smirks. “Let me guess, we share that plane as well?”

“Coincidence,” I repeat the word, but it’s starting to feel less and less possible, regardless of his distance from Sigma House.

Jacob hums, watching me. “Why are you headed to Bristal for the night?”

“My parents summoned me for a family dinner.”

“You don’t sound thrilled about that.”

“I’m not. My parents are…complicatedpeople.” I choose my words carefully.