Page 97 of Ruthless Chaos

I want to tell him I can’t forget something I never knew, that I don’t belong here and never will, that I’m pretending to be someone I’m not.

Fortunately, Alexander keeps talking.

“You need to be more careful,” he scolds, pointing a finger at me. “I will protect you, I promise. But you need to keep your wits about you, Allie! Don’t take fucking drinks from anyone.”

I want to explain that I didn’ttakea drink from Liam, but it won’t help my case. Alexander is too heated.

Is this his way of being considerate?

Or is he just like this because he thinks I belong to him?

At the very least, I will heed his reminder—I can’t trust anyone here. I can’t let my guard down because there will always be someone to take advantage of it.

Alexander sits on the edge of the bed beside me.

The silence soon becomes awkward, and I grow more uncomfortable with each shaky breath I take. Though he’s so angry at me, he’s comfortable with me in his bedroom.

I need to leave before things take a different turn.

“What time is it?” I ask. There are no clocks, as far as I can see.

Alexander checks his watch. “Fifteen past five.” In the morning, I assume.

Fortunately, that’s early, especially since it’s the weekend. If I leave soon, I’ll make it back to Hemlock without too many people seeing me leave here.

I twiddle my thumbs under the covers. “Do you have my clothes and things?”

Alexander nods and walks over to the bench at the foot of the bed. He hands me my clutch, and the tatters of my dress. “Your shoes are by the door.”

I pick up what’s left of the dress by the shoulders. There’s a huge rip down the center, and the moment it ripped comes back to mind.

There is no salvaging it. It’s ruined.

I’ll have to wear Alexander’s shirt back to my dorms. Just fantastic—as if things weren’t already embarrassing enough.I get out of the bed, my limbs screaming in protest. Alexander rushes to steady me but backs off when he sees that I can stand on my own.

I shoot him a curious glance as I rummage through my clutch.

I find my phone. There are a few texts from Tara.

Skimming them gives me the gist of her night—she slept with the guy I saw her dancing with. The most recent text came in five minutes ago, which dashes my hopes of making it back without her noticing.

I’ll have to explain this to her.

Alexander doesn’t say anything, only watches me. I take that as a sign he will let me leave. The door to the living room is ajar. I take it.

He’s on my heels.

There’s a heavy oak door inlaid with gold and emblazoned with the Kingmaker Crest at the end of the room. That must be the exit.

I look around the room.

This isn’t a living room, it’s a livingsuite.There’s even a private kitchen. Though I expected him to live differently—he is Head Kingmaker, after all—this is still beyond what I imagined.

It’s basically a whole apartment.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he says as I approach the door.

“Back to my dorm,” I say, meeting his harsh gaze with one of my own.