Page 35 of Soul Mates: Hercules Valentine and I

Again, she takes a long pause.

“But?”

“Max has the grand plan, and I think it involves you.”

I slap myself on the chest. “Me?”

“Yes, but Paisley, are you involved with Hercules Valentine?”

The graveness of her question slams into me like a two-by-four to the head. “No,” I say sullenly. But oh, how I wish I could say yes. I miss everything about him already. The energy that flows from his pores. His scent. His voice. His touch. The taste of his mouth.

“Listen, I know how tempting the Valentine boys are, but just figure out how to keep your distance. You don’t know our family like I do.”

Frowning, I snap my head back. “Then please, enlighten me.”

Treasure’s exasperated sigh expands in my ear. “It’s just… they do things.”

I’m on the edge of my seat. “What things?”

“You don’t know them like I do.”

“Are they like mobsters or something?”

“Kind of but not necessarily.”

I throw up my hands in frustration. “Just tell me, Treasure!”

“All I know is that when it comes to the Valentines, anything goes. And it’s not only us—it’s them too.”

“It’s not me. I’m not part of the us,” I say, shaking my head adamantly.

“Yes, you are. We were born into theus.” She pauses. “You’ve heard about me and Orion, haven’t you?” she whispers.

I frown. “There’s a you and Orion Valentine?”

“Yes.” She clears her throat. “He’s, umm…”

Her emotions come through clearly, which is why I rub my chest over my heart. I never knew Treasure could experience heartbreak until now.

“My dad threatened to cut me off if I even thought about getting involved with him. And not just moneywise, Pais. Like, he’ll never talk to me again. And my mom too.”

My mouth is agape. It’s hard to believe Leo and Londyn would ever break ties with Treasure. She likes to refer to me as my parents’ perfect princess. Well, she’s her parents’ diamond on the shelf. They have let her get away with virtually everything, including dropping out of college and filming that stupid reality show. But a relationship with a Valentine is where they draw the line? That’s insane.

“They would really cut you off over one boy?”

“He’s a man. Orion Valentine is all man. And yes, they would. And your parents will give you the same ultimatum, so don’t do what I did and force them to make you choose. It broke my heart, and frankly, I haven’t seen them the same way since.”

I’ve been tossingand turning all night, pondering Treasure’s warning. Orion Valentine must have really meant a lot to her. I wonder if she was with him when she pretended to be kidnapped. I remember asking her where she went, and she said, “Somewhere I can never go again.”

I never asked her what she meant by that because I figured she was referring to a five-day-long party on the yacht of one of her snobbish but wild friends. As I flip over onto my side to watch the early-morning sun weave through the leaves of healthy oak trees, I take my pondering to the next level—one I spent all night fighting. Maybe I’ve kept Treasure’s secrets because deep down inside, I knew that her parents would take away their love if she crossed certain lines. Maybe my parents have sent me the same subliminal message: screw up badly enough, and you’ll be cut off.

I flip onto my back to stare at the ceiling. I should be exhausted after not sleeping a wink, but I’m not. I’m fully awake and feel like, for the first time in my life, I’m completely aware.

There are soft knocks on my door, and then it cracks open. “Paisley, are you up?” Eden whispers.

I glance at the clock on my nightstand as I sit up. “I’m up.”

“Are you alone?”