Total pages in book: 169
Estimated words: 167671 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 838(@200wpm)___ 671(@250wpm)___ 559(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 167671 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 838(@200wpm)___ 671(@250wpm)___ 559(@300wpm)
“But he’ll be so alone, all by himself,” she says, then she starts singing the lyrics to that song, making me laugh again.
“He’s surrounded by plenty of sorority girls more than willing to pet him,” I reply. “I’m sure he’ll be all right.”
“Ivy’s right; that cat has more game than the boys from the Skull and Serpent Society, and that says a lot,” Océane says as she leans against the doorjamb of the guest room I’m staying in. “We have alternating classes here, so I doubt he’ll be alone.”
“Exactly what she said.” I wink. “Now, let’s go. We’re almost late.” I grab her bag and drag her along.
“You need a ride?” Océane asks. “Talon can drive.”
“It’s only a short ride down the mountain. Max offered to bring her.”
“That’s awfully chivalrous of him. You two dating or what?” she asks.
I blush. “Maybe. I don’t know. It’s complicated.”
“Hey, you do you,” she says. “Good luck at school today, Cora!”
Cora waves as we exit the house, where Max waits on his bike for us.
When he takes off his helmet, Cora immediately runs to him to hug his leg. “Hey, kid, long time no see.”
I cross my arms. “It hasn’t been that long.”
“Too long,” Max replies. “You ready for a ride?”
Cora has a beaming smile on her little face. “I’m going on a motorcycle? That’s so cool!”
She almost jumps up and down out of sheer excitement.
I chuckle. “You just made her first new school day extra special.”
“Gotta earn those bonus points somehow.” Max winks.
“This is so freaking awesome,” Cora says as Max grabs her and puts her on.
“Safety first,” I mutter.
Max swiftly pulls out a small helmet and plops it on her head, tightening the straps. “You didn’t think I was going to drive away without this, right?”
I narrow my eyes at his coy smile. “You’ve gotten bold …”
“And?” he asks, raising a brow. “You like it?”
I playfully slap his shoulder. “You keep talking like that, and I will make you regret it.”
He makes a filthy moan-ish sound. “Don’t threaten me like that. It only makes me want it more.”
“Want what?” Cora asks.
“Nothing,” Max and I both say, and when he glances at me over his shoulder, we both burst out into laughter.
After we’ve dropped Cora off at school, Max brings me back to Spine Ridge University, and I peck him on the cheeks before he drives off again to take his bike for a spin. Our classes don’t start until late this afternoon, and he probably doesn’t want to encroach on my need to distance myself for a while.
And he was right … I did want to be left alone for some time so I could properly grieve our mother’s passing together with Cora.
So I could navigate my way through a world without parents.
Without a solid base.
Without a house to call home.
But we’ll get there someday.
I breathe out a sigh as I walk up the stairs in the Alpha Psi sorority house and head into the guest room where we’ve been staying all this time. Bagel greets me with a purr and a tail rub against my leg, and I pet him a little to feel grounded again.
Little Bagel and I have been through so much together. He was my mother’s first pet and her only companion through the abuse my stepfather flung at her. Sometimes I still can’t believe I was able to steal him away too while I ran with Cora in one hand and Bagel in the other.
I pick him up and settle down on the bed so I can give him some much-deserved chin rubs. However, he’s really not feeling it and jumps out of my arms to strut all over my desk, making a mess everywhere he goes.
“Bagel!” I scold him as the letters fly through the room.
Letters I don’t remember putting there.
I go to my knees to pick them up from the floor. They’re all notices from a bank, banks I never contacted, and my name is clearly printed on the label, but it was sent to this sorority house.
How?
I open the envelope and read the letters, but the longer it goes on, the more it feels like the flooring has been ripped away from underneath my feet, and I’m falling. I’m falling so hard I can’t breathe.
Money.
Millions and millions of dollars have been put in a bank account … in my name.
So many letters are here that dizziness takes over, and I collapse on the bed while gaping at the bank account clearly in my name, along with all those zeros.
I didn’t steal.
I didn’t even try.
There is only one possible answer.
Stefano.
But how? He’d never give me this money willingly. In fact, I’m pretty sure he wrote a will outlining all the ways I would never get my hands on a single dime. He’d rather go to the grave with all of his money than gift it to the one girl he hated more than anyone in the whole damn world.