Page 48 of The Prince of Broken Crowns

I grip the bar. “Isn’t there always a rumor going around about me?”

He moves around and stands near my head to spot me. “Sure, but this one was more interesting than any other I’ve heard.”

I grunt as I lift the weight. I already know where he’s going with this, so I don’t even bother asking before I lift.

“And it has to do with a pretty northside girl who’s got more snark than anyone I’ve ever met.” His hand follows the bar as I lift it up and down. “She plays a mean game of whiskey pong, too.”

I lift one more time before setting the bar down. Then I sit up and grab my bottle of water. “You shouldn’t have talked her into playing that. She ended up getting sick.”

He frowns. “Really? She didn’t drink that much. At least, while we were playing.”

“Yeah, but she told me she doesn’t usually drink a lot.” I reach for a towel to wipe the sweat off my head. “And to you, a little bit to drink is a lot for most people.”

He rolls his eyes. “Only you think that.”

I could argue with him, but I have more important things to talk to him about. “Whatever.” I swing my leg over to the side and sit on the edge of the bench. “Off the subject just a little, but last night, while Maddy was leaving the bathroom at the party, someone grabbed her.”

“What?”

I twist the cap back on the bottle of water. “She got away and everything. I actually ran into her like a minute after it happened, and it’s part of the reason why I walked her back to the dorm.”

“Sure it was,” he says, like it’s not the reason at all.

He could be slightly right, but I won’t admit that aloud.

“Anyway, do you have any idea who could’ve done it?”

“No. Why would I?”

“Because that’s more of your scene. Plus?—”

“Don’t,” he hisses, flicking a frantic glance around the room. “Don’t bring that up here.”

He’s probably right, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t need to be discussed.

“Fine.” I stand up and collect my bag. “But later, when we get to our dorm, we’re continuing this conversation.”

He throws me a dirty look and a one-fingered salute before walking off.

I exit the weight room and turn right down the hallway, heading toward my dorm so I can take a shower before I have to go to class. I’m halfway there when Noah falls into step beside me.

The muscle in my jaw ticks. Noah and I used to be best friends until his mother had an affair with my father, which resulted in the divorce of my parents. Noah was aware of the affair before Finn and I were, and he never thought to tell us. It was a shit move on his part, and now I no longer trust him.

“Hey, so I heard this thing about you,” he starts.

“Let me guess. You heard that I was hanging out with Maddison Averly?” I ask without glancing at him.

“That’s part of it.” He opens and flexes his hands at his sides. “I also heard you might not be pledging?—”

I grind to a halt. “You really want to have that conversation out in the open?” I question in a low tone while giving a pressing glance around the hallway.

Finn was right to stop me from discussing this very subject when I brought it up while we were in the workout room.

“I …” He trails off. “Sorry, it’s just that your father asked me to?—”

I step toward him and, in a low tone, warn, “Do not mention my father to me—ever.” I could hit him—I should. I should’ve a long time ago when I first learned about his betrayal.

“I …” He starts to continue with a splash of worry on his face, but I walk off before he can finish.

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