Page 64 of The Revenge

Dancing doesn’t seem like a necessary requirement to be able to talk with someone, but I turn back to him and put my hand on his waist. Just like Gemini, Syn has grace when it comes to dancing. Maybe it’s a requirement for this kind of event, but it’s still unexpected to me.

“The Christmas before JP left for college, our parents announced he would be marrying Madeline Addison when he finished law school,” he tells me.

“Because he was gay?” I ask quietly.

Syn frowns and then shakes his head. “As far back as I can remember, JP was going to be president one day. If he was still alive, and it got to that point, thenmaybethis country might be accepting of a gay president, but that wasn’t going to be something my father or the party would ever allow to chance. JP told me he liked guys when I was twelve, and even then, our father had already been talking about him marrying the right woman.”

“Did JP even want to be president?” I bite my lip. “Do you?”

“You ask that like it’s a choice.”

“How is a decision like that not a choice?” I glance over his shoulder, finding his mother and father on the other side of the room. “It’s your life, not theirs.”

“That Christmas, as usual, the Greatsons were there. Lola’s mom made a joke about needing to find me a wife and suggested her daughter, who was barely thirteen at the time.”

With a sigh, I stop dancing. “Syn, you don’t need to justify being engaged to her.”

“This is what I’m trying to explain to you,” he says, sounding more exasperated than I expected. “That was a passing comment which has become a… a runningjoke.”

“Then who are you engaged to? If you’re president next, and having the right wife is important, then there must be someone. Right?” I scan the crowd, browsing each woman who looks about his age.

Syn’s reaches for my face, turning it back to face him. “For someone who claims they’re not jealous, you’re certainly acting like it.”

“For someone who claims to be clever, you’renotacting like it,” I snap back at him. “Reign your ego in, Syn. WhetherIlike you or not is irrelevant. I am upset. And I’m upset because somewhere, there’s some poor girl who’s going to have to marry you someday soon. You might have the emotional range of a rock, but there’s a big difference between an ex-girlfriend and an ex-fiancée. Imagine if you saw the girl you’re promised to with another guy she claims to love.”

“You are caring about a girl that doesn’t exist,” Syn tells me. “When my father told me I would be taking JP’s place, I told him I wasn’t marrying Lola. He agreed because her family doesn’t meet some dumb list of requirements. As of yet, my father hasn’t decided on who does,” he continues before I can object.

It seems like such a silly thing to worry over, especially after everything I’ve done, but knowing that I haven’t caused anyone any pain from effectively being the girl who’s been cheated on brings me a huge sense of relief. But I’m also thankful that Syn didn’t make me be that other woman.

“Then, in the interest of fairness, there’s something you should know,” I tell him.

Syn reaches for my hand, and we resume dancing. “What’s that?”

“Last night, your father tried to give me a hundred thousand dollars in cash to leave you. I think he thinks we’re really engaged and—”

“I know.”

“Is that what you talked about when I left you last night?” I ask carefully. “Does he know who I am?”

Slowly, he shakes his head. “He didn’t say so then, but he will by now.”

A pang of pity hits me. If that’s the case, and Syn’s father was just trying to make me break up with Syn because he didn’tapprove of me, then he was probably going to do that to any girl Syn brought home. Before I can stop myself, I pull my hand free of Syn’s and wrap my arms around him, hugging him tightly.

Syn’s body stiffens. “Don’t worry. The auction will be starting soon. My father won’t do anything before then.”

Maybe it’s better that he’s misunderstood my sudden display of concern. I pull back and look around the room. “Has Preston arrived yet?”

“Not yet…” Syn trails off as Royal approaches.

“It’s your father. He’d like to speak to you,” Royal tells him. As I suck in a deep breath, psyching myself ready to deal with William, Royal shakes his head at me. “Just Syn.”

“I’ll deal with it.” Syn raises his arm and looks at the watch on his wrist. “If this takes longer than expected, you two should head to the meeting location and wait there.”

I watch as Syn walks away and then turn to Royal. “Is everything okay?”

“I’m sure it’s nothing.” Royal looks at me and then shakes his head. “I was checking with Preston’s fiancée that du Pont was still planning on making an appearance—which she confirmed he was—and Syn’s father came and asked where he was. I offered to let Syn know he was looking for him, mainly because I was hoping I could get a dance with you while I still have chance.” Royal gives me a sheepish smile.

While I’m not sure why everyone wants to dance with me tonight, it’s a better alternative to just standing around and waiting while avoiding awkward small talk with any other guests.

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