Page 2 of No Pucks

I’m instantly drawn to him.

Evander smacks my shoulder.

“What was that for?” My attention snaps back to Evander.

“Were you even listening?” Evander asks, smacking me again.

“No, can’t say I was.”

“I said?—”

I hold up a hand, cutting him off. “Is this going to make me mad?”

“I’m sure it will, but you’ll do it anyway.” Evander steps in front of me and meets my eyes. “Mother wants us all to walk the carpet together.”

“She’s lucky I love her.” I’m searching over his shoulder, but the man must have slipped back inside the bar. I wrack my brain for what place that is.

“What are you looking at?” He tries to follow my line of sight, but there’s nothing there.

“Nothing.” I give him a tight smile. “I’m hangry and horny and ready to cut a bitch. Don’t play.”

“Keep it in your pants, you whore. There will be plenty of time to seduce an old man after pictures.” He snickers and shoves me towards the hotel.

I open my mouth to object to his slander, but I have no argument. It’s alarmingly easy to get older guys into bed, and I have a self-diagnosed daddy complex. I’m far past denying it at this point.

“I’ll keep it in my pants for now, but I can’t make any promises for the rest of the night.” If I finish this quickly, maybe that guy will still be there.

Evander pulls his phone out of his pocket, looking at the screen and sighing rather dramatically. “Mother wants you to go find Dad and meet us for pictures.”

“Where is he?” I ask, realizing this is a trap. Mother texted him, not me. He just didn’t want to go find our father himself. I know Mother wants me to talk to him, but nothing is getting solved unless I bend to his will, which I’m not going to do.

Evander lifts his shoulders. “She said you might know.”

“Uh huh. You mean you don’t want to go look for him,” I say flatly.

He avoids my eyes. “You’re not the only one he’s making life hell for. He’s sending me back to boarding school.”

“Can’t you tell him no?”

Evander shakes his head. “Mother won’t let me. She told me to do it to keep the peace.”

I’m suddenly quite thankful I’m not our father’s favorite. I pull Evander into a hug. “Have you sat him down and talked to him and Mother about what it’s like there?”

“They won’t listen.” He reluctantly wraps his arms around me, leaning into the hug like he needs it to breathe.

“You need to talk to Grandpa. Maybe he will.”

“I guess I’ll try that.”

“I can hide you in my dorm anytime you need.” Not that he can get back from Switzerland often, but at least the offer is out there.

“I can’t believe you’re staying in a dorm.” He laughs into my shoulder.

“After boarding school, it’s not a big difference. And it’s so much better than living at home.” Plus, it isn’t really like other dorms. It’s basically an apartment with a roommate. We each have our own room. The university requires all students to live in student housing for the first year. My parents think it will be good for me, but they wouldn’t put me in a shithole.

“How would you know? When was the last time you even lived at home?” He pulls back, smoothing a hand over his shirt.

“I don’t have any plans to start, either. I don’t need to be in the middle of those two.” I shudder as bile rises in my throat.

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