Page 128 of Sweet Ruin

I smiled up at him. “I’m okay.” Wes was always so thoughtful—even now when we weren’t together anymore. “And thank you for the flowers you sent. They were beautiful.”

“That was the least I could do,” he said. “I feel like an idiot. I broke up with you because I couldn’t handle my jealousy, and then the next day, you nearly died in a fire.”

There were other students passing us on the main path we walked down, so I took him by the elbow and guided him to the edge of the courtyard and past the hedges to one of the small gardens that lay beyond. It was dark here, but at least there weren’t other students about. It felt like we needed a little more privacy for this conversation.

“Wes, you don’t need to feel like an idiot. You didn’t cause the fire, and you were right about ending our relationship. We weren’t working.”

“Yeah, I know.” He sighed. “I just don’t want things to be weird between us. You’re one of my closest friends.”

“They might be weird for a little while,” I admitted. “I’m not sure how they can’t be. But maybe if we can both accept the weirdness and agree to work on our friendship, we’ll get there in the end.”

He slowly started to smile. “With talk like that, you’re going to make me fall for you all over again.”

I laughed and shoved my shoulder into his.

My phone started to ring, and when I saw an incoming call from Matthew, I glanced up at Wes. “I should probably take this; it’s my dad. He might be calling about my mom.”

“Of course,” he said. “I’ll leave you to it.”

We smiled at each other as I lifted the phone to my ear. “Hello?”

“There’s footage of William,” Matthew said, a grave tone to his voice.

“What?”

Wes hadn’t gone far, and he stopped and turned back when he heard the alarm in my voice.

“The police have contacted us,” Matthew said. “A store across the road from the café has CCTV footage of William on the street just before the fire started. He’s wanted for questioning.”

“Oh my God.”

“Where are you?”

“I’m at school.”

“But where?”

The increasing panic in Matthew’s voice was worrying. “I just left the dining hall, and I’m walking to the girls’ dorm with Wes.”

Wes started back to me. “What’s going on?” he said, but I just shook my head. I barely knew myself.

“I want you to go back to the dining hall,” Matthew ordered. “Stay with Wes.”

I shot Wes a worried look. “Matthew, you’re really freaking me out here.”

“I had eyes on William, but he’s disappeared,” he replied. “I’m sure it’s nothing, but I don’t want to take the risk.”

I suddenly regretted pulling Wes away from the brightly lit courtyard. No one could see us because we were behind one of the hedges, and it was much darker here. The chances of William coming into the school weren’t high, but I suddenly started looking at the bushes surrounding us like he might jump out of them.

“Go back to where it’s crowded and there are teachers,” Matthew said. “Stay there until I call you back. I’m going to call Noah to come find you, and I’ve got security outside the school. They’re coming in now.”

“Okay, I…” My voice trailed off, and I lowered the phone from my ear as I looked behind Wes. My father’s men were going to be too late because William Hastings was already on the school grounds, and he was standing right across from me.

CHAPTERTHIRTY-SEVEN

Igasped at the sight of William, and Wes startled. He hadn’t realized Noah’s grandfather was behind him, and he spun to face the old man, taking a step back as he did.

At first glance, William looked calm, but he couldn’t hide the fevered look that flashed through his eyes as his gaze landed on me. With just one look, I could see his blind hatred roiling beneath his cold exterior. I’d never had anyone look at me with such loathing before, but the thing that scared me the most was how someone so unbalanced could seem so focused and in control. It was terrifying.

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