Page 22 of Whispers of Wisteria
“You are a Dubois now,” he said. “You do not blindly follow the orders of strangers.”
My skin exploded with heat. “I know that!” I snapped. “I’m not an idiot! I had another reason too.”
“Which would be?” he asked, cocking his head.
Oh no.
The fire retreated and my heart began to race. What if he thought it was stupid?
“I—I wanted to maybe come b-back,” I admitted. “It’s nice here.”
He didn’t answer.
“S-sorry,” I said.
“Does anyone know where you are?” he asked, and when I didn’t reply, his already angry features turned harsh. “Do you still not have a chaperone?”
I tensed. “I don’t want one.”
“Youneedone,” he replied.
He was so wrong. “I said I don’t want one.”
He looked at me, and there was a presence moving through the room that made my skin crawl. Finally, it retreated, and he frowned, troubled.
“So that’s how it is,” he said, quieter. “But in the end, ‘want’ has nothing to do with need. Either way, this is not for you to decide.”
There was something in the way he spoke that made my stomach clench. I couldn’t meet his eyes any longer.
What was it about him that made me want to argue? He was so presumptuous when, really, he knew nothing about me.
“I—” I pushed to my feet and crossed my arms over my chest. Something was burning inside me, but I couldn’t let him see. “I’m going to go.”
I’d stepped back when he said, “You’re acting like a child throwing a tantrum when she doesn’t like the answer.”
My face heated, and I turned away, not even able to respond. Instead, I left as quickly as I could without making it seem like I was running away.
I was fumingas I made my way back to the children’s literature section. My books were still there, and now, so was Brayden.
I narrowed my eyes at my older brother as he smiled and waved. Yes, he would do nicely.
I’d showhim‘conditioned.’ It was so utterly offensive I couldn’t even find the words.
Brayden’s smile slipped slightly, and he lowered his hand as I stomped the rest of the way to him.
“Bianca?” he asked as I arrived. “What’s—”
“I’ve been meeting with a very rude old man,” I told him. I gestured behind me. “In a secret room over there.”
He blinked. “Secret room, huh?”
“Yes!” I tattled. “And today he told me I’d been ‘conditioned.’ Like an animal!”
Brayden sighed.
But I wasn’t done.
I began to pace, my vision still red. “Then he told me Ineededa chaperone! Can you believe it?”
