When he’s done, he says, “They chose you. Not Jasmine.”
My pupils dilate, and my jaw drops. “What? When? Who told you?”
He keeps backing away like he doesn’t want me to get close.
“Liam,” he answers, grinding his teeth as he moves back to the window.
I run to the window just as he’s about to take off, the crown tumbling off my head. “Wait, what did he tell you?” I yell as Luca is on his way back down using the balcony.
He jumps down and looks up. “You’re supposed to marry him.”
And he runs off, leaving me with a goddamn tornado of emotions swallowing me up from the inside out.
Chapter 9
Jill
* * *
I quickly dress and hopped into one of my dad’s cars. I know I’m not supposed to drive by myself, but I can’t stay here and wait.
Within minutes, I’m right in front of their giant mansion. I don’t know if Luca is here, but that’s the least of my problems right now.
Jumping out, I lock the car before going to the side entrance in the yard. I can easily avoid the one camera on that side and climb over the gate.
When I’m over, I pat down my clothes, go to the side of the house, pick up some pebbles from the path, and throw them at Liam’s window.
After a while, he opens it up and stares down. The second he sees me, a smile appears on his face.
“Hey, what are you doing here?” he asks. “How did you get in?”
“The side gate,” I respond. “Jumped over.” I blink away the raindrops. “I think we need to talk.”
He frowns and licks his lips. “Hold on, I’ll come down.”
He shuts the window again and moves away. The light turns off. After a while, the back door opens, and he walks out into the yard.
“C’mon,” he says, holding out his hand. “I’ll take you to a safe spot.”
“Safe?” I mutter.
“Yeah, if my parents find out you’re here, there will be hell to pay.”
Something about that statement brings goose bumps to my body.
“Besides, I don’t like standing out in the pouring rain.”
That’s true.
“Up here,” he says, pointing at a wooden house in the big tree in the garden.
I was always forbidden from entering when we were little kids. But I guess everyone grows up someday.
I gulp down the nerves as I follow Liam upstairs, and we enter the tiny tree house. It can only fit two or three people at once, and our feet stick out from the door. But it’ll do as a temporary hideout.
From here, we can see the busy streets of the city in the distance, car lights flickering everywhere. Sirens blare in the distance, a comforting sound in the darkness of the night in the big city. The only light all the way up here comes from the small lamp hanging from the back door porch, and it’s quite cozy in here. But definitely cold. I shiver in place.
“Are you cold?” Liam asks. “Here.”
He grabs a soft blanket lying on the floor of the tree house and wraps it around me. “It’s not much, but it’s all we have. If I knew you were coming, I would’ve come prepared.”
I chuckle. “It’s fine. Thank you.”
The blanket smells like him. Familiar. Warm. Gentle.
“So, you wanted to talk?” he asks.
I look at him, and the honest kindheartedness reflected in his eyes is something else to witness. Especially compared to the darkness in Luca’s. They’re complete opposites in every way.
“Yeah.” I clutch the blanket tightly. “Luca told me something important so I thought I’d go straight to the source.”
“Luca?”
“Yeah, he … came to my house.” I gulp back the memories floating to the surface. I don’t intend to tell anyone, let alone Liam, about what happened in my room. I’m already mortified enough as it is.
Liam’s face darkens. “He told you about the marriage thing, didn’t he?” His whole body tenses up. “Yeah, I’ve known for a while now, but I shouldn’t have told him.”
“Why not?” I look up into his eyes, but all he does is look away.
“My parents don’t want him to know yet. They fear it’ll make him lash out.”
“I see …”
“Didn’t your parents let you know?” he asks, suddenly looking my way.
I shake my head. “No one ever tells me anything until after the fact.”
He snorts. “Imagine finding out you’re marrying on your wedding day.”
I laugh, but it’s not at all funny. “Exactly.”
“Not that we’re getting married. Yet.” He looks at my hand like there’s already a ring on it.
“Are you … happy about that?” I ask, my heart fluttering in my chest.
He rubs his lips and looks out into the distance again. There’s also a distance between us that I don’t know how to describe, but it doesn’t feel right.
“It’s so quick. I thought I’d have more time,” he says. “I thought …”