Dark Vow (Blackwoods College)

Calvin was right. If we were going to follow through, we couldn’t keep it a secret. Sooner or later, everyone would hear. It didn’t make sense to try to hide it.

Still, some stupid part of me had hoped I could keep this contained.

“Fine. You can walk me to the library. But you’re not going inside.”

“I have practice soon.” He looked back at his friends. “You two go ahead. I’ll meet you there.”

“Enjoy your time together, you crazy kids,” Des said, hands over his heart. “God, I just love love. Don’t you love love, Addler?”

“Come on, you asshole.” Addler yanked on Des’s backpack, dragging him away.

I ground my teeth and marched in the direction of the library. Calvin matched my pace, hands shoved in his pockets. More people stared, and more rumors would spread. Soon, the whole college would know about my relationship with Calvin, and then what?

What the hell was I going to do?

I hadn’t thought out the repercussions of marrying one of the Four Horsemen.

“I know you’re struggling,” Calvin said. “I hoped that I could help with that.” We reached the front steps of the library and I turned to face him.

“How? Maybe a divorce would do the trick.”

He reached into his pocket and took out a ring box. “I was thinking the opposite.”

I felt myself flush as I tried to push it back at him. “No, god, no. What’s in there? Please don’t tell me there’s another ring inside.”

“There’s a ring inside.”

“Calvin.”

“Robyn, darling. I love when you say my name.”

“Asshole.” I was bright red. I wanted to run. “Can you stop it?”

“Take the box. Open it.”

I cursed, but took it. This wasn’t going to get any easier and I might as well give in and get it over with. I held the box on my right palm and opened it with my left.

The ring inside glittered like the sun and my breath disappeared from my lungs.

It was an engagement ring. White gold to match my silver band. The diamond was huge, oval cut, and shone like lightning. Smaller diamonds circled it and covered the whole band. The main rock was enormous, the sort of thing Instagram influencers wore for clout.

“This is insane,” I managed.

“Wear it.”

“Absolutely not. I can’t hide with this thing on my finger!”

“I don’t want you to hide.” He grabbed my wrist hard and wouldn’t let it go. I tried to pull the box away, but he snatched that, removed the ring, and shoved it down onto my finger before I could scream.

It fit like a dream.

He released me once it was on. I spun it around and could’ve easily yanked it off. There was a drain nearby, and part of me wanted to throw it down and never see the thing again.

But another part liked the way it looked.

What was wrong with me?

I was worried that people would talk. Terrified that the campus would know about my marriage to Calvin.

Now, the whole world would see. Even in my mom’s drugged-out state, she couldn’t miss this monstrosity.

“It suits you,” he said simply, putting the empty box back into his pocket. “You look beautiful.”

“Shut up.” I stared at my hand. “I didn’t want this.”

“And yet you’re still wearing it.” He turned and started to walk away.

“When do we make the next move?”

He paused. “Soon. For now, enjoy being a college kid.”

“I want to kill them, Calvin.” I felt heat in my cheeks. I wasn’t sure why, if it was the anger, or the excitement at wearing this gaudy ring.

“I know you do. And we will. Just have patience.”

He left me standing there, staring at my hand like a moron.

I was Calvin’s wife. And now I had Calvin’s ring.

Everyone would know.

And the shimmering, swirling feeling in my chest should’ve been a bad thing, but it wasn’t.

21

Robyn

I could’ve taken it off.

It would’ve been easy. Slip it down and shove it in my pocket. Nobody had to see that insane monstrosity.

But I didn’t.

I left the ring on. I kept telling myself it didn’t matter. The ring was meaningless. We’d already gone through the wedding itself and were legally together. The ring was just another symbol of his power over me.

I could’ve taken it off.

I still didn’t.

The day wore on. I got looks. Lots and lots of looks and several blatant stares and one guy, this daffy, douchey kid in jogger sweats with big eyes and a stupid smile on his face, actually stopped me outside of class and asked if it was real.

“It’s as real as your chlamydia infection,” I said, which was uncalled for, but it ended the conversation as his friends burst out laughing.

I liked wearing the ring. It felt stupid and gaudy and outrageous and a million other things, but I liked it. Cora met me at the car and chatted about her classes and her professors, and didn’t even notice until I pulled into the parking spot out front of her trailer and killed the engine.