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FIVE
“Do you know anything about Caiden and Weston’s relationship with my mother?” I leaned closer to Cassius as we sat in the darkened lecture hall, everyone’s attention focused on the video playing on the large screen at the front of the room.
Suspicion crossed his face as he turned to look at me. “Why do you ask?”
I shrugged, keeping my voice low. “Just curious, I guess. I don’t know anything about them, really, and they are my stepbrothers now, after all. And I picked up on some tension between them and my mother when we all had di
He raised a brow, tapping his pen against his notepad. “If you want to know about them, why don’t you ask them?”
“You think Caiden would answer my questions?”
“No fucking chance.” He laughed softly. “But West might.” His face turned serious. “Look, remember what I told you, that first day of classes. It’s not my place to say anything—it’s up to them if they decide to share anything with you.”
“Okay, fine.” I sighed, turning back to the video. “Cassius?”
“What, now?”
“Your family’s on the board of Alstone Holdings, right?” Keeping my gaze focused on the screen, I held my breath, hoping he’d be more open to talking about this, since discussing the Cavendish family with him clearly wasn’t going to happen anytime soon.
“Yeah, why?” He tilted his head towards mine.
“Does my mother have much to do with it all? I know she’s on the board, since she married Arlo.”
“To do with what?”
I twisted in my seat, turning back towards him. “Decision-making, stuff like that.”
His eyes met mine, and he nodded. “She’s a shareholder and a board member. So, yeah. She gets a vote, just like the other board members. That’s publicly available knowledge.”
“And what about—”
He lifted a finger in the air, cutting me off. “I’m sorry, babe. I get that you want to learn more about your new family, but I’m not the person you should be asking. Hasn’t your mother told you anything?”
“No. We don’t have that kind of relationship.” I sat back in my seat with a sigh. “Any kind of relationship, really.”
Any reply Cassius was going to make was swallowed by the video ending and the harsh overhead lights flickering on, making me screw up my eyes against the sudden brightness. The room burst into chatter, everyone standing and gathering their things, all wanting to make their escape from the lecture hall as quickly as possible.
Our conversation already forgotten, Cassius was up and out of his chair, lightning fast. “Gotta go. See ya later,” he called over his shoulder, and then he was gone, swallowed by the crowd. Not in such a rush to leave, I waited until the room had mostly emptied out, then made my way down the stairs and out into the late-afternoon sun. Although it was su
“Winter!” I smiled as I saw James beckoning me over, and started crossing the grass quad towards him.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Hot breath fell across my ear, and a shiver ran through me. My heart rate kicked up as I spun around, glaring at my stepbrother.
Seriously? Hadn’t Caiden got bored of shadowing me already? And more importantly, where had he appeared from, and why hadn’t I noticed him until now?
“Not that it’s any of your business, but I’m going to my apartment and saying hi to my friend on the way. Is that okay with you, King Caiden?”
“You need to choose your friends more wisely, Snowflake.”
“Lucky for me, but unlucky for you, I don’t care for your opinion. Will you stop following me? This is getting tiring.”
He stared down at me, his eyes darkening as the silence stretched, tension sparking between us.
“Caiden…” I tried. “Why are you doing this? What have I done to you?”
He took another step closer to me, his eyes never leaving mine. I could feel the heat of his body, even through my thick coat, and for one moment I forgot where we were and that he hated me. Could he feel it, too? This unwanted, magnetic pull between us? I licked my lips, my mouth suddenly dry, and his eyes zeroed in on the motion.
“Winter!” James’ insistent voice sounded, much closer than it had been a moment ago. It seemed to break the spell, and Caiden’s gaze turned hard.
“We’re always watching you, Winter.” With one last, scathing look, he backed away and was gone.
“What was all that about?” James raised a brow as he reached me.
“I wish I knew.”
“Forget him. He’s a dick.”
“That’s true.” A frustrated sigh escaped me. I started walking in the direction of my apartment building, heading towards the car park, and James fell into step beside me, slowing his usual pace to match mine. “What’s up, anyway?”
“You looked like you needed rescuing. I saw Cavendish following you.” He glanced at me, a small smile on his lips. “I like to think of myself as a knight in shining armour.”
I laughed. “Thanks, but I don’t need rescuing. I can handle Caiden.” We stopped at the entrance to the car park.
“Can you?” He gave me a doubtful look. “Listen, why don’t you give me your number? Anytime you want to talk coursework, or need me to rescue you again, I’m here.”
“Sure, why not.” As I stepped closer to James, pulling my phone from my bag, a chill ran down my spine, and I had a prickling sensation of being watched. I glanced around me, but the car park was deserted.
Shaking my head as I passed my phone to James so he could add his number, I groaned internally. The Four had me so paranoid, I was imagining things.
“You found Alstone Castle, did you?”
“Huh?” I looked up at him.
“Your phone. That’s a photo of Alstone Castle.” He tapped on the screen.
So that was the name of the castle ruins I’d found. I’d taken the photo when I’d discovered it on my bike ride and set it as my phone wallpaper.
“I didn’t know its name. Do you know anything about it?” I asked, curious.
He shook his head. “Not really, no. Not about the history, if that’s what you mean. The university use it for events, though. On Guy Fawkes Night, Bonfire Night, whatever you want to call it, they hold a party there. It’s one of the biggest events of the year. They have a big bonfire and fireworks—you know, all the usual celebrations. And games.”
“What kind of games?” The look in his eye really wasn’t filling me with confidence.
“You’ll see.” He tapped on my phone screen, adding his number, then met my gaze again. I raised a brow in a silent question, and he shook his head again. “It’s more fun if you don’t know beforehand. Believe me.”
“Hmm.” I wasn’t convinced, but I dropped the subject.
James called his phone from mine so he had my number. We made idle small talk for a bit, and he promised to send me some website links for one of my assignments. Then he hugged me goodbye and headed off in the opposite direction, while I started crossing the car park.
A sudden loud rumble sounded from between two parked cars, and a huge jet-black motorbike came roaring out of the space, heading straight towards me.