Shane

“Took you long enough,” I growl under my breath, which I immediately regret. As stressed as I am about everything, I have to remind myself that none of this is Nick’s fault any more than it is mine.

“I told you; he’s not fucking here.”

“I know, man. I just have this thing, and now I’m going to be late.”

“Look, you’re the one who called me at an ungodly hour, demanding I get up so I could ride to school with you. A school I don’t even go to anymore, remember? College freshman here.” He points at himself, his annoyance clear.

“I’m giving you my car for the day, which beats sitting at home waiting for one of us to drive you around like you’re Miss Daisy. So quit complaining. Now, about Amanda…”

“I had Con pick her up like you asked. Any particular reason you don’t want her here for this conversation?”

“You know why,” I say matter-of-factly as I pull out of the long, winding driveway that surrounds the pretentious mansion. Though my family’s net worth is nearly double that of the Klines, Nick’s father’s tendency to flaunt his wealth is something that’s talked about with great contempt in our circles. Not that anyone would dare say it to his face. That’s the twisted quirk of the rich—they only associate with people who have as much money as they do, pretending to be friends while secretly despising one another. “I wanted to talk to you first. Make sure you and I are on the same page.”

“Look, Shane, all that matters to me is my sister. She’s the one with the most to lose.”

“You don’t think I know that?” I run a frustrated hand through my hair, looking both ways before pulling onto the main road. My tires spin out, screeching in complaint, as I push on the gas pedal harder than I intend. “I thought I made it clear that I care about your sister, too. Making sure she comes out of this okay is my top priority.”

“That’s not good enough, and you know it,” he snaps, frustration crackling through his voice. “Our parents control everything we do. Everything! Where we go to school, where we work, even our damn trust funds. Essentially, every single thing that happens to us.” He lets out a bitter sigh. “There’s no way in hell you can keep that promise if you go against what they want.”

He’s not wrong. I’m quite familiar with the reach our parents have and how tightly they hold the reins when it pertains to us. But…

“We have time, Nick. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.” I grip the steering wheel a little tighter, forcing a determined calm into my voice. “I talked to my dad last night. We’ve got another four years to figure this out. That’s plenty of time to come up with a plan, some way that will ensure our fathers’ ambitions are met without Amanda and I getting shackled to this bullshit arranged marriage.”

“Oh, well, woopty-fucking-do for you, then!” His voice drips with sarcasm. “Glad you’ve got it sorted.” He slaps my shoulder far harder than is necessary. “Now tell me, oh wise one, in the meantime, how in the hell do we protect my sister from the abusive asshole who calls himself our father?”

His words land just as he intended. I know exactly who Charles Kline is, and thanks to Nick, I’m intimately aware of what he’s capable of. But I can’t let my best friend see me flinch, any more than I’m willing to give in to the fear of his father’s retaliation.

“I don’t think we’ll have to. I told my dad about the breakup. He’s the one who confirmed we have time—until we graduate from college. When we meet for that stupid dinner, I’ll tell your father the same thing. That Amanda and I are taking a break. That we’ll be using the next few years to live our own lives, independent from one another, before we have to settle down.”

“God, you’re a selfish prick!” His tone is sharp and dripping with scorn. “You might have gotten the green light to do whatever the hell you please, but my sister? She isn’t afforded that same right. The minute my misogynistic father finds out about the breakup, he’ll make it his mission to ‘remind’ her of her duty. He’ll tear her down, torment, and humiliate her for not using every means at her disposal—meaning giving up her body, her dignity, and every ounce of her self-respect—to keep you interested.”

 Like he’s at the end of his rope, he tangles his fingers into his hair, breathing hard as he pulls on the ends.

“Don’t you get it? Charles is new money, Shane. And you—you’re his fucking meal ticket. My sister’s marriage to you secures him the one thing he’s always wanted, the one thing he’s been clawing for that no amount of money could ever buy. Legitimacy. The respect of high society and all the rich snobs who, for decades, have snubbed him for not being one of them. If you mess that up, if you so much as hint that you’re not going along with their plan, my sister will be the one to pay the price.”

Fuck.

Is he right?

It’s a punch to the gut, the realization that maybe I’ve underestimated just how much this marriage means to Charles Kline. Sure, I knew what it would mean for both our families in terms of power and money, but I didn’t consider how badly Charles wants this—not just for his business, but for his standing in a world that’s always excluded him. And if I get in the way of that… Nick’s right. Amanda’s the one who will suffer for it.

But if I play this right, with the right leverage, I may be able to convince my father to back out of this deal. Then maybe—just maybe—I can protect her. With my dad’s backing, I could help Amanda break free from Charles’s control and set her up so she can live her own life away from his reach. It’s a gamble, but it might be our only chance.

“Between the two of us, we can help her.”

“How? You can’t possibly be that naïve—”

“We prepare her. Support her. Talk her through whatever garbage he’s going to throw at her.”

By the time we pull into the school lot, he’s no closer to being on board with my plan, but like me, he’s realized we have no other choice.

“So, when are you talking to her?” he asks, his voice low and tense.

Turning off the ignition, I scan the parking lot. I swear, ever since finding out Charles is watching, it feels like there are eyes on me everywhere I go. “This afternoon. After practice. I asked her to meet me at my house.”

“Should I be there?”

“No,” I say firmly, glancing at my smartwatch. “Shit. I’m so fucking late.” I reach into the backseat and grab my schoolbag. “Look, I promised you I’d take care of her, and I will. I’ll text you when we’re done so you know when she’s on her way home. Trust me on this, okay?”

“Whatever,” he mutters, his voice hard and full of doubt. “I hope like hell you know what you’re doing, Montgomery.”

The truth is, I don’t.

Not completely, anyway.

What I do know for sure is that this is the only way Amanda, Nick, Becca, and I at least stand a fighting chance. At the end of the day, it’s not just Amanda who needs help getting free from Charles Kline’s influence. Nick’s trapped, too. And now that he knows about Becca, there’s this gnawing feeling in my gut that I’ll need to protect her as well.

After what Charles did to Nick’s ex-girlfriend, Miranda, there’s no way in hell I’m taking any chances. I won’t let history repeat itself. Which is why the conversation I’m about to have with Becca might just be the most important one of my entire life.

After the confrontation with my father last night, I couldn’t bring myself to talk to her. We’d had a huge breakthrough, and after all the promises I’d made to always protect her, I needed some sort of plan for how I was going to handle the impossible situation I’m in. That’s why I sent her a text, letting her know that thanks to a family situation, I wouldn’t be around to talk until morning. Then I called her as soon as I woke up to ask if she would meet me at school first thing so we could talk.

I know that telling her the truth is an enormous risk, especially given how uncertain she is about the differences between us, but I just don’t see any other way. I refuse to start day two of our relationship with secrets. If forever is what fate has planned for us, I won’t ruin it by starting our relationship on a foundation that’s built on lies.

When I burst into the room where we were supposed to meet, my heart sinks. 

“Fuck!” She isn’t here. 

Without missing a beat, I spin back toward the hall, pushing through the throng of students making their way to their first-period classes, determined to find her. My feet move with certainty, instinctively tracing the path I’ve walked every morning since the day I got hold of her class schedule. Back then, I thought my newfound infatuation with her was nothing more than a challenge, a longing for something entirely unattainable. But it didn’t take long for me to realize the truth. It was love. Like some part of me inexplicably recognized her—even as I barely knew her—and remembered she was ours. I haven’t bothered to fight my attraction to her since.

To my relief, I spot her just outside her AP English Lit class. Without thinking, I gently grab her by the wrist—a move I instantly regret when I feel the weight of everyone’s eyes turning toward us. Being stared at is part of life when you come from a family like mine. It’s something I’m used to and normally don’t have a problem with, but I promised her we’d keep things quiet until she was ready for people to know about us. So, no matter how natural it feels to reach out and touch her, I need to remember to keep my hands to myself. 

“Hey,” I greet her softly, letting go of her, though every part of me wants to hold on. “Sorry, I’m late. Can we still meet? It won’t take long, and I’ll stop by the main office after to get you a pass so you won’t get in trouble for being late to class.”

She hesitates, and it stirs a dull ache deep in my chest. Less than a day since she agreed to give us a chance, and I feel like I’m already screwing things up. “Please, Becca. We really need to talk.”

Want to read ahead? The next 2 Chapters are available FREE if you FOLLOW ME on REAM!!! (https://reamstories.com/arianaclarkauthor)

Please remember to like, comment, & review. For updates on this and future stories, remember to follow me.

It looks like Shane has decided to tell Becca the truth. Do you think this is a mistake?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NEW CHAPTERS post at 3:00 PM EST on Tuesdays & Thursdays!!!