Twisted Palace
Page 67
“I’m not sure what that even means, but either way, Reed’s not on the table,” I say cheerfully. “So you should probably come up with something else.”
She cocks a brow. “It’s this or nothing.”
I grin. “Then I pick nothing.”
Jordan laughs at that. Or maybe she’s just laughing at me. “Sorry, did I say nothing? I meant, if you don’t uphold your end of the bargain, then ‘nothing’ is what your social life will be. As in, I’ll tell your father all about how you lied to him about the dance team so you could bang your boyfriend at a hotel. I’m pretty sure you’ll be grounded for life after he finds out.” She bats her eyelashes. “Or maybe he’ll pick up and move you to another state. Actually, maybe I’ll recommend that to him. I’ll even give him some brochures for really good prep schools upstate.”
Damn her. That’s totally something Steve would do, force me to transfer schools. If he finds out I lied about the away game and spent the night with Reed, he’ll lose his shit.
“So,” she says, her smile returning. “Should I tell you the details?”
“What do you want with Reed?” I ask through clenched teeth.
“I want him to take me to Winter Formal.”
My jaw falls open. Is she freaking serious?
Jordan rolls her eyes at my shock. “What? It’s not like you can go with him, unless your dad is suddenly on board with you dating a killer?”
I stare at her. “What happened to your whole speech about you not wanting to be with a killer?”
She shrugs. “I changed my mind.”
“Yeah? And why’s that?” I mutter.
“Because Reed’s star has never shone brighter.” She flips her dark, glossy hair over one shoulder. “When he was first arrested, his social status plummeted, but now he’s all these pathetic chicks can talk about. Unlike your trashy ass, the social hierarchy matters to me.” She shrugs again. “I want to go to the formal with Reed. That’s the favor.”
A disbelieving laugh pops out. “I’m not lending you my boyfriend for a night!”
Frustration darkens her eyes. “He’s a trophy, dumbass. Don’t you get that?”
Reed’s not a trophy! I want to shout. He’s a human being. He’s smart and gorgeous and sweet when he allows himself to drop his tough-guy act. And he’s mine. This girl is insane if she thinks I’m going to say yes to this.
Jordan sighs when she sees my immovable expression. “I’ll tell you what—how about I throw in a spot on the dance team?”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“It means I’m letting you rejoin the team,” she answers in exasperation. “God, are you fucking dense? We both know you didn’t want to quit—you were just being a bitch for no reason. So you can come back if you want.”
I falter. I did really enjoy my time on that stupid team.
“And I won’t even ask for another favor,” she says with an overly bright smile. “All I want is Reed on my arm at Winter Formal.”
That’s all she wants? Gee, she’s asking for so little. Not.
I plant my hands on my hips. “And then what?”
“What do you mean?”
“What happens after the dance? Do you think he’s going to be your boyfriend or something? Because he won’t.”
Jordan snorts. “Who wants a boyfriend who’s going to be in jail for the rest of his life? I want Snowflake Queen. That’s it.”
“Snowflake Queen?” I echo blankly.
“Everyone at Winter Formal votes for a king and queen. Like homecoming.” She flips her hair over her shoulder. “I want to be queen.”
Of course she does.
“I mean, I’m already a lock for it, but going with Reed will seal the deal. A bunch of people are talking about voting for him because they feel sorry for him.”
Astor Prep kids are weird as hell. I study her face. “If I agree to this, we’ll be even?”
“Even Steven,” she chirps.
Swallowing my irritation, I fling open the car door and flop onto the driver’s seat.
“Well?” Jordan hovers at the side of the convertible, her expression expectant.
“I’ll think about it,” I spit out. Then I start the engine so I can drown out the sound of her laughter.
* * *
Reed
When I get home from practice, I find Ella curled up on her bed, wearing what looks like a pair of my old sweatpants and a tiny, tiny tank top. I’m surprised to see her. “Steve know you’re here?” I ask warily.
She nods. “I told him I needed to study for a chem test with Easton.” Her chemistry book is beside her, but Easton is nowhere to be found.
I grin. “Do you actually need to study or was that an excuse?”
“No, I really do have to study,” she answers glumly. “But we both know your dumb brother isn’t going to help me. I figured if I studied here, at least I could see you. Steve’s downstairs, though, so we need to be quiet.”
I walk over to the bed to give her a quick kiss. “Let me change into sweats and then I’ll help you. I took Chem last year, so I remember all the work.”
Before I can duck into the bathroom, she sits up and says, “Wait. I need to tell you something.”
My gaze sweeps over her barely there tank top. Knowing I’m only going to have a few more weeks with Ella makes the fire burn hotter every time I lay eyes on her. “Can you tell me while your shirt is off?”
She grins. “No.”
“Fine. Be that way.” I hop up on the bed and roll onto my back, folding my fingers across my abdomen. “What is it?”
She clears her throat. “You need to take Jordan to Winter Formal.”
I bolt upright. “Are you nuts?” I stare at her in astonishment. “I didn’t know we were even going. I thought we’d do something else. Just the two of us.” I freaking hate Winter Formal.
“I thought everyone went.” Ella tosses her phone toward me. “See?”
I pick it up and see Astor Park’s Instagram feed, which is full of pictures of the Winter Formal preparations. The school’s obsessed with this dance, and I’ve been grateful for that, because it’s taken some of the heat off of Ella and my brothers over my case.
She cocks a brow. “It’s this or nothing.”
I grin. “Then I pick nothing.”
Jordan laughs at that. Or maybe she’s just laughing at me. “Sorry, did I say nothing? I meant, if you don’t uphold your end of the bargain, then ‘nothing’ is what your social life will be. As in, I’ll tell your father all about how you lied to him about the dance team so you could bang your boyfriend at a hotel. I’m pretty sure you’ll be grounded for life after he finds out.” She bats her eyelashes. “Or maybe he’ll pick up and move you to another state. Actually, maybe I’ll recommend that to him. I’ll even give him some brochures for really good prep schools upstate.”
Damn her. That’s totally something Steve would do, force me to transfer schools. If he finds out I lied about the away game and spent the night with Reed, he’ll lose his shit.
“So,” she says, her smile returning. “Should I tell you the details?”
“What do you want with Reed?” I ask through clenched teeth.
“I want him to take me to Winter Formal.”
My jaw falls open. Is she freaking serious?
Jordan rolls her eyes at my shock. “What? It’s not like you can go with him, unless your dad is suddenly on board with you dating a killer?”
I stare at her. “What happened to your whole speech about you not wanting to be with a killer?”
She shrugs. “I changed my mind.”
“Yeah? And why’s that?” I mutter.
“Because Reed’s star has never shone brighter.” She flips her dark, glossy hair over one shoulder. “When he was first arrested, his social status plummeted, but now he’s all these pathetic chicks can talk about. Unlike your trashy ass, the social hierarchy matters to me.” She shrugs again. “I want to go to the formal with Reed. That’s the favor.”
A disbelieving laugh pops out. “I’m not lending you my boyfriend for a night!”
Frustration darkens her eyes. “He’s a trophy, dumbass. Don’t you get that?”
Reed’s not a trophy! I want to shout. He’s a human being. He’s smart and gorgeous and sweet when he allows himself to drop his tough-guy act. And he’s mine. This girl is insane if she thinks I’m going to say yes to this.
Jordan sighs when she sees my immovable expression. “I’ll tell you what—how about I throw in a spot on the dance team?”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“It means I’m letting you rejoin the team,” she answers in exasperation. “God, are you fucking dense? We both know you didn’t want to quit—you were just being a bitch for no reason. So you can come back if you want.”
I falter. I did really enjoy my time on that stupid team.
“And I won’t even ask for another favor,” she says with an overly bright smile. “All I want is Reed on my arm at Winter Formal.”
That’s all she wants? Gee, she’s asking for so little. Not.
I plant my hands on my hips. “And then what?”
“What do you mean?”
“What happens after the dance? Do you think he’s going to be your boyfriend or something? Because he won’t.”
Jordan snorts. “Who wants a boyfriend who’s going to be in jail for the rest of his life? I want Snowflake Queen. That’s it.”
“Snowflake Queen?” I echo blankly.
“Everyone at Winter Formal votes for a king and queen. Like homecoming.” She flips her hair over her shoulder. “I want to be queen.”
Of course she does.
“I mean, I’m already a lock for it, but going with Reed will seal the deal. A bunch of people are talking about voting for him because they feel sorry for him.”
Astor Prep kids are weird as hell. I study her face. “If I agree to this, we’ll be even?”
“Even Steven,” she chirps.
Swallowing my irritation, I fling open the car door and flop onto the driver’s seat.
“Well?” Jordan hovers at the side of the convertible, her expression expectant.
“I’ll think about it,” I spit out. Then I start the engine so I can drown out the sound of her laughter.
* * *
Reed
When I get home from practice, I find Ella curled up on her bed, wearing what looks like a pair of my old sweatpants and a tiny, tiny tank top. I’m surprised to see her. “Steve know you’re here?” I ask warily.
She nods. “I told him I needed to study for a chem test with Easton.” Her chemistry book is beside her, but Easton is nowhere to be found.
I grin. “Do you actually need to study or was that an excuse?”
“No, I really do have to study,” she answers glumly. “But we both know your dumb brother isn’t going to help me. I figured if I studied here, at least I could see you. Steve’s downstairs, though, so we need to be quiet.”
I walk over to the bed to give her a quick kiss. “Let me change into sweats and then I’ll help you. I took Chem last year, so I remember all the work.”
Before I can duck into the bathroom, she sits up and says, “Wait. I need to tell you something.”
My gaze sweeps over her barely there tank top. Knowing I’m only going to have a few more weeks with Ella makes the fire burn hotter every time I lay eyes on her. “Can you tell me while your shirt is off?”
She grins. “No.”
“Fine. Be that way.” I hop up on the bed and roll onto my back, folding my fingers across my abdomen. “What is it?”
She clears her throat. “You need to take Jordan to Winter Formal.”
I bolt upright. “Are you nuts?” I stare at her in astonishment. “I didn’t know we were even going. I thought we’d do something else. Just the two of us.” I freaking hate Winter Formal.
“I thought everyone went.” Ella tosses her phone toward me. “See?”
I pick it up and see Astor Park’s Instagram feed, which is full of pictures of the Winter Formal preparations. The school’s obsessed with this dance, and I’ve been grateful for that, because it’s taken some of the heat off of Ella and my brothers over my case.
