I clutch the book Vince Ever gave me, running my thumb over the cover, wondering how this happened. We were so stupid to think we could sneak into that powerful man's office and attempt to manipulate the records.
He had his husband committed for crying out loud.
If he could do that to the man he loved, there's no telling what he could do to me.
"Want me to ride with you?" Nicky asks, making me jump.
Before I can answer, Dad Oliver speaks. "We'd like a few moments alone with our son. To make sure he's feeling okay. We'll see you at the banquet."
Nicky bristles but eventually nods. He leans forward like he's going to kiss me. I duck and twist away, not at all interested in having his lips on mine. Not since Royal. Nothing will ever compare to Royal.
"I'm sorry," I squeak out. "I'm not ready, er, for that."
"Soon," Nicky murmurs, though it sounds like a warning more so than a promise.
As soon as he walks away, my dads exchange a loaded expression. One I'm not privy to understanding. It has me exploding with fury as angry tears threaten.
"This is all your fault," I hiss, shoving past them to make my way to the car.
I climb in, slamming the book onto the seat beside me. In the span of a week, my entire life has been turned upside down. Everything I thought I knew is wrong. There are terrible people pulling strings because they can. Drunk on power.
Both my dads get into the car but they don't start the engine or speak for a long moment. I sit, vibrating with rage, as I wait for them to say something. Anything. I need answers.
"Ollie," Dad Spencer murmurs. "What do we do?"
I lift my gaze to find Dad Oliver's jaw clenching. His hands are curled around the steering wheel so tight I'm afraid he might crush it in his grasp. The muscle in his neck is taught with tension. Dad Spencer reaches over, delicately touching the muscle as though he can relax him with a simple stroke of his fingers.
It doesn't work.
"I need to think," Dad Oliver whispers. And then, he yells, "Fuck!"
His loud outburst has me cringing. My heart trips all over itself. I don't want to go to the banquet. I don't want to marry Nicky. I want to run away from all this.
As though he can hear my thoughts, Dad Oliver jerks his head over his shoulder, his eyes filled with unmasked anger. "I'm sorry, Shay."
Sorry?
"I can't," I choke out. "I can't be with Nicky."
"I know," Dad Oliver says, his brows tugging together. "And that's our fault. We agreed to the..."
"Genetic wash?" I supply, my tone dripping with acid.
"There's something you need to understand," Dad Spencer cuts in, also turning around to look at me. "Back then, when we agreed to this, it was different. Everything was so different. People were scared about the future. We all just wanted...assurance."
"It didn't work," I say icily. "I was genetically washed with Royal, wasn't I?"
Dad Spencer nods. "It was a done deal, but then—"
"Then Vince decided to fuck with everyone's lives, ignoring the damn system!"
"Ollie, stop cursing in front of Shay."
At that, I bark out a disgusted laugh. "Cursing? I've just been threatened by a councilman and you're worried about Dad saying 'fuck'? Unbelievable."
"Shay," Dad Oliver growls. "Don't be rude to your father."
"What is going on around here?" I demand. "Why do I feel as though I've been kept in the dark this whole time?"
Dad Oliver scrubs a palm over his face and sighs heavily. "You're just a boy."
"It's my Crux Year." I seethe with anger. "I'm old enough to be matched to my future husband. Certainly I'm old enough to know what the hell is going on around here?"
"We're going to sort it out," Dad Spencer assures me. "I'll go into the lab tomorrow and speak with my supervisor. See if there's a way we can appeal the match. We paid a lot of money for this—"
"You're worried about a refund?" My tone is shrill. "I want Royal!"
The car goes completely silent. Because I'm on a roll, I can't seem to contain the fury bubbling up inside me and spew more words that I'll probably regret later.
"I kissed Royal," I blurt out. "A lot."
"Fuck," Dad Oliver says again under his breath. Dad Spencer doesn't correct him this time.
"The system is flawed." I claw at my neck as the nerves come alive feeling like bugs beneath my skin. "It's broken and it's being used as a way to punish and control. You guys, this is wrong!"
"I know," Dad Oliver snaps. "I know it's wrong. But you can't keep blowing up like that or you'll end up locked away. Is that what you want? For them to pick apart your brain and put it back together again in the way they see fit?"
"It's not that simple," Dad Spencer whispers.
"It's what they do," Dad Oliver growls. "You know it. Hell, you're the one doing it."
"You make me sound like a monster." Dad Spencer, still facing me, pleads with his eyes for me to understand. "I just do studies in the lab that come from the top. I try combinations and experiments to see how far we can bend the rules of Father Nature."
"What's outside those walls?" I ask, my voice hollow. "Is it so bad out there?"
Dad Spencer turns away and it's Dad Oliver's gaze whose finds mine again. "We don't know for sure. But, let's just say we'll be exploring our options."
"This is dangerous to even be speaking about it," Dad Spencer utters.
"Then we won't speak of it. Not until I do some digging." Dad Oliver reaches back to pluck the book off the seat beside me. "Burn this garbage."
My brows fly to my hairline in shock at his disgusted tone.
"You have to keep it together, Son, until I can figure out what we'll do."
"We will figure it out," Dad Spencer chimes in. "Until then, do your best to obey."
Dad Oliver turns on the car and we leave the parking lot to head to the banquet. Everyone in the car is in contemplative silence. I'm dying to find Royal so I can talk to him about this. Within a few minutes, we arrive at the location. As soon as the car shuts off, I fling open the door and rush out on a desperate hunt to find Royal.
I spy him standing by the edge of the building. The sun has set and he's mostly hidden by shadows. Taking off in a sprint, I run over to him. He steps around the side of the building and I follow. As soon as we're out of sight, he yanks me into his arms for a crushing hug.
"Royal," I choke out, clinging to him as tears of frustration streak down my cheeks. "I can't do this."
"I know," he murmurs. "I'm so sorry."
I pull back so I can see his face. It's twisted into one of anguish. The craving to kiss him is too much. Standing on my toes, I capture his soft lips with mine. He groans, as though my kiss is a balm to his soul, and parts his lips to allow me access to his tongue. Greedily, I devour him, kissing and sucking and nibbling on his tongue and bottom lip.
I just need him.
His fingers spear into my hair, clutching a handful. I cry out when he tugs back, exposing my neck. He peppers sweet, hot kisses along my neck. A whimper escapes me when he sucks on the flesh.
"Mine," he whispers. "You're mine."
The possessive claim feels right. My heart hammers inside my chest.
"Yes," I breathe. "Let's leave."
He pulls away from my neck to study me, his eyes darting back and forth. "You don't mean that."
"I do." I tug on his tie to draw him closer. "We can run away and be together. This place is messed up."
"I can't leave my dad," Royal chokes out. "And I think Mr. Preston is the reason Dad Morgan went to the rehabilitation facility."
"Mr. Preston?"
"I think it's like us. They want to be together but they're matched to other people."
"We'll bring them with us. My dads will come too," I tell him. "I think."
Hope glimmers in his gaze that's mostly shadowed. "You think they'd really leave?"
"They were furious in the car..." I bite on my bottom lip. "At your father."
"Join the club," he grunts. "My dad isn't a good person, Shay. He already knows we broke into his office. This is a scratch to the surface of what he's capable of. I don't want..." He trails off, a pained expression on his face. "I don't want him to take it out on you."
"He can try," I say with false bravado.
"No, you have to try." He rests his forehead to mine. "Try to pretend that everything is fine. Otherwise, he'll try to destroy your life. I know him. He won't stop until he feels like he's won."
"I won't kiss Nicky," I hiss. "I refuse to."
His lips kick up on one side. "Damn right. These lips are mine." He punctuates that statement with a dizzying kiss. "We'll figure out a way to be together."
It feels as though our time is limited. As soon as we break apart, we'll have to leave our hiding spot and go to the banquet. I can't do this. I don't want to do this. I want to stay here in the shadows with him forever.
Pressing my lips to his again, I try to memorize his taste and touch. My eager hands roam over his dress shirt, feeling each hardened muscle through his clothes. He hisses when I drag them lower. And the sweetest sound leaves his mouth when I bravely cup a harder part of him.
"Shay," he whines.
"You can touch me too."
He barely manages to stroke his fingertips over my aching erection before we're being torn apart by the sound of laughing nearby. Both of us are panting, clothes wrecked and erections straining.
"We should get back before anyone notices we're missing," Royal says, his voice shaky. "We can't risk my dad going after you."
He already has.
Vince Ever has struck, sunk his teeth into me, and his venom is ready to spew.
"I'll sneak over tonight," I tell him. "After everyone is asleep."
"It's too risky."
"You're worth the risk. You're my match, Royal. I won't let them take away what's mine."
"What's yours?" a voice demands, feet crunching over leaves as it nears.
From the shadows, Nicky appears.
I'm about to lie through my teeth when my words die in my throat.
A wail.
Loud. Terrifying. Not a drill.
"Wall breach!" Royal and Nicky both say at once.
In all the years I've been alive, we've never had a wall breach. Never heard the sirens. Only been told about them in school.
The sound of gunfire has the three of us taking off in a sprint toward the front of the building.
What's coming over that wall?