Page 23 of Bite Me

Emma

A scream bubbles in my throat when I see it, and I shove it down with the snap of my jaw. I’m staring at a picture of Dacre and me leaving the dark classroom together on the gossip forum. How did they even get this picture?

He looks beautiful and ethereal as he saunters out, his hair kempt, his hands in his pockets with his forearm veins and tattoos peeking out sensually. And I look like a mess, my hair trashed from the morning food rush.

He did that on purpose.

The caption is: “Emma Osborne and Dacre Everhart, Heated Affair?”

I scream into a pillow. Then the next step is obvious. I call my sisters.

“Olivia, I need you to meet me in my room immediately.”

“What’s happening?”

“I’m serious this time. My life is ending. Bring Eva.”

“Em, I can’t. I have practice.”

“If you don’t come to my room right now, I’m going to have a mental breakdown. I’m going to go on a rampage and start hitting people and screaming and—”

“Fine. I’ll bring snacks.”

She’s there in ten minutes flat with a bag of popcorn, and Evangeline is right behind her with a few cans of sparkling water. We huddle on my bed while I fill them in. I leave out the part about Dacre’s proposal, partly because of the NDA, but also the more important point—the world will stop spinning when they find out. I’ll need to have a plan for smoothing it over with my family first, or they’ll implode everything. Probably get me kicked out of the culinary club and prevent me from ever getting back in because they’re worried for my safety. That’s a risk I’m not willing to take.

“What were you thinking, being alone with him?” Olivia asks, popping a piece of popcorn into her mouth and sitting with her back against the wooden headboard.

“I need to get in—”

“You’re sure he didn’t try to hurt you?” Evangeline asks nervously.

“Don’t you think I’d tell you if he had?”

“I can tell Parker to talk with him,” Olivia says.

“Absolutely not. Parker can’t fight all my battles for me. Need I remind you that I’m an adult? Please stop trying to mother me to death.”

She always does this. Olivia can solve a problem before it becomes something that needs solving. That was great at one point, but now that we’re older and I don’t need her to do things like solve the ant infestation in our bedroom, it feels a lot like she will never see me as an equal.

Her eyes are still fiery when I face her again, and I know I’ve struck a nerve.

“Well, don’t act like a child, and I won’t. I never have to worry about this stuff with Eva.”

Eva sighs. “Neither of you are being fair.”

She’s as nurturing as Olivia and less of a fixer. That’s why she’s my usual go-to in situations like this, but after seeing that headline, I panicked.

“I have to go help Parker with pack auditions today.” Eva fluffs her hair in my closet mirror, surrounded by rows of clothes on either side.

Luxxia House also happens to have the only rooms with walk-in closets, and that, I need. I have all my culinary jackets and clothes pressed in with the dresses and things I couldn’t bear to leave at home, even if I can only wear them on the weekends.

“Don’t leave me,” I mouth to Eva.

She smiles. “Try not to kill each other when I’m gone, okay? I’ll be checking in.”

I can’t believe she’s leaving me here to be scolded to death by Olivia. This is a cruel punishment.

The door shuts, and then it’s just us. At least I cleaned my room. I stare at the silver-painted crown molding while I press down the annoyance.