Page 111 of In Darkness We Claim

I hate the way her father talks to her, but it’s not like I can fucking tell her that…then she’ll know I bugged her phone and have listened to all her conversations. I did it about a week before she became my Prize, because I wanted to make sure she would not back out, and ever since, it’s been a great way to keep track of her.

She’d be bloody furious if she found out, so I’ve been careful not to let anything slip. Well, I almost fucked up a few minutes ago, but I covered myself just enough. Still, I can’t stop thinking about what her father said, and Harper’s tense silence suggests she can’t either.

I’ve always known our time together is temporary, that there’s a ticking clock hanging over us, waiting to pull us apart. I just hadn’t thought about what would happen when that time comes.

I’m sure my father has a plan in place for me, which will include marrying some stuck-up bitch, even if I can’t stand her, and then we’ll produce an heir to solidify our family name. It’s a future I’ve always known about, but not given much thought to—until now.

Now that I have Harper, the thought of being with another woman makes my skin crawl and my dick shrivel. I don’t exactly know when it happened, but she’s literally the only girl I can see now.

Other women on campus still come up to me the way they always have, fluttering their eyelashes at me in the hope I’ll fuck them, but since Harper, I barely register their presence, let alone get turned on by them.

It’s like she has a connection with my dick, and it only gets hard for her—which is really bloody annoying.

I never really gave much thought to what would happen to Harper when we graduate. Without her virginity, her prospects within the Obsidian Order are slim. She could possibly marry an Order member’s son who didn’t Pledge, but that’s about it.

Yet her father seems to think he can rewrite history, and have the Council change their mind regarding a rule they’ve had for as long as the Obsidian Order has been around. He thinks he can get them to agree to Harper being an Order Wife, even though she’s no longer a virgin, which is pure insanity. They’ll never go for it…but what if they do?

The thought of Harper being with anyone else sets my nerves on edge, and fury floods through my veins, making me want to kill anyone who even thinks about her in that way. She’s mine, and I can’t bear thinking about a day when she might not be anymore.

I’m not stupid; I know Harper has been developing feelings for me recently. She may not have said anything outright, but I’ve noticed the changes in her. The way she looks at me, smiles at me, curls up to me, like she trusts me to take care of her.

I’ve been trying to ignore every sign, every warning light that flashes bright, because if I acknowledge how she feels, then I’ll have to look at myself, and I’m sure as fuck not ready to do that. I knew kissing her would open a massive can of fucking worms, and while I don’t exactly regret it, it’s not made life easier for either of us. In fact, it’s gotten a lot harder.

So, I’m going to do what I do best…I’ll push all the thoughts and worries to the back of my mind and ignore them until I absolutely have to deal with them. I’m aware this is a childish approach, but it’s all I have right now.

After the silence becomes unbearable, and the tension between us is almost suffocating, I break first and start a meaningless conversation, getting Harper to talk about her classes before the phone call with her dad. I breathe a sigh of relief when my plan works, and the sadness lifts enough for her to animatedly tell me about her day.

By the time we reach Crowhurst House, most of the awkwardness from her father’s phone call seems to have dissipated, and we’re chatting like we always do, telling each other about what we’ve been doing during the few hours we’ve been apart. Something mundane I never thought I’d enjoy, but I do.

I close the door behind us and pull her into the sitting room to the right of the entrance. I always check this room first because the Crow bulletin board is on the wall here, and it’s the best way to keep up to date with any training dates or events.

I let out a low groan when I see the fancy fucking invitation stuck to the corkboard. Nobody has bothered to open the glossy envelope, as we already know what’s inside.

“What is it?” Harper asks, catching the way I’m glaring at the lavish envelope with the pompous wax seal of an eagle in the middle.

“It’s an invitation to the Eagles’ Annual New Year’s Eve Ball,” I tell her with a groan.

Her gaze flicks between the unopened envelope and me, her brow furrowing in confusion. “Why is that a bad thing?”

“It’s a lavish event that they throw every year, and a bit like the Hawks’ Halloween Party, attendance is mandatory for all Pledges. But this is different to all the other events because the Eagles are fucking pretentious wankers, who use the party as an excuse to show off their wealth and status.

“It’s a black-tie event, so not only will I be expected to wear a fucking tuxedo, you’ll need a ballgown. And it will have to be a good one, as everyone present will be judged on what they’re wearing, as well as the person they bring with them.”

Harper’s mouth falls open as her eyes narrow, a flush spreading across her cheeks, and I struggle to get a read on what’s going through her head.

We were so lost in each other, focused solely on the bulletin board, that we didn’t even think to check whether anyone else was in the room with us. It wasn’t necessary, as I planned to take Harper back to my room as soon as I’d checked the board.

Unfortunately, Sienna, Tillie, and Ryan are sitting on the leather sofa in the middle of the room, listening to every word we say, and like the complete bastards they are, they’re incapable of minding their own fucking business.

Tillie stands from the sofa in a huff, her ridiculously pointy pink high heels clicking on the wooden floor as she stomps her foot like a child having a tantrum, drawing our attention to her.

“You can’t seriously be thinking about taking this nobody to the Eagles’ ball, can you? You literally just said people will be judged by who is on their arm,” Tillie screeches, her pitch so high it’s like someone is stabbing my bloody ears.

Sienna stands next, pulling Ryan along with her, even though he looks like it’s the last thing he wants to do—fucking pussy. Sienna glares at Harper as she points at her. “She can’t even afford a ballgown.”

The way both girls are staring at Harper, like she’s a piece of shit they’ve just found stuck to the bottom of their designer heels, has Harper shrinking beside me, shuffling closer to my side.

I make sure they both can see how furious I am, and can hear it in my voice. “Who I take is none of your fucking business. And I’m sure whatever she wears, she’ll be the most beautiful woman in the room.”