Tame the Beast (Ever After #1) (22 page)

“I didn’t know he was here,” Adam snapped.

“Well he is, and we all agreed we would keep all that shit away from him.” Now, Luke was really pissed. Adam had broken the one rule they’d all made for themselves. The parties, the women, the drinking. They wouldn’t parade it in front of Collin. The kid had lost both of his parents. He didn’t need to see his uncles with a new woman every week.

“He met Clara,” Adam said in a tone that sounded like it was the most painful thing to say. “Do you know what he asked me yesterday? He wanted to know where she was. Said he wanted to show her the trick he taught Duke.”

Luke lowered his head, unsure what to say. There was only one other time he’d ever seen Adam this low and that was after his breakup with Vivian. But unlike Vivian, Clara was good for him.

“She hates me,” Adam said.

“Can you blame her?” For the first time, Luke wanted to hit him for messing things up with this one. “I just don’t get it. Why Olivia? Why the hell would you go back to that mess when you had Clara?”

“It just happened—”

“That shit doesn’t just happen, Adam. The flings, I get. Hell, I could care less if you plowed half of Greek Row, but you had something good going and you threw it away for the redheaded slut?”

A half smile flashed across Adam’s dazed face as he said, “That’s a good drink.”

“Not the point.” Luke rubbed his forehead. He needed Adam to snap out of it. “I hope you wrapped it up. Who knows where she’s been. Or worse, if you knocked her up, she’ll be after a ring next.”

“I … I didn’t sleep with her,” Adam said, taking another swig of his drink.

“What? Rose said you guys broke up because—”

“I could have. Hell, I almost did.” Adam looked up through pain-filled eyes. Luke waited calmly. “The first night I drove out there, Olivia showed up in practically nothing, saying how we could be discrete and no one would know. I already doubted if Clara and I would even survive long distance, so I went for it.” Adam’s gaze drifted across the room, his scowl deepening. “I’ll spare you the dirty details, but when I realized I was fucking up, I told Olivia off and kicked her out. But we didn’t have sex.”

Luke needed a moment to process it. Rose’s story was very different from Adam’s, but Luke trusted his friend. Adam would have no reason to lie to him. “Did you tell Clara that?”

Adam shook his head. “She already assumed the worst in me. And for good reason. Corin was right. I ruined her.”

“That’s bullsh—”

“No. You didn’t see the way she looked at me. She deserves better.”

Luke felt his friend’s pain, but the woe-is-me attitude was enough. Taking three long strides over to Adam’s chair, Luke ripped the drink from Adam’s hand and downed it in one gulp.

Adam looked up in disbelief. “What the hell?”

“I get that you’re hurting, but you’re acting like a little bitch and it’s killing my good mood. You have finals next week and if you fail because you’d rather be here screwing some random and drinking your inheritance away, then you might as well move in with Corin because your mother isn’t going to give you a third chance. You can kiss Benson goodbye along with everything else you’ve worked towards this year. Now if you don’t want to get off your lazy ass and get Clara back, that’s your choice, but I’m not going to let you fail your classes.”

Luke was breathing hard. It’d been a long time since he had to set his friend straight.

Adam sat there, taking it all in.

Luke waited for his blood pressure to lower before adding, “Now go take a shower. You stink like booze.”

Defeated, Adam rose from his chair and walked towards the bathroom. As his hand hit the door, Adam paused and said, “I was no good for her. I had to let her go. When you love someone you have to let them go.”

Luke’s heart sank as the bathroom door began to swing shut. “She’ll come back.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Clara waited patiently for the video call to connect. As much as she missed her family, she secretly hoped Harper wouldn’t pick up the call. She’d sent her sister a text the night she and Adam broke up, but she refused to talk about it. It hurt too much. If it weren’t for her promise to keep in touch at least once a week, Clara wouldn’t be making the call now.

“Hey!” Harper said. Her cheerful smile lit up Clara’s computer screen.

Clara tried to look content. “How’ve you been?”

“Good. I have senioritis and a month left of school, but it’s alright.”

Clara laughed at the screen, thinking about her sister itching to finish her last year of school. It was a feeling Clara never experienced. Harper was a different story. “You’ve had senioritis since you started high school.”

“True,” her sister said with a laugh. In the background, their father came into view. Harper shifted towards the edge of the screen. “Here, Poppa. Come sit.”

Gorge smiled warmly, squinting at the camera. His forehead filled the screen as he leaned down to speak. “Hello, Clarabelle,” he shouted.

“No,” Harper said. She reached for his shoulder, easing him back. “You don’t need to yell into the microphone. Just talk normal.”

Clara laughed on the other end. It was their second time attempting a video call and her father was still learning the basics.

“So when are you coming home?” he asked.

Clara shook her head. He’d asked the same question the last four times they’d spoke. “I already told you. Next Friday. I have my finals all next week and then you guys can drive up in the morning.”

“Oh, that’s right.” He nodded his head as if he were trying to store the information somewhere he would not forget again.

Clara glanced at her sister. They shared the same concerned expression. According to Harper, Gorge was becoming more and more forgetful. It was unusual for someone whose memory was always sharp and alarming for a family who had a history of Alzheimer’s. Gorge had recently celebrated his sixtieth, but early onset was still a scary possibility. The running joke was that Harper was the forgetful one of the family, but that had ceased the moment Gorge’s forgetfulness began to increase.

Changing the topic, Clara asked, “So where’s Lydia today?”

Harper rolled her eyes. “Shopping.”

Nothing else needed to be said. Lydia would rather spend the day with her friends than fifteen minutes talking with her sister. It was probably for the best. Lydia was a lot perkier ever since Clara and Adam split. And it was no secret that Lydia was jealous of Clara’s relationship. She even went as far as letting Clara know that a good girl like her would never be able to keep the attention of someone of his status. The last thing Clara wanted to hear was an “I told you so.”

Noticing Clara’s gloomy demeanor, the conversation turned into the one direction she didn’t want it to go.

“Have you talked to him at all?” Harper softly asked.

Clara forced a smile and pretended as if she didn’t hear her sister. “Well, I have to study for finals, but I will talk to you this week.”

Her father and sister shared a look of disappointment, but they filled their goodbyes with love as they promised to see her Friday. Closing the computer, Clara released a heavy breath and held the tears at bay. She hated that Adam still had that effect on her. Needing a distraction, she grabbed her bag and headed for the library to work on a final paper for her writing class.

Over an hour had passed and Clara was still hard at work searching for the right titles to resource. If she was honest, her lack of success was due to her wandering thoughts. She told herself not to think about him, but her stubborn mind was playing their most intimate moments on repeat.

She could feel his fingers entwined with hers every time another couple held hands. Every witnessed kiss between lovers made her brush her own mouth. Watching others experience happiness usually left her inspired, but now it caused her pain. When did she become such a cynic?

She missed the way Adam used to look at her like she was the only one that mattered. Under his gaze, Clara felt strong. Empowered.
Treasured,
even.

Her traitorous mind flashed to their last time together. Their plan to do homework had been short lived when she’d felt his stare. She’d known they shouldn’t be trying anything in the small library of Adam’s home. Not when the possibility of being caught was too great, but Adam had teased and taunted her, muffling her moans in a feverish kiss.

That night something shifted between them. Each thrust and kiss felt like Adam was trying desperately to hang on to something. The result was mind-blowing, but as Clara thought back to that night she wondered about what it had cost.

Here they were, torn apart, because of his actions. She hated him for it. Hated him with every fiber of her being, and yet her irrational side was begging her to forgive him. She couldn’t. Even after Rose told her Adam admitted to only kissing Olivia, she couldn’t shake the feeling of betrayal. Forgiving him would be like walking right into the lion’s den. It would be stupid and dangerous, and she was too headstrong to be either.

Stop thinking about him,
she snapped at her thoughts and added a book to her pile of possible choices. She was reaching for another when someone interrupted her.

“Excuse me,” he said, “but could you tell me where I could find this book?” He was holding out a piece of paper. Clara took it out of habit.

“Sure.” It didn’t take long for her to realize he was completely in the wrong section. “Actually, this is on the second floor.”

“Oh.”

Clara let the paper hang between them, but he only smiled back at her. Instead of questioning him, Clara found herself noticing his appearance. He was taller than her but would probably be a head shorter than Adam. His green eyes were just as welcoming as his smile. With short brown hair and a thin build, he could even be considered cute.

“It’s just up those stairs,” she said, pointing him in the right direction when he did not respond.

For a moment, his eyebrows creased before he said, “I’m sorry. I thought you worked here.”

Clara’s eyes widened in understanding. “Oh! Yeah. Sorry. I do, but not today. I’m studying for exams.”

The guy nodded, his green eyes fixed on her. “Me too.”

Clara’s head bobbed, mirroring his movements. “I’ll, ah, let you get back to it then.”

He turned to leave, but something held him there. He smiled at the floor before finding the courage to say, “Actually, I was just using it as an excuse to come talk to you.”

Clara took a step back as color flooded her cheeks. “Why?” she asked.

His smile widened. “Oh come on, gorgeous girl like you? A guy needs a reason.”

Clara blushed at his words. “And yours was asking where a book was?”

Ignoring her question, he extended his hand and said, “I’m Ryan.”

Shifting her books to one arm, she smiled once more. His shake was firm, but the palm of his hand was soft and smooth, unlike the familiar, rough ones that knew how to tease her in every way. “I’m Clara.”

“I know,” he said, sheepishly. “We had a writing class together last semester.”

Clara cocked her head to the side, trying to remember his face. “I’m sorry. I don’t remember you.”

That’s because you never took your eyes off Adam to notice anyone else.

Ryan shrugged as they strolled away from the aisle and towards the spot Clara had picked out for herself. “It’s okay. New school, all new faces.”

“How’d you know I’m new?”

Ryan smiled wide. “It’s not that big of a school. If you really pay attention, you get to know a lot of people pretty quick. You either transferred here, or you’re a freshman. But you’re a bit of a minor celebrity, so it was easy to remember you.”

Clara averted her gaze. Minor celebrity? Did he mean her relationship with Adam? Was that really what everyone thought of her? The girl who caught Adam Beaumont’s attention for a brief moment?

Just as she was about to snap about being unfairly judged, Ryan said, “I have to admit, I’m a little jealous. It’s pretty impressive to receive the Fullmont Scholarship. Few have tried and even fewer have succeeded.”

“Oh,” Clara said, a bit too relieved. Relaxing slightly, she looked him over again. There was a familiarity there she couldn’t place until the corner of his mouth rose in a lazy smile. “You were at the Dean’s Holiday Dinner.”

His grin stretched further. “I was.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t …” Clara’s voice trailed as she realized her memories were leading her right back down the path she didn’t want them to go. Of course, she didn’t recognize
Ryan. She’d barely noticed anyone that night aside from a certain spoiled heir whom she was no longer thinking about.

“It’s fine. I don’t think I really talked to anyone aside from a few contributors. Although, they were all very impressed with you.”

Her cheeks flushed at the teasing tone in his warm voice. Clara set her books on the table, trying not to sound embarrassed as she asked, “Me?”

Ryan sat down across from her. “Of course. Beauty, brains, and a sweetheart? You’re a triple threat.”

“Uh, thanks.” Clara’s soft smile didn’t reach her eyes. The endearment pricked at her throat like tiny needles. Adam called her sweetheart.

But Ryan didn’t know that, and Clara was determined not to let Adam get to her. She needed to hold her chin up high and look to her future like she’d promised herself the day she had arrived at her dorm. Clara caught Ryan’s kind, green stare again. He was sweet, in the boy next door sort of way.

“So, tell me,” he asked, “what’s a girl like you doing here on a Saturday night? Wouldn’t you rather be out partying?”

“A girl like me?” she asked with a suspicious eyebrow raised.

Ryan’s face fell in panic. “I didn’t mean—”

Clara’s smile broke into laughter. “It’s fine. I’m messing with you.”

Ryan’s cheeks turned red, but his body relaxed as they fell into a steady, quiet conversation. He was easy to talk to and in another life, he might have been a perfect match for her. He was a sophomore, smart, and knew what he wanted in life.

“Marketing,” he said when she asked what field he was going into. “How about you?”