his fault.”
“Probably.” The last thing I want to do is talk to Brendan. Throttle him, yes.
“Anyway, I have to go to the computer lab for this tutoring session. I’ll see you next weekend,” she says before disappearing.
“Uh, okay,” I respond, having no idea what she’s talking about.
I watch her disappear down the aisle toward the entrance. Maybe she’s having another party and doesn’t realize I’m grounded and won’t be able to attend.
As soon as she’s out of sight, I search for Grant. I locate him in the Biography section, skimming a book on Albert Einstein.
“Looking for fashion tips?”
He raises his eyes from the page and smiles when he discovers me concealed behind the book.
“Do you think I could pull it off?” He holds up the iconic image of Einstein with his electrified hair.
I look from the picture to Grant. “Not the hair. The mustache, maybe.”
He runs his fingers over his clean-shaven skin. “I’ll start growing it out today.”
I laugh. He sets the book back on the shelf. I check over my shoulder to make sure we’re alone. “Were you avoiding Lily?”
“That obvious?” He grimaces guiltily.
I nod.
“Ever since you told me that her dad may not be her father, I’m having a hard time talking to her. I want to tell her, but I know I can’t.”
I groan. “See! This is your Integrity curse. It’s as bad as Joey’s issue with Honor. I totally get why you want to tell her, but you understand that this could hurt so many people, right? Especially since we don’t know the entire truth yet.”
“I know; it’s just … hard.” He takes my hand and leads me through the stacks toward the stairs to the study rooms. “Wil is cursed with Honor?”
“Supposedly,” I mumble, walking down the stairs.
“Which means he knows something he’s struggling to keep secret?” he concludes uncertainly.
“Something like that,” I answer quietly.
“Something to do with you that I don’t know yet?” Grant turns toward me when we reach the bottom of the stairs.
“Not yet,” I answer, biting my bottom lip. “But you will.”
I’ve been thinking about when and how to tell Grant the rest of my truths, considering how freeing it felt to let him in on the family-tree debacle. But I also fear that releasing the bind on my secrets will then secure them to him. The last thing I want is to watch him struggle with their weight, the way I have since the night everything happened.
He nods thoughtfully. “I’ll listen whenever you want to tell me.” Grant holds out his hand to escort me to the open door at the end of the hall.
When we enter, Brendan is seated with his feet propped up on the table and his hands folded on his lap. “We need to talk, Princess.” He eyes Grant. “And he can’t stay.”
“Screw you, Brendan,” I respond, dropping my bag on the table. “This room is for my study session with Grant. Get out.”
“You sure as shit don’t need a tutor,” Brendan pushes back. “This is important, Lana. Besides, you promised.”
I clench my teeth to keep from screaming, but I can’t hold back the frustrated growl that rumbles in the back of my throat.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Grant asks Brendan, nodding toward me and how undeniably vexed I am. “Doesn’t seem like Lana wants anything to do with you right now.”
“I don’t care,” Brendan quips. “She owes me. So I’m collecting.”
“Why does she owe you?”
“Because I promised,” I huff. “And he knows I won’t back out on a promise.”
“Hey, cuz! I was thinking we should …” Lance trails off when he enters the small space and sees I’m not alone. “Sorry. I saw your name on the list reserving this room. I didn’t realize it was to …” He looks from Grant propped against the wall with his arms crossed to Brendan leaning back in the chair. “What are you doing exactly?”
“You think Lana’s your cousin?” Grant asks Lance with a note of curiosity. “Do you know for sure?”
Our attention simultaneously draws to Brendan.
Brendan inspects Lance and then Grant before shooting me a scathing look. “They know?”
“Yes.”
“What else do they know?” he demands, slamming the legs of the chair on the floor.
“Whatever I decide to tell them!” I shout back with venom.
“Are you fucking kidding me, Lana?” he yells, standing up and shaking his curled hands like he wants to strangle me.
Grant takes a step forward at the same time I do. Lance remains where he is, looking smug now that he’s