corner. He shoved him and something hit the floor with a shattering crash.
“We had a bet and you lost. You want to end up back there, Burn?” I’d never heard Aiden use the tone he did right then. “Lose another year of your life? Just say the word.”
“Hey!” I dropped Maverick’s hand, running into the room. “What do you think you’re doing? Get off of him.”
Aiden twisted and glared a hole in me. “You know what? That’s a great question, Val. What am I doing? If Sawyer wants to drink himself to death, why should I stop him?!”
“Watch yourself,” Maverick snapped. “Don’t talk to her that way.”
I frowned. Aiden wasn’t the yelling type, and Sawyer...
The taller boy turned his face from us, fist pale and balled at his side.
What’s going on with these two?
“I will watch myself,” Aiden said, but not to us. “From now on, I worry about my shit and you worry about yours.” He shoved him again. “You said you were done with this!”
Sawyer bore it in silence.
Scoffing, Aiden turned his back on his friend and walked out.
“Sawyer,” I began.
“Leave it, Val.” He stomped over the remains of the shattered whiskey bottle and took another from the bar.
“Thank you,” I said as he brushed past us, pulling him up short. “Thank you for jumping in and saving me.”
“I wouldn’t have let him hurt you.” It was hard to hear him over the crackling fire. “You’re a good person. Maybe the last good person in Nu Alpha and Zeta Rho. I don’t know what Leighton was thinking when she let you in, but if you want my advice, get out. We were all different before we entered their perfect patch of Greek Row. Leave before they get to you too.”
“Get to me?” I took a step toward him. “What does that mean?”
“If you don’t know, you’ll find out soon enough.”
“But—”
“See you around, Valentina.” He tromped out, bottle tipped to his mouth before he rounded the corner out of sight.
“Want to go after him?” Maverick asked.
“No.” I took his hand once more. “Whatever we just walked in on is for Aiden and Sawyer to sort out. I meant it, Maverick. We’re done.”
Maverick bent and nibbled my bottom lip. A giggle made my mouth part and he swooped in, kissing the crap out of me. I was unsteady on my feet when we broke apart.
“We’re done.”
“YOU’RE DOING GREAT, ladies. One more mile.”
The collective groans reminded me so much of my pledge time, I smothered a laugh.
It had been a month since that wild night and my dip in the pool. Since then, Aiden and I fell into our standard roles. Planning parties, activities, and the charity dinner. We didn’t talk about anything else.
I maintained the same resolve with Eve, Sabrina, Kendra, and Teagan. Once or twice they brought up the club. A few “I’m not interesteds” finally shut down the conversation. Whatever they got up to was their business, and the business of finding out who Aiden Connelly truly was I left to Ryder’s security team. They were smart, armed, and backed by resources. They could play detective. All I wanted to do was go to school, run my sorority, and curl up with my son, dog, and boyfriends at the end of the day.
“Smile,” Jade crooned. The fit vessel of beauty, intelligence, stamina, and enigmas that we called Jade Ortega was literally running circles around us. She looped the running group, shouting encouragement at everyone.
“Jade, I love you,” Ellie huffed. “But I also hate everything about you. Please don’t take that personally.”
Jade laughed without sounding the least bit winded. Honestly, it was obscene that she was barely breaking a sweat. “None taken. You should hear what my mom calls me on our weekend runs.”
“Val,” Chloe whined.
“No one escapes the physical requirements,” I told her. “Not even me. All this running, training, and cooking with the sisters has me disgustingly healthy. I may even keep it up after I graduate.”
“Would that be so bad?” Jade teased.
“Yes, because now I have to feel bad for all the cursing and swearing I did as a pledge.”
They laughed at me.
“Is that your way of saying we’re going to thank you?” Ellie asked.
Maeve jogged up to my side. “Why do we have to do this? Other sororities make you compete for how many shots you can down.”
“We were formed in honor of Sally Hollenbeck. The powers that be decided we wouldn’t be known for philanthropy or liver disease. We would emulate her by kicking