“I won’t.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t want you to get in trouble.” Now that he was facing me, I realized I’d seen him around and recognized him as Keiran Masters. The one everyone feared. He didn’t have friends and the only person he ever talked to was Keenan Masters, his cousin, and even then, he barely spoke. Keenan was the exact opposite of Keiran. He was the class clown and always seen making people laugh though I got the feeling he was a little sad.

“Why do you care?”

I shrugged and met his stare. When I refused to look away, he nodded and walked back over to the boy who, thankfully, now sat up with his hand on his throat.

“Stay away from her,” was the only thing Keiran said before disappearing down the hall. I helped the boy to his feet and watched as he fought to catch his breath.

“Thank you,” he panted. “That was so cool. How did you do that?”

“Do what?”

“Make him go away.”

“I don’t know.” It was the truth, at least. I didn’t know why the most feared boy in our school listened to me, but I would soon learn that I would be the only person he would listen to. “Why did he want to hurt you?”

“I—I don’t know. I was just walking to the bathroom and he came out of nowhere. I think he was waiting for me. Do you think he’ll beat me up again?”

“That depends… who’s she?”

“She?”

“The girl he told you to stay away from.”

“I don’t know. I talk to lots of girls. I mean… not like that, ‘cause girls are gross but—”

“I get it. I’ll see you around.”

Without a backward glance, I walked away thinking about Keiran Masters and who this girl was that made him so… violent. My perfect score had been pushed to the back of my mind. All day, I tried to find the answer, and at the end of the day, I did.

Keiran stood in front of a girl who looked like she’d blow over with the slightest wind. She had blonde hair and tears running down her face as Keiran said something to her. I ignored my mother and sister waiting for me and hurried over to the tree, afraid he might do the same to her that he had done to the boy. When I was close enough, I saw him pull what looked like a cookie from his pocket and crush it over her head, sprinkling the crumbs until her blonde locks were covered in them. Some trickled down to her face, mixing with her tears.

“Next time, keep your gross cookies to yourself,” he taunted before walking away. She ran away immediately with her hands covering her eyes and not paying attention to where she was going.

What was that about?

* * *

PRESENT

“Earth to Dash.” I snapped back from my childhood memories and realized that Rosalyn had been trying to get my attention. By her irritated expression, I could tell she had been trying for a while. Here I was having dinner with the woman I would spend the rest of my life with, yet I sat daydreaming about my best friend. I chuckled under my breath rather than let the grim reality of my future take hold.

“You barely touched your food. Is something wrong?”

“I don’t have an appetite. Proposing to someone you don’t want to marry will do that to you.”

“Oh, Dasher.”

Fuck. I hated when she used my full name. It applied an intimacy that I didn’t want to share with her. Only two people ever called me Dasher. My mom used my full name when she was upset with me, and Willow… she used it whenever my dick was deepest inside her.

“I have some work to do. If you’re free for lunch tomorrow, we can pick out your ring.”

“That’s okay. I already had Daddy buy the ring I wanted.” When she flashed her left hand, I finally noticed the large princess cut diamond resting atop her ring finger.

I stared at her as if she’d grown two heads and again wondered why I agreed to this and at what cost? After all the resisting and defiance on my part, my father had succeeded in molding me to exactly what he wanted me to be.

“Suit yourself.” I signaled for the check and busied myself with my wallet.

“You know,” she whispered as if telling some important secret. Her tits were on display in the low-cut collared shirt and practically resting on the table when she leaned forward. “I still know how to do that thing you liked with my tongue. If you really want… we can consummate our proposal and our future together in your car.”

I leaned forward across the table until my nose was practically touching hers and said, “I don’t really ‘want.’ I don’t even a little ‘want.’ I haven’t forgotten what you did four years ago. You cost me everything, so don’t think for a second I would touch you… ever.”