Chapter 3: Please don't tell anyone.

Skye

Something warm is wrapped around my waist. I smile without opening my eyes, savoring a blissful moment of peace.

Maybe yesterday wasn't a complete disaster after all; he really did come after me.

He realized rejecting me was a mistake. The thought makes my lips curl into a sleepy smile.

I snuggle closer, the arm around me tightening instinctively. A satisfied hum rumbles against the back of my head.

Butterflies explode in my belly. He actually hugged me. I knew it.

Chloe and Kimberly are never going to let me hear the end of this—they're probably owing me four hundred dollars anyway. I giggle softly.

This turns out better than I thought.

Slowly, I crack one eye open. The room is dim; pale morning sunlight slips through the curtains.

Funny… I don't remember my dorm having a black curtain. A frown creases between my brows. Or black walls.

Or… a massive flat-screen television hanging across from the bed. My smile falters.

Did Kimberly redecorate overnight? I blink several times. A football jersey hangs from a chair, number 7. Helmets are lined up neatly on a shelf.

A stack of sports magazines sits on the desk.

This is definitely not my room. My heartbeat begins to pound against my ribs. Where the hell am I?

Very slowly, I look down at the arm around my waist—tan skin, a strong forearm, dark ink disappearing beneath the sleeve of a black T-shirt.

A tattoo.

Ethan doesn't have a tattoo. Does he? My throat suddenly goes dry. Oh my God. No. This has to be a joke.

Carefully, I turn my head. A sharp jaw, messy dark hair, a silver nose ring—.

A tattoo curling up the side of a muscular neck.

The world stops. Every color drains from my face. No. This isn’t Ethan Knight. This is… Jace Knight.

My eyes go as wide as saucers. I stare at him for several long seconds, waiting for him to somehow transform into his twin.

He doesn't. He’s still Jace, my number one enemy. Still asleep, still holding me.

My breathing becomes uneven. "What….." fragments of last night crash into me.

The party. Ethan. His rejection. The whiskey. The hallway. The room.

Tears suddenly sting my eyes. I need to wake up; this has to be a horrible nightmare. I didn't just give my virginity to the boy I hate the most in school.

I thought……

Oh God.

I clamp my hands over my mouth, muffling the strangled sob threatening to tear from my throat. I thought he was Ethan.

My stomach twists violently, and I think I might be sick.

My face drops to the blanket covering us. My body is naked underneath. I don't need to look beneath it—I already know the soreness between my legs.

"No…" my voice breaks. I try to move, but Jace only pulls me closer in his sleep.

A tiny sound escapes me. Please, let me go.

As if hearing me, he shifts. His eyes flutter open—grey, still heavy with sleep, they settle on me. For a second, neither of us speaks.

He blinks several times, then his brow furrows. "Skye?”

I freeze. He looks down at the arm around my waist, then at me. Confusion flashes across his features.

It only lasts a heartbeat before memory seems to catch up with him. His expression hardens.

He sits up so abruptly that the bed shakes. "What the hell?” His voice is rough from sleep.

I scramble backward, clutching the blanket to my chest. "I...” my throat closes.

Jace runs a hand through his hair, staring at me as if I’ve materialized out of thin air.

"What are you doing in my room?”

"I thought…" my voice trembles, "I thought this was my room."

"Your room? You’ve got to be kidding me. You entered my room drunk. I thought you were Tiffany.”

I bite the inside of my cheek hard. Right. Tiffany, the queen of Royal Haven College—the only female worthy enough to date the almighty Jace Knight.

God, I feel so foolish.

"I…" I don't even know what to say. This is the craziest thing that has ever happened to me.

Jace's gaze drops to the bed, noticing blood. He stares down confused for a second, then the realization hits him hard.

He shakes his head, all color draining from his face. "No…no… you were a virgin?”

I remain silent, and that’s enough of an answer.

He jerks away from the bed as if I’ve suddenly burned him. Several steps back, pointing an accusing finger at me. "Tell me it’s not what I'm thinking. Tell me I didn't just…"

Painful tears slip down my cheeks. I can't even look at him. I wish the ground would open and swallow me. I've made the biggest mistake of my life, and it’s Jace of all people—the boy who has bullied me since we were kids.

Jace runs a hand through his hair. "No… this can't be happening.”

He turns away from me, staring into the wall for several moments. When he turns back, his eyes breathe rage.

His voice comes out low. “Get dressed. Before this gets worse.”

Something painful stabs through my chest. Before he can say more, I stand abruptly from the bed.

Then I suddenly realize I'm naked, with dried blood between my thighs.

Jace's gaze roams my body and drops to my thighs. Hurt flashes in his eyes—or maybe I'm imagining things. The Jace I know is not capable of such emotion.

I grab my clothes and put them on quickly. I don't even bother to bathe—I’ll do that in my room. Any second now, I will faint. It’s better to leave now before it’s too late.

I push back the threatening tears, but they fall anyway.

And these stupid clothes refuse to stay on—they keep slipping to the floor. I hate this. I hate that my body is trembling so badly.

When I finally dress, I rush toward the door without looking at him. He stands there, watching me. I don’t even look back. I can't.

If I do, I’ll remember that for one stupid moment this morning, I woke up smiling.

Thinking I'd finally gotten the boy I’ve loved for years. Instead, I’m walking out carrying the biggest mistake of my life.

The moment the door swings open, I come face to face with Tiffany Bentley—Jace’s long-time girlfriend, the queen bee of Royal Haven College, and my worst nightmare—and her minions, Tracy and Betty.

The three of them freeze. My stomach drops.

Tiffany’s gaze slowly travels from my tangled hair to my wrinkled clothes, my unlaced shoes, then back to the room where Jace is standing with nothing more than black shorts.

A wicked smile spreads across her face. "Wow, interesting. I never expected a loser like you to be this desperate.”

Tears blur my vision. "I...” The words die before they fully form.

"You slept with my boyfriend.”