Todos os capítulos de Larkin College: The Alpha's Catastrophe : Capítulo 31 - Capítulo 37

Celeste lingered outside the study room longer than she intended. Through the tall glass panels, she could see Alaric sitting opposite Mara, papers scattered across the oak table between them. Books lay open in uneven stacks. Someone had clearly abandoned any attempt at neatness nearly an hour ago.That alone was astonishing. Alaric hated disorder. Yet he hadn't rearranged a single page. Because he was watching Mara. She was speaking with both hands now, apparently explaining why history professors deliberately designed assignments "to destroy young people's remaining optimism.""...and then," Mara declared, tapping a paragraph with her pencil, "they have the audacity to call it independent learning." Alaric laughed. Actually laughed. Not the polite chuckle reserved for formal dinners. Not the restrained amusement expected from the Arden heir. A genuine laugh. Warm and unguarded.Celeste blinked. She had not heard that sound in years. Perhaps ever. Interesting. She knocked softly befo

The snow had almost covered Mara's footprints by the time she reached the women's residence hall. She stopped beneath the porch light, hugging her books against her chest. "This is ridiculous." The words disappeared into the cold night.She pressed two fingers against the side of her neck. Still fast. Her pulse had stubbornly refused to calm down. She had walked halfway across campus. She hadn't seen Alaric in nearly five minutes. And somehow... her heart was still behaving like an overenthusiastic drummer."No." She frowned. "This is medically suspicious." Perhaps she was developing a heart condition. That seemed considerably more reasonable than admitting one irritatingly handsome aristocrat could affect her this much. She nodded to herself. Yes. Definitely a medical issue. Tomorrow she would buy vitamins. Vitamins solved things. Probably."Talking to yourself?" Mara jumped. Celeste stood several feet away, carrying two steaming paper cups from the small cafe beside the dormitories.

Mason leaned against the inside of the study door without moving. The room had always been his sanctuary.Shelves lined with leather-bound books climbed toward the ceiling. Awards, photographs and framed newspaper covers chronicled the rise of the Rutledge Group. Every accomplishment of the past twenty years surrounded him. Tonight...they felt strangely hollow.He loosened his tie, pulled it free and tossed it carelessly onto the sofa. His jacket followed. He walked toward the wide window overlooking the city. Snow continued to fall, blanketing rooftops in white. His reflection stared back at him. Older than he remembered. Tired.He searched his own face for the ambitious young man he had once been. Instead...he found a stranger. His thoughts drifted backward with frightening clarity. Not because he wanted them to. Because they refused to stay buried.Twenty-two years earlier...The Rutledge Group had been dying. Banks had begun refusing additional credit. Investors were pulling out on

For several long seconds after Celeste hugged her, Mara simply stood there holding the expensive winter coat as though it might suddenly begin asking difficult questions. The room had become strangely quiet.Nora looked from Mara to Celeste before deciding silence was far more entertaining than interrupting whatever this was. Finally, Mara cleared her throat. "I should warn you."Celeste tilted her head. "About what?""I've never had a rich friend before.""...Is that a warning?""I don't know the maintenance requirements."Nora burst into laughter. Celeste smiled despite herself. "I promise we're fairly low maintenance.""I don't believe that for a second.""Why not?"Mara held up one finger. "Your boots cost more than my entire wardrobe." A second finger. "Your family owns buildings." A third."And your cousin walks around campus looking like he personally negotiates with the stock market before breakfast."Celeste failed to hide another laugh. "That's... oddly specific.""I pay att