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She looked so scared. So human.

Not the poised poli-sci major who boasted all A’s and a coveted spot on Senator McNeely’s campaign staff.

Not the fresh-faced sorority sister decked out in her house’s signature colors.

Not the perfect pastor’s child with a halo of golden light behind her whenever she sang in the choir on a Sunday morning.

This was the girl I’d wanted to date. The one I’d caught glimpses of. The one who’d seemed almost as lost and scared as I sometimes felt when both of our fathers’ ambitions seemed the most powerful influence in our lives. But one who’d never been willing to admit it while we were together.

And to be fair, I hadn’t either.

Now, the only person I wanted to admit it to was on his way to Tennessee, taking a step closer to his dream.

“The problem is, I don’t have any money of my own,” she continued softly. “And we both know I can’t ask my parents. They’d go to your father, and they’d believe whatever he said. They’d want to.”

She was right. Accepting that my father was a power-hungry womanizer who didn’t care who he hurt would mean accepting that they’d let themselves be duped for years. That they’d been complicit.

It was so much easier to swallow my father’s bullshit and fall in line. He was probably counting on that.

“I don’t have money either,” I said. It was frustrating as fuck to admit, though she already knew it. “I’m sorry.”

The tears came again, but she straightened in her seat and blew out a breath. “No, I know. I don’t expect you to fix this. I’m sorry you got pulled into it at all. I just… needed to talk to someone, I guess.”

I murmured something about needing to go to the men’s room and asked if she wanted a refill of her lemonade. She shook her head and pulled out her phone to keep her company while I slid out of the booth.

On my walk back, I recognized the man who was currently following her—assuming there was only one, of course. He sat at a table near the main doors with a clear view of Arden.

He was muscular. Dressed in a simple black polo and khaki pants. Maybe a little old for the student dining hall, but he could definitely pass for a grad student.

I didn’t remember his name, but I’d seen him on the security team most recently when I’d gone with my father to the Falcons game. He’d been one of the people assigned to help us move through the crowds without being touched or approached. I remembered him specifically because he hadn’t hesitated to get physical. In fact, he’d been a little too enthusiastic about shoving people around when they dared to get in my father’s way, almost like he’d enjoyed it.

Fuck. I didn’t want this guy anywhere near Arden.

And suddenly, it didn’t feel like enough to say “there’s nothing I can do” or to retreat into a happy bubble where I tried not to think about it. I’d done far too much of that already this week.

I’d be damned if I let Arden be hurt while I stood idly by.

That wasn’t who I was. It wasn’t the man I wanted to be.

My father had controlled me my entire life in one way or another, and I’d let him. I knew better than anyone what he was capable of, and I hadn’t spoken out.

I’d accepted my punishments when I stepped out of line. I’d quietly made plans to break free. But I’d still fucking hated the idea of directly confronting him… which was probably why I hadn’t figured out some magical solution to the Arden situation yet.

I knew my father would accept only one outcome: unconditional capitulation, no matter the cost. But for the first time, I had something—and someone—I couldn’t stand to lose. I wouldn’t give up my future or Vaughn for my father. The price he demanded was simply too high.

And since I wasn’t going to back down, it was time to step up.

I returned to Arden and sat back down in the booth.

“I’m going to help you,” I told her softly. “I’ll get you the money to disappear for a while.”

“Bett.” Her eyes widened. “How?”

The only way I knew.

The Pit.

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