Page 84 of The Love Penalty

Harvey’s eyebrows rise in understanding. He’s got a sister. He gets it.

“Right.” Nodding, he lets out a soft laugh, then turns toward the food. “Let’s go eat, man.”

His voice trails off as we walk past a table of girls. They glance at us, and Harvey makes a point to wink and grin at the one on the end. She sends him a simpering smile before being nudged by her friend.

I roll my eyes and snicker. “You’re such a Casanova.”

“Wonder if any of them will be at the party tonight.” He wiggles his eyebrows, poking out his tongue and looking damn gleeful at the idea of getting some later.

I have no doubt he will. The guy’s a player—about as bad as Casey used to be. I wonder which woman is gonna make him fall one day. Surely one of them will. Women are powerful beings.

A smile works across my face as I think about Lani and the power she has over me. I never had any intentions of letting a woman see all of me so easily, but I’ve let her into my world, and it’s the best fucking thing that’s ever happened to me.

But I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to explain it to a guy like Harvey, who’s only after fun and flings. He’s gonna have to experience true love for himself one day and see how it can take you out at the knees… and he’ll go down happily because it’s that fucking good.

CHAPTER 38

LEILANI

My knees nearly give out twice on my sprint back to Huxley Hall. I stumble on the path and nearly twist my ankle going up the wide steps.

Breaths are shaking me as my stomach trembles and spasm, trying to hold down sobs… or maybe it’s bile.

The urge to throw up is overwhelming, and I fight it the entire way up to my floor.

This can’t be happening. The man I love is related to the man I hate.

How can the universe be so fucking cruel?

Why? The word screams inside me—a raw, desperate cry.

I want to beat the ground and yell until my throat is hoarse.

This is so fucking unfair!

Panic claws at me, my heart thumping so hard, I feel as though it might pop out of my mouth along with the entire contents of my stomach.

I run down the hallway, my boots echoing on the floor. Swiping my keycard, I push the door open and hear a surprised gasp.

“Oh shit.” Casey scrambles for his boxers while Caroline wraps a sheet around her.

I see his dick, her boobs, and I can’t even shut my eyes and apologize.

I just stand there in the doorway—mute and frozen.

“Lani?” Caroline frowns at me. “Are you okay?”

Sucking in a shaky breath, I manage to rasp, “I’m gonna be sick,” before lunging toward the bathroom.

My legs wobble and I bang my hip on the edge of her desk, nearly tumbling to the floor. Casey catches me around the waist, helping me into the bathroom. I barely get the lid up in time before puke is spewing out of me. I drop to my knees, heaving into the toilet, then letting out a scream that sounds like a feral war cry.

Casey jolts away from me like I’ve lost my mind.

Maybe I have.

Or I’m in the process of losing it.

“What do I do?” I hear his shaky whisper. It sounds as if this is freaking him out more than Caroline’s pregnancy announcement a few months back.