Page 44 of Jump on Three

“And if she loves someone else?” I asked.

Rhys’s amusement slid away in a blink. “Watch yourself, Sokolov. I do not appreciate that question coming from you.”

I raised both hands. “I mean no harm. It’s only curiosity.”

Bringing up Delilah having feelings for someone else was a clear misstep, and not because I particularly cared what Rhys Astor thought of me. Evelyn stiffening beside me and Delilah pressing her lips together in a tight line told me no one had forgotten Delilah’s feelings had once pointed in my direction.

Rhys pulled Delilah into his side, almost sliding her out of her chair. “Don’t ask questions no one wants to answer.”

Delilah took his jaw in hand. “Not something you have to worry about, trouble. Relax.”

Evelyn pushed back from the table, her chair scraping along the floor. “I’m finished. Let’s go.”

Two rolls were being squashed in her fist and her plate of salad was still half-full. She never left food behind. I did not like the idea of her leaving hungry, especially since I’d been the one to bring down the atmosphere, but it wasn’t my choice. I had no say over what she did.

I sat there, watching Rhys, Delilah, and Ev walk out together, Rhys clinging hard to his girl while Ev had her head down, curling into herself.

Freddie put his phone face down on the table and released a heavy, theatrical sigh. “Oh, Ivan. What’s Russian for ‘you really fucked that up’?”

I frowned at him. “What are you talking about?”

His mouth curved into a sly grin. “I think it’s quite obvious what I’m talking about. If you think I’m the only one who notices which Kastanos sister is getting all your attention lately, I’d say you’re wrong.” He clapped a hand on my shoulder. “Hate to say it, mate, but I see another case of unrequited affection happening.”

My jaw was tight. “It isn’t unrequited.”

He laughed in my face. “I have eyes. I can see where your little heart is pitter-pattering. What I do not see is our sweet Evelyn pitter-pattering for you.” He let go of my shoulder, smirking. “I could be wrong. It’s been known to happen once or twice.”

Then he went back to eating like he hadn’t just fucked me up with his casual observations.

Chapter Fifteen

Evelyn

This plan was a jumbled mess, and I still wasn’t certain I was going to go through with it.

Jump. Just jump.

The crumbs and abandoned water bottle drove me bananas, and I was beginning to think that was the point. Either Ivan hated me and wanted to make me hate him, or he thought he was being cute.

Now that I knew he was the squatter, his little messes were almost…endearing.

Which was crazy. Absolutely nutty. Messes were my brain’s downfall. I could not think when anything was out of place. And defiling my sanctuary? Gah, unacceptable.

Except I wasn’t angry, which made me prod at my feelings for him.

I shouldn’t have had to.

This was a black-and-white issue.

Ivan was off-limits, and what happened in the dining hall yesterday should have hammered that point home. None of the important people in my life had let go of him once occupying space in Delilah’s heart, even if she hadn’t occupied space in his.

But I found myself thinking about him all the time. My fingers twitched to touch his swallow. My body felt too light without his heavy attention on me.

Was this how Delilah had felt?

For her to make the irrational decision to confess her crush on him, it must have been. Who would have done that?

Not me.