The Rejected True Heiress (Liora and Callum) novel Chapter 285

Liora’s POV

My “date” with Zane was in under an hour. I hated that I had to call it that. A date. But he’d insisted, and right now, I needed his help. Not just in keeping my secret a secret, but in getting to retake the field test.

I decided not to overdo it while getting dressed. Zane said to dress casually and practically anyway, so I went for a pair of jeans, a warm sweater, and my favorite leather jacket. It was a cold one tonight, so I threw on a red scarf I had laying around and a pair of fingerless gloves.

I was pulling my hair back when the door to my room swung open. Mia walked in, carrying a bag of chips and a mug of hot cocoa.

She froze when she saw me.

“Oh. You look nice.” Her eyes scanned me from head to toe. “Where are you going?”

My mouth opened, then closed. I hadn’t thought this far ahead. What was I supposed to tell her? That I was going on a fake date with Zane so he’d keep my secret and help me retake the field exam? That would require explaining the secret in the first place.

Maybe now was the time. Maybe I should just rip the bandaid off and tell her everything. About who I really was. About Bianca. About all of it.

I took a breath. “Mia, there’s something I need to—”

Suddenly, a loud honk from outside cut me off. Then another. And another.

I groaned and grabbed my jacket. “I have to go.”

“Wait, what?” Mia followed me to the door. “Liora, what’s going on?”

“It’s just Zane. We’re, uh…” I fumbled for words. “We’re hanging out.”

“Hanging out?” Her voice pitched up into a squeak. “Like… a date?”

“No! I mean, sort of? It’s complicated.” I was already backing toward the door. “I’ll explain later, okay? I promise.”

Another honk.

“Gods, he’s so impatient,” I muttered, yanking the door open.

“Liora—”

“Later! I swear!” I called over my shoulder as I hurried down the hall.

When I glanced back, Mia was standing in the doorway, still holding her snacks. She looked confused. Maybe a little hurt. Definitely jealous. I felt like shit for making her feel that way, but I would explain everything as soon as I got back.

She would understand.

“Deal.” He climbed onto the bike and patted the seat behind him. “Hop on.”

I hesitated, then swung my leg over and sat down. The bike rumbled beneath me, and I immediately grabbed onto Zane’s jacket, shivering.

“You’re gonna want to hold on tighter than that,” he said, revving the engine.

“Wait—”

He took off before I could finish, and I let out a yelp, wrapping my arms around his waist and pressing myself against his back. My heart was pounding so hard I could feel it in my throat.

“Zane, slow down!”

“Relax!” he shouted over the wind. “You’ll get used to it! Just lean with me!”

I didn’t believe him. Not at first, anyway.

But after a few minutes, something strange happened. The fear started to fade, replaced by something else. Something wild and exhilarating.

The wind whipped past us as we flew down the road, and I could feel the rumble of the engine beneath me, the power of it. Everything else fell away, and for a little while, it was just me and Zane and the road and the rush of adrenaline coursing through my veins.