The Rejected True Heiress (Liora and Callum) novel Chapter 363

Something cracked in my chest. I felt alone and stupid and small, and in that moment, I simply didn’t have the strength to send anyone away.

“One drink?” she asked, noticing my look. “You don’t have to talk if you don’t want to, but we do have a history together, and I’d feel awful letting you sit here all by yourself when you’re clearly going through something.”

I sighed. I hated that I was doing this, but I nodded. “One drink would be alright.”

Bianca smiled faintly and walked over to my dresser, retrieving the two small cups I kept there. With her back turned to me, she began pouring the drinks.

“So,” she said. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“Not really.” I ran a hand through my hair as she turned back and handed me my drink. I took it. “It was fine, really. Just…”

“Just…?” She looked at me quizzically.

Another sigh. “I’m really not at liberty to speak on it.” Especially not to you, I wanted to say, but I held that part back.

To her credit, Bianca didn’t push it. She nodded and held up her glass, clinking it against mine. “Fair enough.” She pulled the chair out from my desk and dragged it over next to my bed, then sat. Our knees nearly brushed as she took a sip.

I took a sip, too. The liquor was more bitter than I was expecting, but after a few sips, some of the jagged edges around my conscience started to dull out a little, which I needed.

Silence fell between us. Bianca watched me over the rim of her cup, then checked her nails when she noticed that I noticed her staring. She reached over and picked up the book on my bedside table that I had been reading.

“Medieval battle tactics?” she asked, arching a brow.

I leaned back a little. “Yeah. It’s interesting.”

“I’m sure it is.” She made a bit of a face and set the book aside without asking any questions. I hated that my mind instantly went to the place of thinking about how Liora would have cared about what I was reading. How she would have asked about it and discussed it with me, not just grimaced and set it aside like it was dirty.

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