Page 85 of Ruled By Rivalry

“Why?”

“Because the last time we went out together, it made headlines.”

“We always did.”

“And I got kicked out of the penthouse.”

I tried not to feel too guilty about that.

“Less ideal,” she admitted. “But it cannot possibly get worse than this.”

Elliot laughed, assuming she meant the penthouse situation. I glared at her, knowing she meant me. Here. With him. As if to confirm, she sent me a sweet smile.

Completely oblivious, Elliot held an incoming call in our direction, getting up. “I’ll be right back,” he said, and it took everything in me not to scream, Don’t leave me alone with her. “Maeve and I have some more work to do, so I really can’t go out tonight. Next time, though. Promise.”

Another side-eye from Allegra. I’d been racking them up for weeks.

I didn’t mean to fall into the typical I-hate-his-ex cliché, and I don’t think that was exactly it. I wanted to like her, almost as much as I wanted her to like me. But that tension had been hanging between us almost as long as we’d known each other.

The look on her face told me that she was very keen on fulfilling that I-hate-every-girl-in-his-vicinity cliché, though. And she didn’t waste another second before she let me know.

Her eyes were still glued to her phone when she said, innocently, “I know what you’re doing.”

“Huh?”

“Don’t play dumb, Maeve. You’re determined; I’ll give you that.”

“What exactly are we talking about here?”

Allegra snickered, finally abandoning her phone to look at me. “You. Weaseling your way into his life for all the wrong reasons. I care about Elliot. I—” She swallowed her next words, almost choked on them. “Is it the money? The fame? He’s not the only way to get either, you know?”

I blinked at the woman beside me. Her perfectly straight hair tucked behind her ears, makeup subtle enough to barely register, enhancing her best features naturally. Her outfit looked suspiciously close to clubbing wear for someone who’d had the idea to go “spontaneously.”

“You’re being serious,” I figured.

“He’s Elliot Ashwood. Of course—!”

“Look, Allegra. I’m going to be honest here.” I kept my voice low, just to make sure he wouldn’t overhear. “I’m not fighting you over a guy. Have him, if you’d like.” The suggestion made my insides clench, but it was the truth. “He doesn’t even have any money right now. And I don’t want to be famous.”

She looked unconvinced. “Yet you’re walking around in Adeline Ashwood that cost more than you could ever afford.”

The shoes. The dress. Touché.

“I—” But she cut me off.

“And you shouldn’t be with him, then.” Her tone was sharp, words clipped. “Elliot is money, fame, influence. If you don’t want anything to do with that, you shouldn’t be here.”

“I didn’t choose to live with him.”

She rolled her eyes, which made sense, I guess. If she were in my shoes, she’d just move. Rent the next best luxury condo to get away from a roommate she didn’t want. I wasn’t even sure she comprehended how big of a privilege that was.

“If I’d known . . .” she mumbled, not meant for my ears. “I would’ve never—” But she cut herself off again, head shaking so vigorously I was scared she might hurt herself when she got up. I couldn’t say I wasn’t relieved at her departure, though. The anxiety in my stomach thanked her, at least.

On her way out, she almost ran into Elliot’s chest, and it might’ve been deliberate, too.

“Leaving?” he asked, but his eyes flicked to me behind her. I must’ve mistaken the look on his face for worry, like he was scared he might only find my unmoving, bloodied body in her wake.

One final time, Allegra tried her luck. “Unless you want to come with?”