“Can we go?” Starling asks, bored.

“No.”

Rolling her eyes, she scowls. “Fine, can we at least sit, these shoes are killing me.”

I glance to Hunter, who nods, leading a path through the throngs of excited college kids to a small bonfire, with lawn chairs and huge wooden benches carved out of logs set around it. Sitting down, I pull Starling into my lap, while the guys take chairs on either side of us. Several familiar faces fill the chairs opposite and suddenly, instead of it being a party, it’s a powwow for the young, rich and powerful.

Instead of keg stands and tequila shots, the talk moves to alliances, engagements and business deals and I love it. Being here, being revered by some of the most powerful families in America with Starling on my lap, is everything I’ve ever wanted. Of course, when we leave Kingsacre we’ll change Solo cups and bonfires for boardrooms and top-shelf whiskey, but regardless of the location, my friends and I will still be the ones others seek out for approval.

I was hoping my little bird would have a drink tonight, I ache to see her relaxed and enjoying herself, but no matter what we bring her, she just pours it away. Even in my lap, she’s still tense, poised to go, to run from me, and I’ve no doubt tomorrow she’ll have bruises from how tight my grip is on her.

Letting her go isn’t an option, so I need to fix what I broke. I need to make her fall in love with me, to make her see that I can make her happy. The guys are all pissed at me too, Starling is so angry at all of us, but I don’t think they expected her hatred and it’s eating at them, especially Evan. She’s his stepsister and I know he genuinely wants a relationship with her.

“Let’s go,” I say, lifting her from my lap and onto her feet, holding her steady with my hands around her waist. Draping my arm across her shoulders, I press a kiss to the side of her neck as I follow Clay through the crowds and back to the cart that’s parked in our spot. I might not have been at Kingsacre for the last couple of years, but the others were, and I visited my brothers enough that people already knew who I was before I officially transferred. Our status on campus is why we have a parking spot mere feet from the party, and why our cart is untouched and there’s a clear path out without us having to wait for others to move. Lifting Starling onto the seat, I climb in next to her, placing a restraining hand on her thigh as Evan drives us back to the house. I’m tense until the huge metal gates close behind us and I know she’s contained, unable to run from me.

It's nearly three a.m., but instead of heading upstairs I follow the guys to the kitchen, towing Starling along with me.