Ten minutes later and I hadn’t stopped looking for him, and neither had Ned left my side. He was sticky tape from hell.
“Give me a chance, babe,” Ned said. “I’m such a nice guy”—I almost did a double-take. “The reason my dad is even considering merging with your company is because of me, Abby.”
This time I did do a double-take.
“What do you mean?”
“I had to have you. I’d do anything for you. Even making my dad see the benefit of being part of Crowne Industries.”
I bit my lower lip until pain drowned out all the awful emotions clogging my throat. It wasn’t enough to terrorize it, he had to ruin my life too?
“I’ve done everything for you. Why not give me a chance? I promise I’ll make you so happy. I’ll buy you everything you want. I’ll give you the fucking world.”
“What do you like about me, Ned?” I asked.
“Everything.”
I arched a brow. “What’s my favorite color?”
“Um…”
Trick question, Abs. You love them all.
“My favorite food? What books do I read? Am I Team Edward or Team Jacob?”
“You like sports?” He shrugged. “I can get into sports.”
Wow.
“So, what do you like about me?”
“You’re a Crowne, Abigail. What’s not to love? From the moment I saw you in Latin III, I was floored.”
“Would you still love me if I wasn’t a Crowne?” I mused.
That stopped him in his tracks.
I wondered if I’d convinced him. If he finally saw he didn’t love me, he loved my Crowne.
“You’ll never stop being a Crowne.” He said it as if assuring himself.
Uneasy is the girl who wears the name Crowne.
Uneasy, unloved, unnoticed, uncared for.
“Maybe…”
Then I spotted silken brown hair, tall and towering above the rest of the crowd. Near the back, by the glittering glass windows.
Theo?
I stood on my tiptoes, trying to see more clearly.
“Is it because of the fucking dog?”
“Don’t call him that.” I shot Ned a glare. Funny how I found my strength the more Ned showed his face.
He’s a lumbering shadow behind letters and pictures and threats I can’t fight. In person, he’s the teenage boy who shivered when I kissed him playing spin the bottle.