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reprieve froe she’d chosen, it was short-lived No sooner e hoo to college in New Jersey

The day ot her acceptance letter from Princeton, Dad had been so proud, he’d strutted around as if he were the one who’d accoious university But then he realized it was very possible Monroe would actually want to go, and he’d been a bear with a sore paw for days until she’d received other acceptance letters froh-profile schools closer to home

As soon as the words were out of Monroe’s ans’ Monroe spent the night crying in her room, but I wasn’t a hundred percent sure it was because of Dad’s reaction to her finally choosing a school The need to junk-punch her stalker/boyfriend, or whatever the hell he was to her, only doubled

Over breakfast the next over, but his eyes were swollen, and for the first tiht that sweet little Monroe had brought the Angel’s Halo MC enforcer to tears just because she wanted to live on the other side of the country for a good portion of the year was ludicrous Yet, the evidence was right in front of my eyes

Moo to Trinity, and Moo to Italy for the su to do for years, starting around the sa the necklace

It wasn’t likefor money Dad’s shop made bank because he was the only artist in the county, and he was daood at what he did But Mom had her own as MC back in the day, died along with his oldest daughter—as Lexa’s biologicalto Mom and Lexa

Apparently he was loaded becausefor us e either got married or turned twenty-five Mos account, but she was going to dip into it to send Monroe on a first-class trip to Italy

I figured they would have agreed to anything at that point if their baby would just stay ho to co the same amount of money on us We were just as desperate to keep Monroe close as they were

After thinking it over, ot to leave for Italy right away Two days later, she was on a plane bound for Ro on her own, but she’d been ada to our parents’ compromise

The absence of Monroe sat heavy in my chest, but it was only for a feeeks and not the months uponPrinceton

But it wasn’t justLyric was constantly on h,out of irl as my other half Which was ridiculous It was as if my heart was broken…

No That wasn’t it at all It was as ifAs if I’d left it beside him back in that bed in New York City

Dad was so glad Monroe was going to be staying hoe that he see miserable But Mom didn’t

“What is wrong with you?” she demanded as we set the table for dinner teeks after Monroe left “You walk around this house like you don’t have a friend in the world River just left and I know you two are going to get into trouble later, so don’t bullshitout with”

“I just miss Monroe” Not a lie I did miss her, but that wasn’t why I felt like I was slowly he to death