Free Disarranged by Sara Wolf

idiot." Grace snarls.
    "But he's your fucking idiot."
    "And yours," She corrects. I shake my head and smile.
    "Not anymore."
    There's another poignant pause. The sun is even lower now, and a raven flies from a distant pine tree, soaring over the sky.
    "I worry about you, sometimes. Be careful," Grace says.
    "I will."
    She turns her soulful eyes to me, a soft warmth in them. "Promise?"
    I squeeze her hand under the water. 
    "Promise."
     
     
    ***
    LEE
    ***
     
    I haven't told anyone.
    Kiera knows, of course. Maybe that prick Felix knows because she told him, and Farlon definitely knows. Kiera's dad probably doesn't. Two people in the world know for sure and one might know.
    They know why I agreed to marry Kiera.
    They know how much money came of it for me, but not really for me. Most of it went to Rose's school grant. The other half went to Farlon to pay off his stupid gambling debts so the loan sharks wouldn't kill him. Kiera tied the package up in a neat bow by buying Rose's grandpa's house.
    Four people in the world know I agreed to be Kiera's finance for money. Myself included. I have to live with that knowledge every day, and the burning regret has left its mark. The regret has shown me how stupid I was, thinking I could solve everything and protect Rose just by agreeing to marry Kiera. I only dove further into her convoluted web of lies and secrecy. I only gave her more power to hurt Rose, not less.
    Grandfather would think I'm a moron. He was the father to me and Grace that Farlon never was. He was the one who showed us how to ride the purebred show horses our family farm was breeding - Farlon never stepped foot in the ring, let alone the stable. Grandfather showed us how to care for horses, how to treat them well, and in turn, how to be truly kind to living things. Judging by the way Rose's eyes grow hurt when she sees me, I probably didn't learn that last lesson so well.
    Grandfather would call me an idiot for what I've done. I took the coward's way out. But how could I fight against someone as powerful as Kiera? Her influence in the upper echelons guarantees she can get anything done, at any time, for any price. And what she wants is me. She's the definition of the ex-girlfriend from hell, and pretty soon she'll be the wife from hell.
    Grace doesn't know why I married Kiera, and though it may make her hate me, I'm not going to tell her if I can help it. The less she knows, the better. Kiera is already targeting Rose - I can't afford for her to target Grace, too. I know Grace would be able to take care of herself, but it's more a matter of principle. Grace isn't the type to even let me protect her, less so now that she hates me for, in her eyes, ditching Rose. And if Grace ever knew, if I ever told her, she'd try to help me fight Kiera. And that would only make Kiera target her. I have no choice but to fight this on my own.
    I sigh and stretch my arms. They're sore from skiing. It's been so long since I've swam - part of Kiera's agreement was I stop going to UCLA, so I pulled out. I miss the water. Out here it's all snow and trees, landlocked with no sign of the ocean on the horizon. The lobby is bustling with last-minute skiers heading out to the powder. I see Felix leading another group of beginners and I glare at him as he walks past. He might fool everyone else, but I know he's no good. He flashes me a smile and waves.
    "Hey, Lee!"
    His class is looking my way, but I won't let that persuade me into pretending to be his friend. I get up from the lobby couch and walk out of the entrance. The parking lot is laden with a thin layer of crisp, fresh new snow on all the cars.
    And that's when I see it.
    At first I think I made it up in my head, but then it comes around again - a black SUV, with a very familiar license plate.
    Farlon's car.
    I blink, rub my eyes, but it's still there, driving around the lot before pulling into a spot next to a red Camaro. Half of me wants to make sure it's him, the other half yells at me