It had been five days since Sebastian Phillips’ party, and Taliana still hadn’t found the ring.

She’d gone back to both the hotel and the club where the party had been held, hoping someone from the management had found it and was keeping it safe, but no one had seen or heard anything.

By then she was beating herself up for having been so careless that night, wanting nothing more than to turn back time and make it so she’d never gone to the party. The calls from her mother weren’t helping much either, since all Andrea had to say was how upset she was with Taliana for losing such a priceless item. Luckily, she hadn’t disowned Taliana yet, but if that thing didn’t turn up in the next week or so, Taliana was pretty sure her name was going to be erased from the Colton family tree.

“I hate my life.”

The boy stretched out on the chaise to Taliana’s left turned his head to shoot her a pitiless look. “Would you quit it with the dramatics?” Jude sighed, obviously tired of her bitching. “Really, Talia, it’s not very becoming.”

The only good thing that had come out of the entire situation was Jude, who was helping her out every step of the way. While the twins only lent a hand whenever it was convenient for them, Jude was determined to help—and pull her back from the edge when she was on the verge of completely freaking out. She’d expected him to ditch her by now for someone more interesting, but he didn’t leave even when Sebastian texted him with his own emergency. Jude had turned off his phone before his cousin could explain his dilemma. Out of everything he’d done for Taliana in the past few days, the fact that he was choosing her over Sebastian was enough to cheer her up a little.

Currently, they were outside enjoying the summer sun in Taliana’s backyard, their chairs placed a couple feet from the glittering pool, soaking up the last bit of the strong August rays. She was trying her hardest not to stare at his bare chest and glistening abs, but it was practically a lost cause. Jude was too gorgeous for his own good, and Taliana was sure anyone would have agreed. The boys he was interested in had no idea how lucky they really were.

Jude’s deep voice drew Taliana out of her admiration, and she looked back up at him in surprise, not having heard a word he'd said. “Huh?”

He rolled his eyes, looking playfully annoyed. “I asked if you had any more ideas about where your ring could possibly be.”

“None at all,” she grumbled, sliding lower in her seat. “I still think that guy I went back to the hotel with has it. I just wish I knew who he was.”

“I could always ask Seb for the guest list,” he offered, rolling onto his side to face Taliana. “Your boy would probably be on it.”

She shook her head. “I don’t want Sebastian getting involved with this. That asshole would never let me live this down. Besides, I doubt even having the list would help since I don’t know the guy’s name.”

“I guess you’re right,” Jude admitted. “Hopefully this guy will be at the party tonight. Wouldn’t it be amazing if he was?”

“What party?” she asked, propping herself up on her elbows.

Jude frowned and adjusted his sunglasses. “The twins didn’t tell you about it?”

“They haven’t said a word. What kind of party is it?”

“Typical house party,” he said, waving a hand as if it were nothing new. “It’s Trinity tradition that a senior throws an end-of-summer party so we can all savor the last few days of freedom before we have to go back to that hell hole. School starts on Tuesday, you know.”

Taliana cringed at the thought of returning to school, especially since she was going back to the very place she’d been expelled from not so long ago. She’d begged and pleaded with her father to let her go to one of the other private schools in the area, but Trinity was the only place he’d been able to procure her a spot at. She was surprised they’d let her back in, especially since the boy who’d gotten her expelled was still there. Sebastian Phillips was the main reason she didn’t want to go back, and she wasn’t looking forward to picking up their rivalry where it had left off.

“Four days left of summer.” Taliana sighed wistfully, wishing it would last just a little longer. “I can’t believe it.”

“Believe it,” Jude chuckled as he sat up and grabbed a nearby towel. “Are you gonna go to the party?”

She shrugged. “It depends. Who’s throwing it?”

“The most popular guy at school, of course.”

“You wouldn’t happen to be talking about yourself, would you?”

“I’m not that vain,” he teased. “You’ve got the right bloodline, though.”

Taliana’s lips twitched into a grimace. “I’m not going if Sebastian’s throwing it. I managed to avoid him at his birthday party, and I don’t feel like pushing my luck.”

“You can’t stay away from him forever, you know.”

“I can and I will,” she said defiantly, hitching her chin up. “I’m not going, Jude.”

Jude wrapped his hands around Taliana’s wrists and pulled her up from her chair. “Come on, I promise it’ll be fun!”

She couldn’t help but groan as she attempted to free her wrists from his grasp. “How could a party thrown by Sebastian ever be fun?”

“You seemed to have plenty of fun at his birthday party...”

“Low blow, Jude.”

He took a long look at Taliana before releasing her. She was milliseconds away from letting out a relieved sigh, but it lodged in her throat when her feet were suddenly swept off the ground, and she found herself slung over his shoulder.

“What the hell are you doing?” she shrieked as blood rushed to her head.

“What do you think I’m doing?” he laughed as he began walking toward the house. “I’m kidnapping you.”

If anyone else had demanded she attend a party at Sebastian’s not-so-humble abode, she would have told them no and the conversation would have ended there. However, this was Jude Phillips, and he didn’t take no for an answer regarding social situations. She could scream, kick, and threaten to her heart’s content, but he always won in the end.

Even after a brief fight, numerous insults regarding his mother, and a thwarted attempt at running away, a few hours later, Jude had crammed Taliana into a pair of jeans and shove her into the backseat of his car. By that point, she was really wondering why they were even friends.

After a ten-minute drive and lapping the block twice, Jude finally found a place on the street and somehow squeezed his rather large Audi into a space that looked like it shouldn’t have fit a Mini Cooper.

He shut off the engine a moment later and glanced back at Taliana. “Ready to go?”

She didn’t bother with a verbal answer, deeming the death glare she sent him good enough.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

Jude slid out of the car and opened the back door for her, motioning that it was time to exit. Knowing this was her last chance to save herself, she crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head like a stubborn child.

He was having none of it. “You are such a brat,” he complained as he reached inside and grabbed her ankles. “You’re lucky I like you.”

Before Taliana could land flat on her ass, she shooed him away and got out of the car on her own. She briefly contemplated making a run for it, but given the fact that Jude could probably take down a person three times her size, Taliana reconsidered. So instead of seizing the opportunity to escape, she blew out a sigh and took his arm.

He flashed her something between a smug and reassuring smile. “You’ll be fine.”

For his sake, Taliana hoped she would be.

Jude guided her across the street and up the pathway to the slightly ajar front door of the Phillips’ residence. After shooting her a confident smirk, he pushed it open and ushered her inside the dimly lit foyer. Taliana wasn’t exactly sure what she’d been expecting, but the sight that greeted her definitely wasn’t it.

The girls decked out in designer clothes were the first thing to catch Taliana’s eye, most of them draped on the arms of their handsome male counterparts. Some people were dancing, others were standing around talking, but it was clear everyone was here to see and be seen. The music was at a deafening level, and it seemed like every inch of the house was already packed, making Taliana wonder just how many people Sebastian knew.

“Isn’t this amazing?” Jude shouted in her ear. “Kids from every prestigious private school in the city are here.”

“I didn’t realize Sebastian was this popular,” she shouted back.

Jude shot her a grin. “I bet you he doesn’t even know half the people here. But yeah, the guy’s certainly got a fan club.”

Judging from the squealing group of girls that had just surrounded them, Sebastian wasn’t the only one with a fan club. As greetings and loud double-cheek kisses were exchanged, Taliana found herself being gently nudged out of the way by people who didn’t look twice in her direction. Jude glanced down at her when she slid her arm out of his grasp and motioned that she was going to explore the rest of the house. He gave her a brief nod before throwing his arms around a girl who he obviously hadn’t seen in a while.

It took some clever maneuvering to escape the mob around him, but Taliana eventually made it out. She watched from the sidelines as Jude launched into an animated story that had his hangers-on laughing, and Taliana finally came to realize that no matter what this guy did, it was impossible not to like him.

She watched for a moment longer before deciding to go do a little exploring. Based on how gorgeous the foyer was with its high domed ceiling, intricately carved molding, and sweeping marble staircase, Taliana was willing to bet the rest of the house was just as amazing.

After slipping around a few more people, she made her way into the living room. It was obvious the sprawling space had been party proofed, but symbols of the Phillips family’s wealth were still present. Antique portraits hung from the walls in impressive frames, first edition books sat on a built-in dark wood bookcase, and there was a grand piano by a bay window in the corner of the room. Even though those precious items were put up to be admired, the people currently in the room looked like they hadn’t noticed much more than the impressive sound system and fully stocked bar.

Then again, that bar was kind of hard to ignore.

Wanting to blend in with all the others who had drinks in their hands, Taliana made her way through the crowd toward the bar on the other side of the colossal room. Some clever moves got her to the center of the room in no time, but from there she lost sight of her target. She cursed under her breath as she moved farther into the writhing mass of people, which eventually spat her out none too gracefully a few moments later. She was almost to it when a hard shove to the back had her stumbling forward, and she fell into the arms of some poor unsuspecting stranger.

Groaning, Taliana lifted her head to apologize, but the words died in her throat when she met the blue eyes of her savior.

“It’s you,” she gasped as she stared up into the face of the dark-haired Adonis she’d slept with less than a week ago. “Holy shit.”

Staring at her with wide eyes and a slack jaw, he looked just as shocked as Taliana felt. She wasn’t sure how long they’d been gaping at each other before she realized he was still holding her, but the moment she did, she pushed herself back onto her feet and put a bit of space between them. The action seemed to wake him from his trance as well, and he raised a hand to his jaw as if he were trying to form words but couldn’t.

He wasn’t alone in that. Taliana’s first few words seemed to be the last she could get out, and the only thing she could do then was let her eyes roam over his face. She’d gotten a pretty good look at him the morning after, but that hadn’t even hinted to how painfully gorgeous he was. Turning down a guy like this would have been hard to do while completely sober, so it was easy to see why she’d given in while drunk. Not to mention there was something weirdly familiar about him, but she couldn’t figure out why.

When the shock of his good looks faded, it dawned on Taliana that this was the guy who probably had her missing ring. That thought alone was almost enough to make her throw her hands up and thank the universe for leading her straight into his arms.

“Do you happen to have a diamond ring?” Taliana shouted, pointing to her hand in case the message was lost in the music.

His look of shock turned to confusion as she continued to make the motion, but his eyes lit up when he finally figured out what the hell she was saying. Taliana watched as he reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out an object that glinted brilliantly in the light.

She was so overwhelmed with relief that she was sure her legs would give out. The bane of her existence had been located, luckily still in one piece and with no harm done to it, and all was right in the world again. Her mother was going to be ecstatic when she told her she’d found it, and she could finally sleep at night without having to worry about tracking down this priceless piece.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Taliana squealed as she snatched the ring out of his outstretched palm, barely breathing as she slipped it onto her finger. “You’re a lifesaver!”

She dragged her gaze upward a moment later and almost swooned when she saw the smile on his face. She settled with sinking her teeth into her bottom lip to stay grounded and let out a breathy giggle she never knew she was capable of. Whatever air was left in her lungs escaped when he dipped his head to murmur in her ear.

“Do I get a reward for returning this to you?”

At that point, she would’ve given this guy anything he wanted.

“Depends on what you have in mind,” she replied, attempting to play the flirty card.

Though she couldn’t see his face, she felt his smile. “Come with me.”

She’d barely nodded before he grabbed her hand and began tugging her back through the hordes to the foyer. Instead of having to shove his way through like she had, people seemed to step out of his way when they saw him coming.

Taliana continued to stumble along behind him as he made his way toward the stairs, which he took two at a time, leaving her with no choice but to do the same if she didn’t want to face plant on one of them. They reached the top landing a few seconds later, and before she could catch her breath, he was once again pulling her down the hallway.

She was quickly growing annoyed by him dragging her around like a rag doll, but they soon reached a room at the end of the hallway. He pushed it open and swept her inside before letting it slam shut again.

While she’d been anticipating his next move, it still surprised her when her back hit the door and his eyes met hers.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” he whispered as his hands came to rest low on Taliana’s hips, his words seeming loud compared to the tranquil room. “You have no idea how glad I am to see you again.”

“Shouldn’t I be the one saying that to you?” she questioned amusedly, reaching out to brush her fingers across the expanse of skin near his throat that his V-neck shirt didn’t cover. “I mean, you’re the one who found my ring, which I can’t thank you enough for.” She stole another glance at the diamond before looking back at him.

A smile spread across his lips as the space between them went from hardly any to absolutely none. “Glad I could be of service,” he said, dropping his head to sweep his lips across her jaw. “Anything else I can do for you?”

Oh god, there were a lot of things he could do for her, and all of them were rated NC-17.

“You can start by telling me your name,” she giggled, figuring they might as well start with the basics.

He chuckled softly against Taliana’s skin, causing shivers to rush down her spine. “It’s Sebastian.”

She blinked a few times as his name settled into her brain and a few possibilities came to mind. Either this guy was some completely different person who she didn’t know, or this was the one person she hated with every fiber of her being.

“Um, your last name wouldn’t happen to be Phillips, would it?”

She felt him nod as he placed another kiss on the corner of her mouth. “Yeah, it is.”

Well, that would explain why he seemed familiar.

“Oh, fuck off,” she groaned as she shoved at his chest to get him off her.

Sebastian stumbled backward and caught himself on a bookshelf before shooting her a bewildered look. “What the hell was that for?”

“What do you think that was for?” Taliana yelled, throwing her hands up. “I can’t believe I actually slept with you! That’s so—so gross!”

If anything, her outburst made him look even more confused, not to mention offended. “Excuse me?”

Taliana rolled her eyes and let out a disgusted scoff. “Right, of course, you don’t get it. Figures.” Her eyes leveled on him. “I’m Taliana Avilla, you idiot.”

That was all he needed to understand.

Sebastian jerked back as if he’d been burned, his eyes wide with shock and outrage. “What?”

“Taliana Avilla,” she repeated, drawing out every syllable in case he still wasn’t comprehending.

“As in— As in— Stick Girl?”

Taliana shot him a sharp look upon hearing that nickname, but nodded. Years later, and he was still calling her that.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“Afraid not.”

“But,” he stammered, looking as if he wasn't sure what to say. “Why didn’t you tell me who you were?”

She glanced at him as if he were crazy. Then again, he probably was. “Because we skipped the pleasantries and went straight to the sex, remember?”

He shook his head and turned his back to her, bringing his hands up to tug on his hair. “This is so fucked up.”

Taliana snorted humorlessly. “You’re telling me.”

He spun back to face her, disbelief etched on his features. “I can’t believe I slept with—with you!”

“I could say the same!”

It was his turn to groan. “This is horrible.” He glanced at her in disgust before turning away again, looking as if he wanted to bash his head against the nearest wall.

“Look,” Taliana said firmly, wanting to get this confrontation over with so she could go home and douse herself in bleach. “Let’s forget this ever happened. We never have to see or speak to each other again. I won’t come to anymore of your parties, and I’ll avoid you at school. Will that work?”

Sebastian glanced back at her, seeming to consider her offer. “I think it will.”

Taliana blew out a sigh and began moving toward the door, happy they’d settled on something so quickly. “It better.”

By the time he spoke again, she already had the door open and was about to step out.

“Just because I’ve fucked you,” he began, “doesn’t mean I forgive you for trying to kill me.”

His words hit Taliana like a sharp slap, and she spun back around to face him. “I wasn’t trying to kill you!” she exclaimed, her hands immediately going to her hips. “I was just defending myself, seeing as you had the nerve to punch me!”

“Well, you pushed me!” he countered.

“You’re the one who made the bad call!”

“So? You still broke my arm in three places!”

“You deserved it, you whiny little brat!”

“You’re playing with fire, Stick Girl.”

She sneered back at him, not daring to back down. “Bring it on, Cry Baby.”

He suddenly took a step toward her, and a surprised squeak escaped her lips as she darted out of the room. Okay, so maybe she wasn’t exactly ready for him to bring it on, but she figured it was in her best interest to get the fuck out of there.

Taliana ran full speed through the hallway and stumbled down the stairs, risking a glance over her shoulder only to see him right behind her. Obscenities poured from her lips as she pushed through the crowd in the foyer to get to Jude, who was still standing near the front door. Thank god for small favors.

Taliana grabbed his arm as soon as she reached him and began yanking him toward the exit. “Time to go!”

Jude resisted and frowned at her. “We just got here!”

“Jude,” she hissed, her eyes wide in terror. “If we don’t leave now, your cousin is going to rip my throat out. Personally, I like my throat, so let’s go.”

His brow furrowed in confusion, but when he glanced over Taliana’s shoulder and saw a livid Sebastian, he instantly understood her anxiousness. “Uh oh.”

“Exactly!” she shrieked, tugging on his arm again. “Let’s go!”

Taliana didn’t have to tell him again.