Zane's POV.
Donald leaves the balcony first.
He claps a hand on my shoulder, gives me that knowing look I've hated since we were teenagers , and says, "Don't try to be too hard on yourself, give yourself a break and maybe you can experience and explore something great with Elaine". Then he slips back inside, glass in hand, already halfway into another conversation before the balcony doors swing shut behind him.
I stay exactly where I am.
The night air is cool, enough to ease through the lingering burn in my chest. Below, the grounds stretch out in neat lines of light.
I lean my forearms on the railing and stare out at nothing, my mind running miles per second.
This was supposed to be simple.
A marriage on paper, a strategic move mostly to get to Lucas than anything . Elaine was meant to be a variable I accounted for, not one that got under my skin. She's stubborn , yes and more difficult than I anticipated, but difficulty doesn't usually unbalance me.
