by S. Massery
She regains control over her expression a moment later and glances away.
“Like what you see?” I’m curious, but probably not as much as her.
She doesn’t give anything away now. A mask has slid down over her features. Something flips in my brain, and she goes from innocent to dangerous.
I walk forward and stop just in front of her. “Tell me.”
She rolls her eyes and averts her gaze. “You’re hot. So what?”
“You’re a distraction,” I tell her quietly. “Let’s get this out of our system.”
Lucy’s eyes widen. “What?”
“Come on, little Page. You and I both know you have a weird fascination with me. And I… you distract me. When you’re here,” I clarify. “So let’s just get it out of our system.”
“You want me to kiss you?” Her eyebrows go up. “I didn’t expect that. I didn’t think you even knew who I was.”
I trace her jaw, trying now to get a reaction out of her. A flinch, a scowl. Anything. She gives me nothing, and I wonder how far I’ll have to push. How far she’ll let me push.
Her eyes are steel.
I shrug. “Or you can blow me. I’m not adverse to the second option.”
She scowls and steps forward, running her hand down the center of my chest. The slightest sensation tickles. Her finger goes lower, to the waistband of my shorts, and she runs her nail just under the elastic.
I hiss out a breath.
“This is the most you’ve ever talked to me, Theo Alistair,” she says quietly.
She leans forward and presses her lips to my sternum. That’s our height difference—I tower over her. I don’t hate her lips on me, though.
“The most you’ve ever anything. Looked at me. Spoke to me. Thought about me.”
“So?” I’ve got an erection straining against my jockstrap. It’s an annoying sensation. “You need to get on your knees if you’re going to put your lips on me.”
“This is monumental.” She tips her head back. “Me, touching you, I mean.”
Her finger keeps moving, back and forth, driving me nuts.
“Is this how you want our first sexual encounter to be? In a dirty locker room that smells like sweat?”
I choke. “First? Only.”
She shrugs. “I’m like a drug.”
I grab her wrist and push it away from me, suddenly done with this—all of it. She’s managed to twist the whole damn situation, and I hate that I’m getting harder because of it. I want her weird logic. I want to ram into her here.
“What makes you think you’re worth more than a dirty locker room?” I ask.
One side of her lips quirk up.
I don’t even know her. I don’t want to know her. I don’t want to touch her.
I release her suddenly, and she cradles her arm against her stomach.
Her wrist is bright red. My grip…
“It’s okay,” she says. “A little pain just makes it worth it.”
And then she lifts onto her toes and kisses my throat.
The screech of metal fills my brain, the taste of blood. I must’ve bit my tongue or something, but nothing hurts. Nothing except the echo of noise in my ears.
I back away. “Stop.”
“Stop what?”
“Stop fucking messing with my head.”
She drops her arms and has the gall to look upset.
Who is this chick?
“Fine,” she says lightly.
She’s not bothered by it. At all. It’s like I’m the only one in danger of losing control—and she’s just tempting me to do it. Hell, part of me thinks she’d just see the monster inside me and smile again. Or it could scare her off when she least expects it.
Give her a reason to fear me.
The more I think through that idea, the more I like it. I’ll throw what I can at her, see how she responds. And if she disappears, all the better. I don’t need the distraction she brings.
“Fine,” I growl.
11
Lux
I follow Ruby into the dining hall. LBU West has its own, and since classes haven’t started, everyone in here should be from this campus. She explained that there’s an assortment of different years living in the residence hall—from freshmen up to juniors. Apparently, seniors have their own living space behind the library.
The dining hall is small—and full. We grab food and find two empty chairs. She smiles at the girls surrounding us and introduces me. I hide my surprise that she knows them and shake their hands.
“Attention, please.” A girl stands on a chair, clapping. “Welcome to LBU West!”
A cheer goes up, and automatically, everyone’s attention is riveted to her.
She might be one of the seniors. Her light-brown hair is curled and pushed forward around her shoulders. Her glasses frame her face perfectly. And she has the classic sorority-girl vibe with the cream cardigan and high-waisted jeans.
I should know: my sister is one of them. Well, she would’ve been if my parents let her go to college…
“As you know by now, LBU West is a family of its own. We live together, study together, party together.” She grins amid whoops and shouts. Once it settles, she continues, “Classes start Monday, which means this is our weekend of freedom. So consider this your formal invitation to our bonfire tonight.”
“Where?” someone shouts.
The girl smirks. “If you can find it, you get to party with us.”
I lean across the table toward Ruby. “What’s this? Some sort of initiation?”
She winks. “Nope, just an exclusive party. It keeps out the people who don’t want to network. You’ve got to make friends if you want to survive on this campus—or just stay a loner.”
I stare at her. She knows the people around us, even though we’ve only been here for a day. She’s not surprised by this bonfire, doesn’t seem concerned about where it is.
“You know something,” I say.
She glances at me. “Of course I know something.”
The girl on the chair has stepped down, and she makes her way through the crowded rows of tables. She stops beside Ruby, touching my roommate’s shoulder.
“Welcome back,” she says. “Although I didn’t expect you.”
Ruby stiffens. “I’m allowed, aren’t I?”
My curiosity is officially piqued, and that’s never a good thing. It gets me into trouble more often than not, but sometimes I just can’t help myself. Like Felicity this afternoon with her gentleman suitor. Why not kiss him on school grounds? Who is he?
But a secret bonfire? Forced socialization? It makes me wonder if more people apply to this campus and get denied—a sort of exclusivity, as Ruby said. Maybe forcing students to find the party on their own is a sort of hazing ritual.
“As I said, welcome back,” the girl repeats to Ruby.
I have to wonder if I didn’t miss a silent exchange between the two.
Her attention comes to me. “Lucille Page, right?”
“Lucy,” I correct.
Her eyebrow quirks up, then returns to normal. “Right, of course. I’m Aberdeen. It’s unusual for a freshman to be living with a sophomore. If you want to transfer back to the main campus, where there are more new students, just let us know.”
I narrow my eyes. “Ruby’s been perfectly lovely.”
My roommate lets out an uncomfortable laugh. “Lucy.”
“No, it’s fine. I mean, I don’t know why I was put with a sophomore, but maybe that’s something you should address with the school administration for future incoming freshmen if you’re so worried about it?” I lift my chin. “I appreciate the concern. I think.”
Aberdeen smiles. “That’s so good to hear. I expect we’ll see you later, then, at the bonfire?”
“Of course,” I say smoothly. It’s more than just curiosity now—it’s open intrigue.
Ruby grimaces.
Oops, maybe she didn’t want to go. Or doesn’t actually know how to find it. Wh
atever—between the two of us, we can figure it out.
“Take care, Lucille.” Aberdeen moves down the row, to her next victim.
I pick up my sandwich. “She seems like a keeper.”
Ruby rolls her eyes. “Just wait, it gets better.”
“What do you mean?”
“There’s a reason we’re all here at the exact same time. The night before classes is basically a religious event here.”
The girl beside me nods. Jacqueline, I think. “True. Just wait, someone else will step up for another announcement.”
I shake my head. “Does LBU do this on the main campus?”
“Nope. Think of LBU West as a sort of co-ed sorority or fraternity. There’s a lot of tradition here, especially surrounding the start of school.”
Interesting. But it makes sense, I suppose. The original students of this out-of-the-way campus must’ve wanted to do something to make themselves feel included, instead of excluded. And I can see how that’s evolved.
“Hello LBU West!” A boy shouts, stepping up onto the chair Aberdeen abandoned. He’s tall and lanky, a black sweater over a white collared shirt. “If you are so lucky to find the bonfire tonight, perhaps you will be invited to our brunch tomorrow morning.” He wiggles his eyebrows. “And an invitation to dine with us will open doors. If you know us, then you know our history. Our connections.”
I raise my eyebrow. “Connections?” I mouth at Ruby.
She just shakes her head.
He jumps down, and Felicity takes his place.
“Freshmen, stand,” she calls.
I glance around. Only a dozen or so people rise. I fight the urge to duck my head, but I don’t rise.
“Tonight will be confusing,” she says. “This weekend will be inspiring. And if you’re still with us by Monday… Enlightening.” She meets my eyes, and I reluctantly stand. She knows I’m a freshman, anyway. “Come to me with any questions you have. And don’t be angry if I don’t answer them.”
Her wolf smile draws out another cheer from the crowd.
I sink back into my chair. She’s right—I’m confused. At least this puzzle will serve to distract me from Theo, to focus my mind on that instead of him.
“Let’s go,” Ruby says. “Before—”
Her brother steps up, and he meets my eyes for a moment before his gaze sweeps around the room. Sebastian stands beside him, his gaze also on me. Loathing fills my chest like acid.
Ruby’s moving faster now, her grip strong on my hand. She pulls me up and away, nearly dragging me from the room. She doesn’t slow until we’re outside, but even then we’re still speed-walking toward our room.
“Ruby.” I yank at my hand. “Ruby, stop.”
She skids to a halt and drops her head in her hands. “I’m sorry. I had to get out of there.”
I wait for a better explanation.
“I don’t get it. I don’t get you. I’m assuming you were going to play dumb about knowing where the bonfire is if I hadn’t opened my mouth, right?” I plant my hands on my hips. “Can you just tell me the truth? About whatever that was.”
“I’m in the eye of the storm,” she murmurs. “The Devereux Family has the honor of upholding the traditions of this campus, as stupid as that sounds. It’s because my dad was one of the originals, and everyone in our family attends. We live on this campus. We participate. Hale, me, Maisie. I can get away with a lot because of my last name, but it’s a bunch of bullshit. Yeah, you graduate with connections to important people, business people who can pull strings for job placements… but I’m so sick of it. Hale totally buys into it. Sebastian is just as bad, and I’m sure Maisie will be the same.”
“Ruby—”
“I’m just so sick of pretending,” she whispers.
I wince. I can relate to that. Maybe she knows it, because her expression softens. She reaches out and touches my arm.
“That’s why I’m suggesting you avoid it. Keep your head down for the year, if you don’t want to move to the main campus.”
Two days ago, I killed someone. And now my roommate is telling me about a co-ed fraternity that might try to recruit me. Theo won’t talk to me. A boy wants to seduce me. My roommate is paranoid.
Yep. Things are going well.
“Okay,” I finally say, mainly because I can’t even comprehend how I’ve dug myself into a hole this deep in only a few days. “I’ll keep my head down.”
She nods, exhaling. “Okay. So we make an appearance at the bonfire, then we leave. Avoid catching Marcus’s eye. He’s the one who gives out invites to new students for the brunch…”
“And your brother? Sebastian?”
“Avoid them, too. You know what? Avoid everyone.”
I make a face, and she pauses.
“I, um, seem to have caught Sebastian’s eye.”
She shakes her head. “Great. Come on, let’s get inside. We need to change for this fire.”
My stomach swoops, and I try to digest everything I’ve learned.
How deep does this go? All the way to the administration? It must, if they have the ability to filter who gets placed on this campus, in the residence halls. There’s only one building here for classes, and I’d bet that no one on the main campus even has to come over this way.
Secrets.
I’m intrigued, but I’ve got enough to worry about.
My phone buzzes, and I nearly jump out of my skin.
“My mother,” I tell Ruby, stopping in the hallway.
She nods and continues on, giving me privacy.
“Hello?”
“Lucy. I just wanted to check in with you.” Mom’s voice is weird. Off.
“Oh, um, okay. How’s everything there?”
“Good, good. Jameson had a question for you, so I’m just going to…”
My stomach twists, and my body goes cold. Jameson DeSantis is Wilder’s dad—and Amelie’s future father-in-law. He’s probably been heading up that murder investigation from the civilian side, if he doesn’t have any detectives in his pocket.
“Hello, Lucy,” Jameson DeSantis says. “Your parents inform me that you left for school. Seems rather abrupt.”
I bite my tongue to keep from making a stupid remark. “I didn’t talk about it.”
“And why is that?”
“Well, it’s not really fair that I get to experience things my sister isn’t allowed to, so to not hurt her feelings or make matters worse, I’ve kept it quiet.” I pause. “Is that why you called? To ask about my attempt for a degree?”
“That wasn’t my question.”
I wait. I’ve already blurted out too much.
“No, I wanted to ask you where you went after you left the engagement party. My security footage showed you leaving through the front gate close to nine.”
“Theo picked me up,” I say. “He met me at the top of the street and drove me home, then stayed with me.”
“What did you do?”
I narrow my eyes, as if he can see my expression. “Does it matter?”
He chuckles. “No, I suppose not. Humor me.”
I refuse to believe that he has anything concrete on me or Theo. And if we went back to my parents’ house to do something scandalous, like have sex, then I definitely wouldn’t want to admit it out loud. To him, or in front of my parents. I might be a rebel but I definitely don’t have a death wish.
“Does this have to do with the body?” I ask instead.
“It does.”
“You think I could be capable of… To be honest, Mr. DeSantis, I don’t even know what happened.”
I scoff, willing myself to be believable. To lie convincingly, because my life might depend on it. Mom could’ve given me a heads-up, but now I’m stuck outside our residence hall with a Mafia boss on the other end of the line.
“I’m eighteen. I was at your party, in full view of everyone. I even talked to your son for a moment. And then I left.”
“All right, Ms. Page.”
He doesn’t offe
r up any explanation, no details I can latch onto. Even though I’m suddenly desperate to know everything.
The phone beeps as he ends the call, and I pull it away from my ear to stare at it in disbelief. I wonder if my mother will tell me—or Amelie. She was probably informed of the situation. I can’t imagine them hiding this from her.
“What are you doing out here?” Felicity asks, coming up beside me. “You okay?”
I flinch. “Yep. Perfectly normal. Just was talking to my mom.”
She frowns. “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to holler. The first few weeks away from home can be rough. Homesickness is no joke.”
“Thank you.” I don’t have the heart to tell her I’m not homesick—far from it. And, I can’t help but picture her in that dress in the woods, with the mystery man. I walk toward my room. “I think Ruby is waiting for me.”
“She’s a nice girl,” Felicity says to my back. “But trust should be earned, not freely given. Don’t you think?”
I push my door open and step in, not bothering to answer her.
I don’t trust many people, and I’m not sure I could even consider Ruby one of the people I trust. Probably not. Everything she told me tonight could be orchestrated to draw me further in. Give me just enough information to get me curious, and that’s when they’ll sink their claws into me.
She’s halfway into her closet, rummaging around. In the time I’ve been gone, she changed into a black corset top and black leather pants. She’s piled her dark hair on top of her head, letting a few loose curls frame her face. Dark-red lipstick, heavy eye makeup. I wasn’t gone for more than ten minutes, and she’s completely transformed.
“Ah, there you are. I was thinking maybe that denim jacket you wear a lot, this bralette, and high-waisted black leggings.” She points to my bed.
“Wow.” I wouldn’t have paired those. The bralette was a gift from Amelie. It’s dark-blue and lacy, and a lot more revealing than anything I would normally go for. I’ve worn it under tank tops, letting the lace peek through, but…
“You can rock it.” She grins and ushers me toward the bathroom. “We’ll do your makeup next.”
I don’t do anything with my hair, assuming Ruby will have a plan for it, and tug on the clothes. The leggings and bralette combination do work well together, and the jean jacket surprisingly pulls the look together.