Page 24

ACE

Where I call you and you pretend you care.

“It’s time for class, not for you to feel sorry for yourself. Were you the bullet?”

She frowned. “No, but?—”

“Exactly. It’s very black and white, as simple as that, unless you called out the hit, or shot him yourself, and even then, he knew the risks. Let’s go, you don’t want to be late.” I popped a piece of spearmint gum in my mouth and started walking toward the door. When I opened it for her, she was still staring down at the floor.

“Now,” I grated out, all sense of politeness gone. She didn’t need nice, she wouldn’t for a very long time. “The professor waits for no one, and neither do I. So if you want to join your long lost love with a matching bullet wound, by all means stay here unprotected and let down not just your family but your favorite person in the world.”

She frowned. “My favorite person in the world?”

“Louis, of course. Wouldn’t he be disappointed to see you now? All that blood spilled and in vain, all because you’reselfishly trying to take the credit for the perfect shot. It could have grazed his temple, instead he turned at the last minute taking it right through the cheek. He had no choice, you see. He was trying to use his body weight to shove you down. Had he not turned it wouldn’t have been enough; it could have still hit you or gone through him and hit you. Are we done here or do you need more details?”

Tears streamed down her cheeks colliding with her pristine white jacket. “You have no heart.”

I shot her a bored look. “Is this a bad time to let you know I included my soul in a two for one deal with the devil or should we table that for later?”

She stormed past me with a muttered curse.

“So, later. Cool. I’ll pencil you in,” I said under my breath, following her the entire way toward the business building.

Was it really that impossible for her to walk in straight lines or use the sidewalk? The building was only a four-minute walk from the townhouse, and she seemed to skip every single path on the way making sure her short black boots were covered in mud by the time we made it to the double doors.

It had rained last night and she seemed hellbent on making sure the hallway would remember by way of trails of dirt, it didn’t help that her boots squeaked in protest with every step reminding everyone of her certain brand of chaos—as if they actually needed a reminder. Curious stares followed her with every footstep, and I was close behind, always looking to the right, the left—always ready to be whatever she needed me to be. The walls were white on the inside. Institutional. Like the place was trying to bleach itself clean of the dirty bloodlines that walked the halls.

I had to remind myself I wasn’t there because I loved her.

I wasn’t there because I needed her approval or the families’ approval.

I was there to do a job and to protect. Maybe if I did it well enough I’d finally absolve myself of my own guilt. Maybe this time, with Raven, with the girl who most called a nightmare—I’d finally be able to sleep in peace.

Head high, I watched in appreciation as she weaved her way through the crowd and into the classroom, taking the seat in the back far corner, rolling her chair up to the desk and sitting with her hands folded on top of it.

I took the seat next to her and cleared my throat.

“Are we clear of spit wads and sharp pencils, Ace, or should I be on the lookout?” she said under her breath, touching her ear and tugging at her diamond studs.

"Like a sharp pencil could compare to your tongue,” I snapped before thinking.

Her jaw dropped before she shut it again and licked her lower lip. “Okay, short straw, I think you managed to shock me.”

“Short straw?”

“Yeah, the only one who would take me.”

“I offered. I didn’t have to pull a straw.”

Her eyebrow arched. I rebuked it. Sent it to hell. I didn’t find it cute at all. “They paying you more?”

I pulled out my phone. “I don’t need money.”

“Then what did they give you?”

“Nothing.” You. They gave me seconds. Minutes. Hours. They gave me absolute fucking torture—with you. All the things I wouldn’t say, couldn’t even if I wanted to. It didn’t matter.

"Everyone wants something.” Her perfume wafted off her as she leaned in, her hair falling gently over her shoulder and nearly touching my fingers as they gripped the side of the table. “What do you gain?”