Page 10 of A Lesson in Deceit (Mystic Riegan Duet #1)

Riley

“ S o, you knew my dad?” I asked, spinning my phone on the linoleum table.

After the dreaded two hours that was that god awful assembly, Corrin dragged me to Sothis, one of the on-campus coffee shops.

She’d ordered and paid for both of us. It was small and had mustard yellow-colored walls and gray tiles along the floor.

Pop music played through the speakers at a low volume and the atmosphere screamed casual comfort.

She took a sip of her coffee. “I met with him once. I was having a difficult time since I’d only ever been with witches or just magic users all together, so the school sent me to him during my freshman year.” She traced the rim of her coffee cup with her fingernail. “He was the nicest, truly.”

I looked over her shoulder, not wanting to look directly at her. “He was the best.” I cleared my throat, attempting to answer an earlier question I’d had. “How did you know he was my dad? Earlier you said my name like it was obvious who I was.”

Corrin pulled at one of her curls. “I’m not always one to gossip, but I will listen to gossip whenever I can.

When your dad….” She trailed off, closing her mouth and then opening it up again to continue.

“When the accident happened, boy did people talk. I don’t know all the details, but I do know people knew he had a daughter, and the social media investigation blew up. People are aggressively invasive.”

Right, my dad’s accident . It wasn’t an accident, and I was going to prove it. I pushed my coffee away from me, the smell all of a sudden nauseating. “Well, that’s perfect.” Sarcasm oozing from each of my words.

She slapped her hand on the table, startling me. “If anyone gives you any shit, bring them to me and I’ll fuck their world up. I don’t need magic to cause some serious damage.”

I pressed my lips together, failing at holding in my laughter. “You met me a few hours ago and you sound like you are ready to go to collegiate war for me.”

Corrin shrugged, pushing her glasses up her nose. “It’s what I do, babe.”

I considered her for a moment, choosing my words carefully. I flung a few of my braids over my shoulder. “Do you know if they’re planning on replacing him?”

She clasped her hands together on the table.

“I’m not sure. I overheard while I was waiting for my academic advisor that they were going to do interviews, but I don’t think they’ve hired anyone yet.

” She looked out the window to her right as students walked past, completely engrossed in their own conversations.

“They need to though. I don’t know how this school is going to fucking survive without a middleman. ”

I stared intensely at my coffee cup, thinking that if I looked hard enough, I could release all my tension into it. “Do you believe it?”

Corrin tilted her head to the side, her eyebrows turning in with confusion.

“The accident and all that?” I tried to make my voice sound flighty and nonchalant, but I had a feeling she could see right through that.

She licked her lips, looking around as if she was afraid someone was listening. Her voice got low when she leaned against the table. “I don’t, and I’m not the only one.” She leaned back, nodding as if she was so secure in her beliefs. “Accidental falling, my ass,” she mumbled, scoffing.

My heart wanted to leap out of my chest. I wanted to divulge my thoughts and pick her brain.

No, Riley. Someone was nice to you for two fucking seconds, get a fucking grip.

I opened my mouth to change the subject when my phone vibrated on the table. I brought the screen to my face seeing an incoming text from River.

RIVER

Heard they brought up your dad in the assembly.

I furrowed my brow. Corrin wasn’t lying. This school did gossip.

I’m fine. Don’t worry.

RIVER

Very convincing. I can come over.

No, I have a whole roommate, River. You can’t just show up.

RIVER

Then I’ll pick you up. I’ll take you out, bring you back home for a nice little massage and then you can stay the night with me.

I rolled my eyes. He was sweet, but I needed to be by myself. Well, as by myself as I could get with a roommate. Corrin seemed like the type that if I told her I wanted my space, she would find a way to make it happen even in our less than private living arrangement.

Stay put. Seriously. I knew shit like this would happen, so I have to deal.

RIVER

Oh, look at you…barking orders. You come over and use that mouth for something much better. Then I’ll let you ride out your frustration on my cock. We both know I enjoy it when you’re a little wild.

My cheeks burned from the heat forming in them.

Maybe tomorrow. You’ll have to sleep alone tonight.

RIVER

I guess it’s just me and my hand. Good thing your taste is still right on the tip of my tongue.

I flicked my eyes up at Corrin, who was looking at her own phone. A text from River came through again.

RIVER

Call me tomorrow, gorgeous. Love you.

I said I love you back, sending a few red hearts to him and flipped my phone face down for safe measure. It would be just like River to randomly send a picture of his cock just to spite me.

“Ready to get out of here? We can head to the bookstore, grab what we need for the semester.” Corrin reached for my cup, pushing her seat back.

“Sure, sounds good.”

We both walked out, following the directory outside the coffee shop, towards the bookstore. I could see it in the distance, a tall, rectangular building that had more windows than most of the buildings on this campus.

Corrin opened the door for me, but I paused before walking through. There was another directory next to the bookstore and my eyes focused on the first place noted on the rust-colored sign.

HUMAN/MAGIC LIAISON

I looked over the sign towards the north side of campus.

The English, Math and Elemental Magic academic advisors were on the west side so the options to naturally be close to my father’s office were dwindling.

I could always just ask to see it, snoop around, but there would likely be someone watching me, hovering. I couldn’t have that.

“Riley, you good?” Corrin kicked my calf with her black high top covered foot.

I shook my head, plastering a smile on my face. “Yeah, sorry. I’m just a little tired and unsurprisingly exhausted.” I pulled out my phone, checking the time. “And it’s just midafternoon. Fucking great.”

Corrin laughed, reached into her fanny pack, pulling out a folded-up piece of paper. She looked up, searching each of the signs to try to find where she needed to go. I looked over her shoulder, taking her arms and turning her in the direction of the herbs department.

I tapped on my phone, pulling up my email and clicking on the last email from the university that had my finalized class schedule.

I scrolled over to see the locations, sighing in relief when I saw that one of them was on the north side.

The Mental Magic Department was over there as well, so that made sense since that was my psychology class.

I scrolled up to double-check the rest of my classes when I heard a small gasp. “You’re taking general psychology? Me too!” She squealed, pulling me toward one of the bookcases.

“Marianne, I have to go. I have to call my mom.” The sun had long gone down and Corrin had taken up video chatting with her partner until she fell asleep with her laptop open.

“I can’t believe you're rooming with a witch, that is so cool. I’m stuck with a boring human.” I shook my head even though she couldn’t see me.

“Let’s not forget you are also just a boring human,” I taunted.

“Don’t get smart. That school has already made you incredibly sassy.”

I pressed my head further into my pillow. “You sound like River.”

“The mind reader better be taking care of you since I’m not there. I have friends in high places if he isn’t.”

Their relationship had gotten better over time.

River really had to prove himself to Marianne, even more so than my parents.

He treated it like a challenge, and he was dead set on winning her over.

She was always going to be skeptical, but she didn’t let out a loud, obnoxious groan every time I would tell her I was going out with him anymore.

I pulled my phone away from my ear and checked the time. “We get it. You are very feisty. I need to call my mom; I will text you tomorrow.”

She begrudgingly let me go and I went to click on my mom’s number when a text came through.

GRAYSON

Nakakainis ka naman. Napaka killjoy mo talaga. Bakit mo naman kami iniwang dalawa lang ni River?

I blinked, trying to understand what this was. I texted question marks back, fully prepared to use the internet to translate what he was saying.

GRAYSON

Basically, you’re a killjoy for deciding not to hang out tonight, therefore, leaving us to our own devices.

Is River standing over your shoulder making you type this?

GRAYSON

Not at all.

If I knew my boyfriend at all, he was right there making sure Grayson said all the right things.

I’m sure your night would have been very dull with me there.

GRAYSON

I think you underestimate how much we both enjoy your company.

Even though he wasn’t here to say that in front of me, something about that particular statement felt odd. Not in a bad way, but different than all the other times Grayson had jokingly flirted with me out in the open.

GRAYSON

Alas I suppose I’ll entertain your boyfriend without you.

You both are ridiculously needy and should acquire more friends.

GRAYSON

I resent that, gorgeous. This is River

I let out a sharp laugh, covering my mouth and looking over to make sure Corrin didn’t wake up.

Goodnight, I still need to call my mom. Just pretend I’m there and I’m sure you’ll make it through.

GRAYSON

Believe me, trouble, we do.

I rubbed my hand down my face, swiping through my apps to get back to calling my mom.

I would give her the rundown on how I was and my classes.

I would let her know I missed her. Once I was off the phone, I would pull up the school map and the school administration, setting up a plan on how I was going to get this done.

Before I hit the call button, I went to my photos.

I found my favorite picture of me and my dad and lightly traced his face with the tip of my finger, careful not to swipe the picture away.

We had taken a tiny mini in-state family trip to the San Diego Zoo.

My mom had gotten car sick, so she’d stayed in the hotel room while my dad and I explored the animals.

I had a snack in hand, and he had asked one of the staff members to take a picture for us, whispering to me: mom will be so jealous of us .

After that trip, I had begged my parents to let me have a lion cub as a pet, which was immediately turned down.

I rallied and then asked for a dog. Mom had said no, but my dad was always on the fence.

He ultimately sided with his wife. I think that was what made my mom more open to letting Beau into our family, although I hadn’t given her much of a choice anyway.

My dad should have come home to me and mom. He should be here, right now, doing the job he loved. The feeling that always motivated me to keep going was raging and my only option was to feed it, hoping it worked out in the end.