Page 20 of A Lesson in Deceit (Mystic Riegan Duet #1)

Riley

I ’d made it through the next two weeks without any mishaps.

I couldn’t avoid Asher, but he made it a point to never call on me—even when I raised my hand, knowing the answer—and actively looked away from me whenever eye contact could be achieved.

I’m pretty sure he scowled in my direction every chance he got.

There were moments when I thought I might have imagined the entire scenario of someone watching River and I.

If Grayson had seen something, he was either very good at keeping it to himself or he was way too embarrassed to even bring it up, especially with how natural everything was between the three of us.

I sat in the library after my afternoon class, reading over one of my textbooks.

Corrin was continually giving me updates, sending me pictures of different colored liquids and letting me know what it meant.

She was close to figuring it out, but with school and her time with Mateo, I wasn’t rushing her.

She was doing me a favor by not asking questions.

My phone vibrated on the table. I snatched it up, looking around the library.

MARIANNE

Why didn’t you tell me your boyfriend was having a party?

Marianne and I had been communicating back and forth nonstop since my Asher run in. I ended up having to send her a picture of him—which I’d gotten from River’s social media, since Asher was not into having an online presence whatsoever—and she hadn’t wasted a second calling me.

“That’s his brother?!” Marianne shouted in my ear. I had to pull the phone back just to get the ringing in my ear drum to stop.

“Yes, that’s him.”

She gasped. “And he’s your professor?”

“Didn’t I just say this?”

Marianne scoffed and I could just see her throwing her blonde hair over her shoulder, rolling her eyes. “When you said professor, this is not what I pictured. I didn’t think you would send me someone fuckable.”

I nearly choked on my own spit. “Take that back right now.”

She laughed, ignoring me. “I mean, as much as River is growing on me, his brother could I don’t know grow in me if you catch my drift.”

I was on my way to my afternoon class and tripped over my own feet. “Mare, can you fucking stop. That’s gross.”

She let out a haughty laugh. “How? Don’t you read about this kind of thing?”

“I don’t expect this shit to just happen in real life. It’s fiction for a reason, you shit.”

A few students passed me, giving me weird looks and I ducked my head down.

“Oh, honey, we live in a world where magic and monsters are real. A little teacher-student relations is not going to kill you.”

I groaned, pulling open the door to the building that my composition writing course was held in. “If by monsters you mean like shifters…my roommate is dating one and they seem less monstrous than half the people you’ve dated.”

“I resent that.” I heard the beep of her car unlocking. “Can’t you just like fuck him with disdain or something?”

“Can’t you just not ever ask me to fuck my boyfriend’s brother ever again?” I heard myself laughing as I said it.

She hummed on the other end, like this was something for her to highly consider. “Fine. River has been good to you so I guess you shouldn’t let the hot professor fuck your cute little brains out.”

I stopped right outside my classroom, letting people go in front of me so I could finish my call. “I’m sure he’ll appreciate that. And by the way, he could be terrible in bed.”

Marianne snorted, the rev of her car rattling through the phone.

“Riley, I may be a lesbian and not want anything to do with what Asher has going on in his pants, but I promise you…I can tell when someone is a memorable fuck. Which is kind of ironic since I’m sure he would have you forgetting your own name. ”

In my head, I was giving her the middle finger.

I blinked down at my phone, realizing that my fingers were hovering over the screen.

What are you talking about?

MARIANNE

Your boyfriend, you know that guy you’re fucking?

Yes, I am well aware of who he is.

MARIANNE

Next weekend. He’s having a party.

How did you hear about that all the way in Virginia?

MARIANNE

I know people and I’m coming home that weekend anyway.

When were you going to tell me you were coming home?

MARIANNE

Just now. Keep up, babe. I have to go to class but I love you.

I blew out a breath, thoroughly confused at River having a party and not telling me.

MARIANNE

My mom says your mom is doing good. She had the idea to get her on a dating app, but I shut that down very quickly so don’t worry. Also my mom, bless her soul, can’t figure out how to send a damn picture so here you go.

A few seconds later a picture of my mom and Beau popped up on my screen. I needed to go home soon, just for a day or two.

I reached into my backpack to pull out my notebook, thinking that getting an early start on homework for next week would keep me from berating my boyfriend with questions. I noticed a crumpled paper at the bottom of my bag. I reached inside, unfolding it and laying it out on the table.

It was the police report I’d been looking at days ago. I hadn’t thought about it since I didn’t think I needed it anymore. It was all the same information I’d always had, but then my eyes stopped near the bottom.

The witness statement was something I’d either skipped over or just never really looked at all.

The statement itself wasn’t what was important.

They hadn’t seen anything that happened, but they did find him and attested to his drinking.

That had me rolling my eyes, hard. I dragged my finger over to the witness’s name.

Oliver St. James. River’s dad.

I gathered my shit, stuffing everything in my backpack. I nearly tripped over my chair as I hustled out to the elevator of the library. I stopped when I heard Grayson’s voice. It was low, but I would know him anywhere.

He was speaking more Tagalog than English, which led me to believe he was talking to someone in his family. Grayson wasn’t so fluent in Tagalog that he could have full-blown, long-winded conversations, but he knew enough to understand and reply back when necessary.

I looked down one of the aisles, seeing him on the floor. He had his back propped up against one of the shelves. He caught sight of me and tilted his chin up in recognition.

“No. Okay lang po ako, Mom.” He gave me a look and smiled, rolling his eyes. He looked up at the ceiling, clearly a little frustrated. “Yes. Plano ko pong umuwi ngayong linggo.”

He raised a finger in my direction, telling me to wait a minute. He nodded into the phone, listening intently. “Okay, okay, I got you. Love you, Mom. Ingat ka .” He blew a kiss into the phone and ended his call. “Sorry about that.”

“Don’t be. She’s your mom, Grayson.”

“They’re insisting I come home to eat with the family.”

“You do love food, so is it really that bad?”

He tilted his head from side to side. “Yes and no. They always send me back to the dorms with food, but then it sits in my mini fridge and goes bad. I can eat, but like that’s a lot of fucking food.”

I looked over at the elevators, reminding myself of where I needed to go. “Well, let me know when you get back and I’ll help you eat it all. As long as your mom makes those little chewy rice cakes she knows I’m obsessed with.”

Grayson chuckled. “Biko? She will most certainly be making that, and if not then I’ll suggest it.” He gave me a tiny smirk. “And yes I am aware of how obsessed you are and how much you can stuff in your mouth.”

I wrinkled my nose at him, but moved towards the elevator, smashing my finger on the down button.

“Where are you off to?” he asked, slinging his backpack over his shoulder.

“Um, I just have to go talk to one of my teachers about something, that’s all.” The lie rolled off so easily.

“I’ll walk with you.”

“No, you don’t have to. I’m sure you have better things to do.”

Grayson waved me off, getting into the elevator after me. I watched as the doors closed, running my fingers along my ruby stone that hung around my neck. I didn’t believe in crystals or whatever power they might hold, but something about this one made me calmer when I touched it.

I leaned back against the wall, staring at him. “Can I ask you a very awkward question?” While I had him, I might as well get something off my chest.

“The more awkward the better, I say.”

I immediately looked down at the floor, letting my eyes bulge out for a minute. “Yeah.” I cleared my throat. “Were you asleep the entire time that night?”

Grayson licked his lips, placing one of his hands in his shorts pocket. “What night?”

The elevator stopped letting on a few people and I maneuvered myself to the other side. I moved so close to him that our arms were touching. I lowered my voice. “The night we all hung out. You fell asleep during the movie, so we left you downstairs.”

“And?” Grayson countered, looking down at me.

My voice was soft and tentative. “And…I think you might have seen some things.”

He placed a hand over his mouth, stifling a laugh. “Seen some things…come on, Riley. You’re going to have to be more specific than that.” He spoke in my direction, his voice as soft as my own. It was like we were in our own bubble of conversation.

“I don’t know how else to put it.”

The elevator dinged that we were on the ground floor and everyone walked out ahead of us.

Grayson walked in front of me, but then turned around halting my movements. “I don’t think it’s so hard. Did I see you and River having sex? See, simple. I’m sure people would kill to watch you guys.”

I looked around to make sure no one else heard him. I tugged at one of my braids. “Well…did you?”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “Are you upset?” He wasn’t gaslighting me, but he was genuinely asking, while also somehow being cheeky about it.

“That’s not an answer.”

He ran his finger over his chin, as if he was thinking. He gave me a smile, then smirked. “You and I both know the answer, so asking me is just your way of solidifying something you are fully aware of.”

I felt my skin turning hot, remembering him standing there, watching. I couldn’t see his face, but I knew he was there.

“The real question you should be asking me is if I’m the kind of guy who likes to stand and watch or would I want to be involved?”

I swallowed hard. It’s like he’d been in my head and considered every thought I’d ever had about the situation. “And your answer would be?”

He shrugged, walking backwards. “That’s a discussion meant for when your boyfriend is around, don’t you think?” He gave me a quick salute.

I watched him walk away, shaking my head at how easy, but unnerving that was.

I had kind of gotten my answer, but I was left questioning myself.

Was it a violation of my privacy that Grayson had stood there and watched, sure…

but did I maybe, sort of, want it to happen again.

It felt only fair that River should be a part of this conversation, but there was something I had to do right now and without Grayson hovering, I beelined for the Department of Mental Magic.