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eighteen

Police raid the Sigma house with a full campus crew, combing over the surfaces of every inch around the woods and surrounding areas. The Delta house and Beta house are cleared of suspicion. Rumors abound that the Theta manor was also raided.

“The problem is,” Valencia says as I curl up on the corner of her green velvet-covered twin bed. “The cops are owned by Cardell Enterprises, basically. You think they’ll let the law just stroll over that place? No. They have too many secrets to hide.”

“That could be said of the entire university,” Evie says, popping her lips after applying another coat of lipstick.

“They’ll only show the police what they want to see.

That’s why they’ll never find anything.” She gives us a nod in the mirror as she pulls on a crocheted black cardigan.

It’s late on a Thursday night, but I suppose she’s going out.

“You two sound like conspiracy theorists,” I tell them, hugging a pillow to my chest for comfort.

It’s been a very long week. After sleeping on the floor of Valencia’s room for most of it, I’m exhausted.

So much so, I ventured back to my room last night, where I had nightmares about seeing Gwen’s face hanging from our door number.

Sometimes when I close my eyes, the image remains.

My cousin and friend shoot me deadpan looks before Valencia snaps, “Pippi, you’re from Gnarled Pine Hollow… Stop acting so privileged and remember what our parents had to do to fix the problems there.”

She darts a glance at Evie, and guilt hits me like an avalanche of ice.

“I’m sorry,” I say, knowing the words probably aren’t enough. She shrugs and a wave of her platinum blonde hair falls down her back.

“It’s fine.” Her demeanor shifts into something dark and foreboding. In a quick movement, she snags a black bag off the floor, tosses it over her shoulder, and makes an excuse about studying in the library.

Valencia slaps my arm. “Way to go.”

“I shouldn’t have said that.”

Evie Lynx’s family has been through enough with the secret societies that once ruled our hometown of Gnarled Pine Hollow. They can’t even use their real last name. If anyone knows conspiracies are true, it’s her.

“You sleeping in here tonight, or no?” Valencia rips a blanket off her bed and moves to toss it on the floor, but I stop her.

“No. I’ll sleep in my room. After classes tomorrow, I’m going home for the weekend. I can’t stay here. It feels…weird.”

“Understandable. Well, our door will be open if you want to come back,” she says, as I leave the third story and head downstairs to the sophomore level.

With quick steps, I march toward my hall, eyes stuck to the wide plank hardwood so I don’t have to look at what once was a horror scene. A shudder jerks my spine as I hurriedly enter and lock the door.

In my room, I lie on my back and stare at the ceiling in the dark. The space is a little too quiet. Questions repeat in my mind, not allowing me to sleep, so I flick on my lamp and grab my phone, but the thoughts won’t stop coming.

Unknown number

What’s it like to sleep with a dead whore’s face watching you? Did you do something to displease me?

Unblinking, I stare at the message, bile rising to the back of my throat. Fear overwhelms me. Hand trembling, I delete the text and block the number—again. They keep coming. Doesn’t matter. The words have already seeped beneath my skin and injected themselves into my bloodstream.

Who’s sending these? Is it Ryan? The tone is possessive and deranged like him, but he’s given me up now. Hasn’t he? Is there any getting away from him completely?

Regret settles in my stomach like gravel as I wonder… Do I even want that?

I sit up with a gasp. What about the cloaked man in the woods? The one who moved like he was anointed when he cut open that body. Like the kill was a ritual , not from rage.

The visions flood my mind, even as I try to push them away. A man collapsed beneath the stabbing figure and me only a few feet above. Hovering over the horror below. Frozen. Hiding. Hushed. And praying I wouldn’t be next.

It was the first time I’d seen someone die. And I’ve been trying not to think of it ever since.

With a rapid pulse, I slide the phone under my pillow, as if I’m hiding it from the gods. But the weight of the words still burns into my skull.

I don’t know why someone would put Gwen’s face on my door. Other than being friends for the last year and roommates, what other connection did I have with her? Did they do it just to scare me? If so, it definitely worked.

Best-case scenario? It had nothing to do with me. Maybe it was meant for her parents. Or for someone else. Maybe that’s just horrible wishful thinking.

When I want to feel safe again, the only person who can truly soothe me is my overprotective dad. He’s the one who can make everything okay. More so than Oz or Adal, even my mom. Dad will comfort me in a way no one can.

Eventually, I fall asleep watching Clueless on repeat on my tablet while trying to envision what clothes would fill my electric closet racks.

As soon as my early morning class on Friday is over, I rush to the parking lot and jump on my Harley, heading toward Gnarled Pine Hollow.

The wind whips around me in chilled waves, but my leather jacket and jeans protect my skin.

It’s almost getting too cold to ride, which means I’ll have to bring my Jeep back when I return to campus on Sunday night.

But I’ll miss the feeling of my Harley beneath me, especially on these back curvy roads leading me home.

Without telling Mom, I head straight to The Bear Cage, wanting to hang with my dad. And Adal, too.

It’s not typically very busy on Friday afternoons. There are plenty of spaces to park, though I do see a fancy Aston Martin shining among my family’s motorcycles. Maybe one of the Von Dovish boys got a new toy.

When I enter, the steamy scent of sweat assaults my nose.

It’s something I’m used to and reminds me of my dad, as does the sound of fists punching and bodies being thrown about.

Dad leans over the front counter, tapping on the computer’s keyboard, but smiles brightly as he sees me.

Rounding the desk, he grabs me in a tight squeeze.

“Hey, pup. I didn’t know you were coming! ”

“Yeah. I just needed to see you.”

“I’m glad you did. You been by to see your mother yet?”

“No. Came straight here. Didn’t think you’d be busy.” I look around his big figure to the mats in the next room, where Adal is sparring with someone.

“Just been training that new guy… He’s really good. Want to meet him?”

Shrugging, I say, “Sure.” I don’t actually care.

Dad leads me with a hand on my shoulder to the back room. Adal straightens up to grab some water, and his opponent turns toward us, tossing his sweaty black hair.

My heart stops.

“Hey! P.I.C. Look at you!” Ryan swipes at his bloody nose with taped knuckles as his light blue eyes rake over my figure.

“T-this is who you’ve been training ?” I can hear myself speak, but it’s more like a whisper to my dad.

“Yeah, Ryan here’s doing great. One of the best students we’ve had in a long time,” Dad says.

The way my father looks at him makes my temper ignite. He’s smitten, and Ryan won’t take his eyes off me, an obvious difference from the last time I saw him.

“Seems like you know each other,” Dad says with a smirk as wide as Ryan’s. Adal throws a towel in Ryan’s face, then takes one for himself. Cleaning up some of the mess, Ryan mops his forehead with it.

“This kid could probably teach you a few things, Pippi,” Adal says, and the two pretend to swipe at one another.

Am I in an episode of The Twilight Zone ? The enemy has invaded my safe space. Ryan Cardell has made friends with my parents and my brother. The only one I have left is Oz, who’s not here to stick up for me.

As soon as a thought of leaving enters my brain, Ryan clears his throat and asks, “Max, I was thinking of taking your daughter on a date tomorrow evening. Would that be okay with you?”

My jaw drops in protest as I point an accusatory digit at his face. “He can’t take me on a date ! He has a fiancée!”

“Who? Elina Warrick ? Oh, I’m not a cheater. And I would never betray my girl.” His steely eyes narrow at me pointedly, like I’m already his. Who does he mean, Elina Warrick ?

“Sure. Definitely want you guys to go out. I think Pippi would have fun. Sounds like you’ll hit it off,” Dad says while practically shoving me at Ryan.

“What? No!” Tripping into Ryan’s sweaty chest, I halt my steps abruptly.

He tosses a moist arm over my shoulder, his woods and wilderness body odor making me shiver.

I shrug until it falls back to his side.

He tries to hold my hand, but I fling it away.

Finally, he stands behind me, his arms sliding around my waist as he says, “Thanks, Max. I’ll take really good care of her. ”

“I trust you,” Dad says with a mischievous smile. It’s like the biggest betrayal I’ve felt in a while.

“Great job, Cardell. See you next week?” Adal heads to the front of the gym with Dad.

With a tight grip on my waist, Ryan walks us toward the showers. If I didn’t want to hear what he has to say for himself, I’d twist his wrist and stomp right back outside. Actually, I may still do that.

Once we’re in the privacy of the locker room, I toss my leather jacket onto a bench and cross my arms over my black tank top. “Well?”

Not even stopping, Ryan strips off everything, heading straight into a shower, but turns enough to cast a beckoning finger over his shoulder.

Seeing his firm ass with divots on each side, his broad and sculpted back, and his toned legs sucks the breath from my lungs.

On his left side, ink wraps around his ribs—a tri-headed Theta serpent coiled through barbed wire, its tongue flicking toward his hip.

It looks like it would bite. My heart beats harder with every mindless step closer to him, but I stop at the edge of the tiles.