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twenty-three

When victory seems unattainable, venture from a different viewpoint. That’s what Dad always says.

Change my tactics…

My hand squeezes my temples while lying in bed, helplessly watching as Pippi destroys her room in Sigma house, dismantling my cameras.

Then, as the cherry on top, she blocks all my Pixtagram accounts before shutting off her phone.

With the last of the footage inside her room, I get a nice shot of her enraged face as she unscrews the lightbulb camera. Everything goes dark.

It took her all night to get back to her room, and she didn’t sleep at all. Understandable, as I haven’t either. Waiting for her took up all eight hours since we’ve been apart.

The little blue blip on my screen from her phone’s tracker located her in the woods, but cops had surrounded the place by the time I arrived. Stealthily shifting between the rugged trunks, I monitored their work over Pippi’s old roommate and the sacrificial circle painted on the ground.

Everything in me wanted to go to her, but her twin brother showed up, keeping her at his side. Not wanting the murderous suspicion that would come with exposing myself, I kept to the shadows until Oz escorted her from the scene back toward Sorority Row.

Every skin cell I have itches, my body hot and immediately tense now that I can’t see her. The ridge of the mattress digs into the backs of my thighs as I sit up and run my hands through my hair, tugging on the ends with frustration. Pain only helps a little, pulling me back to my grim reality.

I could go over there, demand she open the door. Bust it down. Throw her over my shoulder and take her to Theta’s basement. Tie her up. Give her no choice. Her father even gave me permission to do that.

But the fire behind those bourbon eyes would die.

My chest aches with worry, fingers inadvertently rubbing the spot above my heart as I shuffle toward the window and look out upon the dawn. A crimson glow casts over the eastern sky with the sunrise, creating a bloody atmosphere.

Now would be the perfect time for that Beta Mitch to come and try something. I have a few Theta members looking for him, but so far…no luck. When I find him, though, the bitch will get what’s coming to him for touching my girl.

My phone chimes with my father’s ring tone. Not now…

“Yeah?” My voice is rough from staying up all night.

“The news just broke.” His voice is calm. “Senator Frances—dead of a heart condition. And his wife? Found overdosed in the civic center coatroom. A tragic double blow to the community.”

I don’t respond as the silence thickens between us like fog.

“You wouldn’t happen to know anything about this, would you?”

“Pippi and I left the event early,” I say, keeping my tone flat. “Didn’t see anything.”

He takes a deep breath in. “And Pippi is the name of the woman…”

“Who I earned.”

He warms for a moment, emotion filtering through the phone. “She must be worth it, then. Ryan, if you need me, I’m here. You’re an incredible son and an amazing brother to your siblings. I love you.”

My throat locks until I clear it roughly. His words finally mean something to me. Maybe my dad couldn’t get out of his own assignments and needed me more than I realized. “Love you, too.”

As soon as I toss the phone aside, my hands are back to digging through my hair. How do I get Pen to come to Red Night ? Like, of her own accord. If she did, I could implement a plan and get her back.

An idea carves itself into my mind.

Sometimes being a genius is a wonderful thing, and other times, it makes for the loneliest feeling in the world.

Despite the haze from lack of sleep, I start a pot of coffee and get to work.

Within a few hours, I’ve missed my classes, sure, but most importantly, I can see through Pippi’s laptop camera and have remote access to everything.

All it took was a little help from Josh in the IT department at Cardell Enterprises.

The edge of what may be her foot is just visible on the right of the screen, kicked out from under her blue fuzzy blanket. She’s not moving, so she must be sleeping soundly.

There’s plenty of time to catch up on her emails and submit a paper I finish for her sophomore English class. It had good bones, just needed the ending, and she can’t miss the deadline.

While searching through her logs and university grades, my brow furrows at her latest quiz score in Criminology. A zero? That’s unlikely… She hasn’t missed a lecture that I’ve noticed. Pippi is normally a good student.

Professor Amanda Hall. Who is this? And why do I feel the need to have a discussion with her…

A brief search online doesn’t show much of anything useful.

The results are buried by a different Professor Hall who was at NU way back in the day while my parents were attending.

He taught photography, which was my mother’s major.

Apparently, he committed suicide in his own home after his divorce. Details are minimal.

Amanda Hall didn’t go to NU for undergrad, but was living in another city for most of her life. No social media. No relationships I can find. Address is one of the nicer apartments downtown. Some of that’s suspicious, but if I were a teacher here, I’d want to be anonymous, too.

By noon, my brain has rotted from information and staying awake for so many hours. But I press toward campus, sending a text to a friend.

Me

Meet me at the student center for lunch

Amelia

Ryan Cardell?

Me

Yeah

Amelia

Why…

Me

You’ll want to hear what I have to say

Amelia

I’m already here.

Me

Be there in ten

Pulling the collar of my pea coat up around my face, I hustle across campus with a beanie low on my head and dark sunglasses on. Not that it would shield me from hockey fans and puck bunnies but, hopefully, it lets people know I’m not interested in socialization today.

Just outside the glass doors to the Nighthawks Student Center stands perky Amelia, with her long blonde mane blowing in the October wind.

Her blue eyes are wide with questions, a little fear, and ready to tear me to pieces if I threaten her.

But she’s like one of my own little sisters. I would never.

Unless I need to make her do something to help me.

“Hey,” I say, a little out of breath from my hustle.

“What’s this about?” The high-pitched swishes of her puffy coat sing as she crosses her arms.

One of my fingers wipes my cold nose as I back her into a corner near the path toward the gym.

“So, I need you to make sure Pippi goes to Red Night . Here are invitations for you both.” I dig in my pocket to produce two red envelopes and thrust them in her hand, tucking it into the fabric of her jacket.

“Oh… I was going anyway. But of course I’ll bring Pippi. Um, wouldn’t she want to go with you?”

“I’m not sure. I think she’s mad at me.”

“How could anyone be mad at a Cardell man?” Her eyes narrow playfully, and I chuckle a little. “Aiden is so lovable and kind . And you’re just a ball of sunshine yourself most days.”

“Henry’s the best of us.”

She snorts a laugh. “Why do this secret rendezvous? You could have just asked me to bring her.”

“Because I need a guarantee she will be there.”

Loosening her posture, she shrugs and gives me a model smile. “I can do that. No problem. Thanks for the invites.”

My hand reaches out to snag her arm, keeping her from wandering off. She looks at it for a moment, then meets my eyes. “One more thing. If you don’t get her there, I think Levi Joseph will come to understand what his precious little girl has been up to at night.”

If there weren’t layers of clothing covering it, I bet I could see her heart jump out of her chest. Breathlessly, she asks, “W-what do you mean?”

With a stern look, I remain silent for a long pause as she practically panics in my grasp. “You know. And now you know that I know.”

“How did you find out?”

As if I’d tell my sources. It’s not two seconds before she spits the word into the air. “ Aiden .” A gruff growl escapes her throat as she pulls herself away from me. “Fine. I’ll get her there. No threats needed, Cardell.”

Hurried steps lead her away from me, and I feel like part of me can relax.

As long as Pippi shows up to Theta’s Red Night event.