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“My brother says the guy who was massacred was some Beta sophomore. It looked as if the murderer may have been going for his heart, but was scared away before he could finish the job. The cameras barely pick him up. That cloak was hiding almost everything. He vanished into the woods.”

As I ponder what I saw, I get curious. “Or she.”

Ryan’s eyes flash as he considers my words. “Yeah… Or she.”

“You mentioned President Harvey. Why?”

He sits across from me again and takes his time to answer. “Well, odd thing. I guess he told the student’s parents that there was a wild animal in the woods that got him.”

“That’s not typical for the university? Don’t they usually cover up these things?”

“They do…just not that poorly.”

I shrug as Ryan extends his hand for me to take. When I do, he tugs me over toward him so I sit on his lap. His fingers brush my hair back over my shoulder. “Why not? If the board and the president are above the law, why try to make it sound believable?”

“True. I don’t know. When I met with him, he seemed…like he knows more than he’s letting on.”

“I think he’s too old to be gallivanting in the woods for Massacre Monday and jumping fraternity boys.”

His lips press into my skin for a moment, sending tingles through my body. “I don’t think he did it. But he knows all our assignments. What if that kid was just someone’s target?”

“Ah. Could’ve been.” I lean back into him, and his arms surround me, the feeling so comfortable, I never want to leave. “Do you think Gwen and Mitch were assignments, too? Or me?”

“What happened with Gwen seemed to fit the bill of a ritual. But plastering her face on your door was personal. Maybe we’re dealing with two different killers.”

“One completing assignments and the other trying to get at me?”

“Exactly.”

“But how does Gwen fit into both pictures?”

He hitches me up higher on his lap. “That’s what concerns me.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t know.”

His worry over me makes my insides all warm and fuzzy.

Ryan wants to take care of me, and I think he’d do anything to make sure I’m safe.

Despite desiring my independence, I know that having this man attached to me is enough to protect me from anyone.

He’s right. I feel like we can be free together.

I brush my lips against his cheek and rub his arm. The side of his mouth curls into a grin. “We should go back. You need to get to hockey practice, and I can face whatever is out there with you next to me. Plus, I really don’t want Professor Hall’s wrath on me more than it already is.”

A wince crosses his eyes, then he squeezes them closed and places his forehead against the column of my neck. Warm breaths travel down my back as he whispers, “Okay. But we’re staying today, and I’ll have Victor drive us back Sunday night.”

Thinking about returning to Sigma house, I get a heavy heart. Campus feels different now and taking this tiny break away has given me some perspective. It’s been nearly a week since Gwen’s body was discovered, and the silence she left hasn’t lifted. Not until we can figure out what has happened.

“Deal.”

Leaning to the side, his face looks so hopeful as he asks, “Will you come to my first hockey game on Friday night?”

“I’ve never been to one.”

“That’s not a requirement?—”

I interrupt with a stroke of my finger across his cheek. “Of course I’ll be there.”

“Good.” He stands and cleans up our dishes without me even saying a word. Adal and Oz never help out, the slobs. So seeing him bustle around the RV, straightening up, makes me smile. “What?” he asks.

“I like watching men clean.”

“Well, our apartment is spotless, and I plan to keep it that way. And you need to, as well, pink cheeks. Unless you want to be punished.”

Glancing around the small area, I see nothing out of place. “It still looks brand new.”

A little laugh comes from his chest. “Not here. Our apartment, back in Northview.”

“You mean…”

“You think I’m letting you go back to the Sigma house? No. You’re moving in with me.”

The argument lies on my lips, but, really, I don’t want to go back to the house…

I belong with him.

Hands on his hips, lips in a line like he means business, I only have one thing to say.

“Okay.”

Sunday night, he drops me at the Sigma house, so I can grab my things. It took some convincing to get him to leave me here. But he finally did when his mom called him.

Stuffing an overnight bag with anything essential, I glance around the sad little room. It’s never felt like home . And with Gwen gone, I’ll be glad to be out of here, away from the bad memories.

On the way downstairs, I hesitate as Elina passes. She notices my bag and my stuffed rabbit, her eyes narrowing. With a light shoulder bump, she sneers, “Good luck keeping him. We both know how this will end.”

Heat travels up to my hairline, but I blow out a sigh and keep moving. I’m the one moving in with him.

In the driver’s seat of my Jeep, I situate all my stuff and call Oz on my way over a couple of streets to Fraternity Row, where the building is located.

When he answers, my face lights up. “Hey, what’s good, Pip?”

“I just wanted you to know that I’m not staying at Sigma house anymore. I’m moving in with Ryan.”

There’s a pause—just long enough to notice. “Wait. Since when are you with Ryan?”

“Since now,” I say, maybe a little too quickly. My grip tightens on the wheel. “It’s complicated.”

The phone is silent for a moment before his cheery voice pipes back in. “That’s awesome, Pip! Does Mom or Dad know?”

“Dad appointed me to him without telling me, so he should understand the next step in all this.” I snort. “His baby virgin is promised to the man he signed her over to in blood.”

“Oh. Um, appointed .” His voice dips. “To Ryan Cardell?”

“Yeah…”

“That’s…great.” His flat tone says otherwise.

I scowl at the windshield. “ What is your problem?”

“I don’t have a problem.”

“Is this because he’s Theta ?”

“Yes.”

With an exasperated sigh, I roll my eyes. “Oz, come on .”

He chuckles in a way that doesn’t sound quite genuine. “I’ll get over it. Stay safe and call me if you need me.”

When he hangs up, I stare at the screen for a moment before sliding into a parking spot at the back of Ryan’s building. Part of me thinks this has nothing to do with Greek Life rivals at all. Perhaps Marauders issues with the Vipers? Whatever it is, they just need to get over it.

Hmm… Something else clicks into place. Maybe Mom was so weirdly warm to Ryan when he showed up at the door because she knew and approved. She and Dad and Ryan had planned it all until he could whisk me away into his arms. Clever . And very Ryan.

I should hate it or feel betrayed, but I don’t. If I listen to my heart, I know what it’s saying. I’m already falling for him. And the part that is most shocking? I don’t mind being chosen.

Not when it’s him.

It’s stupid how nervous I feel as I approach the door. I’m the one who said yes and packed the bag. I’m the one who chose this.

Still, my fingers tremble as I press the code to the outer door that Ryan gave me. Before I reach his apartment, he flings open the door, a look of regret and shame covering his face. My stomach drops.

“I’m sorry…” he says, waving me inside and grabbing stuff from my arms. “I told them to leave, but they insisted on staying because they knew you were coming.”

I take a breath to ask who and am greeted by a bear hug from a warm woman with dark hair. One I’ve seen on Ryan’s social media pages. “Hello, Pippi! I’m Marissa. Come in!”

Her voice is rich and grounding, and I’m stunned by how instantly at ease I feel. There’s no posturing here. Just a mother’s joy.

“Mom…” Ryan warns as he sets my bags down, then tries to hold my hand—only for it to be snatched into his mom’s as she leads me to the sofa.

“I want to know everything about you.”

“Mom!” Ryan releases a deep groan, but there’s no real grit behind it.

Olivia shoots him a look. “She just got here. Give her a minute to breathe.” I recognize Ryan’s oldest sister from Greek events, though we haven’t spoken. She gives me a sympathetic grin as a younger version of her comes bouncing out of the bathroom.

“Do you like horror movies?” she asks me.

“I, I’m…yes?” I respond as she blinks at me a few times.

“Okay, you can stay.”

Ryan exhales through his nose. “High praise.”

“Alice, don’t be rude,” Marissa says, and Ryan shuffles from foot to foot, his blue eyes piercing my face as if to gauge my reaction.

I sink into the couch with a soft breath, only now realizing how rigid my spine had been. How ready I was for judgment. Instead, I’m surrounded by laughter and something close to warmth. Maybe even…belonging. Ryan joins me on the other side, grabbing my hand away from his mom and placing it in his.

“It’s great to meet you all,” I say, voice steadier than I expected.

Ryan’s still watching me closely, eyes narrowing just slightly in curiosity. Like he’s waiting for the crack to show. But I surprise him—scooting just an inch closer, like I’ve always belonged in this room.

Marissa’s lips form a tight smirk as she considers something, her green eyes looking me over as Olivia stands and grabs her purse.

“Let’s go. Leave these two appointeds alone.”

“She’s way cooler than Elina,” Alice says, tossing a throw pillow at Ryan’s head.

He bats it away. “Yeah, for fuck’s sake, I know that.”

“Ryan!” his mother admonishes, but before she lets me go with an arm pat, she blows out a sigh. “I’ll tell you, Pippi. We were all getting really tired of pretending that Elina wasn’t a big mistake.”

Ryan squeezes his eyes closed, but nods slowly, then points toward the door. “Love you all. But I love you more when you’re not here.”

His mom leans over and taps a kiss onto his cheek, then glances at me. “Don’t be a stranger! Come by Sunday for dinner!”

“I’d love that,” I tell her, smiling.

Once he locks the door behind them, Ryan rushes over to me and grabs me in a tight embrace, stuffing his face into my neck. “I’m sorry?—”

“Don’t be! That was unexpected, but…welcoming.”

Seeing them all interact gives me a moment to reflect. Ryan’s close with his family, and I want to be part of it, too.

This is all really happening.

And I belong.