Page 9 of Paper Doll

I’m immediately struck by how pretty she is. Her shiny, straight black hair is cut in a blunt bob, parted in the middle with not a single strand out of place. It frames her heart-shaped face, her features delicate and feminine, accentuated by her flawless yet understated makeup. I also can’t help but notice that though she’s petite, she has unnaturally big boobs that just scream surgical enhancement.

“Oh, hi,” she greets, a tight smile creasing her lips. “I heard I was getting a roommate.”

I slide my legs off the bed and rise to stand. “Yeah, hi. I’m Ava.”

“Richelle.” She steps further inside, nudging the door closed behind her. “So, where’d you transfer from?” she asks as she slides her messenger bag off her shoulder and steps over to her desk, pulling out the chair and setting her bag on the seat.

“Community college.”

She whips her head around like I just uttered a dirty word, almond-shaped eyes narrowing as she assesses me. “What’s your last name?” she asks skeptically.

“Morrow.”

Richelle furrows her brow like she’s searching for a connection. “What does your dad do?”

I shake my head. “Don’t have one.”

“Your mom, then?”

“She…” I trail off, knowing there’s no way to sugarcoat my mom’s prior profession and avoid judgment. “She recently married Gideon Romero.”

Richelle’s eyes widen in recognition. “Oh.”

I turn away to hide the blush I feel creeping across my cheeks, stepping over to my suitcases at the end of the bed. “His son goes here, actually,” I say as I grab the handle of the smallest one. “Do you know–”

“Raf?” she finishes for me as I haul my suitcase up onto the bed. She chuckles wryly. “Everyoneknows Raf.”

The ominous tone in her voice sends a chill skittering up my spine. “What do you mean?” I ask as I turn to face her again.

Richelle squints at me, tilting her head. “You honestly don’t know?”

The look on my face must tell her as much, because she heaves a sigh and plops down on the edge of her own bed, shaking her head.

“Him and his buddies practically own this place,” Richelle bites out with a scowl. “The students, the staff, the security… hell, even the dean. They all answer to them. They’re the reigning Kings.”

“Kings?” I snort in amusement.

But she’s not laughing. “You haven’t heard of them? The triad?” Richelle questions, sweeping her curious gaze over me. “Huh.”

I blink back at her. “Care to elaborate?”

“I probably…” she trails off, pursing her lips in consideration. “Well, since you’re here, I guess you’ll find out sooner or later, right?” She waves a hand flippantly before leaning back to rest on her palms. “It’s a wholethingthat goes back to when this place was first founded by the Invictus. Every triad comes through here before being unleashed on the world. Your new stepdad? He was a King here, once.”

I shake my head in confusion, hardly believing what I’m hearing. She might as well be speaking a different language. “What does that evenmean? That they’re part of a secret society or something?”

She wrinkles her nose. “Youseriouslydon’t know?”

I just stare back at her.Pretty sure we’ve already established that.

“They’reKings, Ava,” she deadpans. “They rule.”

I roll my eyes, turning back to my suitcase and unzipping it. “That’s ridiculous,” I grumble as I flip open the lid.

“Doesn’t mean it isn’t true,” Richelle continues, a sharp edge of warning in her tone. “Those boys are ruthless, and they can make or break your experience here. Trust me when I say they’re dangerous.”

I glance back at her over my shoulder, arching a brow.

“I’d tell you to just steer clear of them, but…” she trails off, shrugging. “Well, since you’re Raf’s stepsister, maybe it’ll be different for you. You’re King-adjacent.”