Page 11 of Pretty Vengeance

She laughs. “I know, right? He’s the best.”

“I—you’re not a GU legacy, are you?”

“God, no.” She winks at me, looking like she relishes the fact that she’s from what the Allendales would consider inferior stock.

“Are you on scholarship? I know you said your brother’s paying for the dorm, but?—”

“No scholarships. We’re what the Mayflower kids would callnouveau riche.” Her smirk is priceless, then it disappears as her eyes widen. “Wait, did your family come over on the Mayflower? If so, no offense. You seem cool.”

I shake my head, inwardly pleased anyone could even make that mistake. The irony. “No, and no offense taken.”

“Sorry, when it comes to my family, I’m ‘ride or die’ and I have a pathological need to prove it. Scotty’s never gonna say ‘fuck that little traitor’ about me.” She winks again and takes a two-ounce quinoa and cranberry salad from the grab-and-go cooler.

Having “ride or die” people in my life is what I’d kill for. I’m so sick of polite, pearl-wearing backstabbers. For a moment, I’m speechless as it sinks in that maybe GU’s morbid roommate-matchmaking experiment is right on the money.

“Anyway, getting back to you,” Ash says. “I’ve got my brother’s take on things. When it comes to the girl from the club, best to know who your enemies are up front.”

It’s immensely satisfying to meet someone who allows herself to speak passionately and without remorse. Ash seems a bit insane, but in a way, that makes me want to be around her more, not less.

After we check out with our food, I say, “An enemy, huh? I wouldn’t have labeled Clare that way, but maybe I should.”

“Having enemies is time-consuming, but then you can plan.”

That makes me laugh. “What are you doing today? Want to hang out?”

Ash tilts her head, assessing me. “I one hundred do.”

Does that mean a hundred percent? Seems like it.

“Cool. Me, too.”

She sips more coffee and gives me the side-eye. “After I shower, I’ve gotta check on some guys. It shouldn’t take long, but it’s priority one. You up for a ride-along?”

As opposed to bailing on the first person on campus I’ve been able to laugh with? So I can sit alone in a tiny dorm room, sulking? No way.

“Sure, Ash, whatever.” I press the elevator’s call button. “What does ‘check on some guys’ mean?”

“My cousin got into a fight last night. Protecting me, actually. Which was totally off book since I was supposed to be the one supporting him. Anyway, I need to show concern and take him a breakfast taco or something.”

I stare at her perfect face, stunning blue eyes, and blond hair. “Your cousin who got in the fight, what’s his name?”

“Jamie O’Rourke.”

For fuck’s sake.

6

JAMIE

“The fuck?” War’s voice roars from down the hall a second after alerts begin blaring from our phones.

Other than War, Killian and myself, only our bosses and my cousin have the security code. We need to get up.

Far more quickly than I want to move at this hour, I pull on a pair of jeans and stride out of my room, meeting War in the hall. He’s wearing a pair of black boxer-briefs and has an automatic pistol behind his back. His shoulder-length black hair looks like a crow’s nest in a Tim Burton movie.

I note the bandage wrapped around his thigh before he tosses me a gun, and we head down the steps.

Here’s hoping the interloper is one of the bosses dropping in unannounced to check on the state of us after we reported in about the fight and gunfire last night. Because the alarm doesn’t sound in the whole place, someone entering might not realize it’s armed.