Page 109 of River of Deceit

“Safer for her?” I repeat. “Safer for them, you mean.”

Asch eyes me, but he doesn’t comment. Instead, he and Blaze exchange a look. The two of them are close, that much is obvious, and I wonder how much they know about Pandora now.

“You think you’re the only one here with ties to the mob?” Blaze counters. “She’s lucky Declan’s mother is on the state supreme court and not with any of the major crime families. Of course, if Pandora had gone for somebody from the Crescis, Rosa di Sangue, orDiamantes, she wouldn’t have had such an easy time with the stabbing.”

I snort. He’s not wrong. Those families are from the underbelly of society, though, and Declan’s family comes from the supposed right side of the tracks. It doesn’t surprise me that he wouldn’t know how to defend himself. He’d always assume that no one would dare raise a hand to him, and if they did…

He’d probably threaten to sue.

Legal threats aren’t going to stop Pandora fucking Pavone, as he’d just learned.

The room is starting to clear out, with only Zayden staying behind to talk to one of the other senior frat brothers. Franklin gives me a pleading look, but when I shake my head and make a shooing motion, he leaves.

“Pandora wouldn’t go for anyone from the Rosa di Sangue,” I say quietly. “They’re allied with the Pavones.”

More than allied, actually, but if Blaze doesn’t know that, I’m not going to give him all the details.

“Allegiances can break easily,” Blaze answers glibly.

“Not this one,” I tell him with utter certainty. Pandora’s family dynamics are complicated, to put it lightly, but I know that her aunt is one of the powers behind the Rosa di Sangue.

“How can you be so sure?” Asch asks, appraising me.

I shrug. “Believe it or not, but it’s true. Anyway, it doesn’t matter. She won’t.”

Asch and Blaze are quiet for a while, until Blaze says, “Let’s go up to my room.” He squeezes my shoulder. “Don’t want to keep airing all our secrets out here.”

He’s not wrong. There are too many curious frat boys around us, and while most of them have moved on to do other things, a few have lingered nearby like they’re expecting Asch and I to start up again.

I want to tell Blaze that I don’t have anything else to say, but I also need to make progress on learning more about Rachel’s death. Ifthere’s the chance that they know something, anything, I need to find out.

“Yeah,” I say instead of arguing.

I follow the two of them up the stairs to Blaze’s room. Once inside, I see that the sheets have been pulled off the bed, tossed haphazardly off to the side, and I remember what Blaze had said about Pandora liking to be cut up.

Anger flares inside of me.

Is this where they sliced into her? Is this where they made her bleed?

Blaze shuts—and locks—the door behind us. I glare at him, but he only shrugs.

“So, River. Why don’t you tell us what Pandora is doing here? And don’t give us that crap about Pandora being mysterious or whatever.” Blaze folds his arms and tries to look intimidating.

Maybe it would work, if I was some soft kid from a cushy life.

I’ve dealt with intimidating assholes all my life, though.

Asch nods. “If she shows up here again, nobody’s going to go easy on her.”

“Does she really need anyone to go easy on her?” I retort.

I’d like to say she’s not going to come back, but I know it’s only a matter of time before she does.

Asch gives me a look. “Do you really want the entirety of the fratactuallygunning for her?”

I grit my teeth. “She’s here for an education. Yes, she chose this particular university for a reason, but that reason isn’t any of your fucking business.”

“She kind of made it our fucking business when she went after our frat brother,” Blaze growls. “Yourfuture frat brother, River. You want to be part of Kappa Alpha, you have to show us you understand what that means. Brotherhood isn’t just a word. It’s a philosophy. A fucking duty.”