Page 87 of River of Deceit

I scowl, not used to Asch getting upset at me. Normally he agrees with what I say—at least, if it’s important.

“I found out who she is,” I say defensively. “She’s not just some spoiled princess. She’s Pandora Pavone. As in, Giulio Pavone’s oldest daughter. You don’t want to get mixed up in that.”

His eyes narrow, and he takes a long drink from his cup. His entire body has gone rigid, and his voice is terse as he replies, “So you’re… What? Trying to protect me?” He scoffs. “You don’t plan on leaving her alone, do you? You’re going to keep fucking her and—” He cuts himself off, then mutters, “Never mind. You do what you want, Blaze. I can’t stop you.”

I push away from the wall. “I can’t leave her alone. My dad wants me to keep an eye on her. But there’s no reason for you to get involved as well. You already made it clear you don’t like her, anyway.” I smile at him. “Come on. There’s probably chicks downstairs. I’ll find one for you. A redhead, right? You like redheads.”

Asch’s jaw clenches. “What do you think is going to happen after we graduate?” he demands. “I’m supposed to be protecting you, and I can’t do that if you shut me out. Or do you plan on hiringRiverato do my fucking job instead?”

I remember River, thrusting into Pandora. The way he’d handled her, and how hot the entire scenario had been.

Sex is one thing. I wouldn’t trust him to have my back, not like Asch.

“It’s not like that, Asch,” I say. I reach out for his free hand, but he pulls back before I can grab it. “Come on. There’s a party downstairs. You need to get laid.”

“Yeah? Because getting laid solves every problem in the world, especially if it’s with PandoraPavone,” he says sarcastically. “Go without me. I’m not in the mood.”

He storms off into his room, and I watch in shock.

Then anger starts to pool in my stomach.

How fucking dare he blow me off like that. He doesn’t get to treat me like that. He does what I say, when I say it.

I fight the urge to follow him into his room and put him in his place. I could wrap my hands around his neck, and he might fight, but we both know that if it comes down to it, he doesn’t have the will to oppose me.

I could tear him apart and make him beg.

Pandora would help me do it, too.

I flush with arousal, imagining Pandora trailing a knife over Asch’s bare skin. “Make him your bitch, Blaze,” she’d say.

Or maybe she wouldn’t, because so far, she’s never done what I told her to do.

I shake the thoughts away and down the rest of my drink.

Sex. Sex is going to calm everything down. I go back downstairs to where the music is pounding and the room is filled with new pledges high on success and plenty of drunk and horny women to even out the numbers.

I spot River talking to Franklin, the wuss pledge who probably is only still here because his parents are important. I know he’s on a secret fast track not to fail, and I don’t particularly care why right now.

I need a woman. Any woman.

Except Pandora.

I find a girl standing on her own right outside the kitchen. She’s wearing a cute summer dress, not quite as skimpy as what some of the others are wearing. She’s not as stick-thin as the other girls, and she wears the dress well. She’s also not a redhead, but Asch isn’tthatpicky. Cute, shy, probably a bit desperate.

Perfect.

I walk up to her and smile charmingly. “Hey. I saw you all on your own and thought, no way should a girl this pretty be alone.”

The girl blushes and ducks her head. “Oh. Um, hi.”

Internally, I’m rolling my eyes. The shy ones are usually boring, and they cry easily. But Asch would be nice to her, and Asch doesn’t want somebody like Pandora. So the exact opposite is the right call.

If he’s content with boring, let him have boring.

“Hey. I’m Blaze,” I say, lifting my mostly empty cup to her. “What should I call you?”

She purses her lip, looking at me with suspicion, like she thinks I might be pranking her. I can already envision a whole high school bullying backstory, where guys made her feel like she was the ugliest person on earth.