Page 72 of Shadows Within

“What? I’m proud of you!”

Oh, God.She knows I hate this kind of confrontation. “It’s unlike anything I’ve had before. It’s more than just physical, and the way he…” I don’t want Sophia to think I’m a freak. Although, I know that she’s into a few weird things herself.

“What?!”

“Dominates me.” I look to her and she gasps.

“Scarlett!” She slaps her hand over her mouth, and we giggle like schoolgirls. “I always knew you were into kinky shit… welcome to the club.” She smirks.

Sophia has always been into different things, based on the sexcapades she’s told me.

“So, it’s good then?” She adds.

“Oh God Soph, it’s so good. I never knew it could be this good.” I can feel my cheeks flush a little bit. “I don’t know what to do, Soph. I like him a lot, but it’s so complicated. I can’t help but wonder if this will all blow up in my face.”

“You won’t know until you try, Scar.” Her faint smile brings me the warmth I was looking for.

There’s so much she doesn’t know. And I have a hard time believing that someone like her father, the District Attorney Victor Roberts, wouldn’t know what was going on with the people that Callum spends his time with.

“Have you heard of an underground elitist group that supports Langford?”

“What kind of group?”

“The one that Callum’s dad, Stirling, Harrison’s dad, and many others in your social circle belong to?” I try to gauge her reaction.

“Look, I don’t know what you think you know Scar, or what you’ve heard—”

“I haven’t heard anything! No one will tell me anything.” I don’t mean to lose my temper, but I’m sick of everyone hiding this from me.

“No one will tell you because they are trying to keep you safe, Scarlett. Once you know...you’ll wish you didn’t.”

I bring my hands together and begin picking my nails on my lap. There’s no easy way to ask this.

“Does it have anything to do with the two students that have died recently?”

“No, Scar. Please. You don’t want to push this. I’m not sure about the deaths, I don’t know anything about that, but please, don’t push any further.”

I don’t. I’ll just have to figure things out on my own.

“Okay, it’s okay Soph. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

“It’s okay. Just listen, don’t ask around about this. Please.” The plea in her voice makes me worried.

“Okay. I love you, Soph.” I reach out and wrap my arms around her. We’ve been there for each other through so much, but I need to find out what’s going on—before any other tragedies happen in this town.

“You know I love you too.” She pauses. “Well, I guess we don’t need to go for a drive anymore. Unless you still want to?”

“No, I should get home. It was really nice just to talk about things with you. Let’s not go that long with spilling our guts out again, please?”

“Agreed.” She sighs.

“Anything new with you? I feel like we’re always talking about my shitty life.”

“Oh, you know. Just the usual—Stirling won’t let anyone else near me, but he won’t fucking admit anything.”

“Seriously, that man needs to grow some balls.”

“Yeah. That or let me go.” Her voice goes quiet.