Page 29 of The Invite (The Massacre Ball #1)

Augustus

Augustus,

It’s time to pay up.

A sordid secret.

Play my game,

Win,

And safeguard your secret.

Post for everyone online tomorrow before midnight.

I’m rooting for you.

After all, a psychopath knows every secret.

Xoxo, A.

“Don’t tell me you still think this is a prank,” snaps Scarlett, pacing back and forth across from my bed.

Her note was a similar version of mine.

“It is,” I reply, then ball the note in my fist and throw it into the burning fireplace. “A very lame one at that.”

I don’t understand why my sister is so bent out of shape over this. If whoever this maniac is actually was legit, an old-fashioned clandestine note isn’t how you blackmail a person. Like dipping bait into the lake and hoping any fish bites it.

How can they expect anyone to take them seriously?

It’s because it’s a stupid prank by someone who has far too much time on their hands and nothing going on in their lives.

“Then how come you couldn’t find who it was?”

“Because I didn’t look.”

“The fuck, Augustus,” she grumbles, throwing up her hands.

I rise from the bed and run a hand through my hair in irritation. “You’re being paranoid, Scarlett.”

“I’m telling you I’m not getting a good feeling about this.” Her expression twists. “Something is up. You’re just too distracted with our new teacher to notice it.”

I conceal my emotions but she sees right through it. If there’s one person on this earth who knows me inside and out, it’s my sister and vice versa.

She’s spot-on in her accusation but that doesn’t mean I like it. Especially when she interrupted while I was reading Nessa’s bratty texts right after I saw her masturbate with desperate strokes of her wrist.

The sight was riveting and would’ve been perfect if she had her clothes off.

It took all my willpower not to demand she take them off through the hidden speakers I’ve put all over her house.

Yeah, she tried her best to locate them but failed terribly. The guy I hired to do the job is the best in the business. There’s no way Nessa will see the cameras unless I show her myself.

The distance of four days hasn’t lessened my obsession with my gorgeous and fiery little prey. I’ve done nothing but watch her on the feed once she returns from work as though it’s my sustenance. The exact opposite of what I intended to do.

It didn’t help that every single night she would wait for my arrival and look through the window in the living room. She didn’t even bother to lock her doors, which bothered me.

I’ve drawn the conclusion that the deep and twisted longing is mutual. The truth was right in her behavior and tonight’s texts—they all but taunted and begged me to come see her. It was a plot twist I didn’t see coming.

Nessa desires me despite hating my guts, and the knowledge pisses me off. All I crave is her submission, not an all-consuming connection where being apart leaves us both torn and empty.

Distance makes the heart grow fonder, they say.

Except in my case, it’s everything but my dead heart that has become addicted to everything about her.

I hardly know anything about her except for herbrave nature, the stubbornness in her character, andthe sounds she makes when she chases her orgasms before collapsing into my arms like I’m her lifeline.

What will I turn into if I get to know her completely and deeply?

Neither of us should want to find out.

Pushing thoughts of her out of my mind, I observe my sister closely. She really is spooked by the anonymous notes and it’s understandable. But is there more she isn’t telling me? Does she not know by now that I’ll protect her at all costs?

“Scarlett, tell me what’s really going on?” I ask placatingly.

Her jaw tightens, and she retorts, “I should be asking you that.”

“Nothing is going on between me and Nessa, Scarlett.”

“Oh, so you’re on a first-name basis with her.” Crossing her arms, she flicks her chin toward my bandaged hand. “How did you get hurt, Gus?”

“I accidentally cut it.”

“Really?”

“Yes,” I snap. “I never interfere when your war against Kaid and his gang. I suggest you do the same and stay out of my business.”

“Too late because I threatened Miss Davenport a few days ago.”

“What did you do?” My tone is low and hard.

A smug smirk tilts her mouth. “You obviously aren’t showing her that she’s a nobody in this town. So, I did. The Augustus I know would’ve never let her walk free, much less accepted the suspension. You’re getting soft and it’s a pathetic color on you.”

Giving me a disappointing look, she twists and walks away.

There’s no point in going after her either. She does as she pleases but I never thought one day it’ll be against me. A part of me knows she’s done it to protect me in her own way, while another part is furious because she’s right.

Seeing Nessa fragile and fractured made me soften toward her.

It’s the second time in my entire life that I have.

Why did it have to be her?

Up until the night of the knife incident, everything was going perfectly on the right track. I need to go back tobeing who I was before then. No letting her weaknesses get to my head and no forgetting my end goal.

To get her to admit that she made a false accusation.

If she doesn’t, then I’ll have no choice but to expose that she’s my dirty little whore.

Either way, she’ll be proven a liar.

Once I finish with Nessa, not only will she hate me, but she’ll hate herself too. That will be my ultimate revenge.

Come tomorrow, I’ll be back to being her monster.

Tonight, I’m going to get my head on straight.

Pulling out my phone, I text Maverick.

ME: Meet me at the tracks.

A second later, he responds.

MAVERICK: On my way.

Grabbing my leather jacket, I leave the house and head to the outside garage. My gaze lands on my Ducati Diavel motorcycle when I enter and adrenaline pumps in my veins. It’s my precious baby.

A sleek black beast that never fails to make me feel alive. When I’m riding it, nothing but the engine’s purr and the world whipping past me exists.

It may as well be an extension of my body.

I’ve always gravitated toward motorcycles more than cars. My love for them had been passed down by myfather. The most cherished memories I have with him have revolved around bikes. He knew them inside out.

His collection of some of the best vintage and limited editions sits in the second garage. My mother wanted to get rid of them after he passed away, but I threw a fit and didn’t allow her.

It was the last piece that connected me to him. I wasn’t selling them to some random stranger for any amount of money.

My chest squeezes with the familiar pang as I think about my dad, but I ignore it and straddle my bike. Sliding on my helmet, I turn on the ignition and it lets loose its throaty purr, bringing a smile to my face.

Pulling out of the garage, I zoom past our circular driveway and into the street. In seconds, I’m out of the gated community I live in and head to the other side of the town. For the next hour, my mind is in a peaceful silence.

Halfway to the tracks, Maverick catches up to me on his motorcycle. I recognize him before he reaches beside me. His face isalso hidden behind his helmet. Lifting his visor, he winks and speeds up.

Leaning forward, I rev the engine and give Maverick some friendly competition.

Soon, both of us reach our location and slow down when we enter the circuit. It’s an illegal makeshift race course run by the Tanner siblings on the weekends. This area used to be a railway track before it was abandoned.

The crowd is thick and loud. Music blares from the speakers being played by a DJ on a stage while booze and drugs are passed around freely.

It’s the perfect place to blow off steam.

Most of them recognize us at first glance and stare with wide and curious eyes as we park our bikes and slide off. This is the second time I’ve come here. Removing my helmet, I place it on the passenger seat and lean against my bike.

It’s not long before one of the loyal lackeys runs to tell the self-appointed owner about our arrival. No one from our school will set foot in this part of town, which saves me from maintaining the facade.

Maverick lights up a cigarette and blows smoke upward. Glancing around and winking at a group of girls ogling us, he asks me, “Are we here to pick a fight? I am in the mood for that.”

Did I mention this place hosts illegal boxing matches and MMA fights?

“Save it for yourself.”

“I think I’ll fuck those two after winning,” he mutters, nodding toward two girls. “Why couldn’t the dean give scholarships to girls instead of those two cunts?”

“He did offer it to one.”

“Who? Curvy Capri?”

“Yeah.” Though calling her nerdy is more suitable. I don’t think I’ve properly seen her face since it’s always buried in a book.

“She’s not my type,” says Maverick, taking a drag.

The said cunts he mentioned earlier stalk our away from across the ground. The sea of drunk people parting for them. It’s safe to say there’s bad blood between us and their part of town. At school, we may be civil but here, anything goes.

I keep my expression impassive as they approach and halt before us.

“Fancy seeing you both here, pansy boys,” jokes Wolf, but his eyes are mean and wary of our presence. “Take a wrong turn?”

“Usually, you send your little sister to fight your battles,” taunts Kaid, crossing his arms.

“Which she wins every time,” mocks Maverick with a curl of his lips.

Kaid glances at him and laughs. “Is that what she tells you?”

“Are you denying she didn’t put you behind bars last weekend?” I smirk when a muscle tics in his jaw. “For the record, nobody tells my sister to do anything. If you can’t handle her, just say so and I’ll let her know to show you mercy.”

“Careful, Grayson. You don’t wanna be implying we don’t hold back with her and send her crying back to you.”

“All I’m hearing is you can’t beat her fair and square.”

“Tell her to stop playing dirty first or the next time she visits, she may never return to her ivory tower.”

I’m in front of him in a flash with Maverick flanking my side. I threaten Kaid, “Lay a hand on her and I’ll burn your tattered little street to the ground.”

“Then keep her the fuck away because I’m not the only one she’s making an enemy of here.”

In other words, Wolf’s older brother’s gang.

If it’s true that she’s getting their attention, then I’ll have to intervene. Something she’s going to hate and drive a wedge between us over.

“Neither of you are welcome here either,” grunts Wolf. “Get the fuck out before we make you.”

“No.”

He raises a brow and chuckles. “No?”

“It’s a free country, jackass,” taunts Maverick.

“What the fuck are you here for then?” Kaid demands in annoyance.

“Same as everyone else, Kaid,” I reply in a bored tone. “To race. So how about you get me a worthy opponent, hmm?”

“Then by all means, be ready to get your ass handed to you.”

An hour later, I walk away with a fat load of cash.