Page 39 of The Invite (The Massacre Ball #1)

Augustus

I catch a flicker of glossy black hair peeking from behind a door and duck back inside just as my gaze travels to the corner.

But it’s too late.

I’ve seen my little prey.

Those silky tresses, and every little inch of her, I’ll recognize in a heartbeat.

Why she is here, though, and eavesdropping from a hidden corner is a more pressing matter. I avert my gaze before the others notice, not wanting to alert them to her presence.

When I paid the guard to stay away from the building for a couple of hours, I didn’t expect to walk into a room full of people. It seems everyone here, including Nessa and two new faces I haven’t met, took advantage of my bribe. However, it’s not a bad thing.

All of them being here is a dead giveaway that Anonymous is after them too.

Are we the only players? That remains to be seen.

“I think we all know why we’re all here,” answers Kaid dryly.

After a beat, everyone says in unison, “Anonymous.”

No point in beating around the bush.

“You’ve got to be kidding me?” booms a well-known voice, making my spine snap straight.

All of us turn to gaze at none other than my sister.

I glare at her and say in a low tone, “I told you to stay at home, Scarlett.”

She’s too busy throwing daggers at Kaid and Wolf to spare me a glance.

Her heels click on the floor as she goes straight to Kaid, stabbing a finger against his chest, and accuses sharply, “Are you behind this? Did you kill her?”

The strange girl standing to the side stiffens as pain briefly flashes in her eyes. She must be the real Capri.

It was an absolute shock to learn that her little sister, Amber, was acting as Capri all this time. Quite impressive and sneaky of them that they managed to keep up the facade for half of the year. Probably would’ve succeeded if someone hadn’t outed their secret.

“Sheath your claws, Catwoman,” warns Wolf.

Scarlett’s jaw tightens in fury and she drops her hand from Kaid’s chest. Before she can hurl an insult back, he answers her earlier accusation.

“Snooping into other people’s business is your thing, spoiled princess,” he counters with a sneer. “For all we know, you could be Anonymous.”

I don’t intervene, knowing it’ll piss her off, and simply watch them bicker. So do the rest of theothers.

A quick peek at the back reveals Nessa is still in her hiding place. It takes every ounce of willpower not to storm over there and hold her in my arms. It’s the first time she and I are in the same room but not sharing the same breath.

“I have far moreimportant things to do than to concoct a silly game. You know, like prepare for a future and college.” Smirking, Scarlett taunts, “Two things you’re short on.”

“You shouldn’t hurt my feelings like that,” he says in mock pain, rubbing his pecs in a dramatic fashion. “Or I may just play Anonymous’s game and tell him a secret. Then you can kiss both your future and college plans goodbye.”

Before Scarlett’s face turns fully pale at his threat, I’m toe to toe with him. “Don’t make foolish threats. They make you sound weak, Kaid. Don’t pretend that you have nothing to lose.”

“The last part may be true, but I’ll survive. Your sister, on the other hand, who’s obsessed with her squeaky-clean image, won’t.” A glint appears in his eye. “Whatever will happen to the mighty Grayson family if their sordid secrets come out, I’m more tempted to see.”

“From where I stand, it’s not my friend’s sister who died.” His cockiness drops and I grin. “So as I said, your threats mean shit when we both know you’re here to catch the bastard and won’t ever give in to Anonymous. If you do, it’ll be equal to letting him get away with Amber’s murder.”

“Don’t you utter my sister’s name, you asshole,” says Capri vehemently, stepping forward. “Every single one of you is to blame for her death and has everything to lose. Unless you want to me go to the cops and tell them the truth about Anonymous, I suggest you stop disrespecting my sister.”

“We wouldn’t be here if you and your sister hadn’t tried to con the school,” taunts Scarlett.

Everyone stills because she went too far.

Capri loses it and attacks my sister, taking her by surprise.

Kaid and I jump in and pull them apart, when we’re interrupted again.

“Umm… Is it a bad time to join?” a timid and throaty voice asks.

We all swing our heads in the direction of the new arrival.

A petite girl in plain jeans and an oversized plaid shirt hovers in the doorway, glancing at us in fascination.

“It’s not a party.” Scarlett snorts as I hold her in my arms. “But sure, Daisy.”

“Who’s she?” I ask in Scarlett’s ear.

“She’s a junior.”

Daisy hops over the fallen bright yellow tape and gazes nervously at us individuallyfrom behind her nerdy glasses, as though we’ll pounce on her at any second. I frown at the book she’s holding in her hand. A flash of a Gothic castle on the cover catches my eye.

Who brings a goddamn book to read at a crime scene?

“How long have you been listening to us?” demands Kaid darkly.

She swallows and stares at him wide-eyed and guiltily. “Long enough to confirm I’m not the only one invited to play the game.”

“Fucking hell,” cries Wolf. “Is everyone receiving notes besides me?”

“Feeling left out, Tanner?” jibes Maverick.

“What’s your secret then, Daisy?” I ask her, cutting off the bickering.

“What?” she stammers.

“What is Anonymous holding over your head?”

“Do you not believe me?”

In my peripheral, Kaid crosses his arms and probes, “What skeleton could you possibly have buried in your closet? You’re the odd one out here. We’re all seniors from the same class and you’re a junior who nobody knows about.”

The color drains from her cheeks as she scrambles for an answer. Finally, she utters, “Well… I’m not telling you.”

Hmm, so she has a little backbone.

“You want proof. Here it is.” Flipping open her book, she pulls out the black envelope and waves it at us.

“Should we send a search party to ensure nobody else is hiding or waiting to pop up?” mumbles Capri. “Otherwise, the eight of us are targets.”

“Six,” I correct.

“Did you forget how to count?”

I brush off the insult. “Wolf and Maverick didn’t get the notes. So, they’re out.”

“Right,” she mutters low, nose pinkening.

I notice how she’s keeping her back to the back of the classroom. She’s hiding well how distressing it is being inches away from where her sister was killed.

“Can we all agree none of us are giving in to Anonymous’s demands?” I ask everyone in the room.

Some nod and some whisper yes.

“What are you suggesting, Grayson?” asks Kaid suspiciously, arms folded over his chest.

I shrug. “We work together to catch him.”

“Who’s to say you and your sister won’t stab us in the back?” Wolf asks. Capri nods along and glares at us.

“I can ask you both the same. But I’m willing to take that risk.”

“Because we have no other choice,” states Kaid, agreeing with me.

“Sort of like the enemy of my enemy is my friend,” murmurs Daisy with palpable excitement in her round eyes. “Right?”

“None of us are friends and this isn’t a thriller movie,” snaps Scarlett from beside Maverick. “We’re just stuck in the same boat. The sooner we fix the hole sinking us, the quicker we move on with our lives.”

“Agreed,” says Capri.

Mortification kills the thrill on Daisy’s face and she cautiously approaches Capri, who tenses. Shorter by a few inches than her, Daisy tilts her head. “I’m sorry for being insensitive. I always thought Amber was sweet. We sat in the library together once during lunch.”

“Whatever. Keep your apologies.”

Daisy’s expression falls. With a nod, she shifts to the side.

“How are we going to catch him, though? We know nothing about him,” says a sweat-slicked Kenny. “The notes aren’t enough.”

I look at him in surprise that he spoke at all considering the state of him. I don’t think he’s moved an inch from his position. He doesn’t look like he could hurt a fly; rather, he’d be scared of it. After Amber’s death, it’s obvious even the innocent ones can hide deadly secrets.

“Our best bet is to keep an eye on where he leaves the envelopes and catch him when he comes to deliver the next one.”

“How do you propose we do that, rich boy?” huffs Capri. “Not all of us can afford to install high-tech cameras nor do we have time to perch on our windows and wait for him. Unlike you and your sister, the rest of us work to keep food in our bellies and don’t have servants doing everything for us.”

“Are you finished with your monologue?”

She glowers.

“I can arrange them for you,” offers Maverick, smiling charmingly while adding, “free of charge.”

“I don’t need your charity,” she sneers, looking at him up and down with disdain.

“So you just like to complain then?” taunts Scarlett.

Capri’s mouth twists and opens to retort. Kaid jumps in, and says, “We’ll find a way to keep an eye out.”

“This is our only lead,” I reiterate. “Anonymous will send another note soon to tell us when to post the secret.”

“What are we supposed to do if we do catch him?” asks Kenny nervously. “Do we confront him? Do we tell the police?”

“No,” Kaid and I say at the same time, making him jump.

I continue. “No confronting him alone. Let him think he’s safe. Once we know his identity, we’ll decide how to handle him together.”

Kaid explains, “We need to know what secrets he knows about us.”

“Handle him how?” asks Daisy very slowly, emphasizing the word how.

“Like I said, we decide together,” I answer.

She swallows and nods.

“Anybody else has any other questions?”

Kenny raises his hand, making both Wolf and Maverick shake their head behind him and reel back their amusement.

“What, Kenny?” I sigh. I’m suddenly more intrigued what nefarious secret could this guy have. I bet Anonymous made a mistake.

“What do we tell the detectives tomorrow?” he asks.

“That you have no idea who could’ve hurt her or that you ever spoke to her.”

“Oh… Okay.”

“Can we leave now?” comes from Daisy.

“Except forthe confession on the wall, there’s nothing that can help us here,” I state. There are cameras in the corridors. According to the guy at the police station, they were again mysteriously down for weekly maintenance.

“Come on, Capri, let’s go,” Wolf says, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. Kaid flicks his chin at me, ignores Scarlett’s glare, and follows after his friends.

Daisy and Kenny file out too.

I join Maverick and my sister. We linger back. Once the rest are out of earshot, I scold Scarlett, “Did I not tell you to not go out alone?”

“I’m not sitting back in this, Gus.”

I study the resolute set of her jaw and relent. “Fine. But you stick by either Maverick or my side.”

“Okay.” After a pause, she says, “Can we really trust them, though?”

“I’m not sure about Kenny and Daisy,” shares Maverick, mirroring my thoughts. “Augustus was right about Kaid, Wolf, and Capri. They want to catch and bury this guy too.”

“We need to find what Anonymous has on Kenny and Daisy to keep them in line,” I say.

Scarlett replies, “I can get Daisy to spill.”

“Maverick and I will look into Kenny.”

Scarlett shifts and strolls up the aisle between the desks, observing the bloody ink on the wall. I skirt my gaze to the door behind which Nessa is hiding. Before my sister’s attention is drawn toward it, I announce, “Let’s leave, Scarlett. We can’t be here when the guard returns.”

Turning to Maverick, I whisper to him, “Drop Scarlett home and meet me at Nessa’s place.”

“Are you shitting me? You thinking about getting laid while we’re in this mess?” He raises a brow. “What does she have? A magic pussy?”

His remark makes my hand ball into a fist. Through sheer willpower, I stop myself from punching him. I impassively retort, “For the last time, I’m not fucking her.”

Scarlett reaches us, saving me from saying more that might give away my fascination with Nessa. The three of us walk out. I do it to make Nessa think we’re all gone. As we reach the end of the hallway, I stop. “Go with him, Scarlett.”

She halts too, and frowns. “You’re not coming?”

“I have something to take care of.”

Once they both leave, I go back quietly. Pushing inside the classroom next to mine, I wait for Nessa to come out. After a good ten minutes, she does and sprints down the hallway. I recognize the hoodie I bought her and satisfaction burns that she’s wearing something from me.

I follow her outside and remain in the shadows as she keeps checking over her shoulder. She’s quick and light on her feet for someone so petite. After a minute-long trek down the hill, she turns to an opening in the forest.

Quickening my speed, I chase after her and notice the SUV parked in a corner. Over the relief of making it out without getting caught, she lowers her guard and unlocks the door. Yanking it open, she hurries to get inside and dodge.

I close the gap.

The soft crinkle of my boot crunching a fallen leaf stiffens her just as I slam the car door shut. A loud and terrified yelp escapes her when I trap her body against it. Bending to place my lips against her ear, I whisper, “Fancy seeing you here, little prey.”