Page 57 of The Invite (The Massacre Ball #1)

Augustus

Calling Nessa my girlfriend.

Taking her on a ride to my favorite spot.

Then feeling a tightness inside my chest as I left her house after tucking her into bed this morning. I realize… I’m absolutely fucked .

I can’t tell who’s leading on who at this point. My behavior today was out of the norm. I don’t go out of my way to make somebody feel special. Yet that’s all I wanted to do for Nessa. Spoil her rotten. Soothe away her worries.

The beautiful smile on her face as she sat behind me—it wrecked me.

I ached to see it again and again.

Since when did I care about making a girl smile? The answer is never. Not even Scarlett elicited this need and she’s the closest I’ve ever been to a person.

I need to finish this business with Anonymous quickly and sever all ties with Nessa. It’s for both our benefits, and I may stand a chance of getting my sanity back.

An hour later, I’ve barely crossed the threshold of my home when Scarlett ambushes me from the top of the staircase.

“Where the fuck have you been?” she yells, stomping down the steps.

I give her an impassive glance, and counter, “Since when did you start keeping tabs on my whereabouts?”

“Ever since you started being distracted and cagey.”

Bypassing her as I climb upstairs, I reply, “I’m still the same.”

“Then just answer where you were the whole night. I know you weren’t with Maverick.”

“I’m too tired for this interrogation.”

“Were you with Miss Davenport?”

The sudden calmness in her tone makes me halt. I slowly turn around.

Paranoia and malice are plain as day in her eyes. Along with the determined set of her jaw, conveying that if I don’t give her something, she’ll go searching for it on her own. When that happens, chaos ensues.

“I’m teaching her a lesson in screwing with me,” I lie with a straight face. “I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want it coming back to you in case Nessa pulled another stunt. Wouldn’t want to face Mother’s wrath if both of us caused trouble.”

Scarlett scrutinizes my expression, looking for any cracks, and relaxes her face when she finds none. Leaning against the railing, she offers, “I could help.”

Instantly turning her down will be catastrophic. So, I bury the urge and offensively ask, “Are you implying I can’t handle her on my own?”

She frowns. “Of course not.” Shrugging, she timidly says, “I need a distraction, Gus.”

“I have a plan for Anonymous.”

“You do?” She perks up, all thoughts of Nessa vanishing.

“I’m going to call Kaid and have them meet us at Maverick’s cabin in an hour. You call the junior girl and the nerd. I’ll share the plan with everyone.” Swiveling, I continue up the stairs and warn, “And stop poking around in my business, Scarlett.”

She wisely doesn’t argue.

***

“Ooh… sounds thrilling,” chirps Daisy as soon as I finish explaining Nessa’s plan.

Everyone is either stressed, angry, or seconds away from pissing their pants, while she’s practically bouncing on her toes like we’re in an escape room.

The girl is certifiably crazy. Though no one can tell judging by the bookish girl vibe she has got going on. Even today, she’s brought a novel along with her, which is perched on her lap.

“This is a stupid idea,” snaps Capri, popping Daisy’s excited bubble, causing her to deflate like a balloon. “Haven’t you heard the saying ‘don’t poke the bear’? Anonymous will go ballistic.”

“That’s the aim,” I say flatly.

“So, I’m guessing giving this plan a kickass secret name is out of the window,” Daisy drawls with an innocent yet hopeful expression.

“Yes!” growls Capri, looking seconds away from throttling Daisy.

“Jesus!” curses Kaid, expressing my sentiment. “Are you nuts?”

Maverick, standing behind Scarlett, bites down on his lip to hold back his laughter. Wolf legit does a face-palm. Beside him, Kenny, who’s curled on the seat like a cornered mouse, becomes scared for Daisy.

Meanwhile, I feel a headache brewing in my temple. I would rather bring Nessa breakfast in her bed than be stuck with this lot.

“He’s going to come after us either way,” I calmly state, returning their focus to tonight’s deadline. “Might as well throw him bait to draw him out.”

“Grayson’s right, Capri,” says Kaid, standing with his arms crossed beside me. “The sooner we catch him, the faster we make him pay for hurting Amber.”

The rest of the group is scattered around the room. One look and you can tell we’re divided into two: the rich and the poor. No matter how evolved our society becomes, some lines can never be erased.

“How can you be okay with risking our lives while they,” she utters with disgust, “stay tucked away in their highly protected ivory castles.”

“Man, you really hate rich people,” snidely remarks Maverick.

Her sharp gaze swings his away. “Then stop flaunting it in our faces. You people only have it because you mooch off on the backs of hardworking people like us.”

“Your little speech reeks of jealousy.”

“Not our fault you’re poor,” taunts Scarlett, her words disguised in a sweet tone. “Or that you weren’t born into a wealthy family.”

“You just proved my point.”

“Stating a fact isn’t bragging,” scoffs Scarlett.

“Funny you say that, Scarlett,” drawls Kaid. “Because I’ve seen you get offended when everyone calls you a bitch. Last I checked, it’s a known fact too.”

“Hey… watch it!” I threaten.

Maverick holds a ready-to-punch Scarlett back as she yells, “You asshole!”

Kaid’s face remains in a tight scowl, but there’s no missing the sadistic spark in his eye as he dares her to hit him.

“Oh, so you can insult our friend but we can’t say shit to you?” sneers Wolf. “Don’t dish it out if you can’t take the heat back.”

“You know what, I hope Anonymous kills one of you.” Pushing away from Maverick, my sister stands and stalks upstairs without a backward glance.

I don’t stop her because it’s for best.

Before the situation can escalate into a full-out brawl, I cut in, “Unless anyone has a better plan, we’re going with mine.

” I stare hard at Capri. When her mouth stays shut and pressed in a thin line, I continue.

“Then it’s settled. Before you interrupted, I was also going to suggest we all pair up into partners or trios, in case Anonymous decides to target one of us.

We’re more than happy to invite you into our ivory tower , Capri. ”

“We can protect ourselves,” grunts Wolf.

“Yeah, ’cause you did such a fine job with Amber.”

I see Kaid’s fist swinging my way and dodge it easily. Grabbing his neck, I shove him against the nearest wall and press my elbow into his throat. “Who can’t handle the heat now, huh?”

In my peripheral, I see Maverick and Wolf facing off. Kenny scuttles to a corner. While Crazy Daisy has her nose buried in her little book, not sparing us a glance. That girl is something else.

“What happened to letting your little sister fight her own battles?” Kaid taunts with a manic gleam, completely unbothered I’m restricting his air. “Your spoiled asses are too soft.”

I glance over my shoulder at an ashen-faced Capri and turn back to meet Kaid’s gaze. “By the looks of it, so are yours.”

Pushing me off, he glares and cracks his neck. Then switches the subject. “Who’s going to post whose secret at midnight?”

I back away, accepting the pseudo truce.

“We can draw names out of a bowl,” suggests Kenny, shocking us.

“Do you see us carrying a notebook or a pen?” I retort.

His gaze drops to the floor.

“Umm… I do,” says Daisy loudly.

“Great,” answers Kaid, jerking his chin to Kenny. “Go on. Help her. I have places to be.”

My phone buzzes as Daisy and Kenny work on writing down the names. Walking into a corner, I pull it out and the tension leaves my body as Nessa’s username lights up my screen with a message.

@nessatheatheist: How did it go?

@thedeviluworship: Don’t you think it’s time you changed your username?

@nessatheatheist: Why?

I grin reading her text and hit reply.

@thedeviluworship: Doesn’t seem fitting anymore.

@nessatheatheist: Because I agreed to be yours?

@thedeviluworship: More like you sold your soul to the devil.

@nessatheatheist: Funny. The devil was buying me things yesterday.

@thedeviluworship: Maybe he was trying to salvage his bad rep.

@thedeviluworship: Did it work?

@nessatheatheist: Hmm… too soon to say.

@thedeviluworship: You have until tonight to make up your mind ’cause I need the answer.

@nessatheatheist: So I guess they agreed to the plan.

@thedeviluworship: Did you doubt me?

@nessatheatheist: No.

A bubble comes and goes as she types. After a beat, as though she’s contemplating whether or not to send it, her response comes.

@nessatheatheist: When will you tell them about me?

@thedeviluworship: Never.

@thedeviluworship: Pack a bag. I’m coming over later to pick you up. Wear the other brown jacket I got you.

@nessatheatheist: Um… I was thinking it’s best if I stay at my place.

@thedeviluworship: Honey, you didn’t even check your back door until I told you. I’ve seen firsthand how easy it is to break into your home. So forgive me if I don’t think it’s the safest place for us to be.

I haven’t told her that the back door wasn’t my only way into her place. Or that I need her house empty to set as a trap for Anonymous.

@nessatheatheist: Then it makes sense to stay ’cause it’ll increase our chances to catch Anonymous.

I’m once again impressed by her cunningness. Still, I want her safe and sound.

@thedeviluworship: You let me worry about where to catch him.

“Grayson!” Kaid’s annoyed voice draws my attention to the circle, which I completely forgot about.

“What?” I snap, looking up from my phone.

“Your turn.”

Quickly typing a message to Nessa, I join Daisy’s side. They’ve put the names in the bowl with two folded pieces of paper left. The last will be for Scarlett.

I pick one and open it.

“It’s Kenny,” I glance at him.

He swallows nervously, and mutters, “Cool… cool… cool.”

“I still don’t get what Anonymous could possibly have on you.”

Avoiding everyone’s curious gaze, he mumbles to the floor, “It’s umm… my family’s history… I’m guessing.”

“Does it involve murder? Did your daddy have an affair? What could be so dirty that someone would want to kill you over it?” Out of everybody, his and Daisy’s involvement is unfathomable to me. One is a scared mouse and the other is a nutcase with a sunny disposition.

“Come on, tell us, man,” pushes Maverick by slapping him on the back.

Kenny’s mouth opens and closes like a fish out of water. Sweat dripping down his forehead as his gaze swings between Maverick and me.

“Leave him alone!” orders Capri.

I don’t lift my focus from Kenny. “It’ll come out eventually. Better not shit your pants when the time comes.”

Daisy clears her throat and I catch her staring fascinatingly at Kaid.

“That leaves me for your sister,” he grumbles through gritted teeth while staring hard at the last paper.

For a second, I think he looks worried. Hmm, maybe Scarlett does have something on him, which wouldn’t surprise me judging by the hatred between the two.

“What’s the matter, Kaid? You look nervous,” I can’t help but taunt.

His eyes narrow into slits. “It’s your little troublemaker sister who should worry, Grayson. You don’t know her as well as you think you do. So, ensure she sticks to the plan and doesn’t make it go up in flames.”

“Fuck! She knows your dirty little secret, doesn’t she?” accuses Maverick.

“We done?” Kaid snaps, after passing him a withering glare.

“Yeah.” I’m crawling out of my skin to go to Nessa.

“And, Grayson?” Kaid calls on his way out with Capri and Wolf following suit.

“What?”

“Come at me again and I’ll break your neck.”

I say to his back, “Then you better watch your mouth around my sister.”

“Tell her the same.”

Kenny skedaddles too at a speed that says his ass is on fire. What the hell am I supposed to post about him? No one’s going to believe he could commit a crime or anything remotely close.

“This is a lovely cabin.”

Daisy and Maverick stand in front of each other as I turn to the living room.

“Yeah?” drawls my best friend with a flirty grin. “You should see my bedroom upstairs.”

She blushes and tucks her hair behind her ear.

Maverick’s grin widens into a wolfish smile. “Wanna see?”

“Don’t you have somewhere to be, Daisy?”

Her eyes fling my way and my cold expression wipes the smile off her face. Maverick looks offended I took his chance away of fucking her.

Like things aren’t messy enough as it is.

Clutching her book tighter to her chest, Daisy nods. “Yep, gotta come up with a juicy story to post about Capri.”

“Who are you staying with tonight?” I ask, realizing she and Kenny never answered earlier.

“I’ll have a sleepover at Kenny’s,” she shares. “Turns out he and I live on the same street. Plus, I could use his help with Mr. Melrose’s assignment.”

She tries to sidestep me, but I catch her elbow and look down at her. “While you’re there, try to find out more about his family.”

“A secret mission within a secret mission?” Her tone rises with exuberance.

I drop my hand. “We’re not naming it either.”

“You’re all really lame for a bunch of seniors.”

Shaking my head, I taunt, “You can’t handle our kind of fun, junior.”

“You’d be surprised,” she mumbles low under her breath, and walks out.

As soon as she’s gone, Maverick utters, “Fifty bucks says she’s a wildcat in bed.”

“Leave her alone, she reads romance novels, for fuck’s sake. Those chicks are clingy as fuck.”

“Damn,” Maverick heaves in disappointment, “that’s true.”

Nothing turns him off quicker than a needy girl. No way he’ll be wasting his time on Daisy ever again.

Both of us jerk our heads toward the staircase when we hear soft footsteps. Scarlett rounds the corner. “They left?”

“Yeah.” I then inform her, “You have to post about Kaid tonight.”

Her nose scrunches. “Who picked?”

“It was random.” As she processes, I warn her, “Make sure it’s fake, Scarlett. No messing with him.”

“Don’t worry. No one wants to be done with this mess as much as I do.”

“Good. Let’s go home.”