Page 28 of The Spare

"Oh, you don't know the half of it, woman. I amveryselfish. Exceedingly so."

Pulling back, her eyes fall to my lips. Fire races up my spine, and arousal dominates every emotion at the moment. If Melody and I had been officially together, I would have crowded her behind the plants in the private area of the terrace, hiked up her dress, lifted her leg, and slammed my cock into her with my hand over her mouth to keep her quiet.

But I can't.

So, I put my hand on her lower back, and escort her home. Only walking away with a hundred thousand dollars worth of jewelry tucked under my arm. Miserable, because I want it to be her there instead.

Chapter nine

M. Brookes

Chapter ten

Greedy Girls

Aweek later, I'm in the dorm's rec room with Karissa, taking advantage of some down time and attempt to get ahead on my math homework. A hard feat as all I can think about is the way Mason picked me up in joy, and then held me while I cried right after our fencing match. And how close he was at the night of the charity event.

"This is thefifthstudent that's randomly gone missing on the campus in the lasttwoyears, and everyone is beginning to wonder if it's due to the infamous King Dynasty family's very own Melody Brookes. A second year student here whose ties to the family’s oligarch Richard King, and her brother-in-lawHendrix King, seems to have broughton a string of bad luck to the campus attendance rates, as well as her love life."

'"Oh my Goddd,"I shake my head and groan, leaning over my statistics homework, doing my best to ignore Karissa.

She's flopped down on the couch next to me, reading the school newspaper gossip section. I knew the fallout from my fifth boyfriend's disappearance wasn't going to be pretty, but I hadn't expected for shit to hit the fan quite this bad.

"Karissa, can youplease stop?I already feel bad enough," I say, hitting enter on the practice question and frowning as it comes back wrong with a big red X.

"Girl, this is juicy fucking gossip. And you need to know what's being said," she says, her nails tapping her screen as she scrolls down further. I look over at her, eyeing her platinum blonde hair and her fake boobs. She's in a tiny dress that really can't even constitute as a dress.

It's more like a napkin.

"I don't care about what's being said," I lie.

"Yeah you do," she says back. "And if youdon't,you need to start because of this family you're a part of." She pauses, putting her phone down for a second and turning to face me."Hey,what's it like being the sister-in-law oftheHendrix King?"

I shake my head, trying to get this question right for the seventh time, but it's no use. I push my laptop to the side irritably.

"It's fine."

She leans forward to grab my hand, yanking my arm and shaking me, "Melody, pleeaasseee?You never talk about it!Come on, I had to sign a non-disclosure agreement andeverythingjust to be your roommate. I just want to know something,aaanything!"

I roll my eyes, but she continues as if she doesn't see me being annoyed.

"Is it glamorous? Is it fun to always be able to buy what you want? Are the parties amazing? Is being filthy rich as awesome as it looks?" Karissa's so excited it makes me nauseated.

"It'sthat!"I snap, pointing to Stephen who sits in a chair by the rec room door, looking stoic as always. "It's always being watched. It's not being able to put a toe out of line because your security guard will run and tell your family, and then they'll jump down your throat. It's not being able to go to the school you want because your sister holds all the cards and is an insufferable, over-protective bitch. It's having to dress up and act like you care about events because your sister might not be able to take her husband. It's always worried about being kidnapped and held for ransom. Or, having every guy you try to touch mysteriously disappear,apparently!"

Her face falls. "But the money though?" she says, her tone still hopeful.

I sigh. "The money's fine, Kari."

I don't bother telling her that I only have a twenty-thousand dollar credit card limit.

This appeases her, because she gets a dreamy look on her face and then sits back in her seat. "Your brother-in-law is really fucking hot. I'd do him."

I frown. "Ew."

"So is his brother, the Spanish looking one. Is he single?"

I look up slowly at her words. "I think so," I answer, fighting back a wave of irritation, because I don't know if he is or isn't.