Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 63761 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63761 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
“Right. I must’ve forgotten the two of you were on good terms,” I reply, a cynical smirk forming on my face.
“We were,” she says, and for a moment she just stares at me. “Until you and that assistant came along, I had them eating out of the palm of my hand.”
“Them? Did you change the subject again? Because we’re definitely not talking about Falcon, Mason, and Lake right now.” I take a step closer to her. “You need to accept none of the heirs to CRC will ever be interested in you.”
Her mouth pulls down at the corners, and her eyes sweep over me with disdain. “As if any of them will even look at you twice. Money certainly can’t buy class.”
“I’m done having this conversation with you. Stay away from my friends, Serena. I might not be as wealthy as you, but I give a mean bitch-slap.”
Before I can turn to leave, she grabs my arm and yanks me toward her. It catches me off guard, and as I stumble, she steps to the side.
Shit, she wouldn’t.
Shock vibrates through me when she shoves me into the pool.
I see the smirk on her face.
The gleam in her eyes.
And then the water closes around me before I can take a breath.
Chapter 15
Mason
I just got back to campus, and see Layla coming out of the dorm.
“You’re back,” I say as I catch up to her. “Are you heading to the restaurant?”
“Yeah, we got back five minutes ago. I just called Falcon, and he’s busy feeding Lake. Have you eaten?” she asks as we begin to walk.
“My father tried to grill steaks.” I shudder when I think of the overdone steak. “He wasn’t very successful, so I’m starving.”
“Besides starving, did you have a nice day with your parents?” Layla asks.
I’m surprised how easy it is to admit to her. “Yeah, I did.”
She pats me on the arm. “I’m really glad to hear that, Mason.”
I look at Layla, and I think it’s the first time I actually smile at her. “Have I told you I think you’re a great person?”
“You have now,” she grins, then she teases, “But if you want to tell me some more, I won’t stop you.”
“I’m glad Falcon has you.”
“Thanks, Mason. It means a lot coming from you.”
She sees something behind me and ducks to her left, using me to hide behind. “Don’t move. It’s Serena,” she whispers. “Hopefully she won’t see us.”
A full-blown smile stretches over my face as I watch Layla peek around my right side.
Then she straightens up. “The coast is clear.”
I chuckle. “Come on, let’s go see what the guys are up to.”
“Well, Lake’s probably up to his neck in pizza.”
“True, very true.”
I glance around us as we walk, and through the windows of the indoor pool movement in the water catches my eye.
“Isn’t that Lake’s assistant?” I ask Layla. “The guy in the pool. What’s his name again?”
“To be honest, I don’t know. I haven’t seen him since the ball, and he wasn’t introduced to me.”
“It was a soiree,” I correct her.
“Dude, that was a ball,” she argues wryly, then she frowns as she glances past me to the pool house. “It looks like he needs help.”
Layla begins to walk toward the pool, and I follow right behind her.
The guy must see us, because he starts to yell, “Help! I need help!”
Instinctively I shoot forward, running until I get to closer to the pool. “Are you okay?” I ask as I get close to him.
“She drowned,” the guy cries, panic all over his face. “I can’t lift her out.”
Fuck.
Luckily, the guy has her head resting on his shoulder, but all I can see is wet black hair. Crouching by the edge of the pool, I reach down and hooking my hands under her arms, I pull her up.
“What happened?” Layla asks.
“Call security. Tell them to hurry over,” I say to Layla before I move back so I can get the girl totally out of the water.
“Tell them a girl –” As I lay her down, my eyes dart to her face, and the shock hits so fucking hard, it knocks me onto my ass.
It’s only a second, and then adrenaline clears my head at lightning speed. I dart forward and wipe the hair away from her face. “Hunt!”
Her lips are blue.
Fuck, no.
My head swings to Layla who’s standing frozen, her eyes huge on her friend. “Make the call, Layla!” I shout, and it snaps her out of the moment of shock.
Touching my fingers to Kingsley’s pulse, dread creeps over me when I can’t feel anything. I move my hands to her chest and begin with compressions.
I’ve had some first aid training because we like to go surfing, but fuck, that was a couple of years ago.
“Shouldn’t we give her air?” Layla asks as she kneels on the other side of Kingsley.