Total pages in book: 177
Estimated words: 178117 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 891(@200wpm)___ 712(@250wpm)___ 594(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 178117 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 891(@200wpm)___ 712(@250wpm)___ 594(@300wpm)
He licks his lips, his thumb brushing across my skin to pick up the single tear rolling down.
“But if you don’t …” I say, looking deep into her eyes. “I won’t stop. I won’t stop fighting for you.”
She shakes her head again and again. “Then fight.”
A crazy smirk slowly forms on his lips. “You really don’t like the easy way out, do you?”
She laughs through her tears. “Fuck that. Fuck it if it’s wrong. I don’t care. Fuck whatever anyone else thinks. No, I won’t forgive you.”
He grabs my face with both hands and whispers, “Last chance to walk away now, Pen. Or our new deal will last until the end of your life.”
“New deal? There was an old deal?” Lana mutters, but we both ignore her.
It takes me not even a second to say the word, “Deal.”
Even if they hate me for burning down the school, even if I hate them for hurting me …
The hate couldn’t possibly be as strong as the need deep inside in my heart to be close to them. To belong to these sick boys.
Suddenly he smashes his lips on mine, taking away any and all doubt I had in my mind. Because this kiss … God this is a kiss I couldn’t possibly live without.
“Whooo!” Dylan cheers, and my lips unlatch to gaze across Felix’s shoulder.
His dad seems pissed as hell. “Care to explain yourself?”
“She stays. Or I go,” Felix growls, leering at his father over his shoulder. “End of story.”
Felix’s father grinds his teeth. “This … this is what you choose after all this mess?”
He nods without a single sliver of shame showing on his face. “She’s worth it.”
And that comment … God, I didn’t think anything could make me blush this hard.
“Penelope …” her father mutters. “After everything that happened. To your sister. To you … why would you want to stay here?”
I look at Felix and at Dylan and Alistair who sit in their chairs, gazing at me with pure and utter devotion, and I realize I’ve fallen too deeply, too fast to let go.
I sigh. “Because I belong to them.”
The relief that shows on their faces makes me feel better about my decision, despite the fact that I know I’m disappointing my parents. They hate this place with every fiber of their being, and for good reasons. But they don’t know these boys like I do.
“I want to stay.”
They would destroy the world to save me.
“Are you sure?” my father asks. “This place hasn’t been kind to our family.”
“I know,” I reply, and I look his way. “But we’ve taken care of the person responsible. And this university paid a heavy price for it. I made sure of that.”
My father swallows and puts his hand on my shoulder. “I don’t trust these people,” he says. “But I trust you.”
“Thanks Dad,” I say, covering his hand with mine.
He ogles the boys from the corner of his eyes. “But if I have to come back here even once…”
“Don’t worry, sir. She’ll be in good hands,” Alistair replies.
“Expert hands,” Dylan adds, running his tongue along his teeth.
My father might not know what that means, but I certainly do.
“I doubt that,” Lana mutters. “But I guess it’s already been decided.”
“It’s not up for debate,” Felix says. “So what’s it gonna be, Dad? Her or me?”
His father sighs, rubbing his face. “Fine,” he says after a while.
A smile erupts on my face.
“But.” His father waits until everyone looks at him. “No more killing.”
Felix grumbles but doesn’t respond.
“And no more fires either,” his father adds, glaring at both Dylan and me.
“Awww,” Dylan mopes, and Ali swats him. “No one said nothing about a barbecue.”
“Not on school grounds,” Rivera says.
Dylan sighs out loud. “Whatever.”
“In Felix’s words … it’s not up for debate,” Rivera replies, and he grabs a pen and some paper. “Now, since you all decided to destroy the school, you will also help rebuild it.”
“Wow, wow, wait a sec,” Dylan mutters. “My dad might’ve been rich, but I don’t have that kind of money.”
“I will take care of the school,” Rivera says. “Someone will need to chip in on the restoration of the Skull & Serpent Society building.” He lowers his glasses. “And as I’ve heard it got damaged quite severely from a certain shoot-out.”
“I will take care of that,” my father suddenly fills in.
All eyes are on him.
“Since my daughter is to stay on these grounds, I want her to be safe and taken care of.”
“How kind of you,” Rivera sneers. “Since your men were also kind enough to sieve it through with bullets.”
“I will have the damages fixed,” my father retorts. “To settle that score.”
He’s trying to avoid another war. Smart.
“And to have a piece of the pie in management, I suppose,” Rivera muses.
“I wouldn’t decline such an offer,” my father replies, an arrogant smirk on his face.