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)
“But I’m not easily intimidated,” he adds, his eyes narrowing.
“Maybe it’s because you were at a party with a rival frat house,” I say. I know I’m taunting him, but I can’t help it. “Can’t have been a smart thing to do.”
He steps closer. “Are you trying to blame me for getting injured?”
“It’s what they always tell us when some boy touches us without our permission.”
He’s right up in my face now, but I’m not scared of him.
If he chooses to spew the truth right here, right now, then I’ll show everyone that fucking note. He threatened me.
“You think you know what it’s like to lose a limb, Pen?” he spits in my face.
“Wow, guys, calm down,” Crystal says.
“I know what it’s like to lose my fucking soul,” I growl back.
“Sold it to the devil, huh?” he retorts. “So do you happen to know what happened to my buddies, Josh and Kai? They’ve suddenly vanished overnight.”
Flames erupt in my body when I hear their names. “Doesn’t ring a bell, asshole.”
“Guys, why are you fighting? You weren’t even involved?” Crystal asks, but she pauses and then looks at me. “Right, Pen?”
I take in a deep breath. “Right.”
Nathan snorts, shaking his head.
Suddenly, his eyes shoot up toward the hallways and his pupils dilate. He immediately bolts off into the class room to our right. But the second I try to turn around to see what scared him off, a hand lands on my shoulder, and a dark voice whispers into my ear, “Talking with some friends, Pen?”
I’d recognize Felix’s grip and voice anywhere.
“Remember what I said …” he adds.
“I didn’t say anything,” I reply, but he’s already moved on to Crystal.
“Who are you?” he barks, folding his arms.
She stutters, overwhelmed by his presence. “Uh … C-Crystal.”
“Crystal who?”
“Murphy,” she adds tentatively.
His eyes twitch.
“She’s a friend,” I offer.
“She’d better be,” he says, tilting his head.
Crystal takes a step back when he gets up in her face, but I curl my hand around his arm and pull him back. “Felix.”
“What?” he snaps.
“Can you act a bit more civilized?” I hiss at him.
He leans in and tells me with a low murmur, “You should be glad I didn’t kill Nathan.”
“You wouldn’t,” I mutter in disbelief.
“Believe me when I say I would gut him like a fish right in this hallway in front of everyone. Just for daring to fucking open his mouth at you.”
A blush spreads across my cheeks, and I struggle to even form a single word. “I-I…”
Suddenly, he slaps my ass. “Still wearing that plug?” he whispers into my ear.
Now my whole face turns red as I nod. “I only took it out to go to the bathroom.”
“Good girl,” he whispers, pressing a quick kiss on my neck. “Because you’re still mine, even if you don’t want to be.”
What?
Why is he acting like he didn’t fucking piss me off, questioning if I killed my own fucking sister? I won’t let him gloss over that.
I push myself out of his grip and stumble off, dazed by how lusty it suddenly made me when his hand landed on my ass. “Class is starting. I have to go.”
I’m not gonna let him do this. Especially not here in this fucking hallway in front of one of my friends.
“Yeah, you go study like a good fucking girl, Pen,” he says, loud enough for everyone in this hallway to hear. “I’ll see you in the Skull & Serpent Society after you’re done.”
I’m so fucking mortified I just grab Crystal’s hand and storm into the class. But I still can’t shake the image of that smug smile on his face right before I slam the door shut.
“Sorry, we’re late,” Crystal tells the teacher.
“Thank you, Miss Murphy. Please, sit, both of you.” The teacher sighs, waving at a few chairs in the back. “I’ve wasted enough time.”
“Sorry,” I say as we make our way to the back of the room while all the other students stare at us.
It’s only been a few minutes, but I know we’re late.
Boys.
Always those fucking boys.
“You okay?” Crystal asks. “What was that all about with Nathan?”
“Ah, nothing,” I reply. “Just some fighting going on between some of the frat houses.”
“The Phantoms and the Skull & Serpent?”
I nod.
“They’ve always had feuds, but no one’s ever gone to the hospital and disappeared for several days over it.”
She’s fishing, and I don’t know what to tell her without spilling the beans, which I’m definitely not going to do. Involving Crystal in this mess is the last thing I want.
“Probably, yeah,” I mutter.
“But you’re ‘friends’ with Felix and those other boys, right?” She makes air quotes with her fingers. “You must know something. I mean, he sure seemed protective over you.”
“Oh, you don’t wanna know, trust me,” I reply.
“If you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine, I just—”
I turn to look at her. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”