Corrupt (Devil's Night 1)

I shrugged, looking away like it wasn’t a big deal. “I just don’t want to.”

“Well, I’m hungry,” Will chimed in. “And there’s tail in there, so let’s go.”

I stared down the sidewalk, blinking long and hard, in part for his crass remark and in part because I refused to budge and didn’t want to explain why.

I had to endure Miles’ presence at school, but I wouldn’t on my free time.

I felt Michael approach. “What’s the matter with you?”

His hard tone sounded impatient. Why wouldn’t it be? He never coddled me.

I looked up at him defiantly, shaking my head. “I just don’t want to go in. I’ll wait for you guys out here.”

Damon shook his head, looking at Michael. “I told you,” he complained. “Fucking complicated.”

I heaved an aggravated breath, staying frozen in my spot. I didn’t care what Damon had to say about me. I cared more about not having to look at Miles Fucking Anderson and him knowing he’d gotten away without a scratch.

He always had that power over me now.

But then I gasped, sucking in a breath as Michael grabbed my upper arm and force-walked me behind the SUV. He threw me off, letting me go, and I backed into the car as he advanced.

“What,” he growled, “is your problem?”

A lump stretched my throat, and I chewed on my lip, not really wanting the rest of the guys to know.

Fat chance.

They followed us over, around the car, and stood next to Michael, staring at me and waiting.

Great.

I let out a sigh, squaring my shoulders and just blurting it out. “Miles Anderson slipped me a spiked drink at a party last spring.”

I stared at the ground as they all just stood there, not saying anything.

Last March, I’d gone to a St. Patrick’s Day party at a senior’s house, and of course, I hadn’t gone alone. Noah and Claudia came with me.

We hung out, we danced, I had one drink, and the next thing I knew I was being slapped awake by Noah in a bathroom as he stuck his finger down my throat.

Maybe the guys didn’t think that was a big deal. Who cared about some idiot girl that got roofied?

Michael shifted, inching closer. “What the fuck did you just say?”

I shot my eyes up, my blood heating at the sight of his cinnamon eyes looking like he wanted to tear me limb from limb.

But I stayed strong. “Astrid Colby, his girlfriend, actually did it,” I explained. “She gave me the drink, but he was in on it.”

Yeah, any confidence Michael had in me was probably gone now. I was weak, stupid, and a waste of time.

“What happened?” he demanded.

I swallowed through the lump in my throat, my voice shaky. “I went down quick,” I told him. “I barely remember anything. All I know is what Noah told me. He’d broken down the door to a bedroom in the house where the party was. They had me on the bed, and my…” I paused, my stomach rolling with the thought as my eyes burned. “And my shirt was open.”

Michael hesitated a moment and then pressed. “And?”

“And they didn’t get that far,” I assured, knowing what he wanted to know.

No, I hadn’t been raped.