Dulce

“You said if.”

“Huh?”

“You said if she really wanted to do it.”

“Did you know that Louise couldn’t drive?”

“Really? Most kids can’t wait to get their license.”

“Apparently, when she was due to start drivers ed, she had an accident and broke her leg. I don’t know. The point is, she couldn’t drive.”

He stares at me, not understanding what I’m saying.

“You know where she was found?”

He nods, looking at me, waiting.

“How long would it take a person to walk there?”

He frowns before his eyes go wide.

“There was someone else with her the night she died.”

“At the very least, someone took her there and left her. Who called it in?”

“I did.”

I turn and see Cain watching us, his eyes on the way Luke and I are wrapped around each other, but I don’t pull back.

“You were the last person to see Louise alive?”

He shakes his head. “She was dead when I found her.”

“What were you doing there at that time of night?” Luke snaps at him.

“Getting Cassandra to suck my dick. Why? You jealous?”

“Enough,” Dmitri snaps from behind him.

I step back from Luke, who lets his arms drop to his sides.

“Fine. Fuck this.” Cain storms back inside and heads to his room, slamming the door.

Luke and Dmitri stare at each other without speaking. I stand there, hoping I don’t suffocate under the tension. Neither of them seems to be in any rush to move, so I figure I’ll follow Cain’s lead and leave.

I move toward the door, only stopping when Dmitri wraps his hand around my arm.

“I want you in my room tonight. I need to talk to you.”

“I’m supposed to—” I shut up when he glares at me.

“Fine. Whatever. Makes no difference to me.”

I open the door and stomp inside and find myself chest to chest with Abe.

“What’s going on?” he asks suspiciously.

I shrug. “How the hell would I know? I’m just the new girl.” I move to walk around him, but just like Dmitri, he grabs my arm. He does it a fraction tighter, and instead of making my pulse quicken and my skin tingle, it makes me want to snap his fingers off.

“I think you know more than you’re letting on. I think my brother has been sniffing around you, and now I see that Aslanov and Gavin aren’t faring any better. Are you offering something to them that I’m missing out on?”

“Yes, my witty quips and one-liners. You’re truly missing out.” I yank my arm free.

“That mouth of yours.” He chuckles, his lips spreading into a grin. It changes his entire demeanor, and I can tell this is how he has such ease getting the ladies to drop their panties.

“The things we could do.”

“Like talk, share each other’s dreams and secrets?” I jump and clap my hands, acting giddy.

“Maybe once I’ve learned how to maneuver around the knife in my back, I’ll get on that,” I toss out as I stroll to Aslanov’s room.

“Ah, I see how it is. You got the big guy’s dick, so you don’t need us peasants anymore. I’ll remember that when I see you around campus.”

“Oh, please do. Somehow, I’ll think I’ll survive.”

I grab Dmitri’s door handle and shove it open before shutting it with more force than necessary.

“You might think you have everything all figured out, but you’re so fucking clueless it’s hysterical.” He laughs through the door.

“Tell me, while you’re sucking his dick, do you ever wonder how you ended up here, of all places? Because we both know the story he gave you about there being no free dorm rooms is bullshit.

“What kind of faculty member, not just that, but the headmaster, invites a young, impressionable girl to stay at his house with not just him and another staff member, but two incredibly influential characters like Cain and me?”

He laughs again as I think over his words.

“When you figure it out, you know where to find me.” He taps the door and disappears.

I head to the window and look out. I see Dmitri and Luke arguing. I can’t make out what they are saying, but it looks heated.

Luke points toward the house, then shakes his head before throwing his hands up in the air and yanking the door open.

I lose sight of him when he storms inside, so I keep my eyes on Dmitri, who walks toward the railing and holds on to it with his head bowed.

He looks so alone. Untouchable in a way that makes him seem aloof and unapproachable, but a part of me, maybe just the sucker part, can’t help but think he’s lonely.

As if sensing my eyes on him, he turns and sees me watching him. He shakes his head and walks inside as I step back and sit on the edge of the bed. His door opens, and Dmitri walks through before closing it and flipping the lock.

He stalks toward me, stopping only when he’s close enough that my knees are touching his legs.

“You do like to stir up trouble, don’t you?”

I lean back and gaze up at him, licking my lips.