To know is to be sworn to secrecy, to uphold the codes of the town. It is a privilege not to be squandered.
A privilege.
I smother a bitter laugh.
Some privilege, being handed over to a guy like a prize cow.
“I’m not sure I can do this,” I admit, hating the tremor in my voice.
Sasha leans over and lays her hand on mine, giving me a sad smile. “You have to, Mia. You don’t have any choice.”
5
Bexley
"What the fuck was that?" Alex asks when we finally come to a stop outside one of the campus coffee shops.
"Nothing."
"Fuck off was that nothing. No one with half a brain cell goes up against Cade Kingsley like that. Do you even know who he is?"
Of course I know who he is. Alex has explained more than once that he's Gravestone royalty, whatever the fuck that’s meant to mean. But unlike everyone in this weird-ass town, I don't give a shit.
He's just a jumped-up prick, as far as I'm concerned.
"I don't give a fuck, Alex."
"Well, you should. You do not want to make an enemy out of Cade and his crew."
"Jesus, you make it sound like I should be running scared because he so much as looked in my direction."
"Most do."
"That's because this town is full of pussies."
"Christ, who got your panties in a twist this morning? Why were you even talking to him, anyway?"
"I wasn't, I was talking to Mia."
"Who's… ohhhh.” His eyes grow big. “Mia Thompson. You know her?"
"Um…" I hesitate, not wanting to admit to Alex what almost happened on Friday night, even more so now I know that apparently she's not fucking single.
Anger swirls around me as I remember just how willing she was. Was it a joke? Did Cade set her up? Why would she tempt me like that if she's his?
"Not really, she's in my econ class. I just wanted to ask her something."
He eyes me suspiciously but doesn't say anything. Instead, he spins on his heels and pushes through the door leading inside the coffee shop.
I follow him to the counter and order myself a double espresso. I think I'm going to need it. I haven’t even stepped inside a classroom and everything's already gone to shit.
"I don't even get why she was with him. No one paid her a second of attention in high school, let alone the likes of Cade Kingsley. He must have made her his new plaything for a reason. Brook's gonna be pissed."
I tune him out as we wait for our orders, not really wanting to get involved with college gossip. I just want to go to class, do my time, and get the fuck out of this place. Four years will be over in a flash, right?
"Thanks," I mutter to the barista when she hands over my order. Our fingers brush as I take the cup from her, and my eyes find hers. She's cute. Bright green eyes and short brown hair. But she doesn't stir something inside me like Mia did on Friday night. There's no connection, which is more like I'm used to.
Ripping my eyes from hers, I turn to find a table for us to sit at while Alex fills his face with his hazelnut croissant, but instead of finding an empty table, I find her hazel eyes.
"Oh, for fuck's sake. Can we at least have ten minutes before déjà vu kicks in, please?" Alex mutters. "There's a table over here."
"I'll be there in a second, I just need to—"
"She's with Sasha Cargill. It's probably best you—totally ignore me and go anyway," I hear him mutter as I walk away from him.
Her eyes follow my every move as I step up to their table and twist around the free chair, sitting down and straddling it.
I nod at the other girl before turning my attention to Mia. "Kingsley? Really?"
Mia looks between me and Sasha, panic filling her eyes. "I already told you that I don't have any notes."
"Yeah,” I scratch my jaw, my eyes boring into hers, “and I think you're lying."
"That's fine. Think what you like. Will you excuse us?" She twists away from me slightly and my fingers wrap around the back of the chair a little too tightly, my knuckles turning white, something that Sasha doesn't miss.
"Okay, fine,” I hiss. “Have it your way. But this isn't over."
"I think it's probably in your best interest that it is," Sasha warns as I stand, but I don't so much as look at her. I don't give a fuck what her opinion is on this situation, or what her fucking surname is. This is between me and Mia, and we are going to be talking about it.
I feel her eyes burn into me as I walk to the table Alex decided to sit at to watch the show, and just before I sit down with him, I look back over my shoulder, making sure that she knows I'm aware of her attention.
"Do you have a fucking death wish?"
I shrug. "What the fuck is he really going to do about me talking to her?"
"Do you really want the answer to that question?" Alex leans in so no one else in the coffee shop can hear his next words. "Apparently he's killed people for less."
"How fucking gullible are you?"
"Okay, fine. Don't believe me. But don't come running to me when he's ripped out your heart for touching his latest toy."
"Firstly, if I'm dead, then I'm not going to be running anywhere, asshole. And secondly…" I trail off as Mia and Sasha move from their table and walk toward the exit together. I watch them leave the building and walk in front of the windows, heading for class. I don't think she's going to look back, but right before she rounds the corner, she does, and her eyes immediately lock on mine. They widen as if she wasn't expecting to find me watching her, and I smile.
This is far
