“She’s not a fucking dinosaur,” Raven says.
I guess I didn’t make that up. This guy is the same one from all those years ago…
My roommate walks over to stand in front of me while Xavier continues to stare down at me. I peek at him from behind her shoulder, my body shaking uncontrollably. His eyes pierce me, carving into my mind like the knife I used to stab him. I’m unable to look away no matter how badly I want to.
“We’re leaving,” Raven says.
Her voice slices through the charged atmosphere, snapping me out of my stupor. I avert my gaze and focus on breathing to keep from passing out. His words echo in my mind, making my head pound.
This can’t be happening.
Xavier flicks his wrist in a dismissive motion, but the air ripples with tension. I look at him one more time.
Memories of a hooded figure surface in my mind’s eye, intertwining with the man in front of me, leaving me caught between the past and the present.
June places a hand on my arm. The unexpected touch sends a jolt through me, and I suck in a lungful of air, barely halting my scream at the last second.
Her brow furrows as her eyes search mine. Whatever she sees on my face has her putting an arm around me.
I probably look like a candidate for a psych ward. I certainly feel like I’ve lost my mind. All of this can’t be a coincidence.
Right?
Chapter 18
DELILAH
The entire trek back to the dorm room is done in silence. Thank fuck. It gives me enough time to come up with a story to tell my friends. But it’s not long enough for me to get my shit together.
The door clicks shut behind us and Raven whirls to face me. I sink onto my bed and mentally prepare myself for the interrogation that’s about to commence. I’m not disappointed.
“What the fuck just happened?” She looks from me to June and back again. “Both of you have tea you need to spill. One of you better start talking.”
The blonde plops down beside me with a sigh. “I’ll go first. I know I said that I was pissed at Declan for dumping me for no reason, but I’m not…” She pauses and nibbles on her fingernail before continuing. “I’m not over him, okay?”
“So, what, you’re a stalker?” Raven asks. “I mean, I approve, but is that why Xavier accused you of not minding your business?”
“Kind of. I didn’t understand why Declan ended things all of a sudden. We were happy. Like stupid happy, and then it was over.” She snaps her fingers. “Just like that. When I triedtalking to him to get him to explain things, he outright refused. Naturally, I did what any woman would do.”
Raven nods in understanding. “You tried to kill him.”
“No,” June says with a frown. “I followed him to see if he was with another woman.”
“Or that.”
“Anyway, Declan wasn’t with another woman, but the place he went to was… weird.”
Her hesitation has me reaching over to grip her hand. I give it a tiny squeeze to show my support. “It’s okay. You don’t have to share anything you don’t want to.”
Raven blows out a raspberry. “The fuck she doesn’t. Now I really need to know what’s going on.”
“It’s fine,” June says to me. “I’ve been holding this in for months. It was a medical research facility. It’s known for its cutting-edge experiments and research. At least, that’s what the internet said.”
I retract my arm and fold my hands in my lap. “I’m still waiting for the weird part.”
“Yeah, get to the good shit.” Raven rubs her hands together. “Weird how?”
“There was a room, dimly lit, with some shady-ass looking people,” June says. “I grew up poor, so I know fucked-up when I see it. Just because the men were wearing expensive suits doesn’t mean they were legitimate. I only saw one person with a lab coat. In a research setting, that’s not normal, but that’s not what scared me.”
