“Nothing. It’s true. I had a great time last Friday, and planning to have an even better time tomorrow. Can we just leave it there?”
Because I really can’t have you knowing a damn thing about what Alexei is up to, or shit is gonna hit the fan.
“So this is gonna be a regular thing?” He falls onto the side of my bed, tucking his hands under his chin, getting close, the way he would have done before all this stuff with Alexei.
Stop being so obvious. You’re gonna give yourself away, and he’s gonna get suspicious.
But I’m not the kind of guy who can pretend he feels differently than he does. If something’s on my mind, I say it. I’m not used to having to stuff this shit down.
“What’s up?” Brad asks, picking up on my mood. “Dude, I’m sorry. I was just trying to chat, not pry into your shit. We can talk about something else. I just wanted to talk. I’ve hada lot going on, and I haven’t seen you for a few days.”
I try to keep from looking at him, but I can’t help myself. Now I’m trying to read him the way he’s reading me.Why have you been gone so much this past weekend? What are you and the guys up to? What got you into this shit? And why did the guys at Alpha Alpha Mu need Alexei to spy on you?
“I don’t mean to be a dick,” I force out. “I just really need to get caught up with schoolwork right now.”
He studies my expression. “All right. I’ll leave you to it.”
As he hops back up, a sensation in my chest twists up…at the friendship I’ve lost.
Or maybe never had.
Brad works at his desk, and I finish my reading before hitting my light and passing out.
The past few nights, I’ve gotten a pretty good sleep, but tonight I wake up every once in a while, rolling each way to try and get comfortable. As much as I’m looking forward to tomorrow night, once we’re finished, Alexei will be halfway through this spell that could do God knows what. Neither of us knows what we’re playing with.
This is stupid as fuck.
But I guess I’m all in.
I try to focus on the parts of this that are easier to lose myself in…
That bitable, fuckable ass.
Those tempting lips.
His beautiful smile.
I could swear I hear him moan, but then another sound catches my attention. Is that Brad? Although it doesn’t seemto be coming from his bed.
I roll onto my back—and see something at the foot of the bed. I sit up, scooting back against my headboard.
The light from outside illuminates what looks like a face floating at the end of the mattress. A tooth-filled smile is spread across its face, but its eyes are hidden in shadows. And now that I’ve had time to recover from the surprise, I see it’s not floating. There’s a neck attached, this person—a man—crouched down.
This is a trick of the mind. It must be.
The man shakes subtly, and there’s a sound, like he’s snickering. The creepy-ass grin shifts as the head tilts, and then the face moves slightly forward, enough that the light reveals the eyes that have been concealed in shadow.
The whites and irises are black.
My heart’s racing, my skin prickling. Every part of me is telling me I need to get the fuck out of here, but my choices are to pass it or sprint across Brad’s bed.
Brad’s bed it is!
As I start to move, the man springs up, his nude body coming into view, and before I can adjust in the bed, he’s on top of me.
“The fuck!” I call out, attempting to shove him off me, but he grips my wrists and pins them against the mattress on either side of me. Those black eyes bore into me, the grin expanding.
“Holy fuck!” I hear Brad say as saliva drips from the man’s mouth, hitting my face.
