Cara’s already moved onto her next prospect. Her black hair looks particularly glossy in the low light of the bar, and her cinnamon eyes glimmer as she looks over her options for the evening. I’ve rarelyknown the girl to fuck someone more than once, and she seldom dedicates more than a week to a single fling—only if the guy isverysatisfying in bed.
“So, what’s up with Dorian?” Valerie asks me, leaning close. We’re both on our first beer of the night—hers is almost empty while I’ve only taken two sips from mine. Against Dorian’s protests, I managed to take my own car here tonight, so I need to be clear minded to drive back to his House of Horrors. Apparently, there’s a cleaning crew taking care of all the damage from the shooting there right now. He said that by the time I get “home” the shooting should be a distant memory.
Ha.As if I could ever forget the shooting,orcall that cursed place my home.
“I’ve told you everything I can,” I say.
“Yeah, and I’ve gathered that you probably saw something you shouldn’t have seen and are being kept close because of it.” Val takes another swig. “You’re not a total captive, since you’re out with us tonight, but I don’t think youwantedto leave dorms.”
I’m not surprised that Valerie’s deduced as much; she’s brilliant and intuitive to a fault. Still, I slide her a sidelong glance, silently asking her to not press the topic. I know my phone’s bugged, but I don’t know just how bugged it is. I imagine Dorian can read all of my texts and messages, an uncomfortable prospect, but the most unsavory thing on my phone is the nudes Cara occasionally sends me to get my opinion on howfucktacularshe looks. I don’t know what else Dorian can access through my phone, or if he can somehow listen in on me.
“Remember when Cara’s nudes got leaked by that one jilted guy?” I question, trying to switch topics.
Valerie thinks for a moment. “Oh, the one she was with for two weeks?”
“Nine days, but yeah. It was fucking awesome that she thought about starting an Only Fans account. She’s legendary.”
“Shecan hear you,” Cara sing-songs, turning back to glance at us with a salacious smile. “Frankly, anyone who gets to see my body is lucky. They’rewelcome.”
Valerie and I share an amused chuckle.
“What about the redhead?” Cara questions, motioning to the bar. “He looks like he fucksdirty.”
I follow her line of sight to look at him, tilting my head to the side as I try to sift through the many energies and emotions crowding the room and focus in on his. It’s a low, steady hum, comfortable and neutral. Not erratic, anxious, or desperate—none of the usual red markers that prompt me to tell Cara to keep looking.
“He seems fine,” I say. “Bring him over here and I can tell you for sure.”
Just like that, Cara stands from her seat. She fluffs up her hair, pushes up her breasts so they practically spill out of the scoop-neckline of her little black dress, and sashays over to the bar on her secondhand Jimmy Choos.
“So, Dorian,” Valerie repeats. “I’m not asking to know what happened to make you stay in his house; it’s none of my business. What I want to know is what’s happening between you and that six-foot-plus modern Adonis.”
I release a choked laugh. “Pardon me?”
Valerie shrugs. “I might not get around as much as Cara, but I have eyes. And desires. If I’m being perfectly honest, all three of the boys in that house are hot ashell, but there’s something coldly calculated about Dorian that'sespeciallyattractive.”
I blink slowly. “You’ve been acquainted with him?”
“We shared an elective last year,” she says. “He never noticed me, but every female in that class noticed him. The men, too. Every time he walked in, I swear the temperature skyrocketed.”
I take a small sip of my beer. “He’s into me, I think, but I don’t return the sentiment. I mean, there’s no denying he’s hot, but I don’t like his vibes.”
Valerie’s eyes darken as she leans forward. “Has he hurt you?”
“No,” I say, shaking my head. “No, he hasn’t physically hurt me.”Just left me to fend for myself,again. I’m sensitive to that kind of thing.
“You know how long you’ll be stuck with him?” she asks.
“End of semester, I think,” I say. “If it goes beyond that, I’ll need to get drastic. I don’t think he or his roommates will hurt me,” especially if they’re under orders from their elusivebossnot to, “but I don’t like that house. I don’t like its inhabitants. If I thought I could get away with it, I’d refuse to stay there.” I sigh. “The things I’ve seen will not make the three psychos amenable to letting me go. The fact that Dorian wants in my panties won’t help my case.”
“What if you just fuck him?” Valerie asks. “Ignore the vibes, and use the sex to control him? Men are easily manipulated when they’re pussy whipped.”
I chuckle, shaking my head with amusement. “I thinkhe’dbe the one to try to controlmeif that happened.” My brows draw together. “I’m kind of fucked, dude. I don’t really know what to do other than wait out the storm, but if the storm doesn’t end…” I shake my head. “I can’t stay at Greywood. I’d have to try to find a way to transfer schools and scholarships.”
Valerie pulls in a sharp breath, frowning. Before she can respond, Cara brings notone,buttwoguys over. The redhead she’s been eyeing and his brown-haired friend.
“Ronny, this is my friend, Mira,” Cara says, introducing the brunette and tipping me a wink. “She’s single and ready as fuck to mingle.”
I start to give Cara a glare but then pause. Whydon’tI hang out with this guy for a bit? So long as he’s not terrible company, that is. He could serve as a palette cleanser before I have to go back to Dorian and his House of Horrors.
