If he’d killed more people than I knew, there was zero doubt he’d fucked more people than Ethan and I knew combined. He hadgorgeous, dangerous assholewritten all over him, and there was nothing like a bad boy to get girls to drop their panties.
Connor scoffed as he left the room, and I heard what suspiciously sounded likewhoreandmagic pussybefore he was gone, leaving me alone with Ethan once more. Unfortunately, that was the end of the day of lounging around though, the mood having iced out thanks to that prick.
“I should get up and shower,” I mumbled, feeling disappointed and put out. “Thanks for last night.”
My cheeks heated when I realized that he might not understand I was thanking him for the comfort and not the sex. Not that I wasn’t also thankful for that.
He appeared to understand. “My door is always open,” he said, gently capturing my chin in his hand, keeping my gaze locked on his piercing green eyes. “You don’t have to fight thedreams and trauma alone, Eve. Promise me you won’t let Connor stop you from taking what you need.”
“Promise,” I whispered, knowing that I couldn’t stay away from Ethan even if I wanted to.
Which I absolutely didn’t.
It took me a few seconds to find my clothes, and when I slipped them on, I forced myself not to look back to the bed, where I’d left Ethan sprawled.No, Evelyn. No more professor for today.
My therapist would have a lot to say if he got me in his chair, and no doubt, I was desperately in need of advice. I was well aware that I had exchanged pills, anxiety, and bad dreams for lusting after my professor and obsessing over the comfort he offered me.
None of these coping mechanisms were healthy, but I knew for sure which was more enjoyable.
As Ethan said, we had no idea how long we’d be on this gravity ball, and I, for one, was glad not to miss out on the sort of mind-blowing sex we’d had last night.
I made it back to my room without running into any of our housemates and grabbed clean clothes and underwear, escaping into the bathroom. My body ached in many places, but thankfully all the love bites and bruises from where he’d gripped me were hidden under my jeans and shirt.
Not that it’d be a secret after Connor, but best not to go flashing the evidence around.
I was hesitant as I wandered downstairs, but it was quieter than I expected, and it was almost a relief to wander into the kitchen and find it empty.
“Who are you really, new girl?”
I jumped a foot in the air, and fuck, if Connor had meant me harm, I’d have been dead before I even saw him standing in the doorway to the living area. Was this asshole a ninja? How did he keep sneaking up on me?
Shrugging despite my absolute lack of calm, I casually replied, “What do you mean? I’m Evelyn Lewis.”
He moved closer, and I tried not to reveal my unease as he backed me into the side of the kitchen counter. Even as he dropped a hand on either side of me, completely caging me between his massive body and the island, I never lowered my gaze. He was the predator, but I refused to become his prey. “Where are you from, Evelyn? Who are your parents? Where did you live before you were here?”
Fuck. FUCK. Did he know? Did Ethan tell him? If I mentioned that I was from Tennessee, it wouldn’t take him long to search news stories and find out what happened back there. The college had made news for weeks. I’d made news for weeks.
I’d been under the suspicion that the guys knew about the shooting, but I still refused to be the one to confirm the truth.
“I’m no one, Connor. You don’t have to waste time and energy trying to unravel my very basic life. I lived with my guardians because my dad couldn’t look after me any longer.” For reasons I didn’t even know. “My mom died when I was young. I’ve lived a very ordinary life.”
Outside of that whole school-shooting incident. Which fucked every part of my regular existence to pieces.
He leaned in even closer, and I swear his body threw off heat like a hot water bottle. We didn’t touch, but my exposed skin still felt flushed. “You have no fucking idea who you are, do you? Just a dumb, naive, uninteresting chick. Happy to float through life without a clue. Happy to let others take bullets for you.”
I jerked like he’d slapped me, the rush of memories drowning out everything else, and I didn’t even realize I was breathing heavily until Connor’s touch landed against my chest.
He pressed against me firmly. “Breathe. Be stronger thanyour demons, Eve. You can’t keep falling apart, you don’t have the luxury of it, and I wouldn’t rely on Ethan to keep pulling you together.”
We locked gazes for many minutes, and I was surprised to find that his touch did ground me. “Who are you?” I threw the question back to him. “It seems you all know my secrets, but I know fucking nothing about you. Including why you five manufactured a reason for us all to live in this house.”
Abruptly, he released his hold on me and stepped back. I’d have thought I imagined his touch if my chest didn’t burn right where he’d placed his hand. “I’m your worst fucking nightmare, new girl. Don’t think you can bat those pretty blue eyes at me and I’ll forget the danger you pose to us.”
“Are you the dad of the group or something?” I said with a snort. “You keep coming in here, claiming I’m dangerous, as if you need to defend their honors. Last I checked, you were younger than Ethan. Pretty sure he can handle my pussy without losing himself.”
There was a flicker of darkness in his green eyes, until his iris was close in color to his pupil. “Can he though? I mean, don’t get me wrong, it’s a pretty pussy but?—”
“Let me guess, don’t bat it at you either?”
