God, that kiss
Get a fucking grip, Mara.But that’s hard to do when I’m straddling Talon in an old armchair in the middle of a frat party, my fingers tangled in his hair, his hands splayed on my hips.
My lips burn from the rough way he just claimed them, and worst of all…
I kissed him back.
I wanted it.
A tiny, horrified voice in the back of my mind screamswhat the hell are you doing?!This was supposed to be all for show—just a fake relationship, a scandal for America’s sweetheart.
I wasn’t ever supposed to actually want him.
Or Dredyn.
But my body doesn’t give a damn about “supposed to.” It’s on fire, melting into Talon’s hold.
I wrench my mouth away from his, gasping for breath and trying to gather the shreds of my sanity. My thighs are tremblingfrom the steady grind he’s been subjecting me to. An unwanted heat still pulses between them, even as I try to clamp my legs and stop the sensation. I hate it. I hate that I feel empty and aching the second his lips leave mine.
Talon rests his forehead against mine, a cocky smirk playing on his kiss-swollen lips. His dark eyes are glazed with triumph . . . and desire. Around us, I dimly hear cheers and whistles. Oh God, people were watching.
My cheeks flame in humiliation.
I summon every ounce of pride I have left and give his chest a light shove. “There. Are you satisfied now?” I say, struggling to sound breezy and biting instead of breathless and turned on.
Talon’s smirk only widens. “Not even close,” he murmurs so only I can hear, the arrogant gleam in his eyes telling me he can see right through my facade.
Before I can muster a retort, I catch a movement over my shoulder. Dredyn. He’s standing a few feet away, practically vibrating with rage. His blue eyes are locked on me and Talon, and I swear they look black in the neon gloom. He looks like he might explode.
Some reckless impulse surges up inside me. If they want to play with me, break me, then I’ll play right back.
I swipe the back of my hand over my lips as if brushing them off and slide off Talon’s lap, legs unsteady when my feet hit the ground. I need to get out of here. My head is spinning, my body humming, and I can’t think straight with them so close.
I feel Talon’s hand slide to my waist protectively as I stand, and I shoot him a glare. We might have just put on a hell of a show, but I’m done being their toy for the night.
“Don’t touch—” I begin, but I’m cut off by a shrill, panicked scream that pierces through the pounding music.
“Help! Please, help me!”
The scream rips through the chapel, slicing the music in half.
All three of us—Talon, Dredyn, and I—snap our headstoward the doorway. The DJ yanks the plug, plunging the room into a stunned silence that makes my ears ring.
Tessa Williams stumbles inside, her makeup smeared, face ghostly pale. Her breaths come in frantic gasps, her hands trembling like she can’t hold herself together.
Kai Reynolds, a DSN officer, reaches her first, grabs her shoulders and steadies her. “Tessa, what happened? Are you hurt?”
She shakes her head violently, tears streaking down her cheeks. “I—I was just… giving him head,” she sobs. “In the woods. And h-he just collapsed.”
Gasps and cries erupt around us. I feel the color drain from my face. Toby. Toby Lancaster. I dimly recognize the name. He’s a junior—part of Delta Sigma, I think.
Chaos ignites. People shove each other out of the chapel and into the field, either to see for themselves or to get the hell out. A few of the more sober partygoers rush to Tessa, peppering her with questions. From the snippets I catch, Toby’s body is out in the woods behind the chapel. Someone shouts for an ambulance.
I realize I’m shaking.
A dead body.
The edges of my vision prickle black for a moment and I sway. Talon’s arm is suddenly around me, steadying me. I hadn’t even noticed he’d stood up, but now he’s right beside me, holding me tightly against his side. Dredyn is on my other side, a solid presence radiating tension.
