“Professor Bastian Rooke.”
He ignores my hand, instead taking a small black notebook out of his pocket and flipping it open like a habit. A stub of a pencil emerges next, and it’s like I can feel that blunt nib dragging down my spine.
“ProfessorRooke. Excellent.” He points the back of the pencil at me. “I’ve been meaning to speak to you. Why don’t we go have a chat in the hallway while Miss Lee gets her things?”
Then the copdoessmile, and I go from wanting to punch the smug fuck right in his passive-aggressive face, to wishing I’d never laid eyes on Haven.
Or joined Agony Hollow College.
Fuck, from the way he’s staring at me, I’m wishing I had never set foot in this pathetic little town.
Chapter 66
Haven
Bastian follows Deputy Thatcher into the hall, but not before throwing me a meaningful look as he turns to shut the door.
Whatever happens, keep your damn mouth shut.
I drag my hands down my face, trying to collect myself.
Jesus…whatthe helljust happened?
There’s no time to figure it out.
I need to get all the way across town before my shift starts.
I send Melissa a mental thank you as I pop one of her pills. And again when I raid her closet for something to wear, grabbing designer denim overalls with paint-fleck distressing, and a white ribbed tank top. The overalls are probably super baggy on her, but they fit me fine. The tank top is a little tight, but that just means I don’t have to find a bra. A messy ponytail and my only pair of grubby sneakers complete the look…whatever the hell look this is supposed to be.
Thankfully, Kai didn’t destroy all my underwear since mine is…soaked.
I glance at my reflection in the mirror, twisting this way and that, weight predominantly on my uninjured foot. I saw abandana in Melissa’s closet. Maybe I could wear it in my hair? Or a touch of lip gloss?—
What the hell am I doing?
I don’t have time to check if my outfit iscuteenough for a taco stand. I need to get the fuck out of here before Deputy Thatcher finishes with Bastian and starts questioningme.
Speaking of…what the fuck just happened?
Never mind Bastian whispering filthy things in my ear…I accept he’s a degenerate who feasts on depravity and sin. And apparently, I can’t get enough of his dirty mouth, or his wandering hands—despite what I promised Kai.
I should never have gotten into Bastian’s car that day. Never have gone home with him. Should never have trusted him.
But it all seemed so?—
Ha ha.
Innocent?Now I’m trying to gaslightmyself.
No, what I can’t wrap my head around is what Bastian said about Kai. I know he’s just trying to mess with me, but why wouldn’t Kai have reported Bastian if he had actual footage of our professor forcing himself on me?
Good question, Haven.
Follow up—why the hell haven’tyoureported Bastian?
“Focus,” I whisper, pointing at myself in the mirror. I hesitate, then dab some of her lipstick onto my mouth, shove another few of her pills into my pocket, and hobble over to the door.
This close, I can hear murmured voices coming from outside. But it’s impossible to figure out what they’re saying.
