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“Yes,” she sighs, picking at a thread on the couch.

Eli’s sneer is back, along with the lockjaw. “Why was she here?”

“Her and Tali are… friends. She was supposed to be helping her pack stock for her business. Tali has a cosmetics and skincare company, and Ambe—Professor Donnelyn was here to help. Only when I arrived home, she was in my room with the door closed, going through my stuff. I got mad and⁠—”

“She was what?” His words stab forward like a blade.

The “beyond furious Eli” level has been reached again. That’s twice in less than two hours. A record.

“In my room. Tali was in the bathroom, oblivious to what was happening. When I confronted her, she made up some bullshit line about needing more tape, but there were three rolls in the kitchen where they were packing. It was bullshit, and I called her out on it.”

My dick wants to say good fucking girl and drag her onto my lap. My brain reminds me of the proximity of Dean Grundy and law enforcement.

“And then?” Elijah presses.

“She turned it all on me, said I was delusional, so I stormed into my room and slammed the door. I wanted to check over my stuff and make sure nothing was missing. I also wanted to check that she hadn’t planted anything in there without my knowledge.”

Fuck, she’s spot on. Who’s channeling CSI now? And why would a professor go into an absent student’s room on the guise of looking for packing tape? Amber is a lunatic, but this is a new low, even for her.

“Amber left?”

“Yes. Sometime later I heard the front door shut, and she’d gone. Tali knocked a couple of times, but I was so fucking mad. She sided with Amber, thinking it was no big deal, and I felt ambushed. Trust doesn’t come easy for me, and this incident reminded me why.”

Eli’s hand reaches for hers, and I want to tackle him. I’m her soft place to fall, not him. Only I’m her rock-hard place to fall and getting harder by the second.

“When I woke up this morning, Tali had already gone. I figured she might have gone to the gym or met Ryan for breakfast. As I was leaving the room, there was a bakery delivery outside the door. I thought it was her way of seeking forgiveness. A peace offering of coffee and pastries.”

“Left outside the door?” Eli inquires.

Aspen nods. “Yeah, but kind of in between the two doors. It looked like it was meant for me or Tali, but because I don’t eat marzipan and the croissants had almonds in there, I figured it wasn’t for me and shifted it toward Poppi and Kristi. Plus, it was from a company I didn’t recognize, so perhaps Merda left it for Poppi? I’m not sure, it was—off.”

“And you told the police about this?” I ask.

“I did, because I saw Merda drinking out of that cup as I was walking into the dining hall. It was the same cup, or if not the same, the same company. Black, red, and yellow logo. Then, five and a half hours later, we’re being let out of classes because a student was unresponsive. Two hours after that, I heard Merda was the one who was unresponsive, and that she ended up passing away.”

Elijah shifts uncomfortably. “Aspen, the police have to run a thorough investigation; that’s part of their job. Until we’re certain how Merda died, it’s unwise to make assumptions about anything.”

“Okay.” It’s a long, drawn-out word. “Plus, there’s a lot of noise about a stalker, so everyone is on edge, you know.”

“Oh, yes, Aspen, I do. Do you know anything about a stalker, Elijah?”

The glare he sends my way could cut through diamond.

“What’s this about a stalker? Who reported that?”

“I think it was Poppi, or maybe the girl on the other side of them. I don’t know.”

Eli vibrates with enraged energy. I can almost see his blood thrumming through his veins. “Anything further you want to add, Aspen? About Merda’s passing or a possible stalker near this building, because we are here for you, you know that, don’t you?”

Aspen shifts in her seat. If I’m not mistaken, she clenches those milky thighs together even tighter. Is she recounting a visit on the same night someone was reported near her building? Come on, what is going on in that beautiful head of yours. Do tell us, little Aspen.

“I don’t know anything about a stalker.”

“Nothing? You didn’t see anything?” Eli presses.

“I didn’t see anything,” she reiterates.

Eli’s sneer dissolves into a smirk. Yes, he’s enjoying this little game. He’ll be just as hard as I am.