Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 116875 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 468(@250wpm)___ 390(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116875 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 468(@250wpm)___ 390(@300wpm)
YOLO!
“I’m going to fuck you up—”
“Touch her and die.” The quiet order comes from nowhere, and I startle as Mr. Masked Man, aka Muscles, appears again on the side of the path. I was right, he moves quietly.
Radley stops short, stumbling over his feet. The way he blanches at the sight of the mask makes me think masked men aren’t as common as I thought. He sizes the man up, which takes a while because the dude is oversized. “This doesn’t concern you.”
Muscles steps in front of me. “You will stay away from her.”
Radley freezes. His eyes spit hate at me, but he doesn’t move.
I stick out my tongue at him but pull it back in when Muscles turns to me. His voice is so deep and rumbly, it takes me a second to realize what he’s asking.
“Do you want me to snap his neck?”
What?
His eyes are cold, serious. “Your choice. I can do it quickly.”
My mouth falls open. Oh my goddess, is he talking about murdering someone? In the middle of the murder garden?
There’s a tingle in my downstairs, and just like that, my panties are soaked. Again.
I’m panting a little, so it takes a second to collect myself.
“I can help clean up afterward. We just need a nice, clear plot,” I say. “Like over there.” I jerk my chin toward the grove of yew trees.
“You could,” he says, like we’re discussing our favorite brunch spots in Metropolis instead of where to hide a body.
“I could plant nightshade over it. Or lady slippers. They’re endangered, and it’s a crime to dig them up.” I smile up at him, enjoying this moment of having a co-conspirator.
This whole time, we’ve been ignoring our potential victim, and Radley is turning redder by the minute. “Do you know who my father is?”
I roll my eyes. “Nope, and we don’t care.”
“Leave,” Muscles orders.
Nostrils flaring, Radley gives me a look that says this isn’t over and stomps away.
Aww, that was just getting fun. I wanted to see where it would lead.
Oh well. I grab my backpack from where I left it when I got here. Maybe Radley will be waiting for me when I exit the garden. Or maybe he’ll wait until his friends are feeling better and get them to help him with their revenge on me. Either way, I’m looking forward to seeing what happens. I have a few more weapons up my sleeve.
But I am disappointed I won’t get to see Muscles beat down a punk student. He’s watching me closely again, and I let myself imagine crossing the space to him and pulling down the mask so I can stare at him as he’s been staring at me.
After a moment, I shake off the fantasy because that’s all it will ever be. But I’ve never felt so drawn to anyone in my life.
“Did you do it?” he asks. “Did you poison them?”
“Whoever did it must be a criminal mastermind. I wouldn’t cross them.” I flutter my lashes at him. The innocent act doesn’t work on my father anymore, but I’ve noticed most men fall for it.
He doesn’t fall for it. He looks even more suspicious of me. “You’re trouble.”
“I know. Isn’t it great?”
Across campus, the chapel bells start ringing. It’s noon. I’ve got to go.
I head out, tossing over my shoulder, “See ya never.”
Kaiser
* * *
The manic pixie nightmare flips her hair in my direction as she flounces away. I shouldn’t have let her see me. Even though I’m wearing a mask, I had no reason to show myself to her. I don’t know why I did, other than I couldn’t stop myself.
I thought getting close to her would help me understand her, but I only have more questions.
Is she not afraid of me? She’s into me, I can tell, but then she tried to ignore me.
She’s unhinged. And has some sort of immunity to poison ivy. Now I’m poisonous, too.
Her baby doll face probably fools a lot of guys into thinking she’s sweet and innocent. Up close, it was too easy to get distracted by her perfectly plump lips. She has a way of pushing them out into a pout that makes me think of how she’d look sucking on my dick. All the blood has rushed to my groin. My jeans are so tight right now, it’s painful.
What is going on with this chick? She definitely poisoned the lacrosse team. I knew she was up to something with that big basket and her little cheerleader outfit.
Now I know what.
It still doesn’t make sense, but what about her does make sense? She’s constantly doing the unexpected.
That’s what makes her so fascinating.
I walk to the gate so I can make sure she gets across campus unscathed. Less than two weeks on campus and she’s already made enemies.
I won’t allow anyone to touch her. That right is mine.