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Chapter 1
Astrid
“What is going on?” I ask myself.
After spending the night at the new Monarch fight club, I can’t get into my dorm room in the morning when I turn the key in the door. I pull it out of the lock and stare at the grooves etched into it, and it’s the right one. I only have two keys—this one and the one to my mother’s apartment. I double-check the number on the door—it says twelve—so I try again. The lock clicks, echoing in the quiet hallway, but as hard as I push my shoulder against it, the door barely budges. It gives a quarter of an inch but not any further. What is going on? My gaze scans the crack between the door and the jamb, and there’s a thin gleam of metal keeping me out. Is that a bolt installed on the inside of the door?
“Roni,” I bang on the door. “Are you in there?” I don’t wait for an answer. “Open the door.”
There’s no response, but I hear movement inside as someone shuffles around the room. Roni can’t be in there with a guy. Terri dumped her, and Roni doesn’t do hookups. I glance down the hallway and stare at Charlotte’s door as I wait to be let in. I hope Terri doesn’t walk out of Charlotte’s room the second Roni opens the door.
“Roni?” I lower my voice and lean my forehead on the hard wood that’s keeping me out. “Open the door.” I hear footsteps approaching on the other side, and relief floods into me as I wait for a click. I’ve been up since yesterday morning. My adrenaline is tanking, and I just want to crawl into my bed.
“Go stay with your whore-stealing sister,” hisses Roni through the crack. “Go fuck off.”
“What?” I stare at the door as if it spoke. “Open up, Roni. Stop shitting around.”
“No, I don’t want you in here.” Her voice cracks. “Go stay with your friends. Leave me alone.”
“Open it now and stop being stupid.” I kick the wood hard with my heel, allowing the old wild me to reappear. “It’s not my fault. Stop being stupid and open the door.”
Nothing. No response, but I know Roni’s listening by the door. I can hear her mouth-breathing. I wait a minute longer for her to do the right thing and not blame me for Charlotte’s catty behavior, but it’s not playing out in my favor. Roni will never confront Charlotte, so she’s taking it out on me instead. Dumbass move.
“Fine, you bitch, be that way. Be alone!” I shout, not giving a fuck how loud I am.
The lock clicks, and the door opens enough for me to see Roni’s red-shot eyes. Of course, she’s been crying over that jerk Terri, and I had to go and say that. Her curly hair is a knot of frizz, and her upper lip is slick with snot. While I was out running my fight club, she was here alone, having an ugly cry. I frown, disgusted with my cluelessness and pettiness. Roni didn’t pull a mean girl on me the first day when she could’ve, but it’s too easy for me to treat her like shit when she’s down.
I move forward, lifting my hand to push the door open so we can talk inside our room. But Roni shoves the door shut, almost smashing my finger in the slamming door.
“Ouch, you bitch!” I shriek, holding my hand. “You almost took off my finger.”
“Go fuck your boy!” she screams, “Before he dumps your trash ass. None of you care.”
I clench my mouth shut, not daring to mention that gross shoebox of toys she uses to get Terri hard. Charlotte won’t need it, and I would never need it, but I keep my mouth shut. Thank God, something stops me from being too cruel.
The hallway is eerily quiet, but they all have to be awake behind their doors, listening to us lose our shit. Are they enjoying the meltdown or shaking in their Manolos or Choos or whatever shit is hot this year? Fuck them. Fuck these two-faced spoiled rich girls. I’m one of them as long as I behave like them.
I whip around and march over to Charlotte’s door. My fist lifts, ready to pound on it. But I stop myself as the quiet surrounding me drains the energy out of me. I hear nothing from behind her door. And I really doubt Charlotte would be under the covers giving Terri head. She doesn’t want him for sex or to prevent herself from being alone. Charlotte has her reasons, and I gave her the strongest one.
I back away from the door as guilt floods me and heats my face. If I had left Bryce alone, this wouldn’t be happening. And Roni is doing very little to me compared to what I did to Charlotte. I look down the empty hallway, and suddenly I don’t want anyone knowing any more of my business.
I head down to the basement, unlock the door to the hidden bathroom, and slip quietly inside the shadowy room. The dirty yellow couch feels like Nirvana as I lay my tired head down on the firm, musty cushion. I just needed to lie down. I was up all night with Nova and the Monarchs at our new fight club, and it was brutal in good ways and bad. My mind is buzzing, recalling everything that happened though I need sleep. Finally, restless but exhausted, I roll over onto my back and stare at a crack on the ceiling, unable to stop thinking about the boys.
Of course, the boys were going to figure it out, but I thought we’d have more time before they found the location. Teeny was right to be prepared just in case they showed up. And the boys did, with raw attitude in a freaking limo. They’re not about to let go of the fighters without a battle. But Pierce owes me for last night, saving his ass from a beatdown. He’ll act like nothing happened, but he would’ve been fucked up by the Monarchs if I hadn’t held them back. I hate Pierce as much as they do, but the fight has to be fair.
Opening night, and we pulled in more money than expected. My money is safely hidden in my old apartment in an envelope and taped under my dresser drawer. I grin with satisfaction. Finally something I planned went my way. And it didn’t squeak by. Nope, it was fucking fabulous. Fantastic. Nova, Derick, Grinder, and I split enough cash between the four of us to keep us going for a month. They’re the only people I can trust not to screw me as soon as my back turns. The Monarchs can still fuck Stonehaven up, and we proved it. It was our club before and is again.
Maybe I should get the laptop and figure out the numbers? But my body refuses to move as I drift off to sleep.
I wake with a start, not knowing how long I’ve been dozing off. The small window is painted over with yellow paint, and a thin beam of light shines in. It could be the next day. My muscles are tight as I slowly move to sit up. My new black dress is wrinkled, but I don’t intend to walk around in it all day. Our decision was to look upmarket and dress in black to prove we have the class that Stonehaven lacks.
Roni might’ve left the room by now, but I don’t feel like going back upstairs to check. Why did Charlotte have to steal Terri from her? I don’t need this mess. I don’t want to be caught up in the middle of a geek breakup. No matter how bad I might feel for her. I rub my eyes, banishing her miserable face from my thoughts. I’ve got enough going on in my own life.
Thankfully the campus is empty on a Sunday morning as I head toward the gym to get a change of clothes. There has to be at least a spare tracksuit in my team locker. The temperature is dropping fast in New Hampshire, and it feels like winter, not fall. Guilt makes a reappearance in my chatty brain as I walk towards the gym. I should do something for Roni. I should go talk to Charlotte. I could beat up Terri and drag him back to Roni.
Please, Roni, don’t cry over him. I know how it feels, but why waste time on a guy that only hurts you?
I release a long sigh, and the chilly air burns my nostrils as I inhale sharply. Wyatt still won’t speak to me after Justin. I hoped Wyatt would be at the club last night—even if he spent the whole evening giving me dirty looks. I fucked up and can’t take it back. Sex with another guy is never an accident. I didn’t accidentally open my legs for Justin to slide into me. I enjoyed every hard push he gave me. I can’t lie about the way my body felt, but it cost me later.
