But I’ve already sauntered off.
I’m not going to make a mess of that sorority. Why should I? There’s no need when I already have him cornered. He just doesn’t know it yet.
He’ll know when I want him to know.
And I’m fairly certain Aspen’s brother and I share a class. Just one, the only one I kept failing all these years.
Economics.
Boring.
Appalling.
And so goddamn enticing now that I know my little stalker boy will be there.
Oh Xavier, I’m going to enjoy playing with you.
Xavier
“Want a drink?”Aspen asks as she sips her Coke.
“No thanks,” I reply as I lean on the kitchen counter.
She keeps staring at me. “So why are you here, exactly?”
Sweat droplets roll down the back of my neck while I try not to look spooked by the fact that someone just rang their doorbell. “Uh …”
That someone was definitely Sunny Reed, and I am so fucked.
“Is there a reason you have that?” Aspen asks, glancing at the mask in my hand.
“No, no, no, it’s from a party.” I suck in a breath through my nostrils. “That’s actually why I came here.”
“Really?” She raises a brow. “I thought you hated parties.”
“The Phantom ones, yeah,” I scoff, snorting, maybe too inconspicuously loud. “This is from a Tartarus party.”
“Interesting.” She takes another sip of her Coke. “And you were wearing that while you came into my sorority?”
“Yeah. I mean, why not?” I shrug. “Who doesn’t like dressing up sometimes?”
I’m failing hard here, but what else am I supposed to do? I didn’t have anywhere to go, and I needed to ditch my car, fast.
“Apparently you,” she says, snorting. “You still haven’t answered my question, though.”
“What’s that?”
I’ve completely forgotten what we were talking about.
“Why you’re here.”
“Oh.” I glance down at the mask. “I just thought I’d come here to personally invite you to a party.”
“A party?” She frowns. “You’re throwing a party?”
“No.” I laugh. “That’d be dumb. I mean, one of the Tartarus parties. Yeah. Let’s go together.”
She squints at me. “You’re hiding something.”
