Page 215 of The Villain We Tempt

Me

You can believe me or not about the gun…

I text him the photo.

Me

But I 100% guarantee this goes in your face if you step through the door.

Me

You remember how fun it was the last time we played that game, right?

I send a kissy face just to be a cunt and turn my phone face-down on the desk before walking back over to my friends sprawled across Ari’s bed. I flop down next to them and exhale.

“You wanna crash here tonight, Luce?”

She groans. “Please. I seriously can’t take much more of my roommate, and we’re only halfway through the first fucking semester.”

Lucia is, obviously, going to pledge The Order at the Initiation Trials later this year. But even though you pledge a club halfwaythrough your freshman year, you don’t get to move out of the regular dorms and into the club housing until yoursophomoreyear, and unfortunately, Lucia’s current roommate is a bit of a basket case.

She glances at Arianna and me. “You guys don’t mind?”

Ari shakes her head. “Of course not! So, would you prefer the Nikitin Suite, or the Sartorre Suite?”

I clear my throat. “Why don’t we all just crash in here together?”

Arianna gives me a strange look. “Your room iseight feetaway.”

“Yeah, but we could have a sleepover! Spooky stories, snacks, the whole bit.”

Lucia grins. “I mean, that does sound kinda awesome.”

Yup, it does. It also soundssafer.

I don’t doubt for a second that Lochlan wouldn’t just break into my room while I’m sleeping. But I’d like to at least think he’d have second thoughts about trying anything if I’m sharing a bed here in Ari’s room with two other people.

Arianna shrugs. “I mean, it’s fine with me.”

I can hear my phone buzzing repeatedly across the room. But I ignore it.

That’s something I can deal withlater.

It’sa few hours later when Ari and Lucia are snoozing in the bed next to me, the only light coming from the glow of the DVD menu forLegally Blonde 2.

Honestly, it’s nowhere close to the first one. But it’s kind of tough to do a Legally Blonde marathon without watching it.

I wince as I swallow, my throat feeling dry. I slide out of bed, careful not to wake my friends as I tiptoe over to the bathroom door. I fill a cup at the sink and groan in satisfaction when the cool liquid bathes my throat.

“You don’t have it on you, do you?”

I bite back a scream of terror as I whirl. Lochlan is standing in the doorway to my room.

“What the fuck are you doing here?!” I hiss.

“Asking you if you?—”

“Shh!” I blurt, my eyes going wide. “Just…quiet! Ari and Lucia are asleep!”