Page 29 of Cruel Games

“Watching her humping you was enough.”

As the two boys chuckled, I clenched my teeth. If there was any humping, it was Maxwell doing it to me and not the other way around.

“How about we get what we want and earn brownie points with Elizabeth?” said Orlando.

“I’m listening.”

“Get Lilah to agree to a three-way. We’ll do it in my room. I’ll have the clock-camera on the mantle to record everything. When the time is right, we’ll broadcast it in the dining room, and Burgh will expel her for lewd conduct.”

My mouth dropped open.

“That won’t work,” said Maxwell. “You know what Elizabeth thinks about chastity.”

“I didn’t say we had to broadcast everything. We’ll edit things, so it looks like we made our excuses and left before the big bang.”

Maxwell snickered. “I’m down.”

I didn’t hear what Orlando said next because the blood roaring in my ears drowned out everything else in its thirst for revenge.

Chapter 11

I stayed in that stall for several minutes, fuming at their nerve. Even though I couldn’t stand Elizabeth, what I hated more were guys who approached a girl with a game plan, while trying to seduce another girl. They were no better than Sammy.

How dare they try to set me up for a sex tape and get me expelled? If I had to return to Richley, Sammy and his pals would come after me, now convinced of my guilt because I’d run away. I sat on the toilet, clenching my fists and snarling at their audacity.

A heavy fist banged on the door. “Hurry up!”

I finished my business, flushed, and washed my hands. Instead of heading back to the nu-jazz room, I went in search of Gideon in the chill-out room.

It was a smallish blue space littered with comfortable sofas. Most were two-seaters, and some stretched out to accommodate four.

My gaze swept from the bar at the very end, over the chatting and kissing couples, to the small dance floor.

I walked around the edge of the room and stopped at a corner, where Gideon wrapped his arms around Lachlan’s neck. The silver-haired man’s hands were all over Gideon’s ruffles, massaging his ass as though it was a stopped heart that needed resuscitation.

I gave them both gentle taps on the shoulder.

Gideon broke the kiss, his dark lipstick gone and now smeared over Lachlan’s face. “Lilah?” He blinked as though trying to focus. “Are you alright?

“What would you say if I told you I was about to do something reckless?”

“Will it get you arrested?” he asked.

I shook my head. “It’s related to that wanker.”

His brows drew together. “Will it get you expelled?”

“No, but it will either end the bullying or escalate it to stratospheric proportions.”

“What happened?” asked Lachlan.

“First, Maxwell said he wouldn’t mention anything about you at the academy, but I overheard him talking to Orlando about what they planned to do to me tonight.” I repeated what the boys had said in the bathroom.

Gideon pursed his lips. “Whatever happened to walking away? We could leave—”

“No.” I raised my palm. “Stay. You deserve a night out. Orlando and Maxwell deserve what’s coming to them.”

Lachlan chuckled. “Fancy them, do you?”