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“Not what I asked.”

The two of them exchanged a look. Barnes walked into the kitchen to grab a handful of chips and caught the vibe. “What’s happening?”

“Bett wants to stay over,” Garrett said.

“Ah, that’s rough.” Barnes winced. “Sorry, bro. Too much riding on it, you know?”

“No!” I snapped. “I don’t know. Someone needs to tell me why you’re being assholes right now.”

Barnes flicked a glance at the others before stepping closer and lowering his voice. “It’s your dad, man. He made us promise we wouldn’t let you stay here. And he said he could fuck things up for us if we did⁠—”

Marcus scoffed. “Barnes, why you gotta be so dramatic? Listen, Bett, your dad just wanted us to help make sure you were staying on the straight and narrow, that’s all. Like, on account of last summer and all.”

“My dad?” A wave of horror and nausea spread through me as the words sank in. I thought back to the shit my father had pulled last summer, when the details about my bar fight had started to surface. The carrot-and-stick methods he’d used on all the witnesses to make sure the only version of events on social media was the one his team had crafted.

“Did he threaten you?” I demanded.

“I mean, he warned us not to fuck up.” Garrett winced, looking guilty as hell. “But mostly, he said he’d hook my dad up with some new clients, so my dad made me swear to do what he said.”

“Same,” Marcus said.

Barnes at least had the decency to stare at the ground. “Said he’d get me a job after graduation.”

My lips felt numb. “My dad bribed all of you,” I said in a low monotone, no longer able to meet their eyes either. “And you went along with it.”

“It’s not like that,” Marcus said.

“What’s it like, then?” I asked. “Tell me. Because right now, it feels like you sold me out to my father’s fucking bullshit. And then you lied about it.”

I didn’t wait for them to answer. The embarrassment and anger pulsing under my skin made it impossible to stand still. To listen to more of their hedging. I knew what they would say because I knew what lies my father would have told them.

It’s for his own good. It’s for the good of the campaign. He needs our support. He’s a good kid, but sometimes he needs a little help from his friends and family. Help me help Bett.

My breaths came in short, shallow drags as I shoved my way through the crowded house and out onto the pavement. People called my name, but I ignored them, moving on autopilot to the only place I could think of where there wouldn’t be someone under my father’s fucking thumb.

Thankfully, my room was empty. Even though I’d showered after the game, I grabbed my things and disappeared to the hall bathroom to take another one, rinsing off the dried sweat, cigarette smoke, and mortification under the pounding spray.

I stayed under the water a long time, trying to let my thoughts move quickly through my head without stopping.

The anger didn’t fade, only my energy.

I dragged myself back to my room and flopped onto my bed. Strangely, I wished Vaughn were there, if only to get me out of my head and focused on something else.

But when he finally showed up, he wasn’t alone.

The sound of another man’s giggle broke the angry silence I’d been stewing in for an hour.

“I can’t believe you live in the dorm,” the guy said to Vaughn. “Aren’t you a senior?”

Vaughn grunted something affirmative and tossed his wallet and phone down on his desk, his eyes flicking immediately over to my bed.

Despite feeling a pinch of worry at the scabbed-over cut above his eyebrow from the fight, I glared at him, daring him to try me tonight.

“Ah, the football star has returned,” he said with a slight smirk to his lips.

“You’re not doing that here,” I said, pointing at the much smaller man he’d brought home. “No fucking way.”

The anger from earlier was nothing compared to what was boiling up now. Just seeing this slight man and knowing Vaughn’s plans to fuck him here in our room made me want to murder the guy.