Page 24

Still, it doesn’t stop the laugh that erupts from my chest when her mouth twists, puckering. Her disapproval evident.

“What’s a hellhound?” I ask when I can breathe again.

Her eyes grow large, mine level out.

“You don’t know?”

“I wouldn’t have asked if I did.” My voice shaded with disdain, neck prickling in heat.

“It’s the nicknames for the three almighties at this school.” Her words carrying a slight shake in her voice. My heart sank.

She had to have been talking about Cole, Finn, and Eli. Who else walked around with such overinflated egos?

A silence settling between us as I process the pompous, titled name.

I had witnessed it firsthand yesterday. The power they carried but hearing confirmation made it more evident I needed to detach. Association with them would draw attention and that was something I did not want.

“You’re one of them now.” Eyes glowing insincerity, boring into mine. “Aren’t you?”

My expression stayed blank; lips tightly pushed together. She exhaled, but it deflated like a balloon losing air gauging my reaction. “I won’t say anything.”

Hailey’s face softened and I believed her. That single sentence relieving tension I didn’t know needed freeing.

My shoulders contract. “Hale,” I say, swallowing my emotions. “Rory Hale, that’s my name.”

She stared me down a long second before her eyes lightened, shiny. Cheeks pinching at her depraved thoughts, grin growing across her flawless face.

I cringed, an unsettling awareness sinking in.

Hailey’s lips parted. I wasn’t going to like this —

“All Hale, Rory.”

I frown, her play on words unamusing. I knew I wasn’t going to like it.

twelve

Rory

“Alright,let’sgo,”atoo chipper Hailey barks, storming into my bedroom. “Up and at ‘em.”

“I could have been changing,” I berate.

She scoffs, rolling her eyes, pulling at the covers and I want to mar her. Also, a lock. I needed to invest in one of those.

“Like either of us hasn’t seen a vagina before.”

Hailey’s look turns pointed when I shift, pulling back at the comforter. Her resilience winning out, shoving them off my body.

I shoot up in a huff. “How did you know where I live?”

She looks at me like I asked her what color the sky was. “Your brother is Finn Casper, everyone knows where you live.”

I open my mouth, but she waves her hand dismissively.

“I know, I know you don’t want people to know. What I meantis, he’s thrown parties here for years, so people are familiar with the location.”

Okay, that made me feel a little better,I guess. At least I knew she wasn’t some crazed stalker.