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Her lips part, but nothing else comes out.
“I’m sorry,” I add.
“It’s okay,” she replies. “I get it.”
I place a hand on her arm. “You’re my friend. And it’s best if you don’t know too much.”
She nods a few times, but she still pulls back from me and focuses on the teacher instead, which is probably for the best.
I blow off some steam and grab my books while I try to pay attention to what the teacher says, but it’s hard to focus when my phone keeps buzzing in my pocket.
I pull it out and check my messages.
Dylan: Did you talk?
Penelope: No, did you?
Dylan: I need you to come to my dad’s office. Now.
Penelope: I can’t. I’m in the middle of class.
Dylan: Walk.
Penelope: No. I’ll flunk.
I put the phone away, but it keeps going off, and it’s annoying the shit out of me.
Alistair: Stop ignoring us.
Penelope: You in on it too now? I told you, I haven’t said a word to anyone.
Alistair: People are talking. They know the Phantom boys are missing.
Penelope: Yeah, well it wasn’t me. What did you even do with … you know.
I don’t want to say bodies. I don’t ever know who’s watching.
Dylan: Not here.
Penelope: Then where? I need to know if it’s even safe to walk around on campus.
Dylan: You’re safe when you’re ours.
Fuck. That doesn’t help me one bit.
Penelope: Nathan literally came to “talk” to me. You call that safe?
I suddenly get pulled into a group conversation with all three of them.
Dylan: Nathan’s back? You need to fucking tell us those things, Pen.
Penelope: It literally happened three seconds ago. There was no time. Chill.
Dylan: I don’t care how long it’s been. Stay away from him. I’ll deal with him.
Felix: No need. I was there, watching.
Alistair: You stealing my job, bro?
Felix: Fuck off.
Dylan: Looks like someone’s still mad.
Alistair: Don’t make it our problem, dude.
Felix: You boys did something, didn’t you? Tell me. Now.
Dylan: Not safe over text. We’ll talk after class. Pen’s coming too.
Penelope: I’m not interested in watching you three fight.
Felix: Pen…
Dylan: You’re coming, or I’m dragging you.
Alistair: I’m going to enjoy this.
I roll my eyes.
Penelope: Fine. Better be worth it.
Felix: We’re doing all of this for you, Pen. Don’t fucking forget.
I put my phone back down. I’m not interested in being schooled by them, and especially not by Felix. I’m still so fucking mad at him for even thinking I could hurt my sister.
Class can’t be over quick enough.
When I finally get to the Skull & Serpent Society, one of the dudes who opens the doors immediately escorts me to the private library. The same one where I almost choked on Felix’s cum, and the mere memory makes me squeeze my legs together.
“In here,” the guy says, and he pushes me inside and closes the door behind me.
But I’m completely frozen to the floor when I realize I’m not alone with Felix, Dylan, and Alistair.
“Well, hello there. And your name is?”
It’s the fucking dean. Dylan’s father.
PENELOPE
“Penelope,” Felix answers for me. “A friend.”
“Penelope who?” he asks.
“Uh …” Fuck. “Richards.”
He narrows his eyes. “Richards. Hmm …” The man looks me up and down, tucking his hands into the pockets of his expensive suit. “Interesting.” He turns back to the boys. “Why is she here?”
“Because she was with us that night,” Dylan says, rolling a lighter between his index finger and thumb. “She can vouch for us.” His eyes land on mine. “Can’t you, Pen?”
“Um.” I’m really confused what’s going on here. “What?”
His father’s eyes narrow. “Are you being roped in to lie for these boys?”
“No,” Alistair adds. “It’s the truth. You were at the bonfire near the Hot Springs too, the other night, weren’t you? We were dancing.”
My eyes widen.
Oh fuck.
They’re using me as an alibi.
“Yeah, I was with them. Why do you ask?”
The dean’s face is stone-cold, so much different from how Dylan behaves. “Two boys from that Phantom frat went missing, and I need to know if they’re involved.” He narrows his eyes at me. “After what happened with Nathan Reed…”
Why do I feel like he’s trying to implicate me?
Fuck, how much does he know?
Dylan frowns. “I told you, we didn’t—”
“Shhh!” His father interrupts him with a single finger. “I don’t want to hear it. I already paid for the hospital expenses as well as the damage.” He adjusts his coat. “The family chose not to sue the university. But it won’t regrow a lost limb. You should feel lucky money was all they wanted.”
I swallow. So he does know.
“We already told you we had nothing to do with it,” Felix retorts, folding his arms. “Nathan’s lying.”
“I don’t fucking care who’s lying,” the dean seethes. “This ends now.”
When no one replies, he finally turns around and walks in my direction. “If you value your time here at this university, you’d better stay away from these boys.”
