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“You leave Scar out of this.” My heart is pounding in my chest. I prepared myself for this. I know Scar will eventually have something to say about it, but I will let that happen onmytime. The more I’m scolded, the angrier I get. Last year I would have let anyone and everyone dictate my life—not anymore. “If I want to be friends with Lev—a guy who both of you are friends with and live with—then I will be his friend.”
Ridge rises from his chair slowly, its legs screeching against the linoleum floor. His muscles are tense, and his gaze never wavers as he comes toward me with purposeful steps. “Do you hear yourself right now?” He crouches down beside me, but I look away, not willing to give him the satisfaction of my eyes as he lectures me. “You obviously don’t know Lev at all because anyone who uses his name and friends in the same sentence is delusional. Lev doesn’t have friends. He has playthings and I don’t want you getting your hopes up.”
I roll my eyes at him. “What about you and Maddox?”
“Lev isn’t our friend; he’s our brother. We’ve known him our entire lives, which is exactly why I am telling you to stay away from him. For your own safety, youhaveto.”
“No.” The word pops out of my mouth with no thought process behind it.
“Babe,” Maddox says, reaching for my hand, but I jerk it away.
I slide my chair back, causing Ridge to spring up. Snatching my drink and sandwich, I walk toward the exit because I have no desire to stick around for a pointless lecture.
I’m almost out of the student center when Lev walks into me. His chest presses to mine, walking me back a few steps. “Where do you think you’re going, Trouble?”
I look around him, my sole focus on getting out of here. “Not right now, Lev. I have somewhere to be. Maddox and Ridge are at the table.”
“I’m not here for them.” He takes my hand, forcing me to turn back around and walk the way I just came. “I’m here for you.”
I swallow hard. My chest rises and falls rapidly, and there’s no doubt Ridge and Maddox notice my disdain.
Pull yourself together, Riley.Show them this is what you want. Fool them the same way you keep trying to fool yourself.
Everything is fine.
In two seconds flat, Maddox and Ridge are on their feet coming toward us. Two protective beasts ready to rescue me.
“This is a bad idea,” I mumble to Lev as he keeps walking me toward them.
“I think it’s gonna be a fantastic fucking time,” he says, a wicked grin on his face.
Being over six feet tall, Lev towers over me. When he looks down, his mesmerizing blue eyes pierce into mine, and my breath hitches. “You see, Trouble. You’re already getting me excited for what’s to come. I knew you’d be the best person for this job.”
His fingers glide across my cheek as he watches his own movements. “I’ve lived in the darkness for years. Unable to see the light. Unable to feel the heat of the sun. Like a vampire, I was cursed with existence and destined for doom. I’ve been clawing my way out, trying to break free from the shadows of my past, and when I touched you earlier, something woke inside me, and I haven’t stopped thinking about the next touch. This is proof that hope is not lost. You are going to save me from myself, Trouble. And in return, I’m going to keep your secrets.”
My body quivers. How does he speak like the poems I write in my journal? It’s like I can feel him and his yearning for emotions deep in my soul. My words stutter as I struggle to respond. “I don’t have any secrets.”
“You’re a terrible liar. We’ve been over this, Trouble. I know you killed the governor. I also know you’re being framed for Zeke’s death, amongst others. And every time you disobey me, I will make things worse for you.”
I have no doubt in my mind, Lev will make things much worse for me if I don’t do as he asks. So I don’t fight him. Instead, I follow his lead and meet Ridge and Maddox in the center of the open space.
Ridge steps up to us, his gaze wandering to my hand Lev is gripping, then back up to my eyes. “Someone better tell me what the hell is going on right now, or I’m gonna lose my shit.”
Maddox joins my side and places his arm around my waist, pulling me toward him, but Lev only tightens his grip on me. His fingers squeeze so forcefully, my bones crush together.
I wince at the pain and attempt to jerk my hand away without drawing attention to my action. It’s lackluster at best, and Lev doesn’t relent.
“I don’t see what the problem is,” Lev says, his head held high and a permanent grin on his face. “Riley and I are good friends now. Nothing wrong with that, is there? After all, you guys are her friends, too.”
“Let her go,” Maddox demands of him, playing tug-of-war with my body.He pulls me by the waist, while Lev squeezes my hand.
Lev looks down at me, the scent of sweet mint from the gum he’s chewing invading my senses. “Is that what you want?”
It’s a test, so I say exactly what I know he wants me to say. “No.”
I’m gnawing nervously on my bottom lip when the tang of blood hits my tongue. My heart is imploding inside my chest, and the tension between the four of us thickens with each passing second.
Maddox takes a perplexed step back, his eyes blinking rapidly. “You’re lying.”
