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She keeps talking, while the wheels in my head turn. “Once you know, you can get your guys back and send Jude away unscathed, so we never have to see him again.”
I let the straw break free from my mouth and set my glass down on my nightstand. “This could actually work.”
“Sending Jude away unscathed?”
“No. That’ll never work. The guys would never go for it. But Icouldtie Neo up and force it out of him.”
Riley grows quiet again. I know she's worried about Jude. I’m fighting hard to understand why, since she knows everything he’s done. I chalk it up to her not believing it’s him and I chalk that up to her hoping that somewhere in there is the guy she started to fall for. Maybe he is, but it doesn't change everything he’s done. Pushing Maddie and keeping her in a coma, stealing the identity of a dead guy, and terrorizing me. She might have it in her heart to forgive him, but I sure as hell don’t. In fact, now that I know I’m safe out there, there’s a big part of me that wants to go back to where he’s tied up and force the truth out of him.
But first, I need to collect my secret that Neo claims to have.
* * *
I look downat my outfit, or lack thereof. Technically, it’s not mine—it’s Riley’s—but she lent it to me for the night. A baby pink satin nightie with a lacey, low dipped V neckline. I wanna vomit just looking at this color on myself, but I won’t deny that my body looks fucking amazing.“You really think he’ll go for this?”
“Girl, you are a bombshell. If he doesn’t, I’m sure every other guy at this Academy would.”
“Not exactly what I’m going for, Ry. I need Neo to do the groveling.”Ugh. Neo and the word ‘grovel’ do not go well together.
“Neo’s a slut. Of course he’ll go for it. Get him in the bed, cuff his wrists with these,” she holds up two pairs of handcuffs—I don’t even bother asking why she has them, “then his ankles, and start your interrogation.”
“And what happens when he doesn’t tell me anything? I let him go, so he can return the favor and cuff me to the bed?”
“Nope. You leave him there. No matter how long it takes.”
“You do have a ruthless bone in there, don’t you?”
She smirks. “Only for those I don’t like, and Neo is at the top of that list.”
I nod repeatedly, my thoughts getting the best of me.This’ll be easy. I’ve got this.“Okay,” I blurt out. “I’m going in.”
Her eyebrows do a little waggle as she says, “Good luck.”
With my shoulders back, and my chest puffed out, I give my cleavage a little boost with my hands before jerking my bedroom door open.
Before I step out, a thud on the window has me turning back around. “What was that?”
Riley springs from the bed, and I shut the door.
“No idea, but I think something hit the window.”
We both hurry over to it. Before pulling back the curtains, it’s hit again. Riley and I share a fretful look. “Someone’s out there,” I tell her.
Riley peels back a small corner of the curtain and looks out. When she exhales a sigh of relief, I breathe a little better. “It’s Crew and Jagger,” she says, sending my heart back into my throat.
“Shit.” I gasp. “What do you think they want?”
“You. Of course. And if you don’t go out, they might try to come in.”
I lick my dry lips, tucking my hair behind my ears. “You’re right. I should go out there?” It’s a question, more than a statement, because I need her to tell me what to do. I hate the position I’m in and I can’t think rationally.
Riley draws the curtains back, and I snap, “What are you doing?”
“They obviously see us. There’s only one way to find out why they’re here.”
She pushes the windowsill up a couple inches and bends down, stuffing her mouth into the opening. “What do you want?” she shouts, and my eyes bolt to the door out of fear Neo will hear her.
“Tell Scar to come out or we’re coming in.” That’s Jagger’s voice.
