AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Failing that, collateral is the next logical step.
I’m refusing both.
Well, not really; I told Marius I’d let Riley take the picture. But I was hoping for an out. I’m beginning to realize that it’s not going to happen—thattheycan’t afford to let me go without havingsomethingfrom me.
“I told her if she posed for a pic, I’d let her go without a signature.”
Riley’s beaming again. “Of course! I’ll shoot it for you.”
He hands her his phone, and finally, finally lets go of my throat.
His bullshit is definitely going to leave bruises.
But sure, I’m the bad guy.
I stand there like an idiot, though I know what’s expected of me. And it’s no big deal, right? I’m still wearing a bikini from the pool party under my dress. I can totally get undressed. Hell, Riley is completely naked and it’s considered normal in this crowd.
But my hands are refusing to work. I stand there like a useless mannequin.
“Look, I don’t have all day,” Marius grunts. “Some of us actually want to have fun. You either get to it, or I just let the board handle your presence.”
Riley gasps, finally shocked. “Don’t do that! They’ll eat her alive, Marius. You know what they did to the last girl who posed a threat. I mean, I know it turned out for the best, but her mom’s still in prison, remember?”
Shit.
I’d guessed from his tone that dealing with the board wasn’t a good thing. Now I have all the proof I need.
They can’t put my mother in prison, but that doesn’t mean they can’t hurt me.After all, Iamtrespassing. What’s the penalty for that?
I don’t want to find out.
I force my body to unlock from its frozen stupor, and pull the dress over my shoulders as fast as I can.
“There,” I say, throwing it on the ground.
Underneath, I’m wearing a blue bikini, although I never intended to swim. I don’t really know why I put it on—hope that I’d end up more courageous than usual and have fun at Violet’s like everyone else? It’s cheap and functional, if a little too small for me. I bought it two years ago, and I changed bra sizes since. Still, it’s not nearly as revealing as the swimwear half of the girls at Vi’s wore.
Marius’s gaze rakes over me, setting my skin on fire, and my anxiety hikes right back up.
“Damn, girl, these are some tits,” Riley tells me.
I flush, no doubt looking beet red.
I’m well aware of the stupid breasts. In fact, I do my best to conceal them half the time.
Marius says nothing, only curving one eyebrow expectantly.
No point delaying the inevitable.
I lower my gaze to the ground and slowly make myself get to my knees.
God, this is so humiliating. The fact that my self-proclaimed friend just offered to take the picture rather than getting me out of there is confusing, upsetting, and making me question what I’m doing here at all. Sure, Rothford is a great school, and I get to attend free of charge—a chance in a million—but clearly it’s not my kind of place. I’m not that person. I don’t go to orgies. I don’t do sex at all. At least not willingly. Those people…they’re not like me.
“No, I need the party in the background,” Marius tells me. “Come over here.”
I’m already on my knees, so rather than stand up, I get there on my hands and knees.
When I’m sitting back on my feet again, I find him staring at me with a strange look I can’t quite read. It sends all my nerve endings into a state of alarm.
