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“I’m not babbling!” Piper protests with a pout.
Victoria ignores her and turns toward me. “Come to our room at five to get ready, then we can all walk down together. And you can bring your boy toys if you want.” She flicks her gaze to the four guys at my back before flashing me a sly, mischievous smirk.
“See you in a little bit, El,” Jane says softly. Sometimes, Jane is so quiet and timid, it’s easy to forget about her.
However, out of all my friends, I feel as if I identify with her the most. She’s shy, quiet, and studious, preferring to spend her days reading instead of partying—something I can relate to. She’s also significantly more perceptive than the other two.
Which is why my stomach muscles tighten when she flashes me a sympathetic look, her eyes dipping to my arms briefly.
I know what she’s thinking about, even though I’ve never told her about them or shown them before.
My scars.
My self-inflicted scars from a low period in my life.
I swallow around the hot coal in my throat and offer her a tight-lipped smile, one she returns. Then she’s gone, and I’m left with four men who haven’t stopped staring at me with varying degrees of incredulity coloring their faces.
Landon speaks first. “A party? Ellie, I’m not so sure that’s a good idea.”
“It’s not safe,” Dominic agrees easily.
“If you want a party, we can throw one here.” Zane taps a finger against the stubble on his chin. “Of course, we’ll have to come up with a party theme… Perhaps we can just tape your face to a bunch of balloons? Or would that be weird?”
Beckett rolls his dichromatic eyes. “Just a little bit, man.”
“Guys,” I interrupt, before they can get carried away with…whatever the heck they’re discussing. Sometimes, I don’t even want to know. “I think we should go. It might be a good idea to weed out some of the POP supporters.”
Landon’s brows pinch together, forming a severe line. “What do you mean?”
I suddenly feel uncomfortable with all of their stares on me. I fidget from foot to foot, trying to emulate a confidence I don’t truly feel.
I love these men more than I care to admit, but…
It’s hard.
Sometimes, I feel as if I need to live up to impossible expectations just to be in the same room as them. They’re rich, powerful, and sexy. Not only that, but they’re fiercely protective of the people they care about, wickedly smart, and loyal to a fault.
Is it wrong that I want them to like my idea?
To agree it’s the best course of action?
I’m tired of being the pathetic princess in constant need of saving. I want to be an equal partner to them, someone they can rely on and respect. Someone who has ideas that prove to be beneficial to our mission, instead of hindering it.
“Well, all of the seniors will be at this party, right?” I shrug helplessly and then fiddle with the ends of my sleeves. “This might be the opportunity we’ve been needing to discover who knows about POP, who’s a member, who has heard rumors about it…” I allow my words to taper off and then force a begrudging smile on my face. “You’re right. It’s probably stupid and?—”
“Don’t say that,” Landon snaps, his metallic eyes blazing, as if I called myself stupid instead of just my idea.
“Ellie may have a good point,” Dom interjects. His long, slender fingers begin to tap against the outside of his thigh as he thinks. “We could ask around discreetly, see what people know.” He shrugs. “I’m sure numerous students have heard about Cassia and Melody, even if they’re not members.”
Cassia and Melody.
The fake goddess of POP and the cult’s very first victim, respectively.
“Besides,” Zane flashes a magnanimous smile, “we’ll be able to see Ellie in a bikini.”
Landon’s smile almost immediately fades from his face, replaced by something darker. The sight has my heart somersaulting into my stomach.
“That means that other people will see Ellie in a bikini as well.” His voice, normally as smooth as cognac, is a raspy growl that reverberates through me.
