AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Athelia
The sound of someone knocking on Kellan’s door wakes me. I blink my eyes open, thankful that Kellan keeps his curtains shut so the sun isn’t too painful.
“Athelia,” Wes calls. “You have to get going.”
Kellan stirs beside me, and he lets out a deep groan as his arms tighten around me. I don’t remember him coming to bed. “Don’t leave me,ma belle.”
“Hold on.” I kiss him on the forehead before stumbling out of bed. The spiral staircase is a challenge this soon after waking up, but I manage to get to the bottom floor of Kellan’s room and push the door open.
Wes is standing in the hallway, fully dressed, his phone in his hand. Seeing him, I’m immediately reminded of our kiss last night. I figured it was time to move to the next phase of my plan with him—give him tiny tastes of me here and there to drive him crazy.
If the way he kissed me was any indication, it worked.
Part of you wanted it,a voice deep inside me says, but I shove the thought away.
“I’m sorry,” Wes says when he realizes he woke me. “I just don’t want there to be any suspicion on you.”
“What… what do you mean?”
“Your meeting,” he says gently. “You have to show up. You don’t know Kammes is dead.”
My eyes widen. “Shit. What time is it?”
“Nine. I’m heading over now—my mom called. All you have to do is make an appearance. Odds are, the police won’t be there yet.”
My blood pressure spikes. “Police?”
Wes nods. “My mom called them and filed a missing persons report. They’ll probably be over to investigate at some point today.”
“But Wes, what if—” The words get caught in my throat. I can’t manage to say them.
“I’ll be fine,” he says with a reassuring smile. “There’s no reason for the cops to suspect me—or you, for that matter. I’ll just be there as support for my mom and to answer any questions they have.”
“But…”
“I need you to not worry.” His voice turns firm, although he doesn’t sound annoyed. “You can’t show up looking nervous.”
“Got it. So I just… ring the doorbell like normal?”
“Yep. Either my mom or I will answer, and we’ll send you away once you say you’re there for a meeting with Kammes. But the cops are going to look through his phone, and if they see you had a meeting that you didn’t show up for, they’ll—”
“I get it.” Pushing past him, I head toward my room. “I’ll be there as soonas I can.”
. . .
My hands are trembling as I ring the doorbell to the Kammes residence. I clutch the strap of my bag to disguise it, breathing deeply as I wait for an answer.
Please be Wes. Please be Wes. Please—
When the door opens, a woman with long, dark hair and red-rimmed eyes comes into view. She narrows her eyes at me before asking, “Can I help you?”
“I, um.” I clear my throat. “I have an advisory meeting with Professor Kammes?”
“Oh,” she says flatly. “You’re one ofthosestudents.”
Wes comes into view behind her. My eyes flick to his, but he shakes his head.
“What do you mean?” I ask.
