Page 65 of Pretty Threats

Things are changing between us again, this time for the better, but some things never change. Even when I was banished from the house for getting in too much trouble, I broke back in to see her.

When she turns, the snags on the back of the dress and a small scrape on the back of her shoulder are obvious.

Yeah, I handled her roughly. No, I don’t regret it. But will I be grinding her against another brick wall like a piece of sand paper? Nah. Her skin is too soft for that kind of treatment. I don’t want to feel scabs when I touch her.

Across the room, a girl who looks familiar tracks Raine’s movements. The girl must be someone from Raine’s classes that I’ve seen around. The girl’s dress though is pretty cheap and trashy for GU.

My head cocks as I study the brassy blond hair that tapers down to shredded ends. Who is she?

When she turns her head, it hits me. Alicia. From high school. She looks different now, but it’s her.

Alicia Zenker left St. Sebastian’s the year after I killed her father. Not sure where she went. I’m curious how she ended up here. Academics were never Alicia’s strong suit, so I doubt she’s a GU student.

There’s a hardness to her now. She’s lost weight and looks brittle, with shallow lines bracketing her mouth like she’s a decade or two older than we are.

Alicia watches Raine as one of the Beta guys hands Raine the scarf she had wrapped around her shoulders for the ride here. Once Raine’s alone again as she collects her purse from an end table, Alicia approaches her.

Raine’s eyes widen when she recognizes our old classmate. Then her brows furrow as Alicia says something to her. Alicia’s leaning in, but her expression isn’t angry or aggressive. She seems to be speaking quickly and then looks around. I lean back against the wall, watching. When Alicia’s gaze lands on me, we lock eyes.

Neither of us smiles or feigns friendliness. We were never friends. Back in high school, she pretended we were. A lot of people did. Pointless and stupid.

A guy walks over to Alicia and puts a hand on the back of her arm. She holds up a hand in a goodbye gesture to Raine and walks away.

Raine stares after them for a moment before looking around for me.

When she spots me, she crosses the room slowly with a strange expression… concerned maybe.

One of the Beta guys opens the front door for us and tells us to have a good night.

“We will,” I say, walking down the front steps.

Raine rubs her arms like she’s cold, so I take off my jacket and put it around her shoulders.

“Did you see that Alicia Zenker was here?”

“Yeah.”

Raine’s quiet as we walk to the car, and I wait for her to say more. When she’s buckled into the passenger seat of the Vette, I pull away from the curb.

“Let’s go to the Lambda after party.”

“Why?”

“I want to see what’s going on there after hours. Background research for the film project.”

“Is it?”

Her gaze shifts to me. “Alicia’s working as an escort. She goes to a lot of parties as arm candy, but where she makes her real money is when she does special events. The kind you were talking about… where the girl will allow wilder things?” Raine’s head tilts to study me. “She’s not one of the women you slept with, is she?”

“No. I haven’t seen her since high school.”

“You haven’t?” Her voice is light but skeptical. Raine’s fingers pluck absently at the fabric of her dress, then she looks at me. “Don’t lie to me, okay?”

My muscles tighten. “I’m not. Why would I?”

As I pull out onto the street, Raine says, “She asked if I was a new girl you’re training.”

“To be a prostitute?” There’s no way to keep the surprise out of my voice.

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