Page 73 of Hide and Keep

“I apologize but I have no idea what net you’re referring to.”

“No, no, no, no, no.” I take off, back up the stairwell to our rooms, going to Ever’s first. I bang on her door, demanding, “Ever, open up.”

I try the handle with no luck because, of fucking course, it’s locked.

“I see you got her a lock.”

I glare at the valet wisely giving me several feet of space.

“What do you mean? She said you did.”

“I would’ve been happy to but it was my understanding you intended to.”

“Then who…” I glare at Ever’s door and pound both fists on it. “Ever!” She fucking lied about the lock. She lied about the net. What else did she lie about? Probably that special concern list bullshit.

It doesn’t matter. I don’t care what list those bats are on because they just made my shit list.

“You got a broom, Edwin?”

“Yes…” he drawls, the first bit of worry entering his tone since I ran into him. “May I ask what the broom will be used for?”

I thrust a hand toward my room. “There are bats in my room.” How many more times do I need to fucking say it?

“I’m afraid I’m unable to fulfill your request. Miss Munreaux would be very upset.”

“That you gave me a broom?”

“That I gave you a broom with the intent to harm her bats.”

“Herbats? They’re not her bats. They came in through the…” That odor. The one I smelled before I even opened the window. It wasn’t there this morning but it was there after I’d been gone all day. Which Ever was with me the whole time…except when she wasn’t. When she was in her three-hour long class. That she got out of early.

I poke my head in my room and flick on the light. Among at least twenty dark, white-tinged-fur creatures are slim wooden boxes, the very ones I saw in the woods yesterday, now nailed to the top of my black walls, high enough up that I wouldn’t easily notice them unless I was actively seeking them out. Fuck!

Crossing the room over to my window, I spot her immediately. In the middle of the driveway, like an apparition herself, is Ever fucking Munreaux. She raises a hand to her mouth, kissing it maybe, but when she goes to send it my way, all her fingers curl until only the middle is up and she’s flipping me off. Twisting around, she takes off down the driveway, disappearing into the dead of night.

“Fucking bitch,” I mutter before climbing out after her.

By the time I make it to the front gates, she’s long gone.

“Motherfucker!”

Today everything Ever did, everything she said, every single interaction that transpired between us was a complete ruse. I can’t trustanythingabout her, not her words, her actions, nothing.

Ever Munreaux is a liar, a manipulator, and a cock-fiend.

And I fucking hate her guts.

Dressed in one of his brand-new outfits, Crue’s waiting outside my bedroom when I emerge the next morning. From the neck down, he looks absolutely delectable. From the neck up though, my bodyguard’s looking a little worse for wear if I do say so myself.

His bloodshot eyes don’t lift any higher than my knees as he sticks out a hand, suggesting I go ahead of him.

That’s it? He’s not going to chew me out for what I did last night? I went to great lengths to sneak out unnoticed. I went to even greater lengths relocating those bats to his room.

I stop and wait for him to let me have it.

Not so much as a nibble, I throw him a bigger piece of bait, asking, “Rough night, Major?”

Still, his mouth remains an angry slash.

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