Page 108 of Redeeming the Villain

Blair, Lumi, Phillip, Sunny, and I spent the afternoon around the pool in Blair’s backyard, some of us enjoying it more than others. Now, we’re lying in Blair and Griffin’s living room, watching a movie.

Sunny and Rex, their dog, have really become the best of friends. It’s adorable to watch her bond with him. They’re snuggled up together next to me, Sunny’s big head on his small body, using him like a little pillow.

“Holy shit. Alora.” Phillip’s head pops up behind his phone. “You need to see this.”

He tosses his phone over to me, and I catch it and stare at the screen, my jaw unhinging and crashing to the floor.

My shock is barely audible. “Jesus.”

An article was just published toEvermore Daily News—“HEAU Professor Assaults Student, Facing Multiple Charges.”

My heart drops, and I skim the article, looking for any indication that I was the student. But the more I read, the more my shoulders relax, as no details are mentioned. When I scroll to the bottom of the article, my breath catches in my throat. Rupert Von London’s mug shot is centered on the page. But that’s not what took me by surprise.

It’s the fact that more of his face is black and blue than not. Parts of his face are split open, clearly repaired with stitches and bandages. The article notes that in a provoked attack, multiple fingers were broken, and he had an occipital fracture and a fractured jaw.

Holy crap.

“I wonder what happened,” I mutter, zooming in on the image, seeing every scratch and bump on him.

Blair looks over at me with a knowing gleam in her eye. “Wait, what do you mean?”

Confusion thrums through me. “What do you mean,what do I mean?”

Her mouth forms into an O as she inhales, her eyes widening. She sets the remote down on the coffee table in front of us. “Umm, maybe I’m not supposed to say anything.”

Sitting up taller, I turn to her completely, Phillip following suit. “Do you know what happened?”

She swallows hard, contemplating whether or not to tell me. “Yeah …” She pauses. “I assumed that you knew. I didn’t know that Malik hadn’t told you.”

I wait for her to continue, the hair on the back of my neck rising with anticipation.

“The guys paid him a visit the day he was arrested. They were the ones who called the cops. And that”—she glances down at the phone, pointing at the mug shot—“was Malik.”

“All of that?” I gasp, shocked that he could cause so much damage.

She shrugs nervously. “He can be an overachiever when it comes to the things he loves.”

Her choice of words sends a jolt through me. I can’t imagine a world where Malik Ravenwell would ever love me.

Maybe it’s because I’ve spent most of our time together hearing him tell me how much he hated me. But love? I don’t know.

My phone rings, and I jump from the full volume. Grabbing my phone from beside me, I see my dad calling.

That can’t be a coincidence.

“Excuse me. I have to take this.” I stand.

Phillip looks my way, and I can tell he’s asking if it’s my dad. I nod and stroll out of the room into the quiet foyer.

“Hello?” I answer, chewing on my bottom lip.

My dad’s sigh is the first thing I hear.

Well, this conversation is going to be delightful.

“How many times do I need to tell you to behave before I have no choice but to enforce your consequences?”

My spine straightens, and my shoulders drop, a chill skating across the nape of my neck.

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