Page 60 of Ink & Ambition

Alex rolls his eyes and cracks a hesitant grin. “You’re not in trouble.”

Not really any more appeased, I cautiously take the empty seat across from them. “What is this about?”

“We need your help,” Devon says immediately. “You saw what DE did to our house right?”

“Yeah, Alex sent me a picture.”

“It’s some bullshit and now we need to get them back,” Kai continues Devon’s thought. Almost like they planned this. It’s actually kind of funny to me for a moment, until I remember I have no idea why they’ve gathered me here.

“I don’t know what that has to do with me…” I already paid my prank dues. I didn’t realize this would turn into an ongoing situation that I was to be forced to be a part of.

It’s finally Alex who speaks next. “We need to reevaluate the terms of our deal.”

Taking a deep breath, I make a demand. “Alex, can we talk about this without the back up?”

Alex looks back and forth between his friends before nodding once. “I got it from here.” The rest of his crew stands and leaves out the door without another word or glance in my direction.

“What the hell is going on? You didn’t tell me this prank thing would be ongoing.”

“I didn’t think it would. And I wanted to leave you out of this one, but you made it personal when Ryan and the deltas dicked up our house.”

“Imade it personal?”

“Ryan made it personal. And you are personal with Ryan.”

“Cut the bullshit, Alex, please. Just what are you asking me to do?”

“We need you to help us get them back. And we want to go after Ryan.”

“Why are you so sure that Ryan did this? There’s a lot of guys in that frat. It could’ve been anyone.”

“I know it was him.”

I stare at him from across the table, my anger brewing. We sit in silence for a minute or so, neither one of us breaking the tension.

Alex sighs first. “Why don’t you ask him then?”

He’s challenging me. He doesn’t think I would ask. I pull my phone out of my back pocket, dial Ryan’s number, put the phone on speaker and set it on the table.

“Hey, babe,” he answers after two rings.

Alex rolls his eyes but remains silent.

I lean down over the table to speak close to the phone. “Hey, can I ask you something?”

A car horn honks behind Ryan’s voice. “Sure, what’s up?”

“Did you have anything to do with the KA house being vandalized?”

Ryan sighs. “Ah, man I saw that. But no, of course not. I would never stoop so low with my revenge plots.” His voice is casual, not a hint of regret or guilt.

“Why are you out to get revenge on the kappas?” As far as I was aware, they didn’t know that their lock in was from Alexand his friends. And I definitely didn’t want Ryan to know my involvement in it.

Ryan chuckles. “Everyone knows they locked us in the night of the gala.”

I choose to ignore that comment, hoping he won’t find out how integral I was to that plan, even if it didn’t go as smoothly as we’d hoped, thanks to Ryan’s chivalry. “Okay, so you’re sure you had nothing to do with the graffiti?” I give him one last time to tell me the truth and I’ll believe whatever he says. He’s given me no reason not to.

“I’m sure. I wouldn’t do that.”

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