Page 125 of Zero Chance

“She’s right,” Alec agreed with some surprise.“You haven’t been your usual horny self since?—”

“Since the twenty-fourth,” Xander finished for him, sounding a little smug as she spoke.

I shot her a warning glare, while Alec sent her a surprised glance.“Wow.That’s oddly…specific.How do you know the exact day?”

She smirked.“Because that’s when we had the party here to celebrate Foster’s football victory.It’s the very night he met?—”

“Mystery Girl,” Alec murmured, finally catching on.

“Except she’s not a mystery anymore, is she, Keene?”Xander taunted, earning a warning glare from me.

But it was already too late.“Wait.Saywhat?”Alec asked, darting a questioning glance between the two of us.“What is she talking about?”His attention settled on me and flared.“Holy shit.Did you figure out who she was?”

Xander let out a totally unconvincing gasp of surprise and covered her mouth with one hand.“Oh no.Did you not tell your best friend you finally know who your mystery girl is?Mr.Dugger.”A scolding sound entered her tone.“That is so unlike you.But whyeverwould you not tell him?”

“Yeah,” Alec cut in.“Why ever wouldn’t you tell me?”

“Is it perhaps because you’re just sodisappointedto learn who she was?”Xander wondered, tapping her chin in an over-exaggerated mocking way.

I shot her a killer glare and growled, “No.That is not at all the reason why.”

As if pleased by my answer, her lips spread with knowing relish.“Oh.So you’re being so hush-hush and secretive in order to protect her reputation, huh?Because youlikeher?”

I narrowed my eyes, not appreciating her perceptiveness at all.“You are mean,” I hissed.“And evil.”

She snickered, enjoying herself way too much.

“Now, wait,” Alec demanded, clearly annoyed about being left out of all the details.“Who even is she?”

My jaw worked as I refused to speak.

“You really should tell him,” Xander said.“At this point, Alec’s probably the only person whodoesn’tknow.Because Parker no doubt informed Thane.And we all know Oaklynn blabbed to Damien and probably Faith and Raina too.So we can reasonably conclude that they toldtheirboyfriends.Which means, yeah, that just leaves poor Alec, all alone in the dark, knowing nothing.”

“Holy shit, man.”Alec swung toward me, looking betrayed.“Am I really the only person who doesn’t know?What the hell?”

“Jesus Christ,” I muttered, throwing up my hands in defeat.“It was Waverly Frank, okay.”My hard gaze shot to Xander.“Are you happy now?You made me out her.Way to be a good friend.”

“No.I outedyou,” she countered.“Someone was going to tell Alec any day now, but no one was going to realize you’d been quiet about it for so long because you’re hiding the fact youlikedlearning it was her.”

“That’s it,” I muttered.“We’re back at war again, and you’re still dead to me.Go…” I shook my finger out of the room as if that would actually shoo her out of my sight.“Just—buzz off, will you?”

She laughed and shook her head as if she thought she’d actually trumped me at something—which was total bullshit.She waved at Alec and sauntered from the room, humming victoriously.

As if.

She hadn’t won shit or exposed anything.Because I didn’t like Waverly like that.Irefusedto.

Grumbling under my breath, I spun away, only to find Alec still sitting there, gaping at me.

“So Mystery Girl is actually…LibraryGirl?”he asked as if he still didn’t understand.

“Son of a bitch,” I hissed, swiping an aggravated hand over my hair.“Don’t make it a thing, alright?”

But he only blinked.“Are you sure it was really her?Because I just—she doesn’t seem like the type who would do something like that at all.I can’t evenpictureit.”

“Good.Youshouldn’tbe picturing her naked,” I growled.

Alec pulled back and blinked.“Holy shit, I—I wasn’t,” he assured, lifting his hands.“I swear.I just—wait a second.I saw her.That night.She was at Archer House before the party started.When I came out of the shower, she was right there, standing between Oaklynn and Xander.”

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