Page 27 of Pretty Secrets

I spin just in time to see him shutting the door in my face.

Asshole.

Whatever I do, I’ll be getting that key. I also make a promise to myself not to let my libido get in the way when it comes to Jarvis. A guy like him thinks he has all the power if you start getting hot and bothered every time you’re around him. He won’t see it for what it really is…a healthy sex drive.

12

Oliver

Edie’s shoulder is about as cold as a galactic iceberg. She’s refused to look at me throughout breakfast or when I tried to follow her up the stairs when she went to grab her bag.

The four of us are currently walking across campus like a group of posh academy students. Well, three of us are walking in a group. Jarvis is trailing behind, the same moody look on his face as when he told one of my new roommates they were going to get down on their knees for him. Not exactly one of the first impressions I wanted, but I don’t regret it either. It felt empowering for Eden to see me as something other than a friend. As something desirable. Yes, she may use my body sexually, but there’s no life to it on her side. It’s as if my dick is a sex toy to her. You don’t catch feelings for a vibrator. I don’t want her just to want me, I want to own her love, body, mind, soul. All of it.

Judging by the way she’s currently ignoring me, I’ve got a long way to go.

Alaric glances at his watch. He can’t be more than five years older than us—seven tops. But with the way the student body dresses, he fits right in. “I’ve got to get to my class or I’m going to be late.”

None of us respond. Edie’s not just icing me out, it’s everybody. Not that I can blame her.

He sighs. “I trust you two will keep track of Eden while I’m busy.”

I grind my jaw. I was doing a fine job of looking after her before they were added into the mix. If only I’d known they were going to put us into groups…. At least I had the in to get me added to Eden’s.

Alaric tries again. “Then we’ll meet up after everyone is done for the day? We need to talk.”

More silence. I’m just following Edie’s lead. Otherwise, I don’t have a dog in this fight.

Alaric huffs out a curse as he walks away. Eden and I continue on. Peering over my shoulder, I find Leo still hovering behind. I don’t know why he’s even bothering. It’s clear he hates this—being here, being assigned to Eden as if we’re her bodyguards or some shit. They should’ve just come right out and said they were doing all of this because of Delilah, instead of hiding it behind words of compassion for the female pledges.

The Knights are legendary, even in my country. They’re known for being ruthless and unyielding. It’s almost laughable that they’re making this ruse be about anything other than giving a good show. It’s something I’d love to talk to my best friend about if she’d even look at me.

“I got it from here,” I tell Leo, dismissing him.

“I—” He breaks off after a pretty girl walks past us. “You know what? I don’t fucking care.” He sneaks after the woman, staying two steps behind. He doesn’t look like a guy that’s about to hit on her, he’s stalking her, choosing the perfect time to pounce. The guy gives me the fucking creeps.

I wait several more steps after it’s just the two of us, seeing if she’ll make the first attempt at talking. When she doesn’t, I say, “How much longer is this ice-out going to last?”

“Depends,” she ponders. “Did you even try to get me out of my room?”

“I don’t know if you noticed, but that dude’s scary.”

She gives me a withering look, which tells me I’m not about to charm my way out of this. “I’m sorry, okay? I was a little out of sorts because my best friend had just wrapped her fist around my cock.”

I watch her intently. The tips of her ears turn red as she runs her fingers through her long blonde hair. I’m still trying to decipher the momentary embarrassment when she says, “Not like I haven’t done it before.”

“Well, it was a little different this time when I happened to have another girl’s mouth on my cock too.”

“Shh,” she hisses. “The fuck, Oliver?” She waits as a group passes us before slowing down so she no longer looks like she’s trying to run away from me. She seems flustered all of a sudden. “Okay, listen, last night was fucked up. Let’s forget…thathappened.”

Not exactly the response I was hoping for. I want to remember that moment with her forever because it was different from the others. This time was without discussion, without weighing pros and cons, without clarifying what we were doing ahead of time. This seemed as if it was out of passion, something I’ve desperately wanted from her for a long time. “Whatever you say, Edie.”

Anne-Marie strolls out of the café with two guys on either side of her. Unlike our ragtag little group, they look as if they’re taking their job seriously. From what threat, I’m sure they don’t know. They’re just following around a sure bet between the sheets.

“She seems to be adjusting well,” Edie remarks. “She’s probably not smart enough to know how humiliating this all is.”

Anne-Marie smirks at us as she walks by. “Where’s your entourage, Astor?” Lowering her voice, she whispers, “Wouldn’t want the Elders to see that you’re not following the rules, would you?”

Edie’s lips thin. “It just so happens my—” She cuts off abruptly, obviously not knowing what to call us. “They have very important things to do.”

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