Page 136 of Wicked Ends
“What do you want?” I held my breath as he considered me.
I would give this man anything and be grateful he wanted it. I would sell my soul to make him happy, but he didn’t need to know that. He had a wicked enough reputation as it was. Just when I thought he’d say something scandalous, he stepped back and shocked me by letting me go. The disappointment was humbling. Students had appeared in the hall, talking animatedly and rushing to their next classes. They streamed around us, and even in between us, pushing us apart.
“Meet me tonight, after ten. I’ll text you the address,” Marcus announced.
I took a few steps back to let people pass. “What?”
“It’s what I want,” he tossed over his shoulder.
“But why?” I called out.
But he’d gone already, his tall form striding away down the hall, leaving me more confused than ever.
Marcus
To set a trap,the hunter has to know two things.
The prey.
Ari.
I knew her well enough by now to understand that she’d go wherever I wanted her to if I dangled the right lure—and going to practice tomorrow and sucking up to Coach Williams would do it.
The trap.
I had that more than covered.
I went over my plan during my last class, staring unseeing out the window at the campus, trying and failing not to play the kiss in the hallway on repeat.
Fuck, I’d missed that woman. The only reason I’d let so much time pass while she was visiting with her sister-in-law and niece was because I needed time to set my trap.
Now, it was ready, and I was done waiting.
Class finally ended, and I headed out of the building to the parking lot. There was a figure attracting plenty of attention standing beside a custom motorcycle. His Harbor Hounds cut gleamed dully under the late afternoon sun.
Isabelle, writer for theHarbor Heraldand friend to Lily and Eve, stopped beside me, squinting down the stairs at Cole. “So, that’s your brother.”
“Mm-hmm, that’s him. You want me to pass your number on?”
She snorted softly. “I’m sure he’s got plenty of numbers to keep him busy.”
“Drowning in them, actually.”
What the fuck was Cole doing here?
“But all that tail isn’t enough to keep him out of trouble, I guess, given his latest stay in the hospital. Was it drugs or guns that got him hurt?”
I turned to Isabelle and raised an eyebrow. “I mean this with affection: Stay the fuck away from my brother, if you know what’s good for you.”
She narrowed her eyes at me. “What, don’t tell me the big, bad bikers are afraid of a little college student like me?” She batted her eyelashes comically.
I grinned and shrugged. “Fine, don’t… do what you want, but don’t come crying to me when the big, bad biker eats you whole and spits you out. You’re barely an appetizer to a man like Cole.”
“Lovely!” Isabelle shouted after me as I sauntered down the steps. “Thanks for the friendly advice!” she mocked.
“You’re welcome, friend.” I tossed her a wave and made my way to my brother.
A crowd of fawning female students gathered.
