Page 49 of Sinner
“Trust me, I get it.” Nix offered him one last friendly smile and then walked out of the dorm for the final time.
That wasn’t exactly how he’d hoped things would go, but at least he felt more confident that Grady wasn’t also hiding some evil, secret identity. It sucked about their friendship taking a blow because of the actions of others, but he didn’t wallow on that for long.
Grady might be who he’d always seemed, but that wasn’t the case for Beck.
Nix needed to find Lake.
Chapter 16:
“This is…” Lake didn’t finish his sentence, but Nix knew what he was trying to say.
After finding the Imperial at practice—because the team was overworked and still had to meet during a holiday week—he’d quietly explained everything he’d learned from Grady.
He’d known he couldn’t take this to West or Yejun, not without proof to help convince them. And, honestly, he was really worried how the latter would react if it turned out Nix’s theory was right and Beck had been playing them all this time. But that was even more of a reason to be certain.
Lake had heard him out and agreed they needed more than Grady’s word to go off on, and together, they’d hatched this half-assed, last-minute plan to check Beck’s computer.
Of course, it wouldn’t be easy to do, which was how they’d ended up here, lurking between bookshelves in the library.
“Kind of childish?” Nix scoffed, in total agreement. He pushed lightly at Lake’s side. “Go on. Distract him.”
Lake had texted his cousin to find out where he was, and they’d been surprised to learn Beck was at the campus library. It was almost too perfect, but after entering, they’d quickly realized Beck wasn’t the only professor here.
Apparently, it wasn’t worth it for many of them to return home for only two or three days, since everyone on staff was required to be there to help with preparations for the festival. Dorms and public spaces were open, but classrooms had been locked since most of those spaces would be used as the “playing fields” for the Haunt.
Thinking about the Haunt almost distracted Nix, his dick twitching traitorously between his thighs before he shook his head and got a hold of himself.
If they didn’t figure this all out before then, he might not get to enjoy the Haunt at all, let alone the rest of the party. And he really wanted to. He wanted to experience what the holiday was like with friends and lovers.
But, also, preferably without having to worry about a psychotic poisoner coming after them. Not that he was entirely convinced Beck had anything to do with that.
Although…
What if Hendrix wasn’t the one they were after? Or what if he hadn’t worked alone?
No, it still didn’t add up. Beck would never allow anything to happen to West.
But…Hadn’t the professor also successfully convinced West he was into Yejun? What if he was playing them all for fools? What an elaborate hoax that would be. One meant todistract them in the off chance a thread or two was discovered leading back to him?
What—
“Nix.” Lake pulled him away from the tall shelf they’d been hiding behind and turned him so they were facing each other, keeping his voice low so as not to be heard by anyone else. “Calm down. You’re spiraling.”
“I can’t help it.”
“I know you want to solve this, that the not knowing is driving you crazy, but you have to keep yourself together, all right? We’re close. We just need to break into his systems, that’s what you said, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.” He was sure he could find something on Beck’s computer. The professor carried it around with him everywhere, and Nix doubted that was simply because he kept exams and other sensitive school materials on it.
If he’d been fucking a student, he wasn’t exactly the paragon of professionalism he’d led everyone to believe.
“What are you hoping to find?” Lake asked. He’d come all this way with him without complaint, but it was clear in his eyes he wasn’t entirely sure what they were after. “What difference will it make if we link Beck and Dew?”
“You mean, other than to prove they were more involved than your cousin let on?”
“Sure, but I wouldn’t have exactly come clean if I were in his position either. Would you?”
If Nix was in a position of authority and abused it? Probably not. But that’s not all this was about.
