Page 33 of Web of Lies
He throws his head back, laughing like a maniac. “By the look in your eyes, you’re going to chop my fucking dick off. Jesus.” He wipes his mouth again. “Ah—fuck it. I said, a chick as hot as you, there’s no fucking way you could play video games that well. And then—when Chase said your music tastes were purely video games. No—nu—huh, I didn’t believe that shit.”
Wow, dig yourself more of a grave, buddy.But wait—he called me hot? Uh-oh. He shakes his head and takes another drink, his cup magically filling up, and then I see why. Hadley Lacey, the crazy one from earlier, waits in the wind with a shit-eating grin on her face when she catches me looking at her. She gives me a small wave, bringing more drinks to each of the guys like a predator on the hunt for her next sugar daddy. If they’re not careful, she’ll slip something in there.
“So, you and Chase talked about me, huh?” I joke, hoping to get some answers out of him.
His body sways a bit, staggering, and I can tell he’s losing his inhibitions. If I’m careful enough, I can get some information out of him about last year.
“Oh, my sweet, sweet, Kaycee. We talk about you all the fucking time. We share everything.” He winks at me, downing his drink again like he fucking needs it. Emptying the smallest of dribbles into his mouth and all over his lips, he smiles back at me.
“Everything?” I ask, furrowing my brows.
They are guys who talk to each other, of course. But gossip? I never pictured them huddling together, gossiping in each other’s ears. I thought Chase and I’s conversations would be a little more between us. But I guess that’s my inexperience talking.
Seger snorts again, putting his arm around my shoulder. He pulls me close to his warm, hard chest, crushing me, and forcing me to melt into his muscles. And melt, I do. Who knew such a hard chest could be so relaxing?
He tucks a piece of hair behind my ear, bringing his lips close enough for me to feel his warm breaths on my cheek. “Everything, Kaycee, Everything. Clothes, booze, cars, and most importantly, girls. Together, separate, we do it all.” He pecks my cheek before standing tall but keeps his arm around me.
With wide eyes, my brain processes his words at an alarmingly slow rate. “You…… you and your brother?” I gasp, swallowing the large lump in my throat.
He smiles down at me like the devil I need to eradicate in my game and boops my nose. My damn nose. “And Chase, of course.” He talks like it’s no big deal; the three of them share a girl. “Don’t fucking overthink it, New Girl. The night is young!” He shouts the last bit, getting himself another round of cheers from the hundred people standing on the lawn.
Hadley makes her way back over with a sly grin on her face. “Nice party, Seg,” she coos, running a finger up and down his chest, even with me still plastered there. Her eyes bounce over to me, narrowing them like I’ve stalked up onto her property.
“Yeah, yeah, it is. So why are you here?” Seger asks coolly, slapping Hadley’s finger away like a fly. He pulls me closer, which should seem impossible since I’m already plastered to him.
“I was invited too,” she says with a pout.
“Yeah, and by fucking who? Last I checked, we dumped your ass. Now fuck off and leave.” He slurs again, pushing past her, dragging me along.
Hadley shrieks behind us, stomping her foot, and I swear she sears fire into my soul. And not the good kind of fire either—the nasty, destructive fire. If she could, she’d set me ablaze. Probably explode my head and scatter my pieces on the lawn. Because I’m obviously stepping all over something she thinks is her territory.
Seger pulls me along by my hand across the front lawn, weaving through the crowd of drunk students. We do our best to avoid bumping into anyone, especially the horny ones who are basically fornicating through interpretative dance on the lawn, bumping along to the loud music coming from the speakers. Seger pulls me onto the wrap-around porch of the house.
Seger leans back against the house, pulling a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. He lights one and looks at me. “So, how’s this wonderful fucking school treating you so far, Princess? Everything you expected?” He asks in Seger fashion, inhaling the smoke, and blowing it towards the stars above.
I look around the yard, my eyes locking on Chase. Ainsley is there, waving her arms around, telling him something. It’s probably whatever she needed to say to him on the phone but couldn’t because of the game. Her eyes glisten with moisture as she shoves her phone in his face. He pales and throws the phone back at her again. Whatever was on the phone was something he didn’t like. He points to the drinks, pats her on the shoulder, and walks away toward Zepp. Zepp stands like a statue, per the usual, holding tight to his glass.
“New Girl?” Seger slurs, putting a shoulder against mine.
I shrug my shoulders and meet his mossy green eyes. “No,” I mumble. “It’s nothing like I expected.” Seger scoffs, leaning his head back against the wall, shutting his eyes, and enjoying the poison entering his lungs.
“I heard something,” I say slowly, gaining his attention. He peeks open an eye, blinking rapidly.
“About?”
“I heard someone died here last year,” I say, swallowing the bile of emotions brewing inside my gut. Don’t cry now. “They said she was murdered,” I whisper, leaning into Seger, trying to gauge his reactions.
Seger licks his lips and pulls a drag from his cigarette. The cherry blossoms orange, and then he blows out the smoke into the night air.
“Not fucking murder,” he says, shaking his head. “I don’t know why. I don’t want to—to know why she did it. But she offed herself. She threw herself overboard like….” He swallows hard, biting into his bottom lip.
“That’s awful,” I whisper, wringing my hands together. “Was she unhappy then?” I ask, trying to piece it all together.
“Fuck if I know,” Seger slurs, throwing his spent cigarette butt into the grass. His fingers run through the long brunette locks on the top of his head and down into the shaved sides. “I wish I did, though. I mean—yeah—Maggie had some issues with Hadley and her little groupies. Fucking Carter started shit against her. But to me, she was always the same. She never seemed unhappy around us.” He shrugs and stands before I can object. He reaches a hand down and pulls me to my feet, keeping our hands clasped together. “That’s in the past,” he says, pulling me close. I’m too entwined to pull away. I need to know more about Magnolia.
“Oh, fried potatoes, Kaycee! There you are! I’ve been searching this entire campus for you!” I close my eyes. Seger pinches the bridge of his nose, huffing a few profanities at Piper’s unwanted appearance.
“Sorry ‘ole Pipes, Kaycee can’t come to the phone right now. She’s busy!” Seger says through a smirk, pulling me away into the crowd.
