Page 114 of Caged
“Come on,” I say, turning around. “We need to get out of here.”
Jace and I waste no time getting back to his car, and when I climb inside to the passenger’s seat, I feel my phone start to buzz relentlessly. I make the mistake of taking it out of my pocket, only to see notifications of texts, calls and direct messages on social media flash across the screen in rapid succession.
“This is fucking bad,” Jace shouts as he changes gears and merges onto the road.
“Don’t go to the hospital,” I instruct.
“Yeah, no shit. That place will be teeming with police.”
“I’m not worried about the police,” I say.
“Maybe you should be,” Jace growls as he makes an illegal U-turn.
“Fuck,” I spit as an image of the other side of Harrison’s car hits my social media feed.
“What?” Jace demands. I show him the image of the words “Sigma = Murderers” spray painted on the passenger side of Harrison’s car.
“Goddammit, Kieren,” Jace yells. “This is your fucking fault. You’re the reason we’re knee-deep in this shitstorm. Goddammit!” Jace curses again, banging his fist against the steering wheel.
“You fucking know I had no choice, Jace,” I yell back. “But it doesn’t matter now, does it? We’re all fucking guilty. Me, you, and the entire goddamn frat. If one of us goes down, we all go down.”
The temperature of my blood skyrockets under my skin, and I fist my hair in frustration. “This is fucking Monroe!” I shriek, bending over until my head is between my legs. “She did this! You know she did this!”
“Fuck, this can’t be happening. How is this possible? And now we’re all fucked because you couldn’t get your shit together and figure out how to control yourself around her!” Jace shouts. “Why did you have to treat her like a fucking dog, Kieren? And then your dumb ass let her get away? You’re a fucking moron!”
For once, I’m stunned. Jace has never spoken to me with such loathing. I’m sure he’s thought it plenty of times, probably all the time, but to say it out loud and to my face, no less? He’s getting bold, and I don’t appreciate bold.
“A moron?” I argue back. “Smooth, Jace. Is that the best your Ivy League brain could come up with?”
The tingling in my fingers starts to subside as an idea formulates in my mind. “Listen, we don’t need to stress. This was just some scorned ex-girlfriend or unstable student who hasan axe to grind with Sigma because we didn’t let his loser ass in. Besides,‘Sigma = Murderers’?” I huff a laugh. “Murders of whom? Where are the fucking bodies? That body that floated up a few weeks ago was ruled a suicide, remember? They’ve got no fucking proof. They don’t have shit!”
I lick my lips, barely able to contain the giddy excitement I feel for my own brilliance. Jace is so fucking dumb sometimes. “Further, I doubt we get so much as a second glance from the cops, but if we do, as I see it, this is a Harrison and Barrett problem. They were the ones targeted, not us, and not anyone else. We’ll say we have no idea why anyone would accuse Sigma of something so vile and deflect any scrutiny back onto Harrison and Barrett. Maybe they are murderous heathens after all, but we had no idea.”
“You are a sick fucking monster, you know that?” Jace says with disgust.
I clench my jaw, triggered by his judgment. “Jace Carver with the observation of the century, ladies and gentlemen. How about you take a look in the goddamn mirror because I’m not the only monster around here with blood on my hands.”
“I need to go for a ride and clear my head,” Jace says as we pull into the parking lot behind Sigma.
“By all means,” I wave dismissively.
“I don’t need your fucking permission, Kieren.”
I throw Jace one final glare as he speeds out of the Sigma parking lot on his death trap. Although I’m not sure she’s the type to partake in criminal behavior, I hope to God that Monroe is the one behind these attacks, because that would mean she’s back. And if she’s back, she’s coming for me, and if she’s coming for me, I’m going to fucking catch her.
56
GABI
Present Day
“It’s all over the news and social media,” I say to Monroe who continues to pace the length of the motel room.
“Maybe we went too far with the spray paint,” she contemplates.
“I mean, Sigma will be on high alert. We practically sent them a public invitation to their own funerals. I wonder if they will cancel the Ceremony?”
“No,” she answers, shaking her head. “Knowing Kieren, he won’t take any precaution. In fact, he’ll double down on his recklessness, daring whoever is behind these incidents to do something brash.”
