Page 90 of Tell Me Why
The Sacred Sons are brutal, cold-blooded monsters.
My aunt is a bitch, but she was right about that.
Halfway back to Rush House, I’m deep in thought, when a tingle skips up my spine. I pause and turn to glance over my shoulder. Is someone following me? I peer into the shadows, watching for movement, but there’s nothing. Only stillness and the sound of crickets and waves crashing in the distance.
You’re being paranoid.
But, just in case, I pick up my pace, my bare feet slapping against the pavement as I hurry toward the Rush House spire that’s peeking up over the trees like a dark shadow against the night sky.
Still, every muscle in my body is tight, and I’m scanning the buildings around me, plotting out an escape route if someone were to lunge at me.
Then I hear it. The faint sound of footsteps behind me.
I slow to a stop, my breathing shallow, heart hammering as I turn around. This time, I can see the silhouette of someone—a man—just a short distance away on the same path I’m walking.
“I know you’re following me,” I call out.
Silence. Waves crashing. My own heartbeat in my ears.
He keeps walking toward me, slow, steady, until he reaches a pool of light from an overhead lamp. My breath catches for a split second before I see who it is.
I push out a heavy breath. “Lowe,” I say, hand to my chest. My heart is still pounding like a jackhammer. “My God. You scared me.”
“Sorry,” he says, walking up. “I was told to make sure you get back to Rush House safely.”
By Christian, no doubt.
I don’t even try to mask my annoyance. “I don’t need a babysitter.”
Lowe glances around the deserted area. “The cops were crawling around campus not too long ago. A couple of them could still be patrolling.”
“Did they arrest anyone?” I ask.
Christian said Sin wasn’t shot, but that’s all I know.
Lowe shakes his head, his eyes still scanning the shadows surrounding us. “Nah. The Shadow and Ash guys were long gone by the time the cops got down to the beach.”
Small miracles.
“Well, as you can see, there’s no one around. I’m fine,” I turn around and continue walking. Lowe is still following me, but he has the decency to do it at a distance, at least.
As Rush House comes into view, I see a bunch of people gathered out on the lawn. As I approach, a figure breaks from the crowd and rushes toward me. It’s so dark, I can’t see who it is until she gets closer. Skye. Before I can prevent it, she pulls me into a tight hug.
“Oh, my God, Eve. You’re okay.” When I don’t return her hug, she pulls back and searches my face, brows pinched in concern. “Areyou okay? Did you get the book?”
“Are you asking so you can report it back to Christian?” I ask, my tone accusatory.
I witness, in real time, as all the blood drains from Skye’s face. She swallows and glances away, then quickly pulls it together. “Report it back? What are you talking about?”
I roll my eyes. “Save the performance for someone who actually gives a fuck,” I snap. “I was hiding under the desk when you came to the office with Christian.”
“We were looking for you,” she says defensively. “After the attack, I wanted to make sure you were okay—so, yeah, I told Christian where you were. I’m sorry.”
I shake my head and press my lips together. “Anything else you want to mention? Anyyything at all?”
She laughs and glances around, like she’s expecting someone to jump out of the bushes and yellpsychany second. “Are you okay, Eve? Seriously. This isn’t like you.”
Wow,that gets me. That statement right there. “What’snot like me,Skye? The fact that I’m angry? The fact that I’m confronting you about lying to my face?”
