Page 36 of Vacancy

Jaylani shrugged. “I have no clue. It was just an idea.”

“Oh my God. Don’t freak me out like that.” Raina shoved at her arm aghast. “I’m, like, ninety-five percent sure it’s Duke’s.”

I laughed, only to check the time and shriek, “Shit! I need to get to class. Guys, I’ll catch you later, okay?”

“Yeah, okay.” Jaylani waved me off. “I’ll call you.”

“Great. See ya. Bye.” I blew her a kiss and then waved at her study partner. “Raina. It was nice to meet you. We totes need to hang out again.”

“For sure.” She waved me off with a friendly smile. “A monthly lunch thing maybe?”

I walked backward as I sent her a thumbs-up. “Definitely.”

With all our farewells said, I pivoted forward and hurried off, only to catch sight of the championship billboard again with Damien’s smiling friend on it.

He was super attractive, no doubt about that. But he looked one hundred percent like the wholesome, gee-shucks, thank-you-ma’am Texas boy that Raina described. And the mystique around Damien screamed,you can either take your own panties off or I’ll rip them off you, which was an intensity that drew me in the most.

Not that I’d be doing anything witheitherman since I’d sworn off all of them.

But still. I wished I could test drive Damien just once to see how extreme of a ride he really was.

Then, I could go back to—Wait a tick.

Whatwaswrong with just one time with him?

I’d sworn off becoming a party animal. I hadn’t decided to become completely celibate. So maybe…if I just gave in only once, it wouldn’t be so bad.

Honestly, it’d probablyhelpme get back to focusing on my schoolwork again. Thoughts of him were already breaking into my studies. And that wasn’t supposed to happen.

I needed to flush this guy from my system once and for all.

And that’s whenthe planformed.

9

DAMIEN

After five days of not hearing from Oaklynn, I finally accepted the fact that she’d rejected my offer to finish our kiss.

Which was honestly just as well because I’d also decided she wasn’t a scammer, liar, or con woman out to get me. And since she was merely some innocent coed renting a room, I had a feeling I should clear up a few facts that she had wrong about her new living situation.

Yet, I had no idea how to actually break the news to her. I was not the type to finesse my way through complicated conversations. And this one would probably be the most tangled I’d ever had.

So… I hadn’t even tried.

And every day that passed, when I ran by her front door without going up to knock and explain everything, the idea of telling her grew more and more difficult to do.

I mean,surelyshe’d figure out the truth for herself soon enough.

But when she did, would she hate me becauseIhadn’t been the one to reveal it?

Or would she hate me forbeingthe one to tell her since, obviously, she had no idea she could see and talk to dead people?

No matter how things went down, this was going to flip her entire world on its head.

And no matter whatIdid, I felt fucked. I couldn’t imagine that she’d be willing to help me find Thalia’s killer when she found out.Orthat she’d be willing to kiss me again.

A fresh wave of guilt swirled over me as I approached the brownstone this morning. Dodging puddles from rain the night before, I wiped the morning sweat from my eyes and focused on the big bay window in the hopes of seeing her just one more time.

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