Unmasking Him (Blackwater University #2)

Prologue

ANONYMOUS

Ihave the perfect view of her from here.

I always do, which is why it’s my favorite place to come.

Her and her friends don’t usually eat in the cafeteria, instead choosing to spend their time in the art building, sitting around in one of the halls that have paintings and sculptures dotted around the place for anyone who didn’t already know what building it is.

I love art. How could I not, when it’s also Gracie’s favorite thing?

She sees the beauty in everything, but I’ve only ever seen it in one thing.

No, not a thing.

Her.

Gracie Aston.

My obsession.

My love.

The one and only person who can make my heart race.

She is the reason it beats, after all.

And she just so happens to be my best friend’s little sister.

She’s off limits.

Always has been, always will be.

But we all have our fantasies, and she’s the main focus of every single one of mine.

I’m sitting in a room that’s used for storage, and no one ever comes in here.

It has a small window, and you can hear what’s going on outside perfectly.

I discovered this place last year, and so this year, I scheduled my classes so they would align with Gracie’s, making sure I would always be free to be here with her.

It’s the only alone time we get, after all.

I mean, she has no idea I’m here, and she’s with her friends, but the guys aren’t here and that’s all that matters.

My best friends and I have always been overprotective over Gracie.

Though they have different reasons behind it than I do.

She’s Cole’s little sister, and so the rest of us have always treated her like our little sister, too.

Not that I’ve ever actually viewed her that way.

“So… are we going tomorrow night?” her friend, Freya asks, and my attention zeroes in on their conversation.

What are you planning, Gracie?

My girl sighs.

I hate that sigh.

She should never sigh.

She should be smiling and laughing and happy, always.

I don’t like it when she’s sad, or unsure, or scared, or hurt.

Hurt like when her asshole ex-boyfriend broke her heart.

It was okay though, because I broke his face in return.

I should have stopped them from getting together in the first place, but with Gracie being a year younger than us, we were here while she was still a senior in high school.

That little fuckwit Max swooped in the minute we left town and were no longer there to keep the guys in line.

“I don’t know… Halloween is next week, so why is there a fancy-dress party this weekend?”

“Uhm, because it’s fun?” another one of her friends adds and I roll my eyes, imagining Gracie doing the same.

She isn’t facing my direction today.

I don’t like it.

I want to see her face.

I want to see what she’s thinking.

I can always look into her eyes and see what she’s thinking.

We share a bond, her and I.

She just doesn’t know it.

“Fine,” she mutters, and I see her shrug.

Does she really want to go? Or is she just agreeing with them for the sake of it?

Turn around, love. Let me see into your eyes.

One of her friends claps, a mischievous grin twisting her lips.

I don’t know what she’s going to say, but I already know I’m going to hate it.

“We need to get you laid, G. It’s been far too long.”

No.

Abso-fucking-lutely not.

Fuck. No.

It’s bad enough that I found out she lost her virginity to that asshole ex-boyfriend of hers, like hell am I going to let her give what’s mine to someone else again.

I may never have her for myself, but that doesn’t mean someone else should get to have her instead.

Over my dead fucking body.

I guess I’m just going to have to play interference.