Chapter 8
8
A sharp knock on my door startled me, and I nearly dropped the handwritten diary I’d been totally engrossed in, since pulling it out of the loose skirting board. A quick glance at the time told me it’d been more than half an hour and I was still in the same dirty jeans that I’d been wearing when Carly left.
“Come in,” I called out, knowing full well she would give me grief for not being party ready but also too excited about the mysterious diary to really care. “Sorry, girl, I think I’m going to stay in tonight. I found this—” I broke off, swallowing my own words as I glanced up and found it was not Carly standing in my doorway.
“Hey, Ash,” Heath said, leaning one shoulder casually against my door frame. “You’ve been avoiding me.”
I closed the diary with a snap, putting it aside as I rose to my feet. “I’m sorry…have we met?”
A flash of irritation crossed his handsome face before his lips curved in a slight smile. “Cute. Is that what you’re wearing?”
“Clothes that are on one’s body are generally what that person is wearing, yes,” I responded with an eye roll. “Did you need something or are you just darkening my door to announce that your feelings are hurt that I’m not bragging about our imaginary sex life?”
“You’re not still upset about that, are you? Come on, Ash, you got paid six grand. What do you care what Nate thinks you did for it?” Heath sighed heavily, like I was boring him.
My eye twitched in anger. “Yes,” I drawled with overflowing sarcasm, “how silly of me to be angry that you told your childish buddies that I was a whore…after you only paid me just enough to cover the damage that your friends caused to my car. You didn’t pay me shit, Heath, you simply covered the costs for your own dumb game.”
He shrugged. “Same thing. Come on, get changed into something less… that . We’re late.”
“Late for what?”
“The party at Lake Prosper, of course. I told Carly I’d get you there safely, and you don’t want to disappoint your friend, do you?” He tipped his head to the side, watching me far too curiously. This Heath was the one I’d met at Serenity, totally different from the douche at my mom’s wedding.
Not interested in his games, I closed the small gap between us and grasped my open door. “Carly’s a big girl, she can have fun without me. You can fuck off now, thanks.” I pushed the door to close, but Heath just nudged it back with his foot, acting like nothing had happened.
“Come on, Ash. Will it make you feel better if I apologize for lying?” Heath’s expression softened with a hint of remorse, and I bit my cheek. Damn him for being so… ugh !
“It wouldn’t fucking hurt,” I muttered, scowling as I folded my arms.
Heath’s lips tilted up in a small smile, then he took a large step forward into my personal space, kicking the door shut behind him. “Ash…” he murmured, cupping my face with his hand and tilting my head back so our eyes could meet. Oh fuck . “I’m sorry I lied about what happened between us.”
Huh? Oh right. That . “I appreciate the apology,” I responded, frantically trying to calm my racing pulse, “but it’d be better if you told your stupid friends that you lied.”
That damn smirk was back on his lips. “Ahhh, but I can’t do that. You cashed the check, and no one is going to believe I paid you six grand for nothing. Besides, why do you care what my stupid friends think? You and I know the truth.”
Why did I care? Oh yeah, because one of those assholes was now family. “Heath…” His name escaped my lips in a frustrated sigh, and he dipped his head lower, making my breath hitch.
“Ash…” he replied, his thumb stroking over my cheekbone. “Get changed. We’re late for the party.”
“No.” Holy hell, that word was hard to get out with him staring at me like he was about to kiss me. His reaction to my refusal only made it worse as he dragged his lower lip through his teeth.
My whole body heated and my skin tingled. Damn it, why’d he have this effect on me?
“I wasn’t asking. You’ve got five minutes, otherwise we can just go in what you’ve got on.” He released me, stepping back so abruptly I stumbled a little. “I’ll wait in the hall.”
The door closed softly behind him, and my shoulders sagged dramatically as I exhaled. What in the fuck sort of sorcery was that man working on me? I badly didn’t want to attend the party now, but equally I was burning with curiosity about why he wanted me to go. And since my current clothing smelled of bleach and dog pee, I quickly tore open my closet to find something else to wear.
After the way Carter had manhandled me earlier, I wouldn’t put it past Heath to just toss me over his shoulder half-naked so I changed into the first thing I could find—a pair of black cut-off denim shorts and a gray cropped T-shirt that always made me feel cute. Carly had warned against heels, so hopefully that translated into casual dress code. Heath had been in jeans and a tee too, so that gave me some confidence.
Exactly five minutes later as I sat on the edge of my bed to tie my sneaker laces, he let himself back into my room. My gaze locked on his, and for a hot second, we both seemed to freeze…then his appraising eyes took in my clothing before he gave a nod.
“Perfect,” he murmured. “Let’s go.”
Irritation flared in my chest as I rose to my feet. “I don’t remember seeking your approval, Heathcliff.”
He gave an eye roll, a smirk playing on his lips. “My apologies, I forgot who I was dealing with for a minute there.” He held my door open, motioning for me to leave the damn room, and I sighed.
It really wasn’t the hardest decision to go with him, considering how curious I was about this insane school. Especially now. Especially after reading the first few diary entries from whoever had previously lived in my room. She—like me—had been at Nevaeh on the Mariah Greenberg scholarship which made me feel weirdly connected to the anonymous writer. I wanted to read more…but I also wanted to see what happened at this party.
Was it the same party that the journal mentioned? The mystery had me hooked, so I didn’t protest too hard when Heath led the way across the dark campus with his hand on my lower back.
“Is this the way to the lake?” I asked after we left the university grounds and started down a forest path.
He glanced down at me, his expression hard to make out in the darkness. “No, Ash, I thought I’d take you out to the woods to kill you. Right here behind the Arts Department.”
I scowled, not appreciating the sarcasm. “You could try,” I muttered, sulking a little because, in fairness, it was a dumb question. “I wouldn’t make it quiet or easy.”
Heath chuckled, a delicious sound that I really wanted to hate. “I’d expect nothing less. You look like you’d be a screamer.”
Oh fucking hell, how the hell did he just manage to make me think about sex again ? It was a talent, that was for sure. Better to keep my mouth shut for the remainder of the walk to the lake which was, thankfully, not much farther. Within minutes, we heard the first sounds of music, and I released a slow breath of relief.
Just as we reached the end of the path, Heath shifted his hand from my back to take my hand in his.
“Heath, what—” I tried to tug my hand free but he had a solid grip, our fingers entwined as he led the way into the crowd of students gathered around the shore of the lake.
“Bro, what the fuck …?” someone exclaimed, jerking my attention away from Heath. My gaze zeroed in on the blond hottie who’d arrived at Mom’s rehearsal dinner with Heath. What was his name again? It was a car thing…Bentley?
Heath tugged me closer to him, his smile wicked as he shot me a cryptic look. “Ash, babe, I don’t know that you met Royce properly at Max and Carina’s wedding.”
Royce. That was it. He was the one who’d laughed when I insulted them all. Their fourth musketeer with the gorgeous blond hair. After that unpleasant meeting with them, I’d done a little bit of prying and discovered that the three of them—Heath, Carter, and Royce—had all lived with Max and Nate for most of their teenage years.
“You’re right, we’re nowhere near as well acquainted as you two are,” Royce agreed, smirking. “I’m not against it, though. What’s the going rate? Six grand?”
I glowered up at Heath, waiting for him to clear the air. He didn’t, though, fucking asshole, so I jerked my hand free of his. “I’m so flattered, Royce, but I’d rather jump into a pond of starving piranhas while wearing a suit entirely made of bananas. Oh look, there’s my friend.”
With one last death glare at Heath, I slipped away and went in search of Carly, who I’d just caught the briefest glimpse of near the beer kegs.
“Hey, you made it,” she exclaimed when I found her. “Thank fuck . I was low-key freaking out that Heath lied about you guys making plans, then equally panicking about whether you thought I was a shit friend for not checking with you first and?—”
“You’re fine, don’t stress,” I assured her, cutting off her panic spiral. “He did lie, yes. But it’s fine. He’s very convincing, I get it.”
Carly’s jaw dropped and her eyes widened in outrage. “That motherfucker !”
I shrugged. “No harm done, this time. What are you drinking?” I nodded to the plastic cup in her hand.
“Vodka and raspberry lemonade,” she informed me. “Want one?”
“Fuck yes,” I replied, grinning. It was a party, regardless of how I got there, so I may as well enjoy myself with my friend.
As I waited for Carly to pour my drink, I glanced around and my gaze caught on that of Carter Bassington Junior. He stared back at me, a little smile playing on his lips, then raised his drink to me in a little salute.
A chill ran down my spine. They were up to something—and I wanted no part of whatever it was.