Chapter 9 #2
Welcome to the madhouse, Mounty. Now your phone will blow up all day long and you’ll hate me for adding you when they start talking about who has the nicest tits or who fucked which girl first.
I cannot think of anything worse than seeing them talk about that. I choose sarcasm as my shield and climb into bed.
Can’t wait.
I’m just about asleep when the last text comes through from Blaise.
Seeing as we’re all banned from Annabelle, and Harley’s apparently taken a vow of celibacy, there will probably be more complaints of blue balls than anything else.
A box arrives the next morning addressed to ‘The Mounty’.
I don’t open it, I just set it down at the end of my bed and try to forget it’s there while I study, mostly because I’m dealing with a major crush, and my hormones can’t handle knowing what he’s sent me.
Also, Ash and Harley spent the rest of the night sending snarky messages in the group chat trying to guess what the present will be.
Avery messages me privately to laugh at them because she thinks they’re being so obvious.
I’m too tired from studying to ask her what the hell she means by that.
She arrives back at school Monday night.
“Tell me I’m your favorite,” Avery says in an obnoxiously smug tone.
I roll my eyes at her without looking up from the assignment I have spread over my bed. I’m only five weeks ahead and I’m getting twitchy because of it. Damn Blaise and all of his tutoring. He’s a distraction of the hottest kind.
“Of course you’re my favorite. You’re my favorite human on the planet, it’s not fucking hard to figure out.”
She perches on my bed delicately so she doesn’t disturb my work, bless her. “Aw, you’re the best. I also rank you in my top four. It’s a constantly revolving list, you guys should really take more care to battle it out for my affection.”
I smirk at her. “I’m winning. When do those assholes ever make time to plan how to maim and torture fellow students with you?
Hmm? When was the last time they walked into a literal orgy to take photos for you?
Do I need to remind you of that time I brought you a coffee after ballet because you were going to rip Harlow’s slutty face off?
I also walked into a cesspit to recover your shoes. ”
She tilts her head like she’s considering it. “Point taken. You’ve definitely spent longer in the top spot than the others this year. Anyway, you should check your bank balance.”
I frown and grab my phone. I hadn’t noticed she’d grabbed the bags of dirty cash from the closet. Sure enough, there’s an extra hundred grand now safely deposited into my offshore account. Yep, I’m that much of a badass criminal that I can’t even bank locally. Lucky fucking me.
“Thanks. Atticus didn’t want a cut?”
Avery shakes her head. “He had some questions. I told him it was dirty money and I was so worried about my father finding it. He practically fell over himself to launder it for me. He also mentioned wanting to see me at the High Society Charity Ball.”
There’s a blush on her cheeks and the nervous fluttering of her fingers tells me she’s not even close to getting over her crush on this guy. I should really look him up. We do not need another Rory in our lives, especially so soon after we got rid of the last one.
“A charity ball? How… exciting.”
Sarcasm drips from my tone, and Avery groans back at me as she walks over to turn on the coffee machine. She grabs me a cup without asking and fusses until it’s perfect. Again, I adore this girl so fiercely that I wish I were a lesbian and I could lock this shit down.
Alas, I like dick.
Well, I think I do. I like it enough to wish I could have it occasionally but not enough to risk the Jackal. I wonder where exactly that puts me on the sexuality spectrum?
“You’re tempting me to go and drag you along! I told him I was too busy with school, but I’d keep it in mind. The entire phone call was strange, Lips. He was different and… kinder. Hmm, no, not kinder. Maybe… more interested in speaking to me.”
Uh oh. I get up and follow her into the kitchen. She hands me my coffee as I try to figure out how the hell to talk to her about this kind of thing.
“So. You’re… into him… again?”
Avery snorts at me, the most unrefined thing I've ever seen her do. “You really are hopeless at girl talk. Yes, I’m once again thinking about him way too much. He's just so… perfect. I don't think I can go to the ball because if he doesn't kiss me at the end of the night, I may climb into my bed and refuse to get out. He’s gorgeous. Absolutely stunning, and such a gentleman, I’m a mess around him. Ugh, he said he’s going to come to my ballet recital that’s coming up, and I’m freaking out about it.
Not that I’ll get to see him, there’s never time, but knowing he’ll be there watching me is already enough. ”
I nod and sip. When the silence stretches out, Avery huffs at me, “This is where you tell me to stop being so pathetic. It’s your job to snap me out of this madness—over a guy, for God’s sake.”
I sigh at her. “I can't. I’m even more pathetic than you when it comes to guys and I try my best not to be a hypocrite.”
She props her chin up on her fist, looking sullen and perfect all at once. “I highly doubt it. Explain your boy troubles to me so we can compare.”
Hell fucking no. I try not to ever lie to Avery, so I give her half of the truth instead. “Oh, you know. The Jackal means I can't ever date or hook up without fearing for my life... or theirs.”
She winces and scrunches up her nose. “At some point we need to tell the guys about that, you know.”
Nope. No thank you. Why would they need to know? I shake my head and sit at the breakfast bar on one of the stools. Avery fusses with her cup and then ducks down to grab her bucket of cleaning supplies.
Uh oh.
“Is something wrong?”
She pulls on a pair of gloves and starts to scrub the stovetop. It’s already clean from the last time she scrubbed it, but I don’t argue with her brand of crazy.
“Shit, Aves. What happened?”
She huffs and scrubs harder. “Harlow’s parents were called about her little habit.
They paid off one of the laundry staff to take the fall.
All of the items have been returned and she’s still here.
Since you were the only student that was here during the break, and the shoes and shirt were missing, it’ll be pretty obvious it was you. She’s already gone to Joey about it.”
I shrug. I’m not afraid of Harlow, and Joey getting involved might work in our favor. I need to draw him away from his siblings so I can deal with him once and for all.
Avery clears her throat. “Are you going to tell me what Blaise sent you? Harley is also dying to know.”
The box is sitting on my bed. Avery can see it's unopened, and she's baiting me. I arch an eyebrow at her.
“I don't accept bribes from rich playboys. Only favors.”
She grins at me, savage and beautiful.