Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
MADELINE
The drive back is silent. Luke’s hand rests on the gear shift, close enough to mine that I can feel the heat coming off his skin. I should move my hand. I don’t. I want him to reach out and touch me, but he doesn’t. I’m sure that’s partly my own doing. I’ve been pushing him away.
This should make me happy, especially after all the comments Lana made and Luke didn’t rebuff. In fact, he brushed her off more. Normally he’s rude as hell to Lana, which I find odd since they’ve hooked up before. All of this should be at the bottom of shit that is on my mind right now.
What we know hangs between us. Coach Murphy is dead. Someone likely cut her up in that boathouse. And Lana was there, watching us, knowing we were there.
But that kiss, holy hell. The world could have burned down, and I wouldn’t have noticed.
Luke turns onto his street and immediately slows. Blue and red lights pulse against the trees, painting everything in strobing color.
“Fuck,” Luke breathes.
Three police cars sit in the circular drive in front of the dean’s house. Not just campus security. Town police.
My stomach drops. “They know. They know we were there.” How are we busted already?
“They don’t know anything.” But Luke’s voice is tight, his jaw working. “We didn’t do this. We’re just two students coming home from a date.”
“A date?”
He looks at me, and there’s something fierce in his eyes. “That’s our cover. That’s what we stick to.”
My phone buzzes.
Georgia: Cops are here. What do we do?
Me: Go back to your rooms. We’ll handle it.
Georgia: …
Me: Trust me.
Georgia: Be safe.
Me: I’m with Luke.
I’ve seen him fight on the ice. He can handle himself.
Georgia: You need to be safe from him too.
She’s not wrong.
Me: I’ll text you later.
Luke pulls over before the house, killing the headlights. “Are you ready?”
“For what?”
“To be my girlfriend for the night.” He reaches over, takes my hand, and laces his fingers through mine.
His demeanor is calm and smooth. “Follow my lead.” As much as Luke’s pushy ways can irritate me, there is a comfort to it too.
Whatever we seem to come up against, he’s ready to push forward, acting like a shield for me.
That thought hits me hard. Why would he be doing all this? It can’t be about winning a bet, right? Would he really get himself wrapped into all of this for that reason alone? He could have simply dipped out.
We walk up the drive like we have nothing to hide, like we didn’t just find a dismemberment scene. We’re just two teenagers sneaking back in after curfew.
When we enter the side door of the house, Bennett is standing in the kitchen talking to a police officer.
He’s wearing a sweater and jeans, casual for him.
He glances over as we approach, and I see it: a quick flash of recognition in his eyes when they land on me, the split second of shock before he masks it.
“Luke,” Bennett says, his voice perfectly even. “I didn’t realize you had company.”
“Sorry, Benny.” Luke squeezes my hand, but his tone is light and teasing. “We were out, lost track of time.”
The officer turns, looking us over. “Luke.” The officer nods, clearly knowing him, and then his attention slides over to me. “And you must be new around here.”
“Madeline Pearson,” I say, hoping my voice doesn’t shake. Why can’t I be all cool like Luke, not sweating it? “I’m a student.”
“She’s with me,” Luke adds, pulling me closer. “We were just grabbing food in town.”
Bennett’s eyes flick between us, reading something I can’t decipher. “Well, come in. Officer Brinks and I were talking about Coach Murphy. Seems she’s gone missing.”
“Missing?” Luke’s surprise sounds genuine. “She was at the game yesterday, wasn’t she?” He glances down at me, and I nod my head.
“She was,” Officer Brinks confirms, “but she didn’t go home last night, and no one has seen her.”
Bennett steps aside, gesturing us in. His hand brushes Luke’s shoulder as we pass, a casual, brotherly touch that somehow feels loaded.
“Make yourselves comfortable. This shouldn’t take long.
” Luke leads me out of the kitchen, keeping my hand in his.
He stops walking when we know we’re out of sight, gesturing for me to be quiet. I nod.
Bennett’s voice carries smoothly and reassuringly. “Coach Murphy was in good spirits when she left. I can ask around, but I don’t want to spook anyone.”
“It’s been twenty-four hours since she was last seen, and it’s not her norm. It’s time for people to start getting spooked.”
I meet Luke’s eyes. We both know why she never made it home.
“It’s okay,” Luke murmurs, his lips brushing my ear.
I nod, my heart hammering against my ribs. We’re trapped in this house with cops asking questions and a brother who knows more than he’s saying. And somewhere out there, a killer is still walking around. One that knows we were at the boathouse last night.
Luke’s hand tightens on mine. His anchor. His problem now.
Whatever happens, we’re in this together.
That helps my pounding heart start to slow.
“All right, I’ll make some calls and see what I can find out,” Bennett says, and we can tell the conversation might be wrapping up, so we head toward the stairs going up to Luke’s room.
“I’m not going to let anything happen to you, Madeline.” Luke says this as the door closes behind him.
“You’re being really sweet to me about all of this.” Sweet isn’t the Luke I’ve heard about. It’s the exact opposite of the reputation that precedes him.
“Well, you’re my girlfriend; shouldn’t I be sweet to you?” He gives me a lazy smile, and I roll my eyes.
“Are you sweet to all of your girlfriends? Because I’ve seen how you speak to Lana.”
“Lana isn’t my girlfriend and never was.” The smile slips away.
“Fuck buddy or whatever.” I may be acting as though I’m saying it nonchalantly, but even I can hear the slight trace of jealousy in my words.
“What are you talking about? I’ve never touched Lana.” I stare at him, trying to see if he’s lying; he must know what I’m thinking. “Why would I lie about that?”
“I don’t know. The Ice Crew girls talk, and I overheard it.” And Lana made it abundantly clear that she slept with him. I might listen extra hard when I hear his name, but he doesn’t need to know that.
“Did it bother you when you heard that?”
“What!” I respond too quickly, giving myself away. “Why would I care?”
“Sounds like you care.”
I roll my eyes. “If that’s what you want to believe, then fine, but let’s get back to what’s important.”
“The bet?”
“That’s not what I’m talking about,” I say, pretending I don’t care about that because it doesn’t matter to me.
“But it’s important to you.” Luke is starting to read me far too well. I need to be more careful to mask my emotions when I’m around him.
“I mean, isn’t it annoying people are betting on fucking me?”
“I know I’m an asshole, but do you think I’m one to play along with the stupid-ass games Caleb comes up with?
” Actually, I don’t. Luke is too cool for school, and I don’t mean that as an insult.
He simply just is. He possesses a natural coolness that seems effortless.
In fact, it probably annoys him because this quality attracts more attention from others.
People naturally gravitate to him, which now that I think about it is probably why he’s a dick to people.
“Okay, I believe you.” His shoulders relax, and I realize that it bothered him that I believed those things.
“Good. Since we’re together, I can’t have you thinking I’m taking bets on fucking chicks. Like I said, I’m an asshole, but I’m not a cheater.”
“Have you ever had a girlfriend to cheat on?” I toss back. My curiosity gets the best of me.
“Nope.” He smirks. “You’re special, Buttercup.”
“Shut up.” I laugh, but I can’t deny the relief that his answer brings me.
“But seriously, we have to present as a couple after everything that happened tonight. In case Lana does run her mouth.” Shit, he has a point.
“All right, but I too have never had a boyfriend, so this is new-ish to me too.” I’m not sure about all the ins and outs of being exclusive with someone. Sure, I’ve seen it. I’m sure I can wing it.
“What about Nick?” He keeps bringing him up. It’s kind of adorable.
“That wasn’t a boyfriend. Just a couple of dates.”
“More than I’ve ever done!” he tosses back.
“You know that only makes it worse. You didn’t even go on dates, just random hookups.” My stomach sours at the thought.
“Hate to burst your bubble, Buttercup, but I’ve never hooked up with anyone.” I open and then close my mouth. He lets out a low chuckle. “Glad I can still surprise you.”
“Yeah,” I agree, my insides screaming with happiness.
“So we’re each other’s first.” Oh, shit. He put words to what I was thinking.
“It’s fake,” I remind him.
“Oh, I promise you won’t be faking with me.”
“Oh my God.” I can’t help but laugh.
The knock comes sharp and sudden, three raps that make me jump.
Luke’s jaw tightens. He doesn’t move from where he’s standing, blocking the space between me and the door.
“Luke.” Bennett’s voice is muffled through the wood, controlled but edged with a hint of something else I can’t decipher. “I need to talk to you.”
“Now?”
“Now.”
Luke looks at me, and I see the calculation in his eyes. How much does Bennett know? How much can he guess? What story are we supposed to be telling?
“Stay here,” Luke says quietly. “Don’t say anything.”
He crosses to the door, unlocks it, and opens it just wide enough to block the view of me with his body. “What?”
I can’t see Bennett, but I can hear him. “The officer left. He wants us to call if we remember anything about Coach Murphy being at the game last night.”
“Okay.”
“And Luke?” A pause. “She’s Paislee’s sister.” What does that mean?
Luke doesn’t flinch. “So?”
“So I did her sister a favor getting her into this school.” Bennett’s voice drops lower, almost a warning. “I didn’t do it so you could fuck around with her.”
“Noted.”
“Don’t be an asshole. This is serious.” Bennett’s tone shifts, something almost pleading underneath the authority. “I let a lot go, but on this…”
“Got it,” Luke clips back, cutting him off from saying more.
The door closes. Luke stands there for a moment, his back to me, his shoulders tight.
“What was that?”
Luke turns around. “He thinks I’m going to ruin his chances with your sister.” I knew it! Bennett is into my sister.
My phone buzzes against my leg, making me jump. I’m still on edge. Georgia’s name lights up the screen.
I answer before it can ring twice. “Hey.”
“Are you okay? Are the cops still there?” Her voice is pitched high, worried. “Did you guys get arrested?”
“We’re fine.” I pause, looking at him. He’s watching me, arms crossed, trying to look casual like he’s not hanging on every word. “I think we’re going to call it a night. I’ll be back to the dorm in a little.”
“You’re not staying there?”
“Georgia.” I lower my voice, turning slightly away. I can’t believe she said that! Why would she even think that? “We’ll talk when I get back.”
She huffs but relents. “Fine. But if you’re not here in thirty minutes, I’m calling the cops.” Ah, she’s still on edge too.
“Deal.” I hang up and look at Luke. He’s already grabbing his keys from the desk. “I’ll drive you.”
“You don’t have to.” It’s not a long walk from the dean’s home to the girls’ dorms.
“I do.” He meets my eyes, and I see he doesn’t want to let me out of his sight. “I’m your man. Remember?”
“Right.” I shake my head at him, but why does it sound good when he says he’s my man?
We don’t talk on the short drive. The radio plays low, some alternative song I don’t recognize. Luke pulls up to my dorm and kills the engine.
“Madeline.”
“Yeah?”
“Tomorrow. We figure this out. Together.” There is a warning there, but I’m freaking out about all this, and I’m more than okay with us doing this together. In fact, I don’t know if I could do it without him.
“Together,” I hear myself say.
He smiles, small and real. “Goodnight, Madeline.”
“Goodnight, Luke.”
I climb out and force myself not to look back. But I feel him watching me until I’m inside. I know it’s the last thing I should be doing with everything that’s happened, but I can’t help the smile that overtakes my face.