Chapter 29
TWENTY-NINE
FRANKIE
I almost canceled the party tonight but decided to use it to gather information instead.
It’s been one hell of a day and hearing Abigail’s story wasn’t easy. Somebody connected to The Claiming used it to carry out his own sick agenda and sexually assaulting any girl is something I will never tolerate. I may be a bastard in many ways, but I hold a sacred respect for women. They should be made to feel protected, even during the sick games I concoct in my mind. Only willing women attend my gatherings and Abigail was drugged and raped last night by somebody using our ceremony as cover. But how?
We spent most of the day in the dungeon searching it for clues but found nothing.
It’s a mystery I am determined to solve and as I head to the basement, I intend to discuss it further with my closest friend who I trust.
As I enter the room, Jesse is sprawled on the couch and there is something in his guilty expression that causes me to raise my eyes. “What’s up with you?”
“Is it that obvious?”
Jesse has been MIA most of the day and all of last night and despite the others questioning his absence, I had a notion where he went.
I take the seat beside him and he says gruffly, “I’m sorry I wasn’t here to help.”
“Where were you?”
He is obviously uncomfortable with the subject and then, with a sigh, leans in and whispers, “I was fucking Miss Sloane all night and most of today.”
“Jeez, Jesse, have you got a death wish?”
He grins, a proud gleam in his eye.
“Man, she can perform too. I mean, I am ruined for anyone else.”
“Where?”
I’m curious and he shrugs. “She has a house on the other side of town and we went there.”
“Did anybody see you?”
“Of course not.” He scoffs. “After The Claiming, I ducked over the wall and she met me on the corner of the hill.”
“Risky.”
I am referring to the cameras set up around the perimeter, and he shrugs. “We chose the black spot.”
It didn’t take us long to discover there is a section of wall hidden in the trees that cuts out the signal. Many students use it as a pass out of here if they can negotiate the trees to scale the wall. Jesse has no problem with that and we have all used that means of escape on many occasions if we fancy our freedom without any questions asked.
He lowers his voice. “I heard about Abigail, that’s seriously concerning.”
I nod, my anger sharpening when I think back on her ordeal.
“I’m guessing that’s the end to The Claiming.” Jesse sighs.
“Why?” I shrug. “It’s more important than ever to flush this creep out, and I’m using the next challenge to trap him.”
“How do you know he’ll do it again?” Jesse is concerned. “The place is crawling with cops and the governor is liable to tear this place to the ground to find the fucking weirdo.”
“Because he’ll be celebrating the fact nobody knows his identity and will enjoy remaining undetected.”
Jesse nods, a thoughtful gleam in his eye. “Well, whoever he is, we’ll hunt him down and he’ll wish he’d never been born.”
“Agreed.”
Jesse glances at his phone. “I have three hours before I must scoot.”
“Miss Sloane?” I arch my brow and he grins, the shit-eating one of the damned.
“She’s insatiable, and I’m not passing this opportunity by because this student is a willing one and is currently at the top of his class.”
“You’re sick, Jesse.” I chuckle softly as he reaches for a beer.
“You’re just jealous.”
The first guests are drifting in and as the music thumps its welcome, I settle back and run through what happened last night in my mind. Whoever it was has one over us and when I catch him, he will soon discover the real purpose of the dungeon and the monks from the past will watch on in awe when a true professional punishes the damned.
* * *
Cassie and Siri arrive an hour later and as soon as I see them heading nervously down the stairs, my party begins.
Cassie meets my eyes almost immediately and, without breaking contact, heads toward me with none of the games of her predecessors. Girls believe that by pretending not to be interested makes mine grow, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. It turns me off because I chase nobody, unless it’s through a dark, dusty tunnel and they are running to get away from me.
She reaches me and I pat the seat by my side, noting the curious gazes of a group of girls nearby who have been trying to catch my attention for the past thirty minutes.
As she sits, I slide my hand around her waist and pull her onto my lap with a sharp move, and before she can react, I crush my lips to hers in a blatant show of possession.
She kisses me back, matching my hunger and doesn’t appear to care what anyone else thinks and as I delve deep into her soul, I block out the rest of the room and set about claiming my girl in a far more delicious way.
Kissing Cassie is like discovering a star that has fallen from the sky. Rare, beautiful and unique, with a special brightness that transcends anything around it.
That is how I view my girl and I expect no less because there is not a girl at Rockwell who even comes close to the brilliance of this one.
It’s some time before we break apart and she whispers against my lips, “You like to make a statement.”
“You weren’t complaining.”
To my surprise, she runs her fingers through my hair and stares into my eyes, hers burning brightly as they drag me into her seductive web.
I have never met a woman like Cassandra King. She is strong, powerful and takes no shit, and I know she is trying to figure me out. I am her match and she is intrigued by that and she says huskily, “I wasn’t going to do this tonight.”
“Do what?” I smirk against her lips.
“Come here and fawn over you like a lovesick fool.”
“You love me now?”
She grins. “In your dreams.”
I chuckle as I witness an amusing scene over her shoulder and she turns to see Amos attempting to assert some kind of authority over Kennedy as she chats with Autumn and River, who is holding Autumn’s hand tightly and glaring at any guy who even so much as glances in her direction.
Kennedy shoves Amos and storms off to the bar and he doesn’t waste any time in following her, much to her disgust.
“She really hates that guy,” Cassie whispers and she frowns. “That was cruel, letting him into the challenge. You’ve ruined both of their semesters.”
“I don’t see Amos complaining.”
She hisses, “She’s going to make him miserable. The poor guy will be publicly rejected and humiliated even more than he was before.”
“We’ll see.”
She says with surprise, “Why, what do you know?”
“A lot, little one, which is why you are fascinated by me.”
With a sigh, she slides off my lap and reaches for a beer in the cooler by my side.
“So, you drink beer now?” I smirk as her eyes flash.
“I need something to dull my senses when I’m around you.”
She rolls her eyes and as she downs it in one, I can’t help being impressed.
Cassie is a warrior wrapped in an angel’s wings and matches me perfectly. I couldn’t be happier and as I slide my arm around her shoulder, she leans against me and whispers, “I’m not sure about River.”
We study the couple who are necking against the wall, River blocking out the rest of the room as he kisses Autumn relentlessly.
“Why?”
“He was rough with her during The Claiming.”
“How do you know that?”
“She told us when you locked us in the prison cells. She sounded afraid of him.”
“She’s not afraid of him now.”
I watch her hand slide around his waist as she grips him tightly and Cassie shrugs, a thoughtful gleam in her eyes. “Possibly, but I’m not convinced and intend to keep my eye on them.”
“Why?”
Her eyes flash. “Because if he is forcing her into anything, I’ll fucking lay him out. If their relationship is gonna work, it can’t be based on fear.”
“What do you fear, Cassie?” I’m interested because I don’t believe she is scared of anything and she rolls her eyes.
“I fear being stuck with you for the entire semester. God only knows what I’ve done wrong to deserve such a cross to bear.”
Her impish grin lights my soul and before I can reach for her again, she jumps up, angling her head toward the rear door. “I could use some air. Parties aren’t really my thing.”
“Why not? I thought everyone liked parties.”
“I’m not everyone, Frankie, and I’m guessing neither are you.”
I notice her gaze drag toward a couple chatting by the bar, obviously enjoying the conversation. Siri and Jack are laughing, their heads close together, and I notice his arm is slung loosely around her shoulders.
Cassie’s expression is guarded but her eyes are dull as she watches her two closest friends getting along and a stab of jealously surprises me as I consider she has deeper feelings for Jack than I first realized.