Reign of Freedom (Corium University Trilogy #5) Read Online J.L. Beck, Cassandra Hallman

Categories Genre: Contemporary, Dark, Mafia, Romance, Taboo Tags Authors: , Series: Corium University Trilogy Series by J.L. Beck
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Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 104239 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
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32

DELILAH

“Did you like your little trip?” There’s amusement in Ren’s question that makes my hackles rise, but I’m not going to play into it. I won’t let him get under my skin anymore.

“Very much, thanks for asking. It was very relaxing.”

“I bet.” The elevator doors slide open, and he extends an arm, signaling me to take the lead. I wish he didn’t make me feel so unsettled. I still can’t figure out his place in all of this. What’s in it for him?

When we reach my room, I hesitate in front of the door. What’s next? Will he watch while I go inside so he can report back to Xander?

I lift my eyebrow, questioning him silently. “Here you are.” He still waits for me to open the door. Now I wonder if some terrible surprise waits for me on the other side. I open it slowly, dreading what’s about to happen. Except nothing does.

The room looks normal, just the way I left it. I turn to him, and his expression is blank. “Thanks?”

This is too bizarre. At least he doesn’t try to follow me inside, strolling away as I swing the door closed. Leaving me with a million other questions revolving around Lucas.

What is going on up there? It seemed pretty serious and important. Why wouldn’t Lucas tell me? Does it have to do with me? I can’t sit still for all the nervous energy leaving me jumpy and skittish, so I pace helplessly. Who is he meeting with? Would he even tell me the truth if I asked?

I wish I didn’t have to ask myself that question, but it’s pretty obvious there are still a lot of things I’m not allowed to know. Okay, so he’s not sleeping with this blond woman—but what’s she doing here?

He didn’t go that far into his explanation, did he? And what the hell does Xander have to do with any of this? It was obvious he savored that whole interaction on the helipad. He’s getting off on this for some weird reason—not that I would put anything weird past him.

I’m not getting anywhere pacing my room, that’s for sure. How can they expect me to hang around here when it feels like there’s so much hanging in the balance? One thing about me nobody seems to understand: I don’t sit around and wait for things to happen. I’m too impatient.

And that’s how I talk myself into sneaking out of my room again. Not that I really need to sneak. It isn’t like Ren was told to stand guard and make sure I didn’t leave. And it’s not like anybody told me I had to stay here or else. Hell, if Xander had, I would have already left. I’ll be damned if I follow orders from him.

They’re up in the castle, so I take the elevator again and wind up not far from where we just entered only minutes ago.

There are staff and guards up here, but I keep my head down and stay close to the wall as I walk the hallways. It only hits me now that I don’t know where they were having their little meeting, if that’s, in fact, what’s going on. And I don’t know enough about this place to know of an obvious choice.

So all I can do is go up and down one hall after another, listening for any familiar voices. I doubt Lucas would go out of his way to be quiet, anyway. But I don’t hear anything. I’m sure the big, heavy doors play a part in that. This place must have been built centuries ago, and everything is monstrously oversized, right down to the thick stone walls.

A door opens ahead, and I duck inside the nearest doorway to wait and see who it is.

My heart clenches at the sight of her. The blonde whose name I’m still not allowed to know. She steps out of a room and smiles, even beaming. It doesn’t seem right that I should hate her for her happiness, but that’s what boils in my chest as I watch her walk away. Who the hell is she, and why is she such a big deal to Lucas? He can pretend all he wants, but if she meant nothing, he would have told me. Right? He wouldn’t be keeping her identity a secret.

If I’m not going to get any answers from him, I’ll need to get them from her. I almost can’t believe I’m doing this, taking off after her at a light jog. Does she even know who I am? I doubt it—I’m not that important, am I? Just another student as far as she’s concerned.

What am I going to do if she asks why I care? I don’t know. I’ll figure it out if the time comes. Nothing matters more than knowing who she is and why she’s here. If that makes me obsessed, then I’m obsessed.


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