Total pages in book: 186
Estimated words: 176552 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 883(@200wpm)___ 706(@250wpm)___ 589(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 176552 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 883(@200wpm)___ 706(@250wpm)___ 589(@300wpm)
Layla’s brow furrowed. “Why are you getting so mad?”
“Why are you playing dumb?” Roxxi took a step forward, and Layla shifted back. “We come from money. Our parents have money. Some of our grandparents have money. They all busted their asses for it, just like we’ll have to. We aren’t in college for the fucking life experience, and if we’re ‘popular’ it’s only because we put ourselves out there.”
“See how nice she broke things down for you?” Cloe asked rhetorically, her tone calm and polite.
Layla stared at Roxxi so long, I started to worry we’d be breaking up an actual fight in a minute, the last thing we needed.
Arianna shifted, sensing the blatant tension. “We shouldn’t be at each other’s throats like this. That note wasn’t just for Sanj. It included all of us, maybe even you, Layla. You’re here all the time.”
Layla hugged her middle, and I realized she was scared.
“Why don’t we all take a breath?” I suggested. “Ari’s right, this is not the time for us to be arguing.”
“I agree, especially if we’re all about to be pulled into this madness together,” Cloe seconded.
Layla nodded, eyes dropping. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. I wasn’t trying to offend you guys.”
Roxxi gave me a look, and I knew right then she was not buying that apology, but for the sake of peace, she chose to let it go, for now. I decided it was best to focus on the most important things first. “Any guesses on how many Huntsmen we’ll have?”
“There were rumors about things being done differently this year,” Ari answered.
“We already know about the one who filmed us in the quad, then the person under the tree in the courtyard. That’s two… but there were more,” I divulged.
Cloe straightened, but she was already somewhat aware of this part. Roxxi started pacing again. Ari watched me closely. I took a breath and began to explain. “There was one at the edge of The Pit the day before the quad incident. Right after cheer practice. Another, or maybe that same person, was outside Ashton’s later that same night. I planned to tell you all this when we talked later.”
Arianna looked rattled. Roxxi muttered a curse under her breath.
“And then there was the car,” I continued, glancing toward Layla. “The black sedan that tailed me and Layla on our way here. Ryder showed up, and they drove off.”
Cloe looked at her. “You didn’t tell us about any car.”
“I was going to do it with Sanj.”
“Right,” Roxxi deadpanned. “So, we know of two for sure. All of this could be because of them.”
“The Hunts’ always been one Huntsman per Marked. One person watching. Tracking. Toying. Not two, or however many Sanj has counted. If there is more than one...” Cloe trailed off.
“It confirms they’ve changed the rules,” Roxxi finished.
“Or someone decided to rewrite the playbook,” I suggested.
The room fell quiet aside from the music still carrying on in the background from my phone in the bathroom.
“We can’t break down over this,” I reiterated, my voice sounding stronger than I felt. I looked at each of them. “Our best shot at getting through a Hunt is staying sharp and watching each other’s backs. I’m not about to let some masked dickheads make us afraid of our own shadows.”
Roxxi ran a hand through her hair. “You’re right. This is nothing we can’t handle.” She pointed to the hall. “Go get changed in my room, Sanj. We’ll start cleaning this up.”
I nodded, still shivering a little, whether it was from the cold or the crash of adrenaline finally bottoming out, I wasn’t sure. I pushed off the ottoman, making sure the towel was tucked tight.
“Um… what if whoever threw the rock is still outside right now?” Layla asked tentatively.
I stopped and glanced toward the bathroom, the chilled air from the shattered window was leaking through like a ghost. Roxxi sighed, shifting into problem-solving mode. “New plan. Ari, call campus security. Say our window was broken by some drunk asshole. If they think it’s Hunt-related, they’ll either take their sweet-ass time or not do shit. Cloe, there’s a flashlight in the kitchen under the sink. Let’s get the bird to the trash before it becomes a damn health hazard.”
“Wait, what?” I cut in, frowning. “Does campus security even patrol the rentals? And no, you’re not going outside.”
Roxxi scowled, ready to argue until I held up a hand to stop her. “Something happens, and then someone proceeds to go toward the strange out-of-the-ordinary occurrence to investigate. Does that sound familiar at all? It’s literally how horror movies drive a plot.”
“Exactly,” Cloe backed me up. “If we’re going by common genre tropes, one of us is a virgin,” she side-eyed Ari, “one’s too scared of everything—,” she motioned to Layla, who frowned. “We have the girl who gets her back blown out before they get taken out naked as the day they were born,” now looking at me, “and then there’s the one making dumbass decisions.”