by L V Chase
If this had happened at the start of the year, I might have called them out. But I don't care anymore. I have Cin. The rest of them can go fuck themselves for all I care.
"You sitting alone?" a high-pitched voice asks.
I look up to see Aurora sliding into the seat across from me. She's in a dark red dress with a button up gray sweater on top, but the sweater's falling off her shoulders so that I can see the dress' straps. Aurora reaches for my glass of milk, but I pull it back away from her.
"Don't touch my shit." I gesture to the empty chairs further down the table. "Do you mind? I like a bit of quiet in the morning."
Aurora pouts. "Don't be like that, Grayson."
I'm still in my shorts and a long-sleeve running top. I had meant to stop by here for only a quick bite before heading back to the dorms to clean up. Something warm and silky rubs against my bare leg under the table.
Aurora giggles as she places both hands beneath the table and her leg snakes its way between mine. "Want to see what I'm doing down here?" Her mouth opens slightly like she's about to moan.
The hell? I shift my feet and roughly shove her leg away. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"
Aurora's eyes widen. She places both hands back above the table, then brushes away the pale blonde hair from her eyes.
"Grayson, I know you're going through a lot right now." She leans towards me. "Maybe I could help you—"
I sit back in my chair, scowling at her. "Jesus Christ. Fuck off, will you?"
"What?" Aurora looks genuinely confused as she settles back into her seat.
Her creepy shit annoys me enough, but what really pisses me off is that I'm sure she had a hand in helping Jay win that art contest. Aurora's been too eager to screw Cin over every chance she gets.
Someone sits down next to me. It's Eric.
"What's up?" he asks. He gives Aurora a quick glance but makes it clear that he's talking to me.
I stand up. "Nothing much. I'm done here."
Eric looks at Aurora again. "I thought I told you not to bother him."
Aurora purses her lips but doesn't say anything as she also gets up and leaves the table.
I stare at Eric. What was that? Aurora actually listens to Eric? He knows that I've warned him to stay away from her before, but things are different now. Something doesn't sit right with me. Did Dad turn to him? I, of course, had refused to have anything to do with seducing Aurora. Even if she wasn't related to me anymore, legally or otherwise, it was still fucking disgusting.
I'm about to ask Eric what's going on, but then I stop myself. Of all the so-called friends, he's the only that's stuck through. He's not shunning me like the others.
I punch him lightly on the shoulder instead. "Don't do anything too stupid."
"Ha, you wish," Eric snorts.
When I head back to my room, Cin is already gone. I shower, dress, and get ready to head out again when there's a knock on the front door. I look out the window to see who it is and find Cin waiting outside the villa.
"Miss me already?" I ask after I open the door. I pause when I see the serious expression on her face. "Everything okay?"
Cin steps inside. "Can we talk in your room?"
"Yeah." I lead her inside. Once we're back in my room with the door closed, I turn to her again. "What's going on?"
Cin sits on the edge of my bed. "It's...I saw Brady just now."
"What? Where the fuck is he?" I've grabbed the doorknob, but Cin gets up and rushes over to stop me.
"No, he's gone," she says. "Just listen."
"He didn't hurt you, did he?"
Cin shakes her head. "I'm fine. Grayson."
I frown, then turn and lean with my back against the door. Cin sits back on my bed.
"I think he killed Diana," Cin says in a rush. She goes quiet, and I realize that she's waiting to see what I think.
"Yeah, I thought he might have," I reply. "He never admitted it to me, but the way he talked about Diana—what'd he say to you?"
Cin nods. "He was weird, but, yeah, he didn't say he did. Just the way he talked about things made me think he killed Diana, too." She hesitates, then speaks again. "So, what are you going to do about it?"
"Do? Nothing, probably. It's not like we have proof." I scowl. "But God knows I'd strangle the him if I could. If he bothers you again, call me right away."
The fat fucker's still going after Cin? The next time I see him, I'm going to beat the shit out of him, consequences be damned. The whole world thinks I'm some deranged monster anyways.
"That's the thing," Cin says. "If we had proof, we could nail him. And it'd clear your name from...everything."
"Sounds nice, but I don't see that happening."
"He offered me a deal."
"What?"
Cin swallows. "Brady offered me a deal. Like if I would be his girl, he offered to pay me."
The rage on my face must frighten Cin, because she flinches. "No, wait, listen. I think this is our chance. If I go along with his deal, I could get close, find any evidence that he—"
"No!" I shout. "No fucking way! Are you insane?"
"But what about all the accusations? And I know they dropped the case with Diana for now, but what if—"
"No!" I yell again. I take a deep breath to calm myself. "You have no idea what you're getting into."
It might be cute, to have her think she's some kind of spy hero, but it's also fucking stupid. She thinks it's a game, or that she can deal with fuckers like Brady. No, just no.
I'm surprised to find Cin scowling at me.
"What?" I ask.
"You think I can't do it?" she asks.
"I know that it's too damn dangerous."
Cin makes an exasperated noise. What the hell is going on with her?
"Do you think I'm your equal?" she asks. "That girls can't deal with shit?"
Now I'm the one that's confused. "This isn't some social justice bullshit. It's about keeping you safe. That's the only thing that matters—"
"Don't patronize me."
"Cin! Use your fucking brain. You think Brady's a killer, and you plan on trying to trick him? What do you think he'd do to you if he found out?"
"I don't need you to protect me," Cin snaps. "I'm not some spoiled bitch."
I pound my fist against the door, hard. "No, and that's final."
"What? Am I your fucking slave or something? You want to own me, just like Brady?"
"Are you kidding?"
We stare at each other. Cin's green eyes are blazing, her red lips pressed tightly together. She gets up and pushes me away from the door. I let her leave.
23
Cin
The Voss News Network headquarters is as vast and elaborate as I thought it’d be. It’s a circular building, twisting up like a coiled snake. The elevator in the center of it allows me to see out towards the rest of the city. Compared to the gleaming inside of the building, the city looks grittier, but it comes across as more genuine. I never thought I’d see Downtown Manhattan as gritty or genuine.
The elevator chimes.
“Lawrence Voss’s Office,” a feminine voice announces.
The door opens. I step out. About fifteen feet in front of me, a woman is sitting at a desk, typing on a computer. I walk up to her. Her blonde hair is pulled into an intricate bun. While she’s beautiful with delicate, feminine features, she’s not the kind of beautiful that you also assume is dumb. Her expression shows a level of authority that’s difficult to fake.
“Good morning,” she says, glancing at me as she continues to type. “Cinnamon Reeves?”
“Yes,” I say. Most people say my name with a certain level of judgment, but she doesn’t show any disdain.
“Mr. Voss is ready for you. I’ll escort you to his office.”
She taps the enter key on her keyboard before standing up. As she guides me down the northern hall, her heels click in front of me. She’s at least six inches taller than me and the heels only add a couple of those in
ches. Her body is also thin, but her bare arms are toned. I’d compare her to a model, but she has enough curves under her red dress to nix that idea.
Grayson could get this woman to sleep with him whenever he wanted. I’m certain his father wouldn’t object. But he chose me—the trailer trash with the awkward body. If I were naive, I’d consider it flattering, but I know what it’s like to lose people close to me because they changed their minds. As someone who has been stabbed, I can say it’s a similar agony. The ache just lasts longer when your loved one transforms into a stranger or adversary.
The woman knocks on a large wooden door.
“Let her in,” Lawrence’s voice orders.
She turns the doorknob, letting it swing open halfway. She gestures for me to step in.
“Thank you,” I say.
“It’s my pleasure to assist you,” she says, giving a small bow of her head before walking away.
Her heels continue to click. I listen until they stop. I step into the room, closing the door. I’d prefer to have it open, but I’d rather be the one who closes it than have Lawrence tell me to do it or do it himself. I’m creating my own prison rather than allowing him to do it.
Lawrence sits at a massive black desk. It looks like it’s made out of marble, but that would cost an obscene amount of money.
Which, of course, he could afford.
I walk up to it. He doesn’t look up from his phone, where he’s quickly typing. He only looks up when I’m standing directly in front of his desk. He sets his phone down beside his laptop. The home screen is lit up for two seconds before the screen dims and turns black.
“Good afternoon, Miss Reeves,” he says, folding his hands on top of the desk. “I was surprised to hear you wanted this meeting. I was under the impression that you thought I was the worst kind of capitalist.”
“I still think that,” I say.
He smirks. “Of course. But like all other citizens, you still want to get into bed with the evil capitalist.”
I can’t stop my hand from twitching. His smirk deepens.
“Figuratively, of course,” he says. “I have no idea what you want, and you’re not someone I’d take pleasure in having over and over. My standards are significantly higher than my son’s. He’ll develop a better palate for women over time.”
I run my tongue over my teeth, wanting desperately to bite down. “I want to talk about Brady.”
He raises his eyebrow, but it doesn’t come across as genuine. “What about him?”
“I want to agree to his deal.”
He runs his thumb over his bottom lip. “I’m impressed, Miss Reeves. Not only in your ability to be direct but because I’m guessing my son doesn’t know about this. Your initiative and autonomy are admirable. But I didn’t get behind this desk by taking people at their word. I have to wonder why you’re willing to throw yourself into Brady’s arms, especially after that touching display with my son at my house.”
I twist my fingers together. I clasp them behind my back, attempting to hide the fact that my apprehension is about to break into panic. I could lie, but the way he’s looking at me, I’m certain he’d be able to tell. He seems like the type who would refuse to help me if I lied, solely because his ego was slightly scratched.
In a way, he and my mother are two sides of the same coin. His coin is simply made out of gold, and hers is made out of aluminum from a beer can.
I raise my head. Our eyes lock.
“I believe Brady killed Diana,” I say. “I want to find proof that he did it.”
He surveys me carefully. “You believe Brady stabbed Diana three times.”
“Yes.”
He leans back into his chair, not breaking eye contact with me. “The thought crossed my mind, too.”
My hands unclasp behind my back. “Really?”
“I’m not as dense as I look,” he drawls. “Brady is a hot-tempered egomaniac. He’s consistently a difficult man to work with because of his anger issues when his authority is questioned. If Diana stepped out of line, or if he thought Diana might leak some of his secrets, it wouldn’t be shocking for him to solve the problem in the easiest way possible. He’s not clever enough to simply discredit her name.”
My fingernail fidgets with a hangnail on my thumb. “I have a feeling that’s one of your tactics.”
He shrugs. “Murder leads to suspicion. An unstable crackpot leads to mockery. Anyone who aligns themselves to that person would be seen as another delusional idiot. It’s much more successful and avoids excessive legal involvement. Or crying parents and widows.”
“Great,” I say. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“You should.”
I shift my weight. “So, you don’t mind that I want to investigate him?”
“Not at all,” he says. “If he’s venomous, he’s a danger to my company and my family. I actually talked to Brady a couple of weeks ago, and he’d told me that he wanted to change the contract from what it originally said—unlike Diana, his next companion wouldn’t be returning to school. He believes that Diana trying to maintain an academic life while with him is what caused her to…become less acceptable. Therefore, he’d expect his next companion to give up graduation and starting college at the same time as everyone else. He mentioned offering his next companion an education, but he tends to enjoy wordplay, so I can’t be certain if he meant an accredited education or what he believes a woman should be educated in.”
“Wow,” I say. “You make him sound like a dreamboat.”
“I’m not in the business of selling men,” he says. “This is professional matchmaking. You’re not being forced to do anything. If you’re interested, tell me now. Otherwise, I have more important affairs to attend to.”
I grit my teeth and settle into the chair in front of his desk. “Where do I sign?”
24
Grayson
Cin hasn't replied to my texts or calls since we argued over the thing with Brady. I know she wants to make her own way, take care of things on her own, but this is Brady, a possible murderer. She can be so damn stubborn.
I know Cin, and she's not going to sit back idly and let things go. That's what really worries me. That she's already plunged too far into the deep end. I've held out until after dinner the next day, but I can't wait any longer. I hurry to her dorm room, hoping that she's hasn't already done something stupid and dangerous.
When I arrive at her dorm building, I see the light on in the window of her room, which gives me a small sense of relief. At least she's still on campus. I don't run into any of the other scholarship girls as I let myself into the building and reach the door to her room.
I bang on the door twice. "It's me. Grayson. Cin, we need to talk."
The seconds stretch out painfully, but the door swings open a little while later. Cin's in an oversized white tee, her hair still damp from showering. I check her face, but I don't see any signs of crying or stress. I look over her arms and neck. No signs of harm.
"You coming in or not?" Cin asks, giving me a weird look.
I step inside, then pause in the doorway so that Cin's can't close the door yet. The room is too neat. Or bare, really. Diana's half was already empty, but now Cin's half is pretty much empty, too. All that's left are a couple bags sitting on the middle of her bed.
"You're packing?" I ask.
I step fully inside and shut the door behind me. Cin's already retreated to the other side of the room where she fiddles with a large blue duffel bag.
"I made my decision," Cin says. "I'm leaving."
"Wait, what? You're leaving school?" I try to make sense of what she just said, but I can't. I refuse to. "Is this about the art contest? You can still graduate and go to a good art college—"
"Oh, I could come back and finish a year later, in principle. But I'm done with Roman Academy for now."
A cold knot forms in my gut but quickly changes into a flash of searing anger sweeping through my body. This has to be about Brady. No, I won't l
et that happen.
"Is this because of him?" I ask. "Brady?"
Her silence tells me everything.
"You're out of your fucking mind!" I walk over to reach the black luggage piece closest to me. I begin unzipping it. "I don't know what your deal with Brady is, but you don't get to leave."
"I don't get to?" Cin frowns at me. "You're the one that decides what I can and can't do?"
"Yes, when you're acting like a fucking fool."
Cin turns away from me. "I thought we were done with the whole macho bullshit. You don't own me, Grayson. You don't get to tell me what to do."
"Well, I should." I don't quite mean the words like they sound. Or maybe I do. Fucking hell, I'm not going to let her throw everything away because of Brady.
I take two steps towards her, but Cin holds up both hands.
"Don't," she snaps. When she sees that I've stopped, she lowers her hands. "It doesn't matter anyways. I've already agreed to this."
"Fuck!" I want to kick or punch something, but I'm in Cin's room and the only thing to break would be her things. I end up grinding my teeth in frustration. "Cin! Listen—"
"No!" Cin shouts over me. "You listen to me for once. I'm going to disappear from here. From you. And just...just stay away. Stay away from me."
I can't believe what she's saying. She can't be serious. "Cin. Cin! You can't just walk away from here."
Cin doesn't reply to that. Yes, she can, and I know she will, if she wants to. But why the fuck would she want to? For Brady's sake? For that fucker? What about me?
A thousand doubts swirl inside me. For once, I'm not so sure about myself anymore. Fuck, does she actually believe those bullshit testimonies? Was she planning this whole thing with Damien to get back at me? Does she want to be with Brady? Is she trying to get back at me?
No, no, no. That's not the Cin I know. She would never do that. She would never betray me. She's the only good person in this whole goddamn mess.
Cin makes a small noise, and I glance back up at her.
