Page 65 of The Naughty Virgin

CHAPTER TEN

Caden

Fuck, that had been a debauched night. It went way beyond what my brother and I expected, and that’s saying a lot given that we moonlight as strippers. How much had changed in the five years we’d been away. These days college kids were unbridled, unhinged, with an anything-goes attitude that totally blew me away.

I mean, I’d been preparing myself for some action, but regular shit like strippers, drug use, the fire department coming by and shutting down the revelry. I’d never imagined that co-eds these days were so wanton, letting everything go, putting notches on their bedposts like a row of falling dominoes.

Or maybe that was understating it. More like hacking off the bedpost altogether, there were so many notches there could be no structural integrity left in that wood.

I shook my head, still unbelieving. Well, whatever. Our little girl had shown up at the party, but pot clearly wasn’t her thing. Before she’d inhaled even two puffs she was asleep in my brother’s lap, occasionally opening her eyes groggily, watching a bit before she fell back asleep, the raucous noise and activity not disturbing Karina in the least. She’d looked beautiful – trusting, innocent, even as the Gates of Hell opened at that party.

But now, in the cold light of day … nothing good could come out of this. I whipped out my textbook, looking at it with a grimace. Elements of Statistical Analysis. What the fuck did that mean anyways? I was here to complete my degree in Computer Science, and instead all I could think about was the mass of writhing, naked forms I’d seen last night, the depravity, all with my little girl sleeping soundly through it all.

The phone in the apartment rang.

“Hello?” I growled. This better not keep me away from my statistical analysis.

“Sir,” said Mario. “There’s someone downstairs asking to see you.”

“Tell him to go away,” I answered. “This isn’t a good time. Oh wait, it’s not my sister is it?”

“No sir,” came the hushed voice of our concierge. “It’s the NYPD,” he almost whispered.

Oh shit, nothing good could come of this.

“Let em up,” I sighed. Clearly studying was going to have to wait.

A knock came on my door shortly and I opened to see a pair of detectives, the woman with ugly bowl cut, the dude with a scowl on his face.

“Caden Sterling?” she asked.

“Yeah, that’s me,” I replied.

“I’m Captain Conwell from the NYPD, Precinct 19. We’d like to ask you some questions about a party that occurred last weekend under the auspices of NYU. Were you at a Delta Upsilon Psi gathering around eleven on Saturday night in Alphabet City?”

“Listen,” I said. “Do I need a lawyer? This is already sounding bad.”

“Sir, we’re just asking questions. I can’t tell you whether or not you need a lawyer, that depends on you.”

I sighed internally. Real helpful. Where were the resources of Sterling Pharma when you needed them? I seriously thought about calling California and getting our in-house counsel on the line, but then I’d have to brief him as to what happened and all that whatnot.

“Come in,” I said resignedly. “Take a seat,” I said, gesturing to the knot of couches.

The two detectives walked in, whistling at the view of Central Park, the luxurious furnishings, the wall to wall entertainment system.

“Pretty nice for a college guy,” said the male cop. “You mind telling us about yourself?”

“Actually I do,” I said sarcastically. “I’m a returning student at NYU finishing a degree in Computer Science. My brother and I live here, we can afford it I assure you.”

The guy raised both hands up in defense. “Didn’t mean to imply anything sir, just hard to believe that a guy with digs like this was at a party in Alphabet City on Saturday night. What were you doing there?”

“At the party?” I asked. “What always goes on at those things … talking to girls, meeting new people, drinking. I am twenty-five, far over the legal drinking limit.”

“Do you know someone named Brenda Bey?” asked the woman cop.

“No, never heard of her,” I said. “Listen I just transferred to NYU a week ago. I was at the party to loosen up, maybe meet some chicks, but there wasn’t anyone named Brenda that I can remember. Why, what is this about?”

“Well Ms. Bey is saying that she was raped by the brothers of DUP at the party. You are a brother, aren’t you?” said the woman cop.

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