Page 35 of Deadly Secrets

“Welcome, Miss Moore. Please grab a seat over there. Your lab partner will arrive any second. In the meantime, please read the notes I left beside the Bunsen burner. I’ll walk by in a second to make sure you don’t have any questions.”

The notes included some background information on the project: cell and tissue engineering. Something about establishing new paradigms in stem cell aging and regulation; it sounded important. There were instructions on the different stages of the research, the materials we would need, and the scope of our research for this week and next.

“What are you doing here?” a familiar voice asked me.

Oh Lord.

I lifted my head, and there he was—Ander. Both hands were inside his jeans pockets, and his forehead was creased.

“Professor Reed has invited me to be part of his research team. And you?”

“You shouldn’t be here. You’re a freshman.”

His arrogance had no limits.

“Mr. Scott. Welcome back. Let me introduce you to your new partner, Miss Sienna Moore.”

“We already know each other,” I said.

“Oh great, that’s good. Have a seat.”

Reed didn’t know that pairing us together was a bad idea.

There was a high chance that Ander would sabotage my work to kick me out of the lab. That thought infuriated me because I knew that he was now capable of such things. The Ander from the past would have been thrilled to work with me.

We sat in silence for the entire hour, not a single word between us. When the hour passed, he grabbed his things and left the room. A few minutes later, I picked up my bag from the floor and left. I turned left at the end of the hallway and bumped into Ander. He was waiting for me.

“Listen to me. You’re going to tell Reed that you have changed your mind, and you’re gonna leave the research team,” he ordered me.

“I will do no such thing.” I snorted.

Ander approached me and cornered me against the wall. He was a good foot taller than me, with a broad back and muscled arms. His scent was making me lightheaded. He smelled of bergamot and pepper, earthy with mandarin notes. My heart started racing, but I wasn’t sure whether it was because I was now scared of him and what he could do to me or because of his proximity, his chest almost touching mine.

“I’m warning you, Sienna. I’m not the same boy you met years ago. I won’t hesitate to make your life a living hell.”

“Are you threatening me?” I spoke, lifting my chin in defiance.

“I’m just giving you a warning. Take it as you wish,” he said and walked away.

Ander clearly thought he could tell me what to do, but he was wrong. I’d never quit. If he thought for a second that I was scared of his threats, he was going to be shocked because I wouldn’t allow him, or anyone else for that matter, to bully me into submission. I’d never been a pushover and wouldn’t start now. I was genuinely excited about the opportunity Reed had given me.

I would make the best of the situation, even if it meant working alongside Ander.

Chapter 13. DEVIL’S NIGHT

(Sienna)

The week flew by, and Ander continued to ignore me with each passing hour we spent together in the lab. Reed had noticed that we weren’t working as a team, but he gave us some space, perhaps hoping that the situation would naturally improve over time. I didn’t see it happening anytime soon. The tension between us was so thick you could practically cut it with a knife.

As soon as the hour ended, Ander took his things and left the lab without saying goodbye. Rude.

I grabbed my phone to text Maggie about our plans for tonight, but I noticed a message from Noah.

Noah

Are you ready for tonight?

Me

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