Page 53 of Wicked Waters

“I can be sweet when I want to be.” The finger trailed lower. I shivered.

Glancing up at Knox, I noticed that he seemed to be having a silent conversation over my head. Holding my breath, I waited, and then?—

“It seems to me like you’re struggling to keep your hands off her.” Roman’s voice lowered to a soft rasp. “Like she looks so fucking good that you want to worship her, to fucking claim her in front of everyone, so there’s no doubt that she’s mi—yours.”

“Fucking hell,” Knox muttered. He downed the rest of his champagne in one go. “Yeah. Don’t worry. I’ll be doing some worshipping later. But we’ll be somewhere far less public.”

Elena was staring between them both and biting down on her lip, clearly trying to hold back laughter. Me? I was melting into a puddle of want and need because there was no doubt that Roman was talking to me…through Knox. Which was bizarre but wonderful. Maybe I should return the favour.

“Um.” I licked my lips. “Elena. Do you feel like the luckiest person here tonight? To know that this gorgeous, hot, amazing man wants you and you want him back? That you can’t believe how he looks tonight because?—”

“Tone it down,” she warned. There was a low chuckle in my ear, and the finger returned, circling over the small of my back.

“You’re a fucking goddess,” Roman murmured, too low for anyone else to hear, and then he was gone.

“I’m never doing that again. I don’t give a fuck that he’s one of my best mates. Give me that champagne.” Knox grabbed another flute from the bar, downing the contents in one swift movement, and then slammed the glass back down with a grimace. He picked up another, bringing it to his lips, but he was interrupted by a loud, pointed clearing of someone’s throat.

“Mr. Ashcroft. The limit is two glasses per student,” Professor Donnelly informed him.

“Is that so?” Knox eyed him over the top of his glass and then deliberately tipped it to his lips.

Professor Donnelly shook his head. “Ashcroft. Don’t push me.”

Elena nudged her boyfriend, and he sighed. “Fine.”

“You may as well take that one. It has your germs all over it.”

“Cheers, sir.” Knox lifted the glass, and our head of house rolled his eyes.

“Get out of my sight. And that’s your last one, so don’t even think about another.”

Elena dragged him away before he could reply, and I decided to go and find Aria or my roommates. From memory, the crowning ceremony happened around ninety minutes or so after the ball’s start time, and although I didn’t have my phone with me, I guesstimated it had been going for around forty-five minutes, maybe longer, so there should be plenty of time to dance before the ceremony. I’d said that I didn’t want to be one of the goddesses, but right now, after seeing Roman, I really, really did. It would be my only chance to dance with him, and it could all be explained away if my parents ever found out. Tristan and Penelope would dance together as head boy and girl—and they even matched with Penelope’s dress and Tristan’s gold accents. Knox would be with Elena, and I’d have no choice but to dance with Roman.

But there was no guarantee I’d win. In fact, it was most likely that Freya or Aria would win. The thought of Freya dancing with Roman sent hot prickles of jealousy through me. She’d have her hands all over my man, and I’d have to stand there and do fucking nothing.

“You look like you’re contemplating murder. Who are we unaliving?”

I blinked, Mira’s face coming into focus. Forcing out a laugh, I shook my head. “It’s nothing. Hey, have you seen Aria?”

“She’s with us. Come on.” Samira led me to the centre of the dance floor, where Aria, Gracelyn, and several of our other classmates were dancing in a big group. I spotted Katy and Will in the crowd of bodies, wrapped up in each other, and beyond them, several of the lacrosse team appeared to be trying to impress their dates with loosely synchronised dance moves.

A smile spread across my face. No matter what was to come, both later tonight and beyond—when my parents found out about my paper—I had this. Time with my friends, just having fun. And that was something I’d really, really missed when I’d been away.

I spent a while dancing with everyone, losing myself in the music. Aria appeared a little while later, giving me a nod when I mouthed, Are you okay? to her, and then gave me a bright, genuine smile.

“Let’s party!” she shouted, and as if she was in sync with the DJ, the music changed to a faster, headier beat, and loud cheers and shouts sounded through the hall. We grinned at each other and began to move, lost to the music once again.

Until it suddenly came to a screeching halt.

“Students of Hatherley Hall,” a loud voice boomed, and our headmaster, Professor Lexington, strode onto the stage, a spotlight illuminating him as he walked. “It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for. Time to crown your gods and goddesses!”

29

QUINN

The cheers were deafening.

Professor Lexington lifted his hand. “Silence.” He stared towards the back of the hall, raising his hand higher, to the huge projector screen behind him. “Robin, if you would.”

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