Page 98 of Devious Knight

“Stop what?”

“Stop acting like you care. It doesn’t suit you. The monster looks better on you. I know him. I don’t know this side of you.”

Her words grip me, but she’s right. I am a monster. I lived up to the label until the past week when I kissed her. Everything seemed to go to hell after that and I haven’t been able to stop myself from wanting her.

“Thanks for your help,” she adds in a dismissive tone.

She whirls around to leave but I grab her arm. We stare at each other, locked in that tension we’re used to.

I want an answer, especially if it’s to do with Parker, but I know what she’s like. She’s as stubborn as me. That’s the one thing we have in common.

“I want you at the game tomorrow.”

“I have to study.”

“Fuck studying. Since when do you need to study?” She’s always been a year ahead of everyone. “I want you at the game tomorrow, front row seats.”

“Fine. Let me go.”

With my jaw clenched, I release her and she walks away from me. Although she still has that tremble in her step, she moves faster than I expect her to given that I nearly had her fainting on me.

She doesn’t need to be at that game tomorrow but I want her to be there because I hated it when she stopped going.

Back in high school there was always a team of cheerleaders screaming my name and a crowd of thousands cheering for me.

But then there was her.

She was always there in a corner seat smiling at me when I got the ball, cheering with every touchdown.

It’s my fault she doesn’t go anymore and my fault that I have to force her now because I want what I used to have.

And in spite of myself and despite everything I have against her, I do care.

I genuinely want to know what’s wrong with her.

Something wicked is happening to me that I’m not sure I can stop.

Or if I want to.

“We have a problem,” Dmitri says with a frown knitting his brows.

We’re at the library, in the medium volume section. Dmitri messaged me an hour ago while I was in advanced calculus, letting me know he wanted to see me.

This section of the library was the best place to meet as we’re on the third floor and away from everyone.

Obviously he wanted to talk face to face or he would have explained it in the message. It must be something to do with my latest plan to steal Nikoli’s money and hit him where it hurts most. The plan is to literally siphon off every motherfucking cent and leave him high and dry.

“What’s going on?” I ask.

“I can’t get back into Nikoli’s bank accounts.”

“But you hacked them last week.”

“I think he picked up my tracking code and changed his security system. I’ve never seen algos like this before. He must have gotten some world-class tech to design something for him.”

“Shit.” My stomach knots. “This is the last thing we need.”

“Sorry, man.”

---