Page 30 of They Break Beauty

I figured the best way to do that was to make Levi believe that there was no connection on my end at all, to make it clear that he’d be slamming his head against a brick wall trying to access anything like that from me when it came to the past.

It was dead to me and that was all it could ever be.

I needed to make that clear ASAP. Especially if he was truly as obsessive as Colton was making him out to be.

“Fine. I’ll take it.”

“Good. Give me your number.”

He pulled out his phone and I reeled it off to him. “Thanks. So, I’ll get those posts out and tag the shit out of them for Chloe while you’re in class.” Pulling back in the next moment, he told me, “You smell real good, by the way. Mmm. Can’t wait until we hook up.” Off my scowl, he added with a laugh, “For the song, of course.”

And, just like that, he was off with that swagger of his out in full force.

I slumped against the wall to take a beat and get myself together.

This year really wasn’t getting off to the best start.

So many complications and surprises.

Two things I hated with a vengeance.

8

~Mason~

Lev leaned against the doorway of the guy’s locker room, his arms and legs crossed as he stood there in a casual stance, despite the blood dripping down his fists.

Their blood.

“Efficient and appropriately ruthless,” I commended him as I passed on by.

He gave me a chin lift, looking mighty pleased with himself.

More than that.

There was a sadistic gleam in his eyes mixed with excited anticipation as he watched me venture further into the space where five guys were sprawled out, two groaning as they laid on their sides naked and bloodied, while the other three were on the floor between the lockers and the benches incapacitated, yet possessing enough awareness for me to communicate my message.

Despite this being the first burst of violence that Lev had partaken in for Hex in over a year, he hadn’t lost control or taken things too far. He’d actually followed my orders precisely.

None of the punishment he’d dealt out was life-threatening and he’d only gone after the five targets I’d specified, not going beyond that, and even luring the five to this location at the same time through some impressive manipulation of their communications via their phones and social media.

“Your attempts at a power grab are over,” I spoke, walking amongst them, my voice booming through the still room and echoing nicely off the walls, adding to the ominous nature of my words. “Fraternities and football stars don’t rule Stonewell U. Hex does.”

Wide-eyed expressions followed at my declaration, a couple of them even shuddered.

The power of eliciting those reactions rolled through me in a way I hadn’t felt in too long.

I’d missed the taste like no other.

“Now, this was merely to get your attention.”

“With a little punishment and humiliation thrown in,” Lev spoke.

“That too.” I kicked the thigh of one of the frat heads in the shower. “After all, you all deserved a taste of your own medicine after the twisted operation you had running in regards to making victims out of the sophomores here.”

“Third years too, I heard,” Lev chimed in.

I nodded. “Word was spreading, giving Stonewell U a bad reputation. But you didn’t consider the big picture at all, did you? It was all about instant gratification.”

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