Page 28 of Snitches and Serpents

“Tell them to come and search all you want, sweetheart,” I reply, adding emphasis on the mocking nickname. “There are no drugs here.”

She holds my stare. “I don’t believe you.”

I take a step forward. She instinctively steps back. A faint thud sounds as her back connects with the pale wall behind her.

She glances over her shoulder, as if surprised to find the wall there. I use that second of inattention to move closer.

Bracing my forearm on the wall next to her head, I lean forward until my face is only inches away from hers.

She turns her head forwards again, and then jerks in surprise at finding me so close.

Her breath hitches, and she stares up at me with wide eyes.

Then her gaze slips down to my lips for a second.

Electricity shoots through my spine.

It’s ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous that one single glance can cause such a reaction. I don’t even like her. In fact, I hate her with every fiber of my being. The only reason that my body is reacting like this is probably because of her brief display of unhinged rage earlier. That wildness, on someone who is usually so composed and polite, was just objectively hot. That’s all. It has nothing to do with her as a person.

And I know that. But it still makes me angry with myself for reacting like that. So I decide to return the favor.

Leaning forward, I place my lips right next to her ear. Then I make sure that my breath caresses the shell of her ear when I breathe.

A shudder rolls through her whole body.

It makes me feel better about myself, and I smirk even though she can’t see it.

“Tell campus police to come and search, if you want,” I whisper in her ear. “They won’t find anything.”

“Because you will get rid of it before they come?”

“Because there is nothing to find.”

“We’ll see about that.”

Before I can reply, she abruptly ducks under my arm and darts down the hall.

Surprise flickers through me. She’s more tenacious than I gave her credit for. Too bad it’s all in vain.

While letting out a huff of amusement, I walk back to the front door and close it. Then I lock it as well. Right when I’ve finished, a squeak of surprise or panic, or both, comes from the kitchen.

I chuckle. So, Elle has found my housemates.

With a smirk on my face, I saunter back towards them right as Elle darts out of the open doorway to the kitchen and skids into the living room. She whips her head from side to side, but she is no longer trying to search for drugs. Instead, it looks as if she is desperately searching for a way out.

Her panicked gaze lands on me, who is blocking the hallway to the front door, before it flips to the door to the basement, and then finally to the open back door on the other side of the living room. She sprints towards it.

But she’s too late.

Ian is already out of the kitchen and halfway to the door. Jumping over our dark gray couch, he takes the final two steps to the back door and shoves it shut.

Elle screeches to a halt.

Paul, Amir, and Jonas stroll into the living room too. They spread out until we box her in from all sides.

Crossing my arms, I lean my shoulder against the doorframe and cock my head as I lock eyes with her. “Did you really think this through?”

She flicks a panicked glance around the living room, but no help is coming. Swallowing, she drags her gaze back to me.

---