Page 32 of Tell Me You Like It

“What is this place?” Lux whispers.

Laughter drifts on the breeze, accompanied by the fast-paced rhythm of club music. A bonfire blazes just outside the cave, and serval people are gathered around it.

I stop and turn toward Lux. “This is one of the popular night-time hangouts. If she’s not at the sorority party, then she’s probably here.”

Lux glances behind her, in the direction of the stairs, now completely obscured by darkness. “How would she have found this place?”

Seriously? Is she really this naive, or is this all an act? I can’t really tell. “The same way you did,” I say sharply. “Someone would have brought her.”

She opens her mouth to speak, but before she can say anything, someone calls out my name.

“Oh, shit! Roman’s here!” It’s some dude I don’t know, which isn’t unusual. Most people know me, but my circle of friends is small and tight. Anyone outside of that circle just gets a cursory glance from me—ifI’m feeling fucking generous.

I approach the mouth of the cave, Lux trailing behind me. About fifty people are milling around, drinking, smoking pot, making out, whatever. They all stop what they’re doing and turn toward Lux and me.

Cameron, a guy from my English class steps forward, hand on his chest. He’s swaying a little and very obviouslydrunk. “Welcome, my liege. Can I get you a beer?” He says the last with a fake British accent that pisses me off.

“Cut the bullshit, Cam,” I say dryly. “We’re looking for someone.”

Lux jumps in eagerly. “Her name is Bree. My height, long brown hair, green eyes. Butterfly tattoo on her back shoulder. Has she been here?”

Cameron narrows his eyes and purses his lips like he’s thinking. The fucking douche. I never liked this guy. “Yeah, maybe. Was she wearing a…” He gestures clumsily to his midsection with a cutting motion. “...midriff thingy?”

I turn to Lux. “What was she wearing?”

She shrugs helplessly. “I don’t know. I haven’t seen her since this morning.” Her gaze jumps to Cameron. “Assuming it was her, was she with anyone?”

Cameron squints, like he doesn’t know, but he’s struggling to remember. “She was with a guy, I guess. I wasn’t really paying attention.”

I grab Lux by the elbow. “See? She’s fine. She’s off with some guy somewhere. Let’s go.”

She tugs her arm, and I release her elbow. “Youcan go,” she says with venom. “I’m staying. Someone might know who she was with, or where they were headed.”

Fucking-A.

Once this bitch is found, I’m hiring someone to track her 24/7, so this shit doesn’t happen again. For fuck’s sake. I have better things to do than to chase some clueless freshman around town. If it weren’t for Lux, I wouldn’t be doing it at all.

“Ten minutes,” I bite out, but she’s already working her way through a cluster of people, and into the mouth of the cave. I grab a beer from someone’s outstretched hand, then find an empty spotby the fire.

I’m just chilling there for a few minutes when a chick in short shorts and a bikini top plops down next to me. She’s pretty, I’ll give her that. Short brown hair, pale eyes, and a pair of perky tits. She’s a Deb, but she’s new, so I can’t remember her name. Maddy, maybe? Sophie? I have no fucking clue.

She’s holding a red solo cup, and she leans into me, her flowery perfume clawing at my senses. “Roman Rush,” she says with a sigh. “I didn’t think you came here.”

I take a sip of my cheap beer and push out a breath. “Yup. Not often.”

I don’t expand on that thought, because I don’t need to. I don’t fucking explain myself to anyone—least of all some random Deb.

She reaches over and places her hand on my thigh. Most people would never touch me without permission, but either she’s too drunk to care, or she doesn’t know the rules.

“I’m Sara. I’ve been wanting to say hi to you,” she says with a perfect smile.

“Well, I guess this is your chance,” I say dryly.

Lucky me.

“So, um, what brings you to the cave?” she asks.

Gooddamn, this small talk is going to kill me. I fucking hate this shit.

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