Page 94 of Brutal Prince

The last thing I want to do is admit to Addy everything that went on. I’m not a gossip, and my private life has always been just that — private.

“We rode around for a while. None of us wanted to go back to class. We decided to skip class and walk around in the woods.”

Addy doesn’t seem convinced, but I shrug at her and she eventually looks away.

“He won’t trust us. Me, especially.”

“We’ll never know if we don’t try.”

Addy purses her lips and lifts a hand, signaling for the waiter to bring our bill.

I reach for my backpack, but she tuts me and lays a cool hand over mine. “It’s on me.”

“I have money.”

“I have more.” If there’d been even a shred of condescension, I’d have flipped over the table. Well, I’d have tried. But it’s obvious that she’s just stating a fact, and she doesn’t even look even vaguely interested in noting my reaction.

“So…we’ll do lunch with them tomorrow?”

Addy shrugs and smiles at the waiter when he hands her the bill folder. “If they let us, sure.”

“Can you behave yourself for long enough?”

She snorts, tosses a bill in the folder, and snaps it closed. “I’ll do my best,” she says dryly as she hands the folder to the waiter without breaking eye contact. “But no promises.”

I laugh at her, shaking my head. It’s not the greatest plan, but if today was anything to go by, then it might just work. Briar hasn’t pranked me again, so maybe he’ll be receptive to us becoming friends.

I know he wants to fuck me. As much as Addy doesn’t like thinking about it, maybe I can use the promise of sex to lure him into unburdening his darkest secrets.

It kinda worked for me, didn’t it?

* * *

Briar

I head straight homeafter school, and spend the rest of the afternoon studying and shoving food into my mouth. It almost feels like a normal Wednesday. I have one more assignment to do, then I plan on vegging out in front of my X-Box. But I’m interrupted by another message from Addy.

Hey, handsome.

I frown at the message and do my best to ignore it as I carry on with the assignment Kruger gave us for homework today.

My phone vibrates a few minutes later. When I flip it over, the new message shows up on my lock screen. It’s so short, I don’t even have to open my app to read it.

Smile. You’re on camera.

My stomach twists into a cold knot. I stare at the phone for a few seconds, waiting for more, but nothing comes.

Fuck this. All she’s doing is trying to get into my fucking head.

I turn off my phone, sigh, and stretch.

I should go for a run, clear my head.

If I’m lucky, I might even run into Indi.

---