Page 31 of The Vipers and Their Vendetta

“A girl can look.”

They all laugh, and I do my best to smile with them. The truth is, the last thing I want to do is smile. I’d like to curl back into bed and cry, but I meant what I said about not giving Dean Rossi a reason to expel me. Even worse is the possibility that he’ll go to my dad. After the crash last night, he might feel he has no choice, and that my dad has a right to know.

I can’t afford to put so much as a single toe wrong.

Angelica hops to her feet. “Okay, we’ll give you time to get ready, then.” She gives me a look that’s half distaste, half pity. “You definitely need some blush, and I’d suggest a lip stain, too. You’re white as a ghost.”

I know she’s right. I must look like death. The last thing I feel like doing is getting dressed and putting on makeup, but I also know that walking around looking like I died overnight and came back as the undead isn’t going to help matters—reputation-wise.

I need to act as though everything is perfectly fine.

CHAPTER 11

Vani

I manageto get to my classes on time and keep my head down.

I can sense everyone talking about me, the way their heads lean together, and they shoot furtive glances over to me, hiding their mouths behind their hands. This is the last thing I wanted, but I guess in some way I brought this upon myself. If only I hadn’t taken my bike out last night. That was a dumb fucking move.

My Harley is parked in the lot outside—Lex text me a photo of it there—though I haven’t had the chance to check out the damage. I’m grateful to the Vipers for going and picking it up for me. They didn’t have to do that. They could have left it for me to deal with, which would have been a headache all of its own.

I still find myself avoiding them, though. I’m so confused, and I don’t know what to think. Angelica and the others seem pretty convinced the Vipers were behind what happened to Reagan, but even they haven’t been able to give me a solid answer as to why. I also don’t trust myself when I’m around them. They have a way of getting into my mind and body that I don’t seem to have any control over. When I’m not with them, they’re all I can think about. I relive every touch and kiss anderotic word they’ve ever spoken to me. Just thinking about them sends a tingling heat between my thighs, and my nipples tighten.

Is it possible to be addicted to a person, or persons? Is that why I can’t seem to get enough, no matter what they say or do?

For the most part, they act like assholes, but then I get tiny glimpses—like them picking my bike up for me, without me even asking, or them defending me against fat-shaming idiots—where I can see a caring, softer side. What Zane has been through breaks my heart, and while I don’t feel like Saint or Lex have really let me in yet, I’m sure they’ve got a darker story behind them, too.

Right before lunch is the math class my dad fought for me to take. My stomach is in knots because I know Lex will be in this class with me. The last time I saw him, I was naked and crying and throwing him out of my room. I still think I did the right thing by making him leave, but I shouldn’t have let him fuck me in the shower prior to that, no matter how insanely hot it had been.

I arrive early, and I’m relieved to discover Lex isn’t here yet. I take my seat and slide low in the chair, trying to make myself as small as possible, hoping to vanish. If I hadn’t been so worried about Rossi having yet another reason to expel me, then I’d have skipped. I guess my not wanting to be expelled means I’ve decided to stay. While running back to my dad would be one option, it would mean having to explain too much. Besides, if I run, I’ll never find out what happened to Reagan.

But, if I am honest with myself, I’d also admit it’s because the thought of never seeing any of the Vipers again feels like gutting myself.

A random student takes the seat next to me, and someone else I don’t know slides into the one on the opposite side. I keep my head down, my hair falling over my face in a shield, and pretend to be fascinated by my textbook. I already know mostof the math we’re being taught, and I barely need to concentrate to know the answers, but right now I’m acting as though it’s the most interesting thing I’ve ever read.

“Up,” a male voice commands from my right.

“I’m already sitting here,” another replies.

“I said get the fuck up.”

My stomach sinks. It’s Lex. I peep through my hair at him. He’s standing next to the poor person who sat beside me. The guy is refusing to move, and Lex looks like he’s about to blow. A muscle ticks beneath his eye, and his square jaw is clamped shut.

He grabs the guy by the neck of his shirt and hauls him out of the chair, then throws him halfway across the room.

“Jesus, Lex!” I exclaim.

Lex throws the guy’s belongings after him.

“Fucking asshole,” the young man mutters, but picks up his stuff and finds another seat.

With obvious satisfaction, Lex slides into the now vacant seat.

“Hey, Venom,” he says to me.

I shake my head and focus on my books.

“Don’t fucking ignore me,” he warns.

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