Page 11 of Vile Boys

“Good. She’s too innocent for you anyway,” he adds.

“Innocent?” My brow rises.

“Yeah. Doesn’t hurt a fly. Doesn’t deserve to get her heart crushed by the likes of you.” He tilts his head at me. “I know what you and those other Tartarus guys can do to people.”

I thrust an imaginary dagger into my own heart. “Wow.”

“I’m just saying … you hurt her, I’ll hurt you back.” He winks, then gets up and saunters off through the crowd.

But I keep my gaze fixated on the blond-haired girl with the bubbly smile. Because that smile hides a dirty, dark secret … and I will make sure she doesn’t tell anyone.

As she twirls, her beautiful green eyes briefly make contact with mine, and I suck in a breath, mesmerized by her beauty, until I remember she saw us murder two people.

And judging from the way she narrows her eyes at me, she hasn’t forgotten.

That’s right, Crystal.

We’ll be here, watching you, always listening, always waiting.

Waiting until you slip up.

Waiting until you part those pretty lips and spill our filthy secrets.

Waiting … so we can swallow you whole.

Crystal

For a moment,I’m taken aback by the stranger in the seat, staring at me like he wants to rip this dress right off my body, but then Kayla grabs my hand and drags me into the middle of the dance floor, and I’ve forgotten all about him.

We dance against each other, bumping asses, showing off, and sure enough, some guys start watching our moves. Kayla loves the attention. Me, not so much, but I’ll happily assist in making her shine. I’m not here for boys, though. I’m just here to take my mind off an upcoming test … and two dead bodies.

I gulp and spin around so we’re butt to butt, but when my eyes connect with two haunting gray eyes hiding behind a white mask near the door, I pause.

Streaks of black hair peek out from above the mask. With that casual white button-up with two loose buttons that barely cover his muscular pecs and a pair of tight black pants, he draws all the attention of the girls around him.

But he doesn’t seem to notice any of them looking except me.

My blood feels like it’s gone icy cold.

It’s him.

“C’mon, dance with me.” Kayla grabs me and twirls me around.

By the time I can finally look back, he’s already gone.

Shit, where did he go?

I unfurl myself from Kayla’s grip and stumble over my own dress, but she catches me before I slip and fall.

“Whoa, you okay?”

“Yeah, just got a little dizzy there,” I murmur, laughing it off like it’s no big deal. “I think I’m just gonna go get some fresh air.”

“All right, I’ll come with you.”

“No, no, you stay and dance. I’ll be fine,” I say, stepping away.

“You sure?” she asks, concerned.

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