Page 27 of Pin-up Girl

“Nah, tonight’s gig is a bit different. I’m collecting payment from someone who tried to dupe us.”

“Us the fraternity, or us, Infinity?” The answer here was potentially a game changer, depending on who A.J. was going to see. My fingers twitched with nervous energy, but I pressed them against my thigh to hide the tell.

“Is there a difference? No, tonight is about someone who tried to swindle us out of our kitty at a card game. This idiot thought we wouldn’t notice the pool was gone, until it was time to pay up. Well, we noticed.”

I sighed in relief. This had nothing to do with Infinity as a whole, just the butt hurt brothers who lost money. A.J.’s little quest for vengeance wouldn’t hinder our plans at all.

“Say, who are you breaking tonight?” He grinned, immensely amused by the violence Milo, Jules and I often doled out in the name of the organization. Everyone had a role within our fucked up secret society. While our tasks could be fluid, we had specialties, and the alumni of Alpha Delta Omega viewed this campus as the perfect environment to strong-arm their competitors, and on more than the rare occasion, exact revenge. WU was, after all, where the spawn of the elite went to further their network and secure their financial future. In the case of the sororities, it was often to secure a future husband.

I slapped him on the back, adopting my smile reserved for the brothers I didn’t like. “That’s confidential, I’m afraid. If dear old Dad okays it, we’ll share, but this one is top secret.”

Without waiting for his response, I shut the door in his face. That should keep him calm for a hot minute. No one questioned our fathers. Not even to each other.

* * *

The next hourwas oddly uneventful. My crew met me at the door when I left my room, looking grumpy AF and in dire need of coffee. Pin-up surprised me the most—make-up free with a messy knot on her head and sporting a similar outfit to yesterday. She was nothing like the sorority girls who always looked like they walked out of a fashion magazine.

“You’re a sight this morning, Elise. I’m surprised, not in a bad way.” I tugged her earlobe as I turned the iron key in the door.

“I only dress up for special occasions. Nothing about this morning is special.”

“Fuck you, too.” Milo smirked, but it was weird. It actually looked real.

“It was a compliment, not a putdown.” I grabbed her hand, supremely happy when she didn’t pull away from my grip. “What are your classes today? You never said.”

“Well, I have econ with you, then art history, then two classes in Smith Hall.”

Milo whistled and Jules raised his brows.

“Smith hall is for the advanced science majors. What are you studying?” Milo brushed past a brother who raised his hand in greeting. The kid was young, easily a freshman, and his face fell when Milo refused to acknowledge him. I admit, it was odd. Milo made an effort to play the part so well, even I didn’t know where the fake Milo ended and the real one began.

“Biomedical engineering.” She said it without a hint of pride or smugness. It was simply a fact. And what a fact it was. Pin-up was a smart girl.

“Damn.” I whistled under my breath. “You’re with me this morning, and I’ll walk you to art history. We always do lunch together, so whatever plans you had, they’re officially broken.” I leered at her playfully, but her ire was really stoking my fire.

“Gee, thanks.” She adjusted the straps of her bag before leading the way down the stairs. “Just what I always wanted, fucking keepers.”

Milo ignored her comment but watched her ass as she descended. “From lunch, I’ll take her to Smith Hall, I have classes right next door.”

“Sounds like a plan. Good, Jules?” I look over my shoulder to catch Jules’ nod of agreement. He was off this morning. Not broody necessarily, but just quieter than usual. And I didn’t mean in a verbal way, more in his body posture and soft movements. I’d have to catch him later. He was on board last night, but maybe he’d changed his mind.

That was fucking unacceptable.

Stopping in the kitchen, the brothers smirked and cast smug glances our way. Word would have spread by now that we were holding her because of her unfortunate luck, and it wasn’t a stretch we were taking advantage of our time with her.

It was true, but we’d never verbally acknowledge it.

A few of the sophomores edged Elise’s way where she ate a banana at the counter, not paying a bit of attention to them as she checked messages on her phone and even typing out a few texts herself.

Surprising the hell out of me, Jules glared at them while he sidled up behind her, pressing his front to her back. With a death grip on her hips, and a kiss to the neck, he locked gazes with every brother in the kitchen.

Elise stiffened, but didn’t push him away. The two shitheads who were trying to close in on Elise held their hands up in surrender.

“Got it, Jules. She’s yours, we won’t touch her.” Some of the other brothers snickered, but then Milo did an excellent job of throwing his displeasure around. Jules was not someone they wanted to fuck with, and most of the time, they left him alone. No one ever, ever went against Milo.

“This might be a good time to lay down a new rule,” Milo said as he grabbed four mugs from the cabinets. “I’m sure you’re all aware we’re keeping Elise close to us for now, considering what she walked in on the other night. But let me make myself perfectly clear, she is not to be touched. If your name is not Milo, Jules, or Emmett, she’s off limits. If you’re curious and want to test my seriousness on the matter, try it. You’ll be punished and made an example for the rest of the brothers.” He added sugar and milk to some of the cups, each one a different color ranging from black to milk. Once he passed out the mugs, he braced a hip on the counter and surveyed the room. “Any questions?”

“Nope!” a few called out, while others looked like they jammed their fingers in electrical sockets.

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