Page 40 of Forget Me Twice

ScreamsStrange Aces hunting groundsto me.

But there’s no reason why I can’t please both the devilandangel on my shoulders. I can be productive whilst also enjoying myself, can’t I?

I’ll go tonight, scope the layout, find someone to blow off steam with, and potentially snag me some working leads from among the dealers that’ll be there busy pushing the crowd. They’ll all undoubtedly be some flavor of Ace, but I’ve only got about a week’s worth of pills left.

Booze would be much easier to get my hands on, however it only does so much for my sanity.

And nobody wants to deal with me when I’m truly sober. Honestly, I’d practically be performing a community service.

That’s settled then.

Just as I’m closing my locker door, I feel the hairs on my nape flare and my shoulders tense. The hallway behind me has long since emptied out, but someone large and silent is hovering just in my peripheral vision.

My first instincts say Callum. I haven’t spoken a word to him or his friends since I stormed out of that courtyard.

But I’ve seen each of them around, of course.

Sometimes together and sometimes separately—and at least one of them always seems to have eyes on me. I know Callum followed me to the Diner. I saw his car in the lot.

It’s obvious that I’m now under some kind of mutual surveillance. Maybe I should be flattered, but as I still don’t know who they work for or why, the realization only serves to amp up my reservations about them.

I pull up a cold, tight smile, like a warrior raising a shield before battle, and turn, braced for the inevitable verbal sparring.

Sabine Winters is dead.

Who the fuckareyou?

Why are you here?

However, instead of a brooding tattooed slab of deliciousness, I find myself face to face withLeon James Baker,19, linebacker and co-Captain of the Roxborough Titans. Football scholarship student.

Hmm.That was definitely unexpected.

Admittedly, Leo hasn’t been a priority person of interest for me since wading into the viper pit of Rox Academy.

On paper, Leo is what I would callanice guy.His parents are still married and heavily involved in their church. He helps coach a casual Pee Wee football team through the community rec center during the off-season. Tall, broad and muscled, with a defined jaw, sandy-blond hair and warm brown eyes. He’s traditionally handsome and looks ten shades of guileless.

By all accounts, he’s your standard issue All-American Boy Next Door.

“Hi,” he says with a sheepish grin, a blush staining the tops of his bladed cheekbones.

My frigid expression thaws a fraction, and my right eyebrow twitches in amusement. Christ. He really is like a big, wide-eyed puppy. Total golden retriever vibes.

Now, I wasn’t exaggerating when I told Queen Bee I don’t make a habit of hooking up with high school boys. I find that most of them tend towayover-sell themselves and their bedroom prowess.

And this one looks greener than a leprechaun’s dick.

But Iamlooking for a quick ride, and the boy does have a championship coach…that means he’s probably pretty decent at following directions, right?

Worst case scenario, I could always use our time together as a teaching moment.

“So, uh, I was wondering if you’d want to go grab some food? There’s this diner—”

“You want to take me toRox City?”I interrupt his adorably fumbling proposition. He had my horny-bitch self athi.Now there’s the prospect of food involved? Done deal.

He scratches the back of his neck. “Well yeah, if you want to,” he huffs out. He looks nervous. Bashful even.

Curious. What is a popular jock like Leo Baker even doing approaching me? It’s no secret that I’ve pissed off the Rox Academy socialites. I’m toxic. Spoiled goods.

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