Page 51 of Broken Princess

She has a point. This is insane and it could all blow up in my face. But this is the only way to get close enough to destroy them. Kassidy’s been there for me and I hate that I can’t tell her what I’m really up to. But when the truth comes out, I don’t want her life imploding too. “Kass. I know what I’m doing.” Slipping my phone and keycard into my back pocket, I say, “If you change your mind, the parties at…”

“I know where it is,” she grumbles.

“Kass, you’re a better friend than I deserve, don’t be mad.”

“I’m not mad. I’m concerned. But, as mom would say, you have to embrace things to find your truth, and if you’re comfortable with your decisions, I am too. Just be careful.”

I pop a loud kiss on her cheek. “I will.”

Kassidy’s concern is touching but she doesn’t have to worry about me running into any of the BP’s because they won’t be at the party. The person who screen-shotted the videos of me and Logan, and passed them on to Bella however, will be. It was an exercise in patience, but things finally fell into place and tonight I set things in motion to get payback on the guy who helped Logan and Bella violate my privacy.

I’ve seen his school file. Montanna’s already got two strikes against him for unauthorized access to people’s computers, and it looks like he’s the mastermind behind Patrick’s backdoor access to the teachers grade books and lesson plans. Time to make it data breach number three.

I slip unnoticed into the party, immediately going to the kitchen to get a drink. I down two shots for courage and take the third with me to the bathroom. The people at this school are assholes and cowards, and they’ll never go against the BP’s without a little nudge.

Drunk party girl is the only way they’ll drop their guard enough to do something stupid. I flick some tequila on my top like its perfume and muss my hair to make it look like I’ve been here a while. I’m wearing the highest pair of heels I own, so stumbling around on them while pushing through the crowd won’t be hard to do. Gripping the hem of my skirt, I inch it up just a tad higher, then toss the rest of the tequila down the drain.

What I’m about to do goes way beyond anything I’ve done at a VDU party before. After one last calming breath, I step back into the action, exaggerating my walk, swinging my hips from side to side. Everyone here has a cellphone with a camera. I just need a few of them to capture my antics on film and do what they do best. Gossip about it on Prospectus.

Since this is a grad school party, the assumption is no one will be dumb enough to post what happens tonight on Prospectus and risk pissing off Noel and Sterling. My gut says one or all of the BP’s won’t be able to resist wanting to see what goes on here, and will instruct Montanna and his little fingers to retrieve the footage from someone’s computer.

I made the Evite for tonight’s party and the frat president sent it out on Prospectus. I owe Marina big time, for going out with the IT guy who wrote the code embedded in the picture. Glancing down at my feet, I smile. She’s a shoe fanatic and will receive an identical pair of heels on Monday.

Weaving in and out of the crowd, I catch the eye of someone who thinks he’s the exact type of fun I need. I don’t have to fake being entertained, because he’s hot and funny. Though the flipping in my belly that would make this next part easier is missing. Should’ve taken that last shot and two more to loosen me up.

When he pulls me closer, I cross my wrists behind his neck, smiling up at him through hooded eyes. I turn away just as he leans in. Thankfully, the music changes to something up tempo. I raise my hands above my head, giggling as I rush towards the dining room table.

Marina, Tiff and I have danced to this song tons of times at our favorite pub. I can stomp on a bar with the best of them, and today I’m taking our act a little further. I slip off my shoes, and whip my shirt over my head, revealing the half corset underneath. I’m flipping my hair around as I shimmy my hands up my body. Four other girls join me. Two on my right, the other two on my left. They scream their encouragement, ditching their shirts too, and we dance, writhing and grinding next to each other.

The camera phones are out, recording and snapping pictures. The gravelly voice at the front of the crowd reminds everyone, “What happens in Invictus stays in Invictus. I better not see any of this shit on Prospectus.” Looking down at Sterling, I wink and blow him a kiss before turning around and giving a show to the people on the other side of the table.

The chatter stalls momentarily when I enter the classroom. I’m sure the they’re all talking abut my performance this weekend so I make certain to meet the eyes of a few of the students I saw at the party and give them a smile that conveys.No biggie. It was fun, and I’m safe from embarrassment, because no one outside of the party that night will ever see the video.

It’s a crock of shit. Montanna hacked no less than six accounts to grab different angles of the footage. Now I have enough information to get him declared a cyber menace. One word of this and he’ll be sporting the latest tech gadget in the form of electronic handcuffs. A little love note from an anonymous sender should arrive in his mailbox any moment now encouraging him to decline any more jobs from his voyeuristic masters. That’s when the pieces will start shifting across the board. I know Monty is a pawn. He’s already uploaded the file to an encrypted server. Now I’m biding my time to see which player offered him up as a sacrifice.

Logan and Bella enter the room together. This time the conversation halts completely. I ignore the stifling quiet, swiping casually through my phone. Dixon nudges me, tipping his chin towards the other side of the room, seconds before Kassidy jabs me in the back with her pen.

“Jordanna, what did you do?” She asks under her breath.

I look up and see Logan staring at me. “Nothing.”

It’s an honest answer, because everyone else did the dirty work for me. One thing I’ve learned about the students at VDU, they love a good scandal and if there’s not one happening, they’ll conjure it up out of thin air. All it takes is a premise and their fingers to get momentum going.

My dancing on the table with four other women was innocent. As was Sterling, making sure I got back to my dorm safely. It’s the shirt coming off and being flung into the crowd and my wink at him that’s fueling this rumor train. Now I’m glad Kassidy didn’t go to the party with me, because she won’t be able to give Logan any answers.

He crosses the length of his aisle, stopping next to my seat. I ignore him, resting my chin in my hand, my elbow on the desk, waiting for the professor to begin.

“Get your shit.”

I look next to and behind me, as if trying to figure out who he’s talking to.

“NowJordanna.”

“You remember what happened the last time someone tried to make me give up my seat?” I ask, still not looking at him. “Of course you do, and so do I. Let’s not start down that path again.”

“Get your shit.” He repeats. “We’re leaving.”

“It’s too late to ditch. Wynn is taking attendance. You’d better grab your seat. The lecture will be starting any second now.”

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