Page 31 of Brutal Kingdom

Nodding, I say, “Or they’ll make a made for tv movie or direct to DVD movie about it.”

“Wouldn’t that be something? I’d like to request to have Erica Durance play me.”

We both laugh at her casting choice.

Mom brushes my hair back so she can see my face. “Seriously, Jordanna. I know filing those papers was probably a knee jerk reaction based on something someone said or did to piss you off. You’ve always been like that. But I also know you considered all your options, and the risks these last few months. So if it’s worth it to you, you keep going and you have my support.”

“No matter what?”

“I’d rather not be involved in another court case, so don’t do anything illegal.”

I’ve been hacking into people’s emails, drinking under age and plotting revenge. A little too late for that. “I can’t say it won’t get messy, but I can promise no literal murdering or maiming will occur in the pursuit of this inheritance.”

“Okay, I’ll take that.”

* * *

There’s someone in my room. I can see their shadow moving, spilling into the hallway. I set my bag down and pull out the heaviest textbook I own. With the element of surprise, I should be able to hit them hard enough to do some serious damage. With my arms raised above my head, I move into the room and bring it down with all my might. It gets stuck on the downward swing.

“Easy killer.” The voice behind me says. Noel pulls the book from my hands and tosses it on my bed.

“Noel, what the hell are you doing here?”

“That’s the same question I have for you. What the hell are you doinghere?”

“This is my room.”

“It’s a fucking death trap. No locks on the doors. No lights in the halls, windows right under a tree which anyone can climb, that also doesn’t lock, and no neighbors. Are you trying to make yourself a target?”

“I didn’t pick this crappy dorm. The crappy dorm picked me.” That’s the lie I’m telling because I know that’s not what happened at all. Bella put me here, and I’m just waiting for the perfect time to return the favor.

“Yeah, well. Get your shit. You’re not staying here another night.”

“There were no other dorms available.”

“I know for a fact this isn’t where you were staying at the start of the semester. So you’re going back to your old room.”

“I’m gonna blow past asking how you know where I used to live or even how you knew this is where I moved to. But that old place is gone. There was some shuffling and reassigning, so here I am.”

“Then, I guess we’re shuffling again. Because you can’t stay here.”

“My living arrangements are not your problem.”

“Jordanna, as a man, I can’t unsee this shit hole, and as your friend I can’t let you live like this.”

“And as a woman, I can’t be in your debt.”

He sits on the bed that I refuse to sleep on, because there was a huge ass spider climbing out of the hole in the mattress. Seeing the look on my face, he glances down and stands again. “You know you wouldn’t owe me anything.”

“Sure I would. You’d just say I don’t, and I’d still be thinking I did. That guilt would make me agree to dinners, coffees, or whatever else you’d want just to repay you.”

“We already do all those things anyway, so what’s the problem?”

“Why are we friends, Noel?”

“That’s an odd question.”

“Is it? Because I hear you’ve been waiting years for the chance to get back at Logan for what happened with your sister and girlfriend.”

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