Page 29 of Cruel Legacy

“What she did was try to manipulate you into doing her work.” Pax turns to Finn. “Didn’t you go to class today? How did you let this happen?”

The accusation gets Finn’s mouth moving again. “First of all, I was on the other side of the room soaking up some rays and the teacher didn’t announce a group assignment until after our neighbor had already taken the seat beside him. Second of all, I don’t see what the problem is. She made his pecker woody. If it’s still standing at attention and he needs to blow, he can go back to the dorm and rub one out before his next class. Or do you want me to hold his hand while he does it?”

This is a new development, but Finn’s right, I don’t see the problem either. It’s not like she actually asked me to do anything. “I’m fine Pax, she never even asked me to do her work, and Finn, I’m not rubbing one out before my class.”

“I would, and if you needed me there for support or whatever, I’d supervise.”

That’s Finn, in a nutshell. No shame, no remorse, with impulse control issues. He would totally rub one out and wouldn’t necessarily go to the dorm to do it. “I’ll take a raincheck for making you feel inadequate.”

He shrugs, unbothered by my inference that my dick is bigger than his.

“You’re sure you’re okay?” Pax asks, bringing my attention back to what he’s really upset about. Finn has impulse control issues, but I guess I do too. Only, when I need a pick me up, I usually hack into something I’m not supposed to, find dirt on someone, and leak it to the masses. The last time I did that, I got dangerously close to outing someone in witness protection. I wasn’t even sneaky about it. The feds questioned me and threatened me with jail time. Thanks to some calls being made, to an FBI bigwig who’s a league member, and a little keyboard stroking to help him access a server he couldn’t get a warrant for, I dodged a bullet. Barely.

I don’t want to put the guys through that again, so I assure them both, “I’m totally in control.”

Chapter15

Thea

Istudy my face in the mirror, swiping on some mascara and making sure I don’t have creases in my eye shadow. The smoky liner and shadow really make my eyes pop, without clashing with my hair. The plan was to stay in and get some studying done, but LJ’s been begging me to go to this party, and Sasha convinced me I could use some fun. She had a point. I mean, free booze. Why pass that up, am I right?

LJ’s sitting on her bed watching me get ready. “Are you sure you don’t wanna wear something… dressier?”

I take in her outfit. She definitely looks amazing in her short sequined dress and glittery heels, but I’d never be comfortable at an outside party wearing something like that. I need to be in my jeans and boots in case something pops off. That might not be a problem here, but old habits and all. “Nah, I’m good with what I’m wearing. You said it’s in the woods, right?”

“Just behind the athletic stadium.”

I slide some coral pink lipstick on my lips and give one last look at my outfit. “Okay, can’t get any better than this,” I say, meeting her gaze in the mirror. “You ready, LJ?”

She’s nods and climbs to her feet. It took a few days, but she’s finally gotten used to her nickname. We ride the elevator down to the first floor of her dorm and step outside, heading towards the back end of campus.

We fall in with a group of students walking towards the sports stadium, and I marvel at LJ’s ability to navigate the uneven terrain in those heels. We walk for about ten minutes after we hit the trees behind the building, then come to an area someone has cleared out. There’s a fire pit set up, a drink table, and a sound system. There are people already here, but by my calculation, we’re still on the early end of the arrival spectrum. That’s fine by me. It means we can scope out a good spot to sit. LJ’s heels are killer, but her feet will be trash if she has to stand on them all night.

I lead us over to the drink table and peruse the selection. “What you in the mood for, LJ?”

She eyes the drinks and says, “Whatever you’re having is fine.”

What I’m having is a jolly rancher, since they have all the ingredients to make one. I want to be nice, not drunk, so I mix my drink with a little extra splash of the cranberry juice, then do the same for her. I pass her the cup and watch as she takes a sip. The grimace on her face says it all.

“LJ, is this your first time drinking?”

“It’s my first time everything-ing.” She says with a flourish of her hand. “I’ve never even been to one of these things.”

“Then why are we here?” This was her idea to come.

“Because I want to be the girl that comes to these things, it’s just…”

“Just what?”

“I don’t fit in with the girls I went to school with.”

I give a pointed look at her outfit. “Trust me. You fit in.”

She tugs at the hem of her dress. “These are just clothes. I’m talking about fitting in with, you know, normal high school and college stuff. Eloise and the girls she hangs with we were all friends in junior high at our all girls’ school. Then we got to high school which was by the boy’s campus and they bloomed and I didn’t. ”

“Again, not following, since I’m literally staring at your tits.”

“It’s about more than the physical changes, Thea. Eloise and the others they started doingstuff, and since I haven’t, they stopped hanging with me.”

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