Page 57 of Ruthless Legacy

“Sweetness, are you worried I’ll be broke and destitute?”

“More like that amazing cock won’t be in touching distance. I like convenient dick.”

“I doubt you have to worry about going without. Unless you’ve changed your mind about playing with mine exclusively.”

Her gaze flicks to Finn. I know she’s mad at him, but I don’t want her making a decision about us just to hurt him. I grab her hand and squeeze. “I don’t need an answer right now.”

Chapter24

Thea

Ipause with my key fob at the lock. The tape is still intact, but somebody’s been on this floor. I bend down, scooping up the envelope sticking out from under my door, before opening it and stepping inside.

I flip it over. It’s different from the other ones I’ve gotten. This one has a wax seal with a bird perched on a branched key inside a circular laurel foliate. I slip the card out.

An Unkind Family Disappoints,

Treacherous Friends Betray,

A Conspiracy to Offer a Bond

That cannot be Severed, Forsaken, or Changed

There’s something that looks like coordinates and date and time. That’s it. No other identifying information. It’s clearly an invite of some kind, but from who?

The Lady Lions and a few other sororities have officially announced the start of their pledge seasons now that the others have finished crossing over.

I can cross off the Lions, because they have cute green and brown stationary that reminds me of the Sahara and they proudly have their name on all their correspondence.

I drop the note and envelope in the trash. I meant what I told LJ about not being interested in joining any organizations. From what I can tell, the Lady Lions are a good fit for her. She should be safe, and I’m not going to waste their time or mine by joining their pledge line.

I check the time on my phone. I’ve got just enough time to shower before heading out to catch a movie. It’s not as late a showing as I used to go to, but the point is I’m going alone at night, which is progress.

The movie theater’s crowded. I purchased my ticket early, so I’m sitting far enough away from the screen. I’m wedged between a family on my right and a group of friends on my left. There’s one seat between the friends and me. Hopefully, it remains empty. I do not want to deal with bumping elbows on both sides.

I arrange my snacks, avoiding the looks I’m getting from the group of friends. I just know if I make eye contact, they’ll try to talk to me. It happens whenever I got to an action movie alone. You’d think folks would be more progressive than this by now. Chicks dig action, just like dudes dig rom-coms, and I don’t think we need to make a big deal out of it.

The guy on the farthest end of the group keeps eyeing the empty seat next to me. I can see the wheels turning. He’s about to move. Just as the lights dim, he gets to his feet and shoves past his buddies. I prepare myself for two and a half hours of accidental touches and knowing looks, which are supposed to pass as flirting in a movie. He looks like he’s a talker too. He’s two buddies away, when someone jumps over the back of the seat and slides into it.

I stifle a groan as Finn’s scent crashes into me, and he offers me a cocky, “Hey, Pet.”

Maybe the talker wouldn’t have been so bad. Because now I’m gonna have to deal with the guy with zero snack boundaries. He’s already eyeing my popcorn bucket, and the hand not holding his snacks is digging into my pocket.

“What are you doing?” I hiss.

“Where is it? I know you brought it.”

“What’s it?”

“Your flask. Don’t try to be coy with me. You don’t movie without it.” He glares at the guys on the left. “Did you already pass it down to them? Which one has it?”

I push his hand down, hiding the knife he’s holding. Did I say zero snack boundaries? He’s got zero boundaries. Period. “Finn, you can’t be flashing your knife in here because you’re mad I shared my drink.”

His focus is back on me. “So you admit it? One of them has it? Did you come here to hook up with them?”

The family on my right is pretending not to listen, but I know they are. “Calm the fuck down, Finn. I don’t even know those guys, and even if I did, that’s none of your business.”

“You don’t know them, huh? Then why was Romeo easing his way over here?”

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