Page 26 of Tricky Girls

‘Alright.’ The bed creaks as she climbs on up, her thick thighs straddling either side of me. ‘Well, look at that. Found someone.’

I can’t help but crack up, the bed jiggling from my giggles. ‘Get off me, you great oaf!’

She does so with thankfully minimal protest, coming to lie on her back beside me.

‘They did you dirty with these single beds,’ she grouses. Turning her head, she looks at me mere millimetres away and smiles. ‘Or maybe not.’

This close, I see how long and thick her eyelashes are, her full lips all square edges rather than round and pouty like mine. She’s handsome—the only word that comes to mind. Pretty just doesn’t suit her.

‘Are you really a legacy?’ I murmur, pillowing my cheek on my hand and turning until our knees touch.

‘No,’ she huffs. ‘Dickwad there doesn’t need to know though.’

‘Oh, and also—’ I give her solid bulk a push. ‘I’m a scholarship leech too.’

She captures my wrist, squeezing it hard. ‘Wanna throw me around, princess?’

‘Would you let me try?’ I tease sweetly.

‘You can but I’d lay you out first. Preferably on your bed. Underneath me.’

I shake my wrist free. ‘You literally can’t be serious for two seconds, can you?’

‘Oh, I’m being deadly serious. Just say the word.’

‘What word?’

‘Something to let me know you’re interested.’ She jabs a finger in the direction of Ryan’s room. ‘When you come to your senses over that little prick and you’re ready to have your world rocked, come find me.’ Her eyes lower to her hands, one finger caressing the metal scales of her snake ring. ‘How about…serpent.’

‘Serpent…’

With the same finger, she boops me on the nose. ‘Say that and I promise I’ll pounce on you faster than a cheetah.’

I bury my face in my pillow with a groan, that word crashing over me like ice water. ‘Kinda done with cheaters.’

‘Well, that’s not what I do.’ Roughly she grabs my hip, pulling it flush with hers. ‘Once you’re mine, you’re mine for fucking life. And death. And all our lives after that.’

She seems deadly serious about that too, no teasing smirk on her lips now. How would that feel, I wonder. To be owned by someone who would never let you go. To be wanted that much. Must be nice.

‘Sounds pretty good,’ I whisper.

‘Oh, it will be.’ She’s still squeezing my hip, thumb rubbing over my jeans. Her dark eyes flit over my face and for a second, I think she might try kissing me. ‘Anyway.’ Releasing a breath, she reaches her arms up in a stretch, both wrists clicking. ‘As much as it pains me to say this, I gotta love you and leave you. It’s game night with Nic.’

‘Cool. What kind of games?’

‘Board games. She’s a little nerd. I’d invite you over but she’s already in a bad mood, so—’ She shrugs, blotting out my ceiling light as she climbs back over me.

‘She seems like a bitch.’

A small smile twists Haz’s lips. She’s still wearing my beanie, one hand drifting up to readjust it on her head. ‘She is. But she’s alright too.’ Leaning over, she chucks me under the chin. ‘Later, beautiful. You know where I am if you need rescuing again.’

CHAPTER 9

Elly

The view from the ferry always fills me with a mingled sense of majesty and hopelessness. There’s the twinkling, winking lights from the port city on one side and the hulking, foreboding Hazelhurst Castle on the other. Always takes me a while to choose which to face. Tonight it’s the island. A hunk of rock I really don’t want to leave.

I burrow into the hoodie I have on under my denim jacket, keeping my suitcase steady between my feet. Everyone else is inside but I stay leaning against the railing, freezing my stupid butt off. It helps somewhat, the biting sea air numbing some of the desperation. I want it to freeze the sand I feel slipping between my fingers. To stave off the seemingly inevitable. That my grandparents can’t cope anymore. That I need to comehome, to throw my dreams away and take up the family mantle. Sucks it has to be me, but who the fuck else is there?

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