Page 86 of Tricky Girls

I just concentrate on not passing out or having a panic attack. I can just about see where the trees meet the sky through the thin bag. Thankfully we’re heading inland otherwise I’d think she was leading me to a clifftop to toss me off.

Some kind of hazing? Something Ryan’s cooked up? Or Nic, even. She was there trailing me the whole time. Whatever they’ve got planned, I hope it’s not too awful. I really am a pussy deep down. Pain only feels good when self-inflicted.

Sounds are different now. Birdsong tapers off, my feet falling on what feels like woodchips. My gut tells me we’re approaching a house. Not my lodge though. We’ve walked too far for that.

Poor Elly. My meeting would have finished by now. She’ll be wondering where I am. I’m sure I can feel my phone vibrating in my bag.

I trip over a step Blakely could have warned me about but I’m honestly too cacking it to complain. The air changes, growing heavy. We’re inside. With a vicious tug, the bag is pulled from my head.

I blink at my new surroundings. It’s a lodge like ours, though much larger and swankier. Like the ones down by the lake. That would make sense given the direction I was marched in.

I run a hand through my hair to settle it, taking stock of the new people around me. Most of whom I recognise.

‘Got a thing for kidnapping, haven’t you?’ Aurelie says, watching us coolly. She swings a water bottle from one hand and doesn’t seem too concerned at witnessing an abduction.

That’s less surprising than who else is here.

‘Fina, take Aurelie upstairs,’ Margot says. She’s hastily putting on a blazer as if there are more important things at hand than my potential murder.

The only one I don’t recognise—an angry-looking girl in black leather and silver chains—reaches out for Aurelie who neatly steps away.

‘Don’t bother. I was heading downstairs for a workout.’

She enters through a door, the other girl at her heels. The door slams shut. Then it’s just the three of us—me, my kidnapper and my lecturer who I’m starting to think is dodgy as shit.

‘A little uncalled for, Blakely, but thank you. God knows I’ve not got time to be scouring the island.’ Margot stands before me and folds her arms. ‘Last night. Who took you?’

Yeah, no, I’m no snitch.

I give a silent shake of my head, to which Margot rubs her forehead and sighs.

‘I just don’t have time for this.’ She sweeps a hand at the kitchen table. ‘Pick up that pen and sign that sheet there.’

I run my eyes over it before taking hold of the pen. ‘What am I signing?’

‘Breathe a word and you’re dead,’ Blakely supplies.

‘Yes, thank you, Blakely. On your way, please.’ Margot nods at the sheet. ‘A slight magnification but it is for your own best interests and for the good of this institution.’

‘But…’ I think back to last night, remembering the knives and the fighting and the weird sex rooms. And this woman, thislecturer, knows all about it? ‘There’sillegalstuff there.’

‘Yes. Hence the NDA. Sign it, Matilda. You’re in my taster, aren’t you?’ She tilts her head. ‘Doesn’t have to be that way.’

I raise my eyebrows, turning back to the NDA. Of course I’m going to sign it—I’m a pussy, remember?—but shit, threats as well? The hell is this university?

‘Good girl,’ she says as soon as I’ve penned my signature. ‘Back to campus now.’

I hesitate, still struggling to catch up with this whole situation. ‘So, now I’ve signed it, does that mean I can go back?’

‘No skin off my back.’ She slides the paper into a briefcase before picking it up and rushing from the door. She doesn’t spare me a second glance.

‘You should come watch me fight,’ Blakely says. For someone so big, she’s good at hiding there in the shadows.

‘Already did a bit.’ I blow out a breath, residue adrenaline making me feel weak. ‘Skip the bag-over-the-head thing in future, please.’

She doesn’t bother replying. From the fridge she pulls out a premade shake, like the ones Haz likes to drink, and heads in the direction of the other two. ‘Have to find your own way back.’

As soon as she disappears, I bustle from the lodge, taking out my phone to call Elly. She’s already called me twice. The thought of making her even sadder by standing her up makes me want to lob a brick at a window.

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