Page 126 of A University of Betrayal

“Why not?”

Mum fell silent again, looking nervously at the floor between us.

There was too much she wasn’t telling me. Once again. And I was tired of confronting her for nothing. She might end up lying to me for more reasons she would never tell me. Confrontation didn’t help with her. Itneverhad. The reason I would have to find out everything on my own from now on.

“All I can tell you is that I’ll be in big trouble if anyone finds out I have this document.”

“Why? Surely Amanda has it too.”

“Bayla,please.”

This plea sounded so desperate that I could almost feel Mum feeling backed into a corner. And I didn’t want that for her. Even if she was hiding too much from me, I couldn’t leave her with no other choice. She had to be willing to open up to me on her own, whenever that might be. And that was only possible if I gave her the space to do so.

I instinctively pulled her into a hug. She seemed confused, but eventually she hugged me tightly. So tightly that a sweet, pleasant scent filled my nose. Too sweet to be true. Too sweet to be able to think clearly…

I inhaled the scent, deeply. It filled my body and fogged my senses... until my mouth was watering.

God,what was that smell?

My lips opened slightly, and I sucked in the hint of sweetness. It was like with Mady, although not as strong, and I was just about to open my mouth slightly when the front doorbell rang.

Mum broke away from me without giving me another glance and disappeared downstairs with the words, “I’ll quickly see who it is.” The smell disappeared with her. And all that remained was my confusion. And a feeling that scared the hell out of me.Hunger.

Hypnotic Suggestions

Chris Tilton

Chapter 25

Larissa

When I returned to the DeLoughrey estate this Friday afternoon, I found a black and gold motorcycle key wrapped in a fine velvet box on the desk in my room. Next to it was the message:

Your new motorcycle is waiting for you in the garage. Have fun.

Of course, you don’t saynoto a message like that, especially not as someone who had been infected by the motorcycle virus and had made the streets of Sacramento unsafe.

With inhuman speed, I had rushed into the garage, which was a hall full of sports cars, BMWs and other interesting cars.

I hadn’t been surprised, even though I had been amazed when I touched all kinds of vehicles and took photos. Of course, you could afford something like that if you built your wealth on a wine empire and a thousand other economic investments in various global markets.

At some point, I had discovered the blackDucati Panigale V4 Specialeand my eyes almost fell out of my head. I had never taken so many photos of a motorcycle before, especially one that cost around thirty thousand US dollars and that nobody was driving yet because it wasn't even available on the official market.

The nameplate with the inscriptionFor Larissafinished me off.

Someone had gifted me a damn motorcycle and completely new protective clothing that fitted my body perfectly.

Of course,I’d gone for a ride straight away anddamn,that had been the most epic ride I’d had in a long time.

I had probably just needed to relieve some stress. Something I could only do on a motorcycle at at least one-hundred mph.

I’d tried a few stunts but had been careful because I didn’t want the new bike to be ready for the scrapyard.

It seemed like a gift, but I would never be able to fully accept it as mine. I hadn’t grown up like that.

I’d returned to the estate a good three hours later and put the pretty gem back into the garage.

Someone should have prepared me for the “I see I made the right choice for you” from none other thanTristan DeLoughrey.Then I would never have gotten on the bike and wouldn’t feel so stupid now, like I was now in this man’s debt.

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