Page 2 of Kiss the Villain

Horrifying.

I chant the same mantra in public—even amongst my friends. They know me as Gareth ‘The Fixer.’ Gareth, who makes sure no one gets killed and that the police are taken care of.

Golden boy Gareth with the highest GPA, who had Ivy League colleges foaming at the mouth to have him join their ranks.

Gareth, who possesses the cleanest reputation and a future lined with open doors.

No one suspects that when they think I’m closed off in my room studying, I’m actually here, roaming behind enemy lines with the Serpents.

Doing what none of them, not even my brother, Killian, would ever do.

And I’ve been so meticulous about it, too. First, I needed to receive an invitation, and those are only issued by the upper echelon, i.e., Yulian and his gang of useless followers. But they also allow their invitees to bring plus-ones.

So I seduced one of the girls Yulian’s been flirting with, pretending the book she was reading was interesting—it wasn’t, just another piece of mind-numbing analytical bullshit written by a self-righteous idiot—and it got the convo going.

I was pretty sure she was Yulian’s girlfriend since she was always hanging onto his arm and deep-throating him with her tongue around campus, but she sure didn’t look like it when she had her foot on my crotch under the table in the library—disgusting, by the way, don’t ever put your dirty shoes anywhere near me.

One incinerated pair of jeans later, I had the invitation I’d endured the urge to slit her throat for.

I’ve totally ignored her since I got here, though. The mask helps in keeping my preferred identity tucked away.

Invisible.

I adjust my white skeleton mask that has two large, black-painted holes where my eyes are—the Serpents’ version of our neon stitch masks. While ours are differentiated by color, theirs can be distinguished by the symbols engraved on them.

Normal members, like who I’m pretending to be, wear a simple white skeleton mask.

The leaders wear black skeleton masks.

Yulian, whose movements I’ve been following from across the room, is also wearing a black skeleton mask, but his has engraved golden serpents shooting out from where his eyes are.

No surprise there as he always loves standing out. The freakier the better.

His mansion is everything one would expect, though. An overwhelming display of power, wealth, and control. The grand hall stretches out before me in cold, decadent shades of ivory.

The chandeliers hang from the ceiling, dripping with crystals, emitting a dim, ethereal glow over the marble floors that shine like glass. Velvet drapes line the walls, their deep-red swaths casting a crimson hue on TKU’s students.

Noisy chatter and loud music fill the air, but it all feels distant, muffled, because I’m standing on the outside of something I don’t care to be part of.

I move through the crowd with ease, a faceless figure among the Serpents, blending in with the rest of them. My posture straight and movements confident, I slip further between them, unnoticed.

That’s what I’ve always been.

Invisible.

Unremarkable.

Since I grew up in the overpowering shadow of my younger brother, I automatically became smaller.

Barely discernable next to him.

Completely overshadowed by his attention-seeking habits.

You’re such a good boy, Gaz.

I never have to worry about you.

I’m so glad you’re this dependable, son.

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