Page 338 of Filthy Elites

Hannah swallows. “You know that crappy haiku someone wrote about you? Turns out it was her.”

My heart stalls.

I look down at the paper again and read the poem more carefully.

“Was Dare with you over the weekend?” she asks.

Wide-eyed, I look up at her. “You think Dare did this?”

“I think a haiku has seventeen syllables, and Rina got seventeen nails pumped into her hands. The poem definitely implies the two things are related. I don’t know who else is crazy enough to do something like this that would do it in your defense.”

Her implication seems to be that Anae might be crazy enough to do it, she just wouldn’t do it for me.

My stomach twists with fear. “Do other people think that?”

She shrugs almost apologetically and glances around. “I wouldn’t worry about anyone ever calling you an unflattering name again, let’s just say that.”

If people think he did it, he could be in big trouble. I grab my phone and shoot off a text to Dare, asking where he’s at.

“That’s not all,” she says.

“Oh, come on,” I say off-handedly. “Isn’t that enough?”

I feel bad as soon as the words are out because she looks seriously distraught.

“Look, I don’t want to have to tell you any of this, but I think you should know. Dare came to my house last week and told me to stay out of your relationship. I wanted to listen because, honestly, he’s giving off pretty strong serial killer vibes at this point, and the threat he made...” She trails off, shaking her head. “I know he’s not bluffing. I know he’ll hurt me if he thinks I have anything to do with you leaving him, but I’msickat the thought of you being with him, Aubrey. I’m so afraid he’s going to hurt you.”

Tears well up in her eyes and the sight makes my heart hurt. I grab her and hug her, shaking my head. “I had no idea he threatened you. I’m so sorry. I wouldn’t let him hurt you, Hannah. I’d never let him hurt you.”

“But you know he hurts people.”

I hesitate, pulling back. I don’t know what to say to that. “I mean, I’ve heard things, but I’ve never actually seen him hurt anyone.”

“He is not a good guy, Aubrey,” she says, shaking her head. “He’s dangerous. Usually I can see the good inanyone, but…” She drops her gaze, shaking her head like it makes her unspeakably sad to say this, then looks back up at me. “I don’t know if there’s any good in him. I know there must be some reason you like him, so maybe there’s a side of him I just haven’t seen. But maybe there isn’t, Aubrey. Maybe he’s faking it.”

That makes me profoundly uncomfortable because it’s not the first time the notion of illusions has floated across my mind where Dare is concerned.

“I don’t know what’s going on behind the curtain, but something about him just… I don’t feel any good coming from him.”

I look at her, unsettled. It’s just like the other times. She’s blowing away his fog.

Before it can fully clear, he rounds the corner and comes down the hall toward us.

Seeing him coming, I put a little more space between me and Hannah. She notices the shift immediately and turns to look.

As soon as she sees him, I feel the spike of fear in her. I don’t know what he said when he was at her house, but it must have really frightened her.

“I have to go,” she says quickly.

“Hannah, wait.” I try to catch her arm, but she hurries past me so she doesn’t have to face him.

I’m frowning when Dare gets to me.

“Good morning to you, too,” he says.

“Did you threaten Hannah?”

His gaze sharpens. It feels predatory and sends a shard of fear slicing through my nerves.

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