Page 37 of Lilies in Autumn

When he says it like that, I can’t do anything but agree with him.

“Fine, but you don’t have to be so graphic about it. Besides, the coffee attacked me. I was a victim.”

As we leave the classroom that holds our moans and my pleasure, I start telling Grey about the incident this morning, how rivers of steaming coffee surrounded me while people just stared at me. We’re almost out of the building when my phone starts vibrating, alerting me that a text just came through. I’m distracted, talking to Greyson and reveling in his laugh, while I pull out my phone. Checking the screen, my blood runs cold at the unknown number on the screen. My change of mood must be obvious because Grey looks at me and pauses in his laughter. “Vixen, is everything okay? You’re pale.”

I look down at my phone, deciding that I need to tell Grey about how I found out about the bet in the first place. Holding my phone up to him, I explain, “I never told you why or how I knew about the bet. When I was leaving your house yesterday, I got a text from an unknown number or blocked sender, or whatever, telling me that you’d never be interested in me and to ask you about the bet. At first, I thought it was Felicity since she was such an asshole at your house, but I’m not sure.” I swallow, glancing at the storm brewing in his blue eyes and the heavy set to his jaw. “Anyway, another text just came through from an unknown number.”

“Open the text.” His voice is so low, so deep, that it almost sounds like a growl.

“What?”

“Ava, open the fucking text. I already want to kill whoever is trying to fuck with you. I’m trying to not lose my shit right now, but I’m close, real fucking close. So, please, open that fucking text and let me see what the fucker has to say.”

Unlocking my phone, I go to my messages and click on the new message from the unknown number. Grey’s hovering over my shoulder and we read the message at the same time.

Unknown Number: Do your parents know what a little whore you are?

“What the fuck?” Grey nearly yells as my heart plummets. Below the message is a picture of me, lying back with Grey between my legs. With my legs and ass exposed, it’s obvious what’s going on, while the desks in the background make it clear that we’re in a classroom. Grey’s face is obscured by my legs, making him unidentifiable, but there’s no denying who I am. My head is thrown back, but my distinct nose and mole on my upper lip are evident in the photo.

I feel my chest start to compress, my breaths becoming shallow and short while I try to catch my breath. This person took a private moment, a moment that felt special, and made it sordid and dirty and intruded on my body. I pull on the neck of my shirt. Fuck, it’s hard to breathe.

“Vixen, baby, look at me.” Grey’s voice breaks through the fog clouding my brain. “Ava, look at me and breathe. Take a deep breath. Good girl. You’re doing good, baby.” Grey stands there with me, breathing through my freak-out. His hands cup my face, and he continues tracking my breaths. “I’m going to find whoever sent this and fucking eviscerate them.”

“Nice word choice,” I mumble.

“There’s my girl.” Grey smiles.

The panic that seized my chest loosens just in time for another text to come through.

Unknown Number: I can’t wait to tell everyone what a fucking whore you are. End things or I’ll be sure everyone you know gets a full view of your fat ass.

Ava

The minutes between receiving the last text and arriving back at my dorm are a blur. Vaguely, I remember Grey hustling me to his car, buckling me in, and driving in silence to the lot closest to my dorm room. I must be in shock right now because everything seems to just slow down and go mute. It’s like I’m aware that things are happening around me, but I can’t quite comprehend what’s going on. My stomach is twisting, knots form and loosen like a boy scout trying to earn their merit badge. Nausea rolls through me, and I need to get the fuck out of this car before my stomach acid melts the window.

Grey parks close to the woods, furthest away from the entrance and the people scattered along the lawn in front of the building. I’m out of the car and bent over, dry heaving, before the car comes to a full stop. I feel a hand wrap around my hair, pulling it back from my face, while another hand strokes my back, offering comfort as I try not to vomit on my shoes. With nothing besides coffee in my system, I don’t have much to lose, but the nausea is never-ending. Gagging while Grey tries to console me, I could probably die at this moment if I tried hard enough.

“It’s okay, baby. You’re okay.”

“Everything hurts and I’m dying,” I grunt between dry heaves, not caring to hear Grey’s attempts at calming me down. Greyson isn’t the one whose face is perfectly visible while getting fucked in the middle of a classroom. God, if that picture circulates, my parents will kill me. My stomach clenches. My dad’s eyes will probably burn from shame if he sees me in that position. “My parents are going to murder me. I’m going to end up on one of their podcasts because it will be considered justified filicide,” I wheeze. “They won’t even have to do time. They’ll get off with a warning.”

“Ava, let’s go inside. You’ll breathe easier when you’re in your own space.”

“Shut up, Greyson. My father is going to see my bare ass, and then I’ll need to drop out and join a convent.” I drop my head between my legs. To a casual observer, I probably look like I’m about to do a forward roll on the lawn. “The closest I’ll get to a kitchen is in the convent’s cafeteria.”

“Okay, that’s enough. Let’s go.” Strong arms swoop me up and carry me bridal style across the parking lot and into my building. My head is buried in his neck, and though I can’t see the stares we’re getting, I can feel them. If I weren’t having such a fantastic meltdown right now, I would soak up the feel of Grey’s arms around me. As it stands, I just want to disappear.

“Vixen, which floor are you on?” I mumble my floor and room number into his neck, surprised when he heads toward the stairs instead of the elevator. Lifting my head to make sure I’m not imagining it, Grey strides up the stairs like I weigh nothing more than a backpack.

“What are you doing?” I question. “We have an elevator.” I should ask him to put me down, but I’m too emotional and doubt that I’ll be motivated to move once he sets me down.

“This is quicker. I wasn’t waiting for a fucking elevator when I can walk.”

“Okay, but you’re also carrying me, and I’m not exactly light.”

He squeezes me closer to him. “Ava, I told you twice already, stop talking about yourself as though you’re anything less than perfect. It pisses me off and makes me want to show you just how flawless you are.”

My eyes roll heavenward. “I’m not shit-talking myself. I’d say that about any grown-ass adult being carried up three flights of stairs.” We reach my floor, and Grey walks us out of the stairwell and into the common room.

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