Page 67 of Stutter

“Riordan was quick to point fingers. But son, it doesn’t look good that he dropped over eighty feet while screaming her name.”

I shake my head, looking at the snow-covered mansion harboring evil. “He didn’t do it.”

“What do you mean?”

“Before he dropped, there was someone else up there with him. I… Dad, I think he was dead before he was thrown over.”

“You’re sure of it?” he asks, hazel eyes meeting mine.

I nod.

“Then you need to tell them everything you saw, or they’ll be out for blood, Jonas.Hers.”

My stomach recoils into itself, feeling like it’s plummeting. I’m about to ask for more, to tell me more aboutwhatever he can since it’s the first time we’ve truly been alone together in months, but someone begins tapping at my window makes me look back.

Stephen fucking Prescott.

My father and I both unstrap ourselves but not before dad says under his breath facing away from the window, “You keep that girl close to you, son. Do you understand? Don’t let her out of your sight. If any of them even get a whiff, I don’t know if I can help you once you’re in their grasp.”

My stomach squeezes as we tug on our coats quickly, opening the doors to slip out into the brisk air. I greet Mr. Prescott, to which he gives me a curt hello back and then we follow him up the steps to his lavish familial home. I pause, beside one of the gargoyles, remembering the scream before Riordan dropped from George’s neck and almost let out a soft whine.

Did the person that did this to Riordan choose the belltower because it was my safe space? Did they do that to ruin it for me? It’s beendaysand there’s been no crime scene tape anywhere. No cops have shown up around campus or come to question us. It’s fucking bizarre.

I feel sick, putting on my cloak and mask, stepping into the room where everyone else is waiting and take my place between the cloaks. Like during the last initiation, I feel eyes on me and look up to see Axel’s green eyes peeking over at me from his half mask. I guess he was able to make it in after all. From the way his eyes crinkle, I know he’s offering a small smile. I nod back and bow my head again.

Stephen begins to talk, his voice a low, monotonous booming noise to me, droning on and on, bringing up Riordan’s murder when he calls my name. I step forward, out of line, my head snapping up to meet his icy blue gaze. It sends chills down my spine and throughout my body, but Ihold in my shudder.

“Sir?”

“Witnesses said he cried out your… girlfriend’s name before…” he can’t bring himself to finish the sentence.

“Yes sir.” I flick my eyes quickly over to my father’s and back on Stephen’s. “If I may give you something to think over?”

“Proceed.”

I inhale, letting it calm me. “They called out her name and when I looked up, I saw a hooded figure behind Riordan before he dropped. It wasn’t Ri that called out for her. When the rope snapped and landed, I made sure to lead Raven to safety before going to up the belfry and I saw signs of struggle. Blood on the ground. Not a lot. Riordan did not do this… If I’m honest, sir, I believe he was dead before he was… over the railing.”

He nods, slowly as if taking in my words. “Yes, we already had someone from the police department check out the scene. We’ve decided to handle this…internally.”

Chills. Chills erupt everywhere from beneath my cloak, and I step back into formation.

“Thank you, for speaking up about what you saw, you confirmed what we already knew.”

I simply bow my head and wait for it to all be over.

I just want to get home to my girl.

I’m desperate to feel her in my arms and hear her tell me she loves me while I come inside her. It’s all I ever want.

Chapter Seventeen

Raven.

I swallow around my professor’s engorged, heavy dick while he reads and not to me, just simply reading to himself for pleasure.

I’m doing my best not to swirl my tongue around the fat head so I can take him deeper. It’s when I’m swallowing my drool and my tongue flattens under the girth and I move, that he lets out a soft, masculine groan. It fills the quiet space and rings in my ears like a symphony.

Wicked green eyes flick to me from beneath his book and he sighs.Sighsat me as though I’m a nuisance and liquid heat pools between my legs. He sets the book down, one finger between the pages so he doesn’t lose his spot. I love that Maverick reads more than I do. I love it even more that he does it shirtless where I can see every rune, every Latin phrase etched into his skin. He’s a masterpiece.

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