Page 88 of Zero Chance

Inside was a single-folded sheet of cream-colored paper made from a thick, fancy cardstock with that same M logo on the front that had been on the outside of the envelope.

I opened it slowly, and my mouth fell open as I read.

Keene Dugger, you have been a very bad boy.The Mistress is displeased.Your punishment for so publicly brandishing my undergarments across campus for all to see has just lost you possession of them.I hope you’ve learned your lesson and will endeavor to be more tactful and respectful going forward.Sincerely, M.

“Holy shit,” I murmured in awe before flipping to the back to see if she’d written any more.

She hadn’t.

Disappointed, I returned to the words and reread what she’d written.

She’d put a lot of time and attention into making this look and sound professional; it was damn near aristocratic.So naturally, I was more intrigued than ever.

“I knew I’d get you to reply,” I murmured with a slow, knowing smirk, impressed with how easily she’d been able to best me at my own game.

This girl right here was a worthy opponent.

I mean, it totally sucked that I now had nothing she’d want to retrieve from me, but damn.She’d beaten me with such style that?—

“Wait a fucking second.”I darted my attention around the room as it suddenly occurred to me that Mystery Girl had been inside my room.Today.

How the hell had she gained access to my house?

Fifteen minutes later, all four of my roommates had sworn to me that they hadn’t let anyone into the house.

“So you’re telling me someone broke in, stole the panties off my desk, and sashayed right back out the front door without a single one of you noticing?”

Damien sent me a funny look.“Why are you assuming she used the front door?”

“Really?”I cried, lifting my hands in outrage.“That’sthe part you’re taking issue to?This girl just proved she’s a thief.”

“And a catfisher,” Alec added helpfully, only for me to send him a scowl.

“No.We’ve already established she didnotcatfish me.”

“And how can she really be a thief?”Oaklynn wondered.“If it was her own property she was retrieving.I mean, after what you did, I’d probably trash your room and poison your food too, ya dick.”

I blew out a harsh breath and endeavored to ignore that comment.“She had to have come in whilesomeonewas home because that’s the only time we leave the doors unlocked,” I went on.“Yet none of you saw or heardanything?How is that possible?”

I glanced around the kitchen table where I’d called this emergency meeting to take place and made sure to make eye contact with every resident before moving on to the next.Damien sighed and sent me a dry look as if I was being ridiculous.Oaklynn rolled her eyes before folding her arms over her chest, not a fan of my accusatory stare.And Alec shrugged, honestly clueless about all of it.At Xander, I squinted in suspicion because she’d been the quietest of everyone.

I knew her the least since she’d only lived here for four months, and we hadn’t met before she’d moved in.When she shrank lower in her seat under my intense stare, I had no idea if it was from guilt or because I was just being that intimidating.

“I swear, I didn’t see or hear anything,” she told me, lifting her hands, her big blue eyes wide with worry.

I frowned at her harder.

“Oh my God,” Oaklynn finally muttered.“So this girl got her own underwear back.Yay for her.But this obviously means she doesn’t want anything else to do with you.Be happy she didn’t slice your throat open while she was here and just move on already, will you?I mean, your obsession with her is starting to freak me out.You’re Keene fucking Dugger.Why have you not scored with half a dozen other girls since then?”

“Because sheplayedme,” I said, blinking at her in astonishment.“She fucking made me think I was with someone else.Wouldn’t you want to know who’d impersonatedyouwith Archer if he thought he’d just boned you, only to realize—oops—wasn’t Vargas after all?”

Damien scowled at the question, but Oaklynn merely sent me a dour look.“That’s not the same comparison at all.I’mwithDamien and in love with him.You’re not dating anyone.You’re a freaking player who’ll nail any girl who breathes in your direction.”

I scowled.“I mean, notanygirl.”

“And you go through them like toilet paper.”

“Again, not quite accurate,” I noted, starting to feel offended.

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