Page 126 of The Invite
“Except forthe confession on the wall, there’s nothing that can help us here,” I state. There are cameras in the corridors. According to the guy at the police station, they were again mysteriously down for weekly maintenance.
“Come on, Capri, let’s go,” Wolf says, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. Kaid flicks his chin at me, ignores Scarlett’s glare, and follows after his friends.
Daisy and Kenny file out too.
I join Maverick and my sister. We linger back. Once the rest are out of earshot, I scold Scarlett, “Did I not tell you to not go out alone?”
“I’m not sitting back in this, Gus.”
I study the resolute set of her jaw and relent. “Fine. But you stick by either Maverick or my side.”
“Okay.” After a pause, she says, “Can we really trust them, though?”
“I’m not sure about Kenny and Daisy,” shares Maverick, mirroring my thoughts. “Augustus was right about Kaid, Wolf, and Capri. They want to catch and bury this guy too.”
“We need to find what Anonymous has on Kenny and Daisy to keep them in line,” I say.
Scarlett replies, “I can get Daisy to spill.”
“Maverick and I will look into Kenny.”
Scarlett shifts and strolls up the aisle between the desks, observing the bloody ink on the wall. I skirt my gaze to the door behind which Nessa is hiding. Before my sister’s attention is drawn toward it, I announce, “Let’s leave, Scarlett. We can’t be here when the guard returns.”
Turning to Maverick, I whisper to him, “Drop Scarlett home and meet me at Nessa’s place.”
“Are you shitting me? You thinking about getting laid while we’re in this mess?” He raises a brow. “What does she have? A magic pussy?”
His remark makes my hand ball into a fist. Through sheer willpower, I stop myself from punching him. I impassively retort, “For the last time, I’m not fucking her.”
Scarlett reaches us, saving me from saying more that might give away my fascination with Nessa. The three of us walk out. I do it to make Nessa think we’re all gone. As we reach the end of the hallway, I stop. “Go with him, Scarlett.”
She halts too, and frowns. “You’re not coming?”
“I have something to take care of.”
Once they both leave, I go back quietly. Pushing inside the classroom next to mine, I wait for Nessa to come out. After a good ten minutes, she does and sprints down the hallway. I recognize the hoodie I bought her and satisfaction burns that she’s wearing something from me.
I follow her outside and remain in the shadows as she keeps checking over her shoulder. She’s quick and light on her feet for someone so petite. After a minute-long trek down the hill, she turns to an opening in the forest.
Quickening my speed, I chase after her and notice the SUV parked in a corner. Over the relief of making it out without getting caught, she lowers her guard and unlocks the door. Yanking it open, she hurries to get inside and dodge.
I close the gap.
The soft crinkle of my boot crunching a fallen leaf stiffens her just as I slam the car door shut. A loud and terrified yelp escapes her when I trap her body against it. Bending to place my lips against her ear, I whisper, “Fancy seeing you here, little prey.”
CHAPTER – 31
Nessa
My heart launches to my throat at rocket speed at Augustus’s husky voice in my ear. While my lungs work overtime to fill them with oxygen that he steals after sneaking up and imprisoning me against the door.
I’m so stupid. Of course he saw me earlier. He’s got sharp eyes, like a hawk that misses nothing, even in darkness.
Augustus is a predator of the night.
Why do I keep forgetting that fact?
I whip around awkwardly because he doesn’t budge an inch to allow me room. In pure Augustus fashion, he invades my personal space like it was never mine to begin with. My pulse thunders when his shrewd gaze darkens warmly upon our eyes locking.
