Page 46 of The Deceptions
“Parties are fucking epic.” Simon grins more. “I can definitely help show you around.” His cheeks flush.
I blink several times as they continue their discussion, flirting relentlessly with each other until Simon gets called by a male voice, yelling for him from inside his room. I only get a peek at the man with shaggy blond hair and multiple sets of collared shirts before he disappears from view again.
“We'll talk later,” Simon says, nodding his head at me and taking a few steps before stopping. “You're a transfer, right? A scholarship student?” I nod, curious how he knows. “Great. You and me? We're going to be great friends. And you…” He looks Jordy up and down with a suggestive look before sauntering off.
“Ohhh, I like him,” Jordy whistles, watching him walk away. And I do mean watching him. His muscular ass, thighs, and calves. He can't take his eyes off the man.
That's the thing about Jordy. He doesn't care what sex you are. If he likes you, he likes you. He'll bang you, regardless. End of story.
I shiver. “Quit eye fucking my new roommate and help me…” I wave at my new dorm room.
“No can do, Oli.” Ah, the new nickname has officially stuck and won’t leave any time soon. Even after this mission is done, he’ll call me Oli until I take my last breath, because it’s a thousand times better than Livy. “I'll be making frequent visits. Expect me soon.” He grins, tossing my bag on my new bed near the second-story window overlooking the graveyard.
My graveyard.
How fucking poetic.
Now, every time I sit on my bed and look out the window, I’ll see the reminder of where I could have been if I hadn’t been miraculously saved. A window to the dead, buried deep in the dirt with nothing but a gravestone above them as remembrance.
I swallow hard, mechanically unpacking my clothes and setting them into the provided dresser. My gaze barely strays from the graveyard where my bones are supposed to be. But they're not. Someone else's are, though.
A cover to conceal my life. And it's worked for this long. No one questioned our closed casket services. Not even Franco, who pretended to show compassion to the community about our demise.
A tear slips down my aching cheeks as I look on from behind a tall oak tree swaying in the slight breeze. A dark veil covers my face and protects my burns from further damage. I can’t believe this is happening.
“We really should get going, Olivia,” Jonathan murmurs, standing at my back. “Our doctors are ready to examine you further.” The moment he touches my shoulder, I flinch away, looking back at him in disbelief. “It’s just me,” he whispers,peering through my veil to look me in the eyes. I nod in response, returning my focus to the funeral being held directly at the cemetery. Three unremarkable caskets rest above their holes, ready to descend into the dirt and never see the light of day again.
“Espie, Olivia, and Sophia Viotto,” Franco’s voice rings out to the small crowd hovering around him. He stands tall in a tailored suit, more fitting for the casinos than here. His dark eyes scan the crowd, never straying to where we’re hidden. “They were like family.”
“Family my ass,” I hiss through clenched teeth. “He killed me! Them!” My fingers curl into fists, ready to punch that asshole where the sun doesn't shine.
But I’m too weak. Too hurt from the betrayal that is still fresh in my mind. And on my skin. I’m lucky Jonathan let me come here in the first place. I’ve only been out of the hospital for five hours.
“Deep breaths, Liv,” Jonathan murmurs.
“He’s a liar,” I grunt, turning to face him as the funeral continues and Franco spouts his worthless speech. “We were never his family.” Not ever.
His adoptive sons may have been something like family to me less than a week ago, but not now. Not ever again.
“He is a liar,” Jonathan grits out, looking pissed on my behalf. “A lying cheat who abandons people when they are no longer purposeful to him.” I stare up at him with furrowed brows as he loses himself in his words while glaring holes through Franco’s head like Franco personally affronted him. “One day, our organization will come down on him and his empire. It’s what he deserves.” He shakes his head like he’s clearing his thoughts. “But right now is not the time. It’ll take years of patience and planning.”
I swallow all the pain I have felt since I was rescued from my death by Jonathan when he pulled me from the flames. Turning on my heels, I force myself to commit this entire scene to memory.
Hux. JJ. Mack. Franco. They’re all standing around, mourning the people they put into the ground with their devious actions.
They’re unforgivable.
My lashes brush my cheeks several times when I finally shake myself out of the memory. Quickly, I wipe away the rogue tears glistening on my cheeks before Jordy can spot them as he shuffles around behind me, helping me unpack my bedding and pillows. Not that he’d call me out. He’d hug me within an inch of my life and then make fun of me for it. But if I’m not careful, I’ll break character, and that can’t happen in these circumstances. It’s too risky to let anyone know who I am. Let alone what organization has come to investigate their campus and the people on it.
Jordy plops on my freshly made bed with a sigh, watching Simon from his spot withthatlook in his eyes. The–I want to mount him–look. I shiver, nearly puking at the thought. Gross. Picturing Jordy doing the deed is not on my to-do list. In fact, I think I need some brain bleach to remove that imagery. Forever.
“Don't ruin things with my damn roommate and make him hate me,” I grit out, shoving his shoulder.
“Pish posh.” Jordy waves a hand at me without looking up at me. “Why would anyone hate you because of me?” His head tilts as an easy smile crosses his lips. “I’m innocent.”
I snort, pulling out my new phone and checking the time. I shake my head… “Innocent my ass. Don't you have your own thing to do? Like far away from here?”
“Eager to live the bachelor lifestyle?” he teases, getting to his feet. “Eh. I could hang out for the night. Maybe we can hitup a party or…” He sighs when his phone sounds in his pocket, blaring a siren ringtone, and his head drops back.
