Page 70 of Princess of Hawthorne Prep

I have zero interest in joining the fray.

But I’m curious as to where he is and why he left without waking me.

Before I fully realize my intentions, I swing away from the window and dig through my duffle until I find a pair of jeans and then throw on a thick sweatshirt. It was chilly this morning and into the afternoon. Now that the sun has fully set, it’ll be even colder. Especially on the beach where it’s always breezier.

I slip on an extra pair of tennis shoes I brought along before heading out the door. Once over the threshold, I glance down the long stretch of hallway, searching for signs of life. But there aren’t any. No music or voices coming from inside. Silence presses in on me as I take the staircase to the first floor. Darkness fills every nook and cranny.

Everyone must be on the beach. From the swell of revelers outside, my guess is that classmates from other houses have stopped by. As I slip out the backdoor, the pulsing beat of music fills my ears. The closer I get to the bonfire, the more intense it becomes. The skunky scent of weed hangs heavy in the air. I’ve never tried it, but I recognize the distinctive aroma from past parties.

I hit the perimeter of the boisterous group and wind my way through couples dancing and kissing. Two girls are wrapped around one another. Their lips are fused as their hands explore beneath their sweatshirts. Three guys stand nearby, drinking their beer, eyes glued to the oblivious couple.

Even though there’s a sharp bite to the breeze, clothing has been shed in the sand.

This isn’t my scene, and I’m not interested in hanging out for long.

I scan each face as I slip through the throng, only wanting to find Austin and get the hell out of here. All are recognizable, but none are the one I’m searching for. It’s a relief when my gaze settles on a friendly one and I pivot, beelining in that direction.

“Hi,” I say with a forced smile before tucking a stray lock of hair behind my ear.

Duke gives me a chin lift in greeting before raising the brown bottle of beer to his lips and taking a swig. “Hey. I was wondering where you were.”

“I crashed for a while and feel much better now.”

Although it’s doubtful that had anything to do with the nap and more with the way Austin controlled and manipulated my body, bringing me easily to several orgasms.

His gaze cruises over me as if to confirm that information for himself. “Good. I was worried about you. I’m glad nothing happened.”

For a split second, my mind tumbles back to what it felt like to slip beneath the surface of the freezing waters and a chill scurries down my spine. I could have easily drowned had Austin not jumped in. It was his quick reaction that stopped me from ending up a statistic.

I shift from one foot to the other before glancing around. “Have you seen Austin?”

That question is all it takes for his easy-going expression to vanish. “Why are you bothering with him?”

My eyes widen.

When I remain silent, Duke steps closer, swallowing up some of the distance between us. “Look, I’m not trying to tell you what to do, just that you need to be careful. Especially after what he did this afternoon.

Heat floods my cheeks as I gnaw my lower lip. From the outside, I suppose that’s exactly the way it looked. Like he’s no better than Jasper. But that’s not true, and I wish Duke could see that.

“There’s a lot you don’t know, and I can’t explain it right now,” I say carefully.

His eyes narrow as he cocks his head. It’s obvious that he’s frustrated by my response. “Why not? Every time I see him, he’s got his hands on you, forcing you to do things you don’t want.”

The truth of the matter is that Austin hasn’t forced me to do anything. Maybe I’ve pretended not to want it, but deep down, I crave his touch. If I’m unwilling to admit it to Duke, I’ll at least acknowledge it privately to myself.

What he can’t possibly understand is that I enjoy the hot rush of blood spiking through my veins and beneath my skin when Austin lays hands on me. Or stares at me. He makes me feel alive.

Seen.

And this afternoon, when he demanded that I crawl to him…

He was only calling me out on a promise I’d made. No one twisted my arm to go through with it.

I shake my head. “That’s not true.”

His brows skyrocket across his forehead and he gives me anare you crazylook.

Unsure what to say, I blow out a slow breath and glance away.

---