Page 166 of Tempting Little Thief

Those whispers return, but louder and louder as the smallest hint of panic works its way through the auditorium. My eyes flash to my father’s and he’s looking directly at me, face blank and eyes pointed but not on me.

Damiano speaks without so much as moving his lips. “What he’s saying is there’s no footage to be found.”

I give a curt, nearly unnoticeable nod and his chest inflates.

Someone tapped into security and erased any proof of where he might be. A gap in surveillance.

From four days ago, the day he interrupted my moment of self-destruction.

There’s no doubt in my mind the entire day’s footage has been reviewed, the little incident in the pool not missed.

Subconsciously, my palm wraps around my arm, the skin still sensitive there from the bruise Oliver left behind. This time when I look up, my father’s eyes have narrowed, and his chin lifts the slightest bit. So little that if I wasn’t staring directly at him, I wouldn’t have noticed, but he’s not the only one who’s staring. So is Otto Henshaw and he doesn’t look happy.

Did they see him put his hands on me?

Did they watch as I forced panic into his mind, waiting until the last bit of air left in his lungs was useless to him before allowing his head to breach the surface?

I don’t realize my lips have curled until Otto’s hardens.

Yes, I believe they might have. If not, he most definitely made a call home to Daddy afterward. Perhaps to brag that I agreed to his little date night after his hint of blackmail.

But missing?

That’s as bold as it gets and I can’t help but wonder if my own father is to blame for the disappearance of his “friend’s” only heir.

I didn’t speak a word of it to him, but this might be one of those situations where my and Sai’s agreement to keep my father out of things is trumped by his need to keep me safe. Putting hands on the daughter of Rayo Revenaw is the furthest thing from allowed, but if Sai was there and did see, why is my father looking at me with keen eyes, trying to decide if I know what he doesn’t? When really, I have no idea what he does or does not know or what he assumes that I do.

He’s probably just pissed I didn’t tell him and wondering what else I could be hiding since I seem to be accidentally revealing all sorts of hidden shit lately.

“Some of you may be wondering why we’re only now notifying you, and that is because we’ve only just been notified ourselves. Mr. Larry, Oliver Henshaw’s roommate, assumed Oliver had spent the evening in another’s dorm, and when he didn’t return the next day, it was assumed he made a trip home, but as the weekend passed and Monday’s classes rolled around, he realized perhaps it was something more. We were notified immediately, called his family, and now we’re here with all of you. As we speak, a notification is being sent to your families or guardians back home, so be prepared to be bombarded once this meeting concludes, as the second I dismiss you, that email will be sent through.” He looks around the room before focusing on the six of us for a split moment.

“There is nothing we’re asking you to do at this time. You will continue with your classes as instructed; we have already added more guards, and I myself will be overseeing security until further notice. If you believe you know something that we do not in regard to Mr. Henshaw’s disappearance, we ask that you come to the chancellor’s office directly. If you do not wish to be seen doing so, you may email me, and I will arrange different conditions. This is not a rat or snitch or anyother term you may choose to call this situation. If you know something, this is duty. Your loyalty lies within these walls while you are here, as says the contract you signed when you entered and all of your families are aware of such, so if we find that you’re hiding something, you will be dealt with as if you are the enemy. Enemies fall, so remember that, and if you think you will get away with something, think again.”

Slowly, Calvin steps back from the podium, looking to our family representatives, three of the cardinal compass that makes up the Greyson Union, one still not ready to show their face to complete the core four, and the fourth man beside them, a man unworthy of the place he stands. Yet, he is the one who steps forward to take the mic. Not entirely shocking, is as he does, his focus is solely on me.

He’s quiet at first, using the moment as a silent warning meant to intimidate—too bad for him, that’s shit we teach in Treachery 101.

Finally, he speaks. “I will find my son, who I am certain is unharmed, and when I do, the person responsible will wish they made a different choice.”

A small smile forms on my lips, one of pure spite, while on the inside, I’m working through every possibility of what could have happened to him.

Finally, Mr. Henshaw looks out over the room, eyes calculating and searching as they sweep the students and staff, settling and hardening on his archery teammates, being they are the ones he interacts with most.

“I’m happy to have the help of my colleagues behind me in retrieving my son.”

“What if he ran off?” someone from archery shouts.

I hear Bronx’s stifled laugh because, yeah, fucking right.

Oliver, his daddy’s personal ass wiper and oddly also his whipping boy, disappearing on his very own? Negative.

“I assure you that is not the case, and I won’t allow such rumors to spread throughout the community.” Otto steps away and my father eases forward.

With his every step, a harsher silence falls over the room, little inklings of fear filling the space as the real power of our community prepares to speak.

He knows his role and what must be said.

“As your fine chancellor has pointed out.” His voice is even as ever and the pride I feel for my father swells within me. Rattled or raging, it doesn’t matter. He’s always poised and in control, his very few moments of weakness only witnessed by the eyes of his daughters. “When here, your loyalty lies with your peers. The men and women on your right, left, front, and behind. Those are the people you represent until the day you graduate from this fine institution. As a community, as one, we will do what we must to find the answers we need.” My smile spreads at his cryptic words, the true meaning behind them holding countless possibilities that will later drive Mr. Henshaw insane trying to decipher them as was intended.

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