Page 15 of One Twisted Lie

But it’s also brilliant. I know he would never say anything about this shit. I know that whatever we do would be a secret. Also, I could get him out of my system. A few more blowjobs—maybe more—and I’ll realize he isn’t hot shit. I’ll get close to him, my body will get rewarded for it, and then I’ll leave this twisted experiment behind me.

“Friends with benefits then?” I question.

He shakes his head. “Try acquaintances who are experimenting.”

I gulp audibly. Shit. I’m doing this. “Okay.”

He smiles, and I can now admit that it’s…sort of nice. He’s got one crooked bottom tooth and it gives his face a little character. He also has dimples which are fucking adorable. He stands, looking around the library as he grabs my wrist. “Come here.”

I comply immediately. I told you. My body is just so fucking responsive to him. I hold my breath as he cups my face in his hands. “What are you doing?”

“We need to seal the deal,” he whispers, threading his fingers in my hair harshly. “Kiss me, princess.”

And I do because I can’t help myself. The kiss isn’t soft—our kisses never are—and I breathe him in. He tastes like peppermint and his tongue is smooth as it licks at my bottom lip. Now that I’ve given myself a free pass to fucking do this shit, I want more. I grip his waist tightly, moving my lips down to his neck, licking at his slightly sweaty skin. I latch my teeth where his neck meets his shoulder and suck. It’s nice. When I pull back, there’s a deep purple bruise on his neck that I hadn’t predicted would be there. Regardless, I smirk.

He’s going to fucking hate it when he sees it.

“My room, tomorrow after class,” he says, running his hands down to brush over my ass. “Don’t fucking flake on me.”

I nod and feel a bit empty when he returns to his work, ignoring me as if nothing happened. I leave him because I can only be pathetic for so long. As I leave the library, I think about what I’ve gotten myself into. I think about what we’re going to do tomorrow.

And I hate the fact that I can’t fucking wait.

Chapter 9

Ozymandias

As promised, I walk to Carter’s room the next day. I’m a bundle of nervous and anxious energy, although the anticipation is also strong. I’ve been thinking about this all night. It’s been a mix of low-key regret and high-key excitement. I try to remember that this is my free pass to enjoy myself. My father is…well, he wouldn’t be okay with this, but he said to do whatever it takes, right?

I let myself into Carter’s dorm, not worried at all about knocking. I try to keep my shoulders back and my chin high, a smirk on my face because I won’t be caught on the defensive. I repeat the words in my head—I am the king of kings, the apex predator, and apex predators don’t feel fear.

Well, they feel something akin to it when they see that their friend Magnus is still in his dorm. I stop in my tracks. I had just assumed that Magnus wouldn’t be around today but, honestly, where the fuck would he go?

“Magnus,” I cough. “I didn’t realize you’d be here.”

What the fuck? Why did I say that?

Magnus stares at me and then at Carter. It seems that I’ve interrupted them in the middle of something. Whatever it is that they were discussing, however heavy it might have been, disappears when he sees me. Slowly, his eyes widen and his jaw drops. Something seems to hit him. “Oh, shit.”

Yes, oh shit indeed.

How in the ever-loving fuck can Magnus know what I’m doing here? No way. There’s no way he can guess. But here he is, sitting on his bed, looking at me like I’m guilty of something and positively amused by it.

“Shut up,” Carter hisses then looks toward me. “What are you doing here?”

Okay, I can play it this way. But before I can continue the charade, Magnus speaks. “I can’t believe this. You two? You know, they do say there’s a thin line between love and hate—”

“Damn it, Magnus! Get the fuck out!” Carter shouts, throwing a book at him. Magnus blocks it as he jumps off his bed with a laugh.

“Okay, okay! I’ll just go hang out with Avery then!”

Magnus leaves his room, still laughing the entire way, and I’m mortified. There’s no way he’s going to keep this to himself. I love Magnus, but he has a big mouth. He’ll tell Avery and Daniel and Daniel will subtly grill me about it while Avery will blatantly ask in front of everyone.

This isn’t what I signed up for. This is supposed to be my secret shame—my baser instincts taking over so I can be guilt-free.

“Should we be worried about him?” I ask Carter.

He shakes his head and sighs, unbothered. “Let him think what he wants to think. It’s not a big deal.”

---