Page 1 of Playing Dirty

1

ADRIANNA

This is our last year at the academy. It’s hard to believe that in less than ten months I’ll be saying goodbye to the place that has been my home since I was ten years old.

The grand hall is full of returning students and staff, gathering at the front of the hall, but there’s no sign yet of Camilla or Natalya.

“Hey loser.”

I smile at the sound of Camilla’s voice behind me and spin around as she runs into me, wrapping her arms around my waist.

“I’ve missed you so much this summer,” she says.

I arch a brow. “Tell me about it. I couldn’t wait for it to be over.”

Camilla laughs. “Only you would wish away summer break.” She sits down in our her usual seat and I sit next to her. “What did you get up to?”

My summer break was terrible. Father paraded me around to potential suitors as he intends to have me married the moment school is out. “Not a lot,” I say, swallowing hard at the thought of even recounting how terrible it was, especially as Camilla always has the best summer breaks. “What about you?”

“I went with Mia to Saint Kitts for a month. It was glorious.” She holds a hand against her chest. “I want to be back there. The weather was to die for.”

I nod in response. “Sounds lovely.” My brow furrows as I glance around, noticing that Principal Byrne is getting ready to start the welcome back speech. “Where the hell is Natalya?”

Camilla shakes her head. “No idea. Maybe she’s late.”

I shake my head. “That would be unlike her.” Natalya is always on time for everything, it can get annoying how organized she is.

“Everyone, take a seat,” Principal Byrne says over the microphone.

My attention moves to the front where all the staff are congregating. And a shiver races down my spine as I notice Coach Daniels is watching me intently. The man is painfully gorgeous, with a chiseled jaw and straight nose and dark eyes like coffee. And perhaps rightly so, he’s also the biggest man whore at the academy. Some students can’t resist his good looks and charms, even if they are just being used by him.

It’s amusing that a staff member can get away with openly propositioning eighteen-year-old students, but then this isn’t a normal academy.

Camilla nudges me in the ribs, forcing my eyes away from the coach.

“What?” I ask.

“I said Natalya still isn’t here. Do you think she’s okay?”

I swallow hard and glance at the back of the hall, wondering if that bastard, Elias, has done something to her. “Is Elias here?”

Camilla’s brow furrows as she searches the hall for him, but it’s too big. “Who the hell knows?” Her eyes widen a little. “Do you think he’s stopped her from coming?”

I shudder at the thought, as Elias Morales has done some pretty terrible things to Nat in the past. If he got her alone without witnesses, it wouldn’t surprise me if his hatred for her would drive him to physically harm her again.

“I’ll text her and find out.”

Camilla nods as I pull out my phone and type to Natalya.

Me: Are you okay? The welcome back assembly has started and you’re not here.

Once it sends, I stare at the two ticks intently, waiting for them to turn blue and signal she’s read it. And yet nothing happens.

“Anything?” Camilla asks.

I shake my head. “No, she hasn’t even read it.”

When I glance up from my phone, my eyes catch on Coach again because he’s still watching me. The look in his eyes worries me to no end. It’s full of sinful intent and my stomach churns, as I wonder if he might consider me as his next conquest, which will never, ever happen.

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