Page 54 of Made in Malice

I snap at the first person who speaks to me, which just so happens to be a guy from my English class who had the nerve to ask, “How long have you been a hooker?” I knew he was trying to be funny about the bar name, but it proves that the word is out about my job, making me dread my shift tonight more than I already did.

“Probably longer than you’ve been wiping your own ass.” My face flushes. I don’t curse often, it’s just never been my thing, so it feels a little strange and proves I’m in a foul mood.

“Huh?” The guy’s mouth is slack, as if he doesn’t get what I meant.

“He’s too dumb to get it,” a voice I’m becoming very familiar with says over my shoulder. My back stiffens. I usually have a pretty good sense about when Lucian is near—probably a primal instinct for danger—but Nox is able to get up close and personal, and I had no idea.

“Hey, Morningstar.” The guy who was just insulting me nods to the voice emanating from behind me.

“Fuck off.” He says it plainly, with no heat or inflection at all, but the guy gets up and changes seats without a word in response.

Nox lifts his leg over the seat and plants his shoe on the chair next to me, climbing over the row only to drop into the same seat with a huff. “It’s early as hell, Nova.”

“I thought you didn’t bother with classes.”

I feel him staring at the side of my face, but he doesn’t respond. Eventually, I have to look over to see what he’s gawking at.

“How’d you know it was me and not Lucian?” he asks the moment I meet his gaze.

“How could I not?”

“Nobody can tell us apart, hence why dipshit called me Morningstar, so tell me how you knew, or was it a guess because Lucian doesn’t have this class?” He starts to nod as if he’s answering his own question.

“It wasn’t a guess,” I tell him without another explanation. “Mind giving her the okay to get started?” I gesture to the teacher, who seems to be waiting for a signal from Nox.

He leans in so close that I can feel his breath near my ear. Without looking around, I know everyone is watching us, including the teacher. “Only if you agree to tell me how you knew the difference between us.”

I glance to the left when he pulls away and grit out, “Fine.”

“See you after class,” he says, then he tells the teacher, “Go ahead,” before getting up and walking right out of the room.

Once he’s gone, I feel everyone watching me again, but I try to ignore it and focus on the teacher. I should have stayed in bed.

True to his word, Nox is waiting for me when I exit the class. He’s leaning against the wall directly across from the room, but he shoves himself off as soon as I step out. I watch him move closer to me, and a tingle of awareness settles on my skin.

“Nice try, pretty boy.” I roll my eyes and stroll right past him toward the Union. I didn’t promise to tell him, plus I’m tired of constantly being worried about what he, or anyone else, is going to do and say to me. I just do not have the energy for their games today, and I have no intention of playing along.

LUCIAN

Motherfucker, Nox was right—we made eye contact for less than a second, and she knew. Even our family had trouble telling us apart at a glance, which we thought was hilarious, and it’s also why almost everything about us, including our plainly visible tattoos, match, but she can see right through us.

I start to trail behind my lamb, allowing myself to get distracted with the sway of her hips as she sashays down the hall. If she hadn’t turned the corner, I probably wouldn’t have even noticed Bella Quade standing outside of her office, her arms crossed over her chest as she eyes me with open suspicion.

I know her family is eager for the crown, since she or her brother are next in line to be president after our tenure, but I have no plans of relinquishing the power once I have it. I shift directions and walk straight toward her. Even with all the fillers and shit in her face, her mouth goes slack, and she looks around as if there’s someone who might help her.

“Morningstar,” she greets when I’m towering over her. I don’t acknowledge her with anything other than my presence, so she starts to fidget. “Can I help you with something?”

“How’s your brother?” I ask, completely disinterested in the answer, but eager for her reaction to me beating his ass.

Her lips pinch before curling into a sneering smile. “Well, thank you for asking.”

“I haven’t seen him around in a few days.”

“No worries, he’ll be back soon. Shouldn’t a young man like you be in class?” She tries to use the fact that she’s older than me against me, but that shit’s comical.

“Nah, no point, but I do have more important matters to tend to. Tell Derry I said hello.” There’s a twitch near her jaw, but that’s the only outward sign that she understands my warning as I turn my back on her and walk away.

When I stroll through the Union, not spying my target, I get pissed that I allowed Quade to distract me. I’m tempted to ask all the sheep who are gawking at me where she is, but that would mean actually speaking to them. I need to put a tracker on her, or at the very least her phone.

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