Total pages in book: 131
Estimated words: 125121 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125121 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
A needle pricked my happy balloon, setting it on a slow leak. Thinking of marriage made me think of Victor. I kept messing up with him lately and I didn’t know why. What was I saying that was wrong? What did he want me to do that I wasn’t?
What if I just propose? He wants a sign that I’m committed to this marriage, then I’ll give him one. Whatever it takes to remove the question mark hanging over our heads lately.
My phone buzzed, pulling me from silly thoughts of if I had to buy him a ring.
I opened my email and my smile returned. “Just in time. Hope she doesn’t make it to the café before us.”
“What did you do, Sinclair?” Wilder checked the link that showed up in his inbox. True shock blew up his handsome face. “Okay, how did you do this? You didn’t get this from me or the HapApp messages? I didn’t know shit about this.”
“I know,” I sang, beaming away. “T.O.D. helped me with this one. You could rule the world with an army of amoral, empty-headed followers behind you, but then every dictator knows that.”
“Did you just call yourself a dictator? And did it just make my dick hard?”
I snuggled into his side, hand slipping under his and stroking the skin above his belt. “Yes and yes.”
Wilder and I set foot in the café, and a wall of sound smacked us over the head.
“Oh, shit. Did you see this?”
“I can’t believe it.”
“It’s not her. It can’t really be her.”
Wilder and I stepped up to the buffet, watching from the sidelines. “Hungry?” I asked. “We could split one of those strawberry scones.”
“We’ll split the ambulance ride to the hospital when we overdose on the mood-stabilizers and antipsychotic meds they’ve been pumping in this food. It’s how they control the student population, keep everyone calm, and prevent fights that’ll have lasting effects on the country.”
I kissed him, then plopped the scone on my plate.
Naturally, Wilder put it back and said he wasn’t having another sex marathon with me while I was under the influence.
That was too sweet and responsible for me to get mad at, so I smiled indulgently while he loaded me up with food that came prepackaged.
“It’s not in the water yet, but give them time. I told you no one is normal around here. Just look at the way they’re reacting.”
We turned from the tea station, watching the pandemonium unfold. Everyone was on their phones, showing their friends, texting more people, and shouting it across the café just in case there was anyone in the room who didn’t already know.
I glanced at the clock. We couldn’t have missed her. She didn’t have class until nine, and she didn’t cook for herself any more than any other Royal. That left her walking in here around eight o’clock to grab breakfast and take it to—
Katie strolled in, walking right past us and the drinks station. “She swears it wasn’t her. Maybe we should hear Saylor out. We both know that list isn’t her style anyway. If she wanted to get back at Piper sh-she...” Katie paused, suddenly noticing all the attention coming her way. She shook her head, dismissing it. “Anyway, if she wanted to hurt Piper, she would’ve come at her direct.”
“That’s true,” Everleigh said. “Still, it’s uncomfortable finding out how many secrets there were between us. Piper in love with me. Gabriella dating the son of her rival family and pushing his girlfriend off cliffs. Is there something I should know about you—”
“Hey, Everleigh. Looking good, mami.” A sophomore guy encircled them, coming in so close Everleigh smacked his grasping hand away. “Don’t be like that.”
“Fuck off, Dreg,” she snapped. “Who gave you permission to talk to me?”
“Oooh. Sorry.” He waved his hands all wild and exaggerated. “I should’ve paid for the privilege.”
Raucous laughter went up around us—more than that comeback deserved.
Everleigh’s eyes narrowed to slits. She backed away. “What’s going on?”
Alice climbed up on her table. “What’s going on is the Book Lady is going to give us a show.”
Everleigh froze.
“This enough to cover it, right?” Alice threw a handful of twenties at her.
“What are you talking about?” Everleigh cried. “How do you know that name!”
I eyed the clock, ticking down the seconds. “And three, two, one—”
The lights winked out. Over our heads, shining on the faces of former deans, a projector turned on.
Everleigh’s scream echoed through the building.
I hissed, wincing. “Wow. I only told them to show the website. Didn’t think they’d go for the preview.”
A riot of limbs, flesh, and sweat joined the hallowed educators on the wall. Dean Villeneuve was treated to a pale backside on his face, and the dick that was plowing it. A masked woman moaned and carried on—wrapped around the guy in a position I now knew was called the Queen of Heaven.