Page 47 of Crush
I bristle at his callous use of an important women’s movement, one I have no intention of manipulating, but he goes on. “That tells me you’re brave and willing to push boundaries when it comes to his rule over Winthorpe. Fuck, let’s include the princess, too. Aurora.”
Mention of her name turns my mouth dry. “You wouldn’t be wrong to include her.”
He winks at me. “I know.”
So playful, yet there’s a cunning alertness behind his demeanor, like he’s testing the waters to see how far I’m willing to go.
“Did you ever meet Savannah?” I ask.
His tongue pauses on the tip of the spoon. His eyes sparkle when they meet mine. “Hello, scandal. Nice to meet you. I love where your head’s at.”
I don’t take it as a compliment. “Well? Did you?”
“Of course. Super sweet and quiet until she started dating Thorne. Then she became a little like the rest of that crew, high and mighty under the belief that they’re so important when, in reality, no one knows who the fuck they are outside of Winthorpe.”
I nod. It’s the same story Aiko told me. I’ve since discovered Savannah’s change in demeanor wasn’t due to Thorne, but her admission into the Virtues. She might’ve been like me, thinking initiation was the worst part. Until you became a senior and realized there were more dangerous “tasks” to complete to keep your position in the Societies.
“Do you think Thorne had something to do with her disappearance?”
Zeke meets my eyes again, calculating. “He’s hosting a Halloween party this weekend. His dad’s traveling on some European business or something. Are you invited? Because I’m sure as hell not.”
Though Zeke’s ignored another question of mine, I shake my head in the middle of another scoff. “I wouldn’t go if he paid me.”
“No? I hear there are passageways from your house to his. Have you ever tried them?”
My shoulders stiffen. I stare at him harder, my expression communicating the question that’s already running through my mind. I’ve only used them once to attend the Briar ball, mostly as entry and exit points. But now there’s a party, where Thorne will be distracted and, if the heavens are on my side, drunk and stoned. I could sneak in and search the upper levels. The police never did get their warrant. The Briar mansion has never been snooped around for anything to do with Savannah.
And Thorne, as cocky as he is, might have a few trophies he kept from his relationship with her. His father might have some, too—records of the Societies’ activities. Something to indicate Savannah’s participation in the Virtues, maybe even documentation of the challenges she had to do and the last one she completed before she went missing. If she disappeared because of it.
Because of them. The Briars.
Holy fuck. This could be the perfect time to break into Damion Briar’s office. I’ve always wanted to, but with Thorne being so familiar with the passages and very alert to any retaliation from me for taking away the Marks scholarship, I never saw a chance until now.
“It appears I’ve just given you the greatest orgasm of your life.” Zeke beams, and with the opening into the Briars he just gave me, I beam back.
“You know what? I think I might attend that party,” I say, then gesture to the sundae. “Pass that over, will you?”
He nudges the dessert in my direction, the scoops keeping their formation in the chilly weather. I grab the spoon from his hands. The guy only brought one, which was deliberate, I’m sure. Yet his innocent attention is nice and not nearly as hot and suffocating as Thorne’s. Zeke’s my warm blanket. Thorne is my inferno.
When the ice cream hits my tongue, it turns my teeth to ice. I shiver.
“Mind if I join you on your adventures?” Zeke asks, leaning back on his hands and tipping his head to the gray sky. Good luck finding any sun. “I do love party crashing, especially when it comes to my enemy.”
“Of course.” I wriggle excitedly in my position, my plans falling into place as easily as magnets coming together. It’s obvious Zeke has his own strategy with Thorne, but if ours currently align, what’s the harm in bringing him along for the ride? “You can be my date.”
Zeke belts out another genuine laugh. “Oh, he’ll love that.”
“Exactly.” I smile, licking the spoon until it’s clean.
20
Ember
Malcolm hasn’t returned from business in China, so I eat tonight’s dinner alone in my room. I’d managed to get through afternoon classes but skipped swim practice, where I knew Thorne waited. Winthorpe is a huge campus—I’d managed to avoid him for the rest of the day, but when it comes to the pool deck, there are only so many places I can hide, and I can only hold my breath underwater for so long.
I didn’t want to hear what he had to say. Not until I was finished processing Aurora’s actions in my own head before Thorne added his calculated ministrations to it. I’m sure he has some mental gymnastics in mind to convince me to question what really happened or that the Virtues saved me, not the other way around. He’s a Noble, through and through. Thorne’s loyalty is to the Societies, and he’s had no problem telling me as much.
Besides, I have the sleepover with Aiko to think about and then Thorne’s party on Saturday. Both require my focus since either could lead to clues about Savannah.