Broken Trust: A Dark High School Romance(16)
She laughed a fake laugh, and the sound grated on my ears. “You act like I had something to do with your little tramp’s striptease. I promise, I was just as shocked as everyone else.” She paused, grinning like a shark. “Besides, isn’t poor orphan Riley on the outs with you all now? So why do you care who pulls innocent little pranks on her?”
She cocked her head to the side, and I had to resist the urge not to kill her on the spot. “We don’t. But you’re acting childish and Delta has no use for children, so cut it out.”
This actually seemed to offend her, and she raised her chin as though to argue the subject with me further.
“I have more important places to be,” I told her in a bored voice. “Go torture someone else with your whining.”
Without waiting for her response, I headed across the parking lot and slid into my car. Our attendance at Ducis was becoming a bit of a joke since Riley had started, but we’d all graduate regardless.
Katelyn was proving a bigger problem than I’d first given her credit for … which meant she needed to be dealt with. If only Delta council would let us handle her.
I hesitated a moment before starting my car, my head filled with images of Riley’s determined, beautiful face as she cut her deal with Jasper.
Fucking Judas. Not that I blamed him… I’d rather she forgive him than stay mad at all of us. She needed some people in her camp to get her through all the shitty crap that came with Delta, and if it couldn’t be me, then I was glad it was Jasper.
Unable to stop myself, I opened my phone and tapped out a message to her, hitting send before I could talk myself out of it.
Me: Riles, baby, are you okay? Where the fuck did you go?
It made me sound like a pussy whipped prick, and I didn’t even care.
8
We’d barely even left the academy when Eddy started blowing up my phone. I’d changed my mind again about keeping her at arm’s length for multiple reasons, but high on that list was her own safety, so I rejected all her calls and ignored her messages. Catherine’s threat to break Eddy’s fingers still echoed around my head, and it made me nauseous to think she might actually be hurt to force my compliance.
Still, it was a moot point when Jasper immediately took her call and told her where we were.
“Really?” I muttered, glaring at him when he hung up.
He frowned in confusion, tilting his head to the side. “What? Why are you pissy at Eddy? She didn’t know anything about … uh … you know.”
My glare flattened out further. “About the four of you playing me so I’d trust you enough that I wouldn’t see the corner you were backing me into until it was too late? I never thought she did. Eddy wasn’t faking our friendship.” My voice was dry and harsh, not bothering to hide my residual anger.
Jasper’s mouth tightened, and he dropped his gaze from mine in a clear sign of guilt. “We weren’t faking it, Riles,” he murmured with a sigh. “Not totally. Or … not at the end.”
Ignoring that statement, I pulled up in front of a very impressive apartment complex, and I got out of the car to find Stewart already waiting for me on the sidewalk.
“Miss Riley,” he said, his eyes twinkling as he took a step closer.
I reached out and hugged him, because we were kindred spirits. Both trapped and working for Catherine Debitch. Stew cleared his throat as he stepped back before he held a bag out to me. “I brought clothes as requested, and the rest of your wardrobe is being packed up as we speak. You’ll be ready to move the moment you find an apartment.”
Not a moment too soon. I slipped back into Jasper’s car, and ruffled through my bag, finding jeans to slip on under Jasper’s hoodie. There were shoes as well, which I pulled on, and then I was good to apartment hunt.
The one I was after was on the third floor, which was also the top floor, and we had to go past a doorman, who asked for identification before we could access the elevator. The agent was waiting for us inside, and after a quick greeting, I moved straight to the huge bay windows that were a centerpiece of the main living area.
“It’s a million dollar view,” the agent gushed, moving in next to me. “Not to mention the hardwood floors, fireplace, and top notch security.”
I didn’t bother to join her in the over enthusiastic speech, I just nodded. “We’ll take it,” I said with a tight smile. The apartment was gorgeous, but even more importantly, it wasn’t near Catherine. “Stew, can you do the paperwork stuff?” I looked to where the silver haired, well suited gentleman was standing politely near the door.
He gave me a small nod then turned a charming smile on the agent. “Shall we?” He indicated for her to join him at the dining table to sign the necessary papers. “I believe Miss Riley would like to move in immediately, so we had best get going on these papers.”
The agent spluttered something about bank transfers and keys, but I tuned them out as I turned my attention back to the view. Stewart had assured me that if I liked something, he’d use the force of Delta to ensure I’d move in on the same day. Money talked.
“So this is the one, huh?” Jasper commented, joining me as I wandered out to the balcony and leaned on the railing. I nodded, and he gave me a lopsided smile. “Nice.”