Lust (The Elite Seven #1)(33)

“Relax. Let’s give it thirty minutes,” Pride says, studying the room.

“Twenty,” Envy and Wrath say in unison.

My phone beeps with a text message.

Chastity: So sorry. Can’t make it. Stuck at the house. Another time.

Unbelievable.

Waving my phone up, I turn for the exit. “How about one minute.”

“Oh, Romeo, get stood up?” Envy hoots.

“She’s on house arrest.”

“So break her out.” Envy grins mischievously.

“Anyone know where the dean lives?” I huff, only half joking.

We pile into Pride’s car and take off toward town.

“I know where he lives,” Envy chirps.

Of course he does.



Mist coats the road as night descends, bringing with it a chill to the air.

“Take a right here, then the second left,” Envy directs.

We pull down a road with tall, modern houses—nothing like I’d expect her to live in. “That one.”

“Do we want to know how you know this?” Wrath shivers, the nip in the air closing in.

“I think his wife is fit.”

All heads swivel judgingly toward him.

Holding up his hands, he wrinkles his forehead. “Chill out. I was walking past one night on my way to a friend’s house and saw her in the window. Jeez.”

Pride slows the car to a stop and I get out, raking my eyes over the structure.

One of the windows on the first floor is open. The curtains billow in the gentle breeze, giving us glimpses of a pink room and Chastity pacing while she reads from a book in her hand.

“Good luck,” Wrath calls from the car before they take off, wheels squealing and kicking up dirt, leaving me on the side of the road. Motherfuckers. Walking home is going to suck.

Giving my attention back to the window, I find Chastity staring at me through the gap, her eyes wide and jaw slack.

She disappears, then reappears, typing something on her phone.

A second later, mine beeps.

Chastity: What are you doing here? My father will freak if he sees you.”

Me: Maggie’s was a snoozefest. Only person there I wanted to see didn’t show.

I wave my hand to get her to come down and talk to me, but she shakes her head vehemently.

Chastity: My dad is mad at me and will ground me for life.

I want to remind her she’s eighteen, but like with my own father, they have pull over us with money and a roof over our heads.

Me: I’ll come up.

I can sense her panic before I see it on her pale face.

Pointing to a flower trellis attached to the side of her house, I move to it and give it a shake. It wobbles slightly, but should be okay.

I make it up after two near misses, the lattice grill snapping underfoot. The roof juts out, bordering the first floor, giving me easy access to get to her window.

She’s shaking and searching the grounds as she pokes nearly half her body out the window.

“Hey,” I say, breathing heavy and wiping dirt off my hands.

“You’re insane,” she pants.

“Or romantic.” I quirk a brow.

Snorting, she says, “Yes, very Romeo of you.”

As I move toward her, my foot slips on moss, my stomach dips.

I reach out for purchase of her windowsill, but miss.

Her arms flail to reach for me, but it’s too late. I slip, meeting air, then land on her front lawn with a heavy thud.

My ribs roar, flaring in pain as I land directly on my side.

“Motherfucker,” I croak.

The porch lights flick on, and I hear movement.

Getting hastily to my feet, I make for the brush surrounding the property and dive for cover as the door opens.

“Hello?” a deep baritone barks.

Just when I think I’ve gotten away with it and he retreats, my phone beeps.

“Who’s there?” he shouts.

I take off on crouched knees through the thicket of bush, the twigs and debris scratching holes into my jeans. If it didn’t hurt like a son of a bitch, this shit would be hilarious—something I’m definitely not sharing with the group.

When silence is my only company, I stand, brush myself off, and tug my phone out.

Chastity: Romeo, Romeo, where art thou?

Me: Parting is such sweet sorrow that I shall say goodnight till it be morrow.

Chastity: You’ve been reading.

Me: Listening. It’s the only thing that helps me sleep. I’ve been meaning to thank you for that.

Chastity: So thank me.

Me: I will in person.

Chastity: How about tomorrow night?

Me: Name the place.

Chastity: Meet me at the end of my street. Eight o’clock.

Me: Done.

Chastity: Goodnight, Rhett Masters.

Me: Goodnight, Chastity Griffin.





Ignoring the incoming call from God, I slip my car into park at the end of Chastity’s street and get out.

Last night, I slept like a baby. No drugs needed. This audio reading from Chastity has been a revelation.

Her voice lulls me into a state of calm.

She’s doing things to me, and I don’t know how this is all going to play out once my part is completed.

Guilt eats away at me when I see her bounding toward me.