Corrupt(41)

“I don’t like drugs or drug houses,” he admitted. “Drugs are a crutch for people too ignorant to self-destruct on their own.”

I pinched my eyebrows together. “What do you mean? Why would anyone want to self-destruct in the first place?”

He held my gaze, and I thought he was going to answer the question, but then he walked around me, toward the car.

I shook my head, disappointed that I didn’t seem to understand what he was trying to say.

“Let’s go!” he bellowed, and everyone piled back into the car. I spared one last glance at the house, seeing it light up the night sky, and I smiled, hoping Kai had been on the phone calling the fire department.

He climbed in the driver’s seat, and I opened the door behind him, ready to climb in my seat, but I was yanked back, and the door whipped close right in front of my face.

My breath caught in my throat, and the next thing I knew my back was slamming into the car.

“Why did he bring you along?”

Damon scowled down at me, and I searched his face, confusion wracking my brain.

“What?” I gasped out.

“And why did he take you into the catacombs today?”

What was his problem?

“Why don’t you ask him?” I threw back. “Maybe he’s bored.”

His eyelids thinned, glaring at me. “What did you two talk about today?”

What the hell?

“Do you interrogate every person Michael talks to?” I charged.

He shot into my face, growling out his whisper. “I’ve never seen him give a hand-held tour of a f*ck party before. Or bring someone along on Devil’s Night. This is ours, so why are you here?”

I remained silent, gluing my teeth together. I had no idea what to say or even think. I was under the impression Damon, Will, and Kai were on board with this when Michael picked me up earlier.

Were Will and Kai angry as well?

“Don’t think you’re special,” he sneered. “Lots of women get him. No one keeps him.”

I held his eyes, making sure not to let him see me falter.

“Rika,” Michael called. “Get over here.”

Damon kept his eyes locked on me for another moment and then backed away, letting me leave. I sucked in a breath, realizing my heart was pounding like a bass drum. I dived around the back of the car to meet Michael on the passenger side.

He opened the door and climbed in, tossing his mask to Will and then turning his eyes on me.

He wasn’t driving?

“Come here.” He held out his hand.

I inched closer and then gasped as he pulled me into the car, onto his lap, draping my legs across his.

What? I hooked a quick arm around his neck for support, my ass planted on his thighs.

“What are you doing? I asked, shocked.

“We need the room in the back,” he said, pulling the door closed.

“Why?”

He let out an aggravated sigh. “Your f*cking mouth never stops, does it?”

I heard Kai snort, and I shot my eyes up, seeing him grinning as he turned the ignition.

Why had they switched seats? I could just as easily have sat in Kai’s lap.

Not that I was complaining.

I let Michael pull me in, my back against his chest, and I blinked long and slow, soaking up whatever was rushing underneath my skin.

His hand rested on my thigh while his other texted on his phone, his thumb jutting out a mile a minute.

“Let’s go,” he told Kai. “Hurry up.”

My jaw ached with a smile as Kai took off. I didn’t know what the hell was next, but all of a sudden, I was having a lot of fun.





Present



ANTHROPOLOGY OF YOUTH CULTURE.

I walked into my first class of this course, already jaded that I’d set myself up for failure. Either I’d relate to it too much or not enough.

Sure, I’d seen plenty of youth culture in my short years. The Horsemen in high school and the hierarchy they dictated. The mob mentality of the hazing events on the basketball team and whatever went on down in the catacombs.

The way the guys schemed as much as the girls, and the way we’d all been mirrors of our parents in some way. The few leaders and the many followers? and the only way you could be strong was if you weren’t alone.

And then there was Devil’s Night. The way much of our town looked the other way and let the youths have that one evening of mischief.

Youth culture in Thunder Bay was a snake pit. Tread lightly with no sudden movements or someone would strike. Unless you were a one of the Horsemen, of course.

But that didn’t mean I really knew anything of youth culture, either. My hometown population was largely wealthy and well-connected. That wasn’t the average. How much of a threat would you be without money? connections, and daddy? Was the playing field more level without those perks?

That’s what I was trying to find out. Without my family name and their money, without my connections and their protection, what was I capable of?

That’s why I’d left Brown and Trevor and the culture I’d grown accustomed to. To find out if I was a follower or a leader. And I doubted I’d stop until I’d proven it was the latter.

I walked down the carpeted stairs into the auditorium, scanning the tan seats for a place to sit. Which was difficult.