The Black Coats(35)

She pulled back from him to look into his wild eyes. “Look for a campus-wide email soon.”

Arthur’s lower lip began quivering. “Why are you doing this to me?”

Mirabelle rolled her eyes as she climbed off the bed. “Ugh, you are possibly the most revolting person I’ve ever met.”

Thea’s hazel eyes caught Bea’s, and she nodded. Bea stepped forward and knelt in front of Arthur. With the black hood pulled up and her glasses removed, she looked like some sort of mysterious druid. “Arthur?” He sat up and looked at her, his eyes red-rimmed and his face desperate—signs that it was the perfect time to move Bea into place. Arthur needed an ally, and she was going to be the good cop to Mirabelle’s bad one.

“Hi, Arthur. I know you’re having a bad night. I’m here to help you. Can you take a deep breath?”

He took a jagged breath, followed by a choked sob. “Yes.”

Thea almost felt bad for him. In this moment he seemed like a scared child. Then she remembered some of the photographs she had seen in the file, and her stomach turned. Empathy melted away.

Bea gave Arthur a kind grin. “Can you press on my hand?”

Arthur reached out his trembling hand, laying it on her own. “Close your eyes.” Bea waited a moment before violently yanking her hand away from his, speaking the word “Sleep.” Arthur fell backward onto the bed. “That’s it. Deeper, deeper, all the way down the rabbit hole. One, going even deeper now. Two, you, Arthur Brewe, are never, ever going to do this to women again. You won’t even be able to imagine doing this to a woman. You are going to turn yourself in, leave this college, and never come back to academia.”

Bea placed her hands on either side of his head. “Three, in a few minutes, you will wake up with a very fuzzy memory of what happened here tonight. You did this to your room when you were drunk.” She gently released him, childlike snorts changing to moans as he rolled over on his side. Bea nodded at Thea. “It’s done.”

Mirabelle shook her head. “I was hoping for more magic.”

Thea was the last one out. She paused, her eyes resting on the clock above his bed. It had been fifteen minutes since they’d pushed through his door. Fifteen minutes, and they had changed for the better the lives of one terrible man and dozens of girls.

Thea shut the door behind her, and Team Banner made its way through the dorm and out into the parking lot. There was the roar of an engine behind them and they were bathed in headlights as Casey pulled the car forward. Thea didn’t need to wait for direction. She spun, throwing open the back door before shoving the girls inside, her momentum sending her skidding across the soft leather. Thea’s door wasn’t even shut before Casey was pulling out of the lot and onto the open road that bordered it. Thea let out a breath of relief when her back sank against the cool leather. As they soared home, the car was bursting with joy and disbelief.

“That was amazing!” Casey punched the steering wheel.

“Did you see his face,” laughed Bea, “when Mirabelle told him to sit still?” Casey opened the window and leaned her head out. “Team Banner! Yeaaah!”

Thea leaned against the seat, letting the warmth of their bodies hold her tight as Casey opened up the roof, her heart intoxicated with excitement. She wanted to do it again. And again. She lifted her voice in a cheer as Team Banner soared out into the night, their coats flapping in the breeze.





Fourteen


“Hey, what are you thinking about?” Drew poked her with a sandaled foot.

It had been two weeks since their first Balancing, and finally Thea was getting some time with him. This perfect day found them lying in her backyard on a plaid throw, soaking in the sunshine and studying for their upcoming Spanish test together. Well, thought Thea, one of them was anyway. Claiming he was hot, Drew had lost his shirt and was now lying on his stomach, his head bent over the decaying textbook and his body propped up on muscled arms. His skin was tanned gold and dotted with a few freckles, and as he studied, her boyfriend somehow turned into a sun-drenched god. He looked over at her and smiled before flipping over onto his back, his arms stretched above his head so that his ab muscles were on full display. Good Lord. Thea almost laughed. This was getting ridiculous. She sat back on the blanket and took him in, sunglasses thankfully covering her eyes. Not only could she let her eyes appreciate him more than they should, but the shades also masked her emotions as she relived the last two weeks.

The Black Coats consumed her every thought. Even now, when a superattractive male—who also happened to be one of the kindest people she had ever met—was stretched out next to her, her mind returned to Arthur Brewe’s Balancing and the ones that had followed swiftly behind it. She had a bad habit of going over every little moment, evaluating what they had done wrong and what they had done right, trying to figure out how to best lead her team for the next one.

Four times now, Thea had waited at the window, the sound of Mirabelle’s car coming down the street raising her arm hairs in anticipation. The adrenaline of the Black Coats was potent, and the righteous feeling of serving justice was addicting. Thea felt like she was a live wire, sparking with excitement.

From far away, she heard someone calling her name. She felt a warm hand touch her shin. “Thea, where are you? Hey!” Drew reached out and leaned against her calf.