6

Kennedy rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on. That’s just jealousy from other students who don’t have what it takes to become a member. They’re all smart, rich, powerful, and good-looking. Dreamy, if you ask me. I have my sights set on at least two of them.”
Of course she did.
Jealousy wasn’t the word I’d use. The boys who made it through the grueling initiations the older members forced them to endure became nothing more than bullies on steroids. They were some of the most entitled people I’d ever met in my life. I hated every one of them, although I had to admit more than one of them had appeared in my raunchy stories. If only they knew what the quiet girl could dream up in her imagination. “They wear all black, for God’s sake. Doesn’t that tell you something? I think they’re Devil worshippers.”
She rolled her eyes, flopping down on the couch beside me. “Don’t be childish. It’s a uniform of sorts.”
Uh-huh. I’d seen them walking in groups through campus, taking up the entire sidewalk, forcing students to move aside or be shoved. They were typical bullies in every sense of the word. “Demonic creatures,” I teased. “And I heard about their initiations. Brutal. I’m shocked a single boy ever considers joining their motley crew. Don’t they drink the blood of animals or something?”
“Where do you get this stuff?”
I shrugged, taking a sip of my soda. “I hear things. I’m not the wallflower you think I am.”
She smiled slyly. “So true. I assure you that they aren’t demon spirits. But they do throw the most incredible, kickass parties on campus. It’s the end of the year. Remember? You need to live a little.”
She was right about living a little, something I’d never been allowed to do. I chewed on my lower lip as I thought about her offer. Students of the Elite lived in a massive estate on the outskirts of the property, the fifty acres sectioned off from the rest of the students. They even had their own stables that housed incredible horses. I’d always wanted to see inside, but not as one of their ‘girls’. “What is this party?”
“Just a party. Come on. As I said, you need to live a little. It’s going to be the event of the year,” she taunted. “You’re going to graduate and leave me. Please come with me?”
“Begging isn’t going to help.”
“What if I clean the room until the end of the year?”
“Oh, that’s a lame gesture. Besides, I have nothing to wear.” Which was true. I preferred jeans, sweatshirts, and tennis shoes, enjoying the comfort they provided. It also allowed me anonymity in a sea of wealth and power.
“I’ll loan you a dress and heels. We are the same size.” She pouted her lips again. I swear the girl could get anything she wanted.
I glared at her, knowing that when she put something in her mind, she refused to give up on it. “What are they doing at this party? Sacrificing a pig or something?”
“Girl, for God’s sake. You really do need to get out more. It’s just about music, hot men, and plenty of booze. We can flirt to our heart’s desire.”
“I don’t drink.”
“One glass of wine or champagne isn’t going to kill you.”
“They’re not allowed to have alcohol at these parties.”
“And you know rules don’t apply to the Elite. They can do anything they want to do.”
Her statement was true enough. The administrators always looked the other way since the facility was private. But that didn’t make it right. From what I’d heard, the members were perverted as well as dangerous, some of the members sons of mafia leaders. “I don’t know.”
“Pretty please. I would really prefer to have you with me. You know, a friend?” She batted her long eyelashes, as if that technique would work on me.
“Fine. But only for an hour.”
“Yay! Let me grab the dress I thought of. I can’t wait to see you all dolled up.”
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been dressed up.
As soon as she scurried off, I heard my phone and sighed, forced to race into my bedroom where I’d tossed my purse after getting back from class. I was certain it was my mother’s regular three-day check-in. She’d remained nervous even after all this time. I turned on a light, then caught the call on the fourth ring.
“Hello, Mom,” I said, without bothering to look at the screen.
“Baby girl. How is everything?” As usual, her voice was chipper. Connie Summers never allowed her guard to drop, even with her own daughter. She was everything I wasn’t. Popular. The light in a room. The life of a party. Beautiful. Accomplished. I felt like the ugly duckling beside her.
“It’s good, just like it was three days ago.” I narrowed my eyes and walked closer to the nightstand, my breath catching. A red Maria petal.
A cold shiver trickled down my spine. It was the second one I’d found in three weeks. I hadn’t paid attention to the first, thinking I’d rubbed against a bush, but the way it had been placed directly in the center of the small table wasn’t natural.
My mother jabbered on as I pulled it closer, taking a deep whiff. The scent was incredible, one of the sweetest fragrances I’d inhaled.
“You make it sound like you’re upset that I check on my daughter.”
I closed my eyes, positioning the petal exactly where I’d found it.
Then I turned around in a full circle, trying to process what she’d just said.
“Um… No, I’m not upset, but you can stop worrying about me now. I’ll be home for the summer in less than two weeks.” Sighing, I walked toward the window, looking out at the sprawling grounds of the campus. I could almost see the Elite’s estate through the massive tree line.
“Both your father and I are coming for graduation.”
I exhaled but the shivers continued. “That’s good.”
“Are you okay, baby? You sound strange.”
“Uh… no. You know me, Mom. I worry about the finals.”
Ice continued to prickle my skin. I scanned the room, noticing one of my drawers was open just a crack. I was anal retentive about organization, maybe slightly psychotic about how I left my things. I never left a drawer open. My legs felt like lead as I walked closer, tentative about opening it.
When I did, nothing jumped out at me, but I sensed someone had been in my room. In fact, I would swear it on a Bible. I closed my eyes briefly, certain two nights before someone had stood over me, watching me sleep. I’d jerked out of a dream to find my window open, which I hadn’t remembered doing. The whole thing had left me with a creepy feeling.
She laughed, the sound practiced and perfect. “You need to stop worrying. You are my brilliant daughter.”
“How’s Dad?”
“Traveling as usual.”
I sorted through the drawer, then realized my crimson panties were missing. Part of what my mother liked to call my neurosis was that I had to wear a matching panty and bra. The lacy bra remained exactly where I’d placed it, but the panties were missing. “I, um… I thought he was slowing down.”
“Just a couple more trips and he’ll stop traveling altogether.”
Now raw fear tore through me. I’d had the feeling of being watched for as long as I could remember, but I’d forced myself to think otherwise. What if it was true? What if there were cameras placed in the suite? The thought wasn’t farfetched. “That’s good.”
“Alright. I can tell you’re in the middle of something. I can’t wait to see you. What are your plans for the weekend?”
I could lie and say studying in my room, but maybe it was time my mother realized I was growing up and out of my parents’ shadow. “I’m going to a party tonight.” I moved into the bathroom, yanking open the hamper lid, tossing clothes right and left. My thong definitely wasn’t there.
My heart raced and I spun around, looking for any obvious signs someone had been in the shared bathroom.
The glitch in her shocked sigh caught me off guard. “You don’t want to do that.”
“It’s not off campus. Just a little get together with friends.” Now, I was lying. I would never call members of the Damned my friends.
Her hesitation created a wave of tension. “Honey, you need to be careful.”
“Mom. I’m twenty-one now, not a child any longer. Need I remind you that I’ve been a very good girl?” Now, I rolled my eyes. My parents were far too protective. I wasn’t as breakable as they assumed I was.
“It’s not you I’m worried about. There are some very bad people in this world.”
Tell me something I hadn’t already heard about a thousand times or more. “Mom. It’s a party located in the most secure facility on earth. Nothing is going to happen. Okay?”
Another hesitation. It drove me nuts. “Just tell me you’ll call me tomorrow. Okay?”
Exhaling, I returned to the main room, trying to control my breathing.
I wanted to be frustrated with her, but I was aware of the threats my parents had received over the years, although they’d surprised me given my father owned a food distribution firm and restaurant in Chicago. Yes, my parents were extremely wealthy, but why the threats? My dad was a down-to-earth guy. “I will. I promise.”
Threats. Did the invasion of my privacy have something to do with my father? Get a grip, Ava . Maybe they’re folded in your jeans.
“Okay, darling. Just remember your father and I worry about you.”
“I know. I gotta go now. Love ya, Mom.” I tossed my phone onto the sofa, chewing on my lower lip.
As Kennedy returned with a dress in her hand, I shook my head. Maybe for one night it was okay to shove aside the shy girl who barely talked to anyone. I could consider the dress just another costume. The bashful girl wasn’t the kind of woman I wanted to be.
The inner bad girl wanted to be the wild vixen I wrote about in my stories. But as much as I wanted to let go, the nagging remained.
“What do you think?” she asked as she shifted the gorgeous red dress back and forth like a prize.
“I think it’s fabulous.” My tone was flat.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, her face falling.
I folded my arms. “I think someone has been in our suite more than once.”
She opened then closed her mouth, her eyes wider than before. “Why would you think that?”
“There was a Maria petal on my nightstand just like the one I found a few weeks ago. And a pair of my panties has gone missing.”
I wasn’t certain how she’d react, but when she smiled and rolled her eyes, I was surprised. “Oh, come on. Why would anyone come into a dorm room?”
That was the question. “Have you seen any evidence of cameras?”
“Of course not! Girl. I think you’re just overstressed and I know you’ve been working yourself to death. You’ll find your undies tomorrow. Now, can we go have a little fun?”
Maybe she was right. I’d slept maybe three hours a night for weeks.
“You’re right. So, will you help me with my makeup and hair?”
Kennedy beamed. “I would love to.”