She took a sip of her drink, the corners of her lips turning up as she sucked. “I think the bastard needs to go down.”
My eyes widened, amusement tickling my mouth. “Whoa, Josie. Dial back the badass. That’s supposed to be my title.”
Rolling her eyes, she ducked under a branch hanging in our path as we cut through the courtyard. “I swear you and Micah are made for each other.”
“Thank you, I think,” I replied as we approached building D3, not far from the common hall library. Josie, knowing my need to get a nicotine fix before class, sat down at an empty bench under a large dogwood tree no longer in bloom. I took a seat as well, leaving enough space between us that she wouldn’t be clouded with cigarette smoke, and set my coffee on the grass. “I can’t believe I slept with him.” Pulling a pack from my bag, I took a slim stick out and stuck it between my lips before reaching for my lighter.
“I had the same feeling about Brock, and look how that turned out.”
I flicked my lighter and lit the end. “If you’re suggesting that Sterling is my endgame, I’ll take you out right here in front of the business building,” I threatened.
She laughed. Josie had one of those laughs that was naturally sexy and girly at the same time. It only made her cuter. “God, no. I was only saying that you’re not the only girl to have those kinds of feelings about a guy she’s slept with.”
I exhaled smoke from my lungs, watching it drift into the air. “What does that say about us as females?”
Josie crossed her legs and leaned into the wooden planks at our back. “That we’re human and we make mistakes, and those mistakes make the best learning lessons.”
Smoking usually calmed me to some degree. Not today. “So you’re saying we’re also attending the school of hard knocks. Good times.”
“This probably isn’t any consolation, but Micah only wanted to protect you. I’m sure he didn’t want to worry you if the picture he found turned out to be nothing.”
Letting out a long sigh, I took another drag. “But it isn’t nothing, is it?” When she didn’t reply, I continued to speak my thoughts out loud. “I just wish Sterling would tell me what it is he wants from me. Other than to torment me, that is.” It felt good to unload.
She eyed me, a corner of her mouth sinking. “Micah will figure it out.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.” I checked the time on my phone. We had about five minutes until class started.
“It’s not easy dating an Elite.”
This I already knew. Had told her the same thing last year when I warned her about the Elite, and yet despite knowing the difficulties that followed the four of them around, I still chose to start a relationship with Micah. One thing was for certain… “There are too many fucking secrets floating around in this group. We need to get together and… I don’t know… share notes. Brainstorm. Have a bitch session.”
A glimmer of intrigue sparked in the center of Josie’s eyes. “The guys will never go for that,” she said, shooting me down.
“You’re right, but that doesn’t meanwecan’t. The Elite have their inner circle. Who says we can’t have ours? You never know, maybe we’ll uncover shit the guys missed.”
As a girl who should have majored in criminal law instead of child and adolescent psychology—which, considering her background, made total sense—I would have thought the idea of a little detective work would pique her interest. “You’re not talking about using yourself as bait, are you?” she asked, disapproval lacing her tone.
“Maybe,” I admitted, staring at the bright, burning end of my cigarette. “The only thing I am certain of is I’m not willing to just wait around until Sterling decides to hurt Micah. And after what Micah did on Friday night, Sterling might be interested in a little revenge.”
“From personal experience, that’s usually how this shit pans out.” She thought over it for another few moments. “Let’s do it. We’ll get Kenna and Ainsley on board. Those two are always down for trouble and formulating some ideas.”
My expression filled with gratitude. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”
“You’ll never have to find out. We’re family, and you’re kind of stuck with me.” Her shoulder lightly bumped mine. “I would hug you, but you smell like an ashtray.”
“You’re the worst.” I laughed. “We should probably go in.” I took one last inhale of my smoke before putting it out in the dirt and tossing it into the trash when we walked into class.
“If we do this, that means you’ll have to see Sterling,” she said as we rounded the doorway into the classroom already half full of our peers—a bunch of eager beavers. There was punctual, which I loved being, and then there was exuberant. I preferred to show up in that window of not too early but not too late.
“I know.” A tiny shudder rolled through me. How the fuck had I ever been attracted to him? Even for a split second? I suppressed another shudder that threatened to make its way down my spine.
“And Micah?” she asked with an undertone that I didn’t want to unravel.
“I’ll handle him,” I replied softly, taking a seat in the back of the room. “Besides, he’s also keeping shit from me.”
“When aren’t they?” Josie muttered, unearthing her laptop as the instructor walked in.
When aren’t they indeed?