No one could argue Rainey won this round. And possibly the next three coming.
“It’s almost seven,” Legend said, shattering the reprieve. “You should get dressed and eat something. We want to be there early to scope it out.”
My head bobbed on her sigh. “Okay. I’m up.” She kissed me again. “You’re right. You are excellent at distractions.”
She wriggled out to leave and I was two steps behind her. That morning, she was sharing her shower with me.
RAINEY
“You alright, de Souza?”
He wasn’t talking about the hitch in my step, courtesy of Jacques.
“I’m scared, Legend.”
Together, we passed a couple riding bikes and tossing conversation back and forth. You could almost believe we were as carefree. Legend held me close, rubbing slow circles on my throat, and I relaxed my head on his shoulder—drawing in all the comfort he’d give me.
“I’m scared, and it pisses me off. I hate that he has this power over me,” I cried. “With a single note, he can tell me to go here or do that. He can take a perfect morning with Jacques and... Well, I don’t know and... What am I about to walk into?”
“Whatever it is, you’re not walking into it alone.”
I tilted up to him. “You can be sweet when you want to.”
“I thought I saved that for Roan?”
“Hmm. I must be growing on you.”
“Don’t know about that,” he mused. “I’d put my money on your skills around a blow job.”
“We’ll see who’s right.”
Our flirting kept up till we came in sight of Homer Green.
Bedlam Hall dominated the quad. Rising higher than its surrounding buildings, it boasted refinement in its spires, history in the molding, and memories in the famed graduation photos that took place on its steps.
Together we climbed those steps. On the third, we stopped in the midst of student traffic and turned toward the green.
“How much time left?” I wiped damp palms on my skirt.
“Twenty minutes.”
Legend’s gaze was hard, sweeping the expanse for a sign of... anything.
Students stretched out on the grass eating breakfast, doing homework, catching up with friends. It was another normal morning, barring the ten security guards I counted, then counted again.
“What did Roan tell his mom for her to approve more security?”
“He mentioned Jeremy got his ass handed to him the other night and he’s not taking it well. There’s already been a car fire and two young women beaten in broad daylight. She approved more security for the entire campus.”
“Good.”
I lit on a blond guy smoking at the bottom of the steps and bore a hole in his skull. He must’ve felt it because he looked up, saw me staring, and made faces at me. When he saw I wasn’t letting up, he loped off.
I didn’t look away till he rounded a corner and was gone.
“I haven’t met the dean in person yet. What’s Roan’s mom like?”
“Distraction?”
“Please.”
He answered, though neither of us stopped searching.
“She’s everything you’d expect of a woman in power. Tough, doesn’t take any shit, but also fair and has a wicked sense of humor.”
“I can’t forget what Roan said. That even he knew not to test his mom.”
“I did mention she doesn’t take any shit.”
I bit my lip, nerves tingling my skin as I physically felt the seconds counting down.
“Should we have told her the whole story?” I burst out. “Or the police? Secrecy isn’t worth it if it gets people hurt.”
“Hey.” His hand slipped into mind. “The truth can cause just as much damage, Rainey. Trust me.”
“In Bedlam there are diamonds.”
“I do,” I said. “That much I trust.”
“Plus, we talked about this. All we have is an old photo and a radio host. We can’t point the police at anyone. We can’t give them details or a target,” he said. “All they would do is exactly what security is doing. Keeping an eye out.”
“I know you’re right, Legend, but I can’t relax.” My chest constricted. “Because it’s eight o’clock.”
Legend and I didn’t utter another sound. His only move was to stand closer to me, drawing me in as if shielding me from a coming threat. Legend’s speech that night in his bedroom came back to me.
“You did indulge your little fantasy that we were your boyfriends. Well, let me be the one to break it to you, this is all there is. We’re not waiting for you at the end of it. There won’t be grand confessions of love, or sweet speeches about wanting you all along, and now we can finally be together.”
I wrapped my arms around his waist, loosening as he held me tighter. So that’s why you tell lies, St. James. You believe the truth is too dangerous. If only your actions were let in on the deception.
“Do you see anything?” he asked.
“No. Nothing out of the ordinary.”
A minute passed.
Two minutes.
Five.
Ten.
“Was this a trick?” I spun around, searching the faces coming out of the hall. “What’s the point of making me stand here?”