11. Maddison

Maddison

T he drive to the academy is quiet. The driver makes no effort to talk to us, and River and I are content with that. River sends a text at the beginning of the drive, but other than that, we both just sit in the silence. It’s not awkward. It’s comfortable. I’d probably fall asleep, but so many things are running through my mind, like an out of control merry-go-round. Could this necklace in my bag be the real deal? If so, what does that mean? And what about that guy in the grocery store? Why was he acting so weird about my aunt?

And then comes the other questions …

Ones about River.

He is gorgeous, that has always been a given since the day I first laid eyes on him. It didn’t matter in the beginning because I assumed he’d be an asshole. He’s not. He’s the kind of guy that I could see myself breaking my no-dating rule for. But he’s also in an arranged betrothal, and that means if I go there with him—decide to break my rule—I’m knowingly walking into heartbreak.

“What’re you thinking about?” he unexpectedly asks, his fingers brushing through my hair.

You , I want to say, but instead I mumble, “The necklace and that Grey guy.”

We’re both angled toward each other, with our heads resting against the back of the seat, only inches apart. So, when he turns his head to look at me, he’s so close that I can see the streetlights reflecting in his pupils.

“I can’t answer the necklace thing for you right now. However …” He raises his hips so he can fish his phone out of his pocket. Then he swipes his finger across the screen and types Grey’s name into the search engine. “This is who he is.” He hands me the phone.

I assess the man on the screen. In some of the photos, he looks younger than he did in the store. In others, he looks the same. He’s a pretty big deal in the royal community. In fact, many of the articles list him as the best lawyer in the country. He defended a lot of wealthy men and got them off the hook for things like fraud, tax evasion, and even murder.

“I don’t know … I feel like he might be one of those lawyers who gets the bad guys off the hook,” I state. “The cases he’s on could easily be that.”

“Let me see.” He takes the phone from me and skim-reads the article. “Shit, I didn’t know this about him.”

“Really? It seems like it’s pretty big news.”

“Yeah, sometimes I get lost in my own world, worrying about stuff. Finn says I’m wasting my life with all the worrying I’m doing.” He frowns as he puts his phone onto his lap.

“He might be right, but I think you have stuff to worry about.” I pause with my lips pressed together. “Have you ever thought about trying to get out of it?”

His eyes lift to mine. “Lately, yeah. I think the closer it gets to the day I have to give up my future, the more I think about it. It’s almost like knowing the day you’re going to die.”

I feel so bad for him. “I’m sorry. As much as my life has sucked, I’ve never felt that sort of responsibility.”

He gives me a really look. “Maddy, your dad threw you under the bus, and now you have drug dealers chasing after you.”

“Is that the same, though? I mean, mine isn’t indefinitely.” Is it?

What if it is? What if my father’s sins always haunt me?

I swallow hard at that thought as the car arrives at the academy. It slows to a stop at the stairway that leads to the entrance. River thanks the driver then opens his door and leaves it open for me to climb out. I scoop over and get out, the cool air wrapping around me and dancing through my hair.

River leans in to collect the bag of milk and cookies then shuts the door.

“I’m sorry,” he sputters as we ascend the stairs.

“For what?” I grip the railing as I walk.

“I feel like I bummed you out by saying that stuff about your father.” The bag brushes against his leg as he takes a step. “I don’t know why I brought it up.”

“It’s just the truth. And you didn’t bum me out. I’m just thinking about if there will ever be a time when I won’t have to think about him, you know.”

“I wish I could envision a time when I didn’t have to talk to my father, but that’ll never happen.” He sighs. “He’ll be in my life for an eternity, constantly reminding me that I have his blood running through my veins.”

We arrive at the top of the stairs then and veer right toward the grass area.

“He’s never been that way with Finn?” I wonder, hugging my arms around myself.

“Honestly, he’s been pretty neglectful toward Finn. I think that’s why he is the way he is.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, my twin brother is a total attention whore.” He points his finger toward the gate that leads to the track. “You want to go sit at the bleachers?”

“Sure.” I follow him as he starts in that direction. “You think that’s why he is the way he is?”

“I’m not positive, but it’s my theory.” He opens the gate and moves to the side to let me go first.

Once I’m in, he steps in beside me and shuts and locks the gate behind us.

My gaze takes in the surroundings, the shadows of the trees in the distance, the occasional light glowing against the darkness. Not a single person is in sight and, instinctively, I get nervous about being alone. In northside, walking like this is asking to get jumped. And it’s not that I believe Royal City is a completely safe place—look at the note that was left on my door.

However, I trust River, and that is so weird.

“You good?” River asks as he steps up beside me with worry creasing his features.

I realize I’m standing motionless near the entrance, staring into empty space.

“Yeah, I was thinking.” My boots scuff as I start toward the bleachers. “About how, if I were in northside, I’d never voluntarily walk around alone like this.” I step up onto the metal stairs that lead to the bleachers. “I did it like when I got off work, but that was out of necessity.”

As I reach the first row of bleachers, I plop down into a seat and let out a whimper as the cold metal presses through the thin material of my tights.

“Gah, that’s cold,” I squeak as I stand up.

River sets the bag of cookies and milk down then shucks off his jacket, laying it down on the metal seat.

I shake my head in protest. “No way. You’ll freeze.”

“I have a long-sleeved shirt on. I’ll be fine,” he insists as he takes a seat. “I don’t want your legs to freeze.” Upon saying that, his attention drifts up and down my legs. Then, with a rake of his teeth along his bottom lip, he leans over and rummages through the bag.

I could keep arguing, but I don’t. It won’t accomplish anything. So, I carefully sit back down.

He sits up straight with the box of cookies in his hand, which he sets onto his lap, then opens it up, and grabs one to hand to me.

“Thank you,” I say as I take the cookie.

“You’re welcome.” He retrieves the tweezers next and rips open the packaging. “Let me see your finger.”

I stick out my hand, and he gently takes it in his, inspecting the sliver. “Rest your hand on my leg,” he instructs, and I do.

He sets the box of cookies aside, takes out his phone, and attempts to hold it in one hand while using the tweezers with his other hand. He’s struggling, though, so I set the cookie on my lap and take his phone from him. He offers me a smile as I shine the light on my finger, and then he proceeds to gently attempt to pluck it out.

I wince every so often, but truthfully, I’m mesmerized by the entire with how careful he’s being, and the fact that he’s even doing it. And I totally end up forgetting to breathe. That results in my sucking in a shaky breath.

His gaze flits to mine. “It hurts. I’m sorry.”

“You’re fine,” I assure him, feeling like a total dumbass over my reaction.

He returns his attention to the sliver. Strands of his hair fall into his eyes, and I have the overwhelming compulsion to sweep them out of his face. Thank God, I don’t.

Moments later, he gets the sliver out.

“There you go.” He straightens as I remove my hand from his lap. He tosses the tweezers into the bag then picks up the box of cookies, grabs one, and reclines back in the seat.

I do the same thing and gaze up at the stars as I take a bite of my cookie. My mind is racing over the lingering fluttering feelings inside me. I attempt to shake them off, to no avail.

I need a distraction.

“Do you know any constellations?” I wonder as I take another bite of the cookie.

“I don’t. Noah used to …” He trails off, and when I look at him, he’s stuffing half of a cookie into his mouth.

“Do you miss him?” I angle my knees inward.

He chews for a moment. “I do. I hate that I do because it makes everything so much harder. We’ve known each other forever, though, and he, Finn, and I hung out together all the time. And then we didn’t. It almost felt like I lost a part of myself.” His dark eyes land on me. “Have you ever felt that way before?”

My chest constricts as I answer, “Truthfully, no. I’ve never really connected with anyone on that level. I loved my aunt, but she was constantly bouncing in and out of my life, so it got normalized for me.”

He brushes some crumbs off his lap. “You never had any friends you spent time with?”

“Nope. I sort of bounced around between groups, but my wanting to get out of northside wasn’t that common.” I pick at the sprinkles of the cookie. “And I mean, I get it. It’s hard to dream big when you’re constantly being kicked around and told you’re worthless. Again, another normalization.” I stretch my legs out. “I was seen as the crazy one. Even me wanting to go to college got me so many flabbergasted looks.”

He stretches out his legs, too. “Do you know what you want to be once you graduate?”

“Nope, I’m just in a general program right now, but I want to find something. I’m not very good at anything, really. Well, besides running, but that’s not a career.”

“Your grades had to be good for you to get in here.”

“My grades were great, but again, I’ve never stood out with anything.”

He smiles musingly. “You know how to hand guys their asses.”

I snicker. “True.”

“You should’ve heard Finn while we were in jail,” he tells me while bouncing his knee up and down. “He was rambling about you like you were some foreign creature.”

“I am a foreign creature,” I agree. “At least, it feels like it. I walk around here, pretending like I belong, but everyone knows I don’t. And I don’t care. Well, not entirely. But it’d be nice to belong for once, you know.”

“I actually do.” He rests his head against the back of the chair and gazes up at the stars. “I feel like, from the moment it became known that I’d be marrying Isla, I was the betrothed Averson brother. I mean, arranged marriages happen in this world, but they’re still rare enough that you become kind of like a circus freak. It didn’t help that my father had a scandalous affair and the entire city wanted to read about it.” He rolls his eyes. “There’s always a story about my family that’s plastered all over the headlines. Like when I got released from jail and the paparazzi were waiting. My father found out, and it was a disaster.”

“Jesus,” I mutter. “I love my privacy. I have no idea how I’d live like that.”

“It sucks,” he agrees, lifting his head and sitting up straight. “If I ever got out of this arranged marriage, I’d move somewhere where no one knew who I was.”

“See? You do think about your future sometimes.” I devour the rest of my cookie then prop my arms on the armrest between us. “So, what would you do in this alternative life?”

He sucks in a breath through his teeth. “This is a dangerous road you’re making me go down,” he says with a tight smile. “It’ll make me dream of things I can’t have.”

“Dreams can’t come true unless you dream them,” I point out.

“All right, I’ll play.” He considers this. “I think maybe something in sports, like a coach or maybe a physical therapist.”

My lips curve upward. “I could see you as a coach.”

He mirrors my smile. “It helps that you’re a motivated student.”

“I really want to make the team.” I stare out at the track. “I like running. It keeps me centered.”

“Me, too.” A pause, and then he sweeps strands of my hair off my shoulder. “Can you see yourself out there, running in meets?”

Why does he keep touching my hair? Not that I’m complaining. It’s just confusing.

“Absolutely.”

“I think you’ll make the team,” he says with genuine confidence.

“Are you going to come watch me at tryouts and cheer me on?” I’m partly joking.

“Of course,” he replies easily.

My stomach rolls.

He frowns. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing.” I shrug. “I’ve just never had anyone come and cheer me on before.”

His expression softens as he wets his lips with his tongue. For some dumb reason, my thoughts travel back to that brief kiss we shared in the rain. The one we haven’t spoken of. I’m about to ask him about it and probably ruin this beautiful friendship that’s developing between us. Fortunately, I spot something that stops me.

“What the hell is that?” I squint as I lean forward.

River tracks my gaze until he finds what I’m looking at. Confusion floods his expression. Because creeping out of the trees is a group of people.

“What the heck is going on?” I mumble when I note that the entire group is wearing cloaks. Like, straight out of a wizard academy. “River,” I whisper.

“Come on.” He snatches a hold of my hand and hurries toward the stairs, leaving all our food behind.

We both keep our footsteps light to avoid drawing attention. By the time we reach the bottom of the stairs, the group has reached the space of grass that’s in the center of the track. Shouting reverberates through the air, but I can’t make out what they’re saying.

River starts to pull me toward the gate, but getting to it will put us out in the open, so he swings around the end of the stairway and yanks me underneath the bleachers.

“We’re seriously hiding?” I question as we hike further underneath it and into the shadows.

River doesn’t respond, lowering his head to duck under a railing.

“River.” I tug on his hand. “What’s going on?”

He grinds to a halt and spins around to face me. “I think that might be the secret society.”

“Okay, but why are we hiding?” I keep my voice low.

“Because I’m worried if they spot you, they’ll do something to you.” His tone is bursting with anxiety.

“What the hell do you think they’ll do to me?” I loathe the fear slithering up my spine.

River slants to the side to get a good look at my face. The moment he does, his entire expression plummets. “Hey, everything’s going to be okay,” he assures me as he reduces the space between us.

I forcefully smash my lips together, willing myself to chill out. “Sorry, it’s just been a long damn night.”

Hesitantly, he reaches toward me and cups my face between his hands. “That’s understandable. And I shouldn’t have piled everything on you in one night.”

I shake my head, my heart thundering in my chest at the feel of his hands on my cheeks. “I’m glad you told me everything. I hate secrets.”

He gives a distracted nod, his thumb skimming along my cheekbone. “All right, I always tell you the truth.”

I nod unsteadily, my brain a bit foggy by the way he keeps glancing at my mouth.

I think he might kiss.

I think I might let him.

He leans in.

I start to shut my eyes.

“Let the games begin!” a male voice cuts through the darkness like glass across flesh.

River’s fingers on my cheeks stiffen, his gaze darting to bleachers. There’s a crack between the floors and the benches, and he lets go of me so he can inch closer and peek out at the field. I follow and look, too. And what I see is straight out nightmare.

The cloaked people are standing in a circle, holding torches, with one person in the center of them. When I look closer, I can tell it’s a guy wearing only his underwear, and he’s kneeling down with his hands tied behind his back.

“Pledge three, do you accept the fate of your future, as it be our choosing?” one of the cloaked guys circles the guy in the middle—pledge three, I guess.

“Y-yes,” the guy stammers.

The person circling him comes to a stop, sticks his hand into the pocket of his cloak, and then pulls out a knife.

I gasp but quickly slap my hand over my mouth as River tosses me a warning. Then he fumbles to get his phone out of his pocket, I think to call the police. But it’s too late. The guy raises the knife and brings it down on the guy. My heart stops but quickly recovers when I realize he’s merely cut the rope binding his wrists.

The guy stumbles forward and scampers away, the group parting to let him through.

“Pledge three has completed his first task!” the guy shouts as the pledge runs across the grass in our direction, tripping the entire way.

River is holding his phone but hasn’t called anyone as he watched the pledge run. We both track him, rotating as he sprints past the bleachers and out of the gate. He keeps running until he disappears out of sight.

River and I both say nothing, but we do trade a look. Then River shoves his phone into his pocket, threads his fingers through mine, and pulls me closer to him.

“Now that that’s settled, it’s now time for the next sacrifice!” the same guy that cut the ropes declares. “Maddison Averly, we’re coming for you.”

At first, I am horrified that maybe they’re speaking directly to me, but then they gather together in a cluster and march back into the trees, taking their madness with them.

I exhale a deafening breath. “Oh my God, what the hell is going on? What’re they going to do to me?” My mind is moving a million miles a minute, to the point where I’m worried I might pass out.

“I don’t know.” River’s words rush out of his lips as he tugs me closer to him. “Maddy, look at me.”

It takes a lot, but I manage to focus on him.

He carries my gaze, his hands finding my cheeks again. “Nothing will happen to you. Finn is part of it, so I’ll get some answers from him.”

I suck in a deep breath then release it. “I can’t believe Finn is a part of that.” Finn, the guy who’s been nothing but nice to me.

“My father pressured him into doing it. Please don’t judge him, Maddy.” His eyes plead with me to understand.

“I get it—my father’s fucked me up, too.” The wind picks up, kicking leaves up and away and whisking the dirt around.

“We should get out of here,” River mumbles, frenetically energy practically humming off of him.

I nod, but part of me doesn’t want to leave the shelter of the bleachers. River must be on the same page, because when we reach the edge, where we have to step out into the open, he hesitates. Then he sticks his head out and peers left and right before snatching my hand and leading me out of our safety net.

The air is silent and offers a drop of comfort as we pad back to collect our stuff. Then we silently make our way back into the academy building. We’re quiet not because of awkwardness but mostly out of fear that we’ll be heard by those lunatics running around with a knives.

After what feels like an eternity, we finally make it to the security of the hallway that leads down to my dorm room. The corridor is empty except for the occasional wanderer, and one really drunk guy who’s skipping and singing in a pitch that resembles the noise the malfunctioning security alarm was making earlier today.

“Do you think they’ll come for me tonight?” I finally sputter the words plaguing me like the impending flu.

River stiffens but shakes his head. “I don’t think so.” But then he hesitates. “Maybe, and please don’t get the wrong idea about this”—he looks me straight in my eyes as we continue to slowly make our way to my room—“but maybe you should stay at my place tonight.”

I instantly shake my head. “Do you know what’d happen if anyone saw me either going into your room this late or leaving in the morning? Besides, you can’t protect me forever.”

He sweeps his fingers through his hair. “I know that. But if you stay tonight, you’ll be safe long enough for us to get more info from Finn.”

“What if he won’t tell us anything?”

“He will.”

“How can you be so sure?” I question. “I already tried to ask him a few questions about this library incident, and he shut it down every time.”

“Because he was being cautious.” He glimpses around then leans toward me. “He’s well aware of what I told you tonight. Plus …” He trails off, his attention shifting ahead. Not that there’s anything there but an empty hallway lit up by faint lighting and a few glittering chandeliers.

“Plus what?” I hedge with my arms crossed.

He exhaustedly sighs. “I’ll tell you later, when we’re in my room.”

“Who said I was going?” I question as we stop in front of my dorm room door. “I never agreed to that.”

“Maddy,” he starts, leaning against the wall beside my door with his arms folded across his lean chest. “Please consider doing it. At least until we talk to Finn. We can wait up for him, if you want, and then if he tells us it’s nothing, I can walk you back to your dorm.”

I want to deny his offer—this is the sort of stuff that starts rumors. But what if I stay the night in my room and I’m woken up by a group of guys hazing me? I could report what we overheard, but I know firsthand how well that stuff goes down—more than likely, I’ll be called a liar.

“Fine,” I agree with annoyance not directed at him but at this crazy-ass society who thinks I’m worth targeting for their weird hazing.

I dig my phone out of my pocket and unlock the door, highly aware that my compliance has alleviated some of River’s nervousness.

“Thank you,” he tells me quietly as I push open the door.

“Don’t thank me.” I step over the threshold. “You didn’t do anything but try to help me out.”

He follows me into the room, shutting and locking the door behind him. I strip off my jacket as I walk into the living quarters. A lamp is on, offering a trickle of light, and I set my jacket on the arm of the sofa.

The place is quiet, making me wonder if Lily’s asleep or out.

I twist to River. “What about Lily?”

He’s sending someone a text and doesn’t glance up. “What about her?”

When his gaze raises to mine, I give him a pressing look. “What if this society shows up and I’m not here but Lily is?”

The corners of his lips sink into a deeper frown, and then his gaze strays to Lily’s door. “Do you know if she’s here?”

“Let’s find out.” I approach the door and lift my hand to knock but pause. “Wait—if she’s asleep and I wake her up, on a scale of one to ten, how pissed off will she be?”

“Let me.” He knocks before I can, answering my question that Lily doesn’t like being woken up.

He waits a moment before knocking again. When she doesn’t answer, he sends her a message. About a second later, his phone buzzes.

“She’s out, apparently,” he informs me. “I’ll give her a heads-up of what’s going on and tell her to stay at Wren’s place.”

“Okay, I’ll get into my pajamas and grab some extra clothes and stuff.” I cross the room, step into my bedroom, and turn the light on. The moment I do, I’m overwhelmed with an unsettling feeling that someone is watching me.

I cautiously endeavor further into my room while meticulously taking note of my surroundings. Nothing appears out of place, but I still check underneath my bed, in the closet, and then search the bathroom. By the time I return to the bedroom area, River is standing in the doorway.

“Everything okay?” he asks with his shoulder propped against the doorframe.

“I think so.” I stand in the center of my room with my hands on my hips. “I just can’t shake this feeling that someone is watching me. But no one’s here, so …” I chew on my bottom lip. “I guess I’m just being paranoid.”

His eyes roam around my room, taking everything in. “How about you grab your stuff and change at my place, just in case?”

I’m not positive what he means by that, but I’m also too uneasy to decline his suggestion. So, I nod, pack up my stuff, and we leave my dorm and head to his. Luckily, we don’t pass by anyone on the way.

River quickly unlocks the door and lets me go in first. Then he reaches past me and turns on the light right as I’m yawning.

“You’re tired,” he states as he closes and locks the door.

I shake my head as I yawn again, covering my mouth. “Nah, I just do this for fun,” I tease as I lower my hand.

He chuckles, tossing the keys into a glass bowl that’s perched on a table near the door. “Even at the brink of exhaustion, you’re still such a smartass.” He passes by me, grabbing my bag from off my shoulder as he does. “Come on. You can change in my room, and then you can crash.”

I follow him into the main section of his dorm. It’s similar to mine but slightly wider, and the vibe is different, the walls navy blue, the leather sofas are black, and the chandelier is woven with metal vines and thorns that glitter with black diamonds. Bookshelves line the wall, and to my right is a kitchen area that has granite countertops and midnight blue cabinets. The silver trim adds a splash of color, along with the stainless steel appliances.

“I thought we were going to wait up for Finn,” I remind him as I yawn again. When he aims me an insinuating look, I add, “I’m not really tired. I’m just worn out from all the training we’ve been doing, but it’s a different kind of exhaustion.” I sound like a stubborn idiot, but I don’t care.

I need to stay up and talk to Finn about what I overheard, or I’ll be too stressed to go to sleep.

“All right.” Skepticism rings in his tone. “How about we get into our pajamas and watch a movie while we wait?”

“Sounds good to me.” I feel the urge to yawn again but fight it.

He takes me to his room and sets my bag on his bed. For the most part, everything is clean, from his made bed to his desk. A few shelves line the wall; one has rows of books and the other has medals he won from cross country and track.

“You have so many medals,” I say as I make my way over to the shelf. I skim through them while shaking my head. “I’ve never been to a race that’s given medals. Not like this, anyway. I got a plastic one once and a T-shirt, but that’s about it.”

He’s standing beside me now. “It’s not fair that things have been that way for you.”

“I can live without trophies and stuff,” I assure him as I face him. “I just want to make the team. Then maybe I’ll give myself a gold star.”

He smiles at that then shakes his head. “You’re the most fascinating person I’ve ever met.”

These compliments are making me uncomfortable. I can’t have this sort of reaction with two different guys—two different royal guys and brothers, for that matter.

So, in Maddy fashion, I crack a joke. “You say fascinating. Most people say crazy.”

“Well, they’re crazy, because you’re definitely not crazy.” He grows quiet for a beat, and I swear to fucking God, he stares at my lips again.

I’m literally about to kiss him so he can get this need out of him. I’ll take one for the team if it means we can get past this mouth-staring obsession he has.

Yeah, Maddy, because the only reason you’ll kiss him is for him. It’s not like you’re currently thinking about kissing him, too.

“I’ll let you get changed, and I’ll go change in Finn’s room,” he conclusively mumbles, tearing his focus off my mouth. Then he grabs some pajamas from the dresser before exiting the room and closing the door behind him.

I release a breath I didn’t even realize I had trapped inside my chest. Then I unzip my bag and grab my pajama shorts and T-shirt. My phone is shoved in my bag, too. I’ve had it silenced since I left with River, mostly to avoid my mother texting me and the unknown caller that I’m certain is Drew.

I consider checking the messages, but I don’t want to deal with that tonight, not when a secret society is coming for me. So, I leave my phone in the bag and grab the locket. I smooth my finger over it as I think about what River told me tonight. It’d be so much easier to get answers about it if my aunt hadn’t totally disconnected from the world.

I hurriedly get changed then brush my teeth and return to the living room. River is already there, sitting on the sofa, and he has the remote pointed at a massive flat-screen mounted to the wall.

When I enter, his gaze travels to me and scrolls up and down my body. My shorts are pretty short, but my T-shirt is baggy. My tattoos are on full display, and his gaze momentarily lingers on the intricate ink.

“What sort of show are you in the mood for?” He attempts to act all casual, like he wasn’t just openly checking me out.

I sit down onto the sofa close to him but not touching. “I don’t know. I’ve never really watched a lot of TV or movies, so I don’t even know what’s good or what’s on.” When he gapes at me, I shrug with my hands tucked under my legs. “We never had the money for movies or subscription services.”

His wheels are turning—I can tell—as if he’s grasping to understand this concept.

“So, what’re your suggestions?” I recline back in the chair and put my feet up on the coffee table.

“Hmm …” He contemplates this, and then his eyes light up. “I have an idea.” He starts pushing buttons as he scrolls through options on the television. “Lily and Wren are always talking about this movie.” He selects the title Mean Girls .

“Looks like a chick flick.”

“So?”

I secretly smile to myself. He’s so damn cute. If only I could enjoy his cuteness without all this crazy, scary shit going on.

“Hey, River?” I ask, and he glances at me. “Why did you act weird when we were in my room? Like maybe someone could hear us talking?”

He stretches his arm along the back of the sofa, his hand grazing the back of my head. “I’m not positive, and I could be overacting, but the thought crossed my mind that perhaps someone planted a camera in your room.”

My back goes ramrod straight. “What?”

He scoots closer to me. “Like I said, I have no proof, but the society is capable of a lot of things.”

“What if they did? How the hell am I supposed to feel safe in my room again?”

He reduces the space between us even more. “Finn will give us answers. I promise. Now, let’s watch the movie, okay? It’ll help you take your mind off of this.”

I nod but know it’ll probably take more than a movie to help me take my mind off of this.

No, the only thing that’ll help is for me to get some damn answers.