Page 4 of Ruthless Ambition
“You’re such a bitch.” I sniggered as she hauled me up the steps.
Inside, the party was in full swing, and despite my hoodie and leggings, I didn’t stand out too much. I saw the girls Chrissy was leading me to, and I did feel slightly self-conscious because they were gorgeous, but their smiles were genuine, and when Chrissy asked two of them if we could talk in private, they instantly stepped away from the party and took us to their dorm room.
“What’s happening?”
“Angel, this is Monique and Diana. They’re in my philosophy class.”
“Hey,” I said as I waved at them lamely.
“Tell them what you told me.”
Hesitantly, I did. When they started exchanging looks, I was worried that I was saying the wrong thing, but when the taller of the two — I think she was Monique — locked the room door, I staggered to a halt.
“Okay, you can never tell anyone what you saw tonight,” she said to me as she turned back to face me. “That was Devil business, and you just happened to be in the wrong place, okay?”
“Is it true?” Chrissy asked, stepping forward as she clutched my arm. “Did I set her up with a guy who was going to—”
“We don’t need to discuss what could have happened,” the other girl spoke over her. “He’s scum. I hope they break every bone in his body.”
Flicking my attention between the two girls, I frowned. “He did it to you?” I asked softly.
Neither of them said anything before Monique — I’m sure she was Monique — nodded. “Our friend Elena, she doesn’t remember getting to his room, but she remembers everything after.”
“Is she downstairs?” Chrissy asked them. “Is that why the door’s locked?”
“She dropped out.” Diana wiped at her eyes quickly. “The guys denied it, and they all had an alibi — each other — and she . . . she had no one. People had seen her at the party, making out with one of the guys. She hadn’t looked forced, they saw her flirting, they saw her having fun.”
The air felt thick, almost like it was difficult to breathe. The atmosphere felt oppressive, and I knew the girls were just as uncomfortable as I was, but they were loyal to the five guys who ambushed me earlier. When the girls were sure I wasn’t going to mention the Devils’ form of retribution, we said our goodbyes and left the girls’ dorm and headed back home. Halfway there,Chrissy turned to me, and I saw her eyes welling up with tears. “I’m so sorry. That could have been you.”
“It’s okay,” I said as I hugged her. “Those guys got there first.” Trying to cheer her up, I prodded her shoulder. “And hey, you love irony, think about it — in a college called Cardinal Saints, I was rescued by guys who call themselvesDevils. I mean seriously, how ironic is that?”
“I can’t stop thinking about their friend,” she told me as she dropped her head onto my shoulder as we walked back to the dorm. “You were so lucky.”
I didn’t feel lucky. I felt scared, and I knew for the rest of my time here, I never wanted to see another Devil again, or their Mayhem.
My feelings on that only got stronger when we returned to our dorm room, where my purse and cell were sitting on the couch. Chrissy was impressed — I knew she was — but she tried to hide it. I wasn’t impressed. If anything, it merely highlighted to me how dangerous they were.
