Page 116 of Heartless Lord
“The party’s at eight. See you there! I’ll be sure to leave something gorgeous and sexy out for you to wear.”
“Not happening!” Shaking my head, I marched to the door and slammed it behind me for good measure.
I wassonot going.
With each step farther down the dorm hallway though, I played out the possibilities of the night. Maybe Cordelia was right. Why shouldn’t I go? I didn’thaveto talk to Killian. Maybe this was my chance to find Micah. Because I had a really bad feeling he wasn’t going to be in class.
As it turned out, my gut had been right. Micah didn’t show up to Biology which had my anxiety shooting through the roof. What if he’d gotten caught gathering intel on the Sigma Delta’s secret society?
I shot off another text message.
Me:Micah, please text me back. I’m really worried about you. It’s been days.
I glared at the screen, willing those little blue dots to appear.
Nothing.
Huffing out a breath, I walked through the grove of old whispering willows. A chilly breeze lifted off the water below, lashing auburn hair across my face. The back of my neck tingled, and I hazarded a quick glance over my shoulder.
Ever since returning from our island getaway, I’d had the weirdest feeling. Like someone had been following me. Shaking my head, I chased away the crazy thought. I was just on edge after that attack at the hotel.
Who would be following me here? No way whoever Killian stole those documents from trailed us all the way back to Copper Cove.
I gripped the strap of my backpack tighter and picked up my pace across the park at the edge of campus. It was a shortcut into the town below the cliffs. I hardly ever wandered beyond Stonewall University’s campus, but I had a few hours until my next class, and I desperately needed to clear my head.
The crackle of approaching footsteps sent my heart climbing up my throat. I whirled around.
To nothing.
The thick willows surrounded me, the icy breeze of approaching winter whistling through bare limbs.Fear is just a mental response to an outside stimulus.
I just needed to get the hell out of here. Picking up my pace, I sped through the massive trees, the feeling of dread pooling in my gut with each step.
Heavy footfalls grew closer, I was sure of it this time, and I dipped behind a towering tree. With my back against the light bark, I willed the rapid rise and fall of my chest to slow.Inhale. Exhale.
A long moment later, I peered around the wide trunk and met a pair of bright blue eyes.
I shrieked and stumbled back, tripping over a fallen branch. My ass hit the floor and pain shot up my tailbone.
“Fucking hell, Sebastian,” I hissed, “you scared the shit out of me.”
Stan’s son loomed over me, a sinister smirk on his lips. My insides trembled, but I forced my expression into a mask of calm. I already knew what his father was capable of, and after the gala, I was more than aware of what he could do.
That poor girl had been murdered the night of the masquerade; I was sure of it. And I’d done nothing about it. I’d kept quiet like a big fat coward.
“Sorry, Alexis. You know I didn’t mean to.” He bent down, a creepy smile plastered across his face, and offered his hand.
I swallowed hard and forced my fingers to wrap around his palm. I had to play it cool. There was no way he knew I was the masked girl from that night. If he did, I would’ve already been dead.
The second I was standing again, I ripped my hand away from his. “Thanks,” I muttered, discreetly wiping my hand on my pants.
“How was your little trip with Kill?”
My heart bottomed out. Shit. How did he know about that?
“Hell,” I finally spat. “Every moment spent with your stepbrother was pure torture.”
His grin only grew wider. “Somehow, I doubt that.” He paused, those cold blue eyes skimming over me. “You didn’t happen to take your friend Micah with you guys, did you?”
