Page 121 of Heartless Lord
“Sebastian is your goddamned brother, Killian. And she’s nothing to you, or am I mistaken?” His icy glare flickered between the two of us. “I was under the impression you didn’t even know she attended Stonewall. Isn’t that what you said?”
“We were paired together for a school project, sir. I can’t have her all banged up for the presentation. It wouldn’t look good.”
He was protecting me... but it still felt like he was reducing me to something disposable. It was a lie meant to save me, but somehow, it still cut.
“Hmm.” Stan rubbed at his clean-shaven jaw. “I know Bass can be a hothead, but you, Killian, I expect more from you.”
“Of course.” His head dipped, but the tendon in his jaw was clenched so tightly, the flutter beneath the dark scruff gave him away. Or maybe I just knew my old best friend that well.
“Finish up this school project quickly, son. The less you have to do with this girl, the better.” He raised his arrogant nose at me as if I were a piece of gum stuck to the sole of his designer loafers. “God forbid she starts spreading lies about you too.”
“They weren’t lies!” I blurted, unable to stay quiet a moment longer. My voice didn’t shake this time. Not even a little. Fear burned away, leaving something sharper behind. “And you can’t talk about me like I’m not even here. I’m standing right here.”
“Lexi...” Killian whisper-hissed. “Let it go.”
“You fucking let it go,” I snarled and barreled past the man who’d ruined my life and the boy who continued to break my heart.
The scent of cigars lingered in the air as I ran, clinging to my skin like a memory I couldn’t scrub away.
“Lexi, wait!” Killian’s shouts echoed in the distance, but I was too pissed to listen. I raced down the hallway, turned the corner and smacked into a meaty wall.
Big hands wrapped around my shoulders and cloying fear clawed into my heart as I met a familiar pair of cold blue eyes. “Where are you running off to, Alexis?” Bass sneered down at me, his face a landscape of mottled purple bruises.
I couldn’t help the smile of satisfaction from spreading across my lips. At least now, that gruesome face matched the wicked monster inside.
“I’m going home,” I hissed. “Now, let go of me, or I’ll scream bloody murder.”
His gaze slid over me like he was already calculating how to break me. A sinister chuckle vibrated Sebastian’s chest. “You’ll be screaming soon enough, that’s for sure. You think Killian can protect you? You’re damned wrong. I own his ass, just like I do every single member of this fraternity.”
“Don’t you mean ‘secret society’?” The words tumbled free in a fit of rage. The moment they were out, I regretted my loose lips.
“You better be careful, little kitty. You know what they say about curiosity and the cat, right?”
“Fuck you, Sebastian. I’m tired of being scared, and I’m fucking fed up with cowering beneath men like you. I don’t care how much money or power you have, I’m bringing you and your father down, and I don’t give a shit what it costs me.”
I was still terrified. That hadn’t changed. But for the first time, fear wasn’t enough to keep me quiet.
Those piercing orbs seared into mine, anger tapering them at the corners. “You better keep your mouth shut, Alexis Vega. You have no idea of my reach, or my father’s. You think hurting you is the best I can do? What about your dearPapá? Or Kill? You play a good game pretending you don’t care about him, but if you didn’t, what the fuck are you still doing here?”
“You’re right, Sebastian.” I shoved at his chest, and he finally released me. “There’s no reason for me to still be here. I’m getting the hell out of this house of horrors.”
I darted out of the frat house so quickly the ornate interior flashed by in a blur of deep mahoganies and shimmering crystal chandeliers. I didn’t stop running until I reached the end of the block and folded over, bracing my hands against my knees. A tremor raced through my body, a lethal mixture of rage and fear. Closing my eyes, I inhaled a deep breath, then another, forcing my lungs to keep pumping.
I couldn’t let Stanford Davenport win. I’d finally make him pay for what he did to me all those years ago, and I’d take down his murdering son Sebastian with him.
“Lexi!” The smack of approaching footfalls forced my spine to snap straight up. Killian jogged toward me, anguish written across his unfairly handsome face.
“Leave me alone, Killian,” I snapped and spun back toward the center of campus.
His hand wrapped around my upper arm, steel fingers digging into my flesh. His grip was too tight, like he was scared if he let go, I’d disappear. There was something wild in his eyes. Not anger. Fear.
He jerked me around to face him. “No,” he snarled. “I’m not letting you go anywhere by yourself. Especially not after threatening Bass like that. Are you out of your fucking mind?”
His control was slipping, and that scared me more than anything.
I tried to wriggle free of his hold, but his fingers only tightened around my arm. “You heard that?”
“I’m pretty sure the entire damned second floor of the Sigma Delt house heard. Including Stan.” He finally released me and dragged his hands over his face. “You have no idea what you just did.”
