Mad world, p.13
Mad World, page 13
I started moving around her, but froze when her hand shot out and grabbed my arm, her nails digging in.
“Maddie?” she scoffed, eyeing me up and down. “You think switching your name will make people forget what a slut you are?”
I grit my teeth. “I was just being polite.”
“Is that hooker slang for easy?” She smirked.
I tilted my head to the side. “So, am I a slut? Or a hooker?”
“Same difference,” she spat.
I tsked at her and shook my head before yanking my arm away hard enough to send her teetering on her heels. “It’s not. See a hooker gets paid. A slut does it for free. It’s a subtle difference, but it’s there.”
Her lip curled up in disgust. “Whatever. Keep your skanky gash away from Charles.”
“It’s a free country.” I sighed with feigned regret. “And I’ll flash my skanky gash anywhere I please, thanks.”
She stepped closer to me, her eyes flashing. “Not for you, it isn’t. I’m done playing backup to you. Things are different this year, and if you need a reminder, I’ll happily give it to you.”
I pressed my lips into a thin line. “Noted. Are we done here?”
“For now,” she said mockingly.
“Great,” I muttered, walking around her since she sure as hell wasn’t getting out of my way.
I had secretly been hoping for some solidarity from the cheer squad, but apparently Madelaine had burned those bridges to the ground and scattered the ashes.
Honestly I wasn’t surprised. The videos had been hard to watch. My twin had been merciless with her squad, berating and belittling in her quest for perfection. I had even stumbled on a document on the phone where she tracked the girls’ weights and made notes.
In a lot of the videos, Brylee had been her wingwoman, happy to tear down any girl Madelaine deemed lacking.
Gary had been right; people were happy to see Madelaine fall.
I focused my attention on hurrying to my dorm, threading through the pathways until I came upon the ten-story white-stone building named Harrison Hall for one of the school’s founding fathers.
The dorms were set up on a bit of a hill and when I turned, I could see the rest of the campus sprawled below me across several miles. There were separate buildings for the university and academy students for academics, but they shared a few communal buildings, like the dining hall and theater. Farther away was the university housing, including a few dormitories but then an almost out of place row of houses for the fraternities and sororities on campus. If you took a snapshot of only the Greek row, it would look like your typical millionaire mansion-lined street, complete with grassy lawns, pools, and lush trees.
Black asphalt paths snaked around the campus for drivers, and cobblestone paths wound between buildings for pedestrians. There was a large, grassy quad area in the center and a small lake tucked along the back of the property where I could just make out a rowing team gliding across the glassy surface.
Hopefully all this open space meant Ryan would stay on his side of the campus and I could ghost my way through mine.
Nine months. Barely one hundred and eighty days.
That was all I had to survive for my senior year.
I headed inside Harrison Hall, ignoring the squeals and shouts of friends reuniting, the slamming doors and the girls running back and forth. Several ran into me, as oblivious to my presence as they were a wall.
Others glared at me. Some whispered.
I kept my head down as I stepped into the elevator and used my keycard to activate the button for the top floor, then positioned myself at the back of the car while others crowded in.
No one spoke to me, but all of them looked at me. Most with derision, one with shock.
I was the only person left when the elevator reached my level. It was quiet on the top floor. No one was milling around in the halls and suddenly I could see why.
Instead of a hallway of door after door after door, there were barely twelve doors on this floor, six on either side of the hall. From the ground I had seen that this level boasted balconies and decks, so it didn’t take a genius to infer this was the highest-dollar district of the school. I didn’t want to know how much Gary had shelled out for this.
Pacific Cross was a school for the richest of the rich, but even it had a hierarchy and it started with where you slept.
My room was at the end of the hall to the right, and I sighed in relief when I saw no one was around as I hurried toward it.
Toward my own personal sanctuary.
I slipped the key in the lock and twisted, then shoved the door open and stepped inside before slamming it and flipping the locks. I leaned against it and sucked in a ragged breath, my eyes closing as I sagged.
“Rough morning, baby?”
My eyes snapped open and my jaw dropped.
How in the actual hell...
Ryan stood up slowly from the desk chair, his cold smile anything but welcoming as he looked at me.
So much for my sanctuary.
Chapter 18
“What the hell are you doing here?” I blurted out, my back stiffening as I straightened and stared at him.
The door was situated in a small alcove, and he prowled to the opening, effectively caging me in the tiny space. I could try to turn and unlock the deadbolt, throw open the door, and make a break for it.
But that would have been utterly pointless.
He would grab me before my fingers grazed the metal of the bolt.
“I just came to make sure you got settled in,” he said innocently enough, leaning a massive shoulder against the wall like we were old friends and this was a normal social visit.
It was almost painful trying to keep the tremors from my voice. I couldn’t let him see how off-kilter his presence threw me. “Thanks for that. I’m good.”
“And already making friends,” he went on, his tone sharpening enough to send warning bells trilling in my head.
“Not exactly,” I answered.
His gaze turned thunderous, and I knew I’d said the wrong thing.
“The duke isn’t someone you want to be friends with?” His brows lifted, mocking and challenging. “I hear he’s quite the catch.”
“Well, you officially have my blessing to make a play for him,” I snapped, annoyed and tired all of the sudden. “I can probably snag his number if you need it.”
He was in my face a second later and all my snark disappeared instantly.
“Stay away from him,” Ryan hissed, his chest brushing mine as it heaved. His icy blue eyes lit with fury. “I’m not fucking kidding, Madelaine.”
I pressed myself as hard against the door as possible, but the wood might as well have been made from steel for as much as it gave. “He bumped into me. We said hi.”
“And we all know how friendly you can be,” he growled.
I flinched. If he only knew the truth.
I was definitely not as friendly as my sister.
The closest I had come to being considered friendly was when I went on a date with Kevin Lewis last year. Instead of the movie we’d agreed on, he drove us to an abandoned parking lot to “talk.”
He kissed me. I said no. He tried shoving his hand down my pants, and I damn near Mike Tyson’d his ear.
“It really wasn’t like that,” I muttered, shaking my hair out of my face.
“It better not be,” he warned, still using that growly tone that made my stomach flutter.
Truthfully, though? I wasn’t sure if it was from fear or some other emotion I wasn’t willing to label.
He leaned in closer, the scent of his cologne—clean but masculine—filled my senses. “You’re mine as far as this school goes, and everyone knows I don’t share. So if you think I’m going to stand for you to flirt with some other guy—”
I snorted. “I wasn’t flirting. Jesus.”
His hand shot out, holding my throat with enough pressure that I could feel the strength behind his grip. My heart slammed against my ribs as I gasped.
“You better not be,” he murmured darkly. “If I need to fuck you in the middle of the quad to show everyone that you’re mine, I will.”
My eyes narrowed even as my pulse raced. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Wouldn’t I?” he refuted archly. “Baby, I would strip you, tie you to one of the benches and show the entire fucking school exactly what belongs to me.”
“I thought you wouldn’t touch me with a cast-iron dick,” I shot back, reminding him of our last encounter.
He snorted, his eyes flashing dangerously. “I might make an exception to prove a point. Don’t underestimate me.”
I swallowed loud enough for him to hear it. “Let me go.”
His thumb swept the pulse point on my throat, and I knew he could feel my erratic heartbeat. “Or maybe you’d like that. Maybe that video last year wasn’t an accident. Who knew you were a little exhibitionist?”
“Let. Go.” I jerked back in an effort to get his hand off me and cracked my head against the door.
His lips thinned and, after a second, he let his hand fall from my neck. “I mean it, Lainey.”
Then his head tilted to the side, part of his mouth kicking up in a half smile that was way hotter than it should be for such an asshole.
“Or is it Maddie?” The words danced across his lips mockingly.
My jaw dropped. “What—”
“Do you think you can say a single fucking word that I won’t hear?” he taunted. “I even know what color panties you’re wearing.”
My eyes narrowed, and I stupidly said the first thing that came to mind: “Maybe I’m not wearing any.”
His eyes widened for a fraction of a second, and a thrill shot through me knowing that I’d surprised him. The hand that had been on my neck now rested on the outside of my thigh. I could feel his touch burning through the fabric of my skirt.
“Is that an invitation to test that theory?”
“N-no,” I stammered, shaking my head, realizing my snark had, not for the first time in my life, propelled me into a situation I really didn’t want to be in. “I was just... I didn’t mean...”
He snorted and ripped away from me so fast, I was left stunned by the abrupt absence of his touch.
“Don’t worry, Maddie, I wouldn’t actually touch you with a ten-foot-pole covered in five condoms.” His gaze dropped to my skirt with a sneer. “I’m not into STDs, and fuck knows, your cunt has had more traffic than LAX.”
My spine snapped to attention. “How about if you fuck all the way off?”
He dropped back into the chair he’d been in early. “We still have shit to work out. Sit.”
“I’m not a damn dog,” I snapped.
His smirk turned even crueler. “But you are my bitch, so sit the fuck down before I make you.”
I folded my arms across my chest in defiance.
“Actually? I like you standing better,” he said after a pause. He waved a hand down his body. “I sit, you stand. Like a king presiding over a... peasant.”
“You’re an asshole,” I hissed, moving forward and taking a seat on the couch. I tossed my purse on the other side and glared at him.
“Let’s start with the attitude first,” he started, leaning back in the chair. “You want to act like the bitch you really are in private, go for it. I couldn’t care less if you’re happy about this shit or not, but in public? You’re my doting fiancée.”
“And what makes you think I’ll agree to that?” I scoffed, shaking my head.
“Baby, I can make your life miserable really fast. Do you actually want to test me?” The coldness of his tone was like freaking Elsa came down and built an ice castle in the room.
Instead of verbally agreeing, I just nodded.
“You’ll be at all my games with the squad anyway,” he went on, “but you’ll wait for me outside the locker room like a good little girlfriend.”
I wrinkled my nose. “But why—”
He clicked his tongue against his teeth and a vein throbbed at his temple. I was quickly coming to realize that was a sign he was getting annoyed.
Hell, he was always annoyed.
“Team parties, fraternity parties, and anything else I decide you’ll attend, you will. And you’ll look the fucking part even if I have to pick out your outfits myself.”
“You have some serious control issues, don’t you?” I sighed, rolling my eyes.
“You mean since it came out that my fiancée was fucking my—” He cut himself off, hate twisting his beautiful face into something to be feared. Raking a hand through his hair, he pinned me with a glare. “Yeah. If we want to sell this relationship, you’re going to show the world that you can go from dirty skank to actual fucking lady.”
I literally bit down on the insides of my mouth to keep from replying.
Or screaming.
Honestly? It could’ve gone either way.
“If I’m such a disappointment, why not break this off and save us both a lot of trouble?” I demanded hotly.
His gaze went from scary intense to scarier. “You fucking know why.”
I didn’t, but I had a feeling now wasn’t the time to play twenty questions with him.
“Yeah, right,” I mumbled. “Are we done?”
Please say we’re done.
Ryan stood up slowly. “I’ll be back to pick you up at eight.”
“Why?” I asked flatly, having zero interest in spending any time with him.
He flashed me a grim smile. “Welcome back party at my fraternity house. And it’ll be our first public appearance together on campus. Make sure you look hot.”
“So you can show off your skank?” Disgust flooded my tone as I sent him a sharp glare.
He leaned over me, eyes bright as he used his index finger to tip my chin up. “You might be an evil bitch, and we might be stuck together, but you’re gorgeous. And I’m happy to show off what’s mine.”
I should’ve been offended by that “mine” comment, but I was still (stupidly) hung up on the “gorgeous” part. It warmed up places in me that should have stayed dormant and frigid. At least where Ryan was involved.
“Okay,” I agreed, capitulating easily enough.
“Good girl, Maddie,” he whispered. He pulled back and cocked his head. “You know, when I heard you were going by that name, I thought it was yet another bullshit attempt to distance yourself from last year. But it suits you.”
“Does it?” I asked hoarsely.
“Yeah,” he agreed with a grin. “It sounds just as common as you really are.”
I flinched at the barb, which only made him chuckle as he left me alone. The door slammed shut with a bang that shook the walls.
I really needed to have new locks installed.
Chapter 19
Part of me was secretly glad that Ryan had decided to come and pick me up for the party. Pulling up to the massive, three-story brick house with people spilled all over the front lawn and the doors thrown open to show even more people crushed inside, I knew I would’ve chickened out and turned around.
Ryan pulled effortlessly into the open driveway and into a reserved parking spot in the frat’s private lot.
I glanced at the sign marking the spot and blinked.
VICE PRESIDENT CAIN
Being a junior, it wasn’t really surprising that he would be in some sort of leadership role at the biggest (and probably douchey-est) frat at PC.
“Let’s go,” he muttered, opening the door of some fancy Italian sports car that was a gorgeous shade of blue so deep it looked black. He didn’t come to help me when he slammed the door, which meant I needed to figure out how to get out of this bucket seat without flashing everyone my underwear.
I wouldn’t have had that issue if Ryan hadn’t made me change.
Apparently the sundress and flip-flops I had selected looked like I was going to a church picnic.
Ryan stormed into my closet and yanked out a tiny eggplant-colored dress and strappy black heels, throwing them on the bed and telling me that I had five minutes to change or he’d strip me himself.
Admittedly, the short skirt and the heels made my legs look amazing. And the purple was a stunning color.
But the dress had hardly any give, and I wobbled like a baby deer in the heels.
I pushed open the door and struggled to my feet as Ryan watched. Finally on my feet, I shot him a glare across the hood of the car. “Thanks for the help.”
He gave me an innocent look. “Did you need help, sweetheart?”
My eyes narrowed, but I walked around the front of the car and reluctantly took his arm so he could escort me up the walkway and into the house.
I would have held on to the Grim Reaper’s arm to navigate the stone path in these death shoes.
The music from the stereo pulsed in my blood before we even made it to the front steps, and the journey seemed to take forever as people stopped to talk to Ryan... and completely ignore me.
Okay, that was a lie. Only a few ignored me. Most looked like they wanted to pour their alcohol over my head and flick a lit cigarette in my direction.
A few girls even hugged Ryan, pressing their barely constrained tits against him as their arms wrapped around his neck. All while I was literally hooked to him with my arm. Shouldn’t girl code have kicked in here? Who threw themselves at a guy who was clearly with someone else?
If this was a normal date, I probably would’ve been offended, but as it was, I could only hope one drew enough of his attention so I could hide out in a corner and pray he forgot I existed.
I entertained myself by looking around, watching people who hadn’t noticed, or didn’t care, that Ryan and I had arrived. A lot of them looked... normal. Ripped jeans and faded t-shirts with dirty shoes.
“Do all of these people go to Pacific Cross?” I wondered out loud.
Ryan glanced down at me before looking around. “No. A lot are townies from Pac City.”
I nodded. Pacific City was the small town that surrounded the base of the school. I wondered if the school had been built on top of the town to show the townspeople who was really in charge... or if the town was created to hire workers to help maintain the pristine grounds.
