did, besides our friend Chase. My dad may have gone to prison and forfeited his assets, but they didn’t go after mine, and being a financial advisor in New York was pretty freaking lucrative. Truth be told, I didn’t need to work another day in my life if I didn’t want to.
The key phrase was if I didn’t want to, because of course I wanted to work. I wasn’t one of those rich pricks who sat around and pretended to be busy all day really doing nothing.
Like a few of the supposed friends I’d left behind in New York.
“Are you going to do it?”
I sat back in my seat and shrugged. “Maybe I will—”
But I stopped short when I saw the expression on his face.
Was it her?
A hard-driving rock ’n roll song started blaring, and the most stunning woman I’d seen all evening skipped out onto the stage wearing a glittery bikini top, Daisy Duke shorts, and a wide Western belt holding them up. She’d accessorized herself with a cowboy hat and some matching high-heeled cowboy boots.
From the expression on Benno’s face, it had to be her.
And she was goddamn awesome.
She twisted and turned on the stage, tossing around what I figured was a long blonde wig, playfully engaging with the guys in the front and second rows. Then, she did the craziest flip off the stage and started working the floor.
“It’s her, isn’t it?”
But Benno had grabbed his jacket and ducked as if to hide his face. “My Uber is here. Talk to you tomorrow.”
“Okay. Suit yourself,” I said, settling back into my seat while he headed for the door.
Benno’s little dancer was making her way toward my side of the room, just when her song wrapped up to huge applause. She smiled and bowed when I realized something.
She was not only in Benno’s English class. She was also in my math class.
Chapter 10
SENNA
“I’ll need to see a copy of your class schedule.”
I passed a piece of paper to Krishelle Abalone, my assigned academic advisor, and from what I could tell so far, a very unhappy person.
As soon as she ran down my list of classes, she stiffened.
Was there something objectionable about the three classes I’d signed up for? Did she think I ought to be carrying a heavier load? Because I had every intention of adding one more class as soon as I figured out which to take.
“One of the things I wanted to ask you about, Krishelle—”
“It’s Ms. Abalone,” she interrupted.
Really?
“Right. Ms. Abalone,” I repeated, hoping she’d hear how absurd she sounded. “I’m interested in adding a fourth class.”
She just kept frowning at my schedule.
“Um, is something wrong?” I asked.
She signed deeply. “Well. It’s just that you have Adler for English.”
Oh my god. Did he tell her he’d seen me at Club V? Was she gathering ammunition to shame me? Because if she were, I was going to give it right back to her. Possibly with my fist.
On the other hand, if her thinking was that he was a shitty teacher, maybe I could move to another class. Preferably one where the professor hadn’t seen me mostly naked.
“Is he a bad teacher or something?” I asked.
Ignoring my question, she pointed at the schedule. “I’m glad to see that you’ve chosen a ‘coast’ class. You’re going to need that.”
It was true I had a class that seemed like it wouldn’t be too challenging in order to balance out the other, harder ones I’d be taking. But her pointing it out was pretty bitchy.
“And why do you say that?” I asked.
“Well,” she said, looking me up and down.
What was it with the people at this fucking place, always looking me up and down?
“You’re going to need it. Expect to be very challenged this semester. If I were you, I might not even add a fourth course.”
“Why is that, Ms. Abalone?”
She pursed her lips, clearly looking for the right words. But there really weren’t any right words when you were insulting someone.
“Let’s just say, Senna, that a student of your abilities needs to proceed with caution.”
What? Did she just say what I think she just did?
A nasty heat washed over my face, and I knew I was turning deep red, especially when Abalone’s eyes widened and she sat back in her chair, like she was afraid I was going to punch her.
Couldn’t blame her. I would have loved to have a go at her. But the survival tactics that worked in the rough neighborhood where I’d grown up didn’t really