The Sinners - Ruby Vincent Page 0,33

just like Clay Walker.

We broke apart, me gasping in dazed delight.

“I’ve got to take care of Cam,” he said, “but I’ll see you tonight.”

Clay and Cassius led their sister down moments before Mr. Geske forced his way up, looking for the culprits.

GESKE NEVER DID GET answers to his questions.

Brandon and I slid past him like nothing happened.

“I can’t believe they let him go,” Brandon raged. “What does it say to every girl in this school? That if they’ve got a little bit of money, an attempted rapist can run free on campus. Fuck your safety.”

I might have said something but Brandon was covering it pretty well for the both of us. Disgust turned my stomach and shot bile in my throat. He wasn’t even gone that long. It took no time at all for the system to say screw you to the OB girl and toss the rich Ravener back on the street.

“Headmistress Hart has to do something about this,” I said. “We’ve got a dealer on campus slinging out drugs and roofies on demand, and the Raveners buy his stuff. At their next party, Leo could try again to take advantage of a vulnerable girl.”

“I’d like to think even though the Raveners are defending him, in the back of their minds they’re looking at Leo twice. They won’t let him walk any drunk girls back to their rooms ever again.”

“It’s not enough.”

“I know, B.” He drew me to his side. “I know.”

Brandon and I climbed the stairs to the third floor. We topped the landing and the question of where Royal Cruz was during the breakfast showdown was answered in an instant.

Royal propped his arm on the locker, boxing in a Destiny Hamilton who looked extremely pleased at the proximity. She grinned flirtatiously at him, lip between her teeth, upturned nose wrinkled cutely, and cleavage pushed out as far as it would go. Destiny rested her foot on the locker, letting her knee brush his inner thigh, and a vivid picture flashed through my head of those knees sinking into his mattress while he pounded her from behind and ordered her to scream.

Royal must have sensed me drilling a hole in his head because he suddenly looked up and saw me standing there. Royal captured my gaze... and winked.

If one more asshole winks at me today, I swear.

I streamed past, flipping him off, and was treated to his laughter all the way down the hall.

“What was that about?” Brandon asked.

“It’s another one of those secret national holidays for men to be as infuriating as possible.”

Brandon slid in front of my locker. “But not me, right?” He fluttered his lashes, widening those green eyes. “You love me.”

“You wish I did,” I said with a laugh.

He heaved a sigh. “It’s true, I do. But the de-quillification process is a long one.”

I tossed him out of the way, giggling. I read nothing into his wish that I’d love him. In the time we’ve hung out, Brandon didn’t give the slightest signal that he was interested in me as more than a friend. I might not have been his type, or maybe he wasn’t interested in dating a girl with more baggage than an airport. Either way, it was nice to have one uncomplicated relationship in my life.

“You get points for bucking the holiday and not being irritating,” I said as I spun the dial. “I was thinking maybe the three of us, or four if Gabriel’s down, should hang in our room this weekend and binge on movies with Camila. I want her to know she has support through all of this.”

“For sure, B. You don’t have to ask. I’ll even stomach some rom-coms if it’ll make her smile.”

I flashed a grin his way. “Oh? How sweet. I’ll make sure Camila knows how much you care about her smile.”

I was teasing, but Brandon ducked his head, mumbling something, and turned his back on me to open his locker. I threw open mine to an unwelcome, but unsurprising present. A single folded note delivered the horrible, crushing visions of Eli battered and bleeding on a cot.

Silently, I unfolded it in the locker, careful not to let Brandon see.

No magazine cut-outs this time. This note was longer and typed in simple, small black letters.

You were lying about not having any money. Too bad you made us resort to that to get you to cut the bullshit. Now that we understand each other, one thousand dollars in locker 487 by next Monday. You know what