Total pages in book: 164
Estimated words: 157308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 787(@200wpm)___ 629(@250wpm)___ 524(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 157308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 787(@200wpm)___ 629(@250wpm)___ 524(@300wpm)
“Hey!”
“Stop!”
“Get off!”
Chaos descended. Students shoved, ran, shouted, and tried to break up the fight. Amidst it all, Ashton was screaming.
Dean Simmons wasn’t alone. Both the head of security and the school counselor sat at the other end of the table, looking at me with expressions I didn’t understand. Then he spoke.
Simmons received the report of what happened to me and prepared to suspend and put Ashton on probation until the police concluded their investigation. That is until Ashton told them the “truth.”
He never touched me. That night, he was holed up in Thompkins Manor playing video games with Levi, Owen, and Wesley. He was there all night. The guys and Levi’s head of security would confirm it.
The whole thing was a scheme to extort money from him. I threatened to falsely accuse him of rape unless he paid me half a million dollars. He refused and I made good.
Simmons said he was disgusted with me. The counselor yelled, saying I shamed women everywhere and made it harder for true victims to be believed. They would see to it that Ashton pressed charges against me. A person like me had no business in Regalia University.
I was expelled.
“Break it up!”
“Aghh!” A scream ripped through the noise. “Oh my god! He’s bleeding! Ashton’s been stabbed!”
I jerked up, hand flying out of Wilder’s.
The cry kicked off a stampede. Students knocked over tables, upended chairs, and shoved their friends out of the way fleeing. I forced through it all, running to Ashton.
It’s over, Luna. They’ve taken everything from me, and I can’t fight anymore.
All I can do now is say that I love you, take care of Mom, and be happy away from Regalia U and this cursed town.
Think of me the next time you eat jelly beans.
Signed,
Your loving sister
The crowd parted. Ashton curled on the floor—broken, bloody, hard pants spraying spittle. A knife protruded from his abdomen. “Help! Help... me.” Screaming, he clutched the hilt.
Neither Owen, Wesley, Levi, nor Giovanni was around him. Actually, they were nowhere. Scanning the bobbing heads, I couldn’t find them.
Hands seized me around the middle. “We need to go,” Wilder hissed. “Now!”
I didn’t fight him carrying me outside and escaping around the building as six security guards ran past.
“Shit, Luna.” Wilder grabbed his knees, chest heaving.
“Why did you pull me away?” My voice was flat.
“Because one of them fucking stabbed him. I expected violence, but not a deadly assault in the middle of the cafeteria.”
I arched a brow. “Am I supposed to cry?”
“No, you’re not.” Straightening, he took my hand, walking fast in the English building’s direction. “You’re supposed to be far away when stuff like this goes down. The last thing we need is the police calling you in as a witness, and your name connected to Ashton when he starts talking about being framed.”
I nodded, barely hearing him. “Wonder which one of them did it. My money is on Levi. He was quick to pull a knife on me too.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Wilder said under his breath. Rounding on me, Wilder cupped my face and kissed me soundly on the lips. I gaped at him—my strange numbing mood blowing to smithereens. “That rapist piece of shit deserves everything he gets, and fuck if I’m not glad I finally got to see him taste a sliver of the pain he gave Winter. Your plan is genius, Luna. Whatever they did to you in France, they perfected you. You’re amazing.”
“I...”
“Go inside. Act like you know nothing and saw nothing. Classes will likely be canceled today. You were just another student kicking back in class when all this went down.”
“Wilder...”
He took off, leaving me a red-faced puddle on the pavement. I stumbled into the building, touching my lips and the faint taste of Wilder.
He kissed me. The guy who sprung into attack mode when I hugged him, just kissed me.
And it was incredible.
No wonder he was out here snatching up sex. Call him all the things you wanted, the man knew what he was doing.
I tried to gather myself as I picked up the pace. I was ten minutes late and Wilder said I had to be sitting pretty in my seat with my notes out when the cops stormed campus. Closing on the knob, sirens sounded in the distance. I ran inside and skidded to a stop, darkness consuming me as the door swung shut.
“Hello?” I blinked in the gloom.
No one was here. Lights off, class empty. Somehow I missed that English class was canceled today. Was there an email? I turned to go.
The lights flicked on, flooding every corner of the class. Our gaze connected, and I screamed.
A girl in a floral blue dress and yellow cardigan hunched beside the light switch, a puddle of water growing at her feet. Soaked from head to toe, huge empty eyes stared at me through her curtain of dripping hair.