Page 26

“You’d trust me not to tell anyone?” Laura laughs incredulously, standing to put herself more level with me. I shake my head.

“No. I trust no one will believe you.” The color drains from her cheeks, and as if to put pressure on a weeping wound, I smile without a trace of kindness. “A freshman with bad grades, no friends, and a sudden envelope of cash claiming Reid Wilder asked her to fake her own disappearance wouldn’t gain you the attention you’d like. Trust me.” I deliver the words as a warning and a threat, ignoring how Laura’s fingers tighten around the envelope.

Sure, gaslighting her is a dick move, and what can I say, I’m a dick. If Laura doesn’t know hate is currency in Hollowbrook, that people use it, trade it, and conceal it, then she truly never belonged here to begin with.

Coming to a conclusion in her head, Laura nods slowly, agreeing to meet me later, and walks away. I remain beside the music block until she disappears around the corner, ensuring we’re not seen together as I turn toward class with the taste of ash sitting heavy on my tongue.

Across campus, multiple notice boards will be glinting in the morning sun, the glossy photos catching the light. Just the knowledge they’re there is enough to make me actively avoid every single one. Everest and Meg are already burned into my mind, the unlikely duo that’s holding everyone’s attention.

Let Hollowbrook enjoy the pretty lie while it lasts. Let them whisper about legacy and love until their mouths dry out because by the end of the Freshers’ Party, they’ll have a new story to choke on. This time, Meg O’Connor won’t be able to smile for the cameras, cling to Everest’s hand, or pretend she has clawed her way back from the darkness. This time, the darkness is going to consume her.

Chapter Fourteen

Sitting in the driver’s seat of my red Lexus, the engine idles by the sidewalk as I check my Rolex. Six forty-five, fifteen minutes ahead of schedule. I’ve had the car valeted, my shirt dry-cleaned, and I’m wearing the most expensive cologne I own. Everything has to be perfect. It will be perfect, as long as Cody took my earlier text message seriously.

Be at the east gate at seven, wear something nice.

He gave me a thumbs up, which is the most interaction we’ve had in days. That’s the whole reason for tonight. We need to reconnect. We need to get us back on track, and to do that, I need to grovel.

Drumming my fingers on the wheel, time creeps by with painstaking slowness. Overhead, the cover of trees cast my Lexus into shadow, the main path far enough away that no one should happen upon me by accident. Arriving early was a mistake, because now doubt is setting in and I’m starting to tug at the collar of my shirt, wondering if Cody will even show after all.

Thankfully, I don’t need to fidget for long. He appears through the trees, walking toward the car with his hands tucked into the pockets of a black coat that falls open to reveal a dark shirt beneath. On his lower half, he’s opted for dark jeans that have rows of silver chains looping between his belt loop and rear pocket. I bite the inside of my cheek to hold back a smile. Insolent as ever. His white hair is messy in a way that absolutely took effort, his eyebrow piercing catching the single streetlight nearby.

Opening the passenger door, he slides in, carrying the scent of smoke, cold air, and his cologne with him. A stagnant silence follows, no form of greeting or sign of a smile being offered. That’s fair, I don’t deserve it. Instead, he wriggles against the leather seat, stretching his long legs out in front of him with a clench in his jaw.

Unlike his mother, Cody has never been impressed by unnecessary luxury. He believes wealth breeds greed, and blames the extortionate allowance his mother sends him for his drug habit. Well, that, and my father’s determination to beat him into submission.

My grip tightens on the wheel at the mere thought, and with considerable effort, I manage to remind myself we’re out of that now. We’re here, and we’re together. Nothing else matters tonight.

“Where are we going?” Cody finally breaks the silence and glances at me when he realizes I’m not moving this car until he does.

“I’m taking you for dinner.” I give him a lopsided smile, forcing warmth into my eyes. His brow raises with suspicion.

“Publicly?” Cody asks, and my smile falters. I swallow before putting the Lexus into drive.

“Privately.”

“Of course,” he huffs beneath his breath, laced with disappointment. My eyes shift to the side before refocusing on the road.

It didn’t always used to be like this. In his first year, Cody would bound up to my car like an excitable puppy, each trip off campus becoming a glimpse into the future I’ve promised him. I’ve chipped away at that eagerness over the years, doused his happiness, destroyed his trust. He held out for me for so long, and I couldn’t repay him the same courtesy. Sighing, I smooth a hand over my styled hair.

“Do you want me to turn back?” I ask, even though my heart wilts away with it. Cody’s gaze lifts to the rearview mirror, watching the gates slip away into the distance. For a beat, his sigh filters through me as if it were my own. Then, he cracks his neck.

“No. I’m intrigued by whatever expensive apology you’ve got planned,” he carelessly throws his hand towards the windscreen. “Spoil me like the sugar baby I am.” Instantly, the tension in the atmosphere snaps like a rubber band. I sag in relief, a small chuckle building in my chest.

“I’m only a year older than you.” Pulling onto the main road, a passing light flashes across a dimple in my peripheral vision. A quick side eye confirms it. Cody’s smirking. Trying hard not to and quickly failing. Finally, the weight in my chest shifts and I can relax in my seat just an inch.

The rest of the drive passes with few words, although the silence no longer feels punishing. Cody keeps his head tipped toward the window, watching the dense treeline fade out and the bright lights of the city upon the horizon grow closer. Passing headlights wash over his face, catching the sharp line of his cheekbone, the silver in his brow, and the guarded strain around his mouth that won’t disappear for a while yet. In contrast with the cool façade up top,

I keep my eyes on the route ahead, for the most part, following the route I’ve meticulously memorized. Once we hit the city’s outskirts, it becomes a maze of backroads and shortcuts that avoids as much attention as my Lexus allows. Buildings suddenly surround us, blocking out the sky, replacing the somewhat relaxed tension in the car with anxiety.

Contrary to what Cody believes he wants, he would hate being paraded around publicly. The way he’s increasingly toying with one of the chains hanging from his jeans says as much. Reaching out, I wrap his hand in mine to still his fingers.

“I’ve got everything covered.” I place his hand onto my thigh. “All you have to do is stay beside me.”

“You know I always will,” Cody replies in a quiet voice, his attention still fixed beyond the black-out window. I pretend I don’t hear the hitch of resentment, keeping my small smile in place. There’s no instant fix for the pain I’ve caused. The photoshoot wasn’t my doing, but I didn’t help. I didn’t push Meg away when she trembled beneath the flashing cameras and intrusive questioning. I pulled her closer. And that’s after I was already in the doghouse for kissing her in her room. Yeah, I have a lot to grovel for.

Turning into the underground entrance of the hotel, Cody’s hand instinctively twitches against my thigh. His gaze sweeps across the private garage, landing on the valet who is waiting by a side elevator. There’s a distinct absence of guests and luggage as the Lexus slides to a stop, the engine still humming.