Monday morning, Tess gets a call from those two FBI agents—Agent Takahashi and whatever the angry redhead’s name is—and finds out that Parrish needs to go in for another interview.

“You’ll only miss today,” Tess tells him, but I can see that he’s furious. If only the FBI was as easily swayed by Parrish Vanguard as everyone else is. “There are make-up exams available on Friday; I already inquired. You’ll be fine.”

“You’d think I was the one who did the kidnapping,” Parrish says with a curled lip. He waits for Tess to step into the garage before turning and grabbing me for a kiss. I beat him to it, getting on my tiptoes and pressing our mouths together. His tongue delves between my lips right away, hot and insistent.

The move reminds me of our first kiss—my very first kiss—and I smile against his mouth.

Chasm sighs with annoyance but waits patiently off to one side.

“If I can manage to get away sooner, I will,” Parrish promises, putting his hands on my hips and glancing over at Chas. “Let them all know that as soon as I get back, they’re in trouble.”

“I’ll try; they’ve gone feral,” Chasm says with a dramatic roll of his eyes. “Even your baby sister was on the attack.”

Parrish narrows his eyes to slits, flicking them in the direction of the staircase as descending footsteps sound in the hall. His gaze locks with Kimber’s as soon as she appears from around the corner.

Their eyes meet, and she goes completely still; I get the sense that she knows she’s in trouble.

“You didn’t think I’d hear about your bad behavior when I got back?” he asks with a long sigh, looking handsome as ever in his Whitehall prep blazer, slacks, and plaid tie.

“I thought you were dead honestly,” Kimber whispers, looking away as she finishes up the last, few steps. “Lying in a ditch somewhere.”

“So you thought you’d lure Dakota and Chasm to a group of girls with knives? If I were dead, that’s even more fucked-up. Didn’t you care that they might be feeling hurt, too?” Parrish studies her with that impossible gaze of his, the one that used to put me into a rage at the slightest provocation.

We said some horrible, horrible things to one another, that’s for sure.

“I ran away from you with Dakota in tow because I didn’t trust you or your friends either,” Chasm admits, and Kimber cringes. She looks like a kicked puppy right now. Part of me feels sorry for her, but the rest wonders if a verbal tongue-lashing from Parrish and Chasm isn’t an appropriate punishment. “You looked like you might try to kick her ass yourself.”

“I—” Kimber starts, but then Tess is popping her head back through the door.

“We have to go, honey,” she says softly, and Parrish sighs. “If there’s time left, I’ll drop you off at Whitehall in the afternoon.” Tess doesn’t move, waiting there for Parrish to join her and effectively ending the conversation.

Parrish gives Kimber another scathing look before he smoothes his expression into a neutral one and turns away to leave with Tess.

“Stay safe,” he calls casually, and then he disappears out the door and takes my heart with him.

When I glance back, I see that Kimber is watching me very, very carefully.

“Ooh, you’re in trouble,” Chasm purrs, frowning down at the little sister that Parrish and I share. “As you should be.”

She says nothing, slipping past him and into the garage to slump in the backseat of his car. It’ll be awkward riding with us, I’m sure.

“This should be interesting day,” I start, and Chasm shakes his head, pushing his lightning bolt bangs away from his forehead and giving me a look.

“Interesting? I sure as fuck hope not; I hope it’s boring and studious and plain. If I only have one wish left, that’d be it.”

He moves around me, careful to put distance between us, and disappears into the garage.

Maxx pads quickly down the first few steps of the spiral staircase, putting his hands on the railing and offering me an encouraging smile.

“Good luck today, Kota,” he tells me as I smile back.

“Thank you.” The words are as honest and as heartfelt as I can make them. X nods, as if that’s all he needed to say, and retreats back upstairs to—this lucky bastard—sleep in a little more. Seeing as he already finished his studies and made breakfast for us this morning, he deserves it.

I squeeze my hand around the strap of my book bag, ignoring the annoyance I feel when my fingers brush the metal heart pin, take a deep breath, and head off to join them.

If I were an outsider looking in at Whitehall Prep—as I once was—I’m sure I’d find it very grand looking, with its imposing white stone walls and towers, its spires. As an insider? It looks dreadful, like a fanciful prison full of horrible people.

This is truly just the prep center for the rich and horrible.

As soon as Chasm, Kimber, and I walk in the doors of the third-story courtyard—nobody’s around to throw me over the edge today, which is nice—we find ourselves at the center of the academy’s collective attention. I keep thinking I’ve really and truly felt it, that horde of glittering demons staring at me with their intensity unmasked.

But, apparently, they’ve been holding back.

I really feel it today, the way they watch us as we pass. Nobody heckles us or throws things or scowls. In fact, they don’t talk at all. It’s dead silent.

“Holy fuck,” Chasm murmurs, but he seems somewhat relieved by the quiet, exchanging a glance with me as Kimber peels away from us and takes off down the right hallway. Chas and I turn left, and he deposits me at my classroom the way he’s been doing for weeks. “Hey.”

He puts his hands on my shoulders and gives them a squeeze, one that I think is supposed to be friendly but that takes my breath away instead. He’s just that pretty, and I like him just that much. I almost wish that I didn’t, so things could be easier with Parrish, but that’s not how love works. And anyway, I’m too selfish; I wouldn’t give my feelings up for Chasm or Maxx, even if I could wave a wand and make it happen.

“You’ve got this, naek — Little Sister.” Chas stands up and huffs a breath as I quirk an eyebrow at him. “You’ve studied hard: you’re going to nail this.”

“If you stop calling me naekkeo, I’m going to get angry,” I tell him, but he just quirks his mouth in a very wry sort of smile.

“If I keep calling you that, Parrish is going to get angry,” he corrects, and I sigh.

“Chasm—” I start, but he’s already shaking his head and pointing past me toward the classroom.

“What did I say? Stop worrying about romance. Go do your exam. Go kill that exam.” He flicks his fingers at me dismissively, and I roll my eyes.

I do as he says, setting my bag down next to my desk, cracking my knuckles, and slipping into my seat. If ever I needed to have confidence in myself, it’s now. Because the idea of being able to see my sister in person is a tantalizing treat that I can’t ignore—something that Justin knows full well.

Our teacher instructs us to set our iPads on our desks, directs us to the link for the multiple-choice portion of the exam, and off we go.

During final exams, classes are structured a little differently. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday are each split in half with an exam in the morning and one in the afternoon. So today, I’m tackling my exams for first and second period. Tomorrow will be for third and fourth period, and Wednesday for fifth and sixth. Thursday is for any late or make-up assignments, and one last goodbye, and Friday is for students like Parrish who might’ve missed—with a valid excuse—any of the previous exams.

There’s a brief break in the middle of the first exam, but I take it inside the classroom as Chas suggested—just in case. There’s no point in tempting fate, not even if I want to see him so badly that my palms itch. Not even knowing that Parrish is back and intends on regaining his position of authority with the student body.

I feel confident about the direction the exam takes, so confident in fact that I’m feeling pretty good when I hit submit, pack my iPad up, and head into the hall for lunch.

Chasm is usually waiting for me, or else he shows up within a minute.

Only … that’s not how it happens today.

My first period teacher locks up and disappears down the hall toward the teacher’s lounge as my eyes scan the passing crowd, looking for that signature yellow lightning bolt.

Nothing.

I’m not worried at first, leaning my back up against the wall and sliding my phone from my blazer pocket. No calls or texts from Justin, no word about Maxine. With a sigh of frustration, I text my bio dad first asking if I could please see proof that my sister’s still doing alright, and then I shoot a quick message off to Chasm.

Where are you?

The minutes tick by, and he still isn’t here. That worries me. I have a feeling that, even if he somehow wasn’t done with his exam, he’d drop it, just to make sure I was alright. Not that I necessarily approve of that course of action, but it’s what he’d do.

Instead, a chorus of footsteps from my right draws my attention up and over.

It’s Veronica Fisher, the pain-in-my-ass redhead, with her scowling brunette friend and their group of bullies. Fantastic. I don’t wait to see what they have to say, nor do I even consider talking to them at all. Instead, I turn and immediately take off in the direction of the handicapped bathroom at a full-on sprint.

Gamer Girl versus bully bitches. My favorite.

If I can get there and lock myself in, then I can message or call whoever I need to—or even just wait them out. They won’t hover in front of that door forever, not with exams taking place.

Unfortunately for me, the security guards are back to their usual rotation, with only two on the campus grounds at a time. Chasm was right about that, too, how one annoying complaint from one annoying student would restore the usual order around here.

God forbid anyone holds these brats accountable.

The girls catch up to me before I can reach the door handle, hauling me back and knocking my phone from my hand. It spins across the floor and slams into a bank of lockers. Not that it matters: I wouldn’t have had time to use it anyway.

I’m dragged into the fray of girls, and it isn’t long before I see the silver flash of a utility knife. I know they’re kept on campus and used in several of the classrooms for various purposes. How Veronica and her friends keep getting access to them, I’m not sure. Hell, maybe they brought them from home?

Whitehall Prep requires a gate code to even set foot on campus. We certainly don’t have metal detectors or drug dogs or anything of the like.

I’m thrown onto the floor on my hands and knees, and a foot comes down hard on my back. I’m fighting like crazy, but there isn’t much that I can do against a group of twelve.

I expect pain, most of all, the slashing of knives. That’s my worst fear. All of that blood …

When I try to scream, hoping to catch the attention of, well, anyone at this point, another foot is pressed down on the side of my face.

“Quiet. This doesn’t have to hurt unless you make it hurt.” Veronica pushes down harder against my skull as I’m jostled around, pulled and yanked and shoved. It takes me a minute to figure out what they’re doing. Are they … are they cutting my clothes off?!

A hot sharp lance sears across the back of my thigh, and I gasp in pain, unable to make anymore sound than that. My muscles are trembling as I press my palms into the floor, trying to dislodge the person whose foot is atop my back. No luck. I’m crushed even harder into the ground as another slice tears across my shoulders, my arms, even my ass.

“Keep fighting and you’ll end up with more cuts,” Veronica remarks absently, seemingly unconcerned at unleashing cruelty on me that I damn well know that I don’t deserve. What have I ever done to her? I’ve barely spoken a handful of words to this chick. The closest we’ve ever been to one another is when she was standing behind Lumen and giggling at all of her jokes. That’s it. I didn’t even know Veronica’s name until recently.

Still, that doesn’t stop the girls as they use their knives to slice up my uniform, tearing the fabric from my body with horrendous shredding sounds, even as blood leaks out to pool on the floor near my face. My whole body smarts; I’m not even sure it was fully healed from the last time this happened. I know for a fact that my nose and fingers aren’t, but I guess I didn’t realize how many of my bruises were still tender.

It feels like I’m lying on that floor for hours, but I know it can only have been a couple of minutes. As quickly as the melee started, it stops, and I’m left shivering, pushing myself up with my palms on the floor. My skin feels cold and hot all at once.

Looking down, I see blood smeared across my pale skin and a distinct lack of clothing.

I’m naked.

I’m completely naked and lying on the floor in the academy’s hallway.

“Look up, bitch,” Veronica commands, and my head flies up on instinct, just in time to see that she has her phone in her hand. She’s recording me. No. I wrap my arms around my chest out of instinct as the girls surrounding me laugh, forming a tight circle that should hide me from any passersby.

My uniform—even though it’s clearly in scraps—is gone. There isn’t even a piece of shredded fabric to hold over myself.

“Maybe daddy can use this to plug your image into his new app? He said he could find people on the dark web, right? Because that’s exactly where this video is going.”

I try to stand up, but hands push me down on either side, clamping on my shoulders and locking me in place.

“What a fun livestream this is turning out to be,” Veronica continues, her brown eyes blazing as she looks down at me. “Stand her up.”

There’s a shuffling sound behind me, and then the hands on my shoulders are gone, the pressure and the pain of those harsh fingertips releasing in a rush.

Black fabric appears in my vision, wrapping around me like the wings of some massive bird, and then warm arms follow it, bundling me up.

There’s a collective gasp, and I lift my eyes up to see Veronica staring at someone behind me. She backs up a step, but her phone remains where it is: still recording.

“Oh god, it’s you,” she says, her voice a breathy whisper. There’s a healthy dose of fear there, underlaid with something else. Respect?

“Yeah,” a voice says, and my heart soars when I recognize it immediately for who it is: Parrish. “It’s me.”

He lifts me from the ground and sets me on my feet, holding my waist with one arm as I look up at him. It’s his blazer that’s been thrown around me; I tug it close, hiding my nakedness from the girls as best I can.

Parrish glances down at me, but only for a second. His focus is on Veronica.

If I were her, I’d be afraid.

He looks fucking terrifying, a true king in his element. He might not like the Whitehall dynamic, or the way Medina’s high society works, but he understands it enough to take control of it. He’s the king of the academy for a reason. I turn toward him automatically, burying myself against his side.

I’m humiliated. And in pain. And I’m terrified that Veronica really is livestreaming, that my naked image is out there on the internet and there’s nothing I can do about it.

“I’m going to ask you this once,” Parrish says, his voice a quiet menace, a warning. “Delete the video.”

“It’s a livestream—” Veronica starts, and rage surges through me like fire. Before I can even question what I’m doing, I spin and throw the hardest punch that I’m able to, my right fist connecting with her pretty nose and sending her phone flying as she loses her grip on it. It slides across the ground near Parrish’s feet.

He grabs it right away, glancing down at the screen and then lifting his dark gaze back to Veronica’s bloody face. Red streams down from her nostrils in crimson rivulets as she slaps a hand over her mouth in shock.

My knuckles are aching, and I’m bleeding far worse than she is, but the satisfaction is there.

I got you, bitch.

Parrish throws her phone as hard as he can against the lockers, and it shatters, denting the metal in the process, before he turns and sweeps his gaze over the other girls.

“Delete your photos and your videos,” he commands, curling and uncurling his inked hands by his sides. “And I won’t completely kill each and every one of you: I’ll only make you hurt.”

“He’s just one person,” Veronica snaps, her hand still clamped over her nose. “You’re holding knives. ”

“By all means, stab me,” Parrish says, his voice nonchalant, but his frown the most dark and twisted thing I’ve ever seen on his face. “Do it, and I will quite literally murder you.” He moves over to my torn blazer on the floor and extracts both of my phones before hefting my book bag up and tossing the strap over his shoulder; he slips the phones inside the front pocket.

“He’s one person!” Veronica shouts, but the other girls—even that horrible brunette—don’t seem to want to take initiative.

“He’s a Vanguard,” one of them whispers, shivering. “His grandmother could destroy my dad’s company. I’m sorry, Veronica, but I’m out.” The girl turns and takes off, and several others follow along behind her.

Soon enough, it’s just Veronica and her bestie.

Parrish ignores them both, moving over to me and scooping me into his arms. I’m a little surprised, but relieved, too. My legs are so shaky that I’m not sure I could’ve walked the few steps to the bathroom by myself.

“You’re both dead!” Veronica continues, screaming at us as Parrish blatantly ignores her, opening the door to the handicapped bathroom and stepping aside. “My father will make sure of it.”

That’s the last thing I hear before Parrish sets me down on the edge of the sink and flicks the dead bolt.

It’s like lightning strikes that boy. He shivers and closes his eyes, and then when he opens them, all of that hatred and rage is gone, replaced with concern and affection. Parrish moves over to me and takes my face between his hands; his are trembling.

“Fuck, Gamer Girl, are you okay?” he asks, and then he reaches down and grabs the blazer, giving it a tug. I resist him, curling my fingers into the edges of the jacket and refusing to let go. So many places on my body burn. But worse than that, I’m mortified. I feel assaulted, exposed, violated. “Dakota,” he whispers, covering my hands with his. “Look at me.”

I do, and even though tears burn the edges of my eyes, I fight them back.

“I’m okay,” I whisper back, voice shaky. “Was she … did she livestream that? Am I all over the internet?”

Parrish’s face tightens enough that I know it’s true.

No. Fuck. Please, no.

“We’ll get it taken down,” he promises, and even though I feel like a traitor for thinking this, my mind goes to Justin. To Milk Carton. He can search my image anywhere, right? He’s been scrubbed clean off the internet, so it’s possible. It’s truly possible.

But then, did he sic Veronica and her goons on me? Or are they truly after me because I’m Justin Prior’s daughter?

Parrish tosses my book bag to the floor, ignoring the heart pin cam. It doesn’t matter now. Who cares if Justin sees this?

“I don’t want my naked body online,” I repeat, and Parrish nods in understanding. This time, when he tries to take the blazer from me, I let him. He pulls it off and tosses it over the other sink, standing back so that he can assess my wounds.

“Shit.” His jaw tightens as he reaches out and brushes some of the blood on my inner thigh, smearing it and revealing the extent of one wound. Even though it hurts, it also feels good, having him touch me like that. I look away. “Let’s get you to the nurse’s office.”

“No.” I turn back to him and shake my head violently. “I already had one ‘fall’ this past month.” I shudder, my fingers curled around the edges of the sink. “I don’t want to have to explain this, and I don’t want Tess to have more reason to worry.”

“Dakota,” Parrish starts, but then he grits his teeth because he knows I’m right. He grabs a wad of paper towels from the dispenser, runs some warm water on them after removing the blazer from the other sink, and then goes about carefully and meticulously cleaning the blood off of me. His teeth are gritted as he goes about it, fighting back that surge of tempestuous emotion in him. “You might need stitches.”

“I’ll manage,” I whisper, and he lifts his eyes up to look at me, studying me, searching my face for trauma. “But we need a first aid kit and a new uniform.”

“You’re not going back to class after this,” he tells me, and I grab him by the face.

“Don’t start ordering me around the way the other two do,” I reply, sliding my fingers into his hair and dragging him closer for a kiss. He presses his mouth to me softly, almost tentatively, and then curses.

“Let me call Chasm,” he says, and my heart drops.

“Chas was supposed to pick me up after class; he always does. He comes and gets me and walks me from room to room …” I trail off as Parrish whips his phone out of his pocket, checks for messages, and then dials his friend’s number. When there’s no answer, he shoots a text off, and then makes another phone call. To Maxx, I’m guessing.

“Fuck,” he curses when again, there’s no response. Parrish looks me over and then grabs his blazer again, settling it over my shoulders. He takes me by my upper arms and leans down to look into my eyes. “I’m going to go find something to clean your wounds up with, and I’ll stop at the merch shop for clothes. Will you be okay here for a minute by yourself?”

I nod and he curses again.

“I hate leaving you here,” he adds, but I square my shoulders and sit up straight, as if I’m attempting to prove to him that I’ve got this.

“Go. Bring me clothes and then we can find Chasm; I’m worried about him.”

Parrish lingers for a moment but then nods, pausing with his hand on the doorknob.

“Lock this as soon as I leave and don’t open it unless you hear my voice, okay?”

“I can do that,” I agree, and he helps me find my feet when I slide off the edge of the sink, steadying me with his hands on my shoulders before taking off like a bat outta hell. I make sure the dead bolt slams shut behind him, and then I curl forward, putting my forehead against the inside of the door.

I can’t believe that just happened, I think, trying not to be sick. Now, at least, I understand what the utility knives were for.

“Goddamn it.” I shove back from the door and storm over to my book bag, yanking out my Maxine-phone to see if there are any messages from Chasm. Nothing. That’s when I start to panic, pacing back and forth across the tile floor as I place a call to his phone, wait, hang up, try again.

My anxiety rachets up, and I actually start to wonder if I’m having a PTSD reaction from when Parrish went missing. This is triggering as fuck, and I have no idea what to do about it. The minutes tick past, and lunch is more than half over before I hear a knock on the bathroom door.

“Dakota.”

It’s Parrish. I unlock the door and fling it open, eyes widening when I see Chasm just behind Parrish, his face bloodied up and his arm around Maxx’s shoulders.

“Found something for you,” Parrish murmurs, holding the door aside so that Chas can limp in. Maxx helps him while Parrish waits for them to pass, slams the door shut, and activates the lock.

“What happened to you?” I whisper as Chas’ eyes widen at the sight of me, naked and bloody under Parrish’s blazer.

“What happened to you ?!” he chokes out, stumbling from Maxx’s grip to brush his thumb across one of the bloody wounds on the back of my hand. It’s shallow—they all are—but that doesn’t mean it isn’t aching and burning like a bitch. “Why are you naked?”

“Veronica and her friends cut her clothes off while livestreaming the entire mess.” Parrish sets a first aid kit down on the sink as Maxx’s green eyes flare with undisguised rage.

“You’re kidding me?” he asks as Parrish turns on the warm water and offers up a wad of paper towels so Chas can clean himself off. I snatch it from his hand and step forward, attempting to dab at Chas’ bloody lip. He grabs my wrist before I can even get started, frowning at me.

“Do not try to take care of me when you’re bleeding all over the fucking floor.”

I yank my wrist from him and narrow my eyes.

“Give me the paper towels, ” I hiss, and his face gets all weird, and then he’s grabbing me in a huge hug and squeezing me tight. The blazer falls to the floor, and I don’t even care about it. My fingers grab the back of Chas’ blazer and hold on for dear life.

“I’m so sorry,” he whispers, kissing the side of my head and rubbing his cheek against me. “I’m so sorry, naekkeo. ”

“What happened?” Parrish asks, his voice cold and almost businesslike. I can’t decide if it’s because he’s angry with the girls still, pissed off on Chasm’s behalf, or jealous of the way we’re touching. Maybe all of those things? But when Chas and I pull back from each other, and I glance Parrish’s way, there’s a touch of sadness in his eyes when he looks at me.

“I got jumped in the hall,” Chas says as Maxx moves over to stand beside me. I glance his way, and then suddenly realize how naked and vulnerable I am all of a sudden. Even more so when he reaches out and gently sweeps some of my tangled hair back, his hand trembling like he wants to hold me but isn’t sure if he can, if he’d be allowed to.

After a moment, his face hardens and then he’s just pulling me in for a hug. His body is so big, it envelops mine completely, and I love that. I love how cared for and precious I feel when the three of them are around. That, and how incredibly powerful I feel at the same time. It’s like, both sides of me, both sets of wants and needs, are valid.

“Who?” Parrish demands, stepping forward and grabbing the paper towels from Chasm’s hand. He cleans his best friend’s face off while I cuddle up against Maxx.

“Gavin, Antonio. Shit, I don’t even know. Some of our friends, Parrish.” Chasm winces as Parrish finishes wiping him down and then applies shiny ointment to his lip. “I took off, but they cornered me in a utility closet.”

“And then he called me,” Maxx adds, letting me go just long enough to collect some gauze and ointment from the first aid kit. Parrish watches him do it, his hands curling into fists and then releasing with seemingly great effort. He wants to tend to me, but he’s allowing Maxx to do it instead. “Sit.”

“Mr. Sports Medicine,” I murmur as I hop up onto the sink, still naked, still trapped in a small bathroom with three boys—all three of whom I’ve slept with at this point. Maxx hooks a cocky smile, but it’s laced with rage and barely restrained violence. When he takes my hand and starts to bandage my cut, his fingers are surprisingly gentle. “You came for Chasm?”

The thought warms my heart; the bromance between these three is real.

“I only had a second to make a call,” Chas says, putting weight on his ankle and wincing slightly. “They got my phone away from me, but at least it went through.”

“What happened when you got here, X?” Parrish clarifies, taking some Whitehall Prep merch out of a bag and bringing it over to me. Our gazes meet, and some of the harshness in his softens.

“They took off,” Maxx explains, his voice light, almost too light.

“Because they’re scared shitless of you.” Chasm leans back against the wall and then curses as he notices a tear in his shirt. He adjusts his blazer to cover the damage and shakes his head. “The bastards left, but they had to know we wouldn’t let this go.”

“They knew I was coming back,” Parrish agrees, waiting for Maxx to finish cleaning and bandaging the cuts on my chest and neck before he helps me into the sports bra and pullover sweater. Where the Best Shine Bright is scrawled across the front in black cursive.

Right.

The best.

Shining bright.

Mm-hmm.

My breath hitches as Maxx spreads my legs carefully and focuses on the cut there like it’s the only thing in the world that exists, like he isn’t close to the apex of my thighs, like he can’t feel my heat. He finishes up and Parrish offers me a pair of joggers.

I slip into them before accepting some sneakers and socks. Everything Parrish purchased for me seems to be the right size which makes me smile. Well, okay, so the shoes are maybe a size too large but that’s better than them being too small. Maybe that was the point?

“They knew, and they didn’t care.” Chasm heaves a sigh. “The girls have been wild without you, but the guys? This is the first time I’ve had to deal with anything like this.”

“The girls who attacked me”—I feel suddenly choked up and it takes several deep breaths for me to calm my nerves—“they were scared of Parrish. I mean, there were twelve of them and they still took off when he showed up.” I think on that for a moment, trying to push the feelings of humiliation aside. As much as I despise Justin, I’m going to ask him about this, about using Milk Carton to search for any videos of photos of me … “Because Parrish is still a Vanguard,” I say carefully, “and Chasm’s dad just got into bed with Justin Prior.”

“More Medina bullshit,” Maxx growls out, and we all pause as the bell rings to signal the end of lunch. “They know Parrish and Chas are like this.” He crosses his fingers together and then shakes his head. “Seems like a big risk to me—especially considering the guys have left you alone this whole time. Now they’re on the attack? The very day that Parrish is supposed to return to school?”

“Unless we’re thinking of these problems as originating from one source,” I suggest, bending down to grab my book bag and cringing at the pain that ripples through my body. All three boys look like they’re about to leap on me and carry me off for cuddles and hot tea or some shit. I ignore them, standing up straight and letting out a long exhale. Doing well on my exams means seeing Maxine; I won’t allow anything to stop me from doing that—not even this. “But maybe we ought to consider opposing forces?”

“Meaning what, exactly?” Parrish queries, but I don’t know yet. I’m just not fucking sure.

“No idea,” I admit, glancing back at Chasm. He pushes up from the wall, takes a tentative step, and then exhales sharply. It hurts, but he’ll survive. Same with me.

But I’m not just going to let this go; I can’t.

Does Justin know that? Did he arrange this? Or is it something more than that?

“Let’s stay together, walk each other to class one by one, and then Maxx can wait for us in the library or something?” I give him a hopeful smile that he returns with a reluctant one of his own.

“My visitor’s pass is good all week; Ms. Miyamoto thinks Parrish needs emotional support right now.”

“Lucky me,” Parrish grumbles, taking my hand as Maxx hauls Chas’ arm over his shoulder for support, and we head out the door.

“After school,” I start, but Chasm’s already scoffing and scowling at me. He knows before I even think up a clever euphemism what I’m trying to say here. Lumen. Her note. The hedge maze. Because I haven’t forgotten about my girlfriends just yet.

“No, Little Sister. Absolutely not. You have nothing important to do after school except go home .”

But I do. Lumen gave me a note in secret which means one thing: she knows she’s being watched.

That’s a telling clue all on its own, now isn’t it?

It’s hard to focus during my exam—especially after accepting a dress code violation with grace—but that’s not unexpected. I got my ass kicked; I’m cut up all over; my naked form might be splashed across the internet. I’m too afraid to look; I don’t want to see. For now, I just have to focus on this.

If I need to score well on these tests to see my sister, then that’s what I’m damn well going to do.

During break, I stay in the classroom and text the boys—just not about the possibility of me being nude online. I don’t want to know until after I’m done with this damn test. Instead, we keep our conversation absurdly light, almost fluffy.

We could all use a bit of fluffy right now.

After I finish my test, I wait just inside the classroom for Maxx. He’s been in the library for hours now, but he appears within minutes of me sending a quick text his way. The sight of his large, muscular form filling the doorway brings me peace.

It occurs to me that he’s not anymore immune to being attacked by the students here than anyone else—especially since his family isn’t rich. But I guess the bulging biceps and the dangerous glint in his eye is enough protection for now.

“How did it go?” he asks, and I shrug, wince, remind myself not to shrug for a while.

“It went well … I think.” I bite my lip as we approach Chasm’s classroom. It’s next door to Parrish’s, thankfully, so it’s a one-stop boy shop.

“You make me proud, naekkeo ?” Chasm asks as he joins us, and then he, too, cringes slightly, glancing over at Parrish. The Prince of Sloths sighs heavily.

“You’re annoying me, but you also got beat up today. Don’t test my good will.” Parrish softens the words with the barest hint of a smile, and then all the boys come to a halt as I continue down the hall when we should rightfully hook a turn toward the parking garage. “Where on earth do you think you’re going?”

“Firstly, Chas, I really do hope I made you proud. Also … I have something to do before we leave.”

Maxx gives me a harsh look because he knows exactly what it is that I’m up to. Chas and Parrish, too.

Chasm frowns hard, moves down to his locker, and opens it up. I dump my book bag—with both phones tucked into it—inside. The boys do the same, and I take off toward the hedge maze.

“Excuse me, Gamer Girl,” Parrish growls, grabbing me by the arm. “After the day you and Chasm have had, you now want to go down to the fucking hedge maze? Where there are no cameras? This sounds like a really, really stupid idea to me.” He keeps his voice low, flicking his attention up to the camera mounted near the ceiling.

“And if we’re going down there anyway—because this is Little Sister, and she always gets what she wants—we can’t go by such an obvious route. You said you wanted to go to the library? Justin will be watching, and it is … thataway.” Chas points in the opposite direction as Maxx crowds in close to our little group.

“What if we get ambushed down there? If there are enough of them, we’ll be in trouble.” X crosses his arms, looking resolute in his decision not to go down and meet with the queen of the school.

The thing is, I remember the look on her face when she heard that Veronica had tried to throw me over the wall in the courtyard. Lumen was surprised. She may have orchestrated the first attack on me, but not that one. Not this.

“Look, we have Parrish back,” I start, reaching out and taking his hand in mine. He narrows his eyes at me, but the edge of his mouth lifts in a slight smile. Every time I look at him, I’m reminded that we almost lost him, that he almost died, that I might never have held his hand like this ever again. “But that doesn’t mean this is over. Far from it. Justin will never let me go. Never. The way he looks at me …” I trail off and heave a huge sigh. “We need more clues, and we need more allies.”

Otherwise, I’m going to have to kill him.

That much I know for certain. But I really, really don’t want to think about that right now. Especially not after the day we’ve had.

“And you think Lumen could be this ally?” Maxx asks, quirking a brow. “Kota …”

“We’ve been over this already—more than once,” Chasm says, his lips twisting up in a slight sneer. The movement costs him, and he winces again. Guess I won’t be shrugging for a while, and he won’t be sneering. Too bad. He’s actually pretty cute when he makes that face. “You don’t make friends with people who beat you up.”

“I made friends with you and Parrish,” I quip back, and Chas gives me a flat stare in response. “What? You might not have physically attacked me, but your barbs hurt. Maxx was the only nice one.” He snorts at me, and I can see that we’re making progress. “Can you guys try to trust me on this one? I have good instincts: I promise.”

“If you’re wrong about this, I’m keeping you on a leash,” Parrish grumbles, dragging me along behind him. He pauses after a few steps to glance back at Maxx. “Actually, you’re the expert here: tell us where to go.”

“Any new cameras installed since I graduated?” X asks, but Chasm’s already shaking his head.

“Nope. Lead the way, Fred,” he says, and then pauses. “Or George. Either way, you know how to sneak around this place better than anyone.”

I grin at the Harry Potter reference as Maxx takes the lead.

He escorts us to the library and then winds us through the shelves in a roundabout pattern before pausing next to a large window. With a grunt, he shoves it up and out of the way, pushes the screen loose, and then climbs through. He reaches back a hand to help me out, and I take it, a thrill traveling through me as I think back to Friday night. He offered his hand then, and it ended up with us finding Parrish.

I’m taking this as a good sign, I think, hopping down and then cringing as pain ripples through my body. I’m going to be hurting for days, at the very least.

Parrish climbs out next, offering a hand for Chasm which he refuses to take. He jumps down and stumbles a bit, catching himself and swiping his palms on his blazer like he totally meant to do that.

“You’re a macho douche sometimes,” I mumble, and he smirks at me.

“Yeah, but you like it, so I guess that’s working out for me?” Chasm saunters past, and Parrish’s eyes track his movement before dropping to mine. He’s starting to see the relationship that I’ve built with Chas over the past few weeks, with X. But I can’t hide it. I won’t. That’d be a lie. I don’t know how we’re going to work this out, but I know that we will. The four of us make a good team.

Maxx guides us through the grass, heading diagonally toward the rear of the maze where the woods meet up with the manicured lawns. He abruptly changes course, making a hard right, and then drops down to crawl through a small, almost unnoticeable hole carved into the underside of the dense hedges.

I follow after him with Chasm and Parrish on my heels.

As soon as I emerge on the other side, I see Lumen.

She’s alone, dressed in her Whitehall uniform, and pacing a rut in the grass.

She pauses when she hears us, glancing over her shoulder, brown eyes widening. Maxx helps me to my feet as Lumen struggles to control her facial expression, twisting it into something wicked.

“Did you bring your phones?” she snaps, tossing her honeyed hair over one shoulder. “Want to film yourselves kicking my ass? It’d be a nice companion video to the one Veronica made earlier today.”

X actually moves forward like he might retaliate, and I grab onto his bicep.

“We don’t have our phones; you’re safe,” I say as Parrish and Chasm join us. Lumen’s gaze finds Parrish’s right away, and they end up staring at each other for an inordinate amount of time.

“I hear that we’ve been fucking since sophomore year?” Parrish asks with a caustic bite to his voice, and Lumen cringes. “Hilarious, considering we’ve never even kissed.”

“I’m sorry,” she groans, putting her hands over her face. “I’m so sorry. To all of you.” She drops her hands down and looks at me with such a pained expression that my heart breaks. “I didn’t want to do any of this. I didn’t have a choice.”

My breath catches at the rawness in her words … but none of the boys seem convinced.

“Pray tell, what would spur you into beating the shit out of my girlfriend?” Parrish asks dryly as Lumen looks him over like a ghost risen from the grave.

“I can’t believe you’re still alive,” she mumbles, and he grits his teeth.

“Speak up and quick. My patience is running thin.” He crosses his arms and stares her down as she ruffles up her blond hair and sucks in a huge breath.

“I don’t know if I can do this,” Lumen mumbles, looking down at the ground like she’s searching the grass for answers. “Maybe this is a mistake?”

“It will be if you don’t start talking,” X confirms, and Lumen gives him a sharp look in response.

“Just because I’m here, and I feel bad for Dakota, doesn’t mean I’m going to take shit from you. From any of you.” Lumen turns back to me, steeling herself and curling her hands into the fabric of her pleated skirt. “Let’s just say: I’m being blackmailed.”

My blood goes cold, and I wet my lips, taking a small step forward. The boys tense on either side of me, but I don’t plan on getting any closer. I just need Lumen to know that I’m listening.

“By who?” I ask, and she shakes her head.

“I don’t know. All I know is that …” She lifts her head up and glances back in the direction of the academy, its white walls shining in the afternoon sun. Lumen trails off, heaves another sigh, and turns back to me. Her expression is resolute. “I don’t know who the person is, but I do know that they can spy on me through phones or laptops or whatever. That’s why I gave you that note at the party. It was the only way I could think for us to talk without being watched.”

“What did you do to get blackmailed?” Chas drawls, but Lumen ignores him. She wasn’t lying when she said she wasn’t interested in any of the boys, just me.

“At first, the things my blackmailer was asking weren’t so bad. Just a little thing here or there. But his demands are getting bigger and bigger, and I’m learning to hate myself more and more …” Lumen trails off, takes in a deep breath, and lifts her chin. “Before we get any further, I just need to say this: Danyella isn’t involved. I don’t want her involved. And if you get her involved …” She trails off, and the threat in her words is apparent.

Chasm snorts derisively from behind me.

“We won’t involve Danyella,” I agree, crossing my arms and waiting for her to continue. “And I’m pretty sure you know we’re going through the same shit?”

She grimaces, like this is what she suspected, but hoped wasn’t true.

“I figured it out right away, when you told Danyella you’d set the theatre on fire. That isn’t something you’d do unless you had to.” Lumen’s calculating gaze swings over to Chasm, and I can see why they’re battling it out for future valedictorian. “That’s why I figure we’re both being blackmailed by Parrish’s kidnapper.”

I cock a brow at that. I mean, with the information she has, it really is the most logical conclusion to come to.

She turns to him with a stern look on her face.

“Anything you want to add to this that I didn’t already see on the news or hear from Emerald City Murder?” Lumen twists her lips to the side in an expression of complete disbelief. “I feel like you know more than you’re letting on.”

“And I feel like you forget that we’re equals at this school, Lumen. Don’t get started with me.” Parrish tilts his head at her. “Or … are we? I mean, I have turned you down over a dozen times—officially. Unofficially, I’m sure it’s a hell of a lot more than that.”

Lumen bristles, but she doesn’t remark on it. I’ve always sensed there was something more going on with her and Parrish, but I now at least know what it is from his side. He said everything in his life was bullshit; he didn’t want a shallow romantic relationship on top of everything else. Lumen? I don’t know what Lumen’s story is.

“I have to be honest with you, Dakota,” she continues, taking a step closer to me. Parrish moves up on my right, but Lumen doesn’t acknowledge him at all. “When I first approached you, I was already being directed by the blackmailer.” I shiver, and my eyes go wide, but Lumen isn’t done. “He wanted me to befriend you; he asked me to keep tabs on you. Sometimes, he asked me to take you places or convince you to attend things. Antonio’s party, for example.”

I just blink back at her as Chasm scowls and comes storming around Parrish to get in her face.

“I knew it,” he snaps, and she narrows her eyes, shifting her gaze over to him. It’s like watching two titans clash. “You were up to this shit from the very beginning. Typical Whitehall nonsense.”

“Oh, please, as if the three of you are Whitehall’s angels? Its saints?” Lumen turns back to me and then leans in even closer. “They might act like they’re your friends, but don’t think they haven’t done terrible things in the past. They’ve been just as bad—if not worse—than most.” Lumen tosses her hair casually over one shoulder before glancing at Maxx with disdain. “Remember the guy you drove to drop out?”

“Throwing stones in glass houses?” X jibes, his expression of contemptuousness equaling Lumen’s with zero effort. “What’s your point? We’re on Dakota’s side now. Are you?”

Lumen sighs, her cheeks flushing slightly as she turns back to me. Why she’s blushing now, I’m not sure.

“Not only are the demands from this getting insane—like asking me to beat you up—but I just … I like you, Dakota. You’re too nice. I don’t want to do this.”

“Oh, please,” Parrish scoffs, but then Lumen is staring at me like she’s gathering herself up to do something.

She reaches out, grabs me by the cheeks, and crushes her mouth to mine.

My eyes go wide, and I immediately push her back, before any of the guys can step in.

“What the fuck?!” Chasm snarls as Parrish goes stone-still and completely cold. Maxx is gaping in disbelief—and he actually takes a step back. To, I think, stop himself from having an inappropriate reaction.

“Lumen,” I start as she sighs and then shakes her hands out.

“So anyway, there’s that,” she says, looking at me with curiosity. “I like you. Whether you like me or not is irrelevant; I’m done with this.”

“You just kissed my girlfriend,” Parrish tells her, hooking an awful smile, one that promises pain. “I should kill you for that.”

“But you won’t because you need my help,” Lumen confirms, crossing her arms and taking a step back. She looks at me with a question in her eyes that I feel like I really need to answer before things get weird.

“I’m way taken, Lumen,” I tell her, giving a small shake of my head. “I’m sorry; I’m not interested in you like that.”

She sighs and turns away, shaking out her hair with her fingers.

“I knew as soon as you started crushing on Parrish that I was in trouble. Chasm, too.” She glances back and takes Maxx in with a curious expression, likely noting that his jaw is clenched and he’s struggling to hold back his anger. “And … Maxx? Eww. No, please, not Maxim. He’s the biggest asshole of them all. Didn’t think you were into alpha-hole pricks.”

“Lumen,” I start with an exasperated sigh. I mean, like, I’ve missed her so fucking bad these past several weeks, but also, we need to focus. “Parrish and I are together officially, but … yeah, I have feelings for all three of them. So that’s another reason I know you and I won’t work: we don’t have that spark.”

“We have a spark, eh, Little Sister?” Chasm asks, but he sounds so absurdly pleased that my heart warms. Parrish ignores all of that.

“So what does your blackmailer want now? Why are we here?” he demands, flicking his eyes back to the towering walls of the school. “If we don’t get going, like, now , Tess is going to start calling the FBI to come and find me—not that they did a great job last time.” He rolls his eyes as he looks back to Lumen, and my heart goes cold.

Shit.

He has a point.

Like, we all finished our exams a little early, but I’m pretty sure that sound I’m hearing now is the final bell of the day. Crap, crap, crap.

“I’ll admit: he wanted me to arrange a meeting with you anyway.” Lumen twists her hands in the fabric of her skirts again. “I figured if I got caught early, I could make up an excuse. Anyway, he wants me to get Dakota to come somewhere by herself, to meet me.”

“And then what?” Parrish prompts, but she just shakes her head.

“I don’t know, but I’ve got a really, really bad feeling about it. I’m supposed to lure her somewhere and then leave, and I … I just don’t like the sound of that.”

I crinkle up my face, glancing over at Parrish and Chasm as X steps forward to fall in line beside me.

“This guy—this blackmailer—why wouldn’t he just blackmail me to get me to go somewhere?” I wonder aloud, but then it hits me. Because he would know that I’d try to bring the boys with me. If he explicitly told me not to bring them, I’d be suspicious. I’d know something was coming. But if Lumen were able to convince me to come meet her somewhere … I mean, I’d still tell the boys, but I wonder if that was part of Justin’s experiment, to see if I would. To see if I’d sneak off to see Lumen against their wishes.

“That’s what I was wondering. So … here we are.” She spreads her hands helplessly. “I need help getting out of this. The thing that he’s blackmailing about is … it’s bad.” Lumen shivers and closes her eyes, like she can shut out the horror of whatever this ‘bad thing’ is.

We all pause at the sound of rustling nearby, and Lumen’s eyes go wide.

She turns and stumbles over to the hedges, spreading the branches to look through as Chasm does the same.

He makes a scoffing sound.

“Danyella,” he says, but when I move forward to look myself, I see that she’s already taken off and is walking quickly back toward the school.

“Damn it, damn it, damn it. She followed me.” Lumen grits her teeth and then sighs heavily. “Okay, I will deal with her. Don’t tell her anything. I want to keep her innocent in all of this.”

“Seems like she knows enough to think to follow you?” Chas adds, giving Lumen a suspicious once-over. “What the fuck did the two of you do that has you afraid enough to follow a crazy kidnapper’s orders?”

“Leave Danyella out of this,” Lumen repeats as she points at him, and then she turns to me. “I don’t know what Veronica is up to, I swear it. She’s gone off the fucking rocker, and I think it has something to do with your dad coming back into town. Her dad might seem all friendly with him now, but the Fishers have like, a whole vendetta with Justin Prior.” Lumen squats down near the hole in the hedge, and I see that she, too, knows her way around the cameras here at Whitehall. “I have to go after her, but I’ll be in touch. We can pass notes like we’re old-school. Don’t text or call or even come near me where anyone might see.”

She ducks out and disappears as Parrish scowls.

“I don’t trust her,” he says, but I’m watching the hole she just disappeared through, deep in thought.

Justin is manipulating Lumen against me. I thought about it, but I wasn’t sure. Nice to know daddy dearest only pretends to be on my side. Also, nice to know that I was right: there are opposing forces at work here, aren’t there?

“We need to go,” Parrish says, giving my outfit a harsh frown. “If Tess asks, you … spilled something on it. And be careful if you raise your arms. If she sees those cuts, we’re going to be on lockdown for the rest of the century.”