“What are you thinking?” Lauren asks, coming to stand beside me.
She’s the only friend I have here. But I’m not like Becky; I choose to have a very small circle. Most people don’t like my sister, but it’s the opposite with me. I don’t like most of them. They lie. You can’t trust anyone.
She pours herself a drink. She’s pretty much the only one here from our high school. Most of the people have been invited by Seth from the University of Texas. And hardly anyone dressed up in costume. They’re all too old for that shit. There are a few girls who remind me of my sister and are half-dressed begging for attention from the men, but for the most part, the partygoers are just here to get drunk and have a good time. I didn’t even put up any decorations. And my mother doesn’t bother herself with such pointless shit. Her words.
“Nothing.”
“Liar.” She giggles. “Where’s Seth?” She looks around the packed kitchen. The guy to female ratio is laughable. There are probably five guys to every one girl. Seth plays football for UT, so he’s popular with all the athletes at the college. He spread the word well.
“Somewhere.”
“What is up with you?” She shoves my shoulder.
When I don’t respond, her eyes follow my line of sight across the open kitchen to see Deke and Cole standing in the formal dining room, leaning up against the forest green wall. They came. Just as I knew they would. Deke can’t pass up a party. They’re talking to a couple of guys who Seth knows from UT. I watched them walk in an hour ago. Neither one of them has said a word to me. Cole hasn’t even looked my way, but I’ve caught Deke staring several times.
“Damn. Who the fuck are they?” she asks.
“Taken,” I say.
She snorts. “As in married?”
“The one on the right is engaged.” Cole might as well be married.
I finally finished Austin’s journal. And to say I was surprised to read about their love story is an understatement. They went through so much. He tortured her in such a way that it made me rethink what I’m going to do tonight. He is pure evil in the prettiest form, and I bet Deke could match him on any given day.
I’m going to find out either way.
“Then he’s available.” She winks over at me.
I turn to face her fully. She’s just like my sister. When she sees a pretty face, she wants to spread her legs, even if that means cheating on Billy. “He will eat you up and spit you out. And if he doesn’t kill you, his fiancée will.” Her green eyes widen at my words. I lean in and whisper, “Then she’ll burn your body and take a hammer to what’s left. Stay the hell away from him,” I warn.
She swallows nervously but chuckles.
I aspire to be a mini Austin—badass and untouchable. That’s why I decided to continue with my plan for tonight. It has to be done. It’s time. I’ve been holding onto something for too long that means so very little. Not to me. My sister tried to take it before, and now I’m going to throw it away.
For revenge. And it’s going to be so fucking sweet.
I pour two shots of vodka and hand her one. “Drink up,” I order. She clinks her glass to mine, and I look over the rim, throwing it back to see Deke’s blue eyes on me. I smile to myself.
The song changes to “Left Alone” by Zero just as Seth enters the room. I give him a smile when his eyes lock on mine. “Hey, babe,” He grips my upper arm and yanks me from the counter, causing my drink to fall over. “Ow …”
“You did not do what I think you did!” he snaps so loudly that it causes people to look our way.
My eyes widen. “I don’t know what—”
“Don’t fucking lie to me, Demi,” he shouts.
I look around nervously, and I don’t miss seeing Cole and Deke looking right at us now. I quickly look away and back at Seth. “Can we talk about this somewhere else?”
“Fine!”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
DEKE
I PUSH OFF the wall the same time that Cole does, and we make our way out of the formal dining room, through the kitchen, and to the grand foyer. I watch Seth drag Demi up the stairs like a rag doll. My fists clench when I see how hard his fingers are digging into her upper arm.
“You’re hurting me.” Her small voice travels down the stairs.
“And you’re being a slut! Just like your sister,” he snaps.
“Seth?” I call out, already taking the stairs two at a time.
He looks down at me, then at Cole who I notice is following close. “Walk away, guys, this doesn’t concern you.”