Fuck.
But it didn't add up. "Scott's not my stalker," I said, shaking my head. "It doesn't make sense. He wasn't even in Shadow Grove until I met him this Christmas. Not to mention he’s way too young to have stalked my mom. The timeline doesn't match up."
It was Archer who answered me, his tone cynical but not unkind. For once. Shocker. "So he says. No offense, baby girl, you kinda walk around with blinders on most of the time. Could you even identify ten other students at SGU if you saw them on the street?"
My initial reaction was to be offended, obviously, but then... yeah he had a point. I had become so used to all the negative attention my court case had caused that I'd gotten used to just blocking out everyone around me as white noise.
"Look, it's not definitive proof that Scott's somehow involved," Steele offered when I said nothing, "but we want you to be careful. I ran surveillance on him most of the weekend, and to be honest, he did nothing. Literally nothing. Barely even left his house. But he lives with two SGPD cops on Ferryman's payroll, so..." He trailed off with a shrug.
I rubbed my forehead, feeling a headache building. "Yeah, his older brother Shane or something. Zane warned me about him too—just that he was in league with the Wraiths, though. I figured it was a territorial thing."
Steele nodded. "We'll keep looking into it. Just stay alert around Scott at school, okay?"
"What he said," Kody agreed, carrying his dirty plates over to the sink. "We'll work it out, but probably best if Scott just fucks off back to wherever the hell he transferred from anyway. Just in case my fist finds his nose again."
I glared. "It could be a coincidence," I said, even though I didn't fully believe that myself. "Let's just not go killing people until we're sure, okay?"
Kody grinned broadly. "So you agree we should kill him when the evidence supports it? Excellent."
"Whoever the fuck almost killed me with a drug overdose, then slit Drew's throat and delivered a human heart to the doorstep? Yeah. I'm okay killing that guy." My tone was flat and uncaring, but that was what extended periods of fear and paranoia did to a person, wasn't it? Dampened the shock factor and blurred the line of morality.
"I'm so turned on right now," Kody informed us, and Steele threw a spoon at him. "Hey!" he protested, catching the spoon before it hit his face. "As if you're not."
Steele just laughed and shook his head. "Go and get dressed. Hellcat can't miss any more classes, so if you're late, we're going without you."
Kody rolled his eyes but left the kitchen to change out of his sweaty workout clothes anyway.
"I'll pull the car around," Steele told me, then left the kitchen as well.
Just like that, Archer and I were alone again.
Neither one of us made any attempts at conversation, finishing our breakfast and coffee in silence. When I was done, he got up and carried both our plates and mugs to the sink.
I started to move past him to leave the kitchen as well, but he stopped me with a firm hand on my waist, reeling me in and crushing me against his hard body.
"Archer..." I warned him, but he wasn't listening. His strong grip on my waist boosted me onto the counter, and his mouth claimed mine in a kiss that promised so, so much more than I was currently offering. Bastard was going to test my resolve on the ice-out, that was for sure.
When he bit my lower lip, I almost caved. It was scary how fast he’d learned all my weaknesses.
"Kate..." he replied in a low groan, mocking me as my hips rocked forward, grinding my denim-covered crotch against his hard length.
"Dammit," I hissed, breaking away from his lips with monumental effort. "You're gonna be the death of me, Archer D'Ath."
The laugh he gave me in response was a sound I could easily become addicted to. It was totally relaxed and... dare I say, happy? It was scary and intoxicating. I wanted more.
"Finally," he muttered, stepping back and letting me down from the countertop. "You're finally getting an idea of how you've been slowly killing me these last five months." He ruffled his fingers through his hair, messing it up in the most delicious way. "I've got to hit the gym this morning, but I've got a class this afternoon. Can I drive you home?"
I smirked at him and shook my head. "And convince me to suck your dick while you drive again? Keep dreaming, Sunshine. I'll see you on campus, though." I smacked a kiss against his lips and hurried out of the kitchen before he could break my resolve any more.
The second I was alone with my thoughts, though, worry and paranoia started creeping in again. Was Scott somehow involved with my stalker? Had it been him all along? I just didn't believe it. Even when the evidence suggested otherwise.
Time would tell, though, so long as I managed to stay alive long enough...
36
Bree slammed her drink down on the table, coughing as she choked a bit. She flapped a hand at me to indicate she wasn't dying, then took a few deep breaths.
"Say that again," she demanded, staring at me like I'd grown three heads. We were having a quick catch-up in the dining hall between classes, knowing full well we couldn't really gossip with Kody and Steele breathing down our necks at lunchtime.
I sighed, tugging on one of my Dutch braids. "I know. It's looking pretty suspicious, huh?"
Bree frowned, shaking her head. "What? No, not that shit about Scott. I've been thinking he was up to something ever since that whole phone-tracker bullshit. Repeat what you just said about Archer!"
My cheeks heated. I'd glossed over that section of events. During the weekend I'd just told Bree that I was caught up doing shit with the boys, and she hadn't questioned it further. But just now, in getting her up to speed on Scott, I'd let slip that I'd, uh, made amends with my husband.
"Well, there goes one solid reason to annul the marriage," she commented with a concerned frown. "Now that you’ve fucked him and moved in with him. Like, it's archaic and total bullshit, but not consummating a marriage is, like, a legit reason for annulment. But... it kinda sounds like that boat has sailed now, huh?" Her frown shifted into a wicked grin. "I'm gonna need all the juicy details, clear?"
I sighed, shaking my head. "Annulment was never going to work anyway. Neither is divorce, apparently." I groaned, rubbing my face with both hands. "This whole everything is such a mess, Bree. When is it going to get easier?"
She shrugged. "I would have said when you work out who is trying to kill you, then kill them and also get rid of your stalker. But then even after that, you'll still be in love with three pig-headed, dominant assholes who couldn't share a bowl of popcorn, let alone a woman they all claim to care for."
I glared at her. "Thanks, babe. Real helpful."
She beamed. "I try."
"And I'm not in love with all of them," I added in a grumble. "Maybe two of them... the third is barely more than tolerated."
Bree snorted a laugh. "Okay, cool. We're lying to ourselves. Just so I know where we're at." She checked her watch and cursed. "I've got to go. I need to hear the rest of this, though. Can we hang out this afternoon?"