"They're not going to be happy that you met Luc," Corina says as we cut through a back hallway, the sounds of loud sex coming from behind a few closed doors.
"Why?" I ask. She reaches for a side door and slides it open, revealing a path that looks like it leads around the back of the house. Her heels sink into the dirt as she starts down it with me at her back.
Corina shoots a look over her shoulder. "Surely you've heard about Luc Kincaid by now? You've been at Eastpoint for nearly half a semester."
"I've heard of him, yeah, but I don't know why he's such a big deal."
Brows low, nose scrunched up, she flips around and stops, making me halt or risk slamming into her. "Luc Kincaid is the heir of St. Augustine," she says.
"Okay? Is that supposed to be something special to me? More rich people, who cares?"
"Everyone does," she says with a huff. "St. Augustine University is Eastpoint's primary rival and the founder of St. Augustine—the Kincaids"—she emphasizes the name again before continuing—"are in the same business as the Carter, Smalls, and Frazier families."
"And that means..." I shake my head. I seriously don't get rich people.
She groans and reaches out, smacking my arm. "They're corrupt," she hisses. "They manage huge corporations—we're talking international, Avalon. They bribe politicians to push through laws and projects that will benefit them. They recruit the best of the best and they have eyes and ears everywhere. Some people think that they're directly involved with organized crime but there's been no arrests of anyone in any of the main families. There's no evidence and any evidence that there might be is covered up pretty quickly." Corina sends me a pitying look.
"Honestly," she continues. "I don't know what Dean was thinking bringing you to Kincaid's house, much less leaving you alone."
"I can take care of myself," I say with a snort, but I can't deny my curiosity. Corruption, I expected. Organized crime, though? Just what else is Dean hiding? My heart rate picks up the pace. I want to know, I realize. He's like a dangerous stunt—like standing on the very tip of a mountain and looking down. I could jump and die or I could arm myself with the right tools to survive. And there's nothing more powerful than knowledge.
Corina shakes her head and turns back around. "Come on, I thought I heard someone say they were out back somewhere."
Questions and thoughts overflow in my mind. Anticipation thrums in my veins. Maybe it's not such a bad thing that Dean and the guys can't seem to leave me alone. Maybe Dean's obsession is an opportunity. I want to know more. I want to know everything about him. I want to know why ... I clench my hand and look down at where the skin over my knuckles stretches tightly. I want to know what it is about Dean Carter that disturbs me so much.
"Shit." Corina's hissed curse brings my head up and this time when she stops, it's too fast for me to avoid and I smack into her back.
"Fuck," I mutter, rubbing my nose. "What's—" My head lifts and my whole body stalls out at what I see before me.
A wave of cold so sharp it feels like glaciers in my arteries comes on so fast that it leaves me feeling like I've been frozen to the spot. Kate is wearing the lowest cut dress I've ever fucking seen in my life, the neckline so far down that it dips below her naval, showing off the darkened hollow of her belly button. The only thing keeping the sorry excuse for fabric from opening and revealing her entire front is the crisscrossing of golden chains between her breasts and around her neck.
Something dark slithers into my throat. My eyes and nose burn. The urge to commit a violent act worse than anything she's ever experienced rises like a tidal wave. She twines her arms around Dean's neck and plasters her front to his chest. That’s not what gets me. What gets me is the fact that he’s not. Fucking. Removing. Her.
Without stopping to think, I turn around and start walking. If I stay I'm going to do something like set her on fire this time. I know I should stop and think about why I'm so angry, I should examine these feelings, but I don't want to. I can't.
Corina follows me and only when we reach the front of the house do I speak. "I could use that ride now," I say.
Thankfully, she doesn't respond. She just leads me to her car. As I climb into the passenger side and settle against the crisp leather seats, I close my eyes and try to call upon the same numbness that I'd used many times before. I just want to drown myself in it right now. I want to forget. I want to fucking hurt somebody.
38
Dean
Sweat slicks down my spine as I finish up my work on the second floor and then head back to the first. A headache pounds at the back of my skull, slow, but persistent. I'd love nothing more than to take Avalon back to my place or hell just get her back in my Escalade, strip her bare and fuck her to within an inch of her life. It's either that or kill something, because honestly, those are the only two things that can calm me right now.
I search the house first and when I don't find either Brax or Abel amidst the stoned out and sex-crazed crowd, I take the side path and head around to the back. As soon as he spots me, Abel lifts a hand and waves it my way. Brax turns and lifts his head. Curiously, however, I've yet to see Kincaid. Odd considering this mansion is his father's.
"Where's Avalon?" Abel asks as I approach.
"She's here. Inside. I don't want to stay long." I scan the crowd gathered outside. Smoke lingers in the air. The smell of weed and sex is on the breeze. It's always like this at Kincaid's parties. Something about his deviancy just turns the people around him into raging nymphomaniacs and fucking addicts.
"You came because of the rumors, right?" Abel asks. "Are you going to talk to him?"
I snort. "I'm going to fucking make sure he stays where he's supposed to."
"So, it's true then?" Brax leans forward. "He's coming to Eastpoint?"
"No." It can't be true. I won't let it. Besides, of all the people in the world, my father would never let a Kincaid attend Eastpoint University. The only thing he cares about more than his damn revenge on Kincaid is the money in his pocket and the power in his possession. It's also the only reason he hasn't had the head Kincaid killed.
"Are you sure, man?" Abel's tone suggests his doubt. "I've heard some pretty disturbing shit. The Colemans are lobbying for him to transfer. They don't like that Kate was forced to because of Luc's engagement to her."
My upper lip curls back. "The Colemans are fucking destitute," I snarl. "They have no say."
"There's more, though," Abel says. "I spoke with Lionel's secretary the other day about the charity ball at the end of the year. She wants us all to make an appearance—"
"You're still calling your father's wife his secretary?" I ask, raising a brow.
Abel stiffens and glares at me, continuing even as he ignores the question. "She also mentioned him meeting with someone from St. Augustine," he spits.
"Kincaid?" Fury eats away at my logical thought. "No, it can't be. He'd rather die than..."