Page 27 of Coveted

Zahra presses her lips together. “Usually I’d say it’s fine. My sister partied at Altar as a guest and had a great time.” Her eyes move to the door. “But if you were invited by who I think you were…”

“I was.”

“Be careful then. If Lucan seems untouchable, that’s because he is. He can get away with anything.”

“So I’ve heard.”

Professor Worthington clears his throat, and I realize he’s standing behind us. “Ladies, enough of the chitchat. Share a secret with one another. I promise not to listen.”

He moves on, circling around the room slowly. I put aside Lucan’s note.

Another man shoulders the door open, roughly thirty years old. He carries manila folders and sheaves of paper in various stages of decomposition, like he unearthed them from a tomb. His face is unshaven and there’s a pencil behind each of his ears.

“There you are, Marco.” Professor Worthington spreads his arms wide. “Everyone, meet Marco, my glorious TA.”

The teaching assistant stares at the floor, not meeting anyone’s eyes.

“Hi, Marco,” we chorus.

As the conversations resume in a gentle hum, Marco settles into the spare chair beside me and busies himself with his colossal paper stack. Occasionally, perhaps when he thinks nobody notices, his furtive gaze snaps around the students and professor.

“So what’s your secret, Sadie?” Zahra winks. “I promise I won’t tell anyone.”

“You go,” I say.

“No way! I asked first.”

I chuckle. “Fine.”

After taking a moment to decide something, I cup her ear with my hand. I feel like a child telling tales, not a student at a respected college.

Anticipation skitters across my back.

Professor Worthington said I should get out into the world to improve my writing. I’m taking his advice seriously, because I need to take my education seriously. At this point, it’s all I have.

“I’m going to Altar tonight,” I say, “to find out if Lucan murdered his cousin.”

And whether he’s my goddamn stalker.

CHAPTER 7

Sadie

Iregret my choice to meet Lucan before I’ve even left campus.

Clara and Juliette are attending department events tonight, leaving me without roommates to talk me out of my bad decisions.

When I stepped from my dorm ten minutes ago, I was filled with determination.

My plan is to lie to Lucan, saying I know more about Parker’s murder than I told the police. To keep me quiet, he would have to confess whether he sent me the locket.

But once I reach the iron gates of Darkbloom, I feel in over my head already.

What good can come of trying to outplay an unhinged billionaire?

I should be at the library, studying. Writing.

If Lucan killed his cousin, he’d have no problem killing me too. I’m playing such a dangerous game.