Weeks ago
“Wait, wait, wait, don’t take our car!” I yell at the people filtering through my parents’ mansion.
“Sorry, dude, I’m just doing my job,” the guy says as he hops inside and starts the engine like he owns it.
I dial our family lawyer. “What are you doing? My family paid you to fix this, and they’re still coming for more!”
“You know I can’t fix what your parents destroyed,” our lawyer says. “They should’ve taken better care of their finances.”
Finances.
Like there were any.
It was always fraud and bribery, and now that it’s come out to the public, my family is done for. My parents are in jail, possibly forever, and my name is tarnished for eternity.
Panic rises in my body, filling my throat with screams. “But you were supposed to get them out of this mess! You have to do something! Anything!”
“My hands are tied, Nathan. The higher-ups want your parents to go down.”
“What?” My eyes widen.
They’re … using them as an example?
Fuck this. First, the police take our bribes, and now, all of a sudden, they’ve grown a conscience just because it’s gone public?
“This is wrong and you know it,” I growl into the phone. “We need money to survive.”
“Look, I’d love to help you, but you know as well as I do your parents’ money problems weren’t just in their official business,” our lawyer says. “This goes way beyond what I was paid to do, and I’m not going to take the fall with them. Risking my job is one thing, but this? This is way over my head.”
My hand trembles around the phone. “But they’re leaving us with nothing. Not a dime. Not even the house…”
“I know kid. I’m sorry. It’s only gonna get worse.”
I swallow but my throat is too dry and scratchy for it to matter.
“And if you’re smart, you’ll gather whatever cash you’ve got left, take your sister, and leave.” His voice darkens. “Leave that godforsaken city, Nathan, before it consumes you too.”
And he hangs up before I can even say another word.
Present
I wake up drenched in sweat and with eyes wide open. My heart races a million miles an hour.
Fuck.
I get up and rub my forehead, trying to get the nightmare to dissipate, but nothing works. The memory will never leave me.
I check my phone and the texts I’ve received.
Romeo: Bring the cash to the parking lot at the base of Spine Ridge Mountain, nine PM. You know the date. And if you’re not there with the money… we know where to find you, boy.
My hand squeezes the phone tight, and I throw it aside before I break it.
Fuck, how am I gonna get out of this mess I didn’t even fucking create?
I should’ve listened to our lawyer and ran with Rory.
God, I fucking hope she’s not too mad at me for leaving her with our aunt. But what else was I supposed to do?
I sigh out loud. I can’t sleep like this.
I get out of bed and look out the window, staring at the moon, like I always do when I’m on edge. But lately, nothing has calmed me down. It’s as if everywhere I look, everywhere I go, the jaws of fate are slowly catching up with me.
Groaning out loud, I walk out of my room and roam across the hallway until I find my way into Milo’s room. He’s snoring loudly, arms wide and legs splayed across his bed.
Without a care in the world.
I smirk. Like he needs any of the space in that giant king-sized bed with his stick-figure ass.
But I don’t want to wake him either.
Suddenly, my eyes land on a piece of paper lying on his desk. I pick it up and read through it. It’s a party at the Skull & Serpent Society with a date from ages ago.
Why does he have this? Did he go there? Or is he keeping it for some other reason?
I pull out my phone and take a pic, immediately opening my files so I can send it to the server, but then I see the picture I took with Rory mere days ago during our weekly get-together, making me stop and stare.
I wish I could’ve prevented this from happening.
That I could’ve stopped my parents and whisked her away before it was too late.
“Trouble sleeping?”
Kai’s voice makes me turn around.
“Nightmares,” I reply, lowering my phone.
He leans against the doorjamb, arms folded. “You do this often?”
“Only when I need it,” I reply, unfazed by his questioning. “But I don’t want to wake him.”
“Interesting …” Kai muses with a smile, and his eyes land on my phone. “How’s Ro doing?”
Shit. He noticed.
“Fine,” I reply, clearing my throat. “I’m doing what I can to keep her safe.”
“That’s good to hear,” he says. He steps forward and snatches the paper from my hand. “Hmm… well, this is even more interesting. A party from long ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday.”
“You went there with Milo?” I ask.
“Only to check out the chicks. Wild night,” Kai replies, folding his arms again. “But now that I’m thinking about it … a party like this could prove useful.”
I frown. “Why?”
“Lots of booze, lots of people,” he says. “That’s a toxic combination.”
My eyes narrow. “Get to the point.”
He leans in, grinning like a motherfucker. “This entire school is filled with rich kids. Think about all the bags left unchecked … bags we could rifle through for cash.”
Now he’s talking my language. “Go on.”
“People who are too drunk to care won’t notice some missing jewelry or cards,” he says, staring at the paper with a glimmer in his eyes. “It’s perfect.”
“So you want to throw a party? Where?”
He shoves the paper into my chest. “Right. Here.”
Lana
I sling my bag over my shoulder and make my way out of class. I’m so glad economics is done for this week. I head toward the cafeteria, where Irina and Brooke wait for me. I sit beside them with my iced coffee and take a much-needed sip.
“Hey, baby.” Jason sits beside me and wraps his arm around my shoulders, but I move it off.
“Don’t call me that,” I reply.
“Why not? I like it,” he says, winking, and he leans in to kiss me on the cheek. “When are we going to have another cuddle?”
I’m really not in the mood for whatever he’s thinking. We only hooked up a couple of times, but we never made it official, and I’m glad we didn’t.
“Fine, never mind,” Jason says when I don’t reply, and he walks off again.
“Awkward,” Irina muses, rolling her eyes.
I sigh loudly. “Tell me about it.”
“Done with classes today?” Brooke asks. “I still have one more.”
“Yup,” I reply. “Sorry, girl.”
“Don’t be, I love marketing.” She takes a sip of her own coffee. “I get to design lots of fun stuff.”
“Nice, I wish I could use those programs, but I’m completely lost every time I open them,” Irina says. “In fact, I feel lost with most of my classes.”
I frown. “You sure you’re at the right school, then?”
She shrugs. “My parents wanted me to go here. But I just want to marry a rich tech dude and live a stress-free life.” She grins and puts on her shades, making me laugh.
“Oh, what are you even talking about?” Brooke shoves her. “You don’t even need that. Your parents are loaded, and you’re their only kid. You don’t have to do shit, and you’re still set for life.”
“What about you?” I ask. “You’ve got any plans for the future?”
Brooke shrugs. “I just wanna work for Wall Street finance.”
“Wow. Aiming big,” I reply.
“Yup,” she says, opening her bag of chips. “I’m not settling for lower than the fucking top. The only shitty thing is the men there.”
I snort. “Aren’t they everywhere?”
“No. I’m convinced there must be at least one submissive dude out there ready to bow at my feet,” she muses, taking a bite.
“Ambitious,” Irina says with a nod. “I like it.”
Brooke raises her hand, and Irina gives her a high five.
I take the opportunity to steal a few chips from her and shove them in my mouth. That’s when I notice one of the guys from the Phantom Society hanging posters all over the cafeteria, his semi-crooked walk on one side of his body making me focus on him. It’s the guy with the blond hair, and every time he raises his hand, the obvious stump on his hand draws my attention. What kind of violence is he involved in that would make someone lose a finger?
“Oh look at that, Lana’s got a crush on Nathan?”
I almost choke on my chips as I swallow them down. “What?”
Brooke points at the corner where he’s hanging more posters, oblivious to my stares. “You were looking at him for quite some time, L.”
“She already has a boyfriend,” Irina says with a cheeky voice.
“Wait, really?” Brooke frowns. “How come you never told me about him?”
“I mean, not really,” I say, shrugging. “It’s more of a friends-with-benefits thing.” I laugh it off like it’s no big deal. “Anyway, I was just interested in the posters.”
“Well, in that case …” Irina jumps up from her seat and runs off before I can stop her.
And fuck me, she’s headed straight for him.
I don’t enjoy listening to my brother, but he wouldn’t warn me about those Phantom guys if it wasn’t serious. He knows me. He knows what I’m capable of. But those boys … they’re danger incarnate.
Irina grabs his arm, and he turns around to look at her. They talk for a while, but it’s impossible to hear from this distance. He hands her one of the posters, and she gleefully nods … then points at me.
Blood drains from my face when Nathan’s piercing blue eyes lock with mine, the penetrative stare almost drags my soul out of my body. He runs his fingers through his hair, a casual smug smile following suit. And with just that single stare, he’s gotten my blood to go cold like snow.
He knows.
He knows who I am.
I can tell from the way he looks at me.
Like all he wants is to hurt my brother and his friends where it hurts the most … by taking my fucking body and using it any way he desires.
Or killing me.
My nostrils flare, and I turn around, keeping my head held high as I take a big gulp of coffee.
“I wonder what they’re talking about,” Brooke mutters.
“Don’t know, don’t care,” I reply.
Irina comes running back and sits down like a happy kid on steroids. “Look. It’s a party.”
“Ooooh, let me see,” Brooke says, stealing the poster. “Everyone will be there.”
“I am soooo going,” Irina says. “Wanna go together?”
“Definitely, I could use a little pick-me-up after all these classes,” Brooke replies.
“If I’m going to find a rich dude to marry, it’s gonna be here,” Irina says.
Brooke throws her arm around my shoulders. “You’re coming too, right, Lana?”
I grumble. “If those guys are there too …”
“Who cares? The whole school is gonna be there. You can just ignore them and have fun.” She grabs my cup and holds it in front of my mouth. “Take another sip. Or twenty. Then say yes. And let’s get wasted.”
On the evening of the party, I slip on my red lace dress that fits my body to a T. After I stick on some fake lashes and swipe on mascara, I use eyeliner to create the perfect cat eye. I tie my hair into a high ponytail, leaving out my bangs, and put my ribbon in along with some spray to seal the deal.
I look like Catwoman but in red instead of black, and I love this look.
“Wow, looking hot there!” Irina says, winking as she leans against my doorframe. “Ready, bitch?”
“Ready to destroy some hearts of guys who think they stand a chance,” I muse, walking out the door.
“Aw …” Irina throws her arm around me. “I almost feel pity for them. Almost.”
“Looking good, girls,” Brooke says as she approaches us from the hallway in a shimmery light-blue dress. “Let’s go party!”
“Where is this party anyway?” I ask.
“You’ll see.” Irina winks.
We walk out the door and head across campus toward the building teeming with people. Music blasts far beyond the house, and purple and red lights filter through the night sky as they flicker to the beat, drawing in people like moths to a flame.
Several guards at the door hold people back to check bags and make sure no one is trying to surprise shank anyone. I’m starting to wonder what kind of party we’re headed into.
“C’mon, up here. I know that guy,” Brooke says, and she pulls us both up the stairs, skipping the line. “Hi, Leo.”
“Brooke … I see you finally made it,” one of the guys at the entrance says.
“Only because you’re here,” she muses, pushing up her tits like a pro.
“Looking fly as always,” Leo says, winking. “Bags, please.”
We all show our purses, and he checks them one by one. I’m smart enough not to carry my knives where people can find them.
“All good. Just the three of you?” he asks.
“Yup, this is it,” she replies.
He fishes something out of a duffel bag near the door and brings it over to us. “There you go.”
He hands us all a white mask that covers the eyes and nose.
My lungs feel like they cave in, oxygen refusing to enter.
It’s an exact replica of the masks I saw the night of the murder.
Is this freely available in the stores or something?
“What is this?” Irina asks.
“It’s required,” Leo responds. “Party rules. Everyone must wear a mask.” He leans in to whisper. “Makes it more mysterious.”
“Ooh … I love it,” Irina says, clutching the wine bottle Brooke brought. “Can we take this inside too?”
“Of course. The more booze, the better,” he says with a big smile.
Both girls put on the mask like it’s no big deal, and they head beyond the door with smiles, beckoning me to come too. I eventually cave and put on the mask, wondering who the hell would throw a party with a dress code on campus while I follow them inside.
The place is gorgeous, like an old-school Victorian castle, complete with dark wood panels and intricate designs on the many staircases. Paintings cover every corner, and a delicate statue towers beside each door. The floors are made of pure marble, and the ceiling of the giant hallway is one big glass dome. The spectacular view makes me do a double take.
But then I see the black banners hanging down from the top of the stairs, all of them labeled with the Phantom logo. A white mask covers half of the face of a skull.
Those three guys wore the same kind of mask the night I took someone’s life.
And it slowly begins to dawn on me that I just made a dangerous mistake.
“The Phantom Society,” I mutter to myself.
Oh God.
They’re on this campus.
I should’ve known. I should’ve realized the second that Nathan dude was hanging those posters on the wall, but at the time, I thought he was helping someone.
How stupid of me.
This is a Phantom party, and the guys who were at that house when I killed that fucker belong to the Phantom Society too.
Fuck.
Sweat drops roll down my back as I try not to act unhinged. I clutch my purse tightly as I walk up the steps and follow Irina and Brooke into the Phantom Society mansion, the one place my brother told me never to step foot in.
God, if I’d known the party was here, I never would’ve said yes.
Not because I’m scared, but because I really don’t want to find those three fuckers, nor do I want them to find me. And on top of that, I don’t want to deal with Felix’s rage the second he finds out I was here.
I touch the mask with two fingers, sighing into my hand. Let’s fucking hope this mask does enough to hide my identity while I’m here.
“Lana! Lana!” Irina waves at me from the middle of the hallway.
Well, that was a great success.
“What are you waiting for? C’mon, everyone’s in here.” She points at two wide-open doors that lead into what looks like a grand ballroom.
But on the floor above her, a suited-up guy catches my attention. Even from a distance, the muscles on his body are clearly visible through the seam of his suit, tight at the waist, a red tie clutching the thick strand of neck muscles. A mask hides the stranger underneath, but the broad jawline and subtle stubble still peek out to play, and the slightest tension of his downturned lips makes me suck in a breath. He clutches the banister with one hand while he holds a plastic cup in the other as he stares right down at me. Dark streaks of half-long wavy hair cover half of the white mask, but on the other side, a freakishly green eye connects with mine.
And something about the way it sparkles, almost as if a hint of a smile forms, makes all the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
I suck in a breath.
I’m torn between sticking up a big middle finger to my brother and father and following Irina and Brooke or running like hell.
Brooke runs back to me and hooks her arm around mine. “You okay?”
“I’m fine. I just had a thought.”
“Save the thinking for class,” she muses. “C’mon, let’s go dance!” Brooke tugs me along onto the dance floor in the ballroom until there’s no way back.
