Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 57891 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57891 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Aspen: We saw the video.
I gasp, jerking back. How the fuck did they get it? Who the fuck told them? No…. no… Fucking No! The force of her words literally makes my body shudder as if a gush of wind just knocked the shit out of me. It doesn’t take me long to put two and two together.
They know.
Aspen: Are you going to say something????
I don’t reply, frozen where I stand, tightly gripping my phone.
Fuck!
Brooklyn: Who sent you the video?
Aspen: That’s what you reply?
Brooklyn: I’ll explain everything. Just tell me who sent it to you.
Aspen: It was emailed anonymously to all of us. Does your dad know?
Brooklyn: Unfortunately.
Aspen: About the video or your history with him?
Seeing that question written out for me, clear as day, throws me for a loop and yanks me right back to that place and time when Ronan had just become Professor Wolf…
A time before I knew how fucked this life was. A time I wouldn’t dare disobey my father.
6 Years Ago
“I can’t believe your dad is now the dean,” Christoff announces to our friends.
Six of us sit around the clothed table in the middle of the hall—three guys and three girls.
“I can.” I sigh, sitting back in the seat. My eyes never leave my father, who shakes hands with every man in a polished suit in the room. “It’s always been his number one priority. Running the university means he thinks he runs everything now.”
Christoff knowingly remarks, “You’ll have to play nice now, Brooklyn. Being the dean's daughter comes with a lot of pressure.”
I scoff out a chuckle. “You mean getting drunk at this gala is out of the question?” I grab the pink flask filled with expensive tequila out of my purse, compliments of my father’s well-stocked wine and liquor cellar. He’s oblivious to what he has in there, so he’ll never notice anything is gone. I gulp a big swig before offering it to Christoff, who shakes his head.
William grabs it from me with a wicked smile and nods.
Our group of friends are what you call the crème de la crème. Everyone wants to be us or be seen with us, and we don’t accept new people into our clique unless you bring something to the table. And by that, I mean knowledge is always power.
I take another gulp and put the flask back in my purse before I make my way inside the extravagant building hosting this charity event. I may not be able to legally drink, but I’m still seventeen and practically an adult. As soon as I walk into the banquet hall, I see him standing at the bar.
Professor Wolf.
My heart does that weird thing I hate. My body is numb, and I stand staring for far too long.
He’s surrounded by beautiful women. He always is. Quite the ladies’ man, from what I hear. People love to gossip, and when you look as good as he does, you give a lot of people reasons to talk about you. I’ve known him since I was a little girl, but he never pays me any mind. He doesn’t even know I exist because he’s too busy working his way to the top.
I watch him as he effortlessly flirts and gives each of the women the attention they crave.
He always has this presence about him without even trying. When he walks into a room, people stop and listen. My father has the same effect.
A sense of jealousy washes over me for no reason whatsoever. Not once in the past ten years when I’ve seen him from afar at galas, functions, parties, etc. has the man acknowledged my existence. The list of how many times we’ve been in the same room together is endless.
Swallowing hard, I roll my eyes and exit the room onto the balcony. Alone at last. At times, I long for it. Being in a room full of people, feeling like you’re screaming but no one is listening. It happens to me at least once a day. I’m used to it by now.
I hear footsteps behind me before Christoff’s voice fills the air between us.
“There you are.”
I don’t bother to turn around. “You’re looking for me?”
He lightly chuckles. “I like your dress.”
My friendship with Christoff has always been flirtatious. It’s just how we are with one another. If I’m the pack leader, then he’s right behind me with his blond hair and bright blue eyes. He reminds me of a rougher version of the perfect prince.
Within seconds, he cages me in from behind with his muscular, fit arms.
“I’m more curious about what’s under your dress…”
I giggle, but before I can spin to face him, a rough voice echoes around us. “Your father is looking for you, Christoff.”
I snap around, recognizing Professor Wolf.
Christoff meets his neutral stare, retorting, “And he sent you to fetch me?”