Page 105 of Midnight of Ashes
The moment we stepped inside the building, the whispers intensified.
“They think she killed him.”
“I heard she was fucking him, too, and got pissed when she found out he was married.”
“No, they’re all part of a satanic cult, and Brent was a sacrifice.”
I tried to tune it out, but the words slammed into me one after the other. But the one that I was stuck on the most was that Professor Brent had been married. What a sleazy creep. That was probably wrong to say about the dead, but it was the truth.
Easton moved in closer to me, his shoulder brushing mine. “You okay?”
“Everything’s just sunshine and roses.”
He winced. “Cillian has gotten us out of worse situations than this one. It’ll be ugly for a couple of weeks, and then it will stop.”
I wasn’t so sure about that. It wasn’t as if they were going to find the real killer and our names would be cleared. Because we had killed him.
I included myself in that we because I’d been the instigator. The guys were protecting me.
Maddox led us into his biology classroom, heading for his desk. The room was already full of students who were whispering quietly. I headed down the row toward my table at the back.
I didn’t even notice Delaney until I heard her.
“It was bad enough when you were a manipulative slut, but now you’re a murderer. God, just get expelled already.”
The students around her broke into laughter or gasps.
“Enough,” Maddox snapped. His eyes narrowed on Delaney. “Do I need to report you to the dean for harassment?”
Her cheeks flamed. “I’m sorry, Professor, but I don’t feel safe with a suspected murderer in our midst.”
I quickly ducked into my seat next to Wren.
“That’s it,” Maddox said, his voice practically vibrating. “Please leave my class. You can get the notes from a fellow student if anyone can stand to be in proximity to your vitriol.”
Delaney’s jaw dropped open. “You can’t do that.”
Maddox arched a brow. “I can’t? It’s an absence or a meeting with Dean Robinson. Your choice.”
Delaney leapt out of her chair, shoving her books into her bag and stomping down the aisle.
“She looks like a two-year-old throwing a tantrum,” Wren muttered.
I wanted to smile, but I couldn’t quite get my lips to curve. The imagery was right on the money, but there was too much weighing on me to truly let the joke land.
Wren lowered her voice as Maddox began his lecture. “Are you all right?”
I glanced over at Wren, her dark brown hair falling in her face. “Not really.”
“I’m so sorry. Everyone knows Brent was a dick of the greatest proportions.” She glanced around to see if anyone was listening. “I heard he’s taken advantage of students before, maybe worse. It’s not some big loss.”
My stomach twisted. I’d been right; there were others. I chose my words carefully before giving voice to them. “He wasn’t a good man.”
Wren reached under the table and squeezed my hand. “Then he got what he deserved.”
She was right. If Brent had been doing this to woman after woman, he’d earned his fate.
I tried to focus on Maddox’s words for the rest of class, but it was a struggle. By the time the bell rang, I thought only half of the words had made it into my brain.
