Page 81 of The Secret Girl (Adamson All-Boys Academy 1)
“You want everyone to know?” he asks, gesturing at me, still breathing hard. “Maybe you should change first?”
We stare at each other, and I nod, standing up and pausing for a second.
“I … thank you, Ranger—”
“Just go,” he says, breathing hard as I take off for the cabin, pushing in the door, and grabbing my discarded hoodie from the bathroom. I slip it and my jeans on over the short dress, pulling it up so that it's hidden beneath the sweatshirt's heavy folds.
A quick scrub down with some makeup remover takes care of that, and then I'm slipping my sneakers on, changing my glasses out, and heading back outside. Ranger's right there waiting for me at the bottom of the steps, and I realize he's prioritized my safety over the girl's.
I'm not exactly sure what to think about that.
“Let's go find your dad,” he says as I grab his arm hard, feeling the hard muscles taut beneath my fingers. He looks down at me with those sapphire eyes of his, and my breath explodes in a rush. I'm not even sure what the hell I was going to say in the first place.
“Okay.” That's the only thing that'll come out. I feel numb as we work out way back across the camp, only to find out the blue-haired girl is gone. Ranger and I exchange a glance, and then we both start running, back through the woods to the clearing.
The rope is gone.
“What the fuck?” he snaps, raking his fingers through his dark hair and spinning to face me. “Tell me I'm not going crazy. There was a rope here just a few minutes ago, right?”
“There was,” I start, but I don't know what to say. Ranger's chest is still bleeding, but it doesn't seem to be too bad. That's the only real proof that anything actually happened here tonight. We're both panting so badly, and there's this charge in the air, an attraction born of danger. “We really do need to find my dad then.”
Ranger nods, looking down at me again, his face tight. I imagine that we'll probably end up having a long conversation later. For now, the danger's too real, the sight of that rope stark and awful in both our mind's eyes.
On the way back, Ranger stops at his cabin and retrieves a hoodie to hide his wound. I’m not sure why. Maybe he just doesn’t want to scare anyone?
We head to the dance hall next, and there she is, the blue-haired girl sitting in one of the chairs with a drink in hand, talking with her friends. Ranger and I exchange a look before going over to stand beside her.
“Kesha,” he says, voice hard but with the slightest hint of a quaver. She glances over her shoulder at him, grimacing slightly and reaching up a hand to touch her fingers to the side of her head. “What happened?” He gestures at her loosely. “You've got blood in your hair.” I notice he doesn't mention that we saw her lying there on the grass. Smart move.
“I don't really know. I think I tripped or something, and hit my head.” Selena reaches out a hand and gives her friend's a squeeze.
“I'll go get you some more water.” She takes the cup before glancing over to me with a raised brow. I give a slight shake of my head, and Selena moves away in a flutter of honey-blond hair.
“You tripped and hit your head?” Ranger repeats, and Kesha gives him a weird look.
“Isn't that what I just said? I appreciate the concern, but we only slept together once, Ranger. Get over yourself.” She turns back to her friends as my cheeks flush, and I try really hard not to think about what she just said.
“Come on.” He grabs me by the wrist and drags me through the crowd.
“Do you think she's telling the truth?” I ask, refusing to let myself wonder about the when, where, and how of Ranger's sexual encounter with Kesha. It must've been last year, right? Why do you even care, Charlotte?! There's more important shit to worry about; let it go!
“I have no idea. Maybe.” He pulls me over to my dad, and pauses politely next to him while he finishes whatever conversation he's having with the headmistress of Everly.
“Mr. Woodruff,” Dad says, looking between the two of us, his eyes fixating on the spot where Ranger's fingers are curled around my wrist. As if he can sense trouble coming, Ranger releases me abruptly. “How can we help you?”
“Could we speak to you outside for a minute?” Ranger asks, managing to keep his voice even. Me, I feel all tongue-tied. I'm not even sure how to talk about what just happened. Part of me wonders if it's even real.
Dad nods, and we head outside, just to the left of the door, and the silence settles over me in a wave.
