Page 96 of Strange Familiars
She doesn’t answer immediately, just eyes me suspiciously. “What for?”
“To celebrate.”
Her suspicion only grows. She narrows her eyes. “Celebrate what?”
I sigh. “The end of exams.” Then I add, “Obviously.”
“But…” She rubs at her temple, seemingly flustered. “Why don’t you just go to the party?” For weeks, a group of students have been planning a huge knees-up in Heywood Hall for end of term.
I shrug, aiming for nonchalance. “I just feel like doing something a bit more…private.”
She gives a dubious sort of frown. “With me? Are you sure I’m who you want to celebrate with?”
I cock my head and squint at her. “Depends. Your name is Alice Chu, right?” I grin when she whacks me in the shoulder.
But then I step closer, into our shared space. She stares up at me with those wide, guileless brown eyes, and immediately, I am lost in them. “Yes, Chan, it’s you I want to celebrate with.” A thrill rolls right through me when I see her visibly shiver.
She seems to gather herself, her chin jutting up, her expression defiant. “Why?”
“Because, next week, one of us is going to be awarded the top spot. And since we don’t know which of us it is yet, I figured we may as well celebrate us both.”
“Fair.” She pauses, as though contemplating my words. Then she flashes me a dazzling smile. “It’ll be me, though. You know that, don’t you?”
Fuck. I never realized how much of a turn-on a cocky Gwendolynne could be.
“That’s it,” I growl, grabbing her wrist. She lets out a little gasp but doesn’t wrench away as I begin to tug her down the hall. “Gwendolynne Chan, you’re coming with me.”
40
Gwendolynne
Harrisford leads me to the Seamere car park. At one stage, Danny tries to corner him, pressing him to go to the party, but Harrisford just waves him off.
We arrive in front of a small black car. The lights flash and there are two little beeps before Harrisford swings the passenger door open.
“Get in,” he says. A command, not a request.
I fold my arms. “How do I know you’re not planning on murdering me and dumping my body so that you’ll come top of class?” I’m trying to focus on Harrisford’s face, though it’s hard since today he’s wearing a white V-neck T-shirt that hugs his chest and biceps as though he’s something carved from marble. I didn’t even realize Harrisford owned any T-shirts, but I suppose even Greek gods like to be comfortable for exams.
“Well…” One corner of his lip twitches. “I do prefer my women more…alive.”
His response makes my skin tighten.Hiswomen? Hiswomen? I don’t know whether to be attracted or repulsed.
Propping my hands on my hips, I arch an eyebrow at him. “Alive? Is that all? You don’t have very high standards, Briggs.”
He leans closer, caging me against the car. Heat radiates from his skin. His scent shoots up my nostrils, something beneath his cologne that is one hundred percent purehim. I bite my lip involuntarily.
Harrisford’s gaze locks on my mouth. “My standards are higher than yours, it seems,” he breathes, his voice so menacing it almost undoes me on the spot. He tilts his face closer to mine. “Sinceyou’rethe one about to go on a date with a potential murderer.” Then he straightens and raps the top of the car door, his expression turning predatory. “Now get in the car, Chan.”
Is that what this is? A date? My limbs have lost all feeling as I surrender and fold myself into the seat. It’s clean, it’s comfortable, it’s got that new-car smell. Harrisford slams my door shut.
“I thought you didn’t own a car,” I murmur as he slides into the seat next to me. I run a finger along the pristine dashboard.
He starts the almost-silent magic-powered engine, flings his arm around the back of my seat, and begins reversing out. “I bought it last week.”
I raise my eyebrows at him. “You…bought a car?” I’m stunned by the idea that anyone would just go out and…buya brand-new car. With cash, presumably. Without having to save up for literal years.
His eyes flash to mine for a second, and then away. “With graduation so soon, it was about time I got one.”
