114
Ava
Storms.
Why did the flash of lightning add to the continued snippets of fear that kept me on edge?
The first rumble of thunder occurred as Kennedy was driving through the gates of the Elite’s estate, the guard giving us both a onceover. The ominous clouds building in the sky left me with knotted nerves in my stomach.
“Jesus. I hate thunderstorms,” I said absently as I glared out the window.
“You’re still jumpy. Wait until we get inside. The house is to die for.”
“How many times have you been here?”
She shrugged. “A few.”
That’s what I thought. She didn’t seem to take her college life seriously. Maybe the rumors were true and that this was the college of choice to find a wealthy husband.
Shut your mouth, Ava Summers. That’s not nice.
I bit back a chuckle.
“I’m glad you wore your contacts,” Kennedy added, an obvious attempt to change the subject.
I felt naked without my glasses, used to hiding behind the thick frames. To most of the students, I was just a plain jane nerd behind ugly glasses and baggy clothes. “I decided to be someone else tonight.”
My thoughts drifted to my filthy story once again, and I tingled inside. I had no idea why the thought of being dominated by a man thrilled me. I couldn’t imagine it in real life. I guess that’s what fantasies were made for.
“There you go. That’s my bestie. This is going to be so much fun,” she said as she was given the go ahead to drive onto the estate.
“The Elite are certainly cautious about who they allow in.”
“They have every reason to be. They are the cream of the crop for our future.”
Why did her words sound so practiced? As if she was spouting a required mantra.
“You look incredible,” she added. “I’m certain you’ll get more attention than I will.”
Did I hear a hint of jealousy in her voice? She had nothing to worry about.
I’d never worn something so risqué, the material hugging every curve. When I’d stood in front of the mirror, I’d been shocked at the transformation. Kennedy had worked magic, my usually unruly curls becoming sexy. I rarely wore anything but eyeliner and maybe some lip gloss. She’d added a sultry color to my eyelids, making them appear larger. I’d stood in the mirror, trying to recognize my own reflection. I felt beautiful for the first time in my life. Excitement and nerves remained at the surface, my mind spinning with possibilities for the night.
A car buzzed past us, heading to the exit, almost driving Kennedy off the gravel road.
“Jesus. Asshole!” she yelled, and I laughed. She was a crazy driver herself.
The various vehicles parked in the single lot signified the incredible wealth of the students. Porsches. Hummers. Mercedes. Italian sports cars. There was at least two million dollars sitting in the secured space. Meanwhile, I’d insisted on driving a beautiful yet older Chevy Cruze, the compact car suiting my needs just fine.
She found a parking space on the grass, obviously disgusted at being forced to step out onto damp terrain. As soon as I started to open the door, she grabbed my arm.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, surprised her breathing was labored.
“Look. Um. These guys are… well, they’re not normal.”
“What do you mean?” Now she decided to confess what I already knew? Was she purposely trying to scare me? “I thought you called them dreamy?”
The fact she refused to look me in the eye sent a single tremor of fear through my system.
“Oh, they are, but they’re privileged.” Kennedy swallowed hard.
“I know that. So what? Are you trying to tell me they’re dangerous? I already know that too.”
“Yeah…” She raked her hand through her hair, and I was certain the dome light highlighted the fact that her arm was shaking. “So, anything goes at these parties. I mean anything.”
“Drug use?” I had no idea what she was talking about.
“Some, but I’ve seen very little. Let’s just say the men are… amorous.”
Every word out of her mouth was stilted, but I had a feeling she knew what she was talking about. “Okay. I’m not a prude. I’ve seen people having sex before.” Maybe the rumors of huge orgies were true. Why did my nipples become aroused at the thought?
“Yeah, but not like these guys. They are into some kinky shit.”
“How kinky?” While I was surprised I’d asked the question, just doing so created warmth between my legs.
Just like my stories.
“They’re sadists. All of them. They thrive on forcing women to submit to their sick needs, taking pleasure in inflicting pain. But they know how to bring you to the kinds of highs you’ll never get another way.”
My breath caught in my throat. “Do they do that to you?” I squirmed in my seat, trying to remind myself that writing stories was one thing, experiencing the darkness that I envisioned was something else altogether.
Her normally bubbly laugh was pained. “Let’s just say I find them… irresistible. Be very glad your parents didn’t drink the Elite Kool-Aid.”
“What are you talking about?” Her parents were doting just like mine were, both highly respected doctors.
She threw me a look, the flash of lightning turning the dark night into an eerie setting, but it allowed me to see the fact that her lower lip was quivering. “I need to surrender to them no matter what they want me to do.”
“Whoa. Hold on. That’s crazy. Why?”
“Because my parents want me to be chosen.”
I’d never heard her talk this way, even when I’d teased about the crap floating on campus about their lofty organization. “Chosen for what?”
“To hopefully marry one of the bastards one day. They want me to marry the President, but I know he doesn’t like me. He wants someone else.” She looked away, obviously angry some girl had caught this guy’s attention.
I resisted laughing or worse. “Oh, for God’s sake. That doesn’t happen in this day and time,” I finally chided.
“Don’t kid yourself. The Elite have more power in this country than you understand. When you graduate, get the hell away from here. At least I’ll live in the lap of luxury.”
I didn’t take her warning lightly. She was all over the place about the Elite and the crazy requirements. “Then why bring me here?”
“Because… because I need someone by my side tonight who I can trust. The other girls are bitches. They hate me because I’m well liked.”
Sighing, I glanced at the window at the house. Why did the shadows suddenly seem malevolent? “Okay, I’m here. We’re leaving together. Period. In and out. A drink or two, then we leave. Deal?”
Kennedy finally turned her head in my direction. “Okay. Just be careful. If they lure you in, then you’ll belong to them.”
Saying I wasn’t a prude was correct, yet I’d only had sex once and that hadn’t been the best experience. However, that didn’t mean I wasn’t a red-blooded female with desires and fantasies. Very little bothered me.
Or so I hoped.
Besides, it was apparent everyone underestimated me. I had no intentions of surrendering to any man under any circumstances, no matter what appeared in my journal.
Then why are you quivering?
I wasn’t entirely certain. My thoughts returned to my belief that someone had riffled through my things.
“And leave your phone here.”
“Why?” I asked.
“Because I doubt you want your phone confiscated. They don’t want any possibility of pictures being taken and seen on social media.”
“Jesus Christ. What are they afraid of?”
“As I’ve told you, they’re very private. They handle business that they don’t want anyone to know about.”
“They’re fucking college students.”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t be naïve, Ava . They are already millionaires from the various businesses they rule. Take the President of the club, Clinton Cross. He’s following in his father’s footsteps and has been for a while.”
Rule, not run. Her word uAva was getting stranger. “Which is?”
Her nervousness was even more evident. “Mafia.”
I’d heard kids of mafia families were enrolled in the school. It really hadn’t bothered me until hearing the way she mentioned the single world. “So they really are dangerous.”
“Oh, you bet. There are rumors they’ve handled business out of the house.”
“Why are you just telling me this now?” I wanted to strangle her for the push and pull.
She took a deep breath. “I don’t want you to get caught in the system.”
“Don’t worry about me. I have my entire life planned out. Why go to post-grad at all? Why not follow in daddy’s footsteps and be done with it?”
“Because it’s required. Come on. These parties are rare. That’s one reason I asked you to come with me.” She plastered a smile on her face, and I started questioning more than just my reason for being invited.
After tossing her purse in the back, she didn’t wait for my response, exiting the vehicle in a hurry.
