I don’t answer. Matt is picking up my books, bag, and schedule while I just stand here staring at Ryat like a deer in headlights. His eyes haven’t left mine since he delivered the threat. I fully understood it. This is what you expect from anyone attending Barrington.
Cruel.
Evil.
God complex.
This is what happens when children grow up getting anything and everything they want. And I’m not talking about a teddy bear from the store. No, I’m talking about that one-of-a-kind two-million-dollar car before they even have a license.
“Everything okay here?” Matt asks.
I look down to see he’s left my books stacked on the floor by our feet. My eyes go to Matt, and he’s got all his attention on Ryat. They’re not friends. Not anymore, anyway. They were once, but something happened last year, and let’s just say they hate each other now.
“Blakely?” Matt snaps, making me jump.
Instead of answering him, my eyes shoot to Ryat once again.
Ryat arches a dark brow at me, his green eyes still boring into mine. They’re less threatening now and more playful. This is a game to him. Is everything okay here? “Yeah,” I answer Matt.
I don’t know Ryat very well, but I’m aware of his reputation. You don’t want to be on his shit list.
Ryat blinks, breaking contact, and looks over at Matt. Wiping the smile off his face, Ryat steps into him. I hold my breath as Matt cowers. “Keep your bitch on a leash.” He then looks over at me, his eyes quickly running over my body once again, making my breath quicken. “Otherwise, one may assume she’s a stray.” He puts his attention back on Matt. “And well, let’s just say you of all people should know that someone may choose to take her from you.”
With that, he reaches up and shoves Matt into the wall, then walks past us to carry on with his day.
“What the fuck?” Matt hisses, pushing off the wall and watching Ryat walk away without even bothering to give us a second glance. “Blakely?” He places his hands on my shoulders. “Did he push you down?” His hands run down over my arms.
“No … not exactly.” I continue to watch Ryat. The hallway isn’t crowded by any means, but even if it was, you’d still be able to spot him. He’s about six-three and two hundred and fifty pounds of muscle. He walks with an ease—as if he has all day to get where he’s going.
“Did he touch you?” Matt growls.
Ryat pulls his cell out of his pocket and starts texting before he takes a right down another hall. Disappearing out of sight.
“Blakely?”
“What?” I snap, turning to look at Matt now that Ryat’s completely gone.
“What the fuck happened?” he demands. “Were you talking to Ryat?” His eyes narrow on me in suspicion.
Of course. Now Matt is mad at me. Another man threatens his relationship with me, and it’s my fault. Always is.
“Nothing.” I push him off. “What happened between you two?” I demand, crossing my arms over my chest. They live in the same house—house of Lords. They’re both members of the L.O.R.D.—Leader, Order, Ruler, and Deity—a secret society made up centuries ago by men to feed their misogynistic and egotistical attitudes. I only know what very little Matt has told me over the past three years, which is practically nothing. Their oath keeps them from talking about it.
“How the hell should I know?” He shrugs.
I eye him skeptically. “You’re saying you have no clue why he hates you?” I find that hard to believe.
“Ryat is an asshole,” he adds as if I didn’t already know that.
Yes, but he completely avoided my question. “Whatever. I’m late to class.”
I leave him standing there to go on with my day and manage to find the right room. Making my way up the stairs to the top row of the auditorium classroom, I sit down on the end next to my best friend since kindergarten and rub my elbow. It hurts after I fell on it.
“Where were you?” she asks.
I nod. “Got caught up.”
She rolls her eyes. “Let me guess, Matt?”
“Something like that.”
“Hey, look what I found.” She reaches into her bag and pulls out a piece of paper. Unfolding it, she sets it down on my desk.
“What is it?”
“Our first official college party of junior year,” she squeals.
I pick it up and read over it. It’s a black piece of paper with The Ritual written across the top in white letters. From what I know, the Lords do this every year. I’ve heard girls talking about it here and there, but whenever I ask Matt about it, he shuts me down and says they’ve been sworn to secrecy.