I knew I had to tell her.
I wanted to wait for initiation to pass so I could prove to her that she wasn’t just some dare. I figured once she saw I wasn’t a member of Omega, she would believe me.
Induction into the frat was tomorrow night.
Zach beat me to the punch.
“Romeo,” she said, pulling her knees into her chest and looking so small sitting there in the leather seat. “Was I some kind of initiation for Omega?”
I closed my eyes. It was a direct question.
“Remember when you told me a while ago that I could ask you anything and you would give it to me straight, even if the answer was something I wouldn’t like?”
Oh, I remembered. I regretted those words right now.
I opened my eyes and looked at her. “Yes,” I whispered.
“Yes, you remember, or yes, I was some kind of initiation?”
“Rimm—”
“The truth,” she said, cutting me off.
“Both.” I admitted.
Her sharp intake of breath was like a knife to the heart. “So what was it?” Her voice was flat, devoid of emotion. It was the worst sound I’d ever heard. “Were you supposed to date me?”
“It doesn’t matter because I dropped out of the frat,” I said.
“What was it?” She pressed.
My hand curled around the steering wheel and tightened. “To sleep with you.”
Her body jerked like I slapped her.
“You gotta understand. It was before I got to know you. I dropped out. I told them I wouldn’t do it.”
“But you did.” Her voice was so quiet and calm it was chilling. “You did sleep with me.”
“Not becau—”
“You used me,” she whispered, pain filling her voice. “Did you laugh with your friends behind my back?” she accused. “Did you give them a play-by-play of everything we did? I shared part of myself with you I’ve never shared with anyone.”
“I’m sorry.” It was the most pathetic thing to say, but I didn’t know what would make what I did okay.
Nothing. Nothing would make this okay.
“Please listen to me, Rimmel,” I said, reaching for her hand. She pulled away. “Please.”
She just stared at me. I could see the unshed tears shimmering in her eyes.
“I care about you. I dropped out of rush. You’re more important to me.”
The silence stretched between us. And then she spoke.
“I wish I could believe you.” She reached for the handle and pushed open the door.
“Wait,” I said. She paused but didn’t turn back around. “I swear to God, everything I’ve ever said I feel about you is real. Please believe me.”
Her shoulders slumped like she was carrying a weight so heavy it was crushing her. “I need time to think.”
“I can give you that.” I promised, even though everything in me was shouting no.
She slipped from the car and ran to the dorm. I sat there for a long time even after she went inside.
I knew I should be angry. I should be full of rage at Zach and what he might have just cost me.
But I couldn’t summon the anger.
All I felt was pain.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Rimmel
I cried myself to sleep that night.
He hurt me.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Romeo
She wouldn’t answer my calls.
Two days without hearing her voice felt like an eternity.
The hollow feeling in my chest was constant, but even so, the anger came. It lit me up from the inside out. Like fireworks exploding in a night sky. I asked around, called in favors. Rumor was it was Zach who attacked Rimmel, but rumors couldn’t be proved.
But even if I couldn’t prove what he did, he still had to pay.
I wasn’t just going to turn my cheek and let him hurt Rimmel and take shots at me.
I’d told Coach I wasn’t going to handle the corrupt behavior soiling the name of his very own frat. I’d let it fall to the backburner because I’d been too caught up in Rimmel.
But it was time to end this. It was time to show Zach I wasn’t to be fucked with.
Using some of the friends I had in convenient places, I set a plan into motion.
And then I went to the dean.
He was all too willing to listen to the new information that had come to light. He was even extremely disappointed to learn of such stark disrespect coming from those he still considered his brothers.
Not more than an hour later, I found myself on the doorstep of Omega, waiting to be let in.
The shock that registered on Jack’s face when he opened the door made me smile smugly. “Can I come in?”
“Members only,” he said with a sneer.
I flattened my palm on the door and shoved, swinging it wide. It slammed against the wall, rattling the old window nearby.
Footsteps sounded on the stairs as several members came rushing to see where the sound came from. They all stopped when they saw me.
Zach appeared from the back of the house, and when our eyes locked, he smiled.
I wanted to knock out his teeth so badly that I actually took a threatening step forward.
“What are you doing here?” he spat. “Come to grovel for a place in the house? Sorry for what you gave up?”
The fucking arrogance of this guy was unmatched. I stalked toward him and he slunk against the wall. I shoved myself up against him, pinning him with my hard chest.
“How’s it feel to be pinned down and helpless?” I whispered.
His eyes widened and he shook his head.
“I know it was you,” I rumbled. “This is your payback.”
“You can’t prove shit,” he tossed out, but his eyes held fear.
“You’re right. I can’t prove you were the guy in the mask the other night. But I can prove something else.”
Confusion filled his face and he curled his lip at me. I raised my fist, desperate to strike him, and the look wiped off his face. “Touch her again and it will make today look like a kindergarten field trip.”
I shoved away from him, and he cowered once more into the wall. Members had gathered all around and were watching the unfolding scene in silence.
I looked at the door, and right on time, the dean stepped through.
“Zachary,” he said, his voice filled with authority.
“Dean,” he said, straightening from the wall. “Romeo burst in here and threatened me.”
“I didn’t hear any threats,” he said and addressed the crowd. “Did anyone else hear Romeo threaten your president?”