Rogue Betrayal Read online

“That’s what she said,” I said before I could stop myself. My eyes bugged out of my head. I couldn’t believe I actually said that.

  Dalton chuckled. Even Charley’s lips twitched up. She didn’t want to smile, but she couldn’t help it.

  I wasn’t sure how long we stood in the kitchen, but Dalton kept talking. To me. People kept interjecting, kept trying to get his attention. And he gave it to them. He had this knack for making even the most insignificant person feel special, and I didn’t think he realized what a superpower that was.

  Or an evil villain power.

  Whatever.

  I had two red plastic cup beers and felt tipsy by the second one. Charley kept asking me to leave, but I wasn’t in the mood. I was having fun.

  Because whenever Dalton was done with whomever wanted to talk to him, he always started talking to me again. And I felt special. We talked about our parents, he talked about his brother and I talked about being an only child. And we both talked about our dads. We both experienced loss, and even though I couldn’t tell him his father’s death might be tied to some traitor consorting with the gods, I felt like he understood me in a way no one else did.

  The whole time we talked, we never even went into a bedroom. Dalton wasn’t trying to get me alone. We talked in the kitchen the whole time. Charley looked bored out of her mind, but judging by the way her head bobbed every now and then, at least she was enjoying the music.

  It was nearly midnight when Charley was tugging me to the door.

  “I guess I have to go,” I said to Dalton. I was buzzed by this point, off-balance thanks to Charley’s insistence we leave now. “Thanks for inviting me. I’ve never been to a party before. I like it.”

  Jesus, Lara, what the fuck has gotten into you. Just tell him you’re a loser, why don’t you?

  “I’m glad you came,” Dalton said. He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. His fingers lingered. My body tingled.

  He leaned closer to me. My mouth watered. Somehow, I knew he was going to kiss me. My heart stuttered. I didn’t remember the last time I had been kissed. What if I did it wrong? What if I made myself look like an ass?

  He cupped my cheek, tilted my head up so I was forced to look at him, into those crystal blue eyes. Into someone who got me.

  And then…

  And then the door to the room burst open and there stood none other than Dr. Dickbag himself.

  Chapter Six

  “Get out.” Two words that didn’t need to be uttered twice. The guy didn’t even have to yell. His low, pointed voice was enough to get the entire party moving out as fast as possible.

  Including Charley.

  In fact, I could have been seeing things, as inebriated as I was, but I could swear she was trying to blend in with the crowd so Dickbag wouldn’t see her.

  I tripped over my feet and stuttered forward. My head cracked on the counter of the sink. The loud sound reverberated in my ears and pain split my head in two. I dropped to my knees, reaching up to gingerly clutch my head in my hands. A kaleidoscope of colors filled my vision and my heartbeat echoed through my head the way a giant stomped on his victims.

  “Lara!”

  I was pretty sure that was Charley, but with the rumble of feet vibrating through the floor I found my head currently resting on and the heightened murmurs of voices of everyone trying to get out before Dickbag began to penalize individuals, it was difficult for me to discern what was going on around me.

  Also, because my head swam with pain and my eyes were scrunched closed in order to prevent any overwhelming light from adding to the pain.

  Suddenly, cool hands cupped my cheeks. “Lara.”

  Oh, yeah, that was Charley. No one else could keep such a cool, collected demeanor when it felt like the world was falling apart. Or splitting open. Or something like that.

  “I need you to open your eyes for me, okay? I need to check your eyes.”

  There was a loud ringing in my ears that muffled Charley’s words, but somehow, my brain pieced everything together. I fluttered my eyes open once, twice, but it was difficult for me to hold Charley’s gaze for longer than a second. All I wanted to do was sleep. I wasn’t sure why; I hadn’t felt tired when the party was in full swing, when talking to Dalton, when tipsy.

  “Why am I not surprised to find you here?”

  The flat voice was unfamiliar to me, and yet, I had heard it before. Moments ago.

  Who was that?

  “I’m sorry, doctor, I’m more concerned with my friend who fell and hit her head on the island so if you could table that question…” She turned my head to the left and the right, each movement slow and careful, but somehow had the effect of an anvil being dropped on me like I was a cartoon coyote.

  “Bring her back to my office,” he snapped. The order left no room for argument. Even I winced when I heard it, which only added to the migraine going on in my head right now.

  There was a brief pause. I could almost hear Charley debating whether she should do such a thing. She probably didn’t want to be anywhere near Dickbag, especially since this was her own time, but I must have done some damage to myself or else she wouldn’t even consider this. Even though she was trying to shadow him.

  “Fine.” A pause. “Lara, we’re going to have to move you. We need to keep your head stable and steady so, I know it might be hard, but try not to move, okay?”

  “Oh, yes, ask your probably-concussed friend not to move.”

  “What’s so wrong with that?” she snapped.

  “You tell her. You don’t ask. And you wonder why I won’t take you as my shadow? Let’s not get into the fact that you choose to wear flowers in your hair.” Cold hands pressed on my arms and slowly but firmly hoisted me up to my feet. “I mean, who does that in real life?”

  Charley didn’t comment. I wished I had the ability to open my eyes and take her in, just to see how she reacted to his obvious insult.

  “Hey. Her mom grows those flowers herself, okay? And Charley looks beautiful wearing them. Or do they wear her?”

  I didn’t realize I spoke until I furrowed my brows and tried to answer my own question.

  “You know what? Now I get it. It makes so much sense now.” He began to move with me in his arms. I wasn’t sure when he swept me up like I was some kind of bride, but apparently, that had happened and I just hadn’t noticed. With my head leaning against his hard chest, I could hear his voice echo through his body. I didn’t know how it was possible, but the timbre only got deeper from the inside out. Or maybe I was just hallucinating things with my ears.

  Actually, I was.

  The janitor in the navy blue uniform was unloading throwing away some trash into a dumpster, and I was pretty sure there wasn’t three of him.

  I wanted to say pardon me to him but I didn’t think he’d remember me.

  “What makes sense?”

  Charley must have been behind him because she wasn’t right next to him. At least she was still following him, though. Not that I thought she would abandon me, but it was nice to know she was here.

  “You have Mommy issues.” A beat. “I would have bet good money on Daddy issues.”

  “Daddy issues?”

  “Yeah, you know, constantly craving my attention, baking food for my approval, that whole bit.”

  “Your arrogance constantly astounds me, Dr. Dickbag.”

  “What did you just say?”

  “Did I stutter? You’re over here, making smartass comments, and my best friend’s brain could be swelling up against her skull.”

  “Oh, please. There’s no need to be dramatic.” The cold air shocked me like stepping into the snow after being encompassed in a warm house with a cackling fire. We must be outside, which meant we made our way down a few flights of stairs without me noticing. I didn’t want to tell Charley this, but Dickbag’s chest wasn’t that uncomfortable. It was surprisingly…cozy.

  “How do you know I’m being dramatic?” she demanded. She was slightly breathless at this point, which meant she must have been attempting to catch up to his long-legged strides.

  “When she defended your flowers, did she stutter? Were her sentences coherent? Did she have any issues speaking in a way you couldn’t understand?”

  Charley was silent. I snorted. I couldn’t lift my head or open my eyes, but apparently I could laugh at my friend. Even if it was kind of funny.

  “That’s what I thought. Your concussed friend agrees. See? This is why you and me would be a bad idea. And it’s not just because -“

  “Can we not bring that up? We said we would never mention that -“

  “Fine.” It almost sounded like he was offended by whatever she seemed to be dismissing. But I was probably hallucinating with my ears again. “If you let personal relationships cloud your judgment -“

  “I do not let personal relationships cloud my judgment!” she insisted.

  I snorted again. “Lady doth protest too much, am I right, Dr. Dickbag?”

  “Okay, enough.” Some buttons were being pressed, then there was a whoosh, and we stepped into a new building. Judging by how sharp and clean this place smelled - and how much that affected my headache - I was pretty sure we were in the med wing. “Dr. Dickbag, huh? So, does that mean you talk about me?”

  “Only to complain.”

  “Still. I must be on your mind for you to still be talking about me.”

  “Please. I’m your student. You're my teacher. I have nicknames for all of my professors. Don’t think for one second you’re special.”

  “Oh hoh, honey, I am special. Whether you know that or not is irrelevant.”

  More walking. This time, it was bumpier. I was shifted to one arm while Dickbag fumbled around for something. There was a low hum and a click. Dickbag
walked through a door I assumed Charley held open for him, and then I was placed on an exam room chair.

  But lying on my back hurt so bad. Tears pricked my eyes. I whimpered.

  “What did you do?”

  “I set her down. See? Emotional boundaries. This is how you ruin -“

  “Whatever. Just…I know you’re right and she’s just concussed. But will you…just make sure?”

  A beat. I didn’t know how to explain it, but the tension shifted in the room. Almost like…like he was surprised that she would even ask for his help.

  He didn’t respond. Maybe that was a good thing. I was pretty sure he’d have a snarky comment or two just lined up and waiting on the tip of his tongue, ready to be fired at will. But it never came. It was like, once Charley stopped with her sarcasm, he had no reason to fight her.

  Suddenly, lights were flashing in my eyes and I was forced to sit up, to follow thumbs and count fingers and, my God, my head pounded like an enthusiastic drug addict at an EDM concert. I just wanted to go home.

  Someone knocked a couple of times, but Charley and Dickbag both ignored it. When the third time came, Dickbag barked, “Go away.”

  “Dr. Palmer? Is Lara okay?”

  Another familiar voice. This one masculine. Made my chest warm. But it wasn’t Robert.

  …Dalton.

  Dalton was here.

  What was he doing here?

  “Can you handle that?” Dickbag said as he tilted my head to the side during his examination. “I don’t want to deal with new adults pining for one another after a drunken encounter at a dorm room party.”

  Charley scoffed but didn’t argue. Her soft footsteps filled the room and the door creaked open.

  “Hey, Charley, look, I’m sorry-“

  “She’ll be fine, Dalton,” she said. Her voice had an edge to it, but I doubted anyone could pick it up because she hid it well. “Just concussed.”

  “Doesn’t she need someone to stay with her?” he asked. “Make sure she doesn’t fall asleep?”

  Now it was Dickbag who scoffed but he didn’t stop his exam.

  “Well, yes, but -“

  “Then, I can do that.”

  “No, we’ve, um, we’ve already called someone else.”

  “Who?”

  Dickbag muttered something under his breath but I couldn’t make it out, and honestly, I didn’t actually care. My head was starting to hurt less now, but I was overwhelmed with this intense desire to just sleep. It might have to do with them talking about it and how I wasn’t allowed to sleep, but whatever. I just wanted to sleep.

  “Get rid of him, Beckett.”

  “I'm sorry, Dalton, but you’ve got to go.” She paused. “She’ll be okay.” And then, she shut the door.

  “Your friend is definitely concussed,” he said, sitting back. “And we do need someone to stay up with her for the rest of the night.”

  “Obviously, I’ll do it,” she said, footsteps echoing off the walls and somehow inside of my mind.

  “Oh, no, honey. You were at a dorm party after curfew where your clueless, inept friend gave herself a concussion. You have detention. Right now. With me.”

  “But what about Lara?” she asked. “We can’t just leave her alone.”

  “Did I say to do that? No. We call someone.”

  “Who? Her mother’s already asleep and wouldn’t be able to watch Lara even if she wasn’t. And Lara doesn’t have very many friends. At all. I don’t trust Dalton because I don’t know him. The only one who might be willing…” She let her voice trail off.

  “Who?” he asked.

  “Um…”

  I got a bad feeling about this.

  Charley cleared her throat. “The only person I can think to call is Robert Lannister.”

  Chapter Seven

  I tried to discourage them from calling Robert. He was the last person I wanted to call.

  But also, he was the only person I knew who would be here. Obviously, Charley would if Dickbag had a heart - which clearly he didn’t - and I knew my mom would but I didn’t want her to be. I didn’t want her worrying about me. I didn’t want her knowing I made a stupid mistake that got me hurt, that I was drunk at a party because some cute boy invited me to one of these things, and this was the first time in my life I actually got to attend one. She always told everyone how mature and responsible I was; this wasn’t mature or responsible and I didn’t want her perception of me skewered in any way.

  Which meant I was forced to let Charley call Robert.

  And he was here in less than ten minutes.

  Now that the initial shock and pain had worn off, I was growing more accustomed to my surroundings. When the door to the med office barreled open and Robert barged in, my heart leapt in my throat.

  “Where the hell is she?”

  “Professor Lannister,” Charley said before Dr. Dickbag could say anything. “You can’t just come throwing open doors and -”

  “I’m sorry, Spider, but you don’t get to tell me what to do,” Robert said firmly. There was a gentleness to his harsh tone, one that seemed to imply he was attempting to be respectful since he liked Charley. But Robert hadn’t been good at controlling himself when he was impassioned about something, at least in the few months I had known him. “Especially not when you call me and tell me that Lara hit her head on Dalton Rogers’s island, is probably concussed, and needs me to stay up with her to make sure she doesn’t fall asleep and slip into a coma that would produce irreversible brain damage. Where is she?”

  “Lannister, back off, or I’ll call one of my team to sit up with her.” Dickbag’s voice was low and insistent. There was no room for argument. It almost sounded like there was a protective hint to his words, like he didn’t appreciate the way Robert spoke to Charley, and if me and Charley were alone, I totally would have given her a hard time about it.

  “Since when do you care?” Robert demanded to know.

  “Since Ms. Springer and I took care of her,” he said. “Now, are you going to be able to stay with her tonight, here, in a med ward room?”

  “Why wouldn’t I?” Robert asked. Though my eyes were still closed, I could hear Robert shuffling around. In fact, I pictured him at the sink, picking at one of those cotton ball displays before moving on and inspecting the Kleenex. The guy couldn’t sit still when he was worked up about something.

  “Because it’s very important that you’re not saying shit just because you think you can do everything,” Dickbag said. “This is serious, Robert.”

  “Don’t you think I know that?” he replied. He set something down and suddenly, squeaky wheels rolled across the room until something bumped the side of my bed. “This is Lara. Lara. I know how serious this is.”

  There was silence in the room. Part of me wanted to say something, to break whatever tension was going on between everyone. Knots formed in my chest. I didn’t like that everyone seemed intent to help me. Not because I didn’t appreciate it, more like I didn’t like that my reckless behavior got me into this in the first place. And now Charley and Robert and even Dickbag to a degree fussed over me all because I couldn’t hold my alcohol and hit my head.

  If I wasn’t in the amount of numb pain I was in, I might have been too embarrassed to handle even seeing Robert, much less letting him know what had happened to me. I was sure that feeling would catch up with me tomorrow, or whenever the shock of what had happened wore off.

  “I’ll be back to check on her in a few hours,” Dickbag said. “Let’s go, Ms. Springer. Don’t think you’ve gotten out of your punishment just because your friend was concussed.”

  “Trust me, I have a feeling if I was the one in that bed, you’d still find a way to punish me,” she muttered.

  I almost cracked a smile.

  Almost.

  “Professor Lannister, feel free to call one of us if she gets worse, or -”

  “She won’t get worse, Spider,” he said. He was sitting next to me, closer than I anticipated. “I won’t let her.”

  Dickbag snorted from somewhere closer to the door. “I swear, Robert, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you thought you were one of the gods themselves,” he muttered.

  “Pot calling the kettle black, I guess,” Robert said nonchalantly.

  “Call me if you need anything,” Charley said. “If something feels off to you, anything, it’s better if you call.”