The fallout for my tryst with Stefan had been awful. When everyone had gotten wind that Stefan was my stepbrother and that we had slept together, I became the brunt of cruel jokes and threats. I don’t know who broke the news first, and I didn’t really care. I just knew that my life had gone to hell almost overnight.
Since then, I’d gone into hiding, only going to certain classes that I thought were safe. Most of all, I avoided Stefan like the plague. He seemed hell-bent on trying to talk to me. He’d been blowing up my email and cellphone constantly, but I don’t know why he was bothering. We were already in enough trouble as it was.
I’d also moved out of the sorority house and into a vacant dorm room of my own. I couldn't stand to be around those worthless, two-faced bitches who had helped spread the rumors about my sleeping with Stefan.
So much for Sisterhood, I thought sourly. And blood oaths.
Howard studied me closely. “Well, I hope what you're saying is true.”
“Or?” I asked, my pulse racing. I dreaded the answer. If there was no lid put on the matter soon, this had the potential to blow up into something that would result in my being banned from the university. North State was one of those that had a ‘morality clause’ in your paperwork, which most people treated like a total joke, but obviously, it could come to bite me in the ass here. Everyone had treated it like a joke all last semester, but now . . . now I was scared.
“Or there will be repercussions.”
I heard the note of doom in Howard’s voice and my limbs trembled.
“There will be an official investigation launched into this matter. If you are found guilty, you and your stepbrother will be expelled from this school.”
My hands began to shake violently. This could cost me everything.
“Do I make myself clear, Miss James?”
It was a long time before I could reply. “Yes,” I choked. “Totally.”
Howard nodded. “Good. You are dismissed.”
I ran into my dorm bathroom and retched into the toilet. After several dry heaves, I pulled back and wiped my lips with the back of my hands. For the past few days, I had been nauseated as hell.
I had mostly attributed it to the ongoing investigation and scandal surrounding my fraternity-sponsored liaison with Stefan.
“Whatever the hell has gotten into me,” I muttered, holding back another dry heave, “I hope it passes soon. I can’t keep these people off my back if I’m trying to hold in the contents of my stomach.”
I flushed the toilet and stood up. As I was walking back to my room, someone pounded on the front door. I froze, not knowing what I should do. My first thought was that it was someone from the school’s newspaper again, looking to interview me.
Finally, I decided I wouldn’t answer and continued on to my room. The pounding only got louder. Sighing, I turned and walked to the front door, angrily swinging it open and twisting my face into a scowl.
“Look, I already gave you your God damned interview, and I’m not giving you another one—”
“Bella.”
There was Stefan, standing there in his gym sweats, his t-shirt plastered to his powerful chest. He had never looked so damned good in my entire life.
“What are you doing here, Stefan?” I hissed, trying to put on a strong front. “After what happened, you should have known better than to come here!”
Stefan gazed at me, his eyes intense. “Bella, I had to see you.”
I glanced around, hoping no one was watching. Around this time, most classes had been done for the day, but it still wasn’t too late for someone to be lurking about—but I saw no one.
“What for?” I demanded. I felt a light flutter in my stomach staring at Stefan’s chiseled jawline. He looked so handsome with his hair plastered to the sides of his face that it almost hurt. “Haven’t you done enough damage? Now you want to make sure we get expelled from this school too?”
Stefan scowled. “Fuck this school,” he growled with an intensity that had me taking a step back. “I don’t give a shit about it.”
I shook my head. “Please stop, Stefan. We can’t do this here.”
“We can,” Stefan rejected. “And we will.”
“No,” I said weakly.
“Yes,” he insisted. He stepped up close to me, and the warmth of his powerful body immediately enveloped me. “Bella, I’ve been meaning to do this for a long time.”
“Stefan, please leave,” I pleaded. “I can’t deal with this.”
“I’ve just never had the courage.”
“Stefan, I’m going to close the door and go back to my room now. And you’re going to return to your room and forget about me.” I began to close the door, but Stefan nudged his foot in the jamb, stopping it cold.