Threats. Did the invasion of my privacy have something to do with my father? Get a grip, Sage. Maybe they’re folded in your jeans.

  “Okay, darling. Just remember your father and I worry about you.”

  “I know. I gotta go now. Love ya, Mom.” I tossed my phone onto the sofa, chewing on my lower lip.

  As Kelly returned with a dress in her hand, I shook my head. Maybe for one night it was okay to shove aside the shy girl who barely talked to anyone. I could consider the dress just another costume. The bashful girl wasn’t the kind of woman I wanted to be.

  The inner bad girl wanted to be the wild vixen I wrote about in my stories. But as much as I wanted to let go, the nagging remained.

  “What do you think?” she asked as she shifted the gorgeous red dress back and forth like a prize.

  “I think it’s fabulous.” My tone was flat.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked, her face falling.

  I folded my arms. “I think someone has been in our suite more than once.”

  She opened then closed her mouth, her eyes wider than before. “Why would you think that?”

  “There was a rose petal on my nightstand just like the one I found a few weeks ago. And a pair of my panties has gone missing.”

  I wasn’t certain how she’d react, but when she smiled and rolled her eyes, I was surprised. “Oh, come on. Why would anyone come into a dorm room?”

  That was the question. “Have you seen any evidence of cameras?”

  “Of course not! Girl. I think you’re just overstressed and I know you’ve been working yourself to death. You’ll find your undies tomorrow. Now, can we go have a little fun?”

  Maybe she was right. I’d slept maybe three hours a night for weeks.

  “You’re right. So, will you help me with my makeup and hair?”

  Kelly beamed. “I would love to.”

  CHAPTER 4

  Sage

  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 Kelly 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, Sage Winters. That’s not nice.

  I bit back a chuckle.

  “I’m glad you wore your contacts,” Kelly 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. Kelly 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 Kelly 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.” Kelly 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?”

  Kelly 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, Sage. They are already millionaires from the various businesses they rule. Take the President of the club, Cain Cross. He’s following in his father’s footsteps and has been for a while.”

  Rule, not run. Her word usage 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.

  I thought about what she was saying, sliding my small clutch under the seat. The weirdness surrounding the Elite was becoming more disturbing. My thoughts drifted to my mother’s phone call and the fact that someone had been in our suite. There was no way the events could be a coincidence.

  As Kelly led us toward the front door, I noticed at least four security guards manning the front of the estate, two more burly guys at the door. For some reason, the sight of them bothered me more than it should. Were they hiding something I shouldn’t be allowed to see? The stories about the Damned were the thing legends were made of. Debauchery and violence. I knew better than to believe fifty percent of what I’d heard. Still, my mother’s words weighed on my mind. Yes, there were some very bad people in this world.

  “Oh, you’re going to be frisked,” she said in passing.

  “What for? Are they worried about weapons?”

  “Hardly. They’re all skilled marksmen. That’s part of their training.”

  “Their training?” I stopped her on the sidewalk, more uncertain than ever if I wanted to go inside.

  She cocked her head, the light from the lampposts allowing me to see her frustration. She’d gone from warning me to chastising me in the blink of an eye. “I shouldn’t have mentioned anything, so don’t ask about things you don’t want to learn about. They’re looking for anyone who’s wired.”

  “What?”

  “Privacy. Every ritual is secret. Even I don’t know all that goes on behind closed doors.”

  I doubted I wanted to. “Fine. You owe me for this.”

  Kelly was allowed inside by face recognition only. I was forced to endure being patted down by a monster of a man with a surly attitude and rough hands. When he slipped his fingers under my dress, touching my panties, I shoved him as hard as possible, resisting driving my knee into his crotch. “Watch it, asshole.”

  “Tell your friend to keep her mouth shut,” he snarled.

  “She’s a visitor.” Kelly’s voice was more timid than I was used to.

  “I don’t give a fuck if she’s the freaking Queen of England, consort. She gets frisked.”

  Wow. The guy was a real asshole. “Just get it over with.” I didn’t add the nasty words to the end I really wanted to. His grin was lecherous as he moved to my chest, enjoying the hell out of fondling my breasts. I was nauseated, gritting my teeth to keep from saying something I’d regret.

  “The rules for while you’re inside,” he snarled. “Stay in the party room, or you’ll be expelled and you won’t like how that happens. The rest of the house is off limits unless you’re invited.”

  By the way he issued the statement, I had a feeling that wasn’t going to happen.

  However, I’d evidently passed the barbaric test, and our entrance was allowed.

  “Jerk,” I muttered.

  “Shush,” she whispered. “Just stay in the room and you’ll be fine.”

  “What if I have to use the bathroom?”

  “Jesus, girl. There’s a suite of them adjoining the main ballroom. You’re allowed to go there but nowhere else. And I mean it.”

  I was beginning to hate agreeing to come with her. What had originally sounded like fun seemed entirely different. Maybe I was wrong, but it seemed like she’d been summoned to the house, required to attend the party.

  As soon as I walked inside the mansion, I was shocked by the opulence, especially for a house designed for college boys. From the Italian marble floor in the entrance foyer and the opulent chandelier hanging from the vaulted ceiling to the dozens of gorgeous red roses in a huge crystal vase on the glass table, the facility screamed extreme wealth. The curved staircase leading to all four additional floors was ornate, the iron work in the railings incredible.

  I was used to seeing expensive things, but the entire setting reeked of power.

  There were no escorts leading the way, but we followed several people, ending up in a great room that had to be at least fifteen hundred square feet. We’d passed through hallways adorned with exquisite works of art in vibrant colors, every piece a vivid vision of sexual acts. I found myself unable to take my eyes off them, my head spinning at the intricacy of how they’d been painted. There was no doubt in my mind that the artist had had live models as inspiration.

  Whips.

  Chains.

  A cage with two naked women inside. The depictions were beautiful instead of being vulgar, but the egotism of the artist was evident by the bold strokes and thickness of paint. They were also a reflection of the misogynistic attitudes of the men who lived in the house. They obviously believed women were playthings and nothing more.

  Swallowing, I allowed my gaze to linger for a little longer, memorizing the poses. What if someone had seen my journal and that was the reason I’d been invited? The thought was titillating, even though I knew I should turn around and walk out.

  You can do this. Just enjoy it.

  As if that was possible.

  “The house is beautiful,” I half whispered, fearful I’d draw attention to our arrival.

  “You should see the bedroom suites. They are to die for.” Kelly’s off-the-cuff announcement didn’t shock me more than any of her other behavior. She was a free spirit, which made what she’d said earlier more disturbing.

  Every aspect of the ballroom was gothic in nature, the thick velvet drapes adorning dark woods and regal furniture. At least the music wasn’t from the last century, the dark dance vibes pulsating in every muscle. I noticed a flash of lightning outside and shivered.

  “Let’s get a drink,” Kelly suggested, leading me by the arm toward one of two massive bars in the room. I couldn’t help but notice the bartender was gorgeous, his arm muscles pushing against the tight confines of his black shirt.

  “I’ll have a Coke,” I told him, which forced Kelly to wrinkle her nose. She ordered a screwdriver and I sighed. It would seem I’d be the designated driver. I sensed her nervousness increasing, which kept me on edge. Still, a part of me was intrigued with why the Elite were given so much credit.

  “Kelly, baby. There you are. And who is this luscious friend you brought with you tonight?”

  The deep voice was intoxicating, the rumble his husky tone created shifting straight to my core. I glanced in her direction, noticing a split second of hesitation—or maybe it was raw fear—before she smiled.

  “Cristiano. This is my bestie, Sage.”

  Cristiano. The name alone was something out of romance novels.

  He took my hand into his, pulling my knuckles to his mouth. As soon as he pressed his voluptuous lips against my skin, a quiver drifted down my spine. To say he was stunning with his dark hair and sculpted muscles was an understatement, but it was his eyes that drew me in. They were luminous, a luscious emerald green tinged with gold flecks. I swallowed, trying to control my nerves.

  “Quite possibly the most gorgeous woman in the room.”