“Since this particular asshole almost died tonight …” I start, sniffling slightly and reaching up to fix my glasses. “Could she maybe have a hug?” Ranger's jaw clenches tight, and I start to backpedal. “Haha, never mind. Just kidding.” But then his big, strong arms are sweeping me up, and he's crushing me against his chest.

I've never felt so warm or so protected in my whole life.

And I don't even know the guy.

My fingers curl into his hoodie, and I lean my head against his chest. He's still bleeding; we need to get that stitched up. Ranger squeezes me hard, a real, proper sort of squeeze, and then lets me go …

Just in time to see Spencer staring at us with wide, wide eyes.

“You son of a bitch,” he growls, curling his hands into fists at his sides.

That's the first time I see any real jealousy between the guys, and it's almost funny because in reality, I'm nothing to them. They're nothing to me. We barely know each other.

But that doesn't remain the case for long …

For the first few days after we get back, all is quiet. The next Culinary Club meeting is cancelled, seeing as we all just spent the last week baking up a storm for the Valentine's Day party.

Dad puts Nathan on my ass as a protective detail, but to be quite honest, the guy sort of creeps me out. He's always staring, and eating, and he barely talks. Pretty sure he's only in his late twenties, but his beard and beer gut make him seem more like he's forty or fifty.

The twins and Church have been stepping in to take this place, but it doesn't matter. By Friday, I've got another note from 'Adam' on the corkboard.

This time, Ranger is around to read it with us.

“Dear Eve,” he reads, his jaw tightening, nostrils flaring. Last week, when we got back from the V-day thing, I told him all about the other notes, the shadow figure on Halloween, the creepy noises I've been hearing in the bushes. I've never seen a man more furious or determined in my life.

He thinks he's going to catch his sister's killer.

I'm going to help him.

Even if it means I have to be the bait.

“You aren't listening to me. I don't like being ignored. And don't even think about Everly; she's friends with Adam.” Ranger pauses and looks up, clearly furious. “Who the fuck does this guy think he is, and what does he want from you?”

“Sounds like he wants her to go back to California,” Church muses, leaning against the wall with a white chocolate mocha in hand. Merinda makes them special for him at the Jaw Flapper, I've discovered. She has an espresso machine in the back, but if any other customer orders a fancy coffee, she slams down a chipped mug full of black coffee, and tells them if they want cream and sugar they can beg. It's pretty funny to watch actually. “But why?”

“Good question,” the twins say in unison, and then Tobias sighs and pushes red-orange hair from his face while Micah slouches against the wall with his hands tucked in the pockets of his navy slacks. “I thought at first that this psycho just wanted Charlotte out of here because, you know, she has a vagina.”

My cheeks flush as I snatch the note from Ranger's hand.

“Please don't say vagina,” I whisper, and the twins exchange a look before grinning.

“Vagina, vagina, vagina,” they drawl playfully, and I roll my eyes. I don't have a problem with the word, but … something about hearing them say it makes it seem less clinical, and more … um, sexual? Ugh. These Student Council dicks are going to be the death of me.

“Seriously, though,” Micah says, speaking up and pushing off the wall. He grabs the big, plastic container of M&M’s off the table and scoops out a huge handful. Tobias goes for them next, and the brothers have a mini tussle over the chocolate that ends up with brightly colored orbs scattered all over the floor. “Why does this douche-nugget care if Charlotte goes here or goes to Everly? What's his problem?”

“Douche nugget,” I chuckle, grinning. The expression only lasts a second though because I can see Church and Ranger sharing a long, silent exchange. Their expressions are grave. That does not bode well for me.

“Do you think they're after her over Jenica?” Church muses, and Ranger nods once, sharply. He takes the note back from me, crumples it up, and puts it in his pocket.

“What else could it be? But I've been looking into this shit for years, and nothing's ever happened to me.” Ranger sighs and closes his eyes. He's put just the barest bit of shadow on his lids, like some sort of old-school rockstar or something.

“She must be close to finding something we've missed,” Church adds, his honeyed hair glittering in the sunlight. It's such a rich, warm blonde. Makes me wonder what it'd feel like to run my fingers through it …

“Must be,” Ranger muses, switching that intense sapphire gaze of his over to me. “Have you looked in Jenica's room yet?”

My brows go up, and I shake my head.

“I didn't know which one was hers. Besides, a lot of the doors are locked, and I've never really had the tools to break in.” I think about the crowbar I jacked the other day.

“Come on,” Ranger says, exhaling and tucking the note into his pocket. “We'll show you.” He leads the way out of the boys' dorm, and I follow, Church and the twins trailing behind me.

It's so much less scary out here with them by my side. I feel sort of … protected. They might dump spiders on me, and pour honey in my hair, but hey, I won't get murdered by a guy with a knife! What a life I'm leading, I think, trying not to let myself think of the easy way out.

I could just go back to California. Seems Dad would actually agree at this point. He hasn't mentioned transferring me to Everly since we got back, but I'm gearing up to confront him again.

Ranger goes to open up the loose board when I dangle the keys the twins stole in front of him.

“Your illustrious Student Council crew isn't entirely made up of angels,” I say, giving the twins a look that they return with a pair of bright grins.

“More like it's made up of devils,” Ranger grumbles as I unlock the door, and we all move inside, Ranger lifting up his phone as a flashlight. It's not quite dark outside, but all the windows are boarded up, so it's pretty gloomy in here. The light from the open front door just isn't enough to penetrate such a large building.

We head up seven flights of stairs to the top floor. It looks like there was meant to be an elevator installed, but all that's there now is an empty shaft. I peered down it once, but it looks like it drops straight into the basement, and I can't find any other way to get down there. So creepy.

“Your sister had the penthouse suite, huh?” I ask as we make our way up, up, up. The staircases are winding and decorative, the banisters coated in a thin layer of dust. Our footsteps seem overly loud, echoing in the stairwell as we make our way up to the sky.

“She was the first and only person to ever live here,” Ranger says finally. He doesn't even remotely sound out of breath, but I'm panting and puffing like a crazy person. Maybe it's not such a good thing that I'm getting out of PE, huh? I really fucking miss surfing.

We hit the top floor, and head to the door straight ahead. Ranger pulls the key necklace out of his shirt and unlocks the door, pushing it open to let us into a light-filled room with gauzy curtains, a freshly made bed, and dust free ledges.