Chapter 61

Darrell

I watched Bella through the half-open blinds, that slow, almost hesitant sway in her firps as she crossed the courtyard towar my private wing of the faculty residence. The wide-brimmed hat shielded raost of her face, but I could still make out the nervous way she kept glancing left and right, like she expected someone to jurap out and call her name Sunglasses peniten on her nose even though the late-afternoon sun was already dipping behind the palms. Cute Einsperate. Delicious.

The knock came softer than I expected-three quick taps, polite, almost apologetic.

I let her wait a full ten seconds before I crossed the room and pulled the door open

She slipped inside fast, like she was afraid the hallway cameras might catch her silhouette. The hat came off in one motion; dark curls tumbled free, and she raked shaky fingers through them, trying to look composed. Her lips were glossy, freshly reapplied. Lipstick was the color of ripe plums. I noticed because my eyes always found her mouth first.

“So….you said you had something to discuss,” she started, voice pitched too high, too bright.

Then, without another word, she dropped.