“You can’t run, Samantha.”

“What?”

“You think you can run, but you can’t. The door is locked until I choose to unlock it.”

“You opened the door—”

But he hadn’t.

I was rewinding everything in my mind. He hadn’t opened the door from the inside. I opened it from the outside.

“People can come in?”

“Sure.” He shrugged. “But they won’t.”

“Why not?” He was too casual, too confident.

Mason was coming.

“Enough with my truth. I told you all about The Network. I didn’t want you to come today. I thought, after what had happened with Logan, that would’ve cemented it. Even if someone else reached out, you’d have nothing to do with us, but here you are. You came to the party. You came to this room. You heard about everything. Now, it’s your turn.” He paused and leveled me with an intense look. “Why are you here, Samantha?”

My mouth was dry, and my heart was pounding. It was my turn to spin a web so I started with my first lie. “I came in here to record a confession from you.”

His eyes were still narrowed, but they relaxed slightly. “Really?”

Mason taught me well. The first step to lying was, give a lie that would be believable.

I nodded, steadily holding Sebastian’s gaze.

That was the second step—I remembered what I had to do. Don’t look up, don’t look down, and don’t look to the side. Look them in the eye, and calmly say the words. No tone inflections. No awkward pauses. No heated motions. Talk like you’re sharing your most intimate secret with someone.

My insides were churning, but I envisioned Mason was in the room already. I felt stronger, more sure, feeling he was already here. Pretending he was behind Sebastian, I said, “I wanted to hear the words that you were the one responsible for having Nate beaten up and that you were involved when Logan and Mason were both jumped. I wanted to hear all of it.”

He lifted an eyebrow, chuckling to himself. “And how were you going to make that happen? Why would I open up to you?”

I shrugged. “I was hoping to drug your drink.”

“This drink?” He held up the glass in his hand.

I gritted my teeth. “I’m not saying the plan wasn’t foolproof, but yes, that was the plan.” I started for the bar. “But you beat me to it. You already had a drink.” And speaking of, my mouth was like the Sahara. There was a water bottle in the mini refrigerator, and I grabbed it.

“Help yourself.”

I ignored his sarcasm, taking a big sip. “Thanks.”

“You were telling me…” he prompted. His hand moved sideways in the air. “I was going to confess everything to you?”

“You would’ve.” He never would’ve. I continued to lie, “You would’ve admitted to the hit-and-run, too. Mason was the target, not Marissa.” My stomach rolled over on itself. Sebastian bought her off, but all the pieces fit together now. An abrupt laugh ripped from me. “That wasn’t the fraternity, was it?”

His smugness rose a level. He was almost grinning at me. “What do you mean?”

“Last year, Marissa never came forward against you guys. She didn’t charge you. We thought it was the fraternity, but it wasn’t.”

I looked at the portraits. It was like they were looking down at us. They were laughing. We were center stage for them.

“It was them, wasn’t this? This network. You guys got to her somehow.”

“My, my.” Sebastian’s voice as soft. “You really are piecing things together.”

“But…” I knew there was more. “What else? What else have you done?”

“You’re right. Marissa was paid, and when the money wasn’t enough, she was threatened. I will admit to that.”

I knew there was more. I pushed. “What else?”

“You’re eager to know everything, huh? Are you sure, Samantha? Are you sure you want to know all the dirty secrets? That’s what they are. They’re all dirty.” He moved a step toward the bar, intently watching me. “Have you thought about what will happen to you afterward? Because you know too much now?”

There it was. My eyes held his. I couldn’t look away. I couldn’t shrink against the bar like I wanted to, so I just held on to it. This ride was going to get a little bumpy.

“Maybe that’s your other truth,” I said.

“What’s that?”

He was enjoying this now. I was a mouse to him. He was playing with me before eating me—or whatever he had planned. He was a sick fuck.

I said, “You know what I’m saying.”

“I do.” He laughed, and the sound filled the entire room. I heard an echo even. “And you’re right. I do have something planned, but it’s not as sophisticated as what you might think. It’s almost primal.” He paused, and his eyes narrowed again.

My hand clutched the water bottle, and I drank half of the water in one gulp. I didn’t know if I was heated or if I was becoming sick from being in Sebastian’s proximity. Either way, I licked my lips and finished the rest of the water. My head was swimming.

“Go on,” I croaked. “I want to know your plan.”

“That was it.”

“What?”

He took another step closer and nodded at the water bottle in my hand. “Right there.”

“What?” I still wasn’t following. My stomach felt like it was dropping out of me. My hand pressed there. I needed to calm down. My head needed to be clear. “What are you talking about? The water…oh, shit.”

The light bulb turned on as he laughed. “I thought it was ironic that you were going to drug me, considering…” Another step closer. He pointed at the bottle again. “You know.

Mason said, “We have to fight smarter.” He looked at Nate and Logan. “That means, no more physical fighting, not if we can help it.”

Nate nodded in agreement, rubbing his hands together.

Logan rolled his eyes. “For real? I’m not signing up to run for the senate. You can’t fight, Mr. I’m Going into the National Football League, and Everyone Will Watch Me.” He pointed to himself. “I can still fight. High school wasn’t the best years of my life. I’m planning for college to be that time. Sorry, Mase. I love you. I’m with you, but if I feel a good fight coming on, I’m not holding back.” He jerked his head upward, his chin nodding to Mason. “And don’t even try arguing with me. You love fighting as much as I do.”