That didn’t surprise me.
“But,” she added, her gaze lifting to meet mine, “it’s a risk. Trusting a Corvo always is.”
She wasn’t wrong. Nothing about Maddox felt safe.
And yet?—
I couldn’t stay away from him.
The school bell rang, ending our lunch and giving us a few minutes to get to our next class. Paisley quickly closed all the files, ejected the SD card, and logged out of the school computer. “Do you mind if I keep this?”
“Of course,” I agreed, having no reason to keep it, not when the footage I wanted was at home, safely tucked away on my laptop.
We slipped into the current of students flooding the hallway. I was halfway to the door when?—
“Mallory.” Paisley’s voice cut through the noise.
I turned.
She stood a few steps back, Atlas already drifting ahead. “Hang on. Can I talk to you for a minute?”
“Yeah,” I said, stepping out of the flow of traffic and pressing my back lightly against the cool cinderblock wall. “What’s up?”
She hesitated, which wasn’t like her. “Confession. Maddox told me about the messages.”
My pulse kicked. “Oh.” When the hell had they had time to talk…and about me?
“Why didn’t you say anything?” she asked, searching my face.
“I don’t know. I guess…” I exhaled softly. “I thought they were harmless.”
Her expression didn’t soften. “And now?”
I ran my tongue along the inside of my cheek. “I’m not so sure.”
“Maddox thinks you have reason to be concerned.”
“I didn’t realize you and Maddox were so close.”
“We’re not. He had some questions and thought, as my friend, he was doing you a favor.”
“What did he say?”
Paisley leaned a shoulder against the wall. “He thinks they might be connected to the missing girls.”
Confusion clenched in my belly. “How?”
“That someone at school is using them to lure girls.”
“Seriously?” I exhaled loudly, my mind spinning.
Her eyes locked on mine. “Just promise me you’ll be careful, and if you get any more notes, tell me. This is something you don’t keep secret. We don’t want them to feel like they have any power. Not here. Not with us. We stick together.”
“Deal,” I said even though part of me already knew I wouldn’t tell them everything. Some habits were harder to break.
22
MALLORY