Page 30 of Wicked Little Secret
Nyssa Oliver writhed on her bed, beautifully naked from the waist down, as she pressed a neon pink vibrator to her clit.
She had no clue she wasn’t alone. At one point, it even seemed she glanced right in my direction. Her closet door was cracked open, my eye pressed against the crevice to watch the erotic show firsthand.
It wasn’t a situation I planned.
I wasn’t even supposed to beinsideNyssa Oliver’s apartment. As I approached her door with the key in hand, I swore this would be the only time I allowed myself a peek.
It started the evening of the art festival—Nyssa Oliver lived in the same apartment building Theo managed. I sat behind the wheel of my BMW in the pouring rain and witnessed her bid goodbye to her doucheface boyfriend.
The same oaf who usually had date rape allegations swirling around him and his jock pals.
I couldn’t let it carry on. I had to find a way to infiltrateher life and steer her away from him. Sabotage Samson Wicker in any way I could. Ensure he brought her no harm.
In doing so, I also had to put up a solid front. For all intents and purposes, in public I had to show an icy indifference to Nyssa whenever around her.
Arm up in class?
I called on anyone else. Even Justin Hendricks with the sleep lines on his face.
Passing each other in the corridor?
I looked straight ahead as if she were invisible.
And when she finally pressed me on it, I scolded her. I made her feel as small and ridiculous as I possibly could to throw her off my trail.
The same trail that had me compulsively thinking about her, formulating a plan for how to watch over her while also sabotaging Wicker.
That had me memorizing her entire 1L schedule to the letter. Constitutional law Monday, Wednesday, Friday mornings. Tort on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons. Civil procedure in the afternoon on Monday and Fridays. Thursday’s her light day with only legal writing.
And then there was me—criminal law three days a week, late mornings after she’s done with constitutional law.
On her free day, Thursday, she still hung around campus. Usually, at the library on the west side of campus, a large table greedily reserved for herself as she spread out her books and then pored over them, doing the required reading. Other times, she combed the library newspaper archives in search of what, I’m still not sure.
I know these things because I was also often at the library.
…by chance.
A funny coincidence.
Between classes, I stopped by the student union for a coffee before strolling over to the library to browse the vast selection.
It was impossible to miss her as I did.
Nyssa stands out among the twenty thousand students on campus.
In class, it was even more glaring—among her peers, she sat with refined posture, eyes sharp and focused, following my every word. I started learning her tells, picking up on the cues she gave that provide insight as to what she was thinking.
An uncertain bite of the lip. Knitted brows. Her fingers drumming against the desktop in silent debate on whether or not she should raise her hand. The parting glance over the shoulder as class ended and she followed the others out the room.
Nyssa Oliver is like a book to be read and studied. Analyzed and interpreted. I certainly made a habit of it as days went by.
Though I did my best to ignore the new bane of my existence in public, there were brief moments where I slipped. My gaze almost drifted toward her in class before I caught myself with a clench of my jaw. As soon as she turned to walk out of the room, I was watching her go.
It was impossible to completely ignore her when she was in my orbit.
Heather Driscoll was thought to be the center of the universe in the traditional sense—her Barbie doll looks and style, the smug demeanor and prestigious family name all worked in her favor—but there’s no question it was Nyssa who wasreallythe scene stealer.
Her calm confidence, effortless intelligence andnatural beauty outshone the spray tan and designer threads. The reputable family name only worked so much magic. It certainly didn’t distract from the fact that Nyssa and her vapid best frenemy belong to two separate categories.