Ruin Read Free Page B

Gabe’s my cousin.” She waved me off and started doing breathing exercises.
    Well, at least she wasn’t already bringing strange men back to our room. Gabe took a seat next to her, his grin wide.
    “Okay, what am I missing?” I sat on the couch and leaned forward. “Is this Weston guy important?”
    Gabe let out a laugh and then slapped his leg. “You’re shitting me right? Where have you been living?”
    “Bickelton.”
    “Huh?” He leaned in as if to examine me. I was speaking English right?
    “Small town.” Lisa smacked him and then focused on me again. “I can’t believe you don’t know who Weston is. Seriously? You said you watched TV.”
    “I do,” I defended myself. “Well, I mean, I watch Netflix and I read magazines and stuff, you know, when they’re available at our corner store.”
    “Holy shit, you live in the fifties.” Gabe snorted.
    I glared.
    “Weston Michels.” Lisa typed the name into her phone and then handed it to me.
    I should have known.
    He had an IMDb website. Not a good sign. That screamed entertainment industry. I scrolled further down.
    And there it was.
    The Forbes article had been done around two years before, about the same time as the accident. I hadn’t been much of a social butterfly then. In fact, I distinctly remember Uncle Jo threatening to throw me out if I didn’t leave my room.
    I tapped the screen, making the image bigger. His hair was longer now. He looked happier, easy even, in the Forbes picture. I swallowed the dryness in my throat as I continued reading and looked at the next picture, Weston Michels and his dad, Randy Michels, one of the richest men in the world. They moved to the states when Weston was eight, explaining his accent, I knew he sounded British!
    “He’s like a hybrid,” Gabe said, pulling the phone from my grip. “Weston Michels is like two months away from inheriting a multi-billion dollar fortune.”
    “Why is he our RA then?” I wondered aloud.
    “Punishment for his many sins.” Gabe exhaled. “And when you’re Randy Michel’s son, you don’t sin in silence. The whole damn world sees you for what you are.”
    “What you are?” I repeated. “What did he do?”
    “Raped a girl,” Gabe said. “At least that’s the rumor. His family paid her off. They were dating at the time. She dumped him, then he forced himself on her or something like that. Details are a bit fuzzy.” Gabe yawned. “Rumor had it that he was going to drop out of school, but his dad must have made him own up to everything.”
    “So…” I wrung my hands together, trying to understand. “Our RA is an alleged rapist? How is that okay with the university?”
    “How indeed?” Lisa finally spoke up, “The man’s a god. I bet the bitch set him up. No way would that guy risk that much.”
    “But rich guys tend to be controlling,” I said, stomach dropping as I remembered the exchange Weston and I had had in his dorm room. Holy crap, was I almost taken advantage of? I wrapped my sweater tighter around my chest.
    “Just goes to show money buys everything.” Gabe stretched out on the couch. “He’s our RA, didn’t get kicked off the football team, and rumor has it just spent the weekend partying in Malibu. I’d say he’s just fine.”
    “What about the girl?” I asked.
    “Ah, Lorelei. She’s just fine. The day after the incident she was seen making out with some other guy, so, yeah, the whole rape thing? Probably not true, though I’d still carry a whistle.”
    “Whistle?” I repeated. “Like a rape whistle?”
    “No.” Gabe shook his head. “Like one you use at a basketball game. Are you for real?”
    “Yes?”
    His gaze examined mine. “I worry about your roommate’s safety, Lisa.”
    “Eh she’s fine.”
    “Right.” Gabe closed his eyes and let out a humorless laugh. “And when the big bad wolf, also known as Weston Michels, decides to pounce on her pasture, what is she gonna do? Hide? Look at her.”
    Gabe pointed. I stepped