I watch as Liam’s demeanor shifts. His eyes turn to slits as one part of his lips curls upward.
“Do you want to walk away and try to come back when your sour-ass attitude is gone,
Vivian?” Liam growls her name, and her posture goes rigid.
I’d say I was surprised, but they rule this town and everyone in it.
Clearing her throat Miss Taylor begins to speak, “I-I only meant.” She stutters before garbling her following words and finally saying, “I’d just like to know if your group has an idea of the topic you’d like to cover.”
“We’ll let you know when we’ve actually had time to discuss it. You only just had us break into groups. Go find your ass a seat away from us and don’t bother coming back over here,” August snaps.
Miss Taylor’s nostrils flare in indignation as she grinds her teeth, but she turns on her black suede heels and walks to her seat at the front of the room.
I cover my mouth, pretending to rub my nose, hiding my laugh.
Liam leans over, and I stiffen at his proximity. “Does our protection of you amuse you, Dove?”
Dove? What the fuck is happening here?
Slanting my body away from him, I reply, “You’re in my personal space.”
His hands clench, but he nods and backs away from me. “I’m sorry,” he mumbles. The hurt expression on his face threatens to gut me.
“Oh, fix your face. You didn’t think you’d call her a sweet pet name and all would be forgiven, did you?” August cajoles, reminding me I still have reasons to be leery of Liam. “Make him work for it, Riri,” he continues, winking at me.
I snort at his rebuff of his friend, smiling at him for always knowing what I need, and mouth ‘thank you.’
“Let’s go with suffrage. I like,” I say, getting us back on track.
I look up at both of them in time to see resolve set in Liam’s hawk-eyes gaze. He dips his head as if he’s saying, ‘game on,’ and I can only imagine what this will mean for me.
I’m saved from my own thoughts when the signal for the end of class sounds.
Gathering my things, I ready myself to leave when a voice sounds from the front of the room, making me groan.
I should’ve seen this coming.
“Miss Bishop, I’d like a word with you before you leave, please,” Miss Taylor states, her thin lips twisted and her snub nose upturned, as she turns to walk away.
I still don’t know what I did to this woman for her to treat me with such disdain constantly. Her face looks like she’s sucked on a lemon whenever she sees me.
Sighing, I wait for the class to empty. August stops at my side. “Do you want me to wait for you, Love?”
“No. I won’t be long. She can’t have much to say to me,” I reply, hoping it to be true.
“In that case, I’ll see you tonight,” he says, pressing a quick kiss to my lips before he turns cold eyes on Miss Taylor, staring her down as he disappears out the door, distracting me from asking how he’ll see me tonight. We don’t have any plans for later.
Miss Taylor clears her throat, forcing my attention away from August’s retreating form. Her straight platinum-blonde hair falls to the shoulders of her lilac silk blouse that I notice for the first time is unbuttoned far too low, exposing the crease between her ample chest. She can almost give me a run for my money in the breast department.
“Miss Bishop, what is the nature of your relationship with Mr. Grant?” She asks, snapping my attention from her lack of professional attire to her quirked brunette brow.
She could’ve at least dyed her brows too.
I scrunch my face in confusion. “You mean August’s dad?” I respond, trying to gain clarity on why she’d even ask me this dumb shit.
She huffs, crossing her arms over her chest as if my puzzlement is inconvenient.
“No,” she snaps, “not August’s father. Sebastian.”
She can’t be serious with this shit?
“At the moment, nothing, but if that changes, I’ll be sure to update you,” I smirk.
I internally groan at having to deal with yet another catty, jealous girl. Except, Miss Taylor isn’t in high school. She’s a whole grown-ass woman.
Her hand springs from their crossed position and grips my arm, digging her nails into my skin.
“You listen here, you stupid fat cow. I’ve waited years to have Bastian back, and I’ll be damned if you or any of the other selected bitches take him from me,” she seethes.
My head leans to the side, oscillating from her glowering azure eyes to where her claws begin to pierce my flesh. “You have about half a second to remove your hand before I break it,” I snarl, my voice tinged with a level of violence I didn’t know I possessed.
She drops her hand as if sensing the brewing storm raging below the surface.
“You’ll stay away from Bash-.”
I cut her off, “You’ll shut the hell up, or I’ll find Sebastian and fuck him for spite while you’re tied to a chair and make you watch as I ride him until he screams my name.”
The fucking audacity of this woman. Hell, the damn audacity of this damn town. I didn’t ask for any of this shit.
Meeting her shocked stare, I smirk, then turn and storm from the room, only to be grabbed into August’s waiting arms.
“Fucking brilliant, Love,” he says, leaning in, crashing his mouth to mine.
Well shit. If being a smartass gets me this. I’m going to have to do it more often.
EMMA
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.