“That’s it. I’m sending a virus that shouts, ‘I like butt sex’ to August’s cellphone,” Liam exclaims as we funnel out behind Rowan to the convoy of waiting SUVs.
The day is passing by with no issues. In fact, it’s been how the entire first semester should’ve gone-Emma by our sides as we laugh and walk across campus for the dining hall, showing everyone just how much she’s the center of our universe, and Samantha making herself scarce, hopefully to the point of no return.
“Wait here. Let us scan the cafe before you all go in,” Fernando orders. He’s holding his arm up to prevent us from walking inside, and I have to suppress an eye roll.
“Behave,” Emma whispers, grinning up at me. I return her gorgeous smile with my own. This moment, right here, makes every scar I suffered at the hands of Senator Baker’s lackeys worth it. I’d bear four times as many as long as it means I’m here now.
Clasping her chin, I lean down and press my lips against her supple blush-pink ones. I sigh when she eagerly returns my affection, her body molding against mine, and groan when I have to pull back. “Never letting you go,” I murmur, nipping her lip before I resignedly lift my head.
“I swear I’m going to need to buy better noise-cancellation earphones,” Shay giggles, making Emma flush scarlet.
“Oh, hush. You’re all the way at the end of the hallway,” Emma retorts.
Shay arches her brow. “Exactly, not nearly far enough away to drown out the many.” She pauses, eyeing each of us. “Many orgasms you’ll be having.”
Emma’s mouth drops open as the blush spreads from her cheeks to the remainder of her face and down her throat. “Shay,” she admonishes, and I have to bite my cheek to prevent myself from laughing.
“Okay. All clear,” Fernando announces, saving Shay’s and my life.
August steps beside her as we enter the dining hall and head for our table. “I mean, where’s the lie, Riri? We have every intention of making the neighbors know our names,” he states, winking before he spins out of her reach.
“Don’t be surprised when I make you sleep outside, Grant,” Emma declares, and August covers his heart.
“You wound me, lass. Would you treat your love with such an extreme punishment?”
We all burst into laughter as we set our bags in the chairs. Rowan claps August on the shoulder, “You did this to yourself. Have fun in the hall tonight.”
Emma works hard to hide her amusement when August kneels before her, thou’ing and doth’ing until she bursts into giggles. She and Shay are both clutching their sides as they sit, coughing and trying to breathe.
Clearing her throat, Emma begins to stand, “I’m going to grab some lunch.”
“You sit. I’ve got you, Angel. Southwestern salad with feta and Oreo brownie milkshake,” I confirm, kissing the top of her head as she sits back down.
She beams. “No. I’ve been craving birria tacos. Nando bought them the other day, and I had some.”
“Some? Girl, you ate his whole order,” Shay teases, and Emma shrugs, pointing to her stomach.
“These two are very demanding. Nando was happy to part with his food, weren’t you?”
Emma’s gaze falls on her guard. “Of course. I didn’t want the only tacos from the only place in town where I can get birria done correctly on the one day of the month they make them.”
“Idiot,” Reign mumbles, then quickly covers up his ridicule with a cough.
Usually, I’d enjoy seeing the shithead squirm under Emma’s scrutiny, but feeding her is more important. “We can work on the tacos after we get home. For now, tell me what you’d like instead.”
Emma cuts her eye at Fernando once more before peering at me. Her shoulders slump. “I guess I’ll have the salad, but I want a cookies ‘n cream milkshake with bananas and strawberries.”
Nodding, I stride across the dining hall and over to the salad station. I order Emma’s chopped southwest salad with chicken, extra feta, and olives. While the chef prepares her food, I head to the dessert bar and have them start her milkshake.
Fifteen minutes later, I have Emma’s food. I’m nearly back at the table when a familiar nasally squawk makes my skin crawl. “Oh look, it’s the trash whore and her merry band of rejects.”
I’ve never met a girl who was so purposefully dense in my life. Samantha Davenport has more audacity than sense.
Outside of Reign, Elias, and Fernando, who all have their hands in varying states of readiness, everyone at the table ignores Samantha.
“I’d state the obvious, but I don’t think you have enough brain cells to rub together and figure it out,” Elias spits. “So, why don’t you do yourself a favor before we ignore the order not to kill you.”
Does she heed his warning? Of course not.
Have you met the cunt?
Samantha babbles on as I creep closer. I meet Fernando’s eye, and he imperceptibly dips his chin.
“There’s nothing you bitch made assholes can do to me. I’m a Senator’s wife, and your soon-to-be first l??”
I don’t allow her to finish babbling. Instead, I remove the lid, then dump the milkshake over her head, cackling when the banshee shrieks. I step back before any of the drink can get on me as she attempts to spin around.
Standing back, I watch my handy work in action. Heels and spilled liquid may make for a terrible time for Samantha, but they make for an extremely entertaining and satisfying time for everyone else-me, most specifically.
“That’s always been your problem, Davenport. You never know when to shut the fuck up,” I growl.
Samantha tries desperately to remain standing, but like Humpy Dumpy, she has a glorious fall. “You little sh-” Her ass hits the ground so hard I think one cheek actually bursts.
“I give this a zero out of ten. Way to stick the landing,” I taunt. Not totally satisfied, I pour Emma’s salad on Samantha’s cherry-red face, which is contorted in rage. Then, one by one, Liam, August, and Sebastian follow suit, emptying their drinks.
Rowan is the last to walk up to her prone form. He holds out his hand, and Samantha turns a cold, shit-eating grin on Emma before reaching for his hand. “I told you he was always m-” Samantha’s so busy talking she misses when he swerves her hand and pushes her forehead so hard that her head smacks the floor with a thud.
Grabbing the garbage can closest to us, Rowan towers over her, pressing his booted foot on her chest, and I look on in glee. Samantha opens her mouth to speak just as Rowan removes his foot and pours the trash all over her face. “The only trash here is you. Now stay the fuck away from us, or next time I’ll have Liam dump acid on you instead of his soda.”
The dining hall breaks into raucous laughter. I survey the room and smile at all the cameras, recording Samantha as she fails to stand. Finally fed up, she pulls off the designer heels she had bought the night we followed her and grabs the leg of the table closest to her. Which also happens to be near me.
Never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I kick the table, causing her to fall flat on her face. Pressing her onto the floor, I snarl, “Now you’re exactly where you’ve always belonged, on the ground beneath our feet.”
SEBASTIAN
The week has flown by. Samantha hasn’t been seen or heard from since the incident in the dining hall.
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.