“Do tell, what made you get a fist to dick?” He’s having far too much fun at my expense. His blue irises double in size when I cup my jock and wince.
“If you must know, asshole, she grabbed my arm when I was walking away and the next thing I knew I was being nut punched.” I sigh, my lungs finally feeling like they can fill with enough air for me to sustain my breathing. My face and dick are another story. That wipes the smile off his face, a grimace now firmly in place.
“Shit!” His eyes blowing wide at my statement.
Nodding in agreement at the severity of the situation. “That’s what I said.”
“You’re lucky you didn’t kill her, Liam.”
“I might’ve if she didn’t throat chop me.”
His lip quirks up and I know he’s never going to let me live that statement down.
“You mean to tell me while you had her pinned she got the drop on you?” I’m not sure if he’s more concerned or awed.
I mean, I’m impressed by her knowledge of how to break a hold as strong as mine, and the strength of her strikes. But it also makes me even more suspicious of the time of her arrival and its connection to the selection.
We’re walking down the now empty hallway. Well, I’m limping and Seb is humoring me and shortening his steps to keep pace, when I ask,”What do you think about the time of Emma’s arrival?”
Seb’s mouth turns down and his eyebrows furrow, his face scrunching in confusion. “What do you mean? You think her being here is the council’s doing?”
I shake my head. “No. Yes. Maybe? I know you haven’t been at our last few meetings at The Tombs, but Rowan has made some really great points about her untimely arrival.”
We’re almost at the office when he responds, “You guys can’t be serious. Liam? Think about it, has she once tried to cozy up to any of you? I met her when she registered for classes and had a look at her file, she’s no plant. If anyone was a plant it would be that skank Samantha Davenport.”
I try to compare this new information with the points Rowan has been making for weeks. But between the throbbing of my head and groin, my ability to process much of this conversation is about as good as Sam’s ability to stop using lip fillers
– improbable.
“Look, all I know is things aren’t adding up. Now move fucker, I need to go ice my balls and my pride,” I say, surprising him with a sharp jam of my elbow into his side.
He grunts, amusement lining his features. “Whatever, wait ’til I tell the guys about this one.” He dodges my next shot, pulling the office door open and darting inside.
I head in the direction of the trainer’s office, hoping to ice my jewels, then remember Coach will be there. I moan out a curse. Coach is going to kill me
* * *
“All that shit you gave me and look at you.” Rowan sits across from me in the leather wingback chair, smugness oozing from him. We just finished up our meeting with the council who gave us the final instructions of what is expected of us for next week’s initial selection choices.
Seb texted the whole group about my run in with Emma before I even made it to the trainer. They have been riding me ever since then. Rowan the hardest, which is exactly what I expected.
“Screw you all. I could’ve seriously hurt that girl if she didn’t think fast,” I say, pointing out what they should be focused on.
“Of course my Riri would take your balls,” August snickers. He looked twitchy, almost unhinged, until I fully explained everything.
I thought one of my best friends was going to kill me over some girl he hasn’t even known for a full month. I’d say his obsession is growing out of control, but I think that ship has long sailed. I know he thinks no one has noticed he’s been watching her more closely, but we’ve all seen it. It’s a waste though, it’s not like he can choose her. That’s been drilled into our heads for years. Another reason to hate this stupid process.
“She didn’t just take his balls she tenderized them,” Karl adds, heat alight in his brown eyes, visibly shivering at the thought of the pain.
“I’m glad I can be such a source of entertainment for you pricks,” I reply, willingly taking their jibes. I gave Rowan hell, now it’s my turn.
“At least our pricks weren’t used as a punching bag,” Rowan’s comment makes them all break out into hysterical laughter. The sound of voices traveling in our direction captures our attention, silencing us.
“Boys, are you in here?” Mr. Grant bellows, as he and my father step into our meeting room.
“Ah, here they are Alex,” my father states, tipping his head in our direction, as if Mr. Grant doesn’t see us at the same time he does, before continuing, “Boys we have some news.”
My father and I don’t have the worst relationship, but definitely not the same after what happened. However, if you compared ours to Rowan’s with his father, he would be the father of the year.
“What’s up dad?” I probe, hoping they will say what’s needed and leave before the aforementioned Mr. Calloway appears.
He grimaces in my direction, hurt evident. I know he wants the relationship we had before my attempted abduction, but I can’t let go of the role he played in it.
Clearing his throat, he imparts, “The Senator has been spotted on some of your software, we need you all to assemble and see if you can finally catch him revealing anything about the unknown organization.”
Shit. I pull my phone from the pocket of my PRPS jeans. With all our bantering I missed the notification. I’m not in trouble, I just wish I would have been the one to go to them instead of it being the other way around.
Apologizing, I say, “Sorry about that dad. I didn’t hear the notification ding on my phone.”
He and August’s dad wave me off. “No need to apologize, save that for moments when it’s warranted. Just go get us some useful information.” My father’s directive is clear, his hand pats my back, as he and Mr. Grant begin to leave the room.
Jumping up from my seat on the couch, my voice raises, urging everyone into action. “You heard them, let’s go.”
ROWAN
Last night didn’t produce anything new. The damn Senator is elusive. We can never seem to get the right amount of intel.
“We should consider trying to find an in with someone in his office,” August suggests.
Karl’s eyes gleam, almost twinkling when he speaks, “We’re working on that. As a matter of fact, I have someone to kiss my blades after school.”
I would say I feel bad for whoever the unlucky bastard is, but that’d be a lie.
A mixture of laughter and voices signal the arrival of the girls, halting our conversation. Samantha and Summer strut over and take their seats, the remainder of the girls not too far behind them.
God, take me now.
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.