mumble, doubt easily heard and Bass turns to look at me. “But green runs the world, remember?” I shrug and walk away so he doesn’t have to decide whether or not to.
The boys don’t wait but meet me halfway, glares in full effect.
“Don’t push us, Snow,” Maddoc whispers, disapproval polished in his eyes.
He’s the first to walk off, then Captain, but Royce hangs back.
He steps forward, eyes narrowing farther by the second. He pulls a bag from his backpack and shoves it in my chest before turning around and storming off. I don’t need to open it to know it’s half of his sprinkle donut.
I don’t know these guys any better than the next, but for the first time in maybe, well ever, I feel like I let someone down.
I don’t like it and unfortunately for me, I spend all morning stressing on it.
I drop into my seat for third period and wait for Maddoc to enter and take his.
Neither Royce or Captain said a word to me during our classes together and I found myself irritated over it.
And that only irritated me more.
I admit, I like their banter. It’s fun and easy. Natural like.
Whatever that means.
I lay my forearms against the desks, keeping my eyes on the door.
It takes a good fifteen minutes after the final bell before Maddoc finally rolls in, in no kind of hurry. His face is a perfect mask, hair mused and collar stretched.
The sight has my mind racing. Thoughts of what, or who, sexed him up making me grind my teeth.
He licks his lips, those eyes of his, darker than normal, scanning my face as he moves past me for his seat at my back.
My leg starts bouncing as I fight not to turn around and inspect him closer, my need to know far too strong for my own liking.
Then Bass storms in with his shirt torn at the bottom, eye damn near as black as his hair, lip fat and swollen against the silver ring.
He doesn’t look my way and my muscles grow stiff.
Son of a bitch.
I drop back against the seat, annoyed with my own damn self when a sense of relief floods knowing he wasn’t held up at the hand of a female. I feel especially shitty about knowing Bass got the shit end of the stick, or rather, Maddoc’s fist.
Maddoc’s voice hits my ear in the next second, and I force myself still. “You asked me before if I’d tell you to stay away from him. I didn’t do it, but I thought the answer you got was clear. This is what’ll happen every time you don’t listen.” The hairs on my neck stand to attention, goose bumps rising on my arms beneath my long sleeve. “You ... are mine, Raven.”
Because I have zero self-control at the moment, I turn to him.
‘Course he’s not sitting in his chair, like the rest of us. No, big man is braced against his desk. Like a true king, or dominant male making a point, he’s raised taller than the rest of us, his chest strong and straight.
His expression doesn’t change, his eyebrows hold stern, chin lifted so he can look down at me more. He’s daring me to fight him on this, likely wishing I would so he can go caveman again.
Boy’s got so much to learn.
I look from his eyes to his tight set mouth, and back.
And instead of arguing or pushing or anything else he clearly expected ... I wink, then face forward.
If it were possible, I’d swear I heard him smirk.
“We’re going to the grove.”
“Good for you.” I drop my paper in the basket and shuffle out of class, Royce right behind me.
“Oh, sorry,” he chuckles. “Guess that did sound a lot like a comment, huh?”
With a glare, I spin to face him, and he grins wide.
“Let me try that again. We are going to the grove. Meaning so are you.”
“Right.”
“Damn right.” He flings an arm over my shoulder.
“Okay, I’ll bite.” I shift my grin to Royce while shrugging his arm off. “What the hell is ‘the grove?’”
“Circle of cabins surrounding a man-made lake ‘bout three hours north. Tons of sex, lotta alcohol, and more fun.”
“Sounds like a blast.”
“Fuck yeah it is. We go several times a year, party, get fucked up. It’s a three-day weekend. Tradition.”
“Because I’m privileged like you and yours and can take off for three days,” I mock.
He glares and I pop a shoulder. It’s true.
“Look, a three-day weekend with you guys isn’t worth the trouble