I elbowed him in the stomach, making him flinch forward with an “oomph” before cracking a smile. I shook my head. “God, you guys are worse than the Heir Chasers. What do you do? Gossip around your morning coffee?” I asked peevishly.
“Group text, usually,” he deadpanned.
I felt my cheeks heat with embarrassment, and my mouth opened in indignation. Of course he bragged to the guys that we fucked in the gym. I actually shouldn’t be surprised about it. “That son of a bitch,” I bit out, ready to launch into a tirade.
Godfrey cut me off. “Easy, tiger. I was just kidding. Rogue doesn’t say shit when it comes to you. But I knew you were at the gym early, and I knew he followed you. I put two and two together myself, and you just confirmed it,” he said with a smirk.
I blew out a frustrated but relieved breath and faced forward just as the teacher, Mr. Shang, came in and told everyone to quiet down.
“Mr. Taylor, that’s not your assigned seat,” the teacher pointed out.
Godfrey looked around like he was only just now realizing where he’d planted his ass. “Huh. How about that.”
“Mr. Taylor, if you’d be so kind as to move to your designated spot, I’d like to get today’s lesson started,” Mr. Shang said with an edge of derision. The teachers secretly hated how much power the guys had, even though they’d never openly say so.
“I’m good here, actually,” Godfrey tossed back.
I watched Mr. Shang inwardly debate with himself what to do, but in the end, he just turned away and started his lesson. Godfrey sat back again with a cocky look on his face.
“You’re such a dick,” I said under my breath.
“What was that? You want to suck my dick?” he said, way too loudly.
Snickers erupted as several people in class turned around to look at us, and I practically slunk into my chair before kicking him under the seat. He just chuckled and toyed with my hair. Asshole.
I did my best to ignore him for the rest of the period, taking notes and doing the assignment as best I could with my mind still back at the gym. I was pretty sure it was something I’d remember for a very long time. And not that I’d ever tell Rogue, but I couldn’t wait to do it again. He was arrogant enough already without me boosting his ego even more. But all of those people who said that hate sex or makeup sex was amazing? Yeah, they were right.
It was five minutes to the end of class, and I was just finishing up the last of the assignment when Godfrey’s phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out and lazily started to scroll, but when I saw him stiffen out of the corner of my eye, I instantly dropped my pencil and scooted closer. “What is it?”
He cursed under his breath, and his fingers started flying over the screen as he typed in a message.
“Godfrey.”
He answered without looking up. His blue eyes hard and his jaw tight. “My father.”
My own body tensed beside him, and I placed a comforting hand on his thigh. “What does he want?” I whispered.
“There’s another clean up job.”
The bell rang, and I latched onto his arm. “Godfrey, no. Don’t go.”
He shrugged me off. “Don’t have a choice. You think this is bad?” he asked, turning his cheek so I had a better look at the bruises. “This is nothing compared to what he’ll do if I say no. And it wouldn’t just be to me.”
My mouth dropped open. “Your mama?” Mrs. Taylor didn’t seem like a woman that experienced abuse. She was always chipper, gossiping about her soap operas and bragging about her oldest daughter. But that was the thing about abuse, it rarely reared its ugly head for the world to see. Most punches were thrown behind closed doors. There was nothing a well placed smile and makeup couldn’t cover.
Godfrey’s lips thinned, and he gave me a terse nod. I was about to say more, but Rogue, Bonham, and Luis filed in the room, just as everyone else was walking out for their next class. Despite everything, I was proud of them. I liked how hopelessly devoted they were to one another. No questions. No refusal. They stepped up to the plate and went down swinging, the consequences be damned. They stuck together, and were loyal to a fault.
Rogue’s eyes swept over me before landing on Godfrey.