a queen?" I cocked my head to the side, meeting his eyes with my carefully practiced mask in place. We could have been discussing the price of postage for all the emotions I betrayed. Movement behind Archer caught my attention and my heart raced. Of course, the three of them were never far away from each other, but fuck me, I wasn't ready to face the trifecta of fake fucks all at once. Nowhere near ready.
Kody and Steele were heading our way, and I only had seconds to make my escape before I lost my shit in the middle of SGU and forced the dean to call in the coroner. Because no way were all three of them walking away from that conversation alive.
"Maddie, babe," a familiar voice greeted me a second before a strong arm was slung over my shoulders, "there you are. I was looking all over for you!" My new friend Scott grinned down at me with mischief sparkling in his hazel eyes. He knew all about Archer, Kody, and Steele. I'd spilled everything on New Year’s Eve when I'd had way too many shots of peach schnapps and turned into weepy-drunk MK. So what exactly was he up to?
His gaze shifted from mine, and he frowned down at Archer's fingers around my wrist.
"Uh, bro, you got a good reason for grabbing my girl like that?" Scott raised a brow at Archer, seeming not even slightly intimidated by my surprise-husband’s size and general air of danger.
Archer's lips twisted like he'd just tasted something sour. "Excuse me? Who the fuck are you?" He let go of my wrist, though, and I retracted it before he could change his mind. The fact that my arm happened to loop around Scott's waist was just a coincidence.
Scott gave Archer a quick up-and-down glance, then sneered like he was unimpressed. It was a hell of an act, and even I had to admit I was a bit impressed. I hadn't known he was such a good faker. Then again, that seemed to be a common theme around the men in my life, so why should I be so surprised?
"I'm her boyfriend. Who the fuck are you?"
Oh shit.
I’d had no idea that's how far he was going to take it. Had he forgotten to put his fucking brain in his head this morning? Anyone within a sixty-mile radius could see Archer wasn't the kind of guy you messed with, and the look on his face when Scott had said that...
"Madison Kate," Archer growled out from behind clenched teeth, "can I have a word with you? Alone."
Kody and Steele had reached us now, and I swallowed back a groan.
"No thanks," I replied to Archer, keeping my tone cool. I looked up at Scott and pasted a smile on my face. He'd already done the damage by declaring himself my boyfriend; there was no sense in ruining it now. "Come on, babe, you can walk me to psych."
Scott smiled down at me like I was his whole world. Like we were totally in love and my three violent, dangerous ex-somethings weren't standing mere feet away with murder painted across their features.
"It'd be my honor, beautiful girl."
We moved together, walking away from Archer, Steele, and Kody and letting the crowd of SGU students swallow us up. But just before we turned the corner, Scott paused and flashed a quick look over his shoulder. Then, before I could fully process what was happening, his lips were on mine in a kiss that acted like a bucket of ice water over my head.
He broke it off before I could shove him away, but the smile on his face was pure, smug satisfaction. The way he shot another look in the direction we'd come said it all. He'd done that for the benefit of our audience... But holy shit, we needed to discuss some ground rules.
"Come on, Mads." He laughed, slinging his arm back around my shoulders again. "I told you everything would change this year. I've got your back, babe."
A chill trailed down my spine as I let him lead me in the vague direction of my next class. He had no idea what he'd stepped into blindly. If I didn't do something soon, I'd probably wake up tomorrow to find Scott's head delivered to my doorstep.
Except this time, it would likely be courtesy of my husband and his friends.
Fucking hell. So much for pretending they didn't exist.
3
There was no time to speak with Scott about that kiss