This Fearless Girl (St. Clary's University #2) - E. M. Moore Page 0,61

to me never makes the fear go away. Lucas says he wants to take care of me, but I won’t let myself hope. The moment of complete panic that I had when lying with him this morning is only the tip of the iceberg. If I do love him, then what? If I count on them and they leave or are taken away?

My life, my heart, my everything is in their hands.

It makes me think maybe my dad had it right in the first place. If you don’t have anyone around, there’s no one to let you down or hurt you.

I swallow the tightness in my throat. Except, Stone just gave up everything for me. He’s moving into a place he doesn’t want to be with someone he can barely stand. Even when he knew he was going to piss me off, he left me something in my room.

And my dad? I shudder to think it because it makes me question everything…. But my dad, he never put me first. Not ever. On my birthday, we treasure hunted. When I wasn’t feeling well, we treasure hunted. For crying out loud, I never had a bedroom to myself because he needed a study for all of his treasure hunting things. He wouldn’t even give me one room; Stone has given me his whole house.

Lucas’ arms band around me tighter, and Wyatt follows suit. Just fuck these heartless boys for tearing down my world. For making me see that the one thing I could count on was a lie.

These boys are everything.

21

I stare down at the opened package Stone left for me. Goddamn him. Why does he make it so easy to hate him, yet so easy to like him, too? He’s hot and he’s cold. He’s sweet and he’s an asshole. I’ve never met another person who could be both, even at the same time.

Then again, my experience with people is limited.

I pick up the first bra. It’s fire red with lace around the cups. It screams heat and passion. My mouth goes dry just looking at it until I spot a piece of paper that’s fluttered to the ground.

Someone as beautiful as you should have something as sexy as this.

My heart threatens to come out of my chest. My fingertips buzz, and I nearly squeal before running to the bathroom to try it on. I was skeptical that he would know my size but—what the actual fuck—it fits like a glove. Hell, this damn thing even gives me sexy cleavage.

I run back to the room and pull out bra after bra. There’s seven total. Two of them are on the plain side, but the rest are gorgeous. And...holy shit. In the bottom of the package are matching underwear. I’ve never had matching anything unless you count white cotton in two different brands, and no, I don’t count that.

My clothes feel different when I slip them back on. They’re the same as I wore before, but what’s underneath is exciting and new. I turn to the side to look at my reflection in the mirror. My girls are lifted and pulled back, and the shirt fits me differently, instantly boosting me to another level.

I’m itching to see if the guys notice, so I decide to put it to the test. I saunter from the room and right to Lucas’ door. It opens in front of me before I can even knock. His mouth drops. “I was just about to come see how you were doing.”

I blow out a breath. “Stone is infuriating, but....”

“You also kind of like him.”

“Kind of,” I smirk.

Lucas pulls me to him. “You deserve to have whatever you want, not that you had much of a choice in this.” I smirk into his skin. I didn’t have much of a choice in staying here—twice now but fitting in with them was the easiest thing I’ve ever done.

Lucas’ hands move down to cup my ass, and I nip at his neck. “I think I need some cheering up, and you made me a promise.”

He groans into my ear, his body suddenly hyperaware. “Are you propositioning me, Wild Girl?”

“No, I’m telling you I want you to fuck me.”

He yanks me closer with one hand on my hip while the other slips down the back of my shorts. He teases the band of my panties with his fingers, then stills. “What do we have here?”

I step back, confidence fueling me. I grip the hem of my shirt, yank it over my