Dex rose to his feet next, challenge in his eyes blazing, as he took his place beside Siege with a palpable tension filling the space as the three men squared each other up.
God dammit.
I felt the need to stand after them, positioning myself before Siege and Dex, and I looked up at the two with a hand on each of their chests. “Hey, come on,” I whispered, catching their attention. “Let’s just go.”
Siege peered down at me, gauging whether Andy’s fat-shaming words hurt me. Maybe if I were still the insecure girlthat I was before, I would have taken her insult to heart. But if Siege and Dex like my curves enough that they’re constantly offering me food, I can’t find the reason to care to fit into other people’s beauty standards.
In one ear, out the other.
Seeing that I am completely fine and seem to be calm, Siege nodded as he placed a hand on my hip, and we made the move to walk away from the situation with Dex coming with us, taking his position at my other side.
I itched to hold Dex’s hand just to have some form of physical contact with him, but the three of us haven’t exactly talked about being public with our complicated relationship.
Unlike the scenarios presented in the books I’ve been reading, it’s probably not the case that people would be so accepting of a high school girl having two boyfriends.
“This is the type that turns you on, C? Violent men who threaten your best friend?” Nero spoke from behind me, not even us taking two steps away from them, and I turned so quickly it almost gave me whiplash.
My stomach clenched, a knot of anxiety twisting with the unexpected anger that flared in my chest.
“She’s not my best friend anymore, Combs. I don’t know who that girl is. Not anymore,” I hissed at him, not liking how he’s goading me on.
“Oh, please. Like you know those two boys? You’ve met them, what? Six months ago?”
I flared my nostrils, the feeling of defeat washing over me, because it felt as though all of this back and forth was nonsensical since Nero had already made up his mind about us.
“Whatever,” I mumbled. “Talk to me once you’ve realized you’re being played.”
Siege pulled me gently by my hand, and I didn’t revel in the fact that almost everyone looked at us as we exited the cafeteria.
“You okay?” Dex asked from beside me once we were out of the huge metal doors, and I gave him a tight-lipped smile that turned into a full-blown one when he lifted his hands, showing me that he had made sure he got his and Siege’s desserts before we left.
I let out a soft laugh. The overwhelming feeling of kissing Dex all over came to me because I needed those desserts more than I did earlier.
Nero couldn’t be any more wrong.
Violent men, my ass.
2
COSETTE
“May I have the keys, please?” I put my hand out and fluttered my eyelashes at Dex, but he simply raised an eyebrow in response.
Hoping he would give in, I flashed a smile, and he rolled his eyes before fishing the keys out of his pocket and, at long last, handing them over.
The moment the cold metal touched my palm, I ran for my life, making a beeline for the exit. As the car came into view, I unlocked it and practically dove into the passenger seat.
I didn’t want to ride in the back anymore. It wasn’t uncomfortable or anything; it was all about the principle.
I saw the two approaching the car, and while Siege just narrowed his eyes at me through the windshield, Dex had a shit-eating grin, clearly proud of my protest.
“He can easily carry you out, sweetie,” Dex said as he opened the door to the driver’s side just as Siege did the same for my door.
“Oh, trust me. I’m definitely planning on it,” Siege agreed, leaning sideways on the jamb.
“You can, but you won’t, right?” I asked, getting close just enough for me to give him a light peck on the lips.
Dex chuckled at my actions, a sound that held a mix of amusement and understanding, aware that it was my last attempt to avoid being kicked out.
