Because I know for myself that after tonight? I could never go back to just being friends with Cosette.
Not when every fiber in my body was screaming to make her mine, the rest of the world be damned.
I could tellwhat was going through Cosette’s mind the moment her eyes fell on me the morning after, and my smug side showed itself as I smirked. “Ready to go?”
C nodded, but I was already pulling her closer by the waist and kissing her, not being able to stop myself. Thankfully, she returned my kisses one by one, her hand even coming up to the collar of my varsity jacket and yanking on it to deepen the kiss.
Only for her to squeak like a mouse and jump away when a honk sounded behind us.
“Dad!” She exclaimed, turning to her dad, who I didn’t even know was already in the driver’s seat of his own car.
“What? I have to get out of the driveway!” Hoyt said in defense, because of course, my truck was blocking an inch of a clean drive out from where he’s parked.
I nodded at Hoyt with a casual salute, hurriedly hoisting Cosette up to the passenger seat and rounding the car in a rush to move my truck.
C’s dad drove out of the spot, and I expected that to be the end of our interaction this morning until he stopped beside my truck, shouting, “Don’t get my daughter knocked up, Nero!”
“Dad, stop! God!”
“Good! You still know that name! Remember, He’s always watching!”
“Combs, just drive us out of here. Please.”
As much as I hated to leave—because trust me, I’m more amused than offended—I didn’t want to make C uncomfortable another second longer.
So, I did, politely saying goodbye to her dad before driving away and to our school.
I still wanted to be on Hoyt’s good side.
As much as I’m warming up to Dex and Siege, and while Cosette may refuse to play favorites between us, I know for sure that I’m the most likely to be Hoyt’s favorite.
As long as he doesn’t find out all the very dirty things I want to do to his daughter, that is.
26
DEX
“Order the meatballs for Cosette,” Siege told me as we lined up in the cafeteria with Nero, while Cosette was holding our table.
We didn’t want her stressing over what to get, so Nero insisted that she just sit there and we’ll get the food.
I have to admit, seeing Mr. Golden Boy at her beck and call makes it so much easier to accept what’s developing between the two. It’s not like I haven’t been seeing it even before he realized he wanted more from her. They truly were the epitome of friends-to-lovers, and it makes me feel at ease that now, at least, we have someone outside of the Azuls that’s also dedicated to protecting Cosette.
Just in case.
“How’d it go for you two last night?” Siege asked Nero as we were still waiting, clearly the one holding this tiny boy group together.
“Nothing happened yet. Well,somethingdid, but not— We just haven’t had sex yet.”
How the fuck is he so open in discussing this with Siege?
But most importantly?—
“Why the fuck not?” I asked, not quite believing he passed on the chance when our girl was basically looking forward to it.
Nero’s like her Prince Charming.
We’re just the hot knights.
