I note the blackness under his eyes and turn to Dom. “Can you make him a coffee, please? Black, one sugar.”
“Only if I get to add poison.” Dominic crosses his arms. I narrow my eyes on him and he rolls his. “Fine.” He moves on to making Drake’s coffee, handing Luc his.
The silence is awkward and uncomfortable as everyone struggles to stay awake.
Dom and Alec finish up with our drinks, my hands curling around the warm cup.
Dom places Drake’s coffee on the bench beside where he’s standing.
“Thank you,” Drake tells Dom who just grunts in response. Whatever Luc’s deal is with Drake, the guys have clearly heard all about it.
I break the silence. “How did you know I was outside?” I turn to the guys.
“You tripped the silent alarm when you opened the front door,” Alec tells me. “It went off on all our phones.”
“How the hell did you get in?” I ask Drake, puzzled. I didn’t know there were perimeter alarms. I knew about the cameras but that’s it.
Drake grins wickedly but keeps his mouth shut.
“What are you doing here?” Luc says shortly, clearly sick of the lack of answers he’s getting.
Drake watches him, calculatingly before slightly turning his head to me. I nod and he sighs.
“Here to see Aurora. Check in. Since she’s the only person to ever show me kindness, I owed her an explanation on my sudden disappearance.” Drake’s words are careful. They’re true, but it’s clear he’s leaving things out. Despite his casual stance, coffee in hand, I see he’s still fingering the knife or some small weapon in his pocket—the telltale sign that he’s tense.
The bell shrills loudly. I throw my stuff in my bag and scram.
Friday could not have come any slower. After today, I just want to get to the clearing. I can’t go home but here is no better.
I get pushed and thrown around as soon as I enter the hallway. Not attempting to get shit from my locker, I head straight for the door.
I can’t help but exhale, relieved when I make it out without a confrontation. As soon as I’m far enough down the road, I let my hair down. The ache of having it up immediately leaves and I sigh, running my fingers through my long strands.
The rumble of a motorbike has me tensing. I don’t look up, begging it to keep going past me.
I am not that lucky.
It stops beside me but I keep walking.
“Aurora Winters,” the guy states. He’s not asking.
“It’s Rory.” I scowl at the use of my full name and continue walking, not turning to see who it is.
The voice swirls around my mind, seeming kind of familiar.
“No one walks away from me,” they growl, intrigue tainting their words along with fascination.
“There’s a first for everything.” I finally look up and my heart stops. Along with my legs.
My feet become stuck to the road as Drake King slows beside me. The beast he’s riding purrs to a low hum as he comes to a stop just ahead of me.
“Umm.” I slyly look around.
“Don’t even think about it,” Drake says. I bite my lip to keep from saying something snarky.
“You know who I am?” He swings his leg over his bike, rising up to his slightly terrifying six foot three height.
“Yes.”
