I dropped my dumb airhead act and narrowed my eyes at him. “Thought you didn’t know each other’s personas, Noles.”
He glared back at me. “We don’t. I’m just… guessing.”
Liar.
“Uh-huh, sure.”
We stared at each other for a moment longer, then Nolan’s eyes widened and he sucked in a breath. “Oh shit. You’re messing with them.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I lied right back. “Hey, did Rafe seriously just break the table? What is that dude’sproblem?” Yep, I definitely raised my voice enough on that question so the two princes on their way back to our table heard me loud and clear.
“Rafe broke our table?” Mattie repeated, dropping into one of the available chairs. “What gives, dude? Wake up on the wrong side of the bed?” She wrinkled her nose at the sexy Swiss prince, who just death-glared back at her. Not that she noticed; she was busy sending a message on her palm reader already.
The waiter came by to take our breakfast orders, and there was a small lull in the conversation until he left again.
“Where is everyone this morning?” Mattie asked, frowning at the empty chairs around the table. I could barely even remember who their other friends were, aside from bitchy Princess Claudette. “Was there a party last night that I wasn’t invited to?”
Ignoring her, Jordan shifted in his seat beside me, leaning back in to whisper in my ear. “So, about those lessons you wanted. I’m free this afternoon if you are?” His eyes sparkled with mischief, and I suspected Rafe’s “word” with him hadn’t gone quite as planned. Ha, sucker.
“For the Fallen Angel?” I whispered back. “I can make time.” I added an eyelash flutter and swallowed a snicker at Jordan’s mischievous grin. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who got a rise out of pissing Rafe off.
“Fantastic,” Jordan replied. “I’m looking forward to gettinghands onwith you, Vi.”
Okay, that was flirty.
Breaking glass startled me, and everyone stared at Rafe. His water glass was in pieces in front of him, his hand dripping blood.
“Fuck, dude, you’re all kinds of clumsy this morning,” Jordan chastised his friend, clapping him on the shoulder, a smirk hovering. “Come on, let’s get that fixed up.”
The two of them left the table right as our breakfast arrived, so I couldn’t be sure if the conflicted look Rafe shot over his shoulder was at me or his eggs benedict.
Chapter 17
Classes again that week were grueling, and the strange combination of subjects left me a bit confused as to what my degree was actually in. When they’d told me I’d won the ballot, I’d expressed an interest in sports medicine, but my classes and schedule had been put together without my input.
A massive overload of core reading saw me rain-checking on my “training” with Jordan and keeping my study dates with Alex in the library. Good thing, too. Alex was so much more deserving of my time and attention than pissing off Rafe. And during this time together our relationship grew and deepened, and for the most part, I had no niggling doubts about the Australasian prince’s character.
Sure, after the huge-ass accusation Jordan had dropped about Alex, I’d taken the time to look into the matter. I’d done hours of research on his “murdered” fiancée, but there had been not one shred of proof. Her death had been ruled an accident. It was signed off by multiple witnesses.
So I was giving Alex the benefit of the doubt.
He deserved it.
* * *
Over timeI fell into a rhythm of meals with Mattie and Nolan—while ignoring Rafe and deliberately flirting with Jordan—then spending every afternoon in the library with Alex after soccer practice. I caught up on a heap of assignments, but also spent a good deal of time making out with him in the dark corners of the religion section.
Before I knew it, another week passed and we were once again at the weekend.
“So,” Mattie said, sliding into the seat beside me during our shared biology lab, “there’s another party at Drake’s place tonight after the opening soccer match.”
I rolled my eyes but grinned. “Okay… and?”
She frowned. “And we’re going, obviously. You and me. No boys.”
I bit my lip, guilt clawing at me. “Alex already asked me to go with him.”
Mattie’s jaw dropped and her eyes bugged out. “What the hell, new girl? Why didn’t you tell me this?”
