Damn right you did.
Alex turns so that he’s standing beside me and leans in so that I can hear him over the music. “I think we started off on the wrong foot.”
I face Christina, trying but failing to ignore him. She raises a curious brow at our interaction.
“I was having a bad day and shouldn’t have spoken to you like that.” Alex cranes his neck to search my face, making it impossible to avoid him.
“Don’t worry about it.” I step off, walking around Christina.
He follows me, sandwiching me between them. “You really don’t like me, do you?”
“What do you want?” I let out, annoyed at the arrogant smirk on his face.
“To apologize.”
“Fine. You’ve apologized. All’s forgotten.” I roll my eyes.
“Let’s start over. I’m really a likeable guy if you get to know me.” Alex leans in so close I can smell the alcohol on his breath.
I snap my gaze to his, my brows knitted tight, my frustration only amplifying when I take in the flirty gleam in his eyes. Ugh, he’s insufferable, grinning and so sure of himself with his stupid handsome face.
He stares at my lips hungrily.
“Yeah, I’m not doing this with you.” And with that, I walk off but can still feel his eyes glued to my ass.
A shift in the room stops me in my tracks, yanking my attention to the stairs.
Mountain looms there, fresh from the shower, hair still damp and clinging to his broad shoulders. I watch him scan the crowd, something akin to bored disapproval etched into his features. An expression that seems on brand for him—always uninterested, never impressed. Then his eyes burn into me, the hard set of his jaw making my throat dry.
My mind betrays me, flashing back to that brief, shocking moment earlier—him carved from muscle with water dripping down his skin. Now that image is seared into my brain, and I can’t unsee it.
Suddenly, a large frame blocks my line of sight, cutting off the noise of the room like a slammed door. I blink, focus, and my breath hitches the second I register who it is. Every muscle in my body goes rigid. My hands ball into fists, knuckles aching from the pressure. It’s a useless attempt to ground myself.
Kane steps fully into view, his massive frame coiled tight, like he’s one wrong breath from snapping. That expression—pure stone, eyes like frostbitten steel—locks on me. No words. Just a look that says exactly what he’s thinking.
Like he’s trying to figure out why the hell I’m still here. Like if he stares hard enough, I’ll vanish into thin air. My fight-or-flight instincts kick in, but before I can react, a guy slides in front ofme with a grin that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Sam, right? I’m Jackson.”
“I remember. We have physics together.”
“That’s right. You’re one of the new students,” he says as more of an observation than anything else.
And as he continues to speak, Kane’s stare burns hotter. Pissed? Jealous? Like I owe him a damn thing. My spine straightens. Fuck that. If he wants to act like we don’t know each other, like my existence is such an inconvenience for him, then I’ll give him a reason to feel that. I’m tired of people thinking that they can treat me however they want, talking down to me as if I’m just supposed to roll over and take it.
If Kane wants me out, then he’s going to have to man the fuck up and do it himself. Something tells me he won’t, though. He doesn’t want his friends to know he’s associated with me. To address me in a room full of his peers would mean answering questions as to why the presence of a new sophomore bothers him so much.
Deciding to get under his skin, I place a hand on Jackson’s shoulder. I don’t even flinch when he slips an arm around my waist. If Kane has a problem, he can choke on it. I barely hear Jackson’s next words. I’m too focused on Kane, and the way his expression darkens, his jaw tightening.
“How about I get us a both a drink,” Jackson offers, breaking my train of thought.
I almost refuse, but Kane is still watching, so I let Jackson take my hand and begin to lead me to the kitchen.
On my way out of the living room, I notice Alex leaning against the wall with a girl grinding on him, his eyes locked on me. Mountain remains a silent storm, barely moving, but watching. And Kane glares like I just did something unforgivable.
When I first got here, I was invisible; now it’s as if I’m the center of attention.
The second Jackson and I are alone, I try to come up with a plan. I was never going to take the drink. I just wanted to get under Kane’s skin. Now that I’ve done that, I can leave content. I’ll just have to find a way to let this poor guy down without bruising another fragile ego.
Christina waves me over from the dance floor. I hold up a finger, silently stalling. I could join her, that would get me away from Jackson for sure, but then I’ll have to indulge her drunken stupor. Plus, I’d rather not be within eyeshot of Alex, Mountain, and Kane.
