It would seem he did have some sense of self-preservation after all.
What the hell was wrong with me? I’d been on the verge of knocking my best friend’s head off—overher.
I gripped the edge of the desk, like holding on to the wood would stop me from spiraling. I had to go on a trip with Lexi.Alone.
As panic descended over me, I shot to my feet and barreled down the aisle toward the professor’s desk, a dribble of cold sweat running down my nape. “I need to switch partners.”
Professor Kennedy, who perched on the edge of his desk, slowly lifted his head. “And why is that, Mr. Davenport?”
“Wecan’twork together.” I wiped my clammy hands on my jeans, swallowing the spit collecting in the back of my throat.
He peered at Lexi still sitting in her seat and clutching her notebook to her chest. “Unless there are extenuating circumstances I am unaware of, or that you’d like to share, I see no reason why you and Ms. Vega can’t work together.”
I’d loved the girl since we were kids, and one screwed-up afternoon, she ripped my heart to pieces, permanently maiming it. How was that forextenuating circumstances?
“You know this building is named after my family, right?” My stomach churned for pulling the Davenport card—such a Bass thing to do—but the professor gave me no choice.
Professor Kennedy arched one dark eyebrow and stood from his desk. “You’re better than that, Killian. You don’t need to flash that name to get what you want. Unlike some of your family members, you can earn it all on your own.”
The bastard thought I was an upstanding guy when I was probably worse than all of them, just in a different way.
“There are times when you must work with people you don’t like, or even despise, but learning to do that now will give you a leg up. You can’t always rely on your name.” He rested his hand on my shoulder, his thick gray mustache quivering as he spoke. “Your father will be proud that you didn’t take the easy route.”
My real father wouldn’t give a shit. But maybe Stan would be impressed that I didn’t use my advantage to escape a jam like my stepbrother always did.
“Fine,” I gritted out. “I’ll work with her, but I can’t promise our project won’t suffer.”
Professor Kennedy tsked. “I doubt that. You’ll make sure it’s damn near perfect.”
I grimaced and marched back to my seat.
Of course. Perfect fucking Killian.
Lexi glared at me as I collapsed back into my seat. If she wanted to discuss this stupid bullshit, she could bring her little ass over here. As if reading my mind, her nostrils flared and anger streaked through those blue eyes, but she stood and strode down the aisle from the opposite side of the room, where she’d sat with Cordelia.
I busied myself with pulling out my MacBook while watching her from beneath my lashes. Her simple jeans and long sleeve, white knit shirt molded over her curves and was a million times sexier than the slutty dresses Lorelei and the rest of the Zetas wore.
Why the fuck did Lexi have to get so hot?
My dick twitched, and I shifted in my seat as my pants became uncomfortably tight, something that never happened in the middle of a damn class.
It was just like her to give me a raging hard-on even while I hated her guts.
Lexi dropped into the seat next to mine and opened her laptop. “I’ve already downloaded the work packet.” She flicked her long auburn locks over her shoulder, and my fingers tingled with the urge to run through those strands. “Where do you want to start?”
Even though she put on a tough façade, a slight tremble coated her voice and her hands shook.
“Where’d you get that laptop? A museum?” I was being dramatic. It probably came from a used computer store.
Heat flamed her cheeks, brightening her blue eyes. “Not everyone can afford a new computer every six months.” She anxiously tapped the keys, trying to force it to load faster. “We can’t all have rich stepdaddies.”
An invisible knife slashed at my chest, and I absentmindedly rubbed the tattoo over my heart. Memories of that day tried toburst through the cage I’d buried them in. I never understood how my sweet Lexi could have been so evil and cruel, but jealousy did strange things to people. And she showed her true colors then.
I would never trust the kindness in her angelic blue eyes ever again. Of course, there was only disgust in them now. Good. That made hating her easier.
Having already downloaded the work packet while her computer was still wheezing to life, I flicked through the pages. “Where do you want to go?”
“Not halfway across the world,” she muttered, frowning at the screen.
