“That’s power,” Atlas corrected, not laughing now. “They don’t have to do anything. Everyone already knows better.”
Maddox’s eyes flicked back to me once more, like he was checking whether I’d seen it too. I had.
Paisley nudged my foot under the table. “Just ignore them. They get off on being assholes. Welcome to fucking Elmwood Public.”
I hesitated, then asked the question that had been circling my brain all day. “What do you know about their father? I got the impression Maddox has a rocky relationship with him.”
Paisley’s smile faded a notch. “Careful. Digging into Donovan Corvo is dangerous. He has eyes everywhere. No place is safe. Especially not Public.”
“I was just curious,” I assured, nonchalantly.
“That’s how it starts,” Paisley said lightly, but her eyes weren’t joking. “The next thing you know, no one’s heard from you in weeks.”
Dramatic? Perhaps, but I also believed they had reason to be cautious.
Paisley’s expression grew serious. “His wife died when Mason and Maddox were young. It changed him.”
How would she know that unless… “It sounds like you know him personally.”
Paisley and Atlas shared a glance before she gave a one-shoulder shrug. “I did. But that was a long time ago.”
“Before Mason and Maddox became the twin jackasses,” Atlas added.
“Be careful with Maddox, but avoid Mason at all costs,” she warned.
I didn’t want to be intrigued by Maddox or the Corvo family, and yet…I couldn’t help the interest not just rooting within me but sprouting.
Drawn by an invisible string, I glanced at their table, my eyes colliding with Maddox’s. I held his gaze for a beat longer than I should have, my heart hammering in my chest. What did he see when he looked at me? Why were his eyes on me? Why couldn’t I look away?
As I slippedinto the hallway, a breath eased out as I prepared for my next class. I made it around the corner when someone caught my wrists from behind and hauled me sideways.
I stumbled, sneakers skidding as I tried to find my footing on the slick floor, my bag sliding off my shoulder and nearly hitting the ground. By the time my brain caught up with what was happening, I was inside an empty classroom, the familiar scent of dry-erase markers and old textbooks filling my nose.
Click. The door shut behind me.
“What the—” I spun, heart slamming into my ribs hard enough to bruise, my wrists tingling where fingers had just been wrapped around them.
Mason Corvo stood between me and the exit, blocking any hope of a quick escape. Sunlight cut across his face through the narrow window, catching in his dark hair and illuminating his grin in unfair charm and making him look entirely predatory. “Hey, Freckles,” he said, his eyes flitting over me with lazy approval, taking their time roaming from my face down to my scuffed sneakers and back up again. “You’re looking kind of hot today.”
“Only kind of?” I crossed my arms over my chest, annoyance dulling my expression. “It makes me wonder how any girl falls for your shit.”
“It’s the dimples.” He flashed them at me, his grin widening until they appeared in full force—deep, symmetrical, disgustingly effective. “They’re a gift.”
“Or a curse.” I shifted, trying to look more confident than I felt. “But fine, they’re effective. What do you want? You’re going to make me late.”
He didn’t move from the door. “I’ll write you a pass, and what I want is simple. Sleep with my brother.”
I choked on absolutely nothing, air catching in my throat hard enough to make me cough. “You want me to do what?”
“Maddox,” he repeated slowly, like I didn’t have a brain cell to my name. “Have sex with him. The sooner, the better.”
I scrunched my nose, making a face. “I’m not a hooker.”
He came forward at me, and I automatically backed up. Yet somehow, he maneuvered me into a wall. My back hit the solid brick as I kept my eyes on his, not trusting to lose sight of him. His hands came up on either side of my head, boxing me in. “I never said I’d pay you.”
“Why the fuck would I sleep with him?” I demanded, heat crawling up my neck, contemplating whether I should get myself out of this situation, which would end with Mason bent over, clutching his crown jewels, or let this play out. I opted for the latter…for now.
“For one, you’d be doing me and the entire universe a huge favor. He needs to loosen up.” In Mason’s brain, sex was apparently the quickest way to relax. I wasn’t sure what that said about him, but I was pretty sure it wasn’t flattering.
