Page 156 of Vexatious Queen

He started to stand, but Troy grabbed his arm and forced him to stay.

“Yeah, you do. You’re always looking out for everyone. Me, Sawyer, even Angel and Bonnie. We all owe you for something. We already follow you, even if you think it’s just friends being friends. You’re more than that to us. We know you have our backs, and in turn, we will do anything for you.”

I could see the scepticism bouncing around inside Camden’s head like an out-of-control ping pong ball. But this couldn’t be forced onto him. He had to want this.

“Okay, look…even if I have the ability, I don’t have the money. I’m not like you guys. I’m not here because my father gave me a platinum card and the backing of powerful crime families. My father is a politician, sure, but he wants nothing to do with me. He had me kidnapped in the middle of the night and left here like trash.”

“Not every king that walked through these doors came from a home that supported them or gave them resources to lead. The key is learning how to leverage what you have. Grow something for yourself that is all your own, and you’ll naturally earn respect.”

“Do ya got anyone willin’ to get their hands dirty? Like pull off shady shit or knock heads around. That kind of stuff,” Myles asked and then took a bite of his pizza.

Troy and Camden looked at one another.

“Angel,” they said at the same time and smirked.

Myles snickered. “Gotta love a good oxymoron.”

“Next time we meet up, bring him along,” I said, ignoring Myles.

He was way too fucking happy today. I knew it had to do with Ren and the fact that I had been called to Volatile last night. The bastard swooped in and snatched up my night with her like a fucking thief. It was really pissing me off. I needed to find an annoying job for him to do or something as payback.

“Alright, I still don’t know what I’m supposed to be doing, but⁠—”

Camden stopped talking and stared at a group of sophomore jocks who were very obviously lowkey bullying a freshman. The guy looked petrified as they surrounded him.

“I’ll be back,” Camden said and walked away from the table with Troy right behind him.

Crossing my arms, I leaned back to watch.

“We gonna help him,” Myles asked.

I shook my head. “Only if he needs it.”

Camden put himself right in the middle of the group, protecting the guy who looked like he wanted to be invisible. I couldn’t hear what was said over the other noise, but it was obvious the older jocks were not about to backdown.

“Are ya sure? He’s kinda outnumbered,” Myles said.

“In a few months, he won’t have us around at all. If this is one of his lines, then he needs to make it clear that it’s not acceptable, not us.” Liam said, reading my mind.

The five guys surrounded him and Troy, but Camden didn’t cower and got right into the ringleader’s face. I knew the argument was going to turn physical before it happened. The air became charged, and those closest to the small group stopped talking and stared with anticipation.

Sure enough, the jock I didn’t know struck first, but Camden went full feral. Myles stood, his hand balling into a fist, but I let the fight play out. Both Camden and Troy were holding their own despite their number disadvantage. Suddenly, another guy came running in from the side and jumped in to help. He fought hard and dirty, and I wondered if this was Angel.

Camden had the ringleader down on the ground, fists flying, until Dean Henry blew a whistle and broke the boys up. The dean ordered everyone involved into his office, but then glanced over at me. As the two groups left, Dean Henry approached our table.

“Mr. Collier, did you have something to do with the fight,” Dean Henry asked.

“No, of course not, Dean Henry. But you should know that the older kids were picking on him.”

I pointed to the boy still frozen and wide-eyed, holding his backpack to his chest.

“Camden and his friends only jumped in to stop the bullying.” I shrugged. “I know you appreciate the facts. You should have them all before you deliver your verdict.”

With a smile, I picked up my coffee and took a sip.

Dean Henry looked like his blood pressure was through the roof.

“You’re grooming him, aren’t you?”