Page 85

Nodding with a clenched jaw, Aiden placed his other hand on her lower back to steady her.

Lukas growled low in his throat as he stood from his desk, causing both Riley and Aiden to turn and look at him. Aiden raised a brow at him in question.

“Stop being a jealous asshole, Lukas,” Riley admonished. “He was just making sure Blaire didn’t fall.”

Lukas slumped against the edge of his desk and ran a hand through his hair as Riley grabbed Blaire’s backpack. Both Aiden and Lukas continued staring each other down before Riley rolled her eyes and finally spoke.

“I have her. I’ll walk with her.” She reached out to take Blaire’s arm gently from Aiden, who still hadn’t let go. He turned his attention back to them.

“I’m fine. Really,” Blaire mumbled with a sigh.

“The testosterone is getting too thick in here, so I’d rather get the hell out of here as quickly as possible, so it’s easier this way.” Riley shot both Lukas and Aiden another glare.

Blaire didn’t understand what was going on between them. They were best friends. Was this all because Lukas found out about how Aiden felt? How Blaire had been attracted to him? The kiss? She bit her lower lip softly. She wanted Lukas to understand she didn’t want Aiden; she was only drawn to him. Nothing could compare to the way Lukas made her feel, both good and bad.

Shortly after Riley and Blaire left the class and were standing by the bathrooms out front, Aiden came out of the classroom, passing them without saying a word, not even giving them a second glance. Lukas stormed out right behind him, a scowl shadowing his face.

“Wow… I think Lukas is pissed,” Riley whispered.

Blaire laughed. “Lukas always looks pissed,” she joked, trying to lighten the mood, but something was wrong with Lukas. She just didn’t know what.

Riley laughed. “I’m glad to see you’ve got your sense of humor back. I was starting to worry…”

“Listen, I said it before… I’m fine. The juice and nuts made me feel much better.”

While she wasn’t completely fine, she was better. That wasn’t a lie. The main thing bothering her at that moment centered on Lukas, and whatever upset him.

She wanted to fix it.

24

INTENTIONS

The door of the hallway flew open as Aiden shoved his way out, Lukas hot on his heels as they made their way toward the tree line along the dark forest that spanned the back of the academy.

“You need to back the fuck off,” Lukas growled out, breaking the quiet as he came to a stop.

Aiden spun around, staring at Lukas in confusion. “What the hell are you talking about?”

Lukas dragged both his hands through his hair in frustration, gripping the mid-shaft at the back of his neck as he glared at his best friend.

“Blaire is my Korrena and doesn’t need you to bring her snacks or take care of her.”

He hadn’t paid it attention before, but Riley had been right. Aiden was there for her. Aiden was always by her side and quick to support her. Aiden received her smile. Aiden wanted her. Aiden, Aiden, Aiden. Lukas dropped his hands and clenched them at his side. Never in all their years around one another had he wanted to hit his friend until that moment. What was happening to him? Was this what his mother talked about?

Aiden stared at him, momentarily stunned. “That’s what you have to say?” He glared at Lukas. “I wouldn’t need to take care of her if you did a better job of looking out for her yourself.”

Lukas sucked his teeth, looking away from Aiden. He had been looking out for Blaire. He spent the weekend making sure she didn’t… bleed out or whatever. He didn’t know what would have happened if she didn’t have fluids, food, and sleep. The whole female system struck him as weird, but he took care of her. That’s all that mattered. He had been there for her several times. He didn’t need Aiden to see it to make it a reality. It wasn’t any of his business what happened between him and Blaire.

“I mean seriously… did you really bite her?” Aiden finally asked the thought Lukas knew he suspected in class.

Between the looks, the anemic comments, and giving him a letter demanding that they talk, he knew this had been coming. Lukas still wasn’t prepared for it, though. He felt sick to his stomach at the idea his best friend would think him capable of doing something like that to Blaire when they all knew she wasn’t ready for it.

Lukas growled. “It’s none of your fucking business what we do together.” He narrowed his eyes at Aiden. “And you really need to get it out of your fucking head that you two have a chance of being together.”

He didn’t care this guy was his best friend. The fact that they had been so close since they were children didn’t matter one bit when it came to Blaire. He was not about to just hand her over for the sake of their friendship. She was something so much more. Worth so much more.

Aiden clenched his jaw and looked away, caught out on what he did.