“Come on, man,” Jordan muttered, shooting his best friend a dark look and, thankfully, cutting off my train of thought before it really hit the gutter.
Rafe shot Jordan a look back, then sighed dramatically. “Fine,” he said, turning that intense gaze back to me. “I’ll give the deal some limitations, if that makes you feel better?”
I pursed my lips, but gave a small, tight nod. It didn’t mean I was agreeing to his deal, but I was willing to listen.
“One favor, to be used before you graduate, and I won’t ask you to kill anyone.” He gestured like a benevolent ruler. “That’s the best I can do.”
My eyes narrowed, and I shook my head. “One favor to be used before the end of this academic year.” I paused to think about what I was agreeing to. “No killing, maiming, nudity, or sexual situations. And nothing that could land me in prison.”
Rafe’s lips twitched with a smile, and Jordan looked furious.
“That’s a fair amendment,” the New American prince commented, prodding Rafe in the shoulder. “Accept her offer and quit being a fucking asshole.”
Rafe’s gaze hadn’t left me for even a second, though. Had he blinked? I didn’t think he had. Creeper. “Fine, Cinderella. One favor of my choosing, to be used by the end of this academic year, with no killing, maiming, or anything that could land you in prison. Deal.”
He held his hand out for me to shake, and damn if I didn’t move like I was under a spell, clasping his hand with mine and shaking once before my brain computed the words he’d left out.
Mother fucker.
“Bastard,” I growled under my breath. “So, you’ll sort it out? When is it?”
Rafe’s lazy grin was all predator, and it made my nipples harden. “Unconfirmed yet, but it’s looking like it might be late next Thursday night. But yes, you’ll be on the cards. A deal’s a deal, Cinderella.”
I still scowled, kicking myself for letting him get by without all my conditions. “And Brandon?”
Rafe tipped his head to Jordan at this question, and his friend gave a small headshake.
“Not secured yet,” Jordan told Rafe, then turned his attention to me. “I’m doing my best to line it up. The rumor mill has been running wild, though, and we think Brandon might be shitting the bed at the idea you could actually hurt him.”
Amusement flickered through me at that idea, but… “Nah, that doesn’t sound right. Brandon is so fucking arrogant he’d never believe the rumors that I’m Violence. I thought the whole lineup was supposed to be anonymous anyway. Don’t we just need him on the cards, and then you guys can pull your strings to match us up?”
Nolan nodded. “Technically yes. Don’t worry, New Girl. I’ll get him there for you.” He cracked his knuckles and looked downright evil. “One way or another.”
I laughed because, holy crap, I loved my new friends. All of them. Even the dickish ones.
Walking to my ridiculous new class World Politics 308 the following Monday, I found Jordan leaning on the wall outside the lecture hall. Considering he wasn’t in this time slot, and Alex was likely already inside lurking around my seat, he could only have been waiting for me.
“Hey you,” I greeted him, coming to a stop and adjusting my bag strap. “What’s up?”
It must have been important for him to track me down here and not wait until our lunch break in just over an hour.
“Violet,” he said, a slow smile spreading over his handsome face. “You look gorgeous.”
My cheeks heated at the compliment, and I awkwardly shuffled my feet. “Um, okay. Same uniform I wear every day. But thanks, I think?”
Ugh. Alex breaking my heart had really messed with my flirting game. Big time.
“Yes, and you look gorgeous every day. Maybe I need to make a point to tell you that every day.” He raised his brows, and I grinned.
“Okay, Casanova, what’s going on?”
A little of the flirtation slipped from his face. “Ah, well, I had an idea I wanted to run past you, and I knew if I waited until lunch, then everyone would have their own opinions and ideas and…” He trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck and looking embarrassed. “Maybe I should have waited for the group.”
Butterflies flapped around in my belly as I realized he wanted to see me. Just me. Alone. I mean, yeah, I knew he was interested and that kiss the other day had been… everything. But then nothing else had happened and I’d been wondering if I’d read too much into the whole situation.
“You know what?” I asked. “This class is pointless for me anyway. They’re giving me As when I don’t even answer the questions, so I’m sure no one will mind if I skip. How about you? Need to be anywhere?”
Jordan’s face lit up, and I knew I’d made the right choice. “Nope, I have a free period now.”
“Awesome. Let’s go to your room? The study rooms off the library hold bad vibes for me.” I shuddered, thinking about the way Alex had pinned me to the shelves and how I’d had to threaten him to get out of there without being sexually assaulted even worse.
Jordan frowned, walking with me in the direction of the dorms—away from my lecture with Alex. “Why? What happened in the library?”
I groaned. I’d said that out loud, and no one other than Rafe really knew anything had happened. “Okay, I’ll give you the abridged version of events, but don’t flip out on me. Deal?”
Jordan just cocked a brow and leveled me with a no nonsense glare until I started talking.
Chapter 15
“I’m going to kill him,” the crown heir of New America declared as we reached his dorm room and I finished recounting the events of my “study session” with Alex.
I smiled. “No, you’re not. Neither am I, no matter how badly I want to. We’re not going to start the next world war over my bruised dignity.”
Jordan wasn’t totally listening anymore, though. He kept muttering as he unlocked the door and held it open for me to enter. “I’m going to gut him with my daggers then braid his entrails into a belt and wear it as a trophy so everyone knows what happens to anyone who fucks with my girl.”
I froze just two steps into his dorm room, then swung around to stare at him. “Uh, what?”
Jordan frowned. “What? He deserves it.”
I shook my head. “No, not that. You just called me your girl.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah.”
Jordan shrugged, kicking his door shut with the heel of his shoe. “Well, you are. Kind of.” Wow, he was just going to own it.
My heart squeezed, but this time it was more of a painful squeeze than a love thing. “Jordy…” I released my breath with a heavy sigh. A headache was building behind my eyes, and I rubbed at my forehead to try and hold it off. Stalling for time, I sank down on the edge of his bed.
“I know,” he said before I could continue with… whatever I planned to say. “I know, we haven’t discussed anything, and I know Alex really fucked with your trust.” I snorted a bitter, humorless laugh of agreement. “And I also know there’s something between you and Rafe…”
I stopped breathing.
“I just want a chance,” he finished, his voice soft but threaded with hope and sincerity. “I’m not asking you for promises or commitments… just a chance. I really like you, Violet.”
My heart squeezed again, but this time it was accompanied by those flappy fucking butterflies that made me want to go all doe-eyed and flirty. Fucking hormones were going to be the death of me, I swear.
“I feel like such an asshole for saying this,” I said, leaning back on my hands so I could peer up at him. “I really like you too, Jordy.”
A relieved smile washed over his face, quickly replaced with a small, thoughtful frown. “But?”
I bit my lip. “But Alex shattered me. I don’t think I can put myself on the line like that again so soon, and I really, really don’t want to drag you into all his drama and bullshit.”
Jordan’s lips tightened, but he gave a small nod of acknowledgement. I loved that about him. He listened to me and didn’t immediately dismiss my opinions simply because they didn’t line up with his own.
“And?” he prompted.
I sighed. “And…” I dropped my face into my hands, scarcely believing I was admitting this aloud. “There’s… something between me and Rafe.” As soon as I said it, I panicked that I’d just totally fucked up my prospects with Jordan and hurried to backtrack. “It’s probably nothing, just, I don’t know. Curiosity. Or like when you get an itch in your heel and you can’t quite scratch it, so you just keep thinking about it, you know? Like that. I’m fairly certain we will be at each other’s throats again in about three days; I just don’t want to lie to you. And I don’t want to feel like I’m cheating on anyone if… you know… if anything happened.”
Jordan was silent, watching me, but there was no defeat on his face. “Let’s just keep going as we are and see how things eventuate. Rafe and I are aware of each other. There’re no secrets. And no commitments from anyone, right?”