by Jenn Young
Adrian checked her cell. It was getting perilously close to the final bell. “I’m going to see what’s what before I decide on anything. I’m just going to smile even if it kills me.”
Travis did a little shudder. “Oh, that’s scary.”
“Come on.”
The very second she stepped out of the restroom, she felt that audible buzz that ran throughout the school hallways. It was like an invisible current of electricity, one that you couldn’t quite touch, but it was undeniable.
“Oh my God! Did you hear what’s happened?”
“Alex Montgomery’s dating someone!”
“No! Who’s the lucky girl?”
Adrian linked arms with Travis, so she’d stop herself from killing everyone. “Talk to me,” she said between clenched teeth. “Remind me why I can’t become a homicidal maniac.”
“You’d look ugly in that orange prison jumpsuit?”
“Okay. I’ll accept that reason.”
His class was on the other side, however, so when they reached the intersection, he had to leave, but Vaughn took his place.
The whispers were getting louder. How the news had spread that quickly, she didn’t know, but Alex had likely paraded himself with Bri. And if Travis had witnessed it, the others would have too.
There was a crowd outside the AP English classroom. Grant Darlington was the first person Adrian saw. Since he was one of the tallest people in the entire school, it was easy to pick out his muscular build. And if she wasn’t mistaken, he was seriously pissed off. His muscles were coiled and his ice blue eyes frigid. He didn’t quite glare, but the others had left an empty ring of space all around him.
Quentin Maxwell was the only person standing next to Grant. Usually surrounded by an adoring lineup of chorus girls, he’d done without his admirers today. He was talking to Grant, gesturing expansively. From what Adrian could tell, he was speaking rapidly.
Realization hit her. “They didn’t know. They’re just as surprised as we are.”
Somehow that made things a little easier. If Quentin and Grant had known ahead of time, she would have hated them. Irrational as hell, but there it was. At least it meant Alex hadn’t been dating Bri on the sly.
“Looks like it,” Vaughn said without moving her lips. “Justin’s not here.”
Suddenly she reached out and gripped Adrian’s arm.
Alex and Bri had just rounded the corner from the opposite direction. They were holding hands. The mere sight of their loosely linked fingers roiled Adrian’s stomach. Her throat locked. How dare they? How dare he?
She’d been warned … and yet it was like a knife to the heart.
Bri was beaming, unable to contain her happiness. She was glowing as she stole shy glances at him. He was smiling down at her. Adrian had seen that playful look upon his face too many times not to know what it meant. Even as she watched, Alex bent his head and whispered something in Bri’s ear that made her blush and giggle.
His eyes met Adrian’s, and she stared back at him. Oh yes, there it was, that molten fury that not even he could quite hide. Yes, he had done this deliberately, and yes, he wanted her to know it.
In that moment, her heart hardened.
“War it is,” she said very softly, so that only Vaughn could hear her. “You want a war, Alex Montgomery? I’ll fucking give you one.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Whoever had said, “The best defense is a good offense,” had clearly been thinking about Varner High because they were all watching her, even Alex and Bri. Adrian could almost hear the excited buzz of their thoughts. So many people believed she’d slept with him, so they were anticipating her reaction. Would she call him names and slap his face?
Her smile curved into a sudden, vicious smile. How little did they know her.
She crooked her finger at Quentin. “There you are, Maxwell. You’re just the person who I wanted to see.”
A confused ripple ran throughout the crowd. They’d all expected her to confront Alex, but no, a frontal attack had never been her style.
Quentin’s grin broke out. He wasn’t as good at hiding his feelings as Alex was, but as Adrian had known, he couldn’t resist giving into his curiosity.
“Everyone always wants me,” he drawled. He slid an arm around her waist. “What can I do for you, Adrian? Other than the obvious?”
“That’s for me to decide, not you.”
Chuckling, he dropped his voice so low that only she could hear him. “On a scale from one to ten, how jealous are you? Are you going to shoot Bri or suffer in noble silence? Whatever you do, just tell me.”
A part of her wanted to knee him, but another part told her to play along. Like it or not, Quentin was helping her out by whispering and half-cuddling her. Their private conversation was only fueling the gossip, which was what she wanted.
She smiled at him under her eyelashes. “I think Bri will really benefit from Alex’s experience. On a scale from one to ten, how unhappy is Justin?”
Quentin grimaced. “I haven’t seen him.”
Just how badly had Justin taken the news? Had Alex even told him beforehand? Or had he sprung it as a nasty surprise? Either way, Justin wasn’t here, and that spoke volumes.
The teacher poked her head out of the classroom. “Class starts in thirty seconds, and I don’t see any of you in your seats.”
As everyone trickled inside the classroom, Vaughn fell into step with Adrian. “Sometimes you scare me, honey,” the blonde said.
Adrian had never really enjoyed AP English, thanks to the departed Mr. Melbourne, but now she could feel her classmates’ curious stares drilling holes in the back of her head. Every now and then, she heard the low murmur of Alex’s voice. Was he whispering sweet nothings to Bri? Planning their first date?
She gripped her pencil so tightly that her hand went white. Vaughn had been right, they were talking about her. She would just have to give them something to talk about.
Quentin …
It was no more than a flicker of a thought, but he was Alex’s closest friend. He was rich and good-looking and single. Quentin had once told her that she could have the school eating out of her hand if she wanted. And oh how she wanted it now.
He found her after class. Almost immediately, his arm went around her hip, his hand suspiciously too low. “Should I search you for guns and knives, Adrian? Please, please say yes.”
“You’re acting as if you think I’m jealous.”
“The entire school believes you have something going on with Alex. Even I can feel the metaphysical sex you guys are having. But, all right, if you’re not jealous, let’s pick another word. Envious, green-eyed, resentful … let’s not debate the thesaurus, darling.”
Oh, how she wanted to wipe that smirk off that pretty face. He had been so rude at their first meeting that she had consciously avoided him afterward. Every time they’d interacted, he hadn’t changed her initial impression.
“I didn’t realize you could read the thesaurus,” she said. “Or did you get one of your hangers-on to read it to you?”
“Ooh, the claws come out. You really don’t like being traded in for another model, do you? That must have hurt your ego.”
Her smile matched his. “Just like it hurt your ego that I presumably found Alex more attractive than you?”
“Baby, I can rule this fucking school if I want to, but it’s more fun to be the crown prince.”
“That’s debatable. Court jester might be more like it.”
“Only if I can wear tights. I have fabulous legs. So, are you confirming that you and Alex slept together?”
“You’re suddenly concerned about the truth? Aren’t you one of the many people who spread rumors about me?”
“I wasn’t the one who started them. You have Vaughn to thank for that, and it looks as if you’ve forgiven her.” The bell rang and Quentin removed his arm from her waist. “Don’t think you’ve seen the last of me. I’ll pick you up after your class.”
Nettled,
Adrian brushed past him. Who did he think he was? Maybe she had made a miscalculation, singling him out this morning.
He was true to his word. He was lounging by the door when AP Spanish let out, and she wondered just how he’d managed to get out of his class.
“Are you going to do this for every class I have?” she demanded.
“Of course. Now, back to our talk …”
There was five minutes between classes and Quentin took full advantage. He shouldered people aside as he towed Adrian along in his wake. Somehow he managed to keep up a running commentary while shoving his victims aside and shouting random insults at people who complained. Unlike Alex who walked through the hallways unmolested, Quentin waded right into the fray.
“No one—not even me!—knew Alex was going to date Bri,” he said. “You won’t believe how pissed off Grant is.”
Interested at last, Adrian glanced up at him. “I think I know.”
“Oh, that’s right, you saw him this morning. It’s hard to surprise Grant, but Alex managed.” Quentin’s glance was sly. “I think something set Alex off. And that means you set him off, Adrian. Did you guys have a fight?”
He was uncomfortably too close to the truth. “No,” she said baldly.
“Please. I may not look that smart, but if I know anything, I know when people are fucking. You and Alex slept together after that party and probably a few other times I don’t know about. Right?”
“If you know everything, why are we having this conversation?”
“Because I live to annoy you, Adrian.”
She had to laugh helplessly. She would just have to figure how to get out of her Economics class five minutes early. But when she did so, Quentin was already there. Apparently he really hadn’t been joking about waiting for her after every class.
“God!” she said, exasperated. “Do I need to get a restraining order?”
“I had a notion you’d run, sweetums.”
She could only sigh when he slipped his arm around her waist. “I need to wear a ‘Don’t Touch’ sign on my body. It’s not for your use, Maxwell.”
There was that familiar smirk. “I like your ass, Blake. And if you’re honest, you like mine. So, confess. Did you or did you not sleep with Alex?”
“Even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you. Why do you want to know so much?”
“So we can make it a threesome, of course.”
That wrung out another laugh. She wasn’t sure which she wanted more: kneeing him or slapping him. Actually, it was probably a tie.
“I’ll pass,” she said.
Amused malice lit up those dark eyes. “Your loss, darling. For someone as fuckable as you are, you don’t really know how to play nice. You just cut dicks off. I think that’s what you did to Alex. Make no mistake about it, you had him.”
“I don’t make a career of playing up to Alex’s ego. He has plenty of girls for that.”
“No, he just has Bri now.”
That stung more than she cared to admit. “Yes, well, he’s her problem.”
“Not so fast. You can still get him back.”
“What if I don’t want him?”
“Oh, if you want to play it that way, I’ll start digging my bomb shelter.”
She left him looking after her, as she went off to gym class. He wasn’t there when the class concluded, and she wasn’t sure if she was surprised or disappointed. No matter, she had to eat lunch next, and that was an ordeal she didn’t want.
Some people at Alex’s cafeteria table straightened when she sauntered over to them. No doubt they all believed she’d slept with Alex, and no doubt they wanted to dissect her behavior for any trace of jealousy.
“Hi, everyone,” she said, smiling as she sat down. Her voice was a little lower than she would have liked, but at least it was strong and even. “Anything exciting going on?”
Much to her irritation, everyone looked to Alex.
His mouth quirked. God, he was gorgeous, and what was worse, he knew it. Even now, her stomach fluttered. She couldn’t help but remember what they’d done in bed together, only two days ago.
Why, Alex? Why?
“Bri and I are dating,” he said.
“Congratulations. You can’t do any better than Justin’s sister.” She glanced at Bri Latimer. “Maybe you’ll be the girl who finally tames him.”
That won a quick smile from Bri. “Maybe.”
Alex’s smile was no more than a glitter of teeth. “I decided I’d rather have quality instead of quantity. Better a girl who has an actual brain than a girl who only knows how to run her mouth.”
Bastard, Adrian thought. “I agree.” She turned up the wattage of her smile. “Better a guy who has an actual personality than a guy who isn’t that great in bed.”
Now she could hear Quentin’s stifled laughter.
Bri was looking back and forth between her and Alex. Maybe it was Adrian’s imagination, but she could have sworn that the girl’s smile had chilled considerably.
“We’ve known each other forever,” Bri said. “Alex and me. So we thought that we should give it a try. It’s not like I recently moved here or something.”
In that moment, Adrian knew she had just made an enemy of the girl.
Her fingers curled into claws under the table. “Then you’re lucky, Alex,” she drawled. “Not every girl will ignore the fact that you snore.”
Gasps traveled around the table.
Alex didn’t react outwardly, but despite that, Adrian still thought he was surprised that she’d even brought it up, that she’d dared to confront him in public. He was watching her, clearly trying to gauge what she had in mind.
“No one’s ever complained,” Alex said.
“Maybe they just didn’t want to hurt your feelings,” she said.
Bri put her hand on Alex’s arm, a possessive gesture that didn’t escape Adrian’s notice. “And how would you know that he snores?” she said.
Adrian shrugged. “We live in the same house.”
“Oh. Of course.”
“Of course,” Adrian said, deliberately echoing Bri.
Color crept into the other girl’s face. She opened her mouth and then thought better of it, and started unpacking her lunch.
Only then did Adrian realize she was hungry. She hadn’t brought any lunch from home, but before she could get up and join the cafeteria line, Quentin pushed his food across the table.
“You can have mine,” he said.
“Feeling gallant?” she said.
His dark eyes were dancing. “Just think of it as a small token of my appreciation. I haven’t felt this entertained in weeks.”
People raised their heads. There was a stir in the cafeteria as if everyone was looking at someone. Curious in spite of herself, Adrian looked too.
Justin Latimer had finally surfaced, but instead of joining them at the table, he was stalking out of the cafeteria. Adrian hadn’t noticed him earlier, so he couldn’t have been here for too long. It sure seemed as if he’d initially entered the room and decided that he wasn’t so hungry after all.
Alex’s mouth tightened, and Adrian almost felt sorry for him. Almost. No one had forced him at gunpoint to date Bri.
Like everyone else, Bri had seen her brother. There was color blooming in her cheeks, but instead of looking contrite, she lifted her head.
“I swear, he overdoes the big brother act sometimes,” she said to no one in particular.
Grant abruptly tossed his half-eaten sandwich onto the table. It wasn’t unusual for him not to say a word, but Adrian had seldom seen him lose control like that.
Alex cast his gaze down, but when it came up again, it centered on Travis who had turned up. “Why so quiet, Cates?”
Adrian tensed. Oh no, you don’t.
Someone stomped on her foot under the table. More likely, it was Vaughn, and with an effort, Adrian kept her mouth shut. If she rushed in to defend Travis, she would undermine him.
Travis’s guileless eyes opened wide
. “Dude, I’m just enjoying the show.”
That faint, unsettling smile still played with Alex’s mouth. “So you’re saying that you won’t throw your beer at Bri? She’s different, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Yeah, she’s different,” Travis said amiably. “She hasn’t got any tits like Mandy.”
Adrian bit the inside of her cheek, so she wouldn’t laugh aloud. Why had she even bothered? Travis could take care of himself.
Vaughn fell into step with her after lunch had ended. “Well, if that wasn’t the cattiest gathering I’ve ever been to …” Her smile faded as she studied Adrian. “So what do you intend to do?”
The rush of adrenaline was long gone, but Adrian didn’t let her shoulders slump. She had too many people watching. “I’ll think of something,” she said. “I don’t really have a choice but to play, do I?”
The blonde’s smile was sympathetic. “One doesn’t take Alex Montgomery on without a strategic plan and a life insurance policy.”
Adrian hadn’t quite told Vaughn the truth. She did have a tentative plan taking shape, but the question was if she had enough guts to go along with it. But before she could think about it, one more person approached her.
Grant caught her arm before she walked into Calculus. “We need to talk,” he said briefly. “If you want to do something to Alex, then I’m in.”
“What makes you think I want to do something to him? What makes you think I’d tell you anyway? You’re his friend, not mine.”
Anger flared in those pale blue eyes. “Well, that’s what I thought until Alex screwed Justin over. He broke the goddamn code, the only one that matters.” Grant released her arm. “Don’t fence with me, Adrian. You want to hurt him, you have my help.”
She looked at him closely. “You’re really sure you want to do this?”
Now Grant was smiling. “You don’t think I can do it? Maybe it’s time for him to find out why you don’t fuck with me.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
She spun her locker combination. It had been a long, long day, and all she wanted to do was to crawl into her bed and never come out, but Grant had said he would meet her after school, so she had to wait.