“Don’t underestimate him,” Monroe continued. “Blake Bowman is volatile when he’s angry. I’ve seen him send more than one guy to hospital during a football match. And that’s just through his desire to win. But you can use that against him. He won’t say no to any challenge which is why he’s been butting heads with Saint for years.”
“Really?” I asked. I hadn’t seen them fighting before, but Monroe clearly knew them better than me.
“Yeah,” he said. “Bowman wants to be top dog. He doesn’t like losing at anything, including social hierarchy. Being second to Saint eats away at him constantly until every now and then he rises up and clashes with him.”
“So I need to make them clash?” I whispered excitedly.
“Yeah, and the way to do that is through fucking with Saint’s need for control,” Monroe said and I swear I was getting so wet for him over the way he was talking that I was surprised he hadn’t noticed me panting yet.
“Go on,” I encouraged, biting on my lower lip. His gaze dipped to my mouth for half a second before he dragged his eyes back up to mine like a good teacher. I kinda wished he was a bad one though.
“You need a way to get into The Temple.”
I laughed dryly. “Well they’re making me live there so that’s easily done.”
His eyes brightened with that news and I kinda wanted to punch him for it. “That’s brilliant, you’ll be in the perfect position to strike at them. I imagine Saint keeps the place a certain way. And from what I know of Blake, he’s a messy fucker and that would drive Saint to insanity. If you can figure out what Blake does regularly to piss him off, you could do some of those things too…”
“And get him blamed for it,” I finished with a grin.
“Exactly. Generally with Saint, if you can get him feeling out of control, you’re gonna break down their entire little Bermuda triangle of bullshit.”
I nodded keenly, but my heart leapt as the door flew open. Blake strode in with fury in his eyes and my heart thrashed fearfully against my chest.
“What the fuck, Bowman?!” Monroe jumped to his feet and Blake slowed to a halt, folding his arms as his eyes slid to me on the floor. I was mid-stretching out my right calf, gazing up at him in horror. Holy shit, what if he heard something??
“I’m here to pick up, Pl- Tatum,” Blake said simply.
I rose to my feet as his gaze slipped to me.
“We’ve been looking all over for you, sweetheart,” he said, his voice overly sugary and I scowled at him, more than happy not to bother with the compliant bullshit now that I had a bunch of ammo lined up against him. And I couldn’t wait to start firing it.
“She has kickboxing lessons with me three times a week,” Monroe growled. “And if you ever walk into my training room uninvited again, I’ll have you in detention for the rest of the semester, Bowman.” Monroe’s muscles were rippling and the sweat gleaming on his body drew my gaze for a hot minute. He was going to bat for me and hell that made me gooey inside. I wished I could show him how grateful I was…
“You didn’t mention that, Tate,” Blake said to me with a firm stare.
“Didn’t I?” I asked with an innocent shrug.
“Rivers will be training with me. I think she’s got a shot at the regionals and fuck if I’m missing out on the opportunity to train an athlete like her,” Monroe said simply then turned to me with a sharp stare. “You’re either here three times a week, or you’re in detention with me instead.”
“Okay,” I agreed and Blake snarled.
“Fine. Come on.” He held out his hand for me and I had to laugh. I was not gonna play the little whipped puppy anymore.
“Thanks for the lesson, sir,” I said earnestly to Monroe then breezed past Blake until I was out of the room and he was running to catch me.
His arm curled around my shoulders and he yanked me in close to his body, making my breathing quicken as the scent of him surrounded me. Spiced cologne and a bottled threat.
“I want your school schedule written out by hand tonight. One copy for each of us.”
“Okay, I can colour code it too if you give me some crayons?” I offered with a smirk. “Would you like me to write down my bathroom habits too? I’m a morning pooer-”
“Shut up,” he snapped, glaring down at me. “Got your backbone reinstated, I see, Cinderella.”
“Clever boy.” I reached up to scruff his hair like a dog and he snarled, locking his arm around my shoulders again and guiding me along the path.
“Let’s see what Saint makes of that then,” he growled.
“Yeah, he is the top dog after all.” I nodded in agreement. “You couldn’t go making any decisions on your own, I suppose.”
“We make our decisions together,” he snipped.
“Sure you do,” I said airily and he cut me another glare. Part of me wanted to bring up the tension stifling the air between us. I wanted to ask him about his mom, to try and soften the hatred he felt for me. But something told me now wasn’t a good time. I needed to catch him in a better mood. Though lately, I never saw any of the easy-going guy who’d made my heart beat faster and brought a smile to my face when I’d first arrived at Everlake Prep.
We soon arrived back at the church and my heart thrashed a little harder as he guided me inside.
Kyan was sprawled on the couch playing some zombie video game and Saint was standing in the kitchenette like the ghost of a dead soldier.
“Here she is.” Blake shoved me forward, making me stumble several steps ahead of him. “Monroe’s training her in kickboxing. Says she has to attend lessons three times a week.”
“Did you forget to mention that, Barbie doll?” Saint hissed.
“Well…no. I didn’t have my phone.” I shrugged, not telling them that I now did have it. Although it was probably sticking out in the pocket of my slim-fitting sports leggings fairly obviously.
“Well now you do.” Blake patted my hip where it was sitting before shouldering past me and dropping down into an armchair. “And if you ever miss a call from us, you can expect to pay for it hard, Cinders.” He snatched up a control and joined the game Kyan was playing. “Saint will be your wicked step-mother and me and Kyan will play the role of your step-sisters. I reckon we can fit you up that chimney to give it a good sweep – it probably hasn’t been done in a century.”
“Yeah and if you do a poor job, we could set a fire while you’re working and see if you make it out the top,” Kyan tossed in with a smirk and I scowled, opening my mouth to retort when he released a yell as his character was munched on by a zombie. It was a shame one didn’t burst in the door and really take a chunk out of Kyan.
I was left to the mercy of Saint which I imagined he had none of. But I wasn’t afraid this time. Not now I was refuelled, full of ways I could start fighting back. Man, if he wasn’t a teacher, I would have given Monroe one hell of a thank you blowjob. I wouldn’t just blow his dick either, I’d blow his fucking mind.
“Here,” Saint demanded and I walked towards him at a slow pace. “You must be hungry, Barbie.”
My brows lifted and I wondered if I was going to get an actual meal. He swiped up a glass of water and a plate of pasta from the counter, holding it out for me to take. Holy shit.