I swat him away with my hand. “Clever. Now back the fuck off.”
His chair protests as he scoots his desk closer. “You kiss your boyfriend with that mouth, Jazzy Jazz?”
I glare at him through the side of my eye. “Don’t have a boyfriend, Get Bent.”
“Ooh, she has claws!” he taunts. “You know I love it when you talk dirty, baby.” Bentley grabs his crotch. “Makes my dick so hard. Why don’t you come a little closer and see for yourself?”
I eye his crotch and give him the most unimpressed look I can manage. “Sorry, I forgot my microscope. How ever will I find it without one?”
Reed releases a deep chuckle. Well, I’ll be damned. I made the silent, broody one react.
Bentley’s jaw drops. “You apologize to him right now!” He looks down to his lap. “It’s okay, buddy, she didn’t mean it.”
I try disguising my laugh with a scoff. Damn it, why do I find this idiot so charming?
“Don’t hold your breath. Actually... I take that back. Please do hold your breath. If I’m lucky, you’ll pass out and I won’t have to listen to your ridiculous nonsense.”
“Miss Callahan, is there something you’d like to share with the class?”
I glance up at the front of the classroom to find Ms. Henderson staring at me expectantly, her annoyance obvious. What the hell? I’m not the only one talking!
She raises a delicate silver brow. “Well?”
“No, ma’am,” I mutter.
Ms. Henderson gives a tight nod. “Good. Now, keep quiet, please. Ladies and gentlemen, I hope you’re comfortable because the seat you chose today will be yours for the rest of the trimester.”
I stifle a groan.
When our teacher turns to write something on the whiteboard, Bentley leans over again. “Ooh, it looks like we’re about to get some real quality time together, princess. Today must be my lucky day.”
I grind my teeth together. “Shut. Up.”
“Maybe I will if you give me that pretty red mouth of yours. I bet your throat feels real nice and warm on the inside. I’ve been thinking about it all day.”
I fight a smile, wondering what Madeline would do if she saw me right now. She was already in a huff because I refused to let anyone do my hair or makeup this morning. Little did she know, I stashed my favorite mascara and lip stain in my bag and applied it during the ride to school. My uniform skirt is black and red plaid and the reds matched perfectly so I considered it a sign.
Bentley flips the back of my hair. “This silky hair of yours would look even better wrapped around my fist.”
I’m about to tell this asshat to fuck off but the one next to him speaks up first.
“That’s enough,” Kingston growls.
Bentley slouches back in his chair. “Just having a little fun, man.”
I glance over and see Kingston giving his friend a murderous glare. When his steely eyes flicker to mine, my breathing stops. Naked rage wars with lust, a heady combination that calls to me in the most primitive way. Shivers race down my spine when Kingston drops his gaze to my mouth and licks his lips. Something unspoken passes between us before a wicked grin forms on his face.
“Don’t worry, Bent. There will be plenty of time for fun later.”
What the hell does that mean? And why did my mind automatically go to the gutter thinking of all the possibilities? I really need to get a handle on my attraction to him.
For the next forty minutes, I do my best to ignore the three ridiculously hot assholes next to me. The moment the bell rings, I dart out of the room as fast as possible.
As I’m crossing the threshold, I swear one of them says, “You can run, but you can’t hide, princess.”
MADELINE IS WAITING for me right inside the front door when I get home from school. She scowls when she sees my red lips but that quickly morphs into a plastic smile.
“How was your first day at school, dear?”
I shrug. “It could’ve been worse. I met a really cool girl, so that’s a plus.”
“That’s great! What’s her name?”
“Ainsley Davenport.”
Madeline’s smile is genuine now. “Oh, that’s wonderful! Ainsley is a lovely girl. Her mother and I are friends.”
I frown in confusion. “She said her mother passed away.”
“Oh, her birth mother did, quite a few years ago. I was referring to her stepmother, Vanessa. She’s the third Mrs. Davenport.” Madeline holds her index finger up. “Wait... the fourth. Or... maybe she’s the third wife and he’s her fourth husband? It’s all so confusing.”
“Of course,” I say mockingly.
“You should get cleaned up and ready for dinner.” She appraises me. “Please don’t test your father’s patience tonight and wear something nice from your closet. And remove that wretched color from your lips. The Davenports will actually be our guests for dinner. Unfortunately, Ainsley can’t make it because she has ballet rehearsal, but her twin brother will be here. Have you met Kingston yet? He’s Peyton’s boyfriend.”
You’ve got to be kidding me.
“Oh, I’ve met him. He’s a peach.”
My sarcasm either went over her head or she’s choosing to ignore it.
“Fabulous!” Madeline clasps her hands together. “Dinner will be at six o’clock sharp. If you’ll excuse me, I need to make sure the chef has everything I’ve asked him to prepare.”
How is this my life? I groan as I head to my room, trying to think of a viable excuse to skip dinner.
CHAPTER SIX
KINGSTON
“Would you like a scotch, son?”
I bite my tongue to prevent myself from lashing out. I’ll never get what I need if Charles Callahan suspects how I really feel about him.
“That’d be nice, Mr. Callahan. Thank you for offering.”
“How many times do I have to tell you to call me Charles, boy? We’re practically family. Marrying Peyton is just a formality.”
I’d like to say that will never happen, but if I don’t manage to dig up his deepest, darkest secrets before then, it might. Peyton is a lot of things, but patient is not one of them. She’s made it clear she expects a ring on her finger by Christmas and she has no intention of having a long engagement. She knows I’m using her, and the manipulative bitch is twisting it to her advantage. Peyton doesn’t really care about me, but she does care about her image and the marriage clause in her trust fund. It’s the only reason she agreed to this little arrangement of ours.
I pretend to be her doting boyfriend in public and she gushes about how wonderful I am to Daddy Dearest. Peyton thinks I’m trying to earn her dad’s trust and respect so he’ll make me partner in his firm once I graduate law school. The fact that she actually believes that garbage proves she doesn’t know me at all.
I take the tumbler from him. “Thank you, Charles.”
He laughs. “Now, was that so hard?”
My father laughs. “How are things at the firm?”
“Can’t complain,” Charles replies. “Our second quarter revenue was at a record high.”