18. Sloane
Sloane
I get to Viv’s ancient warfare class to take her home with a few minutes to spare before it lets.
The wall next to the door makes as good of a place as any to wait for her, but when the door pushes open and students file out, there’s no Viv.
The trickle of students thins and I’m starting to get worried.
Peeking around the door frame, I see Viv still sitting glaring toward the front of the classroom.
When the last of the other students squeezes out past me, she explodes.
“What the actual fuck are you doing here?” she demands.
Pinpricks run up my spine at the possibility of a threat in a room with her. My feet carry me into the room before I can even consider coming up with some kind of plan for defense. If I have to throw myself into harms way just to give her a chance to run, I’m prepared to do just that.
My steps stop abruptly as I get a look at the man behind the professor’s desk. Enzo is leaned back in the seat with his feet propped up on the desktop like he doesn’t have a care in the world, and I’m wondering why he’s so nonchalant when he taught Viv a variety of torture techniques.
I’m in agreement with Viv about the absurdity of his appearance in her classroom too. “Relax Vivy. I’m here for your protection, remember? It doesn’t hurt that I’ve always wondered what it would be like to help mold impressionable minds.”
I can practically see the twitch in Viv’s eye as she continues to glare at him. “I will start stabbing if you don’t give me a better explanation.”
Slowly, I close the door to the classroom behind me.
If she’s going to start maiming, the last thing we need are witnesses.
Enzo sighs and lets his feet drop to the floor, his face suddenly becoming serious.
“It might surprise you, but I actually have the education for this. I’ve never gotten the chance to put it to use but I am qualified.
This also gives me a reason to be on campus every weekday.
People would notice an old man lurking around campus for no reason. ”
The anger seems to leak out of Viv and she goes boneless in her seat, groaning out a sigh.
In a rough motion, she rubs her hand over her face like she can erase this entire interaction from her mind.
When her arm falls to the desk she doesn’t even look at Enzo as she collects her bag.
“Just don’t interfere with my normal college experience. ”
She gets up and walks toward me, grabbing my hand on her way by and shouldering the door open. After we’ve walked down a few hallways, she finally looks up at me. “Why isn’t Zane here? He usually comes to get me after class.”
I smile at her. “He’s got an assignment due in art and stayed late to finish up. So I get the honor of accompanying you home.”
Viv’s nose wrinkles. “You know you guys wouldn’t have to chauffeur me around if you just let me drive my own car to school.”
Wrapping my arm around her I pull her in close to my side, my arm resting over her shoulder. Her eyes find mine and she frowns at my smile. “With us driving you too and from school, we don’t have to worry about anything happening to you.”
“Like the mafia will care that I have a person with me.” She doesn’t pull away from me as we walk down the hallway.
We pass by Carol on our way and she lifts her phone to snap a photo.
I lift my middle finger at her and she huffs.
Viv notices, but ignores her. Since she’s not worried about whatever Carol is doing, I ignore her as well.
It’s not like I can tackle the girl in the middle of a crowded hallway and smash her phone.
When we get far enough away from her that there’s no way she can hear us, Viv speaks. “Don’t worry I have Nox working on her payback.”
I grin at her, wondering what devious thing she’s come up with for Carol’s petty behavior. I bet it will be epic no matter what it is. I don’t push the topic though, and just enjoy the time alone with Viv as she gets into my car and we head home.
When we get to the house I’m about to suggest that we could do our homework together, but I don’t get a chance.
The second we walk in the doorway Nox is there sweeping Viv off her feet.
Literally. He just walks up to her and throws her over his shoulder before walking away with her, without so much as a greeting or even an explanation tossed in my direction.
Viv looks unamused as she dangles over Nox’s shoulder. “Is this what we do now? Just throw me over shoulders and carry me off like cavemen?”
I chuckle at that, having forgotten that Cain had done the same thing the moment we got back from Viv’s house in New York.
Nox’s bedroom door slams shut and I’m just left standing here like an idiot.
Not wanting to put up a fight and get between whatever is going on between them right now, I head to the kitchen and make a pot of coffee.
I’ve got quite a bit of homework to do and I was hoping to get some help from Viv for some of it, but I guess I can just wait until later.
The front door opens and closes not long after I’ve gotten settled at the kitchen island and Cain comes into the room, finding me alone looking over my English paper.
He sees the half full coffee pot and goes over to make a cup for himself.
He’s in the middle of pouring steaming hot coffee into the mug when we hear a long, drawn-out moan.
My eyebrows raise and Cain puts the carafe down, turning to look at me.
“I thought Zane was staying late at school today.”
Clearing my throat, I nod. “He is.”
Cain’s brows lower as we listen to another moan followed by the rhythmic thumping that can only be a headboard against a wall. “So Nox is…” He trails off.
I nod, a grin spreading across my face. “Nox is totally in there fucking Viv’s perfect pussy.”
Cain narrows his eyes at me. “It just surprised me… We should mind our own business.”
The exasperated glare that I give him is unrestrainable. “Like Nox ever minds his own business. If you ask me, he deserves to have us all pull a chair up to the bed and watch.”
Cain tries to hide the smirk that plays at the corner of his lips, but it’s still obvious. He knows that I’m right. “That may be the case, but this is their moment. Let’s not diminish it.”
Frowning, I can’t help but admit to myself that he’s right. I know Nox wanted to wait before taking this step. I’m not sure what made right now the moment for that, but I won’t make any jokes to make either of them feel awkward about it.
When I don’t disagree with him, Cain gives me a small nod. “I’ve got some papers I need to grade.”
I don’t stop him when he walks away. A part of me feels like I need to tell him about Enzo being a guest lecturer for Viv’s history class, but I decide that’s her business to share when she’s ready to. Instead, I just focus on my homework and try to ignore the sounds of Viv’s moans.