29. Blaze
BLAZE
Asch and River didn’t answer my texts. I didn’t expect Asch to, since I know he’s in class, but River disappeared entirely after we dropped him off at Pandora’s. The only reason I’m not worrying is that I’d run into Pandora’s roommate two days ago, who told me about the big break-up.
That was why Asch had told River that going to see Pandora was a bad idea.
“You know I’m happy to lend you my notes,” Monica says.
I look up from my phone, and I only now realize that she’s been talking to me all the way back from our shared marketing class. We’re fast approaching the Kappa Alpha house, and I wonder if anyone inside is into blondes with glasses.
“Yeah.” I put my phone in my pocket, then smile at her. “I really appreciate that, Monica. I think I should be okay though. Most of what Professor Nayar says is in the slides and the textbook.”
Monica purses her lips, and I guess that’s a cute gesture, for somebody who likes cute girls who study hard.
“How far are you on the project?” Monica asks. She gets a bit closer to me. “Because maybe we can do a study session together, toss some ideas around?”
Did I lead her on? I don’t remember what I told her, or why she’s trying to flirt with me now. I’m pretty sure I avoided talking to most people in the class.
We are assigned to the same group project, but I’ve only ever met with her at the same time as our other group member, and mostly I tell the two of them what to do so I can piece all our work together and do the edits I see fit.
I’m about to give an excuse—grieving is a good one, I think—when I spot somebody sitting on the Kappa Alpha house’s front steps.
Pandora.
She waves to me, then gets up and skips over. “Hey, babe. I was waiting for you.” She puts a hand on the back of my neck and pulls me down into a kiss.
The dramatic show of possessiveness is silly, yet I find myself smiling into the kiss anyway.
“Hey, Panda,” I answer. “Were you waiting long?”
I glance over at Monica, who looks like a deer caught in headlights.
Pandora shakes her head. “Nah, just got here. Good thing you showed up before I got bored.” She links her arm with mine and glances at Monica. “Who’s this?”
“This is Monica,” I say, suppressing a grin. “We got assigned to the same group project in our marketing class. Monica, this is Pandora. My girlfriend.”
I’m not sure that’s the right word for Pandora, but that’ll get Monica to run off faster than any other excuse would.
I give Monica another once over, but I don’t feel a single stirring of desire. I don’t think Asch would like her much either. More to the point, Monica didn’t give me the impression that she’d be happy to have two guys at once.
Maybe three guys. Is it an orgy with four people ?
Monica gives Pandora a shaky smile. “Hi, Pandora. Blaze never mentioned you.”
Pandora rolls her eyes. “He wouldn’t have. He’s been so worried that our parents would disapprove, or that his Kappa Alpha brothers would think he’s going soft or something.”
Well, look at that. Apparently Pandora does know the full name of the fraternity, and she somehow managed to string two Greek letters together correctly.
“I see.” Monica pulls her shoulder bag closer to herself. “I’m gonna head to the library to study. I’ll email you the next part of the group project.”
“Yeah. See you,” I say, waving as she walks off.
Once Monica is far enough down the street, Pandora starts giggling.
“Did I overdo it?” Pandora asks. “You looked like you needed rescuing.”
I shake my head. “I did not need rescuing. I was about to send her away. What are you doing here anyway? You know you’re banned.”
“I know no such thing,” Pandora declares. “Come on. Do you actually care what Zayden thinks?”
No, I really don’t. I’m still pissed that he’d distracted me so badly I didn’t realize Franklin was choking to death.
Shit.
I wasn’t close to Franklin—hell, I barely knew him—but he’d been a chill guy. After the final hell week task, he’d even thanked me so profusely for introducing him to Sandra.
I’d mostly written Franklin off until he’d stood his ground against the attackers—and now we’re planning his fucking memorial services instead of having River and Asch teach him how to defend himself properly.
My anger bubbles up all over again. That this happened at all, that it happened while I was there, that nobody did anything to stop it, that Brock and Tate were such fucking idiots that they really thought nothing of forcing somebody to consume an allergen .
It’s not the first time it’s happened though.
Last year, they’d made one of the pledges drink almost an entire gallon of milk, despite him being lactose intolerant. Or maybe because of it? Everybody had laughed and howled while the pledge locked himself in the bathroom, making horrible noises.
I hadn’t cared then. I’d only put a stop to the hazing when they’d tried to make Asch drink even after he’d already thrown up once.
Honestly, I don’t know if I care now.
The only reason I’m angry is because River is hurting, and since when do I care about River’s feelings?
Brock still hasn’t come back to the fraternity, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he transfers out of the school entirely by the end of the semester. I did give his and Tate’s information to Franklin’s parents, and I offered to support them in whatever they chose to do afterward.
If they sue Tate and Brock, whatever.
If they come after the fraternity, we’re going to have problems. Better that I stay close to them and gather what information I can from them.
“Why are you here?” I ask, stroking the side of her face. “Nobody else giving you what you need?”
Pandora giggles. “Yeah. Asch said he was in class, and River ignored my text. If you see him, tell him the whole hot-and-cold thing is getting old.”
“So what I’m hearing is that I’m your last pick?” I ask, getting even closer to her. She doesn’t back up at all—rather, she closes the remaining distance, pressing her body against mine.
“Not last,” Pandora promises, wrapping her arms around my neck. “The best. Well, it’s a three-way tie, but it hasn’t been just you and me for a while, and while I love what Asch and River do to me…”
Neither of them are as rough with her as I am.
Asch might have cut her up, but it was tame. Artistic .
I can already feel the first stirrings of my cock.
A hard, rough fuck would be a great way to work out all these strange emotions .
I grab her ass and squeeze. “Then maybe I need to remind you why you’re supposed to be afraid of me.”
Pandora laughs. “Blaze, I was never afraid of you.”
She really wasn’t, and that should grate, but now I’m amused all over again. I can take her apart and put her back together and she’ll thank me, not because she’s scared, but because she had a good time.
I pull her into a rough kiss, and she kisses me back eagerly, her teeth sliding against my lips while I drag my tongue along hers.
Fuck.
“Your room—” I suggest, but Pandora shakes her head.
“Yours is right here,” she answers. “Asch fucked me in there last time. You remember? You haven’t had me in it yet.”
She jumps, and I let out a startled gasp as she wraps her legs around my waist. I have to grip her ass to keep her from slipping down.
“Christ. You’re really asking for it,” I grumble, but I carry her up the front steps. I have to struggle to enter the code into the keypad, with Pandora kissing me and writhing in my arms to distract me.
I manage to carry her up the stairs to my bedroom, all while Pandora peppers me with kisses and drags her nails down my back. It’s only lucky nobody opens their door to check on the commotion.
As soon as I’ve got the door to my bedroom closed, I drop Pandora. She makes a disappointed sound.
I slam her against the wall next to the door and trap her there, my arms boxing her in. I’m taller than her, and stronger, but instead of fear, her eyes are wide with desire.
“You’d better keep quiet while I fuck you against this wall,” I growl.
“Oh nooo,” Pandora says breathlessly. “Please don’t, Mr. Bouchard, sir.”
My cock rises to attention. Even in her playful, sarcastic tone, those words have an effect on me.
I grip her hair and force another kiss on her, except there’s nothing forced when she kisses me back eagerly and matches my enthusiasm beat for beat.
Keep an eye on her , my father had said.
I know Pandora’s got her own agenda, but it’s so easy to forget when I can’t stop thinking about her. She never backs down, she always plows ahead with what she wants, and she’s not even remotely afraid of me.
I didn’t realize how attractive that last part would be.
“If you’re wearing panties you care about, I’d suggest stripping them off right now,” I say, tugging at the belt loops of her tight jeans.
Pandora laughs softly. “What is it with you guys and destroying my undies? You keep that up, I’ll have to start going commando.”
Like I really see the problem with that.
I undo the button and zipper and start pushing the jeans down, revealing lacy, hot pink panties.
I guess I know what Pandora expected when she showed up here.
“Not like you can’t afford more of these,” I point out. She swats my hand and pushes the jeans and underwear down.
Her pussy is as neatly shaved now as it had been at the hotel. I cup it and run my finger over the hard nub of her clit. She moans and pushes into my hand, meeting my movements with small thrusts.
“You’ve got some audacity,” I murmur, leaning in to bite the nape of her neck, where there’s a barely perceptible bruise. A reminder of her night with us.
I suck on the bruise to bring it back to life, all while I continue to rub her clit. Pandora moans loudly, not caring at all that she’s supposed to be banned from the house.
She’s right that I don’t care either.
“I told you to keep quiet,” I hiss anyway, pulling my hand away.