10. Make It Happen
MAKE IT HAPPEN
Axel
The ball snapped, the line exploded, and I hesitated for half a second. Again. The whistle blew before I could curse, but Coach’s glare from the sideline said enough.
I ripped my football helmet off and wiped the sweat pouring down my face with my arm, the sun beaming across the field and frying my ass. As if the memories of last night weren’t bad enough, I had to play like shit during practice.
Images of Kyle ramming into Cordi from behind had my stomach churning. The crunch of his bones against my hand had an equally sickening effect, even if I did get a little pleasure out of causing him pain.
Still, if Killian hadn’t pulled me off, Kyle would be dead, and I’d be threatened with prison for murder.
Again.
“Yo, Vanderhart!” Byron jogged to me and tore his helmet off, his bronzed skin gleaming with sweat. “I can catch the ball—when you stop throwing duds.”
I flipped him off and snatched my water bottle from the table on the sidelines, squirting the ice-cold liquid into my mouth. “Go to hell, Phillips. I’m having an off day.”
“Must have had a rough night too.” His dark gaze lingered on my bruised knuckles. “Whose face did you break?”
“Just some little punk’s.”
The throbbing in my knuckles was nothing compared to the heavy weight sitting on my chest. Cordi had watched me erupt into a jealous rage and nearly kill a guy for fucking her. She’d never believe I didn’t have feelings for her, and that was the worst thing imaginable in her book.
When Lorelei proposed her little deal last night, I was skeptical. Could I spend an entire summer pretending to date Lorelei Battenberg just to make Cordelia jealous? Would anyone really believe we were a couple? Killian would think I’d lost my mind.
I would have immediately declined Lorelei’s offer, but the hope blooming in her eyes had stopped me. She had to be desperate to get away from Brock to even consider this, and that alone almost had me agreeing. Despite what she claimed, that fucker had hurt her.
So, I told her I’d think about it.
“Vanderhart!” Coach Carson blew his whistle from a few yards down the sidelines and waved me over.
I muttered several choice words as I jogged in his direction.
“Will the golden boy get scolded for once?” Byron laughed as he kept pace beside me before veering off to the field.
The coach chucked his clipboard on the table and crossed his arms against his broad chest, wrinkling the black and gold Knights shirt.
Dark hair peppered with streaks of gray was smoothed away from his square face, the lines of his jaw so harsh a guy could break his damn hand if he tried to punch the colossal man.
He’d played for the San Francisco 49ers until he busted both knees.
“What’s up with you today, Axel? Your head’s not in the game. It’s nowhere in the vicinity.”
I swallowed hard and raked my fingers through my damp strands. Just because Coach Carson wouldn’t bench me for fucking up didn’t mean I wasn’t disappointed in myself.
“Sorry, Coach. A situation occurred last night that, uh, has me distracted.”
His aquamarine stare traced the bruises on my knuckles like Byron’s had, and he stepped closer, his brow furrowing. “Does this have anything to do with the brotherhood? Do you need help with anything?”
Victor Carson would know all about the Serpents & Daggers considering he was an Ascended. The snake wrapped around a knife tattoo on his forearm moved as his muscles flexed and veins popped.
“No, sir, the brotherhood isn’t involved.” I palmed my nape, my eyes cast on my grass-stained cleats. “There’s just this girl…” I trailed off, my cheeks flushing.
His boisterous laughter had my head snapping up. “Axel, son, there’s no reason to be upset over a piece of ass.” He slapped my tattoo. “You’re a fucking Lord here, a god among men. If you want something, including some hot pussy, find a way to make it happen.”
“Yeah, but—”
Coach Carson gripped the neckline of my practice jersey. “If you want something, take it. Simple as that.” He pushed me toward the field. “Now get out there and show me why you’re the star of this team.”
As I shoved my helmet back on and trotted onto the field, some of the tension in my chest eased. Coach Carson was right. I belonged to one of the most rich and powerful secret organizations in this country. If I wanted something, I’d take it. And that was exactly what I intended to do.
Fine tremors raced through my hand as I lifted it to dark mahogany wood and knocked, the gilded room numbers gleaming under the soft lighting in the hall.
Make it happen.
Coach’s words had been stuck in my mind since practice, and as soon as it ended, I showered and headed to Davenport Dormitory to take what I wanted.
A beautiful redhead answered the door, a soft, sympathetic smile curling her lips. “Hi, Axel.”
“Hi, Lexi.” For fuck’s sake, Killian’s girlfriend obviously knew I had it bad for her roommate, and the pity in her eyes made me want to turn around and storm away. “Is Cordi here?”
She stepped aside to allow me in where Cordelia was sprawled on her four-poster bed, flicking through the screens on her tablet. The tousled white comforter made her sun-kissed skin glow.
“I told you I didn’t want to see him,” she hissed, barely sparing me a glance.
This might be harder than I thought.
Lexi gave a casual shrug. “Oops. I forgot.” She grabbed a bag and tossed it over her shoulder. “I’m meeting Kill. See ya’.”
Cordelia’s jaw dropped as her best friend scurried out of the room. “Scheming little bitch.”
I cleared my throat. “I’m really sorry about last night, Cordi. Things got out of hand.”
“You call almost killing Kyle out of hand?” She tossed her tablet aside, got up, and strode to her vanity near the arched windows. Glass clinks echoed as she rummaged through bottles of nail polish. “It’s pretty obvious you can’t handle our arrangement.”
“That’s not true.” I dropped onto the edge of Lexi’s neatly made bed. “I was just drunk and being stupid.”
She picked a sparkly green color and returned to her bed, her hot pink tights and sports bra hugging her curves perfectly.
“You weren’t drunk.” When Cordelia finally looked at me, she sighed, and her muscles loosened. “You have feelings for me and want more than I can give.”
I scoffed and tried to keep my voice even while my heart was shattering. “Don’t jump to conclusions.”
“I’m not, Ax.” Her expression softened. “We can’t do this anymore. I told you from day one I didn’t want anything serious, and if we continue this, you’ll end up hating me when I don’t commit to a relationship.”
I wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans, my pulse thundering as her words sank in. This was not going how I expected. Cordelia was breaking things off. If I didn’t do something, I’d lose her forever.
Find a way to make it happen.
“There’s clearly been a huge misunderstanding.” I gave a dry laugh. “You’re not the only girl I’m seeing.”
Her brow arched skeptically as she shook the nail polish bottle. “I’ve never seen you with anyone else.”
“That’s because I’m a gentleman.” I winked, but ice swept through my hollow insides. “In fact, things are getting serious with her, and I wanted to tell you we should probably cool it.”
Cordi’s head snapped back, shaking her purple and raven locks. “Who is she?”
My heart thumped with a thin shred of hope. Maybe Lorelei was right about Cordelia being jealous.
“I didn’t want you to think I was ghosting you.” I stood and ambled toward the door. “We can still be friends, though. I’ll see you around, Cordi.”
Before she could ask more questions, I hightailed it out of her room, grabbed my phone, and texted the last person I thought I’d ever go to for help.
After Lorelei told me she was in the library, I trudged across campus, trying not to freak out over my decision. I finally found the blond bombshell at a collection of wooden tables in the back with a few other students.
“Who the hell made you the boss?” A girl with tattoos on her fingers and jet-black hair sneered at Lorelei from across the table. “I’m not taking orders from some sorority bimbo.”
She clearly had no idea who Lorelei Battenberg was.
Lorelei flashed her perfectly white teeth in a saccharine smile. “No one made me the boss. I just am. And if you want to get an A on this assignment, fall in line before I rip that nose ring out and make you choke on it.”
For shit’s sake. Was I really doing this?
I pressed my hand on the table and leaned over her, inhaling the soft, floral scent that clung to her skin. “We need to talk.”
“I told you I was busy.” Lorelei glanced up at me. “Come by the Zeta house later.”
She returned to the others, spouting detailed tasks for each of them as I gritted my teeth.
Blondie was seriously ignoring me? If I didn’t do this now, my common sense would creep back in, and I’d lose my nerve.
Take what you want.
I cupped the back of Lorelei’s head, forced it in my direction, and crushed my lips to hers.
That definitely got her attention.
Her squeal of surprise died off when I pulled her up out of her seat and forced my tongue into her mouth, licking and tasting her surprisingly intoxicating flavor. Damn. The girl tasted like tart cherries and sin. My dick was suddenly rock fucking hard.
And then she bit my tongue like a little psycho and shoved me back, but I wouldn’t let her put more than an inch between us.
“What the hell are you doing?” she hissed.
A grin curved my lips as I licked her taste from them. “Just kissing my girlfriend.”