Chapter 6
SIX
Harley texts us to meet him in the dining hall for breakfast the next morning, so Avery makes us both coffees to go.
She doesn’t look up from her phone the whole way down, trusting me to lead her there safely with her arm tucked tight in mine.
I’m so distracted by my own thoughts and worries of what the fuck the history teacher wanted with him that I don’t notice the guy steeping into our path until we slam into him.
I grunt at the sharp pain that shoots up my leg and Avery, thankfully, manages to keep me upright thanks to her firm grip on my arm. With barely more than a glance, she makes an assessment of whoever the fuck we’ve hit and her fingers fly across the screen of her phone.
Glancing up, I find a Darcy smirking down at me.
Now, I know it’s not Thomas Darcy, because he was a senior last year and this guy is a good foot shorter than him, but the likeness is striking.
I mentally nickname him little Darcy.
“What do you want, asshole? Some of us have better places to be than standing around like fucking creeps,” I snap, and Avery giggles at my attitude, lapping it up.
He smirks at me and rubs his chest where I’d bumped into him. “Now, now, Mounty, don’t be like that! I’ve been looking for you everywhere! My brother did warn me that you’re a hard girl to catch.”
I roll my eyes and take a step around him, holding in the wince. The last thing this week needs is my leg acting up, and I can already tell ice cream and coffee are not going to be enough to stop the impending bloodshed if it doesn’t turn around soon.
He steps in front of me once more, blocking our path again with that same creepy smirk.
“I just wanted to make sure you haven’t been whoring over the summer break?
I know that’s the common occupation for girls like you, and I need to know you didn’t have to earn the roof over your head.
I’ve taken over Thomas’s position as bet keeper. ”
For. Fuck’s. Sake.
I’m rendered speechless for a second over his disgusting arrogance. No matter, Avery has my back and speaks for me.
“There is no bet; even if Joey were still here, that little game of his is over with. Now move, Darcy, before I make you disappear in a permanent sort of way,” she says, sweet and dangerous.
Little Darcy has no survival instincts and his mouth just keeps running. “Just because Joey graduated, doesn’t mean the bet isn’t ongoing. I’m happy to clear the cobwebs out, Mounty! Maybe the time away from cock has tightened that slum pussy of yours up a bit.”
Deep breath in. Deep breath out…
Is what a normal person would do.
Me?
I break the fucker’s nose with the heel of my palm and then punch him so hard in the dick I think his fucking ancestors feel it.
The squealing sound that comes out of him is magical.
Avery giggles and records the entire thing on her phone. I think about telling her to put it the fuck away because I’m going to gut the creepy fuck, but then I hear a bag drop to the floor and see the blur of dark hair and solid muscle fly past us to pin little Darcy against the wall.
“Say it again, Darcy. Proposition my girlfriend again, I want to hear it for myself before I put you in a fucking coma.”
I swear to God, my heart stops.
The activity in the hall stops too, all of the students cease moving, talking and fucking breathing now that there’s an enraged Beaumont snarling in their presence.
I have to remind my body that the Jackal doesn’t own me, and I can be with whoever the fuck I want, but there’s still a drop of panic hitting my bloodstream at Ash’s words.
God, even worse than the panic is the way my bottom lip wants to drop over it, too, which is a whole new life experience.
I’ve never pouted over a god-damned thing in my life but, fuck, I wanted more time to ourselves, without the fucking gossips and the threat of the Jackal hanging over all three of them. I can never catch a break.
“I didn’t know she was yours!” sputters little Darcy, literally sputters because there’s blood pouring out of his nose and mouth, spraying onto the ground at their feet.
Avery cringes away from them, tugging my arm, but I’m slow to follow her.
I want to watch, I want to know how Ash is going to play this.
“She’s mine. She’s Arbour’s, and she’s Morrison’s. If I find out a single dickhead has propositioned her, I will take them out. Gone. No fucking more.” He speaks loud enough that the students watching all hear his words, and I blush from the looks I’m now getting.
There are quite a few girls dumb enough to glare at me, and Avery starts taking notes on her phone. I roll my eyes at her. I don’t have time to deal with petty teenage bullshit. Let them be jealous, fuck, I was writhing with it when I thought Annabelle had what I now do.
Ash moves a hand to grip little Darcy’s throat, squeezing tight enough that his eyes get panicked as they start to bulge out of his head.
“My beloved sister is going to pass along the Mounty’s bank details and you’re going to deposit the sweep in there.
It’s her fucking money. If I catch you within ten feet of her again… gone, Darcy. Gone.”
Little Darcy’s phone pings, and Avery gives him a sarcastic little wave. Ash drops his hands and takes a step back, swooping down to grab his bag, then he glares around the room until the captive audience scurries away.
“I had it under control,” I grouse, and he snorts at me.
“Just let me defend you for once, Mounty, for Christ’s sake. Besides, we needed to get word out somehow that you’re our girlfriend and not just a random fuck. No better way than making someone bleed.”
Avery gives him a look over my head. “You had better not be fucking her.”
Ash watches me take one wobbling step and then sighs, slinging an arm around my waist to mold me into his side. Avery tucks her arm into his on the other side, but the stern look stays on her face.
“Avery, please. At some point Lips is going to want to fuck me.”
Nope.
I try to pull away from him, but he laughs at me, the dick, and tightens his arm.
“Lips, I’m firmly team Morrison on the v card debate,” Avery says, her voice too fucking loud as we walk through the halls teeming with students.
Why? Why?! What have I done to deserve this?!
“You’re my sister; you’re supposed to be on my side!” Ash hisses back at her, pissy at her supposed betrayal.
Avery giggles and shakes her head at him like he’s simple.
It’s nice to see it directed somewhere other than at me.
“We’ve discussed this. It’s a Battle Royale for my affections.
Lips is in the lead; massively, by the way, the rest of you should really start putting some effort in.
Morrison is next and, you and Harley are joint losers. ”
“What the fuck has Morrison done to get ahead?”
Avery smirks at him and I decide that death is preferable to this conversation. “You keep arguing with me over Lips, and Harley keeps shoving his tongue down her throat in my presence. Morrison at least attempts some form of discretion.”
Whether he’s sulking about her answer, or he notices how much I do not want to be listening to this argument, he lets it drop and I get enough of a reprieve to scrape my brain back together. My peace doesn’t last long, though. The news of my three-way relationship hits the dining hall before we do.
Blaise is slouched over, held up only by the wall, and Harley is frowning down at his phone as we arrive. He glances up and does a quick once over of me before sneering at Ash. “A public claiming, really? Like she doesn’t already have enough on her fucking plate.”
Ash’s eyes grow glacial and I groan. “I’ve just removed things from her plate. Now there isn’t a guy at this school that will touch her, because I will personally beat the life out of them.”
Shivering, I pull away from him before he can give me shit for reacting like he’s given me flowers or some other shit normal girls like.
Blaise takes his chance and pushes off the wall to tuck me under his arm instead. “Whatever, it’s done now. Can we eat so this day can start? I already need it to fucking end.”
We move into the dining hall without waiting for their answers, Blaise rubbing his cheek on the top of my head as he yawns like a damn cat.
Every eye turns to watch us.
I tense and only Blaise’s arm around me stops me from pulling away from him. Avery steps up to my side and slips her arm into mine, glaring around the room until the other students avert their gaze.
“Just ignore them, Star,” Blaise mumbles and that snaps me out of my awkward nervousness. I give him my best impression of Avery’s icy glare.
“What the hell kind of nickname is that?” Avery mocks, and Blaise’s eyes fucking twinkle. I think about thumbing them the fuck out.
“It’s an inside joke; you wouldn’t get it.” He smirks and grabs a tray to fill.
Once we’re seated and digging into our breakfasts, Harley’s eyes flick to the door, and he groans. I glance over my shoulder to find Ms. Vivienne sauntering in. Blaise snickers under his breath and I jab him in the ribs.
“She offered to write up a personal recommendation letter to three different scholarship programs for me if I join her gifted students study group,” Harley says, watching her warily.
“She offered that to you and not Lips? She beats you in every class, except choir where she’s beating Morrison,” Ash, very helpfully, but also very dickishly, supplies.
Harley doesn’t take the bait, he just raises a brow and says, “I’m aware of that, but the Mounty doesn’t have a dick, so I don’t think she’s the slut’s type.”
Before I have the chance to react, Avery holds up a palm. “I think I should warn you all. Lips has declared the word slut off-limits. If you like your fingernails where they are, I’d choose a new word.”
They all look at me, and I shrug. “Pliers hurt like a bitch.”
Harley’s smirk is a dangerous thing, and my chest squeezes at the sight of it. “Is that how you’re going to make her bleed over my honor, Mounty?”
Scoffing, I throw a napkin at his smug face. “What honor? You should take her up on it.”
Avery cuts me a sharp look, and I shrug. “We have nothing on her. Best-case scenario she tries to touch him, and after he breaks her fucking hand, we own her. Worst-case scenario, he has an in for scholarships.”
I’m not happy about it, but I’m also not going to be possessive and pathetic about this. I trust him; I wouldn’t have told him I was the Wolf if I didn’t. Besides, she’s a desperate, attention-seeking cougar. What do we have to be worried about?
Avery looks impressed. “Ruthless. I love it.”
Harley’s eyes narrow, the smug smirk gone. “You’re not worried about me?”
Brows raised, I send him a look. “Why should I be? It’s not like you’re going to give in and fuck her. Plus, if she gets handsy, I’m confident you’ll be able to figure it out. Just don’t accept any drinks from the bitch.”
Blaise roars with laughter over the face Harley pulls, but Avery steers the conversation in a safer direction.