Chapter 17
“She’s back in class,”Seven says as he walks into the kitchen. He slides onto one of the stools at the counter and looks at me.
“How did she manage that?” I lean forward on the counter, my eyes meeting his.
His shoulders lift as he shakes his head. “I’m guessing she had a convincing argument of ‘I didn’t drop this class. This is your error.’”
I make a face. “Shit. So, she will be back in class, then, come Monday. Fucking awesome.” I run a hand over my jaw, sighing.
He levels me with a look. “Dude, it can’t be that bad. It’s not like she’s torturing you.”
I let out a long sigh. “That’s just it. She fucking is. She’s sexy as fuck. And when she was on my bed … fuck. I wanted to sink deep into her. Being anywhere near her is a dangerous game.”
Seven smiles. “Aw, does someone have a crush on her? Rory and Dekker, sitting in a tree?—”
I slap him upside the head. “Knock it off. You know you want to get your dick wet in her, too.”
“I so fucking do,” Seven hums. “Bet it’s nice and tight. Bet she gets really wet too. Fuck, I’m giving myself a boner just talking about her.”
“Hey, what are you guys doing right now?” Xayden asks from behind us as he saunters into the kitchen.
“I’m getting a boner talking about your sister,” Seven groans.
“First, stepsister,” he corrects. “You all need to stop calling her my sister. Second, please un-boner yourself.” Xayden grimaces. “We need to talk about something.”
“And just like that, soft.” Seven looks down at his crotch with a frown.
I shake my head at Seven and glance at Xay. “What’s going on?” I ask.
“Did you ever figure out who was responsible for the dryer incident?” Xayden asks Seven.
He had him pull the camera footage from the hallways. His dad called him to ask what the hell was going on, and we had no clue that had even happened.
When Xayden told me what transpired with the dryer, a rage formed inside of me. There’s messing with her and then there is putting her in a situation that gets people outside of this involved.
Whoever did that, they will fucking pay for that.
“Nothing. Someone edited the footage to loop it. Whoever did it, props to them. They left no traces of their hack.” Seven shrugs.
“Yeah, now that scares me even more.” Xayden runs a hand down his face. “Fuck, we may be dealing with something.”
“What do you mean?” I ask him.
“I was at my dad’s law office late last night and I found this.” Xayden drops a manila folder in front of us.
I slide the folder closer and open it. Inside are pictures of Aaron and June on their honeymoon. “What is this?” My eyes narrow.
Xay shakes his head. “No idea. But my dad rushed home from his honeymoon. And I’m going to guess it has something to do with this.” He frowns.
I pass a photo to Seven and take a look at the next one.
Well, these are definitely not photos taken for memories. I stare at the one that was taken through the window of their rented house. Yikes.
I flip through the rest, and I can tell these are taken from afar. When I get to the last one, my heart stops.
Rory.
Here on campus.
“What the fuck is this?” I look up at Xayden. I can feel the tightness in my neck and the pit in my stomach grow.
“I don’t know. But it’s not good, whatever it is.” Xayden rubs the back of his neck. “I mean, there are zero pictures of me or any of you, so I assume this has something to do with Rory and her mom.”
“Was there any note or anything? Something to go along with these?” Seven studies the photos carefully.
“Nothing. But can you get into my father’s emails? See if maybe something was sent there? He came home fast, and the only communication would have been by phone or emails.”
Seven nods. “Yeah, I’ll see what I can find.”
Xayden turns toward me. “I need you to keep an eye on Rory for me. However you can, just don’t let her out of your sights.”
“Can I ask a question?” My eyes meet Xayden’s.
He nods. “Sure.”
“Why do you care, Xayden? You have been anti-Rory since you met her. Why give two shits now?”
“Yeah, bro. This doesn’t track with how you have been since the day they got to Texas. And don’t get me wrong, you are not the asshole you are playing right now. And you know we will back you with anything, but why the one-eighty?” Seven rubs the back of his neck nervously.
He purses his lips before letting out a long breath. I can see a war raging internally with that question. I know he wants to say he doesn’t, but I know he does.
He likes her. We all do. But he has an obsession with her.
I’ve seen the looks he gives her across the SUC or back before we got on campus. Just staring at her, like he is ready to throw her to the ground and fuck her right there.
When she would be walking around the guest house. His eyes tracked her every movement. He wanted to devour her.
But somewhere in his mind, he has it in him that he has to hate her. That just because his dad married her mom, she becomes untouchable.
Looking for any reason to be pissed at her.
He clears his throat, and I know a load of horse shit is about to come out. “Because my dad would be mad if I let anything happen to her.”
I nod and my lips turn down. “Gotcha. Okay, well, I will go follow your sister around.”
“Stepsister,” he corrects.
“Sure, stepsister. I’ll let you know what happens.” I grab my keys to my bike and take off toward the campus. It’s Friday afternoon, and I know she’s in studio at this time.
My lips turn up. She’s going to love seeing me.
As I pull up to the architecture building, I park my bike in the motorcycle parking along the side of the building. I pull out my phone and see that she will still be in class for another hour.
Making my way to the front of the building, I walk through the front doors. I notice the Architecture Library to my left and the offices in front of me.
Heading toward the right, I figure the classrooms and studios will be down this way.
As I walk down the giant hallways, the walls are decorated with work from different students.
Some look as if they have been drawn by hand, others created on the computer and printed out. Boards detailing different extravagant projects, colors splashing the boring beige walls.
Some of these are pretty awesome.
I walk past the first door that’s open and peek in. My eyes scan around the giant open studio, students milling about, some with their heads bent over their laptops.
And then I spot her.
Her brows are furrowed as she scribbles on a roll of paper. She bites her lip and tears whatever she is doing off the roll of paper, taping it on the wall next to her desk.
I can’t make out what it is, but I’m guessing it’s for whatever project they are working on.
I watch her for a few more minutes before I see a guy come up to her and stand next to her.
He smiles at her, places his hand on her back, then says something that makes her laugh. Fucking laugh.
I. See. Fucking. Red.
Without even thinking, my feet carry me over to her. As I get closer to her desk, she finally looks my way and her eyes widen.
“D-Dekker? W-what are you doing in here?” Her voice wavers as she slowly steps closer to this douche canoe.
“Who the fuck is this?” I point to the guy whose smile is now fading fast as he stands straighter. As if he stood a chance at taking me on.
“I’m Damien, her boyfriend. Who the fuck are you?” He narrows his eyes at me.
Rory spins to face him. “Wait, my boy?—”
“Her boyfriend? She sure didn’t mention a boyfriend when I had her under me at the party last weekend. In fact, I am pretty sure she was calling out Dekker, and not whatever douchebag name you have.”
I cock a grin as I see Rory’s face pale.
“What?” His mouth drops open, and his head snaps toward Rory. “What the hell is this asshole talking about?”
By now the whole class has quieted down. Thank fuck there is no professor in sight. Because I am sure I would be removed from this class.
“Get the hell out of here, Dekker!” I turn and find her roommate and friend, Addy, with her fists curled at her sides.
I just flick her nose. “Shush. Grownups are talking.”
“Don’t you fucking touch her, you fucking shithead!” My attention turns back to Rory to see her face all red and the look of fire in her eyes.
“Look, I didn’t come here to start trouble. I just wanted to see if you wanted to maybe go out. Seeing how we had such a nice time in my bed the other night.” I shrug.
“You were in his bed, Rory? What the fuck?” The asshole next to her backs up in disbelief.
“It’s not what you think. I promise,” she pleads with him.
“Then tell me what happened on Friday.” He puts his hands on his hips and stands over her, a thunderous look in his eyes.
“Can we just talk about this later, Damien?”
He shakes his head. “No. Tell me.”
She bites her lip and looks between me and him. “No.”
“‘No’,” he repeats with a scoff. “Got it.” He turns to his desk and scoops up his laptop and bag, then storms out of the room.
“Damien, wait!” Rory calls out, but he keeps walking, completely ignoring her.
She turns to me, and there’s a rage in her eyes, a fire burning. “What the fuck was that? What the fuck is wrong with you?” she demands.
I shrug. “Not a thing, Angel. I just don’t like another guy touching what’s mine.”
“Excuse me? I am not yours, you psychopath! Get the fuck out of here!” Rory points toward the door.
I look at Addy who is baring teeth at this point. And it’s cute that she thinks she can take down the likes of me. As I turn my attention back to Rory, the flaming rage in her eyes, the red in her cheeks, my dick stirs to life.
Fuck, I do not need a boner in the middle of this class.
“Tell you what, how about I take you for a ride on my bike later tonight? I’ll make it up to you, Angel.”
“Stop. Calling. Me. Angel! And take your fucking offer and shove it so far up your ass and fuck off with it.” Rory grabs her bag and things, then bulldozes past me and others.
Addy follows her, giving me the stink eye as she does.
I run a hand down my face and turn to see the entire studio still staring at me.
I growl and narrow my eyes at them; instantly, they all turn back to what they were busy doing, or at least pretending to. Fucking good.
I head out of the building, not sure where Rory went off to. So far, this is not a well thought out attempt to keep an eye on her.
Xayden is not going to be happy with me. But fuck it. I just need to figure out a way to get back on her good side.
And keep that fucking douche away from her.
I pull up my phone and text Seven.
Me:
Any luck with the emails?
Seven:
Nope. Not yet. You find her?
Me:
You can say that.
Seven:
What did you do? Fuck her in the middle of class?
Me:
Well I had her screaming in the middle of class, but it wasn’t because of my dick.
Seven:
What a waste of a good scream. What happened?
Me:
I’ll spill later. But I need you to look up someone in her class by the name of Damien. I didn’t get a last name.
Seven:
Who is this Damien?
Me:
Claims to be her boyfriend, but she was even shocked by that admission. I want to know who he is.
Seven:
On it.
I pocket my phone and head back toward my bike. But at the last second, I decide to head to the library.
Leaving my bike where it is, I walk across the campus toward the library. But before I get there, I see Damien and Rory out in front of her dorm.
Quickly, I take shelter on the side of the building, where I am still within earshot to hear what they are talking about, but out of their line of sight.
“Why did you sleep with him? On the night of our first date? What the fuck, Rory?” he demands.
“Damien! Listen to me! I didn’t sleep with him! He is full of shit. I went upstairs to use the bathroom. That’s it. It happened to be his room. He threw insults my way and then I left because of it.”
“Fuck. Rory, I’m sorry. I-I didn’t mean to get all pissed off back there. I wish you would have told me what went on that night.” Damien rubs the back of his neck,
“First, I didn’t have to, nor did I now. I did it because I didn’t need you thinking I was some skank on this campus. Second, why the hell would you say you’re my boyfriend? We went on one date, Damien.”
He lets out a sigh as he looks up at the sky.
“I’m sorry. It was just a reaction. He just came out of nowhere, and I didn’t like how you stiffened up. I was legit just trying to protect you. Try to make him go away.”
I’m not going anywhere, asshole.
“I don’t need protection. He is just one of my stepbrother’s asshole friends. I can take care of myself.” She crosses her arms in front of her.
“I’m sorry, Rory. Please let me make it up to you. Let me take you out again. Let’s redo this whole first date thing. Somewhere off campus,” he pleads.
She shakes her head. “I need some time to think, Damien. This has all been … a lot.”
He nods and purses his lips. He doesn’t say anything for a moment, but then breaks the silence. “Okay. I understand. Just text me and let me know. See you later Rory.”
“Bye, Damien.” She watches him leave and then turns toward her dorm and heads inside.
I highly doubt she is going to give him another chance. He fucked up trying to get all possessive with her. She has been on her own with her mom for the longest time. The last thing Rory needs is someone trying to come in as a white knight.
Which leaves room for me to come in and dickmatize her. I don’t want to be her white knight. I just want her bouncing on my cock.
I’m a gentleman, after all.