7. A Fantastic Idea
A FANTASTIC IDEA
Lorelei
Cordelia leaned against the gray facade of Hearst Hall, her cheeks flushed and that I-just-had-an-amazing-orgasm sparkle in her eye. “I guess I could let you borrow Axel for a little bit as long as you promise to return him.”
I was surprised she was being so nice. I definitely didn’t deserve it. I’d been a total bitch to her best friend, Lexi, last year. It must have been that fantastic sex afterglow.
Ax pressed a kiss to her forehead, and the oddly intimate gesture made me do a double take. It was the second time I’d seen those two post-fucking, and he’d been weirdly sweet on both occasions.
What was up with that?
Cordi wiggled her fingers in his direction and winked. “I owe you one.”
Damn, I was jealous of that girl. Cordi could get away with murder, and no one gave two shits. She could have purple hair, fuck the star quarterback in public, and her nouveau riche family still loved her.
Lucky bitch.
“I’ll get him back to you ASAP,” I called out as Axel grabbed a few of the boxes before they toppled from my arms.
From over my shoulder, I shot Cordi that fake smile I’d mastered after years of attending debutante balls, charity functions, and sorority affairs.
“Thanks for this,” I mumbled to Axel as I led him up the cobbled path to the Zeta house.
“No problem.” He shrugged, and his stomach let out a frightening growl. A chuckle slid out as he marched up the steps between the soaring white columns of the southern plantation-style house. “Guess I should’ve eaten more for lunch today.”
“I suppose I could buy you an early dinner to thank you for helping me move back in.”
He smirked, those bright blue eyes twinkling at the mention of food. “That’s a deal, Battenberg.”
I led him through the foyer, the typical chatter of dozens of females absent today. The plush sofas were empty, and only ashes remained in the grand marble fireplace.
This would be my first summer spent on campus.
I’d never had any desire to remain here before, but anything was better than being forced to associate with my arranged fiancé. Besides, maybe it would be easier to find an eligible bachelor with more than half of the female population gone for the summer.
How hard could it be to find one decent, wealthy heir?
“Why are you moving back into the sorority house by the way?” Axel canted his head over his shoulder when we reached the gleaming mahogany spiral staircase.
“I decided to take a few extra classes to bolster my transcript before I start applying to business schools in the fall.” The lie fell smoothly from my lips.
If I were to marry Brock, it would be the end of my university days, and I’d trade the textbooks and exams for bottles and poopy diapers. But no one had to know that.
“Look at you, little Miss Overachiever.”
“What’s your excuse?”
“Football, of course.” He grinned.
“What are your plans after graduation?”
His broad shoulders lifted. “I’ll probably go straight to work for my dad.
That’s what my older brothers did. I already interned at Vanderhart Securities last summer, and I’ll do it again for a few weeks this year between football training sessions.
Maybe I’ll try for my MBA after a few years of work experience. We’ll see.”
“It must be nice to have the family business to fall on.” I pushed open the door to my room, and an odd emptiness invaded my chest. My roommate, Becca, was gone for the summer, and it would be the first time having the space to myself.
Axel’s brow furrowed as he regarded me. “Please, like your father, the senator, couldn’t hook you up with some six-figure job in a multinational corporation.”
I let out a forced laugh, tipping my head back. “I know. I mean, of course he could.” I pointed at the stack of boxes along the wall, and Axel added his to the pile.
He plopped down on the bare mattress and glanced up at me. “And anyway, aren’t you getting married to that rich, old dude?”
“He’s not that old!” I hissed as I dropped the small box onto the bed.
“But he’s decent? To you, I mean?”
Something about the way Axel said it, as if he already knew Brock was a piece of shit, sent a prickle of heat burning the back of my eyes.
I blinked quickly to drive back the tears. No way I’d let Axel see me cry. I folded down on the opposite side of the bed and swept back an errant tear before it fell. “Umhmm,” I murmured.
Axel shifted, the entire mattress sinking at his massive form. I could feel his intense stare burning into the side of my face. Luckily the marks on my neck had faded, but clearly their impression on him hadn’t.
“Lorelei… if this guy hurt you…”
“He didn’t,” I spat and whirled around, searing him with a narrowed glare. “And you need to stop insinuating that, okay?”
He raised his hands innocently. “I haven’t insinuated it to anyone but you, so relax, Battenberg. I’m just saying, if he did, I’d have no problem teaching the asshole a lesson or two about how you treat a lady.”
An unexpected cackle slipped free.
“What’s so funny?” he asked.
“It’s just surprising coming from you…”
“What’s so surprising? My mama taught all of us Vanderhart boys exemplary manners.”
“Sure, okay, maybe she did. But you do remember how Killian treated me, right?”
He shook his head. “That was different, and you know it, Lorelei. Kill might have had his unique preferences in the bedroom, but he never hurt you.”
Maybe not physically.
Emotionally was another story.
Still, I’d been stupid to put up with Killian for so long when he’d made it clear I meant nothing to him.
“Anyway, you were clearly into all that dark kinky shit as I recall from your over-the-top moans.”
The heat of embarrassment flushed my cheeks, and I whacked Axel on the arm.
Damn, was that a mistake.
The guy’s biceps were like a cement walls. I bit out a squeal and rubbed my sore palm.
He chuckled and the warm sound vibrated his big, barrel chest. “Sorry about that, but at least now you know firsthand what I’d do to that fucker.”
“Oh, I’m sure.”
“And I’d be happy to punish that arrogant oil tycoon if he laid a hand on you.”
I released a long breath, dragging it out to consider the offer. As much as I loved the idea of someone smashing Brock’s snooty nose in, it wouldn’t fix my dilemma.
“He didn’t,” I breathed out and ran my fingers over the faded mark on my neck. “It was an accident with a silk scarf. It’s totally embarrassing really.”
Axel nodded, but a faint tick of his jaw made it clear he wasn’t buying it.
“Anyway, Brock’s gone now,” I added. “I probably won’t see him until the end of the summer when our engagement is officially announced.”
“Damn, I can’t believe you’re actually getting hitched.”
I twirled a lock of blond hair around my finger. “After senior year, everyone’s going to move on anyway. I might as well lock in my future now.” Shit, I sounded miserable. “What about you and Cordi? Any wedding bells in the future?”
He grunted, his expression immediately souring. “We’re just fucking around. It’s not serious.”
“Really?” I arched a skeptical brow. “That silly grin on your face when I caught you two in the alley belonged to a guy who was downright smitten.”
“No way,” he balked. “It’s totally casual. Cordi’s hooking up with like five other guys.”
“Oh…” I folded my hands in my lap as a look of pure torture darkened Axel’s handsome face. “What about you, are you seeing anyone else?”
He clucked his tongue and dragged a hand through the tumbles of dirty blond hair. “Nah, I don’t have time for that with football and classes and all that.”
Hmm… interesting.
“So it’s not because you’re in love with Cordi?” I threw a little singsong in because focusing on someone else’s depressing love life instead of my own sounded much more entertaining.
“No way.” He shot up to his feet and paced the length of my room. “I’m not stupid. Cordi made it perfectly clear that she’s not into commitment.”
A shuffle of footsteps drew my attention down the hallway before I could get another word out.
“Axel! Hey Ax, where are you?”
Speak of the devil.
Cordelia’s voice rang out once more before I made a move for the door.
“We’re over here,” I called out. “Room five.”
She rushed up the steps, strands of purple hair lashing across her face as she turned the corner. I felt Axel move behind me, his big form towering over mine.
“There you are.” She eyed Axel then me, and the line between her dark brows puckered. “What took you so long?”
“We were just catching up,” he answered before turning back to me. “Do you have more boxes in your car?”
“Yeah, just a few. I’m parked right out front. Do you mind?”
“No, not at all. I’ve got to work for that dinner to make it worth your while. I’m starved.” He brushed past Cordelia as he headed for the steps. “Be right back.”
As soon as his heavy footfalls fell away, she swiveled her attention to me. “Dinner?”
“Yeah, I owe him for helping me out.”
“Oh…” Her bright pink lips screwed into a pout.
“It’s not like a date or anything,” I added.
“No, it’s fine, whatever.” She waved a nonchalant hand. “Axel is free to do whatever he wants.”
But the jealous look in her eye called her a big fat liar.
We remained locked in a heavy silence for an awkward few minutes until Axel returned. As I stood there watching her fuss over him as he reorganized the tower of boxes, a fantastic idea began to form, and the hint of a smile curled my lips.
Maybe there was a way to get out of this engagement and for Axel to get Cordi to commit to a real relationship…