by Ruby Vincent
“You’ve certainly earned the title.”
Maverick lifted a giggling Esme and placed her in a seat. The little girl stuck her tongue out at me the second he looked away. I’d given up on winning her over three kicks in the shin ago. The closer I got to Adam, the more she hated me.
“There were all of these boxes,” I went on. “Was I supposed to open them for you?”
Mr. Beaumont crossed the short distance to my side. It still amazed me how such a powerfully built man moved so gracefully. “Some of them,” he replied. “A few are going on display for the students to try. The rest in the back.”
Maverick reached in and pulled out a sleek, all-black tablet. His finger glided over the surface and it came to life. “They’re a new product made especially for students. We’re giving them their first test run in Breakbattle.”
“Really? They’re for us?”
“Free of charge.” He tapped home and a sea of apps flooded the screen. “You can do everything like a regular tablet, but it also allows teachers to upload homework and assignments. You can take tests on these and there are free subscriptions to databases and scholarly sources.”
“This is amazing and—” My excitement leaked out of me. “It’s only for Elites and As, isn’t it?”
“No.” Maverick grinned as he handed it over. “My terms were clear. These tablets are free for all students regardless of class, or we offer them to Chesterfield High instead. You can’t do a proper test without a varied sample size.”
I clutched the tablet to my chest, grinning ear to ear. MT tablets were expensive on sale. This was an incredibly gift.
“Want to hear about the tech?” he asked.
“Actually, I’d like to hear about the math.”
“Just as interesting. So what we did is...”
Maverick and I launched into a fascinating conversation about the math involved in computer engineering. It was the most fun I had in school in a long time and it came to an abrupt end when Esme shoved her way between us.
A tiny elbow caught me in the side. “Daddy, I’m bored.”
“Okay, sweetie.” He lifted her up and she wrapped her arms around his shoulder. “Let’s go see Mommy before the kids come.” Maverick addressed me. “Zeke, would you mind taking the rest of the tablets into the storage room?”
“No problem.”
The door to the storage was in the very back of the room. I weaved through the booths with my precious cargo, scanning banners on the way. The collection of talent, companies, and fields here amazed me. I couldn’t wait to speak to the people I circled on my list.
Carefully, I pushed open the door and slipped into the dark room. I let my eyes adjust rather than scramble for the lights while holding the tablets. I made out an empty table in the back. I put down the box just as the door opened. The next thing I knew the storage room was flooded with light.
“I got it. Finish setting up the table.”
I froze. That voice.
“Okay,” he said to someone I couldn’t hear. “Thanks.”
The door swung shut. “What are you doing in here?”
“What does it look like, Landon?” I turned and faced his narrowed gaze. I made a show of looking him up and down before meeting his eyes. “No contacts today. I love the colors you go with, but can I admit your natural brown is my favorite?”
“No.”
His blunt reply made me laugh. Now that I knew what to look for, I could see his attempt to appear uncaring was failing miserably. The muscles in his jaw ticked and his grip on the table cloth was tight.
Slowly, I made my way over to him. He tensed like I was going to attack him.
I stepped into his space and was engulfed in a sweet scent that was all Landon. I just might attack him.
A smile spread across my lips. “You shaved today.”
“I shave every day.”
“I like your stubble,” I whispered. Without thinking too hard, I trailed my finger along his cheek.
“Don’t,” he said, but his eyes fluttered shut.
I bit my lip. My nerves were humming hot and tingly beneath my skin. I could sense the effect I had on him and it was causing my breaths to come in shorter pants. I stepped closer, pressing my chest against his just to see what would happen. Landon put his hands on my waist and held me tight.
My finger followed the natural ridges of his jaw until they reached just below his lips. The memory of those lips on mine were ravaging my mind and I felt an entirely new sensation in my core.
“We’re not doing this, Zela,” he whispered. “It’s t-too much.”
His trouble speaking only thrilled me more.
“You’re a boy, then you’re not a boy. You’re For All, then you’re not. You’re with Moon, then you’re saying you want me. I can’t fucking keep up!”
His words were barely penetrating. All I focused on were those lips.
“I’m not playing this game. I don’t know what you’re trying to do but—”
“Don’t know what I’m trying to do?” I caressed his bottom lip. “I thought it was obvious?”
Landon’s breath caught at the same moment mine did. His fingers dug harder into my side. “Don’t do that.”
“Don’t do what? Stroke your mouth?” I rose on tiptoe and brushed my lips against his jaw. “What do you want me to stroke instead?”
My cheeks burned as I uttered that question. I had no clue what I was saying but it sounded sexy.
A groan ripped from his throat. “Fuck this!”
I cried out when Landon’s hand suddenly clamped my ass and lifted me in the air. I didn’t have a chance to think before I was slammed against the wall and his lips crashed down on me. This kiss wasn’t sweet or gentle or loving, but neither of us were going for that.
My hands stroked and tugged at his hair as our tongues clashed in a fiery battle we weren’t willing to lose. Landon grabbed me under the knees and spread my legs. I gasped as he ground his bulge against my center. It throbbed with more than it could take; I didn’t know what would happen if he didn’t stop—
Landon held me with one hand and slipped the other through the waistband of my pants.
My head flew back and hit the wall. I was seeing stars for many reasons.
“Fucking h-hell, Landon.” I found the top of his shirt and tore. Buttons flew everywhere.
“Come back here,” he growled. He caught my lips again just as his fingers found a spot that made my toes curl all the way up.
Landon swallowed my moan. It was true I didn’t have the first clue about sex, but so far so fucking good.
Bang!
“Landon, what’s taking so lon—?”
Our lips tore apart, head snapping to the doorway as Michael burst in. Michael took in the scene—me pressed against the wall, lips swollen, Landon’s hand down my pants—and his jaw dropped.
He didn’t say anything. Michael darted out of the room, slamming the door shut. The bang was the final death knell on the mood.
Landon pulled his hand out and put me down while I was still trying to register what was going on.
“I have to go.”
Then the door slammed shut again and I was alone.
I fixed myself up with shaky hands.
What the hell was that, Zela?! We’re trying to seduce and dump him, not lose our virginity in a storage room!
Flushing, I straightened my wig. That got way out of hand and I had no explanation. My brain went off line the moment I touched him.
The door flew open. “Zela, you in here?”
I blinked at Adam. “Hey, uh, did Maverick send you for me?”
Adam took one look at me and grinned. “So that’s why Landon ran past me with his clothes all torn up.”
If I thought I was blushing before. “Is it that obvious that I—?”
“Yep.”
“Do you think other people can tell I—?”
“Yep.”
“Should I go outside for a little—?”
<
br /> “Yep.”
I nodded. “I’ll go get some water and maybe change my—”
“Panties?”
“Shut up!” I swatted his shoulder as he guffawed. “I was going to say clothes.”
“Sure you were.”
“I hate you,” I mumbled as I raced out of there. His chuckles followed me as I skirted the back of the room.
“It wasn’t my fault, Dad.”
The whispered voice made me slow down.
“Don’t give me excuses, boy,” snapped a gruff baritone. “The weak blame others for their failures.”
“I know, sir. I’m sorry, sir.”
I stopped completely. Cameron?
How could that be Cameron? I had never heard him sound so contrite. Slowly, my feet carried me nearer the booth. No one could see me. All the booths in the back row faced the front and oversized signs and tarp concealed my presence.
“Do you have any idea how embarrassed I was when I discovered my own son was recruited into the Network without my knowledge or permission? Then when those pompous, self-righteous dicks accept my generous offer to join, I find out you’ve been demoted.”
“I messed up, sir.” Cameron spoke a decibel above a whisper. “I’m sorry.”
“I don’t want to hear you’re sorry, boy. I want to hear you’re going to get your position back.”
“I’ll get it back.”
“Good.” I heard shuffling, then the sound of something smacking the table. “I’ve been overhearing whispers about the Network for years, but never knew who was involved. Now they are coming to me because those bastards realized they’re sitting on a gold mine. It could be so much more than a club of favors,” said the man. “I will monetize the Network and see the top leaders, and myself, making millions. That all starts with the expansion.”
“It’ll happen, Dad. I escorted the members of the board of education myself. They were impressed with what I’ve been able to accomplish because of Breakbattle.”
A low growl sounded on the other side of the tarp and my hair stood on end. Was this person man or beast?
“They weren’t impressed enough, or I would not have received notice this morning that they are suspending their decision on adopting the system into public schools until the next school year.”
“But that’s not—”
“What went wrong?” he demanded.
“There— It was— Some stupid Fs posted about the battle system being bad for everyone and that it caused Rebecca Taylor’s suicide, but they didn’t take it seriously,” Cameron added quickly.
“You should have told me this immediately.”
“It wasn’t my fault—” Cameron cried out.
“What did I say about excuses?”
I surged forward and burst through the stalls. The man dropped Cameron’s arm. “What do you think you’re doing? Who are you?”
I breathed hard as I faced a man I had only ever heard about, and not in good terms. Dominick Dupre was nothing like I pictured. I expected light brown eyes and the soul-bending beauty of his son, but this man wouldn’t be considered a beauty to anyone but his mother.
The light shone off his bald scalp. I traveled down the length of his face to eyes that were too small, wide-set nose, and thin lips twisted in a frown that made them look like a jagged slash across his face. His eyes pierced me, sharp and unsettling for their dark brown bordering on black. I saw the cold intelligence in those eyes. I saw the contempt in those twisted lips, and I saw Cameron take a step back.
My gaze traveled over his head to the banner. Dominick Dupre was typed in huge letters. In smaller font, it read Dupre Financial Holdings.
I cleared my throat and willed my nerves to settle. “Hello, Mr. Dupre.” I held out my hand.
Dominick didn’t look at it. “What do you want? I’m a busy man.”
“I wanted to ask you about your company,” I said. My hand returned to my side. “I’m interested in financial mathematics.”
If possible, his sneer deepened “Like hell you are.”
I stiffened. What did he just say?
“You’re an F,” he stated. “I doubt you can spell financial mathematics, let alone follow the conversation. Move along.”
“Actually,” I snapped, all pretense of politeness burning away. “I’m quite capable of understanding the application of mathematical methods to finances and using probability, economic theory, and statistics to problems. I was most interested in hearing how you apply those methods to portfolio structuring and managing risks, but since you’re too busy to do what you came here for, I’ll take my questions to Waterstone Financials. They’re one of your competitors, right?”
Dominick’s face gave nothing away. I had a feeling a man like this didn’t expose an emotion he did not have complete control over. Which is why I didn’t know what to make of it when his gaze turned assessing.
“You’re no fool,” he replied, “and you’re not afraid to mouth off. Maybe you will make something of yourself.”
“I will. There’s no question about it.”
Dominick smirked and the act threw me harder than his sneer. “Come back later, boy. I’ll answer your questions.” He closed his hand around Cameron’s neck. “First, I need to finish a discussion with my son.”
I looked from Cameron to his dad. “Actually, that’s why I came over here. Mrs. Argyle wants to see him about something.”
“Fine. You may go.”
Cameron escaped his hold and fell in beside me. He spoke when we were a few feet from his father. “What does Argyle want?”
“Nothing. I made it up.”
I saw him scowl at me from the corner of my eyes. “What the fuck? Why are you wasting my time?”
I didn’t reply. Cameron swore and strode off, but I noticed he didn’t go back to his dad’s booth.
Maverick, Esme, and Miss Val were sitting in the stall when I returned from freshening up. I immediately went back to my task of moving the tablets to the storage room. My mind was a tangle of confusing thoughts and emotions as I tried to sort through everything that happened.
Landon’s hand down my pants. Dominick’s behavior with his son. The Network attempting to monetize. What did all of this mean? And what would I do next?
I spotted Derek on my final trip to the back. He was talking to a tall man with thinning blond hair and a trim suit.
The box slid through loose fingers and nearly crashed to the ground. I bent, scrambling to catch it without taking my eyes off of the two of them.
Derek’s attention flicked over to me as though he sensed my presence. He said something to the man and then walked over.
“Zee. What are you doing?”
“I’m...”
What the hell am I doing? I glanced down. “I’m taking this to the back.”
“I’ll help.”
I let him take it from me without protest. “Who were you talking to?”
Derek peered over his shoulder. “My dad.”
“Can I meet him?” I took a step forward and bumped into Derek as he crossed my path.
“Not right now. He’s heading out.”
“He is? But isn’t he here for Career Day?”
“Nope. He swung by because I forgot something at home.” Derek took my hand and led me away. “He never does things like this. People just come up and ask a million questions about Mom—most of them disgusting.”
Tripping after him, I glanced over my shoulder just as his father reached the door. Why did I have a feeling there was more to Derek not wanting to introduce me? No matter how many books we stayed up all night reading or how often I split my chocolate treats with him, would there always be this wall between us that I couldn’t climb? What was it going to take for him to let me in?
Those questions joined the others plaguing my mind, offering me no relief.
“YOU’RE OVEREXTENDING yourself, Noah,” I called.
The boy from D Class and a friend he got to practice with him rolled around
on the mat while I took notes and gave the suggestions Landon would have given himself. On my left, sat Adam.
“Get closer when you do the takedown, so you don’t lose your balance.”
“Got it.”
“Are you sure that’s what he said?” Adam asked, picking up our conversation.
“I’m sure. Dominick Dupre said that he and the top leaders of the Network would make millions if the expansion goes through. How could they do that?”
“I don’t know. The way Cameron explained it the Network is about having a bunch of guys ready with a recommendation or something like that. I don’t see how they could make millions off of it, or how spreading the battle system to more school would help.”
“Cameron’s dad knows,” I replied, “and he wants to see it done no matter what.”
He shook his head. “I don’t know about the Network or any of that but I know Cameron’s dad is not a good guy. Do you remember that stuff Derek said during orientation? That night in the woods?”
“You mean when he accused Dominick Dupre of dealing in shady money? But Derek only said that to make their fight look real. It was all a part of their sick test.”
“No way,” said Adam. “I bet they had a plan to fake a fight, but in typical asshole fashion, Derek went for the jugular. All that stuff he said are things Dominick Dupre has been accused of. The guy has been investigated like three times and nothing ever stuck. If he’s behind this, then it’s even more reason to put a stop to the expansion.”
“He said the board suspended their decision until next year. Do you think the expansion still has a chance?”
“If they do, we’ll have a plan.”
And if that plan works, what will happen to Cameron?
Noah pinned his friend and I let critiquing his technique pull me from my thoughts.
“That’s great, Noah. If your challengee picks wrestling, you’ll have them.”
He beamed. Noah was a smiley dude and whenever he did, it made him look ridiculously adorable. I don’t know what he saw in his girlfriend, but I could see what she saw in him.
“Thanks, Zeke. I already know who I’m going to battle. I’ll own him because of you.” Noah stood and helped his friend up. “We’re going to head out. Thanks, again.”
