by Eve, Jaymin
I wasn’t exactly dressed for it, clad in Rafe’s shirt that was miles too large. I’d tied it in a knot just under my breasts, exposing my stomach, and I wore my skirt with boy short underwear beneath, so I wasn’t in danger of flashing anyone. But still.
Whatever. He’d seen me naked.
“Wanna run?” he said, and I could have orgasmed right then from how fucking sexy this dude was. In some ways, I needed him to be an asshole to me because I couldn’t fall for Rafe. Not really.
He was unattainable to me, and the longer I spent time in this world, the less I wanted it. The royal life. Fucking no.
I had to remember that.
Rafe started out slow, but I needed to forget. So as soon as I was remotely warmed up, I let loose. Pushing myself hard, I flew around the track. My bare feet were not the best for this surface, but I didn’t care.
Rafe kept pace with me, not even breathing heavily. He was super fit from soccer, and there was no way I’d outpace him. Not ever. Especially while I was out of practice.
I didn’t embarrass myself though; we ran for an hour. When I was done, my lungs aching as I sucked in air, I felt a sense of achievement.
“Can I use this whenever I want?”
Rafe’s smile was slow, a smirk that continued on to a full-blown grin. “Yeah, I think I can arrange that.”
I snorted. “What? No return of favor required?” I hadn’t forgotten his message when I’d asked to be in for the next fight.
He crowded into me, his huge body drowning out the fucking light and oxygen, shooting me off center. “What are you offering?”
My pussy clenched. Bitch was literally trying to jump out of my skirt and fuck him. But I’d never traded sex for favors before, and I wasn’t about to start now. If Rafe and I fucked again, it would be because neither of us could help ourselves.
I pressed my hand to his chest, trying not to dwell on the hard planes that caressed my skin. “I’m not one for favors, Rafael. If you want something from me, just fucking ask.”
This was whispered through gritted teeth, and the only reaction I got was a predatory grin in return. And a second to suck in a breath before his lips slammed into mine. A groan escaped, and then my hands were tangled in his shirt as I yanked him closer to me, my body needing five fucking seconds of this.
This erased Alex.
Jordan and Rafe erased Alex, and I hated how badly I craved their touch.
Our tongues tangled, and I opened wider, pressing against him to feel every hard line. His hands wrapped around my waist, and he lifted me higher, pulling me flush to his body. Needing something to do with my legs, I wrapped them around him and ground against him, my clit aching. Tingles shot across my skin and down my spine.
My entire body was burning up, and I couldn’t think straight.
How in the fuck did he do this to me?
“Is this what you want, Cinderella?” Rafe drawled against my skin, his mouth moving down to my neck. “To forget?”
Fuck! Fuck!
I wrenched myself back, deep, lung-filling breaths choking out of me. “Fuck, you’re an asshole.”
He didn’t smile. Or reply.
“You want to fuck or fight?”
Oh man. Decisions…
I wasn’t sure I could make that choice, but I knew the safer option.
“Let’s fight.”
Chapter 14
“You walking funny?” Mattie asked, eyeing me as I hobbled out of my room the next morning. “Please don’t tell me Rafe visited.”
I groaned, his name evoking the ass-kicking he’d handed me yesterday. I’d been distracted. He’d been ruthless. And yes, I was walking funny.
“Don’t want to talk about it,” I grumbled. “And trust me, it was nothing fun.”
“I hope he looks as bad as you,” Mattie said with a grin.
I snorted. “Yeah, he’ll be hurting too.”
I’d gotten him more than once, and for that, I was patting myself on the back. Rafe was a formidable opponent, and sparring with him had pushed me to new places I hadn’t gone in my fights. I couldn't wait to try it with weapons.
That was where I really shone.
“Ready for classes today?” Mattie asked, thankfully forgetting my pained expression.
I shrugged. “They’re sure to be a breeze.”
She looked closer. “What aren’t you telling me?”
I returned that stare. “What aren’t you telling me? What really happened with your family yesterday? What was the incident?”
Rafe wouldn’t give me more details outside of the “international incident” thing, and Mattie had done the same, refusing to tell me anything specific, just saying that it was handled and that next time Alex wouldn’t find it so easy to get rid of her.
She wrinkled her nose at me. “I told you it’s nothing to worry about. Let’s get some food.”
When we entered the dining room, she led the way to our table, and I tried to be blasé, even though Jordan and Rafe were both there sitting side by side and distracting me about a million percent.
There was no one else at the table for once, and I was surprised at how comfortable I felt with the three royals.
Noles sprinted in a minute later, rounding out our five.
“Hey, love,” he said, slapping a kiss on my cheek. “And sister.” He did the same with Mattie.
I almost saw my spine with how hard I rolled my eyes. “Love?”
He shrugged. “You’re family now, girl. And I love my family.”
Jordan and Rafe were suddenly very interested in Nolan, and I blinked at the rumble that came from the New American prince. “Family better be all you’re feeling when it comes to Violet,” he said.
Nolan’s smile was wicked as fuck, and I waited with bated breath for whatever was about to come out of his mouth.
“I knew you fuckers were gonna lay your claims.” his eyes flicked between Jordan and Rafe. “And what do you know? You haven’t killed each other in a bloody fight for her puss—uh—attention. Oh, very interesting indeed. Maybe you two aren’t too alpha male to share.” He crossed his arms, super satisfied. “This is exactly what I prayed for.”
Mattie jerked her head at that. “You pray?”
Nolan’s broad shoulders shook with laughter. “Yeah, not so much, but to get a little threesome action between our besties, I’d make an exception.”
So, like, wow. This was exceptionally awkward, and I wanted to punch Nolan but also not make a big deal about it. Because in this moment, all I could think about was being between those two princes. I might be the one praying to God tonight.
Subject change.
“Next fight,” I said, lowering my voice so I wasn't projecting this to anyone outside of our table. “You guys worked it so I can participate, right?”
Both Nolan and Jordan shot a look at Rafe, who just gave me a smug, slightly wicked grin.
“Did you agree to the terms, Cinderella?”
My teeth ground together so hard it was audible, and Mattie shuddered. “I told you,” I growled at the prickish Swiss heir, “I don’t deal in favors.”
Those messages I hadn’t read on my palm reader during the study session had been from Rafe. His proposed trade for getting me into the next fight? An undisclosed favor to be used any time in the future. Yeah, it was that open-ended and vague. Hell no.
Rafe just shrugged, kicking back in his seat and folding his arms over his broad chest. Damn him straight to hell, he’d rolled his shirtsleeves up again. The tattoos on his forearms only seemed to highlight how strong his muscles were and made me want to—
“Come on, man,” Jordan muttered, shooting his best friend a dark look and, thankfully, cutting off my train of thought before it really hit the gutter.
Rafe shot Jordan a look back, then sighed dramatically. “Fine,” he said, turning that intense gaze back to me. “I’ll give the deal some limitations, if that makes you feel better?”
I pursed my lips, but gave a small, t
ight nod. It didn’t mean I was agreeing to his deal, but I was willing to listen.
“One favor, to be used before you graduate, and I won’t ask you to kill anyone.” He gestured like a benevolent ruler. “That’s the best I can do.”
My eyes narrowed, and I shook my head. “One favor to be used before the end of this academic year.” I paused to think about what I was agreeing to. “No killing, maiming, nudity, or sexual situations. And nothing that could land me in prison.”
Rafe’s lips twitched with a smile, and Jordan looked furious.
“That’s a fair amendment,” the New American prince commented, prodding Rafe in the shoulder. “Accept her offer and quit being a fucking asshole.”
Rafe’s gaze hadn’t left me for even a second, though. Had he blinked? I didn’t think he had. Creeper. “Fine, Cinderella. One favor of my choosing, to be used by the end of this academic year, with no killing, maiming, or anything that could land you in prison. Deal.”
He held his hand out for me to shake, and damn if I didn’t move like I was under a spell, clasping his hand with mine and shaking once before my brain computed the words he’d left out.
Mother fucker.
“Bastard,” I growled under my breath. “So, you’ll sort it out? When is it?”
Rafe’s lazy grin was all predator, and it made my nipples harden. “Unconfirmed yet, but it’s looking like it might be late next Thursday night. But yes, you’ll be on the cards. A deal’s a deal, Cinderella.”
I still scowled, kicking myself for letting him get by without all my conditions. “And Brandon?”
Rafe tipped his head to Jordan at this question, and his friend gave a small headshake.
“Not secured yet,” Jordan told Rafe, then turned his attention to me. “I’m doing my best to line it up. The rumor mill has been running wild, though, and we think Brandon might be shitting the bed at the idea you could actually hurt him.”
Amusement flickered through me at that idea, but… “Nah, that doesn’t sound right. Brandon is so fucking arrogant he’d never believe the rumors that I’m Violence. I thought the whole lineup was supposed to be anonymous anyway. Don’t we just need him on the cards, and then you guys can pull your strings to match us up?”
Nolan nodded. “Technically yes. Don’t worry, New Girl. I’ll get him there for you.” He cracked his knuckles and looked downright evil. “One way or another.”
I laughed because, holy crap, I loved my new friends. All of them. Even the dickish ones.
* * *
Walking to my ridiculous new class World Politics 308 the following Monday, I found Jordan leaning on the wall outside the lecture hall. Considering he wasn’t in this time slot, and Alex was likely already inside lurking around my seat, he could only have been waiting for me.
“Hey you,” I greeted him, coming to a stop and adjusting my bag strap. “What’s up?”
It must have been important for him to track me down here and not wait until our lunch break in just over an hour.
“Violet,” he said, a slow smile spreading over his handsome face. “You look gorgeous.”
My cheeks heated at the compliment, and I awkwardly shuffled my feet. “Um, okay. Same uniform I wear every day. But thanks, I think?”
Ugh. Alex breaking my heart had really messed with my flirting game. Big time.
“Yes, and you look gorgeous every day. Maybe I need to make a point to tell you that every day.” He raised his brows, and I grinned.
“Okay, Casanova, what’s going on?”
A little of the flirtation slipped from his face. “Ah, well, I had an idea I wanted to run past you, and I knew if I waited until lunch, then everyone would have their own opinions and ideas and…” He trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck and looking embarrassed. “Maybe I should have waited for the group.”
Butterflies flapped around in my belly as I realized he wanted to see me. Just me. Alone. I mean, yeah, I knew he was interested and that kiss the other day had been… everything. But then nothing else had happened and I’d been wondering if I’d read too much into the whole situation.
“You know what?” I asked. “This class is pointless for me anyway. They’re giving me As when I don’t even answer the questions, so I’m sure no one will mind if I skip. How about you? Need to be anywhere?”
Jordan’s face lit up, and I knew I’d made the right choice. “Nope, I have a free period now.”
“Awesome. Let’s go to your room? The study rooms off the library hold bad vibes for me.” I shuddered, thinking about the way Alex had pinned me to the shelves and how I’d had to threaten him to get out of there without being sexually assaulted even worse.
Jordan frowned, walking with me in the direction of the dorms—away from my lecture with Alex. “Why? What happened in the library?”
I groaned. I’d said that out loud, and no one other than Rafe really knew anything had happened. “Okay, I’ll give you the abridged version of events, but don’t flip out on me. Deal?”
Jordan just cocked a brow and leveled me with a no nonsense glare until I started talking.
Chapter 15
“I’m going to kill him,” the crown heir of New America declared as we reached his dorm room and I finished recounting the events of my “study session” with Alex.
I smiled. “No, you’re not. Neither am I, no matter how badly I want to. We’re not going to start the next world war over my bruised dignity.”
Jordan wasn’t totally listening anymore, though. He kept muttering as he unlocked the door and held it open for me to enter. “I’m going to gut him with my daggers then braid his entrails into a belt and wear it as a trophy so everyone knows what happens to anyone who fucks with my girl.”
I froze just two steps into his dorm room, then swung around to stare at him. “Uh, what?”
Jordan frowned. “What? He deserves it.”
I shook my head. “No, not that. You just called me your girl.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah.”
Jordan shrugged, kicking his door shut with the heel of his shoe. “Well, you are. Kind of.” Wow, he was just going to own it.
My heart squeezed, but this time it was more of a painful squeeze than a love thing. “Jordy…” I released my breath with a heavy sigh. A headache was building behind my eyes, and I rubbed at my forehead to try and hold it off. Stalling for time, I sank down on the edge of his bed.
“I know,” he said before I could continue with… whatever I planned to say. “I know, we haven’t discussed anything, and I know Alex really fucked with your trust.” I snorted a bitter, humorless laugh of agreement. “And I also know there’s something between you and Rafe…”
I stopped breathing.
“I just want a chance,” he finished, his voice soft but threaded with hope and sincerity. “I’m not asking you for promises or commitments… just a chance. I really like you, Violet.”
My heart squeezed again, but this time it was accompanied by those flappy fucking butterflies that made me want to go all doe-eyed and flirty. Fucking hormones were going to be the death of me, I swear.
“I feel like such an asshole for saying this,” I said, leaning back on my hands so I could peer up at him. “I really like you too, Jordy.”
A relieved smile washed over his face, quickly replaced with a small, thoughtful frown. “But?”
I bit my lip. “But Alex shattered me. I don’t think I can put myself on the line like that again so soon, and I really, really don’t want to drag you into all his drama and bullshit.”
Jordan’s lips tightened, but he gave a small nod of acknowledgement. I loved that about him. He listened to me and didn’t immediately dismiss my opinions simply because they didn’t line up with his own.
“And?” he prompted.
I sighed. “And…” I dropped my face into my hands, scarcely believing I was admitting this aloud. “There’s… something between me and Rafe.” As soon as I said it, I panicked that I’d just totall
y fucked up my prospects with Jordan and hurried to backtrack. “It’s probably nothing, just, I don’t know. Curiosity. Or like when you get an itch in your heel and you can’t quite scratch it, so you just keep thinking about it, you know? Like that. I’m fairly certain we will be at each other’s throats again in about three days; I just don’t want to lie to you. And I don’t want to feel like I’m cheating on anyone if… you know… if anything happened.”
Jordan was silent, watching me, but there was no defeat on his face. “Let’s just keep going as we are and see how things eventuate. Rafe and I are aware of each other. There’re no secrets. And no commitments from anyone, right?”
It was like he was handing me my every dream in a single package, but I was a realist— there was no way this wasn’t going to explode in my face eventually.
Did I care though?
Staring into his sexy-as-fuck face, his arms braced behind him on his bed, drawing attention to the heavy muscles, it occurred to me I might be slightly shallow and selfish because in this second, I wanted to give it all a shot.
And if it blew up in my face, I’d handle it like I did with Alex. By beating the shit out of Rafe.
“What did you need to tell me?” I asked Jordan, standing up to aim for a casual lean on his dresser, trying to draw some normalcy back into this moment.
He stood, too, and moved toward me. And because I was turned on, not threatened, I didn’t step back. I let him press that fine-as-fuck body against mine, and I swallowed hard at the roar of lust slamming into me. “I told you,” he murmured, leaning down so his lips were scraping across my jawline. “We need to give this a shot. No promises. No commitments. Just… see how it goes.”
My pussy clenched at those drawled words and the obvious lust in his voice.
“I also have an idea about how to deal with Alex, but… I’ll tell you after.”
“After what?” I asked breathlessly.
He lifted his head back, a wicked smile across full lips, and I gasped as his mouth slammed into mine. For a moment, I stood frozen in shock. Not that I hadn't seen it coming—I wasn't fucking dense—but just... wow. That kiss we'd shared after the fight, after I'd been fucked six ways to Sunday by his best friend, had been overshadowed by everything else going on. And then the one in the hallway… that had really been about erasing Alex.
