Trial By Fire (Going Down in Flames #3)(15)

His posture relaxed. “Good.” He grabbed her hand. “Let’s go take care of this right now.”

Rhianna shot a nervous glance at Bryn.

“It’s okay,” Bryn said. “I don’t like it, but if Jaxon thinks his dad will go psycho, it isn’t worth it. But you have to promise you’ll still hang out here.”

“I promise.”

Jaxon tugged Rhianna out the door.

Bryn flopped onto the couch next to Valmont. “Well, this sucks.”

“Sorry.” Valmont put his arm around her shoulders. “I expected Jaxon to freak out and then calm down. I didn’t expect him to kidnap Rhianna.”

“He knows how the rest of his Clan thinks.” She snuggled into Valmont’s side. “Not that I approve.”

“They are an uppity bunch,” Valmont said.

Bryn laughed. “It’s strange. Just when I think I understand how my grandparents think, or what the Clan will take in stride, something comes up to blow my whole outlook. You’ve been around them longer than I have. Do you have any insights?”

“No.” He pulled her closer so she laid her head on his shoulder. “But there is a time honored tradition in the Fonzoli household. Every Sunday afternoon a sacred ritual takes place. We call it a nap.”

“That is a tradition I’m happy to continue.”

“Good.” He put his feet up on the coffee table and closed his eyes. “After the nap comes food.”

“Works for me.” She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep using his chest as a pillow.

…

That night, Bryn helped Rhianna organize her new room down the hall, while Valmont stood guard in the hallway outside the door.

“I hate this,” Rhianna said, hanging clothes in the armoire.

“Then why did you agree to move?”

After placing the last dress on the rod, she closed the armoire door. “Jaxon felt it was important, and he’s been wonderful to me. And I’m not sure he’s wrong. People will assume certain things since Valmont is sharing your room.”

Bryn plopped down on the bed. “That’s ridiculous. Half the people on campus spend the majority of their time in someone else’s room.”

“Yes, and everyone talks about them.”

“They do?”

“Yes.” Rhianna laughed. “Of course, I’m out of the loop now because most of my Clan doesn’t talk to me anymore.”

“Idiots.”

“At least Jaxon keeps them from being rude to my face.” Rhianna frowned. “I miss my other room already.”

What could she say to make this better? “Think of it as having two rooms. One you sleep in and one you live in.”

“That is a more positive spin.” She nudged Bryn and spoke in a quiet voice. “You and Valmont can have some time alone together now. How do you feel about that?”

“Excited and terrified.” Bryn glanced toward the door. “I’m afraid I’ll hurt him.”

“That’s his evil grandmother in your head. You care about him, and he cares about you.”

“Which he’s willing to admit, in public.” Not that she was bitter.

The sound of raised voices came from the hallway. Bryn jumped off the bed and went to investigate.

Valmont stood leaning against the wall wiping down his broad sword like he didn’t have a care in the world while a Blue male ranted at him.

Valmont grinned at Bryn. “Ready to go?”

The Blue whirled around. “I should’ve known this would be your fault.”

Bryn took a deep breath and gave the polite smile her grandmother used when someone was being a jerk. “I’m sorry if my knight’s presence bothers you, but my grandmother, Marie Sinclair, ordered him to stay by my side. If you have a problem, I suggest you ask your mother to take it up with her.”

The Blue cursed and stormed off down the hall.

“You’re getting good at that,” Rhianna said. “Your grandmother would be proud.”

“It’s kind of fun.”

“You wield your grandmother like your knight wields his sword.” Jaxon came toward them with a less than friendly look on his face. “I moved Rhianna to keep her away from you. Why are you here?”

“First. Bite me,” Bryn said. “Second, I helped her unpack.”

“Go away.” Jaxon made shooing motions with his hands. “She can come to your room. You’re not allowed in hers.”

Valmont cleared his throat and held out his sword as if he was admiring the way the light reflected off the blade. “You could say that in a nicer manner.”

“I hate to tell you, but that was him being nice,” Bryn laughed and grabbed Valmont’s hand. “Let’s go before he tries to tell me what else I can’t do.”





Chapter Five


Bryn sat at the table in her living room and double-checked her homework assignments, which were due tomorrow, while Valmont talked to his dad on the phone. All her assignments were good to go. Not perfect, but good enough. There was only so much time she could devote to homework when someone was trying to kill her.

She zipped up her book bag. Now what? She needed to say something. There was no reason to be nervous. This was Valmont. It’s not like he was going to kiss her or anything, not that she’d have a problem with that scenario, but still, she was being stupid.