Playboy Princes (Royals of Arbon Academy, #2)(36)

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.