The Revenge Pact (Kings of Football, #1)(13)

“Dude,” Benji whispers so only River and I can hear. “That would suck.”

I ignore him and carry on. “The sex scenes aren’t explicit by today’s standards. The book is more a statement about the characters’ unhappiness. It was a sexual awakening for both of them, but they aren’t together at the end.”

“They orgasm at the same time. Pretty sure I read that part a few times. That’ll restore my faith in sex,” Benji cuts in with a laugh.

“What’s your topic, Mr. Williams?” the professor asks, his voice sharpening.

Benji clears his throat. “I went with American Psycho. Haven’t chosen a topic, sir. Mayhem and serial killers probably. He murders lots of people. Blood and gore. I can get behind that one hundred percent.”

“Indeed.” Dr. Whitman compresses his lips. “Perhaps focus on the shallowness of capitalism in that novel, hmmm? Not the serial killer aspect. Mr. Tate?” He looks at River.

River straightens in his chair, pauses, then leans in over his desk. There’s a coiled tension in him, a storm waiting to erupt. He seems to battle it, his hands fisting. “‘The Power of Restorative Sex’ from Lady Chatterley’s Lover.”

Benji chuckles.

I gasp.

River looks at me. “We can have the same topic.”

I know. Just hearing him say ‘sex’—

And now I’m immature.

“Of course,” Dr. Whitman replies. “Just be sure it’s your work, Mr. Tate, and not hers.”

Whoa. I frown at the professor.

“It’s a common theme,” I say in a loud voice. The class needs to know. “There are thousands of papers on this topic. I do my own work and don’t cheat. Neither does River.” I don’t know how I know this, just a gut instinct. Our animosity aside, he’s an honorable person around his brothers. When Parker, one of the freshman pledges, lost his sister in a car wreck in September, River flew to Arizona to be with him at the funeral. He’s the only Kappa who went. I’ve also seen him sitting with Parker in the basement, their heads huddled as they talk. When Crew lost his Pops this summer, River was there for him too.

“Of course he doesn’t cheat. He’s failing this class,” Whitman says under his breath, yet loud enough for the front row to hear. He moves to another student.

I mutter under my breath.

Dr. Whitman swivels back to me. “Did I miss something you said, Ms. Bailey?”

River moves, his leg pressing against mine, as if to say Don’t do it.

My hands clutch my novel. “I said, it’s not appropriate for you to insinuate that either of us would cheat or announce that he’s failing this class.”

“You just announced it.” His eyes narrow behind wire-frame glasses. “This is my class—I can say whatever I want. You’re paying for my knowledge, and I impart it in the way I see fit. Please keep your comments to yourself. Unless you’d rather give this lecture yourself?”

Truth? I probably could. Books are my jam, the one solid thing I clung to growing up. Blood rushes through my veins, and I open my mouth—

“Let it go, Anastasia,” River whispers.

Five seconds pass as Dr. Whitman watches me, daring me, then walks away.

“Holy shit. That was an epic stare-down. You and River should work together,” whispers Benji.

“No thanks,” River says as he bounces his leg. Every brush of his jeans touches my thigh. I ease away.

“Ah, that’s right,” Benji muses. “You two aren’t friends. So weird when you think about it…” His voice trails off. “Makes me wonder…”

River inhales a breath then turns to him. “If you have something to say, say it.”

He holds his hands up in a placating manner, but there’s a glint of glee in his eyes. “Nothing. Well, okay—since you asked. I think you two have a lot in common. Ana is beloved by the frat. So are you. She’s…”—he looks at me and grins—“different, and you, big brother, don’t be offended, are kind of a woo-woo dude.”

“Woo-woo?” River grinds out as his cheekbones flush. “Seriously?”

I dart my eyes between them, fascinated. Benji clearly knows a side of River I do not. Woo-woo implies believing in unconventional spiritual ideas, and I’ve never gotten that vibe from River. Although, hmmm. All the guys do go to him for advice…

Benji laughs under his breath and taps his chin as if he’s thinking. His lips purse. “All I’m saying is, you’re different from the normal frat guy, although you don’t let everyone see it—”

“And you’re done talking,” River snaps.

Benji grins. “Yes, Mr. President.”

“River doesn’t think I’m good enough for the frat,” I say. Yeah, my tightrope walker is back, teetering. “He ignores me, snubs me, and basically pretends I don’t exist.”

River’s eyes fly to me. “I never said you weren’t good enough—”

Professor Whitman juts in loudly, “If you three are done chatting, we’d like to hear from the rest of the class.”

Caught. Again.

River and I turn back around. He exhales and stares down at his novel, his hands twirling it on top of the desk. His index finger presses hard into the paperback as if he wants to drill a hole in it.