Reckless Souls (Saints Academy, #1)(53)

Adonis had been quieter than usual, likely trying to watch his tongue so he didn’t piss her off,

while Xander had completely relaxed at her side. The moment he cut the distance between them and

planted his lips on her cheek, I had inhaled sharply, worried his naturally touchy personality had burst

the bubble, but it somehow hadn't. She seemed okay which completely surprised me. A testament that

this could work.

She didn’t even cower under Khaos’ blunt tone like most others do. If anything, she sat a little

straighter, squared her shoulders some more, and prepared for a standoff with him. If this works out,

he may have met his match with the feisty beauty.

Excitement buzzed through my body from head to toe. This was all new for me, this attraction and

desire to be near someone. Whenever the four of us have tried to date the same person, I’m usually the

one to feel absolutely nothing and ruin it for everyone else, struggling to feel an emotional connection

with anyone.

We’ve always known it would be a business transaction, but the four of us made a pact early on

that there had to be at least… something. Which feels too mild of a word now for what I feel just

looking in Rhea’s direction. Fuck.

I wet my lips, glancing at her out of the corner of my eye as her silky brown hair floats around in

the light breeze, brushing against the exposed skin on her shoulders as the dress she chose for today

grazes against her thighs.

Her full lips, sapphire blue eyes, and petite nose almost make her look soft, gentle, demure. Until

the anger brewing under the surface and the telltale trust issues rise to the forefront, making her seem

far more lost than I like the idea of. The sense of protectiveness I feel for this woman is unfathomable,

catching me completely off guard.

As we head through the grounds of Saints Academy, toward the woods, just like we did on

Halloween, I catch her glancing at me with a raised eyebrow. I know my brothers are here too.

Khaos, beside me, with Adonis and Xander to Rhea’s left, but my entire focus is on her.

All the bruising has gone from her face since the attack, which we narrowed down to Selene and

Hector after Rhea subtly glanced their way when I had asked.

Hector got a shocking surprise a few weeks later when he was least expecting it, finding himself

at the mercy of his own attackers, aka the Elite. Fucker squealed, ratting out Selene as he sobbed like

a little bitch. I just wish we could have warned him against even looking at Rhea in the future, but it

would have only made the situation more difficult, so a blind attack it was. Though, that doesn’t mean

we’re not watching him like hawks to make sure the prick doesn’t step out of line.

Selene on the other hand, seems to be getting worse in her attempts to pursue us, not taking no for

an answer, and it’s exhausting. Borderline stalkerish too. On the surface, she may look beautiful, but

that bitch is rotten to the core, and we all know what a relationship with her would look like. Her

pining over Adonis the entire time and not giving two shits about the rest of us. That’s not the strong

and powerful foundation we want. Not at all.

“I feel like an idiot for letting you lure me into the woods. Those old fairytales rarely ended well

for those who put total trust in others,” Rhea grumbles beside me, folding her arms over her chest and

pushing her cleavage up, making my cock twitch as she pouts.

“I thought you enjoyed it the last time,” Khaos says from beside me, a knowing smirk on his lips

as he glances in her direction, and she rolls her eyes.

The fact that she doesn’t immediately respond, defending herself against his statement, only seems

to please all of us. It almost feels like a chink in her armor. She holds the attention of the Elite four,

and is completely oblivious to the fact which gives an ample amount of time for her to adjust to us

being around. That way, when she does realize we’re all about her, she can’t disagree and say it’s not

real.

Girls older than us in their second and third year even fight like catty bitches, vying for our

attention, just like the guys do for Rhea, who ridiculously believes she is nothing. It’s embarrassing,

but this is what our society has done to people. Image is everything, and I can’t fucking stand it.

Shaking my head, I clench and unclench my hands as I focus on the here and now with Rhea. She

has to get to know us, and to do that, she can’t run at the first sight when we approach her. I’ve waited

almost two months for this, watching her from a distance, like fuck is that all going to be for nothing.

I pull my phone from my pocket, sending a quick text to my older sister, Serenity, as we step

through the woods to the opening on the other side. The lake shimmers under the sun, the grassy area

slowly darkening with the sign of a cloud passing overhead, and I come to a stop in the center of the

field.

Looking up, I spot the clouds suddenly appearing in the otherwise clear skies, rolling to a stop

above where we are. “Are you ready?” I ask, looking down at Rhea, who glances back at me with