Reckless Souls (Saints Academy, #1)(96)

My hands lift to my head, fingers lacing as I squeeze my eyes shut and try to contain the rage

burning within me. I bet they’re loving the sight of this right now, me breaking down over something

that involves them, when it’s so far from what I want.

“Like fuck,” I hiss, letting the rage consume me. That bitch. That stupid, motherfucking, supreme

bitch. “Over my dead fucking body,” I add, my chest heaving as Adonis’ chuckle filters through my

mind. I cut him a glare, but he doesn’t stop, his grin spreading wider at my dismay. He is loving my

reaction, and part of me wants to rip his balls off.

Zen clears his throat, drawing my attention back to him as he takes a step closer, his hands raised

in surrender. He considers taking another step, but to my surprise, Xander’s arm swings out and halts

him in his tracks.

I wet my lips, unable to turn and glance at him in fear of what emotions I might see in his eyes,

and thankfully, Zen continues talking. “We needed to show that our unit has already chosen someone

else so what she’s saying can’t be possible.”

I release a breath of relief. That makes sense. That’s a totally on-point explanation. Except…

“So you chose me.”

“So we chose you.”

The words are heated as they fall from Zen’s lips, and I turn to Xander to see the confirmation on

his face too. The longing smolder makes my body zing with electricity, knowing full well our bodies

claimed each other, the pair of us unable to stop it.

I love it and hate it all at once.

I don’t want to be forced into this situation, yet the thought of them choosing anyone else fills me

with an embarrassing level of fury… and even pain.

Clenching and unclenching my hands, I drag in another long breath through my nose, and exhale

through my mouth, trying to calm myself as I look at the situation objectively.

“Okay. So what does that mean for me? For us?” I ask, placing my hands on my hips as I make eye

contact with the four of them. Adonis, to Khaos, to Zen, and ending with Xander.

“It means you are ours and we are yours to everyone around us,” Adonis states simply, like it is

the easiest equation, making my brows crinkle in confusion as I look back at him still casually taking

up my bed.

“You want to fake date me?” I clarify, confusion swarming me as I try to decipher how I feel

about that, but I don’t get far before Xander cuts in.

“No, we actually want this to work. We voted and it was unanimous,” he states, a soothing tone to

his voice, but his choice of words make my back stiffen.

“Oh, you voted. I’m so glad deciding my relationships is a democracy,” I say with a scoff,

defensively folding my arms back over my chest. I don’t know what to do with my fucking hands. I

feel open, exposed… vulnerable, and I don’t fucking like it. The standoffish approach I’ve been

taking toward them is slowly beginning to crumble.

“It wasn’t like that and it won’t be like that,” Zen adds, trying to soften the situation, but I just

offer him a glare in response. “There’s no half-assing this. We have to be all in or not at all, Rhea,” he

adds, and I purse my lips.

“Does that rule apply for all of us, or just the four of you? I’m trying to figure out if I get a say or

not because you’re not giving me a straight answer,” I mutter, confused with the emotions swirling

around in my head. Today has been a complete fucking overload of information and I’m ready for it to

be over, my mind can’t handle much more.

Xander moves across the short distance that remains between us, standing toe to toe with me so I

have to tilt my head up to look at him, the move alone irritating me. I’m expecting a power move, a

show of dominance, but the softness in his eyes as I look at him doesn’t match the stance, which helps

me relax.

Lifting his hand to cup my cheek, I gaze up at him, scrambling the badass, independent woman I

always am, yet in his hold, it’s hard not to lean toward him. A move I’m not familiar with, but it

seems whatever magic lives inside of me is more than happy to let him support us so my mind won’t

complain.

“This is everything to me, to us. Zen kissed you publicly because Zellus was watching in on the

lesson, likely wanting to watch Selene and me, how we interact, which he was never going to see. So

Zen did what I’m sure he’s been wanting to do since you first walked through the doors of Saints

Academy.” I’m lost to every word that falls from his lips. He moves his other hand to my waist as he

consumes me, and my hands fall to his chest, clutching at the material of his t-shirt. “He claimed you.

For himself, for me, for us, and for you. Don’t be so stubborn to deny what is right here in front of

you, Rhea. What’s actually been here for a while. I feel it, you feel it, fuck, even if he doesn’t want to

admit it, Khaos feels it too.”

I can’t pull my gaze from his to look at the others in confirmation, but I feel all eyes on us. My