The Peer and the Puppet (When Rivals Play, #1) (71)
“What?” I stared at him as if he’d grown a second head before my very eyes. “You never share food. Why are you being weird?”
He blew air from his lungs and released my wrist to shove his fingers through his hair. “I’m not.”
“Then why don’t you want me in the kitchen?”
“Ever’s not in the best of moods.”
“When is he ever?” I didn’t wait for a response and pushed past him. I wasn’t going to worry myself about which side of the bed Ever woke up on. When I stepped into the kitchen, Ever was rising from his seat at the farthest end of the island with a bowl in his hand. “Hey.”
He met my gaze across the room, but there wasn’t a flicker of emotion or even vague recognition in his brief glance.
“Hey.” The single syllable was frozen over, and I instantly regretted not leaving with Jamie when I had the chance.
“I left the keys in your room last night. Did you—”
“They’re back in the safe,” he curtly supplied.
“Are you okay?” I questioned while moving closer. I thought I was used to Ever’s mood swings, but this felt different.
“I’m fine.” He placed his bowl in the sink and met my gaze for the second time. “Jamie told you he’s giving you a ride to school?”
That was when I noticed he was still in his pajamas: long plaid bottoms and a white T-shirt.
“He did.” I moved closer and realized I might have been a masochist. I now stood in front of him with barely a foot of space between us. “Are you sick?”
“I said I’m fine.” He went completely still when I stepped closer until the tip of his sock-covered toes kissed the front of my patent leather ballets. “What are you doing?” he snapped when I peered up at him.
“Checking for signs of distress.”
“Archer.”
I reeled at his brusqueness. “Is this about the bet?”
“What?”
Before I could talk myself out of it, I rose to the tips of my toes and kissed his cheek. “There. All debts have been settled.”
My smile fell when he shoved me away and wiped his skin where my lips had been.
“Keep that shit to yourself, Archer.” And then he spat, “I have a girlfriend.” Without another word spoken, he stalked from the kitchen, leaving me to wonder if I had any more room in my heart for another scar.
“I think I’m ready,” Tyra whispered as our lunch trays were filled.
“Ready for what?”
When she blushed and wouldn’t meet my gaze, I got a pretty good idea of what she meant. I took a deep breath to stall for time to figure out how to proceed. Girl talk was still a novelty for me, and now we’d ventured into discussing our sex lives. Neat.
“Are you sure?”
“I’m pretty sure.”
“Are you sure pretty sure is a good enough sure?”
“Can we stop saying sure?”
“Sure.”
We shared a laugh despite my alarm and her uncertainty before the conversation turned serious again.
“I’m ready, and I can’t think of anyone better to turn my card in to.”
“How about someone who’s not a rich playboy?”
Her face fell, telling me my attempt at humor was unappreciated. “You don’t know him like I do.”
It was hard to argue her point. Hadn’t Ever claimed much of the same last night? On the outside, we can only see what people choose to show us. Had Vaughn let Tyra in?
“You’re right, I don’t, so I should just trust your judgment, huh?”
Her sharp nod was followed with, “Right.”
Empty seats were in abundance today. Unfortunately, Tyra insisted we sit at the middle table again. Ever’s absence was noticeable when we sat down even though the table was crowded as usual with people standing around hoping to rub elbows with the chosen ones.
Tyra barely touched her food or spoke as she shared frequent, lustful glances with Vaughn. Jamie wasn’t around to offer a distraction either, so I kept my nose damn near mashed in my potatoes and ignored the curious glances and obvious snickers.
I wolfed down my food and bolted. The cafeteria door swinging shut behind me cut off the sound of Tyra calling my name. The hallways were mostly empty, but I felt vulnerable left out in the open. I made my way down the hall, hoping to find an empty classroom to duck into until lunch ended.
I was making my way to the second floor when I heard two voices, only one of them familiar.
“I know what you’re after.”
A feminine snort and then, “I doubt that, but go ahead…shock me.”
“You think you’re so much better, but your ship is sinking, and you and I both know Captain Prick isn’t going to save the day. He’s got a shiny new toy, Barbie.”
“You let me worry about that.”
“I could help you.”
“Baby steps, Jason. You can’t even help yourself.”
My fist tightened on the banister, but I forced myself to stay put. Information was much more satisfying than confrontation.
“This is your last chance to join the winning team.”
“Why would I betray Ever?”
His sharp smile was pure evil. “Because unlike him, my father will make yours an offer. I have to be a better choice than your old man’s golfing buddies, right?”