Nope. This is business, and she is my asset. Simple as that.
Red’s expression cools. “You’ll stop them.”
“Oh,nowyou don’t mind me hanging around?”
“I am not leaving. I refuse to be scared or bullied.” There is a strange tremor in her voice. Whatever emotional response she is having, I don’t care.
Her stance squares off as if preparing for a fight.
I drag a hand through my hair. “Why can’t you just listen to me?”
She snatches her bag from me, still careful not to touch, then slings it over her shoulder. “Because I’m a person with thoughts, opinions, and free will. I can see how that would be so annoying.”
“It is annoying when I’m trying to save your cute little ass.”
She blinks. “You think my ass is cute?”
I close the space between us, adrenaline and annoyance getting the better of me. “I don’t know. Turn around and let me see it again.” I press my tongue against the inside of my cheek.
Red’s eyes narrow as she looks up at me, our faces inches away. “You’re a pig, Brexley.” Then she stomps around me.
I take the opportunity to appraise her backside. Need and arousal grip me as I imagine those perfect globes bare and flushed after I’ve bent her over. I rub my chin.
Again, the beat of some ancient drum fills me, compelling me to claim her. The girl has no idea how much she is tempting fate.
“I’m the Big Bad Wolf, baby,” I correct her, but she is too far away to hear
Chapter14
Floating Pens & Meet the Friends
RED
When we get back to the apartment, I’m only half surprised to find two figures draped on my couch. Goldie and Cinder have made themselves at home, holding steaming mugs of coffee, a box of Magic Morsels German chocolate cakes between them. Empty wrappers litter the couch and floor.
Why are there a bunch of pens on the ground, rolled to the side of my apartment?
Then I remember the Magic Morsels wedged between them give humans the power to levitate small items for a short period of time. Judging by the torn plastic sheaths, and the number of pens on the ground, they’ve been here a couple hours.
Fantastic.They’ve set up on my place to jump me and Brexley.
“Where did you get the coffee from?” I set my backpack down on the table. The girls openly gape at Brexley who followed me in. He doesn’t seem as perturbed by their presence as he does by the tilt of my apartment floor. He braces a hand against the wall by the door, but if he’s hoping the posture makes him look at ease, he is failing miserably.
Goldie doesn’t peel her greedy eyes from Brexley as she answers, “I brought it. Fresh bag in the top left cabinet.”
Seeing the pot hasn’t yet been drained, I grab a mug and finish it off. “Did you hear an Ogre wandered onto the campus?” Cinder says.
The pot clangs as I slam it back into its perch too hard. My hand shakes.
“That’s crazy,” I say.
That’s crazyis the go-to phrase whenever you have to respond but want to say nothing at all.
“Why are your clothes all wrinkled and messed up?” Goldie asks.
Looking at my reflection in the microwave, I can see my hair is also wild and messy. “Because I’m a hot mess trying to prepare for this one final.”
Not bothering to add sweetener, I inhale the hot coffee. My insides still feel wonky after being nearly whisked away by that Ogre. I feel so ungrounded, even I begin to wonder if my tilted floor isn’t a bit much.
