When I walk in with Nico, he kisses my temple before we split to go to our desks. As I sit at my table and wait for Tanner to show up, Kenz drops beside my chair.
“You’re such a badass,” she whispers and holds her fist out for me to bump. The classroom is still buzzing with talk. Ms. Sullivan hasn’t come in yet. Neither has Tanner. That string winds tighter around my stomach.
Does he already know Ava is back? What will happen with Caden now that Ava will be in school with Tanner?
“Why am I a badass?” I honestly never know at this school. I tap her fist with mine though.
“The party? Ethan Parker? Frankly, I’m impressed.” Kenz’s blue eyes sparkle. “I knew you had it in you.”
Smiling, I shake my head. “I didn’t do much.”
“Doesn’t matter. You’re a fucking legend. The girl who tamed the horsemen.” Kenz stands and holds her books against her chest. “I’m really proud of you, H.”
“Thanks, Kenz.” I grin back.
She heads to her desk with Natalie as Tanner drops into the seat beside me.
His cheek is bruised. That can’t be from Ava’s friend smacking him on Friday, right? She would have had to hit him really hard for it to bruise like that, especially along his jaw.
When he turns, I gasp at his bloodshot eye. There’s some bruising around the eye too. That’s definitely not from Ava’s friend.
“What happened?” It comes out before I can stop it. I really don’t want to know, but I have my suspicions. None of the guys mentioned anything to me this morning. What did I missbecause I was caught in the afterglow of being intimate with Luke? Not just sex, but... I don’t know what to call it.
Tanner’s laugh is bitter as he sneers. “Like you don’t know. Not keeping track of your men very well, are you?”
I don’t know what to say to that, but then the teacher comes in. The first half of the class is actual class, so I don’t have to work alone with Tanner. When Caden walks in, I straighten in my seat and look him over.
He doesn’t look like he got in a fight. Unless the other guy didn’t get in a hit to his face. He sits in the seat next to me and hooks his foot around the leg of my chair to drag me closer to him.
“I don’t want your bitch,” Tanner hisses.
My eyes widen. What the fuck. I mean, the guy’s been sweet or sour depending on the day and what he wants, but he’s rarely been violent.
Caden lowers his head and narrows his eyes at Tanner. When he sets his hands on the desk, I gasp. How did I miss it last period? There are cuts on his right knuckles. My fingers graze over them.
“What did you do?” I ask. Not because I don’t know what happened. I can figure it out. Tanner’s face got in the way of Caden’s fist. But what I can’t figure out is why.
Caden doesn’t drop his gaze from Tanner. “What needed to be done.”
I glance between the two guys who obviously hate each other. Before there was animosity, but not outright hatred. Tanner was cocky and Caden, well, Caden was pretty angry.
I put my hand on Caden’s jaw and guide his face so our eyes meet. “Are you okay?”
“Just making sure that asshole doesn’t text my sister anymore.”
My mouth drops open. Fuck. I’m missing a whole chunk of the story here. And I probably won’t get the story during lunchtime. That leaves one option. It’s a long shot, but fuck it.
I flinch. “Sorry, War.”
He gives me a questioning look. With my fingernail, I scrape away one of the scabs on his knuckle, making it bleed. He arches an eyebrow, but I raise my hand.
“Ms. Sullivan?”
She turns and comes over. “Yes, Harper?”
“May I take Caden to the nurse?”
She looks at his knuckle and makes anohsound.
