Page 10 of Cruel Games

They reminded me of the type who expected girls to either fall at their feet or jump on their dicks. Not me. I might have been locked away with a bunch of thieving banshees and with only my fingers for company during those long, lonely nights at the juvenile detention center, but I’d be buggered if I acted the fool in front of three ridiculously gorgeous guys.

“Are you joining the academy, then?” The blond held out his hand, his hazel eyes twinkling. “I’m Orlando Nevis.”

I slipped my hand into his and gave him my warmest smile. “Lilah Hancock.”

The twin with the piercings cleared his throat, either trying to prompt his friend to make an introduction or prompt me to ask his name. I turned to his brother, who pursed his lips with the same kind of disapproving expression as Mrs. Campbell.

Oh, well. It wasn’t like I felt the need to be liked by everyone. I turned back to Orlando and said, “Mr. Burgh brought me here and disappeared. Where’s his office?”

Orlando tapped his fingers on his lips. “At this time of the day, he’ll be watching over us from the head table.”

“I’m right here,” growled the pierced twin.

“Were you?” With a chuckle, Orlando smoothed down the lapels of his blazer. “Lilah, these are the Deloraine twins. The one wearing his ma’s jewelry box is Maxwell, and the other who never cracks a smile is Kendrick.”

I turned to Kendrick and smiled.

“We’re going to be late for dinner.” Kendrick stalked off down the hallway, his hands in his pockets.

Now it was my turn to tighten my lips with disapproval. I glowered at his retreating back, wondering what the hell was his problem.

Chapter 5

The remaining two boys closed in on me, their eyes sparkling with mischief. Orlando slung an arm around my shoulder, and Maxwell slipped an arm around my waist.

A heated breath huffed out of my dry throat. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I pictured the three of us getting naked and enjoying a much better threesome than the one Sammy had proposed.

“Are you hungry?” Maxwell murmured in my ear.

His breath warmed my neck, and my skin tingled in anticipation of his luscious lips.

Ugh.

Prison didn’t rehabilitate a girl. All that time spent without quality male company just turned her into a horny mess. Any more time locked up, and I probably would have pulled him into a cupboard and taken him up on his earlier offer.

I cleared my throat. “I’m hungry… For food.”

“A pity,” Maxwell growled.

Ha.

I’d bet he’d tried to set me up for an admission that I was hungry for cock. I kept my expression neutral but still enjoyed their closeness. “Are we going to get some food, then?”

“Come on.” Orlando walked me down the hallway. “Maybe after a bite, we can whet your appetite for something else.”

The dining room was a quarter of the size of the one at Richley Comprehensive but looked like a historical reenactment from a more genteel era. One where men filled ladies’ dance cards instead of rubbing their crotches against girls’ asses in places like the Velvet Lounge.

Dark wood covered all four walls, with shallow alcoves that housed massive, gold-framed oil paintings of people wearing period clothing. Tall floor lamps provided an atmospheric illumination similar to candlelight.

The painting of a bishop stared down at us from behind the head table. He wore a gold outer robe over his white outfit with a matching miter on his head. From the sharpness and photorealism of the image, I could only guess this was Lord Templar, the Archbishop of Scotland.

Mr. Burgh took center place at the head table, wearing a red gown over his suit. A bunch of stuffy-looking teachers sat along the table, each clad in suits of tweed or wool. The headmaster’s gaze caught mine, and he raised his brows as though questioning my current choice to become the meat in a stud sandwich.

I gave him a toothy grin. My way of saying he shouldn’t have left me alone in a hallway if he cared so much about who I associated with.

“This way.” Orlando guided me to a four-person table close to the middle.

A soup bowl sat on a small plate, which sat on another small plate. Around the setting were a knife, fork, and spoon, a cup and saucer, and a side plate. The tightness around my middle loosened, and any fears that I wouldn’t know what to do melted away.