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“Fuck. He won’t even let me help him with anything.” Amir tugged at his short hair, frustration seeping out of his pores.
“At least he still lets me cook for him,” Zadie said.
“Anyone would let you cook for them, mama.” Amir locked eyes with me. “I get what you’re saying. I try not to lay my guilt on him, but no doubt he smells it rolling off me.”
Shifting, I hiked my messenger bag higher on my shoulder. “He’s pretty astute that way.”
Amir released a long exhale. “Let me know if you get worried about him.”
“Of course.”
We parted ways after a few more promises from me to alert Amir to any worrisome changes in Julien. It might have annoyed Julien if he found out about the arrangement, but he wouldn’t be hearing it from me. The guy had enough of his own inner turmoil. He didn’t need to deal with his best friend’s too.
My forehead was throbbing by the time I’d crossed campus to my final class of the day—Spanish for business. My shoulder wasn’t faring any better. I’d live, though. Maybe after this, I’d go visit Julien and allow him to scoff at my injuries so I’d feel better about myself and he could relieve some of his pent-up anger.
I was smiling to myself at the idea when I entered the classroom. Around twenty or twenty-five desks were arranged in a semicircle. I slid into an empty desk on one end of the open circle, dropped my bag to the floor, and cupped my forehead.
Class was about to begin, and all the desks were filled except the one beside me. I guessed my scowl warded off my classmates. And that was fine, since I wasn’t in the mood to socialize. I’d be better next time. Maybe.
Someone pushed into the room at the last minute, and in my periphery, I saw him coming my way. There was no mistaking that mountainous frame and slow, precise gait.
Lachlan took the desk beside me, barely fitting his big body in the seat. His long legs stretched out in front of him, breaching the empty interior of the semicircle.
I glanced over at him. He lifted his chin, then his eyes narrowed, and he leaned toward me. Undoubtedly, he was looking at my face, but I didn’t need or want his concern. I shifted in my chair, taking away his view of my face.
Throughout the lecture, I felt his eyes on me. Not the whole time, but his gaze was heavy, so I caught it when it landed. He made it impossible to concentrate on what the professor was saying. By the time the lecture concluded, I was pretty pissed.
I stuffed my laptop into my bag and swung it over my good shoulder. Lachlan rose in front of me, blocking me like a brick wall.
“What happened to your forehead?” he demanded.
“None of your business.” I swerved around him, but he was faster than he had any right to be, staying on my heels out of the classroom and into the hallway.
“Are you okay?”
He looked down at me as I walked, determined to get away from this man. God, I couldn’t believe I’d have to spend all semester in a small classroom with him. I’d transfer sections if there was another available, but I already knew this was it. I was stuck with Lachlan Kelly.
“I’m fine, thanks.” Chin up, I focused on the exit ahead of me.
“What happened?” he pressed.
“Ran into a door.”
His scowl was so deep, it carved a divot in my periphery. “Someone didn’t do that to you, did they?”
“Oh yes, you caught me. I’m in a fight club. Oops, shit, I forgot I wasn’t supposed to talk about fight club. That’s, like, the number one rule.” I rolled my eyes as I pushed outside. Lachlan reached around me to hold the door open for me. Ducking under his arm, I picked up my pace, coming to an abrupt stop when his thick fingers curled around my bicep.
Memories of those calloused hands holding me and touching me and delving into my body in an entirely different way blasted through me. I didn’t want to look at this man. The last time I had, he’d tossed me aside like an old, dirty condom—which he hadn’t even bothered to use.
It wasn’t like I’d been in love with him, but I hadn’t expected to be dismissed that way. We’d had fun. More than fun, we’d had some extremely hot sex. The hottest of my life—which wasn’t saying much considering my previous partners’ paltry effort toward getting me off, but still. I hadn’t been ready to stop hooking up with him. There were still things I wanted to try, positions and…activities we hadn’t gotten to. Orgasms that should have been had—on both sides.
I’d assumed it had been on both sides, but I guessed not. Inside my own head, I could admit his rejection had cut me to the quick.
“What?” I bit out.
“I’m talking to you. You can look at me like a person due a modicum of respect.”
My eyes flicked to his. It cost me, but I held his gaze as steady as I would have anyone else’s.
