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LUCAS
Ican’t remember ever waiting with so much anticipation. Not even when I was in the ring, waiting for the bell to ring so I could knock my next opponent out. I was pretty fucking insufferable about it, too.
But this? This tops anything. Why isn’t she back yet? I know her entire schedule inside and out—considering I put it together, it only makes sense. She should have been here ten minutes ago, but she’s not. I deliberately left my office and went to the apartment to wait for her, and she was not here.
It’s incredible, really, how many scenarios can run through a person’s head in the span of no time at all. Did she run away? No, somebody would have come to get me by now.
Did Quinton decide to finish the job? I would hope not since I don’t feel like dealing with any of those ramifications. Though I doubt there would be any. If what she’s told me is true, nobody wouldn’t be asking after her. It’d be as if she simply vanished from the face of the earth. Essentially, that’s what she’s already done.
As far as I know, there hasn’t been a mention of her in the outside world, almost like she never existed.
When the door to the apartment opens, I have to restrain myself from pouncing on her like a father waiting for his daughter to return home from a night out.
“What the fuck took you so long?” I bark.
She cringes away, eyes wide. “What? I came straight here after class.”
“That’s a fucking lie, and we both know it. You should have already been here if you’d come straight from class.”
“What, have you timed it?” She puts her hands on her hips, snickering and even going so far as to look me up and down. “I mean, I already knew you were uptight, but this is way worse than I anticipated.”
“Keep your fucking useless opinion to yourself. I asked you a straightforward question. Why did it take you ten minutes longer than it should have to get back here?”
“What are you expecting? For me to confess I was scheming?” She smirks, and I want to wipe the floor with her face. “Maybe I built a bomb and hid it somewhere.”
“Quit with the fucking jokes. I want an answer.”
“For one thing, I wasn’t alone in the hallway. There were a ton of people all around, and they sort of slowed me down.” She rolls her eyes. “And I got a little lost. Okay? Are you happy? I couldn’t find my way.”
“It’s not that difficult.”
“Maybe not for you. However, except for that visit with Doctor Lauren, today was the first time I’ve left this apartment. It’s not like I had a map on me. I had to try to remember.”
“You could have asked someone for help.”
“Right.” She taps her chin. “Excuse me. Instead of living in the dorms like everybody else, I’m staying with Lucas in his apartment. Can you direct me to it?”
I grit my teeth, my jaw tightening to the point of pain. She pushes my buttons, every single one of them. When I don’t respond and continue to stare at her, she throws her hands into the air. “I’m sure that would have gone over really well and that it wouldn’t paint an even bigger target on my back once everyone found out where I was living and with who.”
“You believe there’s a target on your back?”
“Give me a break, would you? We both know there is. Or was there some other reason for you to look so smug yesterday when you told me I had to start classes today?”
White-hot fury rolls through me, burning up my insides. How the fuck does she do that? It’s like she reads my mind. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t I?” A heartbeat passes. The air between us grows hotter, like the flames of a fire moving in. “Fine. Whatever.” She stomps past me and to the guest room like a child throwing a tantrum.
“Where do you think you’re going?” I demand, following her. “I wasn’t finished talking to you.”
“I’m getting changed.”
“Not until I’m finished. I want to know how everything went today.”
“It went fine.” She tries to shut the door in my face, but she’s not quick enough. Besides, I have a key—though even if I didn’t, I’d kick the fucking thing down.
“Anybody give you any trouble?”
“No. In fact…” She spins on her heels, then has the audacity to jab a finger against my chest. Bolts of electricity span across my chest. It’s like being electrocuted. “You could have told me who these clothes belonged to. You mean I have to wear her fucking clothes around school? Do you know how that made me feel when she told me they were hers?”
