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“It’s clear that you like her, so why don’t you just be the one to ruin her reputation?” I tilt my head to the side slightly, wondering if what I’m about to say could be true. “Or is it because you actually care for her?”
“Perhaps.” He shrugs. “I’m not sure. All I know is she’s not what I expected. She’s not a spoiled mafia princess.” He inhales deeply. “She’s nothing like them.”
“Are you forgetting what her parents took from you?” Gavril asks. The anger in his tone is clear as day.
Oak knocks back the rest of his whiskey, slamming the glass down. “Enough of this. I agreed to come out because I want to forget about it, not talk about it.” I wave a server over and she takes my order for another round. “Let’s get drunk and forget about the Carmichaels.”
Gav doesn’t let up, watching Oak over the rim of his glass.
I nod, downing my drink. “Here, here.” I smile at Oak. “Let’s get drunk.”
Finally, Gav relaxes. “Sounds good to me.” He polishes off the rest of his vodka, just as the next round arrives.
Oak stops the server before she leaves. “Keep them coming, every twenty minutes, and put them on my tab.” He hands her a fifty-dollar bill.
Oak is loaded because of the insurance pay out on the fire at his company’s premises. I glance around the bar, trying to find any signs of the students.
“I’m going to dance,” I say, hoping I’ll get a better view from the dancefloor.
“Have fun,” Gav says, sarcastic as ever.
I move onto the dancefloor and instantly a girl makes eyes at me. Being that I would look like a fucking fool out here alone, I move toward her. “Care to dance?” I ask, even though I have no interest in her what so ever. She’s attractive, but ever since I set my sights on Adrianna, no other girl will do.
“Definitely,” she says.
I pull her onto the floor and her arms wrap around the back of my neck. Her eyes alight with desire that I can’t match, but I have to pretend to be into her just to keep dancing.
As I spin her around, I keep looking out for Miss Vasquez and come up empty handed. If they don’t turn up as expected, I’m not sure I can stop myself marching into her dorm and barging into her room. I need to see her.
While I’m distracted, the girl I’m dancing with yanks me down and slams her lips into mine. I’m stunned for a moment by the suddenness of it, and it feels so oddly wrong that it’s not Adrianna’s lips.
Someone taps me on the shoulder. “Arch.”
I break away, thankful for Oak’s intrusion. “What?”
“We have students at the bar who Gav and I are going to join and torment.” At last. Who would have thought it’d be Oak to see them first? “Wondered if you wanted to tag along?”
“Where?” I ask, finding it hard to believe that I’ve missed them after all my searching.
“In the back. About fourteen of them.” Oak tilts his head to the left. “Do you want to join us or not?”
No wonder I didn’t see them if they’re at the back of this place. I glance at the blonde girl, who’s looking rather irritated by the interruption. “Sure.” I peel myself out of her arms. “Sorry, sweetheart. Maybe another time.” I give her a wink and follow Oak back to our table.
Gav’s fist are clenched. “Ready?” he asks Oak.
Oak nods. “Follow my lead.”
The three of us walk toward the back and the table where the students are. At first, I don’t see Adrianna and all my hope deflates. Until some guy who had been standing by the table moves and it feels like my world slows to a halt.
A mix of fierce desire and intense possessive rage hit me all at once. The dress she’s wearing is as sexy as sin. It’s a hot red, which matches her red-hot attitude and the neckline plunges way too low to be appropriate. She’s sitting at the table with a bunch of adolescent boys dressed like that, and she shouldn’t be seen like that by anyone but me.
Elias notices us first.
Oak clears his throat. “I didn’t realize all of you had clearance to leave the grounds.” There’s a lethal calmness in his voice. “Who gave you permission?”
I kick Alek off his stool, sitting down. All the while, my eyes are pinned to Adrianna in that hot as hell dress.
“I did.” Elias lifts his chin. The cocky son of a bitch. “After all, we’re eighteen years old. We can do what the fuck we want.”
