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With that sadistic gleam in his eyes, he gives us a lazy shrug. “They shouldn’t have brought such a pretty little toy to campus if they didn’t want me to play with it.”
Jesus Christ, we’re going to find ourselves in an outright war with the entire Petrov clan if this keeps up. I wish Eli was here. Actually, no I don’t. Because then I would just have one more psycho to keep in line.
Amusement ripples through me.
It would be rather fun to watch Eli beat the crap out of Mikhail, though. He did it last year. And it ended with his little brother Anton having to beg for mercy on his behalf. Good times.
My gaze slides to Kaden, who is smirking faintly as he picks up his knife and fork again.
Yes, Eli is good. But I know that Kaden can more than hold his own too. Eli is unhinged and Jace is unpredictable. Both of them are forces of chaos. Kaden is the complete opposite. He is cold. Methodical. And the most vicious one of us all.
And that really is saying something.
He will be able to fight his own battles.
“Just let us know if you need backup for anything,” I say, keeping my tone casual. Because Kaden is also proud. And territorial.
Kaden meets my gaze and holds it for a few seconds. Then he nods. Relief flickers through me. He interpreted that comment the way it was meant. As a genuine offer, not as a challenge to his own skills. Because if he ever does end up getting in over his head with the Petrovs, I want him to be able to tell us without feeling like his ego takes a huge hit. He and Jace and Eli are my brothers in every way that counts, and we will always have each other’s backs.
That unmistakable gravitational pull suddenly yanks at me.
My gaze snaps to the door.
A second later, Isabella walks across the threshold. Her gaze sweeps across the room in that calculated casual way, which I know means that she is scanning for threats. I know that she sees me, but she pretends not to as she walks up to one of the counters and gets some food. When she’s done, she immediately starts heading for one of the empty tables at the back.
Oh no, she’s not getting away that easily.
“Isabella,” I call.
Half of the canteen goes silent.
Clothes rustle and chairs scrape against the floor as the people at the tables around us turn to stare between me and Isabella, who is now standing frozen on the floor. Her shoulders are tense. Her posture rigid. Even from across the room, I can almost feel the panic radiating from her. She really doesn’t like being the center of everyone’s attention, does she?
Then she recovers.
With that shy and slightly embarrassed mask she often hides behind on her face, she turns towards our table and gives me an uncertain smile as if wordlessly asking me what I want. I twitch two fingers at her. She flicks her gaze from side to side before starting towards us. The rest of the students track her every move.
Anticipation hangs like mist inside the now silent room. Everyone is probably expecting me to humiliate her or punish her in some way.
But when she reaches our table, I just motion at the empty chair next to Jace. “Sit.”
Some of the people at the tables closest to us raise their eyebrows in surprise. A soft murmur of confusion ripples through the room. As if waiting to see if it’s just a trick, they all watch as Isabella sets down her tray and then pulls out the chair opposite me and sits down.
When nothing else happens, everyone grudgingly goes back to eating their lunch.
“Thanks,” Isabella says, and then casts an uncertain glance between the three of us.
“Of course,” I reply with a nonchalant shrug. “Why sit alone when you have friends now?”
“Friends.” The word sounds strangely awkward on her tongue. As if she has never said it before. “Right. Sure.”
I arch an eyebrow at her. “Are we not friends?”
“Of course,” she hurriedly presses out. That shy apologetic mask settles on her features again. “I’m sorry, I—”
“Alright,” Kaden interrupts. “Since you’re nowfriends, let me lay down the ground rules.”
Setting his utensils down, he locks cold eyes on Isabella. She blinks in what seems like genuine surprise as she twists slightly to meet his gaze. A knife, a proper knife, appears in Kaden’s hand as he raises it.
