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Viv nods, his head bobbing from where their foreheads are connected. “I didn’t do anything wrong, Zane. Neither did he. We’re not dating. You never asked me out. You told me to have sex with someone else.”
Zane pulls away, scowling down at her. “I also told you not to get attached because I would kill whoever touches you.” Nox and Cain arrive at the open door as his gaze casts to the side to catch on me. “I expected more from you. You know how I feel about her. You’re so much of a man whore you just couldn’t stay away from the only girl I’ve ever cared about. Just had to fuck her like the asshole you are! You could have used any of those little bitches who hang around you. Instead, you decided to have sex with her? You had to use her too, because that’s just what you do!” His voice is scathing.
Without even thinking about it, I step around Viv, grab Zane by the throat, and slam him against the wall so hard one of the trophies on my shelf falls off. “Don’t you dare compare her to them. You think it was actually a choice between her and any of those girls who mean absolutely nothing to me?” I snarl in his face as it turns red. “I haven’t even looked at another girl since I saw her at the gym the first day of school. I get that you’re mad, but you will not compare her to those meaningless girls. Do you understand me?”
A soft hand lands on my elbow and slides up to my wrist. “He can’t answer you if he can’t breathe,” Viv tells me, pushing her way between us.
I release Zane, stepping back and letting him fall to the floor, gasping for breath. Viv stays between us, one hand pressed to my chest as the other one threads through Zane’s hair as he works on catching his breath. “What the hell happened?” Nox asks, storming into the room and grabbing my discarded shirt off the floor to slip over Viv’s head, since she’s still just standing here completely naked.
Zane gets to his feet, glaring at the other two men in the room. “None of your damn business,” he snaps at them, turning soft eyes to Viv. “Why don’t you go get dressed, baby?”
Viv’s eyes find the ripped panties just as Cain leansdown to pick them up. I pretend not to notice as he slips them into his pocket. Viv huffs but doesn’t say anything when he gives her a challenging look. She stomps from the room with her head held high and her shoulders straight.
Zane turns to me, leaning in close so only I can hear him. “If you ever do treat her like one of those girls, I will feed you your own spleen.”
I hold my hand out between us. “Deal.”
I’m surprised when instead of shaking my hand, he hooks his pinky around mine, then hurries from the room, slipping back into his own. Nox and Cain turn prying eyes on me. “Well?” Cain asks, patting the pocket he just stuffed Viv’s panties into.
“Well, get out. It’s none of your business.” I cross my arms and the frown Cain wears shows that he knows he won’t be getting anything out of me.
Viviana
Dinner is quiet and awkward while we sit around the table. Nox tries to start up conversations, but they die out quickly. I feel guilty that he worked so hard to cook this meal for us and I’ve ruined it with the awkward ambiance my time with Sloane has created. Zane leans into my side, scooping up a spoon full of sweet potato casserole to put on my plate while Sloane places one of the freshly baked rolls on the other side. Cain and Nox just watch them as they make sure I get a little bit of everything on the table.
I take a bite of the mashed potatoes and gravy and groan as the buttery flavor rolls over my tongue. “These are so good,” I tell Nox after I manage to swallow.
He smiles shyly, glancing away. “Thanks.”
I grin at him. “No, really, this is amazing. I’ve never really had a Christmas dinner like this before. My dad always has it catered by one restaurant or another. I can’t believe you did this all on your own. Thank you so much for inviting me.”
He returns my smile. “Thanks, and you’re welcome.” He closes his mouth, rolling his lips in like there’s more he wants to say but he doesn’t.
I glance over at Cain, who’s cutting into a piece of ham on his plate. “How’s your hand?” I look down to see the stitches still there, but there’s no bandage anymore.
His eyes narrow on me. “Fine. No thanks to you.”
I roll my eyes. “Told you not to go in there,” I mutter under my breath.
His eyes narrow even further into tiny slits. How can he see like that? Sloane is the one to break the tension. “So, Viv, do you plan to tutor next semester?”
I glance over at him. “I don’t know. I haven’t really decided yet. Sign-ups are in a week from now. I guess I’ll just figure it out then.”
Nox chuckles. “Why do you need more tutoring?” He gives Sloane a raised brow.
“He plays hockey, brain damage is a given. He’ll need all the help he can get,” Cain says, receiving a glare from Sloane.
I smother the laugh trying to escape my throat. “Hey, he still has all his teeth. He deserves a little more credit than that.”
Sloane turns his glare to me. “You’re all so mean to me.”
I pat his shoulder. “You’re right. There’s nothing wrong with a bunch of men hitting their sticks together for fun.”
Nox snorts and Zane holds his hand over his mouth to keep from laughing. “Hey! Hitting sticks together got me a full ride scholarship, so,eh!” He sticks his tongue out at me.
“Yes, real mature,” Cain drawls in his usual haughty tone.
Sloane pouts at me. “Aren’t you going to stick up for me? I thought we were friends.”
