Dracian Legacy (17 page)

“Before I forget, you’ve been volunteered to be thrown under the bus tomorrow.”

“Ooookay,” he drawled. “Do I want to know what that means?” he asked, not the least bit concerned.

“Nope, just be ready to charm your way out of my best friend’s wrath.”

He laughed with his low, warm voice and my insides swirled and stirred with desire.

We talked until I was too tired to retort with more than single-word responses.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

The next morning, I woke with my heart full of joy. Soon, I fell into my weekday routine. I jogged my six miles in record time, at least for me, got home, got ready, and left for the day—dressed in a yellow off-the-shoulder sweater with a white cami beneath, black cargo capris, and my favorite bamboo wedges.

On the way to school, I treated myself to a venti pumpkin latte with pumpkin bread for breakfast. With a few minutes left to spare, I rushed into school, gulping down my breakfast, to exchange books for the first half of the day.

When I rounded the corner, I lost my balance seeing Axel leaning against my locker. He was dragging his finger across a clear solid device streaked with blue lines. Before my butt made contact with the floor, a pair of arms prevented me and my hot venti pumpkin latte from falling to the floor.

“You okay?” Axel asked, smiling.

He pulled me up, keeping his eyes on mine the entire time. A few passersby stared at us.

I didn’t care.

I nodded with a wicked smile. “It’s your fault.”

“Huh. It’s my fault you have two left feet?” He teased. He leaned in for a quick peck on the cheek.

“Yeah, it
is
your fault. If you didn’t look so good waiting for me, I wouldn’t have tripped over myself.” I walked toward my locker. He had an innocent look on his face. “Oh, as if you don’t know half the girls at school are gunning for you.” I pointed to the giggling and blushing girls that just passed.

He bit his lip, leaning down to my ear.

“Does it matter when you’re all I want to eat, breathe, and live?” he asked in a heated whisper.

My entire body flushed and my insides formed into tight coils. He gave me an airbrush of a kiss on the sensitive skin behind my ear before pulling back. I let out a quivering breath and my knees gave out under me. He placed his hand around my waist.

“I’ve got you.” His voice was strained.

My heart thrummed with a different kind of vibration. He was as affected as I was. I wrapped my arms around his neck and tilted my head, not caring who was watching us anymore. I needed a proper hello. I pulled him down to me. A soft hiss escaped his mouth when I sucked at his bottom lip. He leaned against my locker for support. I pulled back and a sheepish grin crossed my face.

“That’s how you say good morning and get back at a person. Two birds… one kiss.”

He arched his dark brow. “What’s gotten into you today?”

“You… know,” I said, giving him my most seductive look.

He chuckled, closing my locker with a clunk, and led us to my homeroom. “Mmhmm… I like you when you get all giddy.” He leaned in to kiss my forehead. Then his arm wrapped around my shoulder. “Let’s go before you make me do something illegal and your brother comes after me with a butcher knife.”

“Oh, he wouldn’t come after you with a butcher knife,” I said, laughing. “He’d come after you with a machine gun or a tank to annihilate your boy parts.”

Four long hours later, I saw Axel and Tyler in a heated argument outside the cafeteria. When Tyler saw me, he jerked his head my way and walked in the opposite direction. His face contorted, leaving me baffled. Before I had a chance to ask Axel what that was about, he pulled my arm and spun me around, pinning me against the wall gracefully.

“I was thinking about the whole two birds… one kiss theory from earlier.” Axel grinned mischievously, curving his lips up on one side.

“Y-yeah?”

He licked his lips, looking at mine with longing. “It’s been a
very
long morning.” His chest rumbled with a throaty groan.

He traced his thumb against my lower lip and down my neck, transferring a surge of electricity. He was driving me insane. He leaned in as his hand trailed down my shoulder, over my arm, and finally rested on my waist at the hem of my sweater. His fingers found their way under my cami.

“If you’re ticklish…,” he whispered into my ear.

His hands and fingers softly grazed different parts of my body.

“Stop… Axel, stop… Please…”

I tried to free myself from his grasp, but it was futile.
Dammit.
He let me escape after a few seconds. I ran down the hallway toward the cafeteria, giggling, out of breath. He followed me with a stupid grin as I took my seat next to Pey.

“Why are you giggling like a two-year-old?” Pey looked between Axel and me.

“I’m not,” I replied, trying to put a stop to the chuckle.

“Ah, yeah. You are,” she insisted.

I rolled my eyes at her and pivoted toward Landon with a devilish smile.

“You better be good to my best friend, Crew, or else…”

I tried to give him the intimidating look, but then smiled and tugged him into a huge hug.

Axel walked up to our table as I let go of Landon.

“How about we go out to celebrate? You pick the place. My treat.” He handed Pey a box of toffees.

Really, she got toffees? What about me? I reach over to grab the box and Pey swatted at my hand before pulling it to her chest.

Then she waved her finger up and down at Axel. “I like you already, Knight, not too shabby. Kissing my ass the first chance you get.”

He grinned sheepishly. “Ren did mention something about being thrown under a bus. I was just trying to soften the blow.”

She opened the box and placed a toffee in her mouth. Axel’s lips twitched the slightest. He and Landon fist-bumped before Axel took a seat next to me.

“Hey, man, welcome to the club. You’ve got lots to learn about these girls.”

“I’m sure I do.” His eyes turned smoldering hot.

A loud round of laughter boomed through the entrance of the cafeteria.

“Dude, that was inhumane.” Hunter howled, looking at Dean, awestruck. “Two hundred sixty-five pounds, on a bench press. Coach is going to be through the roof.”

“Trying to lose weight there, porkie?” Landon shouted across the cafeteria.

“Working hard to get back in shape,” Dean replied, obviously very proud of his accomplishment.

“Good shit. Who ya trying to impress?” Hunter barked. “Your
girlfriend
?”

Dean gave me a quick glance. I looked away, only to be caught by Axel’s quizzical eyes. I felt my cheeks heat.
Damn it.

“You noticed?” Dean made a kissy face toward Hunter.

My head dropped into my hands. I really needed to find another table.

“Can’t wait to get down and dirty with you, princess,” Landon said, smacking Dean’s butt.

I couldn’t handle this conversation anymore. I stood up to intervene.

“You guys sure you’re not gay?” I asked. Then I looked at Pey and Ella. “Are you sure they aren’t gay?”

“Aww… Jealousy is cute on you, gorgeous.” Dean walked over and gave me a hug with a kiss on my temple, shocking me and everyone else.

It got pin-drop silent. I swore I heard crickets.

It took me a minute to snap out of shock and find my voice. “You’re such a turd.”

I pushed Dean back and put my hands on my hips. Axel’s arm snaked around my waist, pulling me to him possessively, and he waited. The room heated up ten degrees in that precise moment. I saw the realization hit Dean and his eyes gave away his pain. Then his attention turned to Axel. They glared at each other. Neither ready to back down.

“Ren, you packed up for our trip?”

I could have so kissed Pey for the diversion. I sat back down, ignoring the unspoken primal war progressing behind me. I took a fry from Pey, placing it in my mouth, and chewed it deliberately.

“I told my brother yesterday and he suggested I don’t do anything he wouldn’t.”

She snickered. “Yeah, like you could ever be that cool!”

“Just because you had a crush on him since—”

A loud smack resonated behind me, followed by a thud like metal colliding with bone. My head snapped around to see what the hell just happened. I was horror struck.

“What the hell?” I ran toward Dean’s bleeding head. A chair lay next to him, his fingers tightly gripping the leg.

Did he…? Did they…? Oh dear God!

I glanced over at Axel. He clenched and unclenched his fists like he was ready to punch Dean again. Saying he was pissed was putting it lightly. I only ever saw him that angry the first time we met at the cemetery and the Goarder nearly gutted him alive.

“That’s strike one, rookie,” Axel said, his muscles working along his jaw.

“What the hell did you do, Dean?” I asked, my finger tracing across his bleeding forehead.

He continued to glare at Axel.

“We need to talk.” I grabbed Dean’s hand and Axel took a step toward me. “Alone,” I said to Axel. Hurt crossed his features. Letting go of Dean’s hand, I stepped toward Axel, placing my hand on his chest. “Please, I need to do this.”

Axel crashed his lips to mine and kissed me like it was just the two of us. Like he was trying to make a statement that I was his. I moaned into his mouth. Dean grunted in disgust.

I pulled back and smiled sheepishly. He traced his thumb over my lip.

“I’ll be close,” he whispered.

I wanted to tell him that wasn’t necessary, but the look he gave me made me swallow my words. I fought the urge to roll my eyes at him and I nodded in agreement. The sooner Dean and I talked, the easier it would get.

I hoped. I could hope, right?

With another chaste kiss on Axel’s lips, I spun on my heel toward Dean. “You, caveman, let’s talk.”

Dean followed me down the hall and into the girl’s locker room.

“What the hell was that?” I asked, pointing in the general direction of the cafeteria.

His eyes darted behind me and back. Then he answered sarcastically, his brows arched. “A mirror.”

I glanced over my shoulder to see what he was talking about and my eyes bugged out.

A mirror. I was pointing to a mirror.

I turned back. “Ha, ha! You’re a total jerk.” I hit him in the chest with my fisted hand. “Why did you attack Axel?”

“Do I need a reason to punch a rich spoiled ass?” He smirked, not working to veil his arrogance. “Besides, I’m the one bleeding.”

I ran my hands through my hair and tugged the ends, frustrated. I went into the bathroom and brought back a wet paper towel. I stood on my toes, dabbing it against his bleeding cut.

“Dean, if this is about Friday… That should never have happened.”

“Is it that disgusting you can’t even admit we kissed?” he yelled, losing his façade. “Do I sicken you that much?” He moved closer. His eyes flashed, cutting through me with anger, pain, and sadness.

“Don’t you dare blame this on me, Dean. You’re three frigging years too late.”

He flinched.

“Just because someone else is showing interest in me, doesn’t give you the right to—”

“To what?” His voice came out softer.

He leaned in, our lips inches apart. I stood my ground. I wasn’t going to let him intimidate me. I threw back a glare of my own. A group of giggling girls walked into the room, unaware of the scene soon to combust in front of them. They froze.

“Beat it,” Dean threatened, grinding his teeth. When they didn’t move, he yelled, “Now!”

I watched as the girls fumbled around the locker room, making their way out. If a teacher found out I had a boy in here, I’d be in so much trouble. Shaking my head, I glanced over to Dean. His eyes flared with darkness and agony and jealousy.

“Are you afraid of me?”

“No,” I whispered.

Truth.

“Don’t choose him,” he pleaded.

“Why not?” I fired back, feeling the bubble of pain crowding my chest. “Why should I not feel wanted and loved?” His eyes were dangerously challenging. My voice softened. “He’s good for me, Dean. And I like him. A lot.”

After what seemed like an eternity, he let out a labored sigh and tilted back his head. He growled and swung his hand in my direction, into the wall behind me. I stood there, stunned, shocked, staring at the hole he left behind. I’d never seen him so angry. Before I comprehended what happened, Axel stood between Dean and me. His body guarded mine.