Is this what Aiden wants? He planned this entire show, didn’t he?
Xander stops in front of both of them. His face is stone cold and his rigid shoulders strain against the uniform’s jacket.
His glare falls on Aiden’s hand around Kim’s back.
I find myself glaring at it, too.
I want to break that hand.
I want to burn it and feed it to dogs.
Neither Aiden nor Xander say a word. They stare at each other, having a conversation without words.
Conquest and War complement each other, but right now, they look on the verge of destroying one another.
Xander looks two seconds away from blowing up while Aiden wears that infuriating poker face.
Everyone else falls silent, barely breathing as if they’re waiting for a bomb to drop.
Xander hooks his fingers in Kim’s jacket and yanks her back. Her teary eyes widen when she meets Xander’s murderous gaze.
I run towards her, but before I reach them, Xander lets her go and she sprints in the opposite direction.
I should’ve followed her. Instead, I stop in front of Aiden. He’s watching me with keen interest even though Xander is almost throwing daggers into his face.
Aiden leans in to whisper so only I can hear him, “I’m still waiting for you to show me the mark.”
“You did all of this for that?” I hiss.
Poker face.
“I don’t even have words for you,” I whisper-yell.
“Say no, sweetheart.” His hot breaths send shivers along my skin. “I dare you.”
“After school,” I deadpan. “Meet me after school.”
Aiden raises an eyebrow as if wondering where I want to go with this. I don’t know either, but I need to stop him somehow.
From here to then, I’ll figure something out.
I leave him and a tense Xander.
Cole and Ronan, who missed the show, saunter out of the cafeteria.
“I’m telling you, Nash,” Ronan speaks animatedly to a calm Cole. “I’m having those bunny cake hookers for my birthday.”
Cole raises an eyebrow. “I thought that was last year’s fantasy?”
“Captain Levi killed my vibe last year.” Ronan hits his chest, laughing with mischief. “He won’t stop me this year.”
“Well, I’m your captain this year and I’m telling you that there won’t be any hookers.”
“Mais non!” Ronan’s face falls with dramatic disdain. “I thought we were friends, fucker.”
“The jury is still out on that.”
“That’s it. You’re crossed from my friends' list. Best of luck finding where to party because I’m banning you from my house and...”