Chapter Two
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I’dhadenough.
No more games. No more foolishness. And no fucking way was I standing there while she took her bra off. If she’d managed to do it without cracking her head open.
Ridiculous woman.
She squirmed and hissed over my shoulder, threatening to bite me, hit me, vomit on me. I charged out of the house without a single person trying to stop me because most of them were selfish idiots, and headed directly to my truck.
Swinging the passenger door open, I did my best to be gentle with the writhing bag of snakes in my arms while I lowered her into the seat. As soon as I did, she tried to spring up and out of my truck.
Placing a firm hand on her belly, I pushed her down, and leaned across her to buckle her in. She shoved my shoulders, making kitten growls in my ear.
“Stay still, Elsa,” I barked.
“There’s no way you can possibly think my name is Elsa.” She slapped at my hands. “Why are you buckling me into this death trap? I’m not going anywhere with you.”
As soon as I straightened, she had herself unbuckled. I’d been impatient watching over her at the party, but now I was done.
“You are.” I cuffed her throat, drawing her attention. “I’m not letting you strip in front of the entire campus. Because that’s what will happen. You take your tits out, you think it’ll end in there? Don’t tell me you’re that naive. I saw at least three phones out, recording your show. You wouldn’t be able to walk to class without some dickhead looking at you, knowing exactly what you have underneath your clothes. I’m not letting that happen.”
She rolled her eyes, but the rest of her had gone still. “Drama king,” she whispered, but that was the last of her protest.
I let go of her and gave her head a pat. “Good girl. Don’t move an inch.”
By the time I got into my seat, she’d kicked her heels off, tucked her legs under her, and curled into a ball, facing my way. Reaching into the back, I grabbed a hoodie off the seat and draped it over her shoulders. Her fingers darted around the fabric, gathering it under her chin.
Cute. Never thought the ice queen could pull off cute, but she managed.
The drive back home was mostly silent, but the glare to the side of my head was resounding.
“Where are Helen and Theo?” she asked.
“They went home. I told them I’d drive you.”
“They left me with you?”
My fingers drummed the wheel. “They were ready to go. I wasn’t. You weren’t either.”
She hmphed. “Pretty sure Helen broke girl code. Hos before bros, man.”
“She knew I’d get you home safe.”
Her mouth opened in a wide yawn. “I guess she’s missed all the times you’ve looked at me with murder eyes.”
“I don’t.”
“Mmmhmm.” She brought the hoodie up to her nose and sniffed. “This smells like motor oil and the outdoors.”
I glanced at her, her blonde head barely peeking out from under the hoodie. “Toss it in the back seat if you don’t like it.”
She reeled back, clutching it tighter. “I didn’t say that. Don’t be a hoodie thief, Lachlan. It’s not a good look.”
“I’ll remember that.”
I could still feel her glare as I turned into my driveway. I parked, came around to her side of the car, and unbuckled her. She uncurled, looking up at me. Her nose was crinkled, but her eyes were drowsy, half-open.