“Save it. Noble brother isn’t really your schtick.” When Alec grumbles, I take pity on him. “I promise, I’m fine. Sticks and stones, right? It rolls right off my back. None of that crap is true, so I’m not letting the rumors get to me. If you are, well, that’s an Alec problem, not an Alec-and-Gemma problem.”
“Fine,” he agrees as he pulls into our driveway.
“Thanks anyway, though.”
I reach over and ruffle his hair so it’s wild and messy before darting out of the car when he shouts my name.
For a little while I’m able to put Lucas Saint from my mind.
Nine
Lucas
“Dude, that pass was insane.” Carter makes an appreciative sound and mimes throwing a football as we walk with Devlin and Bishop down the hall. “Your arm is going pro. I’ve got good money riding on it.”
“Just his arm?” Bishop chimes in, giving me a skeptical once over. “What about his left leg?”
“Surely his hair can make the pro league,” Devlin agrees.
“Shove it.” I mash my palm over Bishop’s face and give him a playful push. “Or I’ll never bring any of your sorry asses to live the high life with pro cheerleaders and bottle service.”
Carter makes a dramatic show of crocodile tears, leaning on Bishop. The four of us are entertained by his antics.
Up ahead, I spot Gemma’s honey-blonde hair piled into a messy bun. Headphones dangle from her ears as she crosses the hallway and my mouth quirks up in anticipation.
I take her in from head to toe and give into the urge to capture her. I want to taste her sweet lips again and I don’t know if I can hold out any longer.
That kiss has stuck in my head on repeat. It’s at the top of my nightly rotation when I jerk off. I don’t know if I’m intrigued because this is the first time a girl has refused to fall on my dick because I looked her way, or if I’m still high on the thrill of chipping away at her for revenge.
Either way, Gemma has become my fucking obsession. She owns so many of my thoughts. I can feel her beneath my skin whenever she’s near.
I meet my friends’ eyes and nod towards my conquest. Carter lights up. He’s gone hard for taking Gemma down a peg.
Bishop and Devlin fan out, flanking my approach. People who see us are quick to scoot out of the way, parting the path to Gemma.
Coming up behind her, I snatch her, lifting her until her toes barely graze the ground. The headphones fall out and dangle from her bag. She lets out a delicious little yelp. I want to get her alone and hear her make that sound again.
Against her ear, I whisper, “Caught you, sweetheart.”
Gemma bucks, but I’m stronger. I swing around to the bank of lockers and drop her with enough force that she lands hard on her feet. Before Gemma catches her balance, I turn her around and press her into the metal.
Two blotchy pink spots color her cheeks, but she meets me with a fierce snarl that calls to the fire in my gut.
“You dickhead,” she growls. “How many times do I have to say it until you get it through that thick skull! I don’t want to talk to you!”
“That’s not nice,” Bishop comments.
Devlin stands next to him, messing with his phone. “Hunter…catches…target,” he mumbles as his thumbs move across his screen. “And—posted.”
A savage grin stretches on Bishop’s face at whatever Devlin captured of the scene unfolding.
“What’s not nice,” Gemma grits, “is your boy here. You’re all psycho.”
Her body jerks, aiming to slip away. I block her before she can escape. I lean in and hold her chin.
“You liked it before. You can’t deny the way your body gets excited when I’m near.” I brush my thumb over her chin, grinning when she tamps down on a shudder. “See that. Now, these lips are just begging me to kiss them. What do you say?”
“Wow, now you know how to ask? Thanks.” Gemma’s green eyes shoot daggers at me. “No.”