The annoyance was already building up. The headache that started the moment I walked into the office was only growing. I kept my face impassive, not letting any of it show. Father always said that once you showed what you were thinking, your enemy already had one up on you. Not that the secretary was any concern to me. As the heir to Rodell’s fortune, I needed to be put together at all times.
“I mind.”
“Oh well, um.” The secretary, whose name I hadn’t bothered to learn, fumbled with her mouse and attempted to type on her keyboard.
“That will take too long,” I said as I walked past her desk.
“Wait.” She was up, tripping over her own feet but caught herself out of breath by a few measly steps.
She wore a pencil skirt that hugged her shapely hips and a pastel pink blouse with a plunging neckline. I recognized the brand instantly and knew there was no way some secretary from our school could afford one of the most exclusive clothing brands in Aridole.
“I really think you should wait,” she said.
I hated the notion of doing the “do you know who you’re talking to” bit. If she worked at our school, she should know who she was speaking with. Mentally, I made a note to get Samson to provide me with her file. And there was another thing I’d be speaking to Jeremy about.
“Good thing I didn’t ask for your opinion.” I stepped around her, but she moved in front of me again.
The new girl isn’t the only one defying orders around here. A heavy sigh dripped from between my lips. I had better things to do.
“You’re a student, and I expect you to—”
“Luxious,” Jeremy called as he stepped out of his office, effectively interrupting his secretary.
Jeremy was a big man at six foot five and the former linebacker of Aridole University. As an alumnus of Press Prep, he was the prime example of when born in Aridole, you never leave Aridole.
His dark hair was grayer than it had been in the past. Instead of it making him look weak, he was far more distinguished. As for a principal, he wasn’t a bad one. He’d been appointed to the position last year. There had been an incident with the last principal. Mainly he didn’t know how to fall in line, but I hadn’t had any trouble with Jeremy yet.Never expect anything from those under you.My father’s words echoed through my mind daily.
“Jeremy.”
The secretary scoffed. Before I could say anything, Jeremy was there directing her away from me. “Sorry about that. She isn’t from Aridole. I’ll get her up to speed.”
“That should have been done already.”
Jeremy nodded. “And it won’t happen again.”
I nodded and headed toward his office as another student stepped out. My entire body lit up when we clashed. A smoky vanilla fragrance erased the vomit-inducing lavender scent for just a moment and eased the growing headache.
I knew that scent. I’d been thinking about it since I laid eyes on her.
“Corpse,” I said.
Keegan’s tempting mouth turned down in a deeper frown, her green eyes lighting up with anger. If I weren’t in complete control of myself at all times, I might have cracked a smile at the fiery look she was giving me.
“Fuck wit,” Keegan shot back.
Jeremy visibly stiffened next to her. “Keegan Quell.”
She twisted around. If she were angry with me, she was downright enraged with Jeremy. “I’ve been over this with you. That is not my name. Change it back to Basier.”
Jeremy met her glare head-on. “That is not how that works. You can head back to class, and the next time I see you in my office, there will be a call to your parents.”
Keegan tisked and rammed her shoulder into mine as she walked past. It was like she wanted me to react, and I couldn’t lie. A huge part of me wanted to grab a fistful of that soft brown hair and yank her close, bathing in her body heat and the inferno of tension between us.
I came to the office for business and had no time to mix pleasure in. I caught Jeremy staring at me, one eyebrow curved down as he studied me. He was probably wondering why I hadn’t handled Keegan. Saying she was special would be a lie. She was another girl amongst millions, but she was the one my guys decided would be our newest prey.
I stared at Jeremy growing more impatient the longer I stood there. He shook his head. “Come on in.” He glanced over to his secretary. “Hold all calls, and if there are any problems, get Wanda on it for me.”
Stepping into his office, the first thing anyone would notice was the wall of trophies. There wasn’t a single empty spot on the shelves. He had every single one he’d won since grade school. I sat in his leather chair behind his thick oak wood desk.