Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 72496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
Sigh.
He slowly made his way over to us. “Hey,”
He ignored Ivan.
Ivan hated being ignored.
Like, hated it.
I nodded. “What?”
“Just saying hi.” He moved closer.
To my right, Ivan tensed. I didn’t have to look to know he was clenching both fists along with his jaw.
“You busy later? Heard a rumor that nobody’s been able to conquer the University’s queen. Care if I toss my hat into the pot and show you my magic?”
Ew. Did that work on people? Furthermore, baby bird wouldn’t be so confident if he knew that I had a knife strapped to my thigh.
I made a disgusted face. “I think even if you threw in every chip you had, you’d still lose based on odds alone, mainly being, I’m not a whore and I’m not for sale and the minute you get any part of your dick close to me, I’m not going to suck it. I’m going to chew it off, spit it out and make you bleed. So sure, make all the bets you want, put in the good ol’ college effort, just don’t go crying into your trust fund when I make you a eunuch for even dreaming of touching any part of me, okay?”
He paled.
I patted him on the shoulder. “Yup, good talk. Let’s go, Ivan.”
Ivan smirked and looked back at him and said loudly, “Just try man. By the way, in case you were wondering…” Wait, what was he doing? He wrapped an arm around me and pulled me close. His grip was strong, unbreakable in a way that immediately made me feel safe and seen. “She’s already taken, we kind of stay with our own, you know, powerful, rich, untouchable… attractive. Oh, and your fly’s been open this entire time, and steroids are illegal, I would know.”
The guy started charging toward us. Ivan dropped his hand.
I sighed. Idiot.
“It’s always like this, they think they can just power their way into us.” Ivan shook his head. “Think he’ll go for a right hook first?”
“Mmm…” He was like two feet away. “I think he’ll go straight, like a sucker punch.”
“Yeah, he’s a bitch like that. All right, do you wanna take him or can I just work off some steam first?”
“Be my guest.”
“You know, we’re always friendlier when we fight.”
“It’s the blood.” I nodded. “Oh, and please, do make him bleed.”
“My pleasure, little girl,” Ivan said before ducking and then sending an uppercut to the guy’s jaw, he went flying backward, as blood spewed from his chin. He collapsed against the grass and grabbed at his mouth, then held up his front tooth. Oh shit, he bit his tongue.
I winced while onlookers cursed and sighed. “That’s gonna need stitches.”
“His days going down on girls are so done, how sad.”
“For him.” I snorted. “A celebration for girls everywhere though.”
“What!” The guy stood and wobbled. “Gives you the fucking right! I was just talking to her, what? She your girl or something? I’ll kill you.”
Ivan shrugged. “Yeah, she is.”
I had no time to process what was happening before Ivan leaned down and jerked me toward him, then pressed an angry kiss against my lips. His tongue invaded, he invaded, he claimed, he made me his for a too-brief few seconds in front of everyone at orientation, then pulled back and glared at the guy he’d just destroyed and rasped, “Any questions?”
People started muttering under their breaths and quickly became extremely interested in things like the Fencing Club, Choir, and Art Club.
I shoved Ivan away from me and wiped my mouth. “Gross, you didn’t have to use tongue!” Imagine where it’s been!
Ivan rolled his eyes and used his middle finger to wipe his lips. “Hey, it was a quick save, and he was being a dick. Plus, I’ve never gotten any complaints about my tongue or anything else.”
I started gagging and gripped his shoulder. “Ivan, that’s what happens when you pay them.”
“Ohhhhhh…” He nodded. “Wow, that’s just the thank you I needed, and I don’t need to pay for anything, they should be paying me, or at least tipping.”
“Ah, so now you’re a prostitute.”
“Yeah, that turned on me really fast.” He sighed. “Let’s just get this whole marching around orientation thing done, grab some fliers, be seen and get back to the house, I need to grab more shit anyway.”
We both knew the whole point was for normal people around campus to see the popular kids from the mafia acting normal or, in our case, chaotic and then all would be well. They’d report to whoever they needed to report to, oftentimes their parents, that we had a united front, and everyone was happy. “Whatever.”
“Have I mentioned your vocabulary, as always, is staggering? One day you’ll be able to spell purple, can’t wait.”
“I was five and the r’s were hard, you whore!”
“Shhhh…” Ivan reached for my hand and gripped it. “We’re in love, remember? All part of the facade, what a perfect crime novel… but pretty sure most lovers die in the end by way of violence. I think I’d prefer the gunshot to the head than the stab wound.”