Page 21 of Little Nightmare

“Are you going to be okay?” Ivan was using his soft voice. I hated his soft voice.

I opened my door. “You’re using the voice again. It only annoys me more. Next time just punch me to get my attention.”

He snorted out a laugh. “I’m not going to punch one of my favorite people, and last time you punched back—a tooth cracked—not my favorite moment.”

I smiled. “And yet one of my top five.”

"Shocker.” He smirked and reached for his door. Opened his mouth again.

“Nope.” I waved him away. “Pretend feelings don’t exist just like I am right now. You used to be good at that until your tiny heart grew.”

“Ouch.” He jumped out.

"Oh please, I’m sure Bella made it all better.”

His smirk was back full force. God how did such a player end up married with a baby already? "No comment.”

“Mmm…” I laughed as I settled my white leather Prada bag over my shoulder and kept my black sunglasses firmly in place. “It smells.”

“It’s called nature. Those”—Ivan pointed toward the rest of campus—“are trees.”

"And that”—I pointed at him—“is an ass, out in the wilds of Chicago. Watch how it slowly stalks its prey and?—”

“Shut it.” He slid off his aviators. “There he is, right on time.” Ivan checked his watch. “Does it piss you off how punctual he is, or is it just me?”

Striding toward us with purpose, Ace was wearing a camel-colored trench coat, tight jeans, and black boots. He had his hair slicked back, and he should look like a tool; instead, he looked like he belonged on the cover of a magazine.

GQ most likely.

"How much do you bet he counts his steps and only stops on even numbers?” I tilted my head. “And yes it pisses me off that he’s always on time. I swear the man probably counts every strand of hair on his head instead of sheep then mourns the loss of even one on his pillow when he wakes up.”

Ivan choked out a laugh. “He does have nice hair, though.”

"Your compliments don’t make him more appealing. Let’s get this over with. Like you said, I have class.”

“Yup.”

People walked by us, some stared, others held up their phones. I was used to going viral. The sheer amount of reality shows that our family was pitched was crazy.

Did they really think we’d let cameras film all the gory stuff or were they really under the false impression that we were just descendants of a crime family but kept our noses clean?

People couldn’t be that stupid, could they?

Ace eyed me up and down.

“Ten bucks he checks his watch twice.”

Ivan cursed. “Twenty says he goes for a third time.”

“Why a third?” I wondered.

“Because…” Ivan started walking past me. “He’s nervous.”

“Why?” I glance around. “It’s not like we have any threats.”

Ivan looks over his shoulder. “It’s funny.”

“What is?”

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