Page 94 of Endless Anger
“See, but that’s what I like about you, Lucy. Youcareabout that shit.”
The seat beside me is suddenly yanked back, and a tall figure plops down into it. His knee, in his black chinos, bumps me, and I ignore the way mine tingles beneath my tights from the contact.
Idefinitelydon’t let my gaze track upward, lingering slightly over thethigh I had between my legs not long ago. Strong muscle strains against the fabric of his pants, and a bit of sweat percolates between my breasts, dripping from my bra as I recall how sturdy and masculine it felt, how primal and desperate I was?—
My hands ball into fists.Focus, Lucy, for fuck’s sake.
“Oh!” Tag’s eyebrows jump as he takes in the intruder. “Lucy, you didn’t tell me you had someone helping out this year.”
“I was kind enough to volunteer my services,” Asher says, and after a few seconds, Foxe meanders over from a booth selling knockoff Girl Scout cookies, with three boxes of chocolate-coconut crisps in his arms.
“Hey, Lulu, how come you’re the only one without a line?” he asks, dropping two of the boxes onto the table and tearing into the third. He stuffs a cookie in his mouth, offering the sleeve to Asher, who shakes his head. “Need me to beef things up for you? Draw in a crowd? Some of thefreshmenknow who I am at least, so things aren’t a total wash here.”
I straighten my back, not bothering to turn and spare either of them a look. “Sorry, Tag, maybe you should come back some other time.”
Tag frowns, glancing between the three of us. “Is there a problem, Lucy? Do I need to get security?”
Someone—Foxe—snorts, and Asher scoots forward, balancing his elbows next to mine. “No problems. Right,Lucy?”
The way he says my name, even though it’s spat through closed teeth, causes something to stir in my stomach. I swallow, forcing a nod.
Asher holds his hands out. “See what I mean? So please, continue your conversation.”
“Well…” Tag tugs at his collar, shifting on his feet.
Across the quad, several other booths are now watching us, captivated by Asher’s sudden presence at my table, I’m sure. They’ve never bothered glancing over here before.
I can already feel Pythia’s gossip trending the longer we sit here.
Founding Family Member Spares Avernia Pariah Precious Moments of His Time.
The headlines write themselves.
“I’d still really like to go with you, Lucy,” Tag says, crossing his arms over his chest. “It would be fun and probably good for you, considering how the semester’s gone so far.”
“Oh?” Foxe leans in, cookie crumbs flying. “Go where?”
“School play auditions. They’re happening soon, and I was thinking we could?—”
“She’s busy.”
My head whips to the side, and I glare at Asher. “No, I’m not.”
His eyebrows lift. “That isn’t what you said in my bed the other day?—”
Reaching beneath the table, I grab his thigh, pinching the inside before he has a chance to stop me. I put all my strength into it, gritting my teeth; he jolts, his hand immediately coming to cover mine as he drags my chair closer.
He grunts, wrenching my fingers from his leg, and then tangles ours together, drawing them into his lap.
Squaring his shoulders, Asher sits back, turning to Tag again. “Sorry about that. You know how Lucy gets when she hasn’t eaten.”
Anger blots out my vision, blurring the side of Asher’s head for a few seconds.
At the same time, my fingers are numb from the elation of holding his hand. Because that’s what this is basically; we’re intertwined at our palms, and he’s got his free hand curled over the two, lazily stroking his thumb along my knuckles.
The number of times I imagined thisverygesture when we were teenagers is embarrassing and not something I’ll ever admit out loud, but for a few seconds, I let younger me indulge.
“I…” Tag clears his throat, stepping back from the table. “Yeah, sorry. I had no idea… I didn’t think you dated, Lucy, honestly. I’d never try to slide in on another person’s partner.”
