Page 47 of Alive and Kicking
“Yes, sir.”
The long blink he does at that almost makes me combust. When he opens his eyes, the hold around my neck releases as well and I turn to leave. I’m very close to being late now. I’m only one step away when a sharp sting spreads across my left ass cheek, and when I look over my shoulder I see the absolute gratification on his face. Biting my lip, I have no choice but to leave. If I stay here any longer I’m going to be late. I made this appointment three weeks ago and I don’t want to have to wait another three. Somehow my coffee survived my encounterwith Cain, so I take a sip as I settle into my car. Giving myself only twenty seconds to calm down and reclaim control over my libido, I start the car and head to campus.
Sloane
Viv and I are heading to the parking lot after school when we get stopped by Carol. All the problems she’s been causing have really gotten her what she wants. I now remember her name. However, I also now wouldn’t even blink if Viv stabbed her in the throat. Though this afternoon she isn’t even looking at me. Her furious eyes are set on Viv, who just looks at her approaching with a satisfied smirk on her face.
“You fucking bitch! I know it was you!” Carol screeches.
Viv frowns and tilts her head to the side in the perfect image of innocence. “I have no idea what you mean. What’s this about, Carol?”
I blink at her using the girls actual name. Carol practically seethes, “I know you’re behind my name being changed in my school files! I just need to prove it and then you’re out of here!”
Viv’s head jerks back like she’s shocked at being accused of such a thing. “I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.”
Carol’s eye twitches. “It couldn’t have been anyone else! You’re the only one whose ever called me that.”
Viv’s frown gets deeper. “Called you what?”
“Chlamydia!” Carol shouts, and then promptly shuts her mouth at all the glances that are being thrown her way. She eventually continues in a whisper, “You’re the only one who has ever called me that. I know it was you. How did you get into my personal file?”
I almost laugh at the perfectly crafted expression of surprise and confusion on Viv’s face. “Seriously Carol, I have no idea what you’re talking about. What exactly are you accusing me of? Breaking into the student center and changing your name? They’ve got to have cameras or something in there. That’s just stupid. Why would I do something like that?”
Carols face turns a deep red and I’m honestly surprised that she hasn’t started a physical fight with Viv. Maybe she learned her lesson last year when Viv broke her hand.
Carol huffs. “I don’t know how you did it, but I will figure it out and I’ll prove it too.” She stomps off after one more glare.
Viv’s already grinning as she heads toward her car. “I’m surprised she didn’t try to pull your hair again.”
Viv raises a brow at me. “Now that wouldn’t have looked good for her on the recording she was secretly taking of me.”
I stumble. “What? What do you mean?”
Viv leans against the door of her car. “She has no proof it was me. So she was confronting me and probably hoped I would admit to it just to gloat. Besides, it technically wasn’t me.”
I grin at that, knowing that Nox is the only person who would be willing to do something like that for Viv. Zane would too but he just doesn’t have the skill set. I lean in and press my lips to hers. “Thank you. I know you did all of this for me. It might be personal at this point, but you jumped headfirst into a feud with a girl you didn’t even know just to protect me when you barely even knew me.”
“Of course. I’d do anything for you… because I love you.” She looks uncomfortable saying the words but I barely notice over the rapid thumping of my heart.
“What?” I manage to whisper, wondering if I misheard her.
She sighs and looks away, biting her lip before she opens her mouth. She forces her eyes back to me. “I said that I would do anything for you because I love you. And I mean it. Anything. I’d burn the whole fucking world down for you if I had to.”
I’m not sure if she was going to say more or not, but my lips press to hers stopping anything else she would have said. My hands hold the sides of her face as I kiss her deeply, not caring who sees. When I pull away for air, I gasp out my own truth between short breaths. “I love you too. I’ve loved you since the moment I walked in on you bashing that guys head in at the track. And I loved you even more when I realized you would fit perfectly with all of us.”
Her cheeks turn a shade of pink that is just too freaking cute. She’s just too perfect. I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders now that I’ve said the words. I never realized how much they would mean to me coming from Viv’s lips. Those three words have always just been something that the random hook-ups would use to try and trap me. But they would only send me into a panic attack. Because those are the same words my mother used to say to me that made icy terror run down my spine. I’ve never once heard those words and felt joy.
Not until they came from her.
Everything is just different with her. The moment she slid between Carol and me in that library cemented the trajectory of my heart. The way she somehow saw those signs and didn’t touch me. How she’s never touched me during an argument, like she innately knows it could break me. How she never takes control from me during sex even though I’ve seen enough of her sex life with Zane to know she does enjoy being on top.
It’s like she was made for us. She helps Nox sleep. She accepts everything about Zane. She pushes back against Cain but folds when he needs her to. I’ve never been as glad about slipping that why choose book into the stack Zane was reading than I am right now.
Viv manages to distract me from my thoughts with soft words. “I’ve never felt like I belonged somewhere until I met you guys. I always knew what was expected of me and what I should be doing, but I never had people around me that made me feel so seen. I had my Dad and Enzo and they both love me, but I’ve never had friends before. The fact that you guys accepted me so easily still just blows my mind.”
I laugh because from what I remember it wasn’t easy. Nox was convinced that she was some kind of spy, and Cain thought she was sent to us from hell just to ruin his perfectly curated life. Sure, they both probably feel stupid for that now, but they did feel those things.
I don’t tell Viv this because I don’t want to ruin her image of how things played out for the five of us. Not now that she’s practically the only thing Cain and Nox can agree on. What matters is that we’re together. I can’t help but lean forward just to press another kiss to her lips. When she leans into me and starts trying to climb me like a damned tree, I pull away. Nobody else gets to see her like this. It’s all for me. Well, me and my three best friends. “Come on. Let’s go home. Maybe I can convince Zane to fill this pretty mouth of yours while I fuck that perfect pussy.”
