Page 39 of Wicked Dove
What surprises me the most is that when they reach section thirteen, they don't join the line for food. Instead, they take a seat in the center of our table, leaving a few empty chairs between us. Rion and Thorne get comfortable on Ocean’s side, while Kael sits across from them on the same side as me.
Thankfully, none of them bother to look my way, but it doesn’t stop me from staring.
“Aren’t they going to eat?” I murmur to Ocean, who snickers, not bothering to reply with words as she nods behind me.
Peering over my shoulder, I stare in disbelief as the chef from section one hurries toward the table, a huge tray in her hands loaded with three plates, each filled with pancakes, bacon, and scrambled eggs.
That looks like some special treatment to me.
I wonder how I get myself some of that, but I quickly tamp it down, because I know my only goal is to get out of here, and if that means eating slop until I go, then so be it. Despite my enthusiasm to buckle down on my plan, the next spoonful of porridge doesn't taste any better.
I dare to take a little peek down the table and I watch as the three of them dig into their food, seemingly unfazed by how delicious it looks, when a flash of red hair approaches the table. I frown at the red stitching etched onto the breast of her blazer as she catapults herself across Kael as a sickly sweet giggle pierces the air.
My stomach does a flip as I snap my gaze back down to my food, pretending I'm not paying any attention to them. It’s impossible when she cackles so obnoxiously loud, and I can’t deny that they hold my attention, along with everyone else’s.
“Kael, baby!” She squeals as she puckers her lips toward him, but he’s instantly dismissive. Not that she seems to notice as she wraps her arms around his neck. “Baby, you're back. We can?—”
“We're nothing, Willow,” he interjects, his voice cutting through the air like glass, yet he doesn’t even bother to look at her.
I have to bite back my smile, but a part of me is slightly glad it's not just me on the receiving end of his shitty attitude. I’m even more enraptured in them as she continues to fawn over him, apparently unfazed by his rejection.
“I mean, while you were gone, sure, but are you not hearing me? You're back. We both know you haven't touched anyone but me since you were last here,” she muses as Ocean chokes on a drink across the table from me.
Water splashes everywhere, narrowly avoiding my porridge, and I’m slightly disappointed I don’t have an excuse not to eat it. My gaze latches onto my roommate’s as my cheeks heat, and Ocean splutters, shaking her head as she wipes her hand over her mouth. I glare at her, hoping that I do enough to make her be quiet.
Thankfully, she keeps her gaze on her bowl of porridge instead of making the situation any worse. Willow, the redhead, doesn't seem to notice as she coos over the deadly vampire.
“You can't tell me you haven't thought about me, Kael,” she insists, and he shrugs.
I tilt my attention to his friends across the table, but Thorne and Rion seem to be ignoring her existence as they eat in silence.
“I wasn't thinking about you when I was eating pussy yesterday morning,” Kael grunts, taking the next breath from my lungs as she gasps.
“You wouldn’t,” she grinds out through clenched teeth, and I’m sure I’m going to die.
“Don't whine, Willow. It’s unbecoming of you,” he grunts in response, making her pout.
As I force myself to stuff another spoonful of porridge into my mouth before I do something crazy, Willow carries on.
“Kael, please tell me you didn’t,” she whimpers, and doubt settles over me.
Holy crap, I didn’t ask. I didn’t?—
“Oh, fuck off, Willow. You were probably fucking Tiran,” Kael snaps, and she launches to her feet, wagging her finger in his face.
“How dare you!” she snarls before her eyes latch onto me. “Who the fuck are you?” It feels like the world stills as I blink at her. “Are you dumb? I said, who the fuck are you?” she repeats, kicking me out of my head. Her attention on me catches me off guard, but that four-letter word—dumb—reminds me who I am, and no matter how much I want to keep my head down and get out of here, I have to defend myself.
“Nope,” I grunt, popping thePas I sit up straight in my seat with my hands curled into fists in my lap.
The lack of attention I was basking in is short-lived as I feel eyes on me from every direction.
“Then answer me,” she pushes and I shrug.
“I’m good.” I reach for my apple, trying to play the nonchalant game, but I sense her stalking toward me, no longer bothering with Kael as she comes to the edge of the table right beside me. “I said, answer me,” she snaps, swiping the tray of food from in front of me, and I cringe as it clatters across the floor.
“Leave her alone, Willow,” Kael snarls, and I glower at him.
“Do not try to come to my rescue,” I bite, and he grunts.
