Page 84 of The Deceptions
“What? I’m just saying hello to our newest scholarship student. How’s my college working out for ya, huh?” Mack’s grin widens when I purse my lips and shrug. Concrete sits on my damn tongue as it sticks to the roof of my mouth, drying out every second he stares at me with those beady eyes and examining me. “I wanted to drop by and give you a little lesson on who rules this fucking school.” He leans further in, and my breath catches at the scent of his cologne. The same cologne he’s always worn. The same scent I gave him for Christmas when I was thirteen and couldn’t afford anything but that. It was from the Dollar Tree. Cheap. But it smelled so good, I couldn’t pass it up. Besides, I only had three dollars in my pocket. “I am the fucking king. Along with my two brothers, JJ and Hux. You remember him, right?” His face turns deadly, hardening with every word he says. “So, I suggest you stay in line and stop poking the fucking bears. We can make your life fucking hell.” He raises his brow for good measure.
Yeah, whatever you say, dickbag.It’s what I want to say. But I have to play it smart. I’m not Olivia Viotto. She was wronged. Murdered. Buried without tears.
I’m not her right now. I can’t be.
I’m Oliver Davenport. A man on a mission. I have to remain calm and take whatever they throw at me with a smile. All for the mission. All for the greater good of Greenwood.
I can do that, right?
Thick walls erect in my mind, cutting off the past. I toss them away. I can’t think with my heart. Or the betrayals that led me here.
I can only think with Oliver’s brain.
“Whatever you say,” I finally spit out through clenched teeth.
Yup. I’m smooth. I can tell by the way his facial features darken and his soulless eyes glaze over that he didn’t like my response very much. His lips pop open, and he leans in again, getting closer to me.
How mad would he be if I broke his nose? Probably rage-filled. Would it be worth it? Oh, yeah. I’d love to see this douchenozzle bleed. I curl my fingers into fists, ready to beat him down and show Greenwood U that I’m not some pushover. But I don’t get the chance.
“Sit the fuck down!” My head snaps to the left at the same time Mack’s does as the voice carries throughout the room.
My heart nearly drops. Wilder. I knew he went to GU. As does Malic. I saw the proof after the party while they sat on their porch watching us. But him in one of my classes? That surprises me. If all these gangsters are coming to GU for an education, I assumed they were merely handed a degree without stepping foot into a classroom. Well, I guess I was wrong on that front.
Mack straightens, frowning at the new voice interjecting in our disagreement. Perfect timing, if you ask me. I’d rather Mack get out of my face and sit down before I do something stupid like kick him in the balls. Then, I’d really have a problem on my hands. But hey, this is good for my assignment, I guess.
“Or what?” Mack asks cockily, loosening his shoulders as if he were preparing for a brawl. “What are you going to do about it, huh?”
I swallow hard when Wilder stands from his seat, glaring holes through Mack’s head. Oh, Wilder. Mack’s slightly older brother by eleven months. His short, blond hair almost makeshim look bald as he crosses his thick arms over his chest. His chest, displaying copious amounts of muscle lining his body with loads of colorful tattoos.Wait,I shake my head. You’re Oliver now. You can’t be checking out dudes! You’re indifferent to both sexes. Not interested. Because the last thing I need is someone flirting with me and wanting in my pants. They’d get a huge–or not huge–surprise when they don’t find a penis between my legs. But ugh, he’s so beautiful. And under the fluorescent lights of the classroom, I have a way better view than last night after the party.
Just great! This is amazing. I let my vagina lead me into this situation. I mean, okay, the booze helped, too. And fucking Malic wasn’t all bad. It was amazing. I swear, five years of stress fell off my shoulders the moment we both came with a cry of relief. But God, the complications it led to. Like this! What if Wilder takes one look at me and recognizes me? I’m fucked. Cover blown! I’m sure Malic would lock me in his closet and interrogate me about why I’m here dressed like this.
I sink further down in my seat, attempting to shield my face. That night at the bar, I had make-up on with long hair and was dressed in tight-fitting clothes. I don’t think he’ll recognize me. None of them should. But I still can’t take the chance. If only I hadn’t gone to that bar and let him do bad things to me in the bathroom, this would all have been avoidable.
“I’m going to make you do it,” Wilder says with an eerie calm.
Everyone in the classroom lowers their voices. Wade mutters under his breath about them being idiots. It seems we’re all holding our breaths as they square off, but don’t move an inch to punch each other. What a great first day that would be.
“Is that fucking right?” Mack asks with a humorless laugh. “If you’re so cocky, we should take it to the fights.”
Wilder huffs. “The day you get into the ring with me, little brother, is the day the world stops fucking turning. You prepared for that?”
“I could take you,” Mack grits out, slamming his fist onto the table.
“Fine then. You. Me. Friday night in the ring.” Wilder raises a brow when Mack deflates a little, like he doesn’t want to fight Wilder.
“If that’s what you want.”
“It so fucking is.” The largest grin I’ve ever seen spreads across Wilder’s face, and he nods.
“Gentleman!” a voice rings out from the center of the classroom. “Is there a problem here?”
I almost snort. Is there a problem here? Of course there is. They were getting ready to square off and throw down right here and now, and he wonders if there’s something going on. Pfft.
“No, Sir,” Mack says, never taking his eyes off Wilder. “My brother and I were just working something out.”
“Yup,” Wilder chimes in with a shrug and retakes his seat.
“Then, shall we get started?” the professor asks in a low tone.
