Page 46 of Crown of Thorns
By the time I walk through the door to our rooms, my mood has soured. He still hasn’t replied.
I hear Arthur’s bickering with Régis. My twin’s a pro at finding topics to argue over, especially with our little stepbrother. He’s been sneaking out of bed at night like a thief, quiet, deliberate, and cocky enough to think I wouldn’t notice. But I always notice. Especially when someone’s slipping into territory that should be mine. If he thinks I won’t use that against him, he’s sorely mistaken. Anyway, they’ve taken their quarrel up to Régis’s room, which means I can quietly get changed and search for the man who’s been taking up way too much space in my head.
He’s confusing the hell out of me.
He let me sleep in his bed last night. His new dorm—the one he just entirely refurbished. Clean sheets, fresh paint, not a single trace of the boy who came before. Just his scent on the pillow, sharp and stubborn and Noah. That’s got to mean something.
I never used to catch feelings. Not for my hookups, at least. And it’s not like I’ve had many. When you come with as much money as I do, there’s always shit to follow up. I mostlyhire professionals—signed agreements, fixed times, secured payments. Sometimes I let them fuck me. No fucking hassle.
Is this what this is? Am I actually falling for him? I mean, I redid his office. Reworked his dorm. I want to know if he liked the books I got him.
I want to spoil him and make him fall apart on my tongue or in my ass. Want to hear him groan and rumble and call my name. That, ladies and gentlemen, is a problem. Because I don’t evenwantto want him. He’s my professor, eleven years my senior, but mostly, he’s not privileged. Not part of my world. And he’s been ignoring me. Sneaking out of deals.
Which is why I’ve officially claimed him.
Not that he’s fully aware of it. But I am. And I will show him just what it’s like to be mine.
I’m going to take good care of him.
Putting on a hoodie, I pull the hood over my hair and leave the zipper open, all ready for an early football training. My nerves are taut, like strings pulled too tight. I haven’t heard from Noah, and everything feels brittle, as if it's about to snap. I grab my bag, then head out, bumping straight into Gaël.
“Fuck, you scared the shit out of me. Don’t sneak up on people like that unless you want to get kissed or kicked.”
“Did I now?” His green eyes glimmer with malice. Next to us, Arthur’s shouting has transformed into grunts, and the wall bangs rhythmically. “Are they fucking?”
“I don’t know, man, you’ll have to ask them.”
He raises an eyebrow. “Areyoufucking? Your messages were kinda cryptic.”
“That was so you keep your nosy bitch curiosity out of my life, but you don’t seem to get the hint.” Shouldering past him, I head for the door.
He falls into step beside me like a shadow with a grudge.
“So, where were you?”
“Don’t you have Dominique to boss around?” I throw back.
“Semantics. Can a cousin not look out for his family?
“Oh, you are not looking out for me,” I scoff. “You just like poking at things that don’t concern you.”
He ignores my comment as he follows me down the stairs, his sneakers squishing on the wooden floors. “Is it anyone from here? Come on, man, you’ve got to give me something.”
Inside the canteen, Dominique sits with Maxime, Jo, and some random dude. They’re studying. Too early in the day for that kind of ambition, but hey, nerds will nerd.
“Before him, you were a playboy,” I state the obvious as we head for the drinks.
“Hmm.” Gaël’s eyes zoom in on his boyfriend.
“So you just knew,” I snap my fingers. “Like that.”
“I did.” His gaze jumps back to mine, a crooked grin appearing on his lips. “What’s his name?”
“It’s…complicated.”
“Isn’t it always?”
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I think about Noah. “So, how did you know he was the one?”
