Page 13 of Evil King

“You’re not.” His hands combed into my hair and rubbed the back of my head. “You’re not that kind of girl. It was just me getting insecure because if it were me…”

“That’s what you’d do?” I finished. “So should I be worried?”

Nathan pulled away from me, cupped his hands on either side of my face, and leaned in to kiss me. “Look around. What else is around here for me? You are the most beautiful, intelligent woman for miles. I’d be stupid to—”

“Sleep with a history teacher?”

Nathan winced. “I deserved that.”

“Yeah, you did.”

He kissed me again. “Forgive me? I won’t do that again, I promise.” After a few seconds had passed, and after noting that a few surrounding students lingering instead of heading home were watching, I nodded. Nathan leaned in and kissed me again, then wrapped his arms around me and held me close as he looked down into my eyes. “What are you doing now that the day is over? Wanna go grab something to eat?”

“Sorry, your highness,” Avery’s voice sounded off behind me. “I’m afraid we’ve already claimed her for the evening.”

A second later, Avery’s arm linked through my left and Colette’s through my right. I had a strange boxed-in feeling with all of their arms around me, but eventually, Nathan uncurled his arms from my waist and stood back. Avery and Colette hadn’t mentioned doing anything together after school, but given that I would have rather chewed tin foil than done anything with Nathan, I was glad they showed up.

“That’s fine,” he said with a genuine smile. “Go enjoy some time with your friends. You deserve it.”

That was oddly sweet. “Thanks, sweetie.” That time I leaned in, and Nathan met me with a kiss before turning his back to us and waving a hand through the air before starting off.

“Uh, who the hell wasthat?” Avery asked.

“I know. No temper tantrum for having to share you. Hemighthave been body snatched,” Colette tacked on.

“Maybe, or maybe he knew he was in trouble and wanted a way out,” I replied, even though I wasn’t entirely sure that was true. I’d already agreed to forgive him.

“What’d he do this time?” Avery asked as we walked through the halls and out the front door.

“Oh, he’s been in rare form today,” I responded. “First, I caught him talking to Miss Abrams this morning. He called her Jess.”

“Gross,” Colette scoffed.

“Yeah. Then, when I was talking to that guy in homeroom—”

Avery pointed over Colette’s car at me before climbing in. “Which we will be discussing by the way.”

“He sent Nikita to literallysummonme. She said, ‘You’re wanted,’” I said the latter words in a mocking, deep voice. “She drags me out of the classroom, and he’s just standing there. I asked him what he wanted, but then Nikita whispered something to him, and he kissed me and ran off.”

We all piled into Colette’s car in the same seats we started the day in, and Colette started the car before saying, “That sounds more like Nathan.”

“Anyway, I’m glad you guys showed up,” I said. “I really didn’t want to go anywhere with him. All I needed was for him to be good for one day, and he couldn’t even do that.”

“Well, put it out of your mind,” Colette said. “I called ahead to my dad and told him to set aside some space for us at Hotaka. They’re gonna look the other way if we get some wine, and they’re gonna bring us some good sushi. We’ll have this day gone from your mind in an instant.”

Hotaka was one of Colette’s family’s many ventures. Her mom was a world-class chef, and her dad, a successful investment broker, invested in several dying restaurants in Postings and allowed his wife to flip them into something successful. Hotaka was already Japanese-themed, and given that her mom was Japanese, she turned it into a five-star sushi and hibachi restaurant that her mom worked at frequently. It became their family’s go-to spot. The food was next to none, and there weren’t many ways I’d rather spend the evening.

“But not thewholeday,” Avery cut in, “because I want to hear about how you know Mr. Dark and Brooding.”

Deon’s face cut across my mind, and I smiled. “Oh my god,” Colette yelped. “Oh my god. She’s smiling like a freak up here!”

Avery leaned forward, and despite my best attempts to get the smile off my face, when I imagined Deon wrapping his arms around me, it came back.

Avery squealed. “Oh my god! Whoisthis mystery man? I don’t think I’veeverseen you smile like that before.”

“We’ll…talk about it,” I responded.

“That and that hickey,” Colette said.

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