Total pages in book: 186
Estimated words: 176552 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 883(@200wpm)___ 706(@250wpm)___ 589(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 176552 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 883(@200wpm)___ 706(@250wpm)___ 589(@300wpm)
Roxxi placed one hand on her hip, letting her cheer bag swing lazily. “You know you’re Marked too, right? Also, The Hunt doesn’t start until damn near Monday.”
Xander gave a half-shrug. “Come on, Rox, who’s actually going to Hunt us?” He gestured lazily to himself and the rest of the guys as if the answer was obvious.
“Good. I could say the same about us.”
Nick stepped forward, but whatever he was about to say died the second he caught her expression.
Rook, calm as ever, turned toward me with a small smile. “You look very nice today, Sanj.”
I smiled brightly. “Thank you, Rook. You look nice too.”
“Okay, suck-ass,” Cade cut in, “she looks pretty every day. So do you,” he tacked on, looking at Ari.
She responded with a polite, almost hesitant smile, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, clearly not quite sure what to do with the compliment. She reached out and nudged Roxxi to get her attention.
“I love you and all, but I kinda agree with Xan. Not now, of course, but next week? When The Hunt actually starts, we should keep at least one of them with us.”
Roxxi made a face, clearly not sold on the idea, but Ari kept going.
“If someone tries to earn their hours, that’s one thing. It’s another way for them to snatch us up if we have one of them with us. Alternatively, they take whichever guy we’re with instead.”
Cade’s jaw dropped in mock offense. “I give you a compliment, and you delegate us as human shields.”
Ari’s eyes went wide. “No—I didn’t mean it like that.”
Roxxi grinned. “You should have. I can get on board with that plan.”
Ari shook her head, laughing lightly.
Around us, students were starting to stare. Some curious, some cautious, others with outright envy etched into their expressions. A few called out in greeting. We probably looked like something out of a campus myth. One you admired from a distance, maybe whispered about in the dorms, but never dared to join.
I finally turned my head, just in time to see Brooke go up on her tiptoes and whisper something into Ryder’s ear. He laughed—low and easy. Whatever she said had Nick grinning too. Their hands were linked casually, like it was the most natural thing in the world. The ache in my chest spread fast and sharp, but I didn’t outwardly react. I was a pro at watching him belong to everyone but me.
Cloe glanced at them and made her thoughts known by the slightest twist of her lips.
Her poker face was a skill I tried to replicate. “Alright, we’re going to be late if we don’t get a move on.”
“Talk later,” Roxxi said to the others in parting, tugging me in the direction of the athletic building.
“Take one of us with you,” Xander called after us.
When we paid him no mind, it was no surprise that Rook and Cade joined us minutes later.
“Hey, Little Sanj.” Cade fell into step beside me.
I glanced over. “Cadet.”
His smile was just as boyish as it’d always been, the same one frozen in the photos on my bedroom wall. Except now, his golden skin was inked like his brother’s, his arms bigger, and his curls slightly lighter in color because of the summer, and damp from what I guessed was a recent shower. He drifted closer until our arms brushed as we walked.
“I just wanted to say, she’s a warm-up route. Quick slant. Easy yardage. But my brother? He’s saving the deep ball for the one that ends in the end zone. Championship ring and all.”
He described the whole situation like it were another play on the field. I was torn between exasperation and reluctant amusement.
“That means you’re the end zone,” he added, like I hadn’t already caught on.
From a few steps ahead, Roxxi glanced over her shoulder, frowning. “Actions speak louder than metaphors, and back there? That wasn’t a good look.”
“I don’t really want to talk about this,” I muttered.
Rook, trailing quietly behind on my other side, hands in his pockets and expression unreadable, decided to weigh in.
“He’s not fucking her.”
Now, on a good day, Rook hardly spoke above a few octaves. Today must have been an exception because that came loud and clear enough that a few people walking by actually turned to look.
Ari choked on a laugh, half in shock.
Cloe glanced over at him, amused. “For a poet, that wasn’t very poetic, Aiden.”
He smirked. “I don’t need to dress it up,” he retorted softly. “But if I did—he’s starving for someone who already tastes like home. Everything else is filler that doesn’t linger.”
“Very nice, Rook,” Ari remarked with praise.
He offered a rare, shy smile in return before looking at me expectantly.
“I get what you’re all trying to do, but maybe we can pivot to your extracurriculars instead of mine? They don’t have any.” I gestured lazily toward my girls.