Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 77287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
I go the gym first.
I work out hard, pushing it to nearly two hours.
I call and check in on Mom, who’s still sorting through the ashes of her latest painful divorce, the fourth marriage she’s suffered through.
And I remind her of all the shit I already know like it’s tattooed onto my soul instead of my skin:
Relationships are bullshit.
You deserved so much more.
You’re better off alone.
I’m living proof that being alone is better.
And sometimes I’m rewarded in the best ways for it, like on Saturday night, getting an infuriating frat boy eating right out of the palm of my hand.
If only everything were as easy as Weston Knox was.
“Yo,” my cousin Niko says as he swings open the front door to Onyx House the next morning, stepping out onto the street.
“Where’s your boy?” I ask.
“Sleeping in. I had him up late again last night, because he walked in wearing this stupidly fucking hot tight sweater—”
“I don’t need the details, Niko.”
Niko’s dating one of his society frat brothers, Oliver, and they’ve been attached at the hip and mouth like they’re trying to win an award for public displays of affection.
“Anyway,” Niko says. “How are you?”
“Very good, after this weekend.”
“I assume you did something totally depraved, but you’re not going to give me the details on that?”
“You assume correctly.”
“Got it,” he says. “Not even going to ask.”
Fucked your frat bro’s throat.
But that’s my little secret.
We take off down the street toward main campus. Crimson College is at its best when the seasons change. Spring is just starting to peek out from the end of winter, with tiny buds forming on a few of the trees and fresh green grass appearing where there used to be piles of snow.
Campus is bustling when we get to the quad. A new quarter just began, and most of the students look a little peppier than a couple of weeks ago, when they were swamped with midterm exams.
“You’re TAing for Sellwood’s class now?” Niko asks me as we walk down one of the tree-lined paths of the quad.
“Starting today, and I don’t know what the fuck she’s going to expect of me,” I tell him. “I did well in the class last year, but I didn’t think she’d actually accept me as a class assistant now.”
“You’re smart as fuck, Sev.”
“When I’m doing my own work, yes. Fixing up a classic car, sure. But I’m not a history major. Helping underclassmen with their history homework is going to be the death of me.”
“God, you might be the worst class assistant ever, come to think of it. You do know you can’t punch the students when they get the answer wrong?”
I look at him with mock disgust. “You think so low of me, Niko. I can restrain myself from punching people. Unless they piss me off, obviously.”
He snorts. “Anyway. It’ll be good for your resume. End of story.”
“I know.”
Niko gives me a little shove. “And the prof probably wants to fuck you. I saw how she looked at you last week.”
I made the mistake of dropping by Prof Sellwood’s office last week when I was walking home with Niko, and ever since, he’s been convinced she wants my ass.
“Dr. Sellwood wouldn’t fuck up her career by flirting with a class assistant, whether she wants my dick or not.”
“Which she does.”
“Not interested.”
Niko sighs. “Well, then, I’ll keep trying to find someone to help you break your dry spell.”
Our shoes crunch on the gravel as we cross over toward the history building.
“No need.”
“Oh, shit,” he says. “Did you break it this weekend? That’s part of the juicy details you weren’t going to tell me? Fuck yes, Sev.”
I pull in a long breath. “I love you, but I will kill you, Niko.”
“You got fuckin’ laid this weekend. Proud of you.”
The memory of Weston’s mouth on my cock hits me.
I didn’t get laid, exactly.
I gave Weston Knox the punishment he deserved, and it happened to get me off.
I’m not going to say shit about that to Niko, though. Weston is Niko’s half-brother, and there’s not a chance in hell I’m going to let slip what happened. The two of them only first met a few months ago, after not knowing each other their entire lives.
I also never knew about Niko’s half-brothers, Wes and Hunter. They’re from the opposite side of Niko’s family, unrelated to me. And that side of his family is wrapped up in drama I want zero part of.
I don’t know all that much about Weston Knox, and I don’t care to.
I fist-bump Niko goodbye before I head into Dr. Sellwood’s classroom.
She’s there at the edge of the room opening her laptop and getting prepped for class to begin. I’m here early, before the students arrive.
“Morning,” I tell her, giving her an upward nod as I slide off my backpack.
“You made it,” she says brightly, reaching up to adjust her long, dirty-blonde ponytail. “We need to organize the hand-outs before the students are here. How was your weekend, Sevan?”