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Xayden turns toward me. “I need you to keep an eye on Rory for me. However you can, just don’t let her out of your sights.”
“Can I ask a question?” My eyes meet Xayden’s.
He nods. “Sure.”
“Why do you care, Xayden? You have been anti-Rory since you met her. Why give two shits now?”
“Yeah, bro. This doesn’t track with how you have been since the day they got to Texas. And don’t get me wrong, you are not the asshole you are playing right now. And you know we will back you with anything, but why the one-eighty?” Seven rubs the back of his neck nervously.
He purses his lips before letting out a long breath. I can see a war raging internally with that question. I know he wants to say he doesn’t, but I know he does.
He likes her. We all do. But he has anobsessionwith her.
I’ve seen the looks he gives her across the SUC or back before we got on campus. Just staring at her, like he is ready to throw her to the ground and fuck her right there.
When she would be walking around the guest house. His eyes tracked her every movement. He wanted to devour her.
But somewhere in his mind, he has it in him that he has to hate her. That just because his dad married her mom, she becomes untouchable.
Looking for any reason to be pissed at her.
He clears his throat, and I know a load of horse shit is about to come out. “Because my dad would be mad if I let anything happen to her.”
I nod and my lips turn down. “Gotcha. Okay, well, I will go follow your sister around.”
“Stepsister,” he corrects.
“Sure,stepsister. I’ll let you know what happens.” I grab my keys to my bike and take off toward the campus. It’s Friday afternoon, and I know she’s in studio at this time.
My lips turn up. She’s going to love seeing me.
As I pull up to the architecture building, I park my bike in the motorcycle parking along the side of the building. I pull out my phone and see that she will still be in class for another hour.
Making my way to the front of the building, I walk through the front doors. I notice the Architecture Library to my left and the offices in front of me.
Heading toward the right, I figure the classrooms and studios will be down this way.
As I walk down the giant hallways, the walls are decorated with work from different students.
Some look as if they have been drawn by hand, others created on the computer and printed out. Boards detailing different extravagant projects, colors splashing the boring beige walls.
Some of these are pretty awesome.
I walk past the first door that’s open and peek in. My eyes scan around the giant open studio, students milling about, some with their heads bent over their laptops.
And then I spot her.
Her brows are furrowed as she scribbles on a roll of paper. She bites her lip and tears whatever she is doing off the roll of paper, taping it on the wall next to her desk.
I can’t make out what it is, but I’m guessing it’s for whatever project they are working on.
I watch her for a few more minutes before I see a guy come up to her and stand next to her.
He smiles at her, places his hand on her back, then says something that makes her laugh. Fuckinglaugh.
I. See. Fucking. Red.
Without even thinking, my feet carry me over to her. As I get closer to her desk, she finally looks my way and her eyes widen.