Page 8 of Come Out & Prey (Apex Academy Capers #1)
They propped the doors to the gym open, and I breeze through them, marveling at the size of the structure. Everyone knows Leonidas Pride controls every major sporting outlet, athletic wear company, and runs all the competitive sports leagues both nationally and internationally. Their reach is almost as big as my parents’, and definitely on par with the Ericksons and their tech.
It makes perfect sense that they’d build a professional grade tribute to themselves at the premier pred school in the country. From the mechanical bleachers to the shining basketball court in front of me to what smells like an Olympic sized pool hiding somewhere, this facility is beyond state-of-the art and far too nice for a school.
The boys are over at the back of the court getting chewed out by…
Oh, no—not again.
“I cannot catch a break today!” I mutter to myself as I scurry over to the gaggle of giggling Heathers.
If I’m lucky—which I probably won’t be—I can hide behind my friends, so the buff guy I watched pound the adorably nerdy professor doesn’t see me. The encounter in the art studio clarified that the watching was a two-way street, and I am not equipped to go head to head with the other half of that duo.
What the hell is he doing here?!
“DD, where have you been ?” Gold grouses. “Just look at that spectacular specimen of man meat over there with the boys. He’s been yelling at them for five minutes, and it’s so hot .”
A flush creeps up my neck because I absolutely know how hot this specimen is, and I refuse to tell the Heathers about my flirtation with voyeurism. I know they’re my friends, but lately, they seem to shrug everything I tell them off like it’s no big deal. Something in the power dynamic has shifted, and I don’t know what it is.
I force a smile, knowing that Gold’s tapping foot means she’s getting impatient, waiting for my reply. “I went to tour the arts building while you guys came here. I got caught up talking with a professor.”
That much is true, and it should be bland enough to keep Gold from questioning any further.
“You were gone an awfully long time,” Purple remarks, her eyes narrowing as she studies me. “What could you possibly have talked about that would take that long?”
I’m fairly certain Purple can barely read, so it doesn’t surprise me she’s jumping to a conclusion with no facts. She’s the most sniveling of all the Heathers, and the one whose family has the smallest empire. The Honeywells built their fortune off of flashy temples and televangelism—if it’s religious and crooked, their hands are in the pot. I could easily call her Heather Hypocrite instead, but I’m mostly trying to keep out of sight until the deliciously sweaty hottie lets the boys off the hook.
It figures—with a body like that, of course, he’d be in the fucking gym at three p.m.
“You’re turning red, DD,” Pink chimes in. “I think H. has found a hole in your story. What were you really doing? Were you trying to lure buff college preds without us ?”
The shrill shriek of her question causes the professor to dart his eyes towards us, and I crouch behind the Heathers, trying to stay hidden. I’d love to pop Pink right in her fat mouth, but I don’t want to start a war—I just want to keep out of sight.
“No, I wasn’t. I was in the library, then I walked to the arts building. It took a little time to find the English professors, and I talked to them for a bit. They’re literally ancient. After that, I took the long way around the lake to the gym to meet you guys. That’s it—no secret hot preds.”
I’m a big lying liar, and I’m going to Hades for it. But I’ll be damned if I’m going to encourage them to lust after the staff before we even matriculate to this place. Apparently, that’s my job, and I’m not feeling generous today.
They all look at me for a moment. Heather E. shrugs, and I guess that ends the discussion. I peep over their shoulders, trying to see if the public spanking is going to end soon. It feels like it’s been going on forever, but since I’m so fucking nervous, it’s probably only been three minutes.
Gold catches me looking and smirks. “You’ve got Todd, DD. Let the rest of us flirt with the buff gym kitty. We’re DTF and you’re not.”
I frown at her. “None of us are DTF. We haven’t had our animals emerge, and we all know what happens when you screw around with older guys for your first time. That whole imprinting thing sounds like a nightmare. I’d hate to be stuck pining after a guy that was only looking for a one-night stand.”
Pink looks at her nails, sighing to herself. “I suppose.”
“If you say so,” Purple chimes in.
Silver nods, her eyes darting to Gold as if trying to figure out what to say. “That sounds like a shitty deal.”
Is she kidding me? A shitty deal? It’s awful.
“Well, I think it’s worse than we even know, and that’s why I’m glad we’ve all waited for the right time to cross that line. Our parents thought they could push us, but we held firm, despite their threats, and now we’ll all be able to share that moment with someone special.”
A giggle escapes Gold as she continues to drool over the teacher. “Uh-huh. Well, at least you’ve got yours all planned out, DD. You and Todd, after prom? Bow-chicka-wow-wow…”
My eyes widen as the professor turns his head towards our group again, and I hiss, “E! I do not need random gym teachers to know about my sex life. Come on, all of you. I have to get back to the admissions building in time to meet Bruiser or I’ll get busted. Let’s go!”
I grab Silver’s hand, tugging her along until the rest of them follow me out into the spring heat. When we get outside, I drop her wrist, letting her make a big fuss about how delicate her skin is and how much she’ll bruise from my manhandling. She’s such a drama queen—I didn’t even grab her that hard. I don’t know if it’s an off day, or if we’re growing apart, but my friends are making me feel more like a tag-a-long than a part of the clique.
As I follow them past the library and lake, I tune out their babble about rock stars and celebs, instead considering a part of what Gold said. Todd and I plan to take the next step after prom, and I’ve been itching to go dress shopping for weeks. Maybe when I get home, I’ll ask if Matilda can take me to the Cambridge Mall to get everything sorted. I’m certain I made a good enough impression at Apex Academy—at least, while I was on the official tour—and Bruno should receive a glowing report.
That’ll buy me some goodwill, right?
My thoughts stray from my sweet, safe boyfriend to the professors I’ve met or seen today. From the smoke show teacher to the knitting cutie to the enormous roaring gargoyle and the dominating tiger in the training ring, I’m not sure I could decide if someone asked me to. That’s ridiculous, of course, because everyone knows shifters have one fated mate...you can’t just steal the whole dessert cart because you’re feeling greedy.
Can you?
Holding onto my folder, I smile a little at my feet at the thought of sharing and being shared. I could get behind that… or they could get behind me…
Oh, my Goddess, what is in the air here?
“Delores!”
My eyes widen as a pair of fingers snap in front of them. The angry expressions of Gold and the rest of our group tell me I’ve missed something important while I was off in sexy dreamland. “Y-yes?”
“I said, are you ready to go? The guys caught up to us five minutes ago, and you’ve been off in La-La-Land,” Gold snarks.
“Um, yes. I am. I have everything I need. I’ll just…” I walk over to Todd, kissing his lips lightly before I pull back. He arches his brow at me, and I have no idea what his expression means. “I’m sorry I’ve been so distant, everyone. I’m just worried about what Bruno and Lucille will do when I get home.”
Pink rolls her eyes. “Grow a pair, DD, and tell them to fuck off. You’re like a scared little prey animal when it comes to them.”
“I’ll consider it,” I grit out, pretending not to want to smack her again. Looking out over the parking lot, I see Bruiser pulling up to the front of the admissions office in the Escalade. “Oh, look, there’s my three hundred pound shadow. I gotta go, but I’ll text you guys later!”
My friends all mutter less enthusiastically than I would have preferred, but I let it go as I run for the car. Bruiser won’t hesitate to leave me behind and tell my dad some bullshit like I refused to come home. The Komodo-domo is a sadist, and like the rest of the staff who are loyal to my parents, he relishes when I get in trouble.
Hopping into the chilly SUV, I take one last look at the group of teens waiting for their drivers. They’re all huddled close together as if sharing some secret. I have got to stop letting Lucille and Bruno make me paranoid. My friends are amazing, if not the most empathetic preds, and my boyfriend is perfect, unless he’s with his friends.
I close my eyes and let my mind wander to the dreamy professors I saw today. I can’t wait until I’m at Apex next year so I can get to know them better—in a totally professional, student- teacher way, of course. Because by then, I’ll be mated with Todd, and I doubt these older men would have an interest in me anyway... not that I should worry about whether they’d have an interest in me.
Goddess, how terrible would it be if those professors all had girlfriends…