Page 9 of Deviant Knight (Knight's Ridge Empire 4)

She leans into me, clearly happy that I’m aware of her schedule.

Her hand slips inside my jacket, resting against my abs.

“We should talk more at lunch… about our project.”

I don’t need to look up from Sloane’s light blue eyes to know that Emmie is passing us. The loud stomp from her non-uniform biker boots is a dead giveaway, plus the fact that her tutor room is right beside mine… It was inevitable.

Knowing that she’s been hanging out in the library during lunch for the past two weeks, I find myself telling Sloane to meet me in there.

“It’ll be nice to spend some time together again. I’ve missed you, Theo.”

Her hand slips up to my chest before she wraps it around the back of my neck.

Heat burns the side of my face and I turn to the source right as Sloane’s lips land on my cheek, narrowly missing my own.

Emmie’s face is twisted in disgust before she disappears inside her classroom.

“I’ll see you later,” I say coolly, dismissing Sloane.

It might be an abrupt end to our short time together, but I already know it won’t be anywhere near enough to stop her from getting carried away with herself.

Sloane, Teagan, all of them, all they want is a chance with us. It’s pathetic. And admittedly, it’s partly our fault. When we were younger and a little more naïve than we are now, we loved the attention they provided us. The benefits that came with putting up with their constant whining and bitching sure made up for it.

Ducking into the room before she has a chance to have a second attempt at that kiss, I fall into my seat, Alex and Seb immediately dropping on either side of me.

Their eyes drill into each side of my head, but I keep my eyes focused on the front of the room, on the projector screen that’s already illuminated with our form tutor’s first class of the day.

She’s a statistics teacher, and as they wait me out, I silently work out the answers to the questions she’s got on the board, ready for her year twelves.

“You’re going to say nothing about that?” Alex finally says, waving his hand toward the door.

“Nothing to say.”

“Riiight. Sure there’s not.”

Slouching down in the chair, I continue working my way down the sums as our tutor appears and begins our day the same as she does every morning.

* * *

The ping of my phone pauses the conversation I’m having with my mum after leaving football practice and Knight’s Ridge behind for the day.

I might have moved out, but that doesn’t mean I don’t take advantage of any meal she offers me.

Plus, as much as they annoy me, hanging out with my little brother and sisters isn’t always hell. Not that I’m going to tell them that.

Alex: Might want to get your fat arse to Mickey’s.

Theo: To watch you get knocked out again? I’m there.

Alex: Nah, Nico is going down tonight. I can feel it.

Theo: So… why do I need to be there?

Alex: Wait…

So I do, staring at the screen, waiting for something to happen. And when it does, it was so far from what I was expecting that I almost fall backward off my stool.

“You okay?” Rhea asks from beside me where I’ve been helping her with her maths homework. Quickly, I lock my screen before the nosey little shit notices what caused that kind of reaction within me.