Page 217 of Fragments

My brow arches.

“Well, if you’ve never seen me before, it would only make sense that I’mnew… yes?” He blinks at Ren.

Ren is not amused. “Watch the attitude, Mary Poppins, or I’ll slap the shit out of—”

“Hi, I’m Luthor,” I interrupt Ren’s threat before things escalate. “Don’t mind Ren. He’s a little overprotective.”

Trevel offers me a kind smile, though his attention is still mostly on Kang, who isn’t saying a damn word,ormoving, for that matter.

“This is Kang,” I offer the introduction for my friend on mute.

“Hello…” Trevel says quietly.

“Hi…” A single word finally crawls out of Kang’s throat. It’s noticeably hoarse.

Okay, what is up with these two?? This Trevel guy is staring harder than Ren when we first met. And apparently the cat’s got Kang’s tongue. Sheesh…

Ren inserts himself in front of us. “Okay, Trevor. Run along back to your beanstalk. We need to get dressed.”

“It’sTrevel,” he corrects, eyes gliding over us again, as if Ren’s words reminded him that we’re all naked.

“Don’t care,” Ren grunts, spinning Kang around and shoving him toward his clothes. “This isourside of the showers. Do yourself a favor and remember that for next time. Come here, baby,” he says to me, wrapping his arms around my body, using his to shield my nakedness from view of the stranger. “Let’s get you a towel, hm? I don’t want this weirdo looking at you anymore.”

“You’re being so rude,” I whisper, though I’ll admit, I feel a lot more comfortable with him draped around me like a blanket.

“I know, I’m awful.” Ren kisses my neck, giving me a little tap on the ass.

I’m scowling, but that possessiveness, the way he coddles me like a bodyguard protecting a prince… It flips my stomach and casts a chill over my flesh.

I used to think I hated it, but as it turns out… I guess I like the way he fawns over me.

Just a little, okay? I don’t need him feeding me grapes and fanning me with giant leaves or anything.

Although…

Ren grabs us towels, his watchful glare darting over to Trevel once more.

Trevel backs away, fiddling with the towel around his waist. “Maybe I’ll see you around…”

He doesn’t specify who he’s talking to, but if I were to place a bet, I’d say it’s our dear friend Byron Kang, the bullseye his violet gaze lingers on until he’s out of sight.

As soon as he’s gone, I hear Kang letting out a long breath, like he’d been holding it in.

“Wow… new inmate,” I sigh, shaking my head. “It’s been a while.”

“I don’t like him,” Ren grunts, and I chuckle.

“Yea, I think we got that.”

Joy shouts into the room that it’s time to go, and we hustle back into our clothes.

“I got a weird vibe from him,” Ren says. “He’s like the Grim Reaper.”

“What’s with his eyes…?” Kang finally mumbles an actual sentence, fingers racing over his scalp.

I smirk at him. “You mean the way they were melting over you like Velveeta?”

He shoots me a withering glare. “Shut up. You have no idea what you’re talking about.”