Page 19 of Is It Wrong to Escape My Fate? (Dealing With Fate #1)
You know the “bullshit” Claude claimed done to me, the thing that started this whole mess?
It was a bunch of my classmates ogling me as we did our stretches. Some made lewd remarks about me to each other; apparently, my reputation as an embarrassment and a weirdo made me fair game to commoners and nobles alike.
When a couple of them tried to touch me without my knowledge, all hell broke loose. And I had no idea what happened to those classmates; I didn’t think I wanted to know.
I didn’t even notice the leery eyes or the unsavory comments. I did the stretches, watched out for the men who had been bothering me for the past several days and kept tabs on them, and then that. It happened out of nowhere from my perspective.
Maybe that was what Dahlia meant when she said that I was “being eaten alive”.
“If you must know, my lady, Sir Robin and Sir Reuben volunteered to oversee the punishment,” Mia cheerfully informed me as she laid out my sleeping clothes on the bed.
I did not, in fact, need to know. “You wondered where they disappeared to; that was the reason. It made the most sense — those fools dared to disrespect their lady. Sir Vincent Lovell acted as a third-party testimony to the misconduct, since he witnessed the entire event.”
So, the three of them were together at that moment. Would my bodyguards wonder how Vincent knew me?
“Please don’t tell me the details of their punishment,” I begged Mia, who acknowledged my request.
“Do not feel guilty about it, Miss Bea,” she smiled. “The school administration decided their punishment. They’re not expelled yet, but one more mistake and those degenerates will be gone. I’m letting you know in case they retaliate.”
I jumped out of my seat. “Retaliate?”
“I don’t think they’re stupid enough to try, but if they do, your knight bodyguards will definitely take care of them. Approved by the admin.” Her bright tone contradicted the dark words she said.
Okay. Not only did I have to watch out for men who thought they could control my life, I also needed to watch out for boys who thought they could bully me. As if I didn’t have this gigantic, life-altering problem already.
Mia exited my room as I mulled over today’s events. The Prince’s declaration that I was now part of their group bothered me the most. They hadn’t even met the other ten Champions yet, but they thought they could add me as a caregiver. He couldn’t even think of a better title!
But that wasn’t the main issue, was it?
Yes, the fundamental problem was their insistent desire to put the spotlight on my unassuming self. It had only been a week since school started, and I could already feel it taking a toll on me. The few weeks before were only a little better.
More than a month stuck here with no reasonable progress in sight.
That only meant I had to work harder and smarter. Unrelenting focus. Maximum tenacity! And all these words that meant serious business. Weekends would be spent at the library in the foreseeable future. For that, I needed an optimum amount of sleep.
Deciding on a shower — water pressure and pipe systems existed in the academy too — I made my way to the en suite bathroom and nearly yelped when Amos stood there so menacingly and so out of place.
The shininess and girliness of the bathroom contrasted with his horse riding uniform.
It looked so good on him, though, the tightness of his clothing accentuating his muscles, especially around his thighs. Fuck.
“What are you doing here?” I whisper-yelled, shutting the door behind me. “How did you even get in?”
“You allowed me in?” he asked back, confused. “I walked in with no issues. Made sure no one was inside first.”
So many questions! “You’ve been waiting here the entire time?” Did he listen to my conversation with Mia? “Why didn’t the dorm stop you from entering?”
Amos looked even more confused. “Yes, I waited here. You … didn’t prevent me from entering? Or the spell didn’t. I assumed I’m one of your trusted companions.”
The admin did say the dorm was spelled to only allow people I trusted. Was that a variable thing? Or from the very beginning, the magic knew I trusted Amos? He was Eli’s brother, after all. That would explain how Derrick could go in, too.
“It doesn’t matter,” I concluded. A problem for a different day. “What are you doing here?”
He gave me a roguish grin that made him hotter to look at. “I came to tell you my answer.”
“This can’t wait until we’re in a more appropriate setting?
” I griped, annoyed, partly because he chose to talk about this in my bathroom when I was already winding down from my shitty day, and partly because he didn’t even take one day to think about his answer.
He could’ve taken at least a week, right?
He stepped closer. “No, it can’t. Or else you’ll be swept away before I even know it.”
Before I could refute that claim, he tilted my face up, caressing my cheeks with both hands. “I agree with what you said. We should continue as normal. We can’t be lovers exclusively, but as long as you still let me touch you, I’m willing to share.”
What — that wasn’t what I meant! Not exactly! I only wanted him to understand the concept of an open relationship with no exclusivity, but not necessarily to continue our tryst. Nothing good could come from messing around with a noble heir.
Getting a man willing to share, though … in my real life, I could only hope for such a thing. Boys promised they’d try to consider but ultimately see me as a slut and cut things off. My success rate was zero.
What were the odds things would be different in this universe?
It didn’t matter anyway. I shouldn’t even be considering it. Don’t let the horny part of your brain talk, Bea. Amos was a good guy for agreeing with what I needed, and that was all I asked for, really.
I stared right into his golden eyes. “Thank you for heeding my advice. Especially now the Hero and the Prince have some bewildering opinions of who I am. The less attention, the better.”
Amos grinned so wide and so charmingly that it felt like something struck my heart. Hyperbole only. “Thank you too, my sunshine. I’ll help you any way I can.”
I never had anyone chase me like this after a one-night stand. It made a woman feel beautiful and wanted. I would be lying to myself if I didn’t acknowledge the way it made my heart beat faster and my insides fill with warmth. It was exhilarating. Exciting!
And totally inappropriate. I couldn’t get distracted.
But I was an idiot for letting Amos bend down and capture my mouth with his, because deep inside, I really, really wanted it.
When his hand stroked up my stomach, up to my chest, and fondled one of my breasts as he ventured into my mouth, I was an even bigger idiot for moaning when he teased my nipple with his fingers.
Reality came down on me when there were knocks coming from my bedroom door.
“Unfortunate,” Amos mumbled, but he had a smile on his face. “I’ll see you around, Bea. We have unfinished business.”
He didn’t need to clarify what that business was. I nodded, because I was a needy bitch.
I watched Amos leave the bathroom and head to a bedroom window, latching it open. With one more glance at me, he climbed off and disappeared for the night. I tugged the window close before I opened the door to my twin knights, their intuition the best as always.
Reuben’s eyes narrowed at me while Robin lifted a hand. “Suspicious,” he chuckled, fingering my bottom lip.
“What’s up?” I laughed, trying not to be bothered by the tingles from his fingers.
They entered my room that I had to step back to give them space. Robin closed the door while Reuben edged nearer.
“Bea, if you need help with anything, that’s what we’re here for.” Reuben waved a hand towards his twin. “That is our oath to you. I realize you might not remember, but Robin and I made a promise to do anything for you. All the way from when you saved us.”
I swallowed thickly, caught off-guard by this sudden confrontation. Both noticed my reaction and smirked. That couldn’t be good, right?
Thinking of the time when I “saved” them didn’t help, because I could only recall parts of it. I knew I noticed them because of Robin’s Unique, but I couldn’t remember exactly in what context. They were orphans, and … that was the extent of my memory.
I gathered back my composure, standing straighter. “I appreciate the sentiment. You two already do enough guarding and protecting me. I don’t want to burden you any more than necessary.”
“We will take care of you, my lady,” Robin grinned. “Always.”
“With whatever you need,” Reuben added.
They were acting a little strange, based on my perception of their personalities for the past month. Or was this usual with OG Bea? Some spark of recognition might help here, brain.
Definitely not usual. So what was going on?
“The events of today let us realize we need to be more assertive,” Reuben answered my unasked question.
“We’re too complacent, just because you’ve always been with us.
I didn’t think … things would go this way.
” He cleared his throat, glancing at Robin as if he wanted his twin to continue his words.
Robin didn’t hesitate and reached for my cheek, much like the way Amos had caressed it just minutes earlier. “We want to do anything you want, angel. Just ask for it. Please.”
Someone tell me I wasn’t going crazy when it hit me what they were trying to say — they were offering to be my lovers , weren’t they?
Oh, god. Was it obvious that I had a high libido? I tried to cut down on sexual thoughts. I kept trying so, so hard to remain focused on my goal. Was my body betraying me in some way? Did I have any tells? How else would they figure that out?