Page 45 of Ruthless Chaos

I don’t want a hard-on for a girl I can’t fuck.

“It is in your best interest to leave her alone.” I turn to Cassidy, my rage finally springing free. The sight of Allie reminds me of how vulnerable she seems. “Don’t start something that you can’t finish.”

Cassidy bristles under my harsh gaze, recalculating her threat. “You’ve never had a problem with me handling your girls before. What’s so special about this bitch?”

“Watch your fucking mouth.”

I go to tell her that none of those girls were ever like Allie but stifle the thought. I don’t owe Cassidy an explanation about anything, especially something I’m still figuring out myself.

“I don’t have time for this conversation, Cassidy. Torturing Allie won’t make me like you. It will only make you worse off.” I narrow my eyes, clenching my fists. “Oh, and don’t disrespect her in my presence again. I promise I will make you suffer for it.”

For the first time in a long time, I get through to her. Her mouth snaps shut.

I start walking away again.

“Looks like I’m not the only person you have to look out for.”

I’m confused for a moment, but then my eyes flick back to Allie.

This time, my stomach falls.

She’s walking arm-in-arm with fucking Keller. The same Keller who watched me choose her as my Courtesan less than twenty-four hours ago. The one that knows she’s off-limits. If looks could kill, he would have a dagger through the heart.

I’m livid, but losing my composure in front of Cassidy isn’t an option.

I can feel her eyes on me. She’s probably already calculating how she can exploit this for her own benefit. I let the rage eat me up on the inside.

“The next time you show up to the House unannounced, I’ll have you thrown out,” I pin her with a harsh glare. “This is the last fucking time I’ll be having this conversation with you.”

Without waiting for her to respond, I walk off briskly.

The image of Keller and Allie keeps replaying in my mind as I walk to the lecture hall. It isn’t a coincidence. Those things don’t exist in our world, especially for a slimy snake like Keller.

The bastard didn’t choose his own Courtesan because he planned to go after mine.

Liam’s actions can only mean one thing—he’s vying for Head Kingmaker. The signs are all there. Why else would he suddenly get so vocal with me, and make a move on the girl I chose? Given the time I saw them, he would have expected me to already be on my way to class in the opposite direction.

If it weren’t for Cassidy’s stupid interruption, I wouldn’t have seen them.

He wants to execute his plan in private.

It’s one of the very first things we learn as Kingmakers. If you wish to conquer, you must first divide while concealing your plans from the enemy. He knows he would never win an all-out leadership challenge against me—I’ve solidified myself as the best leader the House has seen in decades, and all the Kingmakers respect me. So of course, he’s come up with another plan.

If he thinks Allie is important to me, he’s probably trying to use her to get to me.

Or worse, make me look like a complete wuss by taking her from me.

A bold plan.

But a very stupid one.

If he thinks I’ll cede my positionorAllie to him, he’s in for a rude awakening. Once I’ve declared something as mine, there is no going back on it.

It will always be mine.

I’m seeing red by the time I make it to my class, but I’ve also come up with a plan. I’ve avoided real conflict with Keller for the sake of keeping peace on campus and in the real world.

That ends now.