Page 32 of The Deception You Weave

"Nope."

Brax chuckles at my blunt answer but before I can say anything else, the atmosphere in the room changes.

I don't need to look at the door to know why, but my eyes move over without instruction from my brain.

I fight to keep them off him, to look like I don't care that he's finally emerged, but it's almost impossible.

The bruising on his face has reduced a little and he seems to move easier than he did on Monday. The concern for him that's been growing inside me settles as he walks across the front of the lecture hall and begins climbing the stairs to the side of us as Professor Richman marches inside and sets about beginning our class.

His attention remains on me throughout our entire lecture, although I never once look up at him.

You'd think that after having two days off, that he'd need to listen but I'd put money on him not hearing a word that's passed Professor Richman's lips.

The second we're finished, I pack up and get the hell out of class, West and Brax hot on my tail as I push through the crowd.

As expected, when I emerge, Luca is already standing on the opposite wall with his foot propped up against the wall and his hands deep in his letterman jacket. His head is down, allowing his hair to fall into his face but his eyes are firmly on me.

"Looking good, Dunn," I say as I walk up to him.

"Oh yeah?" His eyes sparkle with excitement.

I roll my eyes. "Like you need me to tell you that."

"Luca," some girl behind me squeals, damn near pushing me out of the way to get to him.

"Hey," he says, barely glancing at her as she curls herself into his side and presses her hand to his chest.

"Sorry, Grace. I'm busy."

Luca's eyes remain on me as Grace follows his eyeline.

It amuses me how hard she has to fight not to let her eyes roll.

"I've got an hour before my next class. I thought we could—"

"I'm busy." He pushes from the wall and wraps his arm around my shoulder. "Hungry?" he asks, looking down at me and completely ignoring his jersey chaser.

Her face turns tomato red as she looks between the two of us. But then she looks over my shoulder and spots Brax and West, and her mood instantly flips.

Shaking my head, I look back up at Luca, remembering that he just asked me a question.

"Starved." In all honesty, I'm not hungry at all. Having had Kane's eyes on me for the past three hours, all I want to do is go and hide, but I know I won't be allowed to get away with that.

"Perfect. Pizza?" he asks me and then looks to the guys.

"Hell yeah," Brax says, wrapping his hand around West's upper arm and dragging him away from Grace.

He pouts as he trails behind us.

"Was that necessary?" he complains.

"Your brother has probably already tapped that. I didn't think you wanted his sloppy seconds."

"Brother?" I ask.

"Yeah, Colt is his older, better-looking, and more talented brother," Brax jokes.

"Shut the fuck up, man. It's all lies and Letty knows it."