Stevie shrugs. “You might be right, but it is weird. And why can’t Shaun touch him?”
“A ‘gentleman’s agreement’ he said? Whatever that means.” I kick my heels against the wall and watch her while she thinks.
“The whole thing is fucking mental, Lace. What you gonna do?”
That’s the million dollar question right there.
Never in my life have I felt so damned if I do and damned if I don’t. And all the while Alice’s words ring in my ear — I’m putting all this thought into it like I actually have a choice.
I don’t have a choice in any of it, but maybe I do get to decide who makes the choices for me. Which would come down to choosing between my dad, or Shaun.
My dad who I’ve known my whole life, and Shaun who I’ve known five minutes. My dad is probably the person I like least in the world right now, but he’s still my dad.
I like Shaun. I’m not afraid to admit that anymore. I feel… something for him. Whether that’s just lust and hormones and the rush of exhilaration I get when we’re sparring, or whether it’s something more, I don’t know.
It’s too early to say if it’s real or if it’s not.
But then again, it’s even earlier with Liam. I feel nothing for him, and what worries me is that as much as he claimed this was all just a business arrangement to keep me safe, he’s going to want something more. And by the time I find out, I’ll already be trapped.
At least with Shaun, what you see is what you’re getting. I don’t know if his “forever” shit last night was just something he says when he’s fucking, to get him off, or if his insane ass actually meant it… but it seemed genuine.
At least he’s consistent.
“Lace?”
“Sorry… I was in a daze. I don’t really have an answer.”
The bell rings and we make our way back to the main building, arranging to meet back in the entrance hall for lunch.
I’m on my way to class when I see Liam standing in the middle of the corridor, staring straight at me as if he’s been waiting for me.
“Lacey! I missed you yesterday?”
I don’t stop. I keep walking. “I was sick.”
“I tried calling you,” he says. “My dad has started to make arrangements, with your father of course.”
I don’t respond. He takes me by the shoulder and stops me in my tracks. I look down at where his hand is resting. “You need to get off me, now.”
“Lacey, please? We don’t have a choice, can’t we at least try to make the best of it?”
I look up at him. “You know, when you first told me about this farce I actually kind of pitied you. But now? Now you’re seriously starting to fuck me off. I won’t tell you again, get your hands off me.”
He looks at me like I’ve physically hurt him but he doesn’t remove his hand from my shoulder. It’s only when he clocks on to something behind and his expression changes to stone, that he finally lets his hand slip.
“Is this little cunt bothering you, princess?” I hear Shaun’s voice behind me and feel his arm snake around my stomach. He pulls me in tight against his chest and I look up to see his eyes locked on Liam’s.
“He was just leaving,” I tell him.
Shaun plants a single kiss on the top of my head and then pushes me behind him. “Get yourself to class,” he tells me, taking a step towards Liam.
“Shaun, don’t,” I say, grabbing on to his arm. Liam was annoying me but Shaun could probably kill him, and a caveman style fight over me in the middle of the corridor is not something that’s needed or wanted.
Liam looks between the both of us, an amused smile spreading across his face. “Seriously?” He fixes his eyes on me now. “I always thought you were a bit dim, but never did I have you down as plain fucking stupid.”
Oh.
No he didn’t.
“What are you saying?” I drop Shaun’s arm and now he’s the one holding me back from swinging for him.
“I’m saying you’re a fucking idiot if you think he’s going to save you. It’s decided. It’s a done deal. If you want to spread your legs for him and get it out of your system, then by all means, go ahead. But make no mistake, when we’re married I demand respect.” His amusement turns into a grin and a flick of his eyebrows. “Enjoy whatever this is while it lasts, princess.”
Now I want to take my fist and smash it against his pretty little jaw. But I realize that will probably hurt me more than it will hurt him.
I try to let it slide over me, but I’m boiling. I’m still boiling when Shaun is dragging me away and Liam is waving at us with that fucking grin on his fucking face.
“You can get off me, as well,” I tell Shaun, taking his hand and shoving it off my shoulder as soon as we’ve turned the corner. The bell rang ages ago and the corridors are practically empty now.
He whistles and shakes his head, following me to god knows where I’m going. “I’d fuck your brains out right now if we weren’t in school.”
“Teach me how to throw a punch that can break a jaw and I’ll consider it.”
He pushes me, effectively slamming me against the wall and his eyes are locked on to mine instantly. “Deal.”
“I wasn’t being serious,” I tell him, feeling my anger slip away only to be replaced with a new kind of tension.
“You should consider it. Do you see what I mean? Do you believe me now? They won’t stop. You need to learn to listen to me, darlin’,” he tells me, pushing his body up against me and resting his arm on the wall at the side of my head. “Too fucking headstrong for your own good, sometimes.”
I shrug at him. Maybe he was right. So what? I never agreed, but I never refused either, I just told him I needed time to think.
Sensible, not headstrong. “I never said no to you.”
He bites down on his bottom lip and lets it pop out, a smile playing across his face.
“You’ll be screaming it later, though.”
With that, he turns around and walks away, strolling down the corridor like he didn’t just play havoc with my insides and leave me wondering where the fuck I’m supposed to be.
Chapter 8
SHAUN
I’m outside waiting for her about thirty seconds after the bell rings.
“I’m getting Stevie to take me home,” she says as she approaches me.
That’s what she thinks.
Cute.
It’s a bright sunny afternoon and her eyes squint a little as she tries to look at me but gets blinded. Maybe she’ll miss my eyes rolling.
“Already spoke to Stevie, and that’s not happening anymore,” I tell her, turning around and heading for the car.
“You’re a prick, do you know that?”
I know that, but she follows me anyway so I’m assuming I can’t be that bad.
“My gran told me your dad got home this afternoon.” I open the passenger side door and wait as she hops in, before going around to my side.
“I’ll speak to him,” she says, buckling her seatbelt.
I’m sure that’s going to go really well for her. “Suit yourself. I’ll pick you up at eight. Bring clothes for tomorrow.”