“Abby was a bitch to Zadie? Is that what you’re telling me?” I asked.
From the lift of her chin and twitch of the corner of her mouth, I got my answer. Still, she denied it.
“I didn’t say that.”
“What’d she do to Zadie?” She tried to scoot forward, but I held her firm. “You broached this topic, throwing out strong accusations. Time to back it up, Tiger.”
“I’m not scared of you, Theodore. And I’m not saying another word. If you had cared to see while you were still with her, I’m sure you would know exactly what I’m talking about.”
My hand spread on her stomach. “I’m not trying to scare you. We’re just talking.”
“I’m reading. That’s all I’m doing.”
“Okay.” The topic of Abby was dead, but I wasn’t done with Helen. “Read to me then.”
She sucked in a sharp breath. “What?”
“Yeah. Read to me. I haven’t cracked that play yet. You want, we can take turns. Read it together. It might be more interesting that way.”
For a long beat, she didn’t say anything or move a muscle, then she gave a nod. “Keep your dick out of my ass and your hands to yourself and I’ll read with you. Only because I was just thinking I’d understand Will’s words better if I heard them out loud.”
I chuckled. “Will? Are you close, personal friends with Shakespeare?”
She shifted so her bottom was sideways on one of my thighs, her mouth quirking. “You say that like you’re surprised.”
Laughing harder, I snatched the book from her hands and studied the page she was on.
“I’m not really surprised about anything when it comes to you, baby.”
Her nose scrunched again. “None of that, Theodore. No cute nicknames. We’re studying together. We’re not friends, and your dick is never going to get closer to me than it is right now.”
I could’ve pointed out that she kept calling me Theodore, which wasn’t my name, so it was technically a nickname, but since I didn’t want her to stop, I did not.
“As fun as it is, I’m done arguing now.” I tapped the page the book was opened to. “You want to begin, or should I?”
“You.”
“All right. Let’s read some Will.”
The fuck of it was, an hour later, when we unfolded ourselves from the chair and went our separate ways without another word, I had absorbed more of what I’d read than I ever had on my own. That was when I knew, without a doubt, if Helen was in my chair the next time I sought out my spot, I’d plop her on my lap instead of the floor.
As for Helen…well, I was pretty fucking certain she’d stay right where I put her.
Chapter Five
Helen
StupidMotherfucker: I’m done, Helen. I’m gonna need the money today or I visit your trailer. Don’t make me do it.
Swallowing down bile, I turned my phone off and walked into class. Few things scared me—not because I was especially brave, but because I’d experienced the worst of the worst and survived it—but this...this freaked me out.
I shut it all down when I slid into my seat in the third row of my Shakespeare class. The seat beside me was still empty when Theo walked into the room. Dread pitted my gut when he headed for the steps instead of sitting in the front row like he had previously. I couldn’t deal with him after receiving that text. I needed to get my head straight, not get distracted by rich boys with sparkling blue eyes who smelled like cool, fresh air.
A huge form sank down in the chair next to me, and I smirked at Theo. He scowled and shook his head. The big, silent guy was back, having come from the other end of the aisle, forcing Theo back to where he belonged in the front row.
I turned to the guy beside me. “Hey.”
He barely cocked his head in my direction. “Hey.”
“I’m Helen. I thought, if you’re going to be sitting beside me this semester, I should know your name instead of calling you the big, silent guy in my head.”
He huffed what sounded like a laugh and turned in my direction. “Lachlan. Mostly go by Lock, though.” He held his hand out to me. When I slipped mine into his grip, it basically disappeared. This was one big boulder of a man. Wowza.
“Nice to meet you, Lock.”
He nodded to Theo. “That guy bothering you?”
“Sometimes.” I wished I felt more bothered by Theo. He was a stone-cold asshole, but holy hell, spending over an hour in his lap at the library, his lovely voice in my ear, had weakened me. I hated being weak, so naturally, when I walked out of the library, I was pissed off at his existence while wishing I could tuck myself back in his lap again.
I was the stupid motherfucker, it turned out.
A rumble sounded from his massive chest. “Let me know if you need me to step in.”
“Really?”
He turned to me again. “Really.”
I lifted a shoulder. “That’s a nice offer. I’ll keep you posted.”
That was the end of our interaction, but it gave me the warm fuzzies. Lock reminded me of my best guy friends from high school, Bash and Gabe. They were off at different colleges, living their best lives with their girls, but if push came to shove, they’d have my back.
Professor Davis started class, keeping my attention the whole way through. After the first day, I’d been concerned he was going to be the thorn in my side all semester, but so far, he’d been proving me wrong. Then again, Savage U was known for only hiring the best of the best, so it made sense he was a passionate and knowledgeable instructor, despite his classism and latent misogyny.
At the end of class, Lock waited for me, and we walked out together. Theo was by the door, his eyes homed in on Lock at my side. My mouth curved into a satisfied grin. Maybe having an enormous man with massive hands and a looming presence as a friend would keep the wolves at bay.
Except, Theo fell into step on my other side as soon as we were outside, sandwiching me between the two of them—and not in a good way.
“You want a ride?” Lock asked.
“She’s good,” Theo replied for me.
I rolled my eyes. “I’ve got my board, but thanks.”
Lock peered down at me from his place in the clouds. “You’re good?”
I craned my neck back to look at him. “I’m just swell, Lachlan.”
He nodded decisively, gave Theo a hard look, then veered off in a different direction, leaving just the two of us—which wasn’t what I wanted.
“New boyfriend?” His tone was light, teasing, but I heard the edge.
“Yep. We consummated our relationship during Davis’s analysis of the use of hunting as a metaphor throughout the play. That was a first for me, but having my brain stimulated at the same time as my pus—”
Theo jerked me into his chest, knocking the wind out of me. “Don’t say it, Helen. Shut up right now.”
“Pussy,” I finished with a smile. “Now do you regret asking me a stupid question?”
His mouth tightened. “I regret ever setting eyes on you.”