When I walked into the house to an empty foyer and living room, I considered it my lucky day and shot up to my room, where I stayed the rest of the night.
It gave me hope I’d get out of the house again this morning without notice.
No such luck.
Before I was even out of bed, knocking on my door made me groan. I thought about pretending I wasn’t in here but nixed the thought almost immediately. I wasn’t the kind of guy who hid from stuff.
Yes, you are, a voice taunted in the back of my mind. It made me grouchy.
I flung off the covers and unlocked the door and stuck my head out. “What?”
It was Jack, and he was fully dressed, looking awfully awake for such an early hour on a Sunday. He glanced around as if he didn’t want to be seen outside my door.
What the fuck?
“You should come downstairs,” he said low.
“Why?” I asked, making sure my tone matched his.
He shook his head. “Con called a house meeting. Doesn’t want you to know about it.”
That got my attention. “Excuse me?” I growled.
Jack took a step back and glanced at the stairs. “Hurry,” he mouthed and rushed off.
I shut the door, much quieter than I felt like, and rushed around (as much as one could rush in a tiny-ass room with barely any floor space), pulling out a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt. I deliberately chose the one with the Omega symbol on the front and the word PRESIDENT in bold across the back.
Something told me I was going to need a little help reminding people who was in charge around this place.
I knew Conner was pissed, but to call a house meeting? Behind my back? What the fuck was he thinking? And, dude. Did he really think I wouldn’t get wind of it?
As I thought, my phone went off simultaneously. It was two texts from two different members of Omega. Both texts were variations of, Get your ass downstairs!
It was nice to see Jack wasn’t the only one who thought this was bullshit.
I didn’t bother combing my hair or brushing my teeth before jogging down the stairs. I considered my rumpled appearance and dragon breath part of the punishment for those who thought they could betray me behind my back.
Clearly, that’s what this was.
Why else would Con hold a meeting he didn’t want me to know about?
The voices coming from the dining room made my back teeth gnash together. I leave for one freaking day…
“This isn’t right. Trent should be here,” someone said.
“I agree. What kind of bullshit is this?” another guy chimed in.
“If he was doing what’s right for the house, he would be here. This meeting wouldn’t even be necessary,” Con replied, as if he were the voice of reason amongst the men.
My fists clenched at my sides, and I told myself to relax. Going in there ready to smash heads was stupid. I needed to know what was going on before I could figure out how best to deal with this.
I did know one thing for certain, though. It was a good fucking thing I didn’t back Con for president. That guy was a tool.
I stepped around the corner and let my considerable height and width fill the arched doorway. “We having a meeting?”
Hushed silence filled the room, and I felt all eyes on me. I didn’t look around. Not yet. Instead, I stared straight at Con, who was standing at the podium.
My spot. The president’s spot.
“I’ve called a house meeting,” Con announced.
I didn’t like his haughty tone.
“Kinda hard to have an Omega meeting without the Omega president,” I said casually.
“Under the bylaws of Omega house, as written by our founding fathers,” Conner stated as if he had rehearsed this speech a hundred times before, “I am exercising my right stated under the presidential code of conduct that any house member can make a movement to have any president voted out of his position with due cause.”
I chuckled. He was trying to get me unseated.
How cute.
I was pretty sure the sound of my laughter raised the hair on the backs of some necks in here because people started shifting uncomfortably and clearing their throats.
“And what due cause are you claiming to have?” I lifted my eyebrow and stared directly at Con.
“Disloyalty to Omega.”
I laughed again. This time it was a little deeper, a little harsher sound. I pushed out of the doorway and stepped farther into the room. “Is that so?” I drawled.
Some of the confidence Conner carried just seconds ago seemed to evaporate, and a look of doubt crossed his eyes.
Good.
“So you think I’ve been disloyal to this house?” I stated, making sure my voice carried over the entire room. “You claim I’m somehow a traitor to my own brotherhood and therefore should be unseated as the president, a position I’ve held for almost two years?”
“He wants you out of the frat completely.” One of the upperclassmen nearby spoke up.
I crossed my arms over my chest. It was getting harder to contain my anger. This was some serious shit.
I moved to the podium, walking with deliberate care. When I got there, I stood right at Con’s back, my excessive height and weight towering over him, and I enjoyed it. “You’re in my way,” I intoned.