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If that’s not bad enough, the next step he takes feels like one step too far. “So, Lyric,” he says as he writes down an idea that I had insisted on, “there’s a party at Sigma Theta coming up. I was wondering if you had any plans to go.”
“She’s busy,” I snap, my pencil almost breaking in half as I struggle to contain the annoyance within. “She’s got a kid, plus she’s… doing tutoring work,” I throw out.
Lyric gives me an irritated expression, her brows drawn together, lips pursed. “I wasn’t thinking about it,” she admits, ignoring me. “As Archer mentioned, I’ve got quite a full schedule. But I might stop by if I have time.”
“You should come,” Cameron says, giving her a soft smile. “We Sigma’s know how to have fun. Our parties are way more entertaining than the Alphas are.”
“What the hell?” I ask, shooting daggers at him. “Are you trying to one-up me?”
Cameron chuckles, holding up his hands. “Relax, man. It’s all in good fun. Some healthy inter-frat rivalry, right?”
“Thanks for the offer,” Lyric says, noticing the tension between the two of us. “I don’t know if I’d have time, to be completely honest.”
“You heard the lady,” I mutter, relaxing back down. “She’s busy. Respect the no, bro.”
“Doesn’t sound like a no to me,” Cameron points out. “I’ll give you a wristband if you want to come to the next one. Just stop by if you’re not busy that night,” he says, winking at her.
“Alright, enough,” I say, curling my lip. “Let’s get the fuck back to work. We have to come up with a presentation idea today so we can get started working on it. This is like forty percent of our grade, so try not to make googly eyes at each other for the next few minutes while we work.”
Lyric glances at me out of the corner of her eyes, frustration evident from the way she holds herself stiffly and how her brow is creased. She frowns and looks back down at her notes. “Yeah, let’s get back to work,” she mumbles.
Satisfied that I nipped whatever that was in the bud, I throw myself into the project as we brainstorm a few more possible ideas before we have a good-sized list.
“This one looks promising,” Cameron points out. “It kind of touches briefly on something we covered in the unit, but it also lends itself to a fresh perspective. What do you think, Lyric?” he asks, pushing the paper toward her.
I glance down as Lyric looks at it, reading it silently next to her.
Her frown slowly turns into a smile. “That’s not a bad idea,” she says, grinning up at Cameron. Something sharp and hot punches through my gut, but I ignore it.
“It’s decent,” I agree with a shrug. “We could make it work. It’s going to be a lot of research, though. How will we divide it up?”
The rest of class time is spent with the three of us discussing who will take what part of the project. By the time class ends, my anger is mostly forgotten.
That is until Cameron gives Lyric a brief hug on the way out of class. My irritation flares to life once more and I pull her aside as we step into the hallway.
“Hey, I don’t like how cozy you were acting with that guy,” I tell her.
Lyric gives me an incredulous look. “He’s our project partner,” she points out. “And he was merely being friendly.”
“Friendly?” I scoff. “I doubt it. From now on, unless you’re talking about the project with him, and you’re with me, I don’t want you talking to Cameron anymore.”
Lyric’s eyes widen. “I mean it,” I continue. “I just don’t trust that guy. Never have. He’s a snake and I don’t want you alone with him.”
She ignores me, instead choosing to walk away. She'd better listen if she knows what’s good for her.
17
ZANE
Archer paces around his room, his footsteps heavy and agitated. “I can’t believe her,” he mutters, running a hand through blond locks. “Who does she think she is, flirting with Cameron right in front of us? She needs to be reminded who she belongs to.”
I lean against the doorway, watching him pace. “She may be up to her old tricks again,” I offer. “She’s trying to make us jealous and possessive.”
Archer stops pacing and looks at me, his gray eyes sharp. “You’re right. Of course, that’s what she’s doing. Looks like it might be time she understands her place again.”
I nod, feeling a surge of agreement. “Let’s have her come over tonight. We’ll show her who’s really in charge.”
Archer’s lips curl into a dark smile. “Yeah, we’ll make sure she remembers exactly who she belongs to.”
