Page 40 of Cruel Hearts

“Are you a vampire now?” I snapped.

Orlando chuckled from further down the hallway. “Get inside and stop being a dick!”

After wiping his feet on the welcome mat, Kendrick smoothed down his lapels and crossed the threshold. I stepped back, not wanting to get a whiff of his aftershave or a feel of his body heat.

“What did you find out from those boys?” I asked.

“Nothing.” He strode down the hallway. “By the time I reached the fifth years’ dorms, they’d all left on the coach to Glasgow.”

“Right,” I groaned. “It’s the final Sunday of term.” I followed him into the living room, where Orlando had already seated himself at the dining table.

Kendrick sat next to him and gave me an expectant stare. “Are you going to explain why Mr. Burgh attacked Father Neapolitan?”

I scowled. Just because we’d both witnessed Elizabeth steal the collection money, it didn’t mean we were allies. Or that I would tell him family secrets. I stood at the other end of the table, keeping as much wood between me and the boys, and recounted what happened after my narrow escape from Father Neapolitan’s car.

When I got to the part where Elizabeth assaulted me with her lips, Kendrick slammed his palm on the table.

“Where?” he barked.

I rolled my eyes. “On the lips. Where do you think?”

Orlando leaned forward, his jaw slack. “Then what happened?”

My lips tightened. From the glimmer in his hazel eyes and the excited flush on his perfect skin, the blonde fucker thought this was a prelude to a story involving girl-on-girl action and a bit of scissoring. “Get your mind out of the gutter.”

“Elizabeth wouldn’t kiss you,” said Kendrick.

I pulled the betting slip out of my pocket. “Do you think I’m making it up?”

Kendrick shifted in his seat. “I believe you both scuffled, but you’re exaggerating to make yourself look more interesting.”

“Really?” I folded my arms across my chest.

Orlando raised his broad shoulders and grinned. “Girls do it all the time in clubs to attract male attention.”

Kendrick gave his friend a sharp nod. “You clearly want us all salivating over you.”

“Is that what you’re doing?” I leaned across the table, giving him my best Detective Chief Inspector glower. “Salivating over me?”

His cheeks reddened. “That’s preposterous.”

I narrowed my eyes. “What would I find if I slipped my hand between your legs?”

Orlando snorted.

Kendrick’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. He whispered, “How dare you.”

Even though this was a completely different boy to the one I had fucked last week, the memory of that long, thick erection pushed itself to the front of my mind. It was probably straining against his pants, waiting for me to ease it out.

Shit. The thought of that stuck-up, uptight dickhead pumping his clenched fist over that hard shaft made a thrill of excitement trickle between my legs. “Stand up, then.”

His face turned white. “What?”

“Show us you’re not hard.” My tongue darted out to lick my lips.

Orlando shook his head. “Leave it. Everyone around this table knows Kendrick’s got a hard-on.”

“I most certainly do not,” he snapped.