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Of course, arrogant arsehole that he is, Axel doesn’t bother to specify a time for me to go see him. Nor does he bother to tell me where to find their damn suite. They have a freaking suite! What an asshat. I bet Kaiden doesn’t like it, he’s never been comfortable with the wealth foisted upon him by his parent’s shitty choices. He often used to sneak into my room to sleep on my floor, claiming the floor and even the street was way better than staying in the prison he called home.
Gah, I can’t stop thinking about them. The only time my mind isn’t on them, is when I’m in my lectures enjoying learning and a new challenge. But as soon as I’m done for the day, they’re all I can think about. There’s so much history between us, I don’t even know where to start processing my feelings for them.
It’s pretty easy to find where Axel lives. Everyone on campus seems to know and as the third year student I ask for directions stares fearfully at my tattoo, he’s only too happy to escort me there. I don’t know if that power is mine or Axel’s, but I’ll take whatever perks I can.
As we walk across campus I see Harry, but when I call his name and wave, he turns tail and runs as though he didn’t see or hear me. Yeah, that’s not okay. I’m going to have to hunt him down. He has some explaining to do.
“H-here y-you a-are.” I frown at my chaperone, unsure if he has an organic stutter or if his fear level has intensified in correlation to our proximity to The Trinity. I give him a soft smile and thank him for the directions, and he scurries off like a frightened little mouse. Which is pretty pathetic if you ask me.
I enter the building, take the elevator to the top floor, and stomp along the corridor until I get to the one and only door that’s up there. So not just a suite then, the frickin’ penthouse!
I grit my teeth and knock, knowing I’m going to hate the extravagant display of wealth behind the ornately carved door.
The four of us may have all grown up on the same street, but we still had very different upbringings and homes.
Axel was the richest, living in the behemoth of a house at the end of our cul-de-sac. His family’s stately home sat elevated above the rest of the street, mimicking our positions in society. I lived further down the road, sandwiched on either side by McKenzie and Kaiden’s large and flashy houses. They were all born and raised on that street, whereas I moved in later around school-starting age. My mum was able to buy the house – the smallest on the street but still nice by the town’s standards – with the life insurance money she got when my dad died.
The four of us all grew up playing together, constantly getting into mischief, having water fights and actual fights, then kissing and making up with stink bomb pranks and sleepovers.
It’s where my nickname ‘peony’ came from. One summer I went mad for the heavily perfumed flowers that grew abundantly in Axel’s garden and spent weeks making potions with crushed petals and water. The boys were less than impressed with my perfumes, but bitched up a storm when I used the sweetly smelling concoction to stink bomb their bedrooms. Axel moaned that he preferred the rotten egg smell to smelling like a prepubescent girl.
Their families were wealthy, though my mum had to work hard to keep the roof over our heads. Kaiden’s family had married into money, whereas Axel’s family were from old money. McKenzie’s family were social climbing lickarse wannabes. His dad having high political aspirations and delusions of grandeur – though of course, I didn’t realise that until we were all older. All three of their mothers were an absolute joke. Trophy wives to be seen at social events and certainly never heard.
I’m snapped out of my wander down memory lane by the door opening. I look up expecting to see Axel but instead I’m met with Zie. Who refuses to look at me, or speak to me. Fun.
“I’ll just come in then, shall I?” I raise an eyebrow, but it’s more for my own benefit as I’m apparently now invisible to him once again. Pushing past his silent form, I cross the open plan living space.
For someone who grew up around wealth, and even spent time inside Axel’s mansion, this place still manages to impress me. It’s vast, modern, cold and impersonal. It suits Axel to a T and it isn’t far off Mrs Montgomery’s style either. I never spent much time inside Kaiden’s house aside from his bedroom, so I don’t really have a point of comparison there.
“Your butler is shit,” I call across the large space to Axel, who’s reclining on a leather sofa in front of the floor to ceiling windows that overlook campus. Seems pretty pointless to me: who wants to overlook a load of students getting pissed and puking in the bushes? Kaiden laughs like we’re friends and I just made a joke, and I spin to see him in the kitchen on my right. He’s blending slushie mojitos. My favourite.
“You look hot,” he tells me, holding out a glass to me. I snort. Kaiden’s tastes have always been similar to mine; I’m dressed in skinny black jeans, slip-on Vans and a ripped-up band tee, with an old and battered leather jacket thrown over the top. At least we can wear what we like during our down time. Kaiden’s look is kinda punky, rock bandy, so it figures he’d think I look sexy when I’m putting zero effort in.
“No thanks,” I tell him, refusing to take the drink from him. He pouts like I just offended him and asks me why. “Maybe because it’s common knowledge that girls who accept drinks from shady characters end up in worse situations than just being drugged and tattooed?” Seriously, does he have a short-term memory problem or something? It’s not like I can forget the giant Bambi on my tits, it’s still freaking healing!
“That was for your own good,” Axel’s voice in my ear makes me jump out of my skin. I didn’t hear him move and approach me. I tense and freeze as his tattooed hands rest on my shoulders and carefully remove my jacket. A moment later there’s a soft thunk as it lands on the marble floor.
“Please,” I scoff, refusing to react to Axel’s invasion of my personal space. “How on earth can drugging me be for my own good?” I spin on my heel so that I’m facing him, and our chests collide; he’s that close.
“I meant the tattoo, not the drugging.”
I look down at The Doe, just peeking out of the top of my shirt and frown. How could it be for my own good? “I know you want answers,” Axel continues, his voice seductively low. “And we’ll give them to you…”
“Yeah, yeah, for a price, I know,” I mimic dismissively.
“For a truce, I was going to say.”
That makes me pause for all of about one hundredth of a second.
“Yeah, no thanks.”
There will be no truce between us. Truce? What a joke! They haven’t even apologised for the things they did, and they want to call a truce like somehow we’re both to blame? Give me a break. They should be on their knees grovelling for my forgiveness.
I cross my arms and scowl at him, saying nothing. Behind me, McKenzie shuffles across the floor and takes a seat on one of the black leather couches. Kaiden breaks the tension by laughing and carrying the drinks over to the table on a small round silver tray, and Axel follows. All three take a seat and then stare expectantly at me.
I huff and copy, knowing that it’s the only way to get what I need. Give in, get info, get out. That’s my plan. I take the seat opposite them on the couch, sitting back in the leather throne-like chair as if I own it. One leg crosses the other and my arms fold over my chest. Battle position.
“Talk.” I glower, which earns me another amused chuckle from Kaiden. “What?”
