Page 47 of Hidden Empire

“That’d be cool,” I say quickly. “I’d like that a lot.”

“Cool,” she echoes. “See you around, new girl. Stay safe.”

“You too,” I reply happily, watching as she turns away and heads off to wherever she needs to be. I feel like jumping up and down and squealing with excitement.

My first friend, sorta! Something to look forward to at least.

Chapter 15

Jade

Armani is pissed.

I have to physically hold him back from storming out of his classroom to find Lorna when I tell him that she’s my teacher, and she wasn’t very happy to see me in class. Or rather, she was too happy to see me and seemed like she was more than ready to make this semester hell for me.

“She wants you to go make a scene,” I tell him, insisting that he calms down.

“Oh, she’ll get a scene,” he seethes, picking me up by my waist and spinning me around so that I can’t block the door.

“Ahh,” I yelp, throwing my arms around him so he can’t put me down. “Seriously, Armani, wait like three seconds, will ya?”

“Let me go, Jade,” he grumbles, half-trying to pull me off. He won’t use his full strength to simply yank my grip off of him.

“I have a plan,” I tell him firmly. “I want to do this my way. I don’t want it to look like I can’t handle her and go running to my brothers as soon as something is wrong.”

Which, I did kind of come running to him… but I just wanted to make sure he didn’t know about it and not warn me. I would have some choice words about something like that. It’s more than clear that he had no idea.

“No one will think that,” he argues. “They’ll assume I heard about it, which I probably would have very soon. If you didn’t tell me, someone else would’ve. You’re my responsibility, Jade. She doesn’t get to act this way toward you because I don’t want her.”

I smile sympathetically. “I’m sorry she’s bothering you like this.”

He shakes his head in disbelief. “My ex fuck buddy is harassing you in class, and you’re apologizing to me?”

“Of course,” I say sweetly. “You’re my brother, and I love you. I hate that she’s messing with you.”

He softens, putting me down, and this time, I let him.

“I can take care of it,” I promise him, straightening my shoulders. “I already have a plan, and I’m excited about it. Can’t you let me at least try?”

Armani looks to the door and back at me. “And you won’t tell me what this plan is, will you?”

“Nope,” I admit easily. “I want no help, no suggestions, no anything. I really think I can do this.”

He hesitates before his head dips. I squeal, jumping up and down before reaching up on my tippy toes to smack a kiss on his cheek. “Yay, thank you! You’re the bes?—”

“If it doesn’t work or something goes wrong, you won’t be able to stop me again, I’m warning you now,” he cautions. “Be smart, and be safe. Come to one of us if you need it, Jade. I mean it.”

“Of course, of course,” I agree quickly. “Cross my heart.”

My fingers do a swish and slash across my chest, making him chuckle.

A knock taps against the door, grabbing our attention.

“Busy?” Colton asks, leaning against the open frame.

“No, he is not,” I answer for Armani, picking my bag up off the floor. “I was just leaving. Revenge to execute and all.”

“Revenge?” Colton chuckles. “On day two?”

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