Page 26 of Plaything

The second man looked much less threatening, and his jeans and t-shirt combination was much more fitting. He was talking to the woman and Niko, a hint of a smile on his face. He was probably the size of Dominic, and something about him told me he wasn’t as easygoing as he seemed.

Lastly, there was another woman, the complete opposite of everyone else in the room. She wore a pink skirt and a white long-sleeved shirt, her hair pinned back with two bows. She looked young in attire, but I guessed she was in her late twenties. She seemed bored, resting her cheek in her palm, staring at the man in the t-shirt, a dreamy look in her eye.

What a strange group of people.

When Aiden told me they had friends coming over, I half expected a group of professors to walk through the door.

“Odette,” Niko noticed me, a grin on his lips. I slightly straightened my posture now that everyone’s eyes were on me. “Come meet our friends,” he curled his finger at me.

I smiled but was ultimately uncomfortable as I walked over to him.

The man in a suit narrowed his eyes at me, then gave Dominic a strange, prying look that I couldn’t read. The scary woman smirked, and I saw her check me out before giving my professors a knowing look. I tried not to blush. The man in the t-shirt looked surprised for a split second before looking at the woman beside him.

The woman in pink gasped, “You didn’t tell me there was someone else here?” She gave my professors a pointed look. “I’ve been so bored-”

“Reesia,” the man gave her a look, and she shut her mouth, still giving me an intrigued smile.

“You’re really pretty,” Reesia blurted, watching me closely.

Oh my God. I can usually take a compliment just fine, but with everyone staring at me, I want to sink into the floor. I smiled, “So are you.”

I finally stopped next to Niko, happier that I wasn’t just standing alone in the middle of the room anymore. Not that everyone’s attention was off me by any means; it was just less intense this way.

“When did this happen? Why haven’t you told us?” The scary woman grinned at Aiden, her tone playful, as if teasing him.

Wyatt sucked in a breath, looking panicked for a moment. “Jamie, this is Odette. She’s living with us until graduation. She’s in one of Niko’s classes,” he said quickly like he was trying to talk over Jamie.

Huh. Why would my professors tell their friends about someone living with them? And why did they all look so intrigued? Our situation was weird, but it wasn’t that interesting. I was having trouble reading between the lines here; I was missing something.

The man in a suit looked away from Dominic, eyeing me again. The other three had similar reactions, almost disappointed, but their interest heightened by ten.

Niko seemed smug as he looked at me. “Odette, this is Reesia, Jamie, Collin, and Vincent,” he introduced, gesturing to each of them as he said their names.

I assume Collin and Reesia were together; they both wore wedding bands and kept having silent conversations with their eyes. Vincent and Dominic were doing the same thing, only there was zero romance and one hundred percent curiosity.

Jamie grinned. “So... she’s not—”

“Are you hungry? There’s spaghetti on the stove,” Wyatt interrupted the same look of urgency on his face as before.

“I’ll grab some in a second, thanks,” I smiled.

Reesia perked up. “Are you with anyone?” She asked, once again surprising me with her bluntness. She was forthright for someone I’d known for less than five minutes.

I tried not to look taken back by her intrusiveness. “Um, no,” I shook my head. I wasn’t sure why she’d want to know that.

Her eyes lit up, her expression becoming excited. She turned to Collin, gently grabbing his arm. “Can we have her?” She asked.

Um…

I looked to Wyatt for help, unsure of what she was talking about or what was happening right now. I should have stayed in my room. They were married, and she definitely said we. And by have, I can only guess she meant something sexual.

Wyatt and everyone else at the table gave Reesia a pointed look.

Collin glanced at me for a second before he looked at my professors. He tilted his head at her. “Read the room, Baby,” he said quietly.

Reesia glanced around, her eyes lingering on Wyatt and Dominic for a second before her eyes lit up once again, this time in a naughty way. “Oh...” she whispered.

Jamie cocked her eyebrow at Collin. “You better control your wife,” she chuckled.

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