Page 15 of The Queen's Knights

“She’s busy. In the future, see me before you come bother her, got it?”

“It’s okay, Percy. What’s up, Mr. Lacosta?”

“I just wanted to see if there’s anything I can help with. Maybe give that cranky cocksucker a little break or something.” He jabs his thumb over his shoulder at Percy, who is still standing six inches behind him.

Percy scowls. “That language is unnecessary.”

I raise my eyebrows. I never knew Percy to be such a prude about foul language, but I suspect there’s more to his irritation than that. Jealousy, maybe? Which should be concerning, if it’s true.

Lance smirks back at him. “By the way, I’m keeping the shirt. You would not believe the number of honeys who flirted with me on my way back to my dorm the other day. Not that I was interested.”

He returns his gaze to me, and that million-watt smile is back.

Before I can respond, he says, “I don’t have to take his job, though. I can do any task you need. And I meananything.”

The subtext is not lost on me, and my body warms at the implication.

“Okay, that’s enough,” Percy says, grabbing Lance’s arm and hauling him out of my doorway. “You can’t talk to her that way, idiot. In case it’s lost on you, you’re a student. She’s yourteacher. She could lose her job if the dean got wind of anything.”

“Percy!” I snap. “Not in the hallway. Both of you come in and shut the door. We need to talk.”

Percy switches directions, pulling Lance into my office and shoving him into a chair on the other side of my desk before closing the door. He leans against it, glaring at the back of Lance’s head.

I heave a sigh. “He’s right, Mr. Lacosta. I need you to stop whatever you’re doing. The ass-kissing is going to raise red flags.”

His eyebrows shoot up. “You do realize that everyone already thinks the two of you are screwing, right?” He twists around and glances at Percy before looking back at me.

It’s my turn to be surprised. “No, I hadn’t realized. Did you know?” I direct the question to Percy, who shakes his head.

“Is it true?” Lance asks.

“I…” I trail off, giving Percy a helpless look. He just stares at me as if daring me to come clean.

My hesitation is enough for Lance to fill in the blanks. “I see,” he says, deflating a little. “But he barely touched you on Saturday. And then after … well, after what he did to me, I kind of assumed…”

“You assumed wrong,” Percy says. “But we only made love once.”

Lance turns again and stares at Percy for several seconds. “I’m sorry, man. That must hurt.”

Percy clenches his jaw. “It’s really none of your business.”

His pained look sends a slice of regret through me, but he doesn’t meet my gaze. Weneedto have a conversation soon.

“Well, considering we’ve all been up close and personal in each other’sbusiness, it’s at least somewhat of interest,” Lance says.

“It’s between me and Percy,” I interject. “But you’re right about one thing: We need to discuss yourvisitto Whitewood on Saturday.”

Percy stands up straighter. “Gwen, should we really do this here? The club would be the better venue.”

“If you’re concerned, lock the door and pull the blinds. I don’t think this should wait.”

He looks like he might challenge my decision, but after a beat relents and turns the deadbolt, then lowers the blinds that cover the sidelight, then the ones at the window overlooking the quad two stories below.

“Shit.” Lance slouches in his seat, looking chagrined. “How badly did I fuck up?”

“Considering no one else came into contact with you at the club, it could be worse. But Whitewood is very strict about who they allow in. Everyone has to undergo full blood panels. Birth control methods are enforced as well, in situations where intercourse might occur. Condoms are optional at the club.”

Lance absorbs this, then swallows and nods. He looks back at Percy. “I get tested before every meet—one of the perks of being on a swim scholarship for an NCAA school.” His tone is tinged with irony, so I gather he doesn’t particularly like the invasiveness of the testing. “And I’m not exactly promiscuous. No fucking time, if I want to graduate next year.”

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