Page 20 of The Queen's Knights

At least Gwen has some good memories of sexy-time in her office now. I think I’d have done even more with Percy, if she needed it to purge the demons from that small space.

I struggle to shift focus to my thesis research, because I keep thinking about the moment she dropped her panties. I’m pent-up as hell but there’s no outlet for me now. I’m not going back to my room to jerk off, and I’m not idiotic enough to try to do it in the library, no matter how isolated it is in the little cubby I usually choose for working in the stacks. I was amazed at how much self-restraint Percy manages around her, but now that I know he has trouble getting a hard-on, I kind of envy him.

But I guess I do it for him, because there was no mistaking his erection when we were pressed together—nor mine.

I groan, shake my head violently to dispel the spiraling thoughts, and redouble my efforts to focus. It takes serious work, but eventually the dry material of my research notes kills my libido, and I’m actually able to read ten words without thinking of either of them again for the next few hours.

When I leave the library, I stop by the cafeteria for some cheap institutional pizza I shove into my face while I bike to the address Gwen gave me. Her place is a quaint brownstone not far from the college, a block away from fraternity row. Ambrose is already there, waiting on the step. He’s off his shift, but still in his uniform. He gives me a quizzical look when I hop off my bike and secure it to the iron rail at the bottom of the steps.

“What’s with this getup?” he asks. “And what the fuck happened to your face?”

“Huh?” I give him a blank look.

“You need to tell me something,hermano?” He stares pointedly at my chest, then gestures to my two black eyes.

I glance down at my shirt, realizing I’m still in the rainbow Pride shirt Percy bought for me.

“Ah… it’s complicated.” I debate coming clean with him here and now, but hesitate. I’m still not quite sure what’s going on.

He crosses his arms. “Sum up. I have all night, and I’m sure your friends can wait.”

My nostrils flare. He’s a stubborn bastard, and I know he’ll stand firm until he gets what he wants.

I squint apprehensively and scrub a hand over the top of my head. “Um, they might be more than friends? Like I said, it’s complicated.”

“I thought you said I’m meeting your teacher.”

Clearing my throat, I nod. “Uh, yeah. And her TA. Can we just go in? Please keep an open mind. She needs your help.”

“Lead the way,” he says with a shake of his head.

I hit the doorbell, stomach doing acrobatics. While we wait, Ambrose leans in a little from beside me and gives a loud sniff.

“What the fuck?” I stage whisper. My eyes widen and I lean away. Then it hits me that I may have a clean shirt, but I haven’t showered since my encounter with Gwen’s epic pussy earlier.

Ambrose just shakes his head and utters a curse in Spanish. He plasters on a smile when the door cracks open and Percy appears.

At least my brother is on his best behavior for the visit, and thank fuck he doesn’t talk shit about me the way I dreaded he might. Ambrose can be an enormous dick, but I guess he knows how to behave in mixed company.

He’s serious when he sits down with Gwen at her dining table and starts going over the case. I’m too distracted being in her house to pay close attention, but Percy’s perched on a barstool at the kitchen island nearby, watching like a hawk. When Percy explains finding me getting beaten to shit over something another student said about Gwen, Ambrose gives me an appraising look.

I’m too antsy to sit, so I wander into the home office near the front door, which is decorated in a way that suits Gwen perfectly, with neutral-toned furniture and carpet, walls trimmed in white molding, and splashes of color coming from the striking artwork mounted in aesthetically pleasing spots. There’s another prismatic array stemming from the rainbow of books occupying the built-in shelves lining two sides of the room.

I peek closer and find volume upon volume of romance novels. Scanning the spines, I pick out a title I actually recognize. It’s the book about the club that helped me track down its location Saturday night. But there’s not just one—it’s a series so long it fills an entire shelf.

I pull out the first one and peek inside, eyes widening at my discovery. It has a glossary of terms in the front, but it’s the story itself I become engrossed with, barely aware of finding a comfy armchair in the corner and sitting down to keep reading.

“There you are,” Gwen says. I jerk my head up and close the book abruptly, shoving it between my knees. My cheeks heat.

“Uh, hi. I was just, um…”I was just reading porn, but don’t mind me.

She quirks a smile at me. “Your brother’s about to go. I think he has enough information.”

“Hot!” I stand and set the book back onto the chair, giving my brother an interested look where he stands in the doorway to the room. “You can help, right?”

“I can call in a couple favors. Get some security footage of the building and see what’s up. Nine times out of ten, it’s an acquaintance or colleague in cases like this, so keep an eye out, because he’s probably someone you see regularly.”

“No shit,” I say, frowning. Who the hell would do something like that? My mind turns to the shitbirds from class. I’m going to be on those assholes like glue from now on, I don’t care what they do to me.

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