Page 5 of Keeping Score

“Yeah. Hey, Leah didn’t happen to mention anything to you about why she changed schools, did she?” I hand him his cup of coffee before taking a sip of mine and shaking my head.

“Have you asked your parents?” He sighs and nods.

“Yeah, they just said she lost her scholarship but I know there is more that they aren’t telling me, you know?” I nod. His parents are good people. They work hard and have always tried to give their kids everything they need. What they don’t know is Corvin is the one who has been paying their bills while stashingthe money they think they are paying the bank into a retirement fund he started for them.

“Have you asked Leah?”

“Ask me what?” My gaze snaps to the entryway to see the little devil stroll in like she owns the place. I narrow my eyes when I see what she is wearing—black yoga pants that stick to her body like a second skin, white sneakers and a black sports bra that shows off her perfect tits. Her long blonde hair is piled on top of her head in some messy-looking bun thing, her face is free of make-up. That was one thing I always loved about her, she never wore much make-up because she said if people couldn’t accept her the way she was then why should she have to alter her appearance to appear prettier just to make them happy.

“Why you changed schools.”

“How did you get in here?” Corvin and I both ask at the same time. When her gaze lands on me, I narrow my eyes. Her green eyes spark with defiance and I know all too well what that look means, she is up to something.

“Corv gave me a key,” she says, then saunters over to the coffee pot to make herself a cup. I pin Corvin with a glare.

“Dude, she’s my sister!” My upper lip twitches in anger. Rather than be subjected to the torture of being in the same room as her, I dump my cup in the sink before storming out.

“Darius?” Her melodic voice has me stopping in the entryway and tensing when I hear her move toward me. She moves until she stands in front of me, her eyes shining with a cunning look that has me tensing even further. She runs her gaze down my bare torso. When she reaches my shorts, she quirks a brow and smiles. “I hope you don’t snore too loud and I promise not to take up too much space inourbathroom.” My brows jump to my hairline when her words register. I spin around to face a guilty looking Corvin.

“Her dorm block has to be repaired. They have an asbestos problem. It will only be for a few weeks and then you’re back to having your own space again,” he rushes out, and my nostrils flare in outrage.

“Corv said since you were the only one with a shared bathroom and it is next to the spare room and that it would be fine.” The triumphant tone of her voice grates on every fucking nerve in my body. I slowly turn back to face her with a smile on my face that has the one on hers dropping right off.

“I don’t snore.” Her shoulders relax but I’m not done. “Just FYI though, get some ear plugs because I’d hate to keep you up at night with the screaming coming from my room.” Her eyes widen and blaze with anger. I push past her, making my way up to my room. Before I can reach my bedroom, her shout has me grinding my teeth in annoyance.

“Don’t call your a hand a girl, Darius, because we all know youneverfuck the same girl twice!” Fucking little shit! I slam my door closed so hard the pictures on the wall rattle and threaten to tumble to the floor. I pace my room, trying to calm the anger thrumming inside me when an idea hits. Having her next door could work in my favor. A slow smile spreads across my face as a plan formulates in my mind.

Let the games begin, Goldie.

I don’t help the others move her shit in as I want them to all know I don’t want her here without saying the words. I decide to distract myself by diving into my homework and running over plays for the upcoming season. With our first game being against the Dolphins, coach is going to be riding us hard. We need to win this game to set the bar for the rest of the season. There isnothing worse than losing the first game, it brings the morale of whole team down and once that is gone, it is fucking hard to pick back up.

My vision turns hazy from staring at the plays from last season for hours. I rub my tired eyes and peer over at the clock on my bedside drawer and see it’s seven. Fuck, I’ve been at this all fucking day and well into the night! Pushing back from my desk in the corner of the room, I stroll into the bathroom and turn the shower on. The best part about this bathroom, the mirror never fogs up because both doors on either side always stay open. I strip off and dump my shorts in the hamper in the corner before stepping under the spray, the scalding water burns but it relaxes my taut muscles. I stay under the spray for a few minutes before washing myself and my hair.

Turning the shower off, I grip my towel that hangs over the side of the glass door and wrap it around my waist before stepping out. I shake the water from my hair then run my hand through it to push it out of my face, the moment I do I freeze at the sight in front of me, or should I say the blonde in front of me, leaning against the vanity while shamelessly running her gaze over me. For a split second I forgot about her moving in and being in the adjoining room!

“Take a picture, it will last longer,” I growl. Her body may show that she isn’t into me but her eyes, they never lie. I see the longing in her green eyes.

“I got plenty of those,” she grits out. I step up beside her effectively dismissing her as I grab my toothbrush and start to brush hoping she’ll take the hint she isn’t wanted here. “You can’t ignore me forever, Darius.” I rinse my mouth out and take my time about doing it before turning to her and letting my gaze lazily trail over her body. I make sure when I meet her gaze again that all she can see is disgust.

“I don’t want to ignore you.” Her features soften, I reach out and cup her cheek loving that she pushes into my touch, almost like she needs it. “I want to fucking destroy you and act like you never existed.” Her mouth drops open in shock as I yank my hand back and retreat into my room, this time I close and lock the adjoining door.

Leah

If I thought living with five guys was going to be easy, I was fucking wrong!

I’ve been here for nearly two weeks and my dorm won’t be ready for at least another two to three weeks. Saint has a different girl over every night, Corvin is sloppy and doesn’t pick up after himself. Crue is forever brooding and hiding out in his room, blaring music whenever Saint gets home. Beck and Darius are actually okay, well beside the fact that Darius hates me and makes it known whenever we cross paths. The bastard has even resorted to childish pranks like switching the sugar for salt, using all the hot water or dumping my stuff in the toilet in our bathroom. He swears it wasn’t him but the laughter that follows proves he’s guilty.

Which is why I am currently sitting here in the kitchen on a Friday afternoon waiting for him to come back from the gym. They left about twenty minutes ago and I know it won’t be longbefore he comes running through that door heading straight for the bathroom, that he will find locked. As if the thought of him summons him, he crashes through the door with the shouts of the others following him as he races up the stairs toward his room.

3…2…1…

“Leah!” he shouts my name so loud I cringe, and bite down on my bottom lip to tamper my laughter. I hop off my stool and wait at the base of the stairs ignoring the stares of my brother and the other three at the front door as I stare up at a red faced Darius who is clutching his stomach. “Unlock the fucking doors, now!”

I feign shock. “What do you mean? Is something wrong, darling?”

“Darling?” I hear Corvin spit but ignore him. Darius’s eyes are blazing with anger then within a split second his face contorts and he hunches over in pain.

“You fucking did this!” he accuses me. I place a hand over my heart and shake my head.

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