Page 21 of Pin-up Girl

The girl on the end, Georgie I thought her name was, squinted her eyes as she studied Elise. “That’s right. I’ve seen you here before, with the really tall girl.”

When I looked to Elise, she was glaring at Emmett this time. She noticed me staring at her, but I didn’t get her glare. Instead, her face softened before she relaxed her body. Our girl turned to the others, a smile so bright on her face, I almost squinted. You’d think she pulled it right out of Milo’s book, it was so fake. I only noticed the difference because I’d paid so much attention to her over the last day.

“Yeah, that’s my girl Cassidy. She’s a hoot, and a hell of a good time.”

Without even giving it a second thought, I curled my arm around her shoulders, giving her a slight bit of encouragement to lean into me. A strangled noise came from my right, and I could imagine why Emmett was freaking out right now. I hated people. He thought he talked me into seducing her, but I’d already decided on it after breakfast, so what was the harm in letting him think he led me to that conclusion?

But that wasn’t why he would think this was a big deal. I never touched the girls I slept with in public. It wasn’t like a phobia or anything morbid, they just didn’t mean anything to me, so why give them social power by touching them? Milo and Emmett may not notice it, but when others entered our space, touched us, or let us touch them, people paid attention. Regular nobodies were temporarily catapulted into popularity. It was probably one of the main reasons so many girls went to Emmett’s bed.

Elise looked up at me, confusion in her gaze and a slight pink flush to her cheeks. Fuck, that look. I wanted to keep this look all to myself, never sharing it with anyone else, but that was dangerous. Too much risk, not enough reward. I should move and let Emmett take my spot. He’d eat this up.

Instead, with my heart beating in my throat, I slid down in the seat to get comfortable and turned back to the others. They were all gaping at us, like they’d never seen a guy put his arm around a girl. What the hell? I knew it wasn’t my thing, but they could have at least pretended to ignore it. I sighed in frustration.

The third girl, athletic build with tomboy tendencies, looked like she ate an entire jar of dill pickles. “Yeah, I seem to have heard about a fight last night. She was in it, wasn’t she?”

Elise was beginning to soften around me and the others. Then this bitch had to go and make her angry. I glared at her, and when she glanced at me, she gulped and turned away. Too bad that wasn’t enough to make her comment disappear. Elise pulled out of my hold to lean forward.

“Listen up, you little bitch. Yes, there was a fight. What you may or may not know is that I finished it. I see what you’re doing. You can’t hide the way you or either of your friends are sending starry eyes to Milo, Emmett, or Jules. So now, you’re trying to bring up something to make me uncomfortable, or make me look bad, but guess fucking what?”

This time, her hands shot out and gripped our thighs, one of Milo’s, and one of mine. Her grip was strong as her sharp nails bit into the muscle of my leg. I loved it—loved the pain she gave me in her anger, because whether she knew it or not, she trusted me to take it.

“They were there. Stop your little bitch ass games and grow the fuck up. I don’t waste my time on dried up cunts like you.”

Emmett nudged me in the ribs, giving me a look that said just how horny he was right now. I bet he really regretted flaunting his sex life in Elise’s face.

Dot reared back. “What does dried up cunt even mean?”

A smirk curled Elise’s lips that wasn’t nice or friendly, but a hell of a lot of sexy. “Oh, honey, come on. Look at you three. You’re so uptight and stiff, there’s no way you can have sex without using a hefty handful of lube.”

Milo bent over sideways, his shoulders shaking from silent laughter. Emmett and I were right there with him, but I at least managed to stay upright. The girls were not happy, especially when they noticed their buddy sending his own form of starry eyes to Elise.

The third girl, whatever her name was, smacked his shoulder. “God, Matt! You think this is funny? Their whore is calling your best friends names, and you’re laughing?” She ended on a yell.

It took a minute for her words to penetrate, then I shot out of my seat, knocking Elise sideways. Milo steadied her, then stood as Emmett took my other side.

Now they were afraid. If fear had a scent, it would have already permeated the air with its stink. Emmett rounded the table, pulling Matt up by his collar.

“Not just yet, Em.” Milo raised a hand. “As students of Wellington, I didn’t think I’d have to educate you on manners. It’s not nice to name call, period, but especially in one’s company.”

Georgie sputtered, raising her legs onto the cushion, trying to make herself as small as possible. “Did you hear what she said? She started it!”

A soft snort escaped Elise. She probably couldn’t see a damn thing, but this was apparently hilarious to her.

Milo nodded gravely. “You’re right, she did. After you tried to provoke her. But let me correct myself. It’s not nice to name call one ofmyfriends, but especially not in front of her face, or ours. That can only end one way.”

He had no need to clarify what that way was. These drama geeks, with their drama club pins on their shirts, would know not to cross us, even if they didn’t fully understand what that would mean. Dot was now visibly shaking, tremors wracking her body as she stared up at us.

“What did I have to do with anything?” Matt held his hands up in front of him as he squirmed in Emmett’s grip. We were starting to draw a crowd, and someone that looked distinctly like management was walking our way.

From an outsider’s view, it looked as if Emmett pressed his face into his neck, which he did, but it was to soften his words. “I didn’t like the way you looked at her. Don’t think we didn’t notice every longing glance you sent her way. What you should know is that she no longer exists for you.”

“That’s enough, Emmett.” Milo sat back down, stretching his long legs out. “We have company.”

Matt fell back onto the couch as soon as Emmett released him. A woman wearing jeans and a bright yellow cardigan edged around Emmett, eyeing us with caution. Good, she knew who we were.

“Is there a problem here?” She adjusted her white nametag that had a handwrittenClaireandManagerin bold block script underneath it.

“Not at all.” Milo smiled at her. “Our friends here were just leaving.”

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