Page 62 of Framed

Not while I still wanted her as bad as I did.

Keeping my eyes locked with hers, I gritted out, “We’re kind of busy here, Rollins.”So get the fuck out.

She stiffened and her eyes widened a fraction as they shot up to mine. Surprise and then anger swirled around in her brown eyes. I hated these contacts. I wanted to see her eyes. Her real eyes.

“Kane,” she breathed, doing the opposite of what I told her to do. Irritation spiked in me once again. She tried to push at me again, this time her knee coming dangerously close to a part of my body that should never come in contact with knees. “I’m really sorry, but something came up. Could I get a rain check?”

“Of course,” he answered, though I noticed he didn’t move from the doorway of her bedroom. He glanced back over his shoulder at where Winter stood, one hand braced on the couch, glaring bloody murder at all of us. “Um… all good here?”

“I’m good,” Scarlett said, her voice steadier than I expected.

Mine didn’t feel steady. Nothing about me felt steady right now. Hot blood filled my head, roared in my ears.

“Xavier was just going,” Scarlett added with a pointed look. “He’ll walk you out.”

“Sure,” I gritted out. Anything to get Kane out of here, out of her space. Away from her in thatfucking dress. My blood felt like it could catch fire at any moment.

“Thanks for stopping by,” Scarlett said, her voice icy and curt. The moment I exited her bedroom, she slammed the door, practically in my face.

Winter gave me a sickeningly sweet smile. “Nice seeing you boys.” She walked us to the door and then she, too, slammed and barred it behind us.

Those two, I swear to God…

Kane cut a sideways look at me. “If you two have something going on—”

“We don’t,” I snapped, curter than I would’ve liked. I didn’t want him there tonight. I hated anybody witnessing what Scarlett did to me. But I hated the idea of his hands on her far more.

Before Kane could ask any more questions, I stormed off down the hallway. His footsteps followed, though I couldn’t help but note with dark amusement that he kept his distance from my retreating back.

chapter twenty six

Scarlett

“SoyouandAdams?”I turned to find Kane sitting in the brown and mahogany library chair next to me. I’d sensed a presence but assumed it was another student trying to use the computer next to me. I was too busy typing away to realize he hadn’t even touched the computer.

My eyes immediately went towards where Xavier was sitting. There was a blonde woman with big tits whispering in his ear.

“Are just friends.”Lie. I didn’t know what to classify us as but friends was not the best descriptor. Boss and employee maybe? A brooding man with borderline possessive issues and his obsession? Was that even a thing? If so, it hit Xavier right on the nail.

“It didn’t look that way when I saw you two together last night,” Kane murmured.

It didn’t feel like just friends, either.

Wrong again, Scarlett Rose. Wherever you’re concerned, I make it my business.

A blush crept up my throat at the memory. At how close I was to letting him kiss me again. If Kane hadn’t walked into the room at right that moment…

I should be grateful he interrupted us. But I didn’t feel that way. In that moment, I’d wanted to shove him straight back out the door. But now? Irritation grew as my eyes locked on the pair once more. They were practically dry-humping each other in the corner of the library.

It was hard keeping up with him at times. One minute looked like he could devour me whole, the next he was allowing some girl to stick her tongue down his ear. Literally.

Light brown eyes found mine and pinned me in a hard stare. His gaze was taunting, daring me to intervene. To waltz over and put a stop to what the blonde girl was doing.

I adverted my gaze, feeling the salad I had for lunch threatening to make a reappearance. “We’re just friends, Kane,” I repeated.Like us.Or, not like us. Not like Kane wanted us to be, obviously. I grimaced. How did this all get so complicated?

From the display the entire library was currently forced to witness, it should be simple. It should be clear to leave him alone.

But it wasn’t. And I hated it.

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