Page 247 of Call the Shots
With only a little bit left before fall semester, everyone received their new dorm assignments. The team wouldn’t be living next to each other anymore. They’d be scattered across Roman Villa for the fall. It wasn’t like they’d be moving cross-country, but I knew how reluctant the guys were for things to change.
“Where’s Kid’s Toy?” Nick barked. “I have to fuck with his hair too.”
“You can’t.” I grinned. “Buttons is giving him a haircut.”
Nick’s mouth fell open in mock surprise and I motioned to our bathroom, where the sound of the clippers started again. I tried to keep him out, but Nick barreled past me, throwing open the door.
“Holyshit.” Nick shook his head incredulously. “I didn’t know you could hit puberty from a haircut!”
I crossed to the door frame and my smile widened, watching the blush creep up Montoya’s neck. Gone was the messy, dome-like hair that almost crossed his eyebrows. In its place, his hair was cropped close with an impeccable fade that looked soclean.
More of the guys left the couch, crowding the bathroom door, making a big deal about the haircut while Montoya blushed darker and darker red.
“What happened to the Mama’s Boy cut?” Pickles demanded. “Kid’s Toy, how could you?”
The guys messed around with him some more before returning to their video games, waiting for everyone else to be ready to go. I wrapped my arms around Montoya’s neck. “You look fantastic.”
“Yeah?”
“Mm-hmm.”
His smile was a fixed point on his face before it melted away. He gazed at me in the mirror, biting his lip. “Did you and Bear break up because of me?”
I shrugged. “We didn’t break up.”
“Oh.” Montoya opened his mouth and snapped it shut. “Uh…okay. Awesome.”
That was our official story and we were sticking to it. It was a tiny blip in the grand scheme of things, nothing to worry about. I’d already gotten the email about the behavioral hearing, I told Cleo everything, and she immediately got in contact with Warren’s lawyers. It became a ‘mutual decision’ that Xavierwas required to stay away from me on campus and his lawyers assured us that he’d comply.
Someone new walked through the door and I knew who it was before I even saw him. How? No idea, I just did. Bear leaned in, in that charcoal-colored suit that made him look so damn droolworthy.
“Hello, handsome,” I purred, untangling from Montoya to touch Bear.
Bear tugged me into the living room and dipped down to my ear. “Denali and I convinced Elijah to leave his room. He’s coming to the wedding too, Denali’s cleaning him up.”
“You two are miracle workers.”
“Yeah, well, it took a better part of an hour.” Bear rested his hand on my hip, absentmindedly rubbing the bite marks through the dress. “I don’t know. It’s not great but it’s better.”
I touched his face and drew him down to me. “You did good.”
“Mm?” He captured my lips for a kiss, smiling. “Tell me again.”
“You did so good,” I murmured. “Thoughtful Bear is really doing it for me.”
“So I get to fuck you in that dress later?”
“Only if you fuck me in that suit.”
Montoya emerged from the bathroom and the guys hooted at him again, giving him a round of applause while Montoya’s face burned red. He waved away the well-wishes, embarrassed. “It’s a gameday suit, it’s for the arena.”
“All of these are for the arena.” Nick chortled. “We’re too broke to afford extra suits!”
Fridge came in with Tallulah, dressed as wonderfully as everyone else, and Montoya’s eyes widened. He struggled for a moment, motioning with his hands. “June, that’s our slogan.”
“Huh?”
“For the arena,” Montoya said, excited. “Instead of Glad for Gladiators! Get it, like how gladiators fought in an arena, andwefight in an arena…” he trailed off, wincing. “That’s too simple, right?”
