Page 96 of Call the Shots
“Someone call security!” Xavier barked.
I motioned for Denali and Nick to haul the bookshelf away and they crab-walked it out of the office. “Technically, Xavier, I have five years to claim my items since I used an unauthorized,personal credit card. I read the bylines. Thanks for kicking me out of my house, now I’m taking your shit.”
Extension cords, filing cabinets that Bear dumped out, comfy guest chairs, keyboard trays, large and small white boards, coffee tables, floor lamps, table lamps, the two standing desks in storage, and the custom-made walnut desk that he convinced me I didn’t need for my house because ‘you’ll never use it.’
“Not my awards!” Xavier panicked. “Don’t touch the awards!”
“I bought the laptop too…” I mused. “That was a birthday present though, it can stay.”
Furious, Xavier motioned the rest of the student workers away. “This is a personal matter, privacy is a cornerstone of our department!” Most of them didn’t budge, shocked at the display, and he whipped out his phone. “I’ll make some calls, I’ll pay you for everything, bring my furniture back.”
“Fine. I’ll take twenty-five thousand for the desk.”
“Twenty-five thousand?!Dollars?!”
“You’re right. Sentimental value. I’ll take a hundred thousand.”
“You’re out of your fucking mind?—”
I waved my hand. “I already upgraded my dorm, I don’t need any of this. Gladiators, you’re welcome to it, otherwise, it’s set for the Colo.”
Xavier stormed up to me. “Then why the fuck?—?!”
“Because I furnished your office under the pretense that we’d be running this departmenttogether.Since that didn’t happen, I’m letting you order your own shit.”
“Can I have the other bookshelf?” Montoya asked.
“Take it, honey. All yours.”
“You can’t have my fucking bookshelf—that baby-faced fuck?—”
I held up a finger to stop Xavier. “I was going to beverykind and stay away from the kitchen, but you’ve ruined it.No onetalks to him like that.” I motioned towards the hockey players at the door. “The blender, the air fryer, the master mixer, the espresso machine?—”
“Not the espresso machine,” a student worker whimpered.
My ex fell silent, fuming, as the Gladiators finished cleaning the office, taking the last of the items, the curtains and a box of staples on the windowsill.
Elijah popped in. “The couch looks really nice…”
“I bought that couch, but I don’t think we can get it out of here.”
His grin widened and five Gladiators shuffled across the main room with the couch.
“No! Not the couch!”
Arms outstretched, Xavier blocked them from leaving. Bear chuckled and stood in front of his stepbrother. If looks could kill, Bear would’ve dropped dead from Xavier’s, but he didn’t waver. He shoved Xavier’s chest, and the couch was gone.
Only a photo frame remained on his shelf of awards. It’d be so easy to knock one of them over…but I hesitated. I didn’t buy him those. I didn’t have a claim to them. With a sigh, I picked up the frame and left.
I found Bear waiting for me, his smirk impossible to ignore. He was entirely too pleased with himself. I kind of loved it.
“How do you feel after burglary?” I inquired.
“We should do this again sometime.”
“This could be our nine-to-five. Destroy exes’ houses, steal stuff, and whatnot.”
“You have no upper arm strength. I don’t see how you’d be a valuable business partner.”
