Page 32 of Cannon
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It’s almostnoon before I get up the nerve to come out of my room, and when I do, I stop immediately in my tracks. Am I hallucinating? I give my head a shake. Nope. It’s still there—a massive hole in the wall between Cannon and Archer’s rooms. How the hell did I miss that happening? My mouth goes dry.
Did Kingston do that? Or was it Cannon?
An uncomfortable breath feathers past my lips as my palms dampen. Another thing occurs to me—I don’t have a clue what prompted Archer and Kingston to walk in on us when they did.
As much as I want to forget what went down in that bathroom and let my mind wander back to the way Cannon made me feel last night when our bodies and hearts were entwined, I simply can’t. The incident in the bathroom overshadows everything.
I swallow past the lump steadily growing in my throat. I’m having a hard enough time working through the jumbled-up feelings I have where all these guys are concerned. Knowing that they are messed up in the head, too, should be one of those things that is in my favor, not to mention knocking them off balance, keeping them confused and guessing as to what I’m thinking. But it doesn’t feel so great. I know I need to confront them about the phone, but I’m terrified of the repercussions. Probably because I’m way too attached to them. There’d been long stretches of time last night when I was in Cannon’s arms, when he was inside my body… that I wasn’t thinking of my missing friend at all.
Yep, it’s probably really stupid of me to let myself feel anything for them at all.
But I do.
Dammit.
I can’t put this off any longer. All three doors to their rooms are open, and when I poke my head in, and softly call to each of them, no one responds.Shit.It’s Friday, isn’t it? I guess they could have gone to class. I make a face at myself. Except we were all awake at four-something in the morning, and I doubt a single one of us slept well after all that. Cannon took off on a run, but I guess the other two must be downstairs or out of the house, too.
I drag myself down the stairs, but don’t find them in the kitchen, as I was hoping. Instead, I find Joel and Alec talking in low voices. Pausing, I consider backing up and going out the front door or wherever else my feet will take me. Anywhere but here. I can’t imagine their reaction to being punished was any better than Stuart’s. Something about their mannerisms makes me wait, and a few seconds later, I’m glad I did.
“There’s no way Kingston’s letting her do it. No fucking way,” Alec grits, an ugly sneer on his face.
Crap, you’ve gotta be kidding me.Anger begins to simmer in my blood. They’re questioning whether or not I’ll be participating in the third game this weekend. Why is that anyone’s decision but mine?
Joel raises his brows. “I’m telling you, that’s what I overheard this morning. Kingston was talking to Archer about it. Speaking of, none of them went to their classes this morning. Did you know that?”
Alec shrugs. “Well, that makes sense because Zeke said he heard noise coming from upstairs early this morning. Sounded like they were all awake and arguing or fighting or something.”
I cringe, slowly beginning to back up on quiet feet, suddenly glad I’m barefoot. I don’t want to know what kinds of noises he was talking about, but I hope it was the shouting or punching of the wall and nothing else. Our rooms are directly above the sophomore rooms and I have no idea how soundproof the walls—or floors and ceilings—are.
I’ve almost made it back to the staircase when Joel’s voice booms, “Hey. Where are you going?”
Oh shit, how to play this off?I point to the second floor. “Back to my room. Why?” I let my brows furrow in fake confusion all while my stomach heaves at their proximity.
Alec shoots me a nasty grin, his eyes roaming from my chest in the fitted white T-shirt to my thighs. I haven’t worn the stretchy sleep shorts down here since the last incident, but I quickly realize these cotton ones aren’t much better. He clears his throat. “Another nice pair of shorts, sweet cheeks.” He pauses, letting his gaze trail leisurely over me a second time. “So, you’re trying to tell me you’re coming back from somewhere? Princess, there’s nowhere you could have been. Are you sure you weren’t eavesdropping?” He wets his lips and comes closer, as does Joel, with the intent of boxing me in, though I don’t know what their endgame is.
I glance past them to the front door, coming up with the only plausible excuse I can think of for where I’ve been if I hadn’t been outside the kitchen listening in on their conversation. “I was out front on the porch, you dickhead.” My lips curl giving him an ugly smile.Do not take one more step, asshole.
He gives a sharp laugh, then backs me into the wall behind me and waves Joel to his side. “I’m positive I didn’t hear you right, initiate.” He pauses, a menacing expression twisting his features. “Did you just call me dickhead?”
I try to swallow without them seeing how hard it is for me. I grimace at them both, cocking my hip to the side. “I don’t know. Didyoucall me princess?”
“Fuck, she’s asking for it.” Joel stares at me in disbelief as tension coils in the air surrounding us.
Alec nods with a devilish smile. “She’s got a mouth on her for sure.” He huffs out a dark laugh. “Baby, you’re fuckin’ lucky it’s us here and not Stuart. He told me he was coming after you, first chance he gets.”
I refrain from squeezing my eyes shut or showing any outward sign of distress, but I’m really fucking anxious with both of them inches from me. I can’t even take a full breath, or I’ll be forced into contact with their chests.
“Are you scared, princess?” Alec’s smirk is truly terrifying, especially when he edges closer.
But his ugly mug is there in my face one second, and the next it’s gone.
I’ve hardly blinked when I register that Cannon has grasped the collars of Alec and Joel’s shirts and yanked their unsuspecting asses away from me. I watch in horrified delight as they stumble backward right before he brings their heads together with a loud thump.
“Fuck!” Joel shouts from his knees on the floor.
Alec just moans, clutching his head.
