Page 28 of Charming Cruel Boys

“Duke. Ugh, and Knight. I really don’t know what I’m doing with my life at this point. I wasn’t supposed to have boy drama senior year.”

George hums and pulls me to the side of the hallway where we’re not in the way. “Let me see if I’ve got it all summed up correctly: Duke is still in love with you and wrote you a song to express as much and you’re trying not to die because it was so disgustingly sweet. Meanwhile, Knight is thawing toward you at an arctic pace, and even though he’s spouting insults at youmostof the time, you’ve got it in your mind that he can be redeemed and so you’ve set out to prove to yourself that he’s not a heartless douche after all. Is that about it?“ he asks in a sarcastically sweet tone.

I narrow my eyes, flipping him double birds. “I regret confiding in you. You just make fun of me. None of that helped me figure anything out.”

“What’s there to figure out, babe? You want both of them, so take both of them. I would if they swung my way.” George shivers dramatically and winks a green eye at me.

I scrunch up my nose, trying not to picture the twins with my best friend. “If only things were that easy. Maybe I’ll let you sit the two of them down and explain all of my wants and desires, and you can tell me how well that goes,” I say flatly.

He gives me a look likebitch, are you trying to temp me into a hot threesome with the sex god twins?Or at least, that’s how I interpret it. I snicker and cross my arms. “So on to less confusing matters. Want to help me with my cover letter for my scholarship applications? You’re a freaking genius and I need as much free money as I can get.”

“You know flattering me gets you absolutely everywhere. I’ll help your sorry ass get away from your dad however I can. Especially since you’re so consumed with boys to write that letter your damn self,” he teases.

“Hey, less of the judgement please. You’ve got plenty of issues getting laid lately. One more barb about Duke and Knight, and I’ll start getting nasty.” I say it with a smile because this is just our love language.

George glares at me. “What the fuck did I do to deserve a dry spell when you’ve got two guys eager to fuck you into a coma? Where are all the gays in this town?”

“I’ll keep my eye out for you. And in the meantime, I’ll send you my cover letter draft and you can work your magic,” I tell him with a bright smile that I don’t truly feel.

It’s not like my nerves are threatening to send me to an early grave, right? I’m not relying on every cent I can get just so I can pick a school of my choosing and get out from under my father’s thumb. Because he definitely hasn’t told me time and time again that as long as he’s paying for my college, he owns me…

I’m a big fan of denial.

20

Remi

TheconversationwithDukeabout what we are doesn’t get a chance to come up again until the following day. Last night at home was too hectic. I made dinner for everyone and then got reprimanded by my father for spilling pasta sauce on my shirt. He told me I ate like an ill-mannered child and sent me to my room. After that, I wasn’t in the mood to chat even if Duke had tried.

I’m walking down the hallway toward the cafeteria when someone slings their arm over my shoulders and pulls me in close. I expect it to be Duke or even Knight for some fucking bizarre reason. When I look up and find Sawyer there, grinning down at me with his dimples on full display, I’m stunned into silence.

“Hey, Remi,” he says, giving my shoulders a quick squeeze.

“Um, hey,” I reply, offering a crooked smile. It’s not that I don’t like him. Sawyer is hot and kind and that kiss we shared all those weeks ago was undoubtedly more than decent. And maybe if my heart was in it, we could have a go at things. Sawyer has a reputation for being a gentleman through and through. Treats his girlfriends with the utmost respect. But he’s not what I want.

For the longest time, I thought it was just Duke. And I do want him, no matter how distant I’ve been around him lately. But now, Knight has somehow snuck his way into my heart as well. Even though he’s making it so damn difficult. I can’t help it. Suddenly, I crave both twins, making me feel like a terrible, dirty person. Which is part of the reason I’ve been hesitant to start anything with Duke again.

How can I want both of them? How do I choose one? It’s like asking me to pull my own teeth and smile through the pain. Duke is my first love. He’s affectionate and caring and deep. He makes me feel appreciated and beautiful. Knight is intense and passionate. He gives me a dangerous thrill that’s becoming too addicting.

If I pick Knight, it’ll crush Duke. He’s been trying so hard to get me back. If I choose Duke, it’ll hurt Knight, even though he’s pretending not to give a damn about me. But I catch him staring at me more than he realizes. They both do whenever I’m around. It’s like being locked in a room with two starving lions and I’m an injured gazelle they can’t wait to feast on.

It does terrible things to my sex drive. After a year of not having sex or being touched at all besides by my own hand, I’m so unbearably turned on anytime either one of them is near. But I don’t act on it because, again, how do I choose?

Not wanting to deal with that dilemma right now, I give my attention back to Sawyer. He leads me into the cafeteria before sitting me at a table against the far wall. “I’ll grab your food. What would you like?”

“Oh, no. You don’t have to do that,” I argue.

“Please, Remi, let me treat you to lunch, alright? It’ll hurt my manhood if you don’t,” he teases as he places his hand over his heart and pouts at me.

With a shake of my head, I laugh and give in. “Fine. I’ll have a chicken wrap and a bottle of water, please. And something sweet.”

He bows like some old-time nobleman. “As the lady wishes.”

I watch him go as I giggle at his antics. Sawyer is a good guy for sure. If only I could just get over the twins and fall for him instead. Sadly, that’s not likely, my heart is already taken. And it’s not fair to string him along, so I get ready to let him down easy when he comes back. Friend-zone the poor guy and hope he takes it well.

Sawyer is gone for a few minutes and then returns with two trays balanced in his hands. He sets my food down in front of me and I thank him. I take a deep breath and open my mouth to tell him we’re just friends, but I stop as Duke sits down next to him.

“Get lost, Sawyer,” Duke demands before turning his piercing blue gaze to me.

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