Page 41 of Revenge of a Queen

“How are we playing this?” he asks, and I laugh.

“Erm, we aren’t playing anything, Caveman,” I reply with emphasis on the we. “You were the one who entertained Cherry, therefore that looks like a you problem to me,” I say, with a smug smile before exiting the car leaving Jace and Lincoln's laughs behind.

“Morning, Cherry,” I say, as I pass because now that I have Marcus, I realize my wanting to murder her was slightly over the top. I was hormonal, sue me.

“Morning, Elle,” she says with a smile and I almost feel guilty. Almost, then I remember the way she slammed her lips against Marcus’ on Friday, and it takes everything in me not to slam her into a wall. Not quite as bloody as stabbing her so I see that as progress. Personal growth.

I plonk myself on the wall of the steps and ready myself to watch the show. Jace and Lincoln pass Cherry and make their way to me as Marcus finally drags himself from the car. We can’t hear what he is saying to her, but he looks resigned and she starts gesturing wildly with her hands, getting the attention of a few other people passing by. The slap comes out of nowhere and honestly, I didn't know anyone would dare to hit Marcus, except for maybe me, but damn she did that.

“Damn,” Jace echoes my thoughts with a laugh, “And that is why I don’t do girlfriends,” he says, looking at me and taking in my bemused expression. “No offense, princess, but it’s just not worth the drama,” he adds with a shrug.

“None taken, pretty boy, but trust me when I say, the right person is worth everything,” I reply and then drop my head to his shoulder.

Marcus steps back up, “Tryna steal my girl again, Conrad?” he asks with a smirk.

Jace laughs, “If I wanted to steal her, I would,” he taunts with a challenging smirk, and before Marcus can reply he jumps off the wall and throws me over his shoulder and runs into the school. He doesn’t let me down until we get to my locker and when we lock eyes, we both laugh.

“Thank you for the ride, pretty boy,” I say with a wink and he laughs louder.

“It’s the only ride you’re getting,” he says with a smile, but I don’t get to ask what he means, as Marcus and Lincoln join us.

Marcus grabs me and pulls me to him, “Gonna need you to keep your hands off my girl, brother,” he says with a tone that is only half joking.

Jace smiles wider, “Hey, she is the one who kissed me,” he says innocently and gives me another wink as I roll my eyes.

“Do you honestly have a death wish, pretty boy?” I ask in exasperation.

“Nah, Marcus knows I’m only playing, he wouldn’t hurt me.”

I open my locker and grab the book I need for the first period and slam it shut before looking back at him, “Who says I was talking about Marcus?” I ask with a smile before I turn and walk to class.

By the time lunch rolls around the news of Marcus and I being a couple has reached the whole school and apparently there is a divide of Team Elle and Team Cherry. Fucking stupid school politics.

We sit at our usual table only this week. I am sitting next to Marcus with his arm draped around me. He hasn’t stopped finding ways to touch me all day and with my newfound libido, I wish I could say that some of those touches were inappropriate. Except no, for some reason Marcus has decided our relationship is strictly PG-13. He hasn’t given me more than a peck on the lips and after what we did in the alley on Friday, it is safe to say I am wanting, no needing more.

“Fuck happened to McCormick?” Marcus' voice brings me back from my thoughts and I look up to see that Chad has finally come back to school. My heeled boot didn’t do enough damage in my humble opinion but the limp he is still sporting, satisfies me anyway.

“Ask Queenie here,” Jace says with a smile and Lincoln laughs.

Marcus looks between the three of us, “What am I missing?”

I exhale a huffed breath, “Chad tried to make a move against you, I just politely told him that would be a mistake,” I say with a shrug.

“I hear she broke his jaw and his cock,” Lincoln says, casually scrolling through his iPad. His tone suggests he picked up that information from the high school grapevine when we both know he would have hacked into his medical records.

“I’m sure the female population will thank me for the latter,” I take a sip of my sweet tea and scan the cafeteria again.

“The guys could have handled it, you didn’t have to step in,” Marcus replies, and I frown.

“I know how to handle myself, Marcus,” I snap back at him.

“Yeah, but you shouldn’t have to,” he says, getting louder and I huff.

“It was no big deal,” I shrug.

He pulls me closer to him and grabs my face until I look at him, “It was a huge deal you could have been hurt, baby,” he leans in and presses his lips to mine. I sigh, opening my mouth to slip my tongue inside his. When his tangles with mine, I forget we are in the middle of lunch with an audience of a hundred students. No, the only thing that matters is me and Marcus. He pulls away far too quickly and once again I’m left wanting more.

“I’m not made of glass Marcus,” I finally say, my head clearing from the kiss.

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