Page 50 of We Will Reign

RIDGE

“You look like shit.”Maddox states the obvious as he strolls into our dorm room with a beverage holder and three coffees.

“I feel like shit. Wish I could say it was the booze, but unfortunately, that’s not the case.”

I haven’t looked in the mirror, and don’t really care to. I know as soon as I do, I’ll have an even greater urge to murder Zeke with my own bare hands.

The fucker jumped me last night. Completely caught off guard, I had no chance to defend myself.

I’m not sure who his accomplice was, because he ran off, but I will find out.

“Don’t worry, man. Lev and I have already talked and that son of a bitch is gonna pay with every fucking bone in his body.”

It’s odd hearing Maddox talk like this. He’s usually the mediator. Always trying to keep the peace, but lately, he’s been making waves. I’m not even sure who this guy standing in front of me is. Sure as fuck isn’t my loyal best friend.

I scoff at his remark. “You mean, the same way you should pay for the shit you pulled last night? And the day before? Oh, and how about the day before that?”

He sighs, handing me a cup of coffee. “This shit again?”

I turn my nose up at his offering, my pride front and center. “Yes. Again and a-fucking-gain until you admit you’ve got a thing for her. This little show of telling me I should give up on her was all just part of your game, wasn’t it?”

His silence is telling. I don’t need to hear the words. I know he’s caught feelings for my girl. Honestly, I don’t blame him. Riley’s perfect. The only flaw I’ve found is her ability to tease the fuck out of me. It could be the magnitude of my love for her making her appear that much more exquisite, but I doubt it. I’m sure every guy in this school has a boner for her. The thought alone makes the vein in my neck throb.

“Don’t have feelings for her, Ridge. In fact, it’s not like that at all. I’m a Guardian and it’s my job to protect the students here. Maybe that’s exactly what I’m doing.”

“Fuck off,” I snap. “Protect the students? From Riley?” An unamusing laugh bursts out of me. “You’ve lost your damn mind.”

He shrugs, taking back the coffee he got me and setting it on the table. “I’m not saying that’s the case. But she’s got a past and needs an extra eye on her. Just so happens, I’ve got both of them on her. If I remember right, you told me to do just that.”

My voice rises to a shout. “I told you to keep your eyes on her. Not your fucking hands and mouth, dumbass. And it was only that one day. One fucking day, and now you’re everywhere she is.”

“I beg to differ. I’m here and she’s currently at the coffee house with Scar.” He takes a sly sip of his coffee, peering at me over the cup with a smirk.

Something awakens inside me. “You saw her?”

He nods and it’s such a cocky fucking nod that I wanna tip his cup and splash his face with hot coffee. “Did you talk to her?”

Pausing for a beat, he sets his cup down and licks his lips. “No.”

“Good. Ya know, if you were any other guy, I’d be serving Lev your dick on a platter for breakfast. The sick fuck would probably eat it, too.”

“I didn’t talk to her because she looked stressed. She and Scar were deep in conversation and I didn’t wanna interrupt.”

My heart pangs with agony. “She was stressed?”

“Something was definitely wrong.”

In a knee-jerk reaction, I flip the hood on my sweatshirt and grab my wallet and keys off the table.

“Because that’s the kind of guy I am, Ridge.” His voice rises as I pull open the door, and I know it’s intentional. “I don’t interrupt important—”

I slam the door closed, shutting out the rest of his sentence. He can play the part of the almighty good guy, but Maddox is no better than me. When he falls in love one day, he’ll understand the lengths I’m willing to go to for this girl. And when he does, I won't judge him. Hell, I’ll even help him bury the bodies.

* * *

The looks I’m getting on my walk to the coffee shop confirm that my face is royally fucked. When I stop at the glass window, peering in at a teary-eyed Riley, I catch my reflection.

Fucking Zeke.A busted lip and two black eyes that match Cade’s. At least my nose isn’t broken. But the pain at the base of my skull is proof that he got me good. I rub the top of my head, feeling a goop of dried blood.

---