Page 3 of Vexatious Queen

“I’m fucking great,” I said, smiling. “Why?”

He looked at my food and then back at my face.

“No reason. Where were you this morning? You missed a riveting AP Statistics class.”

“I was busy. But I’m sorry I missed it if it was that good,” I said, moving toward the long table we had been sitting at since freshman year. It was amazing how so much had changed and yet some things never did.

“Busy? With what,” the prying bastard asked as we sat down.

I just looked at him and smirked.

“Fucker, I wondered where she was. I should’ve known,” Liam said. I snorted and chugged my orange juice. “You do know you have to share, right?”

I lifted my shoulder and let it drop.

“If you want her…come get her. Otherwise, I’m not letting Ren out of my room ever again.”

Liam shook his head at me, but I focused on the insane portions on my plate.

“Well, at least that explains your lunch. There are more carbs in that meal than you’ve eaten in a whole year.”

“Yeah, I think I could eat the entire cafeteria and still be hungry. She has…stamina,” I said, cutting into the golden waffle topped with a piece of chicken and maple syrup.

“Sure, rub it in,” Liam grumbled.

“Did you ever see this coming,” I asked, stuffing the food into my mouth like I hadn’t eaten in weeks.

“All of us with one girl? Fuck no,” Liam said, picking up his chicken burger and taking a bite.

“Me either.”

For whatever reason, I was feeling nostalgic today. There were so many memories here of us all together. At this table, we had laughed, argued, and talked strategy for taking Lawrence down. Now that was all over. I was glad the son of a bitch was dead, but planning his demise had taken up so much of my time and brain power. It had been all-consuming, and I was left feeling directionless.

“Dude, you’re starting to freak me out,” Liam said, pulling me out of my thoughts.

“What now?”

“I’ve been talking to you this whole time, and you’ve been staring off into space and eating like a robot. I know the sex is good, but come on, snap out of it.”

“I wasn’t thinking about that, asshole,” I said, glaring at Liam. “I just can’t believe it’s over…my father, the house, everything. It just doesn’t seem real. I know this is going to sound fucked up, but…I don’t know what to do next.”

“No, I get it. But now the sky is the limit. You have the backing of the richest and most powerful don in the world. Lawrence is gone. Ren has agreed to stay married to you. What do you want to do? How will Nash Collier make his mark?”

“That’s just it, I don’t know.”

I tried to take another bite of my chicken and waffles before I realized it was gone. Jesus, talk about zoned out.

“Well, put some thought into it. Edmundo doesn’t strike me as the type of father who will be content with you screwing his daughter, living off his money, and putting your feet up on his coffee table.”

And now that image was in my head, taunting me. I nodded to the door as Blake, Myles, and Ren walked in. It shouldn’t annoy me that she was holding Myles’s hand, but it did. Sharing was bad enough, but sharing with four other guys was enough to kick my jealousy into overdrive.

Instead of going feral caveman, I stood and pointed to the spot beside me. Myles grumbled as they slipped in and sat down. At least I wasn’t the only one feeling the green streak.

I linked my hand with Ren’s, and she was restrained between us. She glared at me, then at Myles.

“Boys…hands,” she said, tugging free.

“That’s fine, I prefer this,” I said, gripping her thigh instead.