Page 69 of Reign of the Queen
I look back at the kings. They’re standing there watching every move I make. Each with their own expressions. Carter’s smiling at me, giddy and rubbing his damn hands together like a cartoon character. Mateo’s slow, wandering gaze makes my whole-body flush hot. Finn looks pensive and worried. Then there’s Theo, the controlling fuck just daring me to put my threats into action.
“How?” I swipe my card and follow Raegan to our table near the courtyard doors. I see Carter moving toward the food line, the other kings in tow. No one stops them from cutting the line. In fact, people seem to hold their breaths and edge away from them, sensing the natural predators that the four of them are.
“I don’t know, Mia. Fuck each of them or don’t. Get them to fall in love with you and turn on each other.” She takes a huge bite of her cake and groans in satisfaction.
“I don’t think that would work, girl; they have a thing about...” I let the comment trail off, heat rising up my neck at what I was going to say next.
“Sharing? They like to share? That’s what you’re over there blushing like some kind of virgin about?” She laughs and takes another bite of the rich-looking cake. “Listen to me, Mia. I love me some brownies, but it never stops me from eating cake or ice cream, for that matter. Why choose one girl? All that sexy yumminess is available to consume, and you’re worried about what? What are people gonna think?”
She points her fork at me. “People are going to think whatever you tell them to think. You’re the reigning queen here now. They’re all scared shitless of you, so if you want to have a king or two or even all four, who the hell cares.”
“I don’t want them to think their original ultimatum of me just only being with them is still in play. I have to prove that I am the one in complete control here and that at any moment, I can end them.”
I look down at the food I put on my tray when I was distracted. My stomach lurches at all the carbs and high-fat foods I have on the tray. I literally didn’t put one healthy thing on my plate in my distracted agitation other than the water. My anxiety and panic rise through my body. I can’t eat any of this. There are too many calories here. I would have to run for twenty-four hours straight to burn this junk off. Panic rises up my neck and I feel my throat starting to tighten with the anxiety.
Raegan catches me staring at my tray, and she must sense my impending meltdown about to happen. She pulls my tray toward her, handing me the egg whites sandwich from her plate. I look up at her in gratitude and take a shaky breath. “One of these days girl, we are gonna talk about that.” She nods toward my tray. “Today’s not the day, though. Eat the damn sandwich. I’m sure Theo helped burn enough calories today.”
I grin at her in response and take a bite of the sandwich. She’s right; Theo and I did burn off a ton of calories. I feel my heart rate slow down and the tension starting to leave my body. I’m starving, maybe not only for sandwiches, though. I look to see the kings, trays in hands, heading toward us. I don’t bother to move over, and Finn and Mateo crowd me in on either side, with Carter and Theo taking up the only other spaces at the table.
“What are we talking about, beautiful mamacitas?” Mateo reaches over and steals a fry from the tray Raegan and I switched.
“None of your beeswax, you human dildo.” Raegan spits out between bites of cake.
All of us turn toward her.What the actual fuck did she just say?Mateo lets out a huge laugh and crows like an idiot. “You’re lucky I only have eyes here for myreina, or I would show you, little Raegan, what a dildo is good for.”
I elbow him hard in the ribs, and he chokes on his fry. “Leave Raegan alone.”
“Mia, you’re coming to my race tomorrow, right?” Finn asks at my side, picking at the chicken on his plate.
Shit, I had forgotten all about Finn racing his stepdad’s car on Saturday. My first thought is to say no, but then I feel Raegan kick me from underneath the table and mouth the words brownies and ice cream. I look next to her to find Theo watching me intently to see what I’ll do next.
I bet he thinks I’m going to run. Maybe he thinks I’m afraid to take on the four of them or that he has me dick drunk and I’ll fall in line. He’s wrong, and I’m about to bring him down a peg.
“You don’t mind if Raegan and I bring a few extra people to watch?” I ask with a raised eyebrow, the most innocent look I can manage crossing my face.
Finn scratches the side of his head, glancing from me to Theo. “Guess not. Why? You wanna bring a few other girls or something?”
“Or something.” I don’t elaborate more, giving Raegan a wink. She almost chokes on her sip of water.
I look around the cafeteria to see if I can spy who I’m looking for. It seems I’ll be getting even with a few people simultaneously. I spy Jessie and Evan sitting across the room at a table full of football players. Every once in a while, I’ll catch Jessie looking at me, desire and remorse on his face. It makes my blood boil, the coward. He could have stepped up and given me a warning, but he chose to stay quiet and let it all go down.
“Excuse me a sec.” I get up from the table and walk across the room. A hush falls over the groups I pass, and I’m the center of everyone’s attention once again. When I reach the football table, one of the guys sitting next to Jessie shoulder checks him to get his attention. He looks up and sees me standing there.
“I need to talk to you.” I motion to Jessie, and he stands and comes around the table in my direction.
“Mmm, what’s up, Mia?” He’s nervous and on edge. As he should be, the fucker.
“Tomorrow, you and Evan will accompany Raegan and me to Raleigh to watch Finn race his dad’s Mustang,” I state.
“No offense Mia, but why would I want to do that? I don’t particularly have a death wish, and those four will kill me if I go anywhere with you.” He sighs, looking behind me at the kings, who are intently watching our conversation. I look over my shoulder and give them the finger. Their gazes are so intense even from a distance that I can feel heat prickling my back.
“Look at me, Jessie.” I grab onto his shirt and pull him in closer, forcefully. “I am the biggest fucking threat to you, not them. You were a giant pussy before, and you picked the wrong side. Instead of standing with me, you chose them. You’re lucky I haven’t destroyed you and yours yet.” I run my fingers through his hair and watch his Adam’s apple jump up and down with nervous energy, as his eyes heat with desire.Stupid boys can’t help themselves where danger’s concerned.
“You will go, and you will play the adoring fool who can’t get enough of me, or like a fly I get tired of, I’ll pluck your wings off one by one, starting with your hopes for a football career and ending with your daddy’s development business.” I lean toward his mouth, my lips a mere fraction of an inch above his. “Don’t test me, boy. Whatever they could do to you, I’ll do much worse.” Then I kiss him, just my lips pressing against his. He’s like a damn statue, not moving an inch, fear etched on his handsome features and eyes wide. A hush falls over every noise in the cafeteria, you could hear a pin drop with how deathly silent the space has become.
I hear a bang and step back, looking back at my table and seeing that Carter has thrown his food tray against the wall and Finn’s trying to pull him out the courtyard doors. I turn my attention back to Jessie. I guess I have achieved what I wanted, a rise out of the kings, but then why is my stomach clenching in knots and the feeling of satisfaction missing?
“Tomorrow, ten in the morning. Meet Raegan and I at the Quick Bean Café. Oh, and Jessie, don’t forget to bring Evan and your backbone.” With that, I stroll back to my table and sit back down, opening my water bottle and taking a deep sip. Trying to take the taste of Jessie’s traitorous lips off of mine and regain some control over my confusing emotions.
