Brutal Heir (Court University 1)

Wanting to stay the fuck out of this, I backed away, all intention of fleeing the room, but Knight neither entertained that or let me. He tucked me behind him, his hand rested softly on my hip as he put out another and attempted to talk this December down.

Standing there, their exchange back and forth, I only watched Knight, felt that heat of his hand on my hip. I cradled his bicep, and his attention stole from the conversation entirely.

It shifted to me, his smile a subtle but present one, and I think it took a second for us both to realize December had stopped yelling. We panned together to the other side of the room, and December was doing the funniest thing. Her hand was on Royal, all dreamy and doe-eyed as she stared at Knight and me.

Merely chuckling in response, Royal dropped an arm around December. He leaned into her. “Seems like they worked it out.”

I had no idea what we’d worked out. I had no idea what we were fucking doing, but for whatever reason I heated up as Knight laced his fingers with mine. Once there, he tugged me even closer before jerking a chin at Royal.“You still good at making omelets?”

“Vegan ones, yeah,” December cut in. Chuckling herself, she looped her arms around Royal’s waist. “But I guess he’s good at the other kind too.”

As it turned out the vegan omelets had been for December. I guessed she was a vegan. It was at this point I actually had to admit I wasn’t vegetarian because the boys started making up bacon for themselves to go with the eggs, and hell if I was missing out on that.

“Figured,” was all Knight said before dashing that sexy-as-fuck smile at me. The presence immediately caused me to stare at his ass when he turned around, his athletic shorts hugging his firm and muscular butt, and noticing me, December waved in Royal’s direction. Her eyebrows danced. “Believe me. You’ll get used to it.”

Her own attention drifted across Royal’s backside, and the pair of us laughed, getting more than curious looks from both boys.

December waved her hand again. “Don’t worry about us. Please continue.”

Royal merely rolled his eyes while Knight stuck his tongue out a little, so playful when he usually wasn’t. I liked this side of him, definitely more relaxed. He and Royal continued to make breakfast, and when Royal finished December’s vegan omelet with some egg substitute the frat had, Knight plated it, then handed it off to her.

“Vegan omelet for Her Majesty.” He bowed to her, his hands together in prayer, and she swiped the magazine again. It lodged straight as his head when she threw it, and growling, he started to take that plate back. “Try that again and—”

“Don’t fucking yell at my girl.” Royal smacked Knight’s arm with the back of his hand, the two bros chuckling. Knight returned December’s plate before bouncing eyebrows at me and bending his big body over the counter. “Good, little dove?”

He’d actually made the whole omelet himself, and I nodded, taking another bite. “I suppose it’s all right. Could use a little something, though.”

“Like class,” December finished for me, and I smiled. I think I might like this girl, someone who wasn’t afraid to stand up to these big guys.

Knight pointed at her. “Don’t fucking teach her things.”

“I mean, she’s not wrong,” I said, agreeing, and his eyebrows launched clear up his face. I smiled. “But then again maybe I like my eggs with a little bit of brute.”

I had no idea where that had come from, but I’d been brave enough to say it, tease him. Whatever the case, he didn’t hate it, winking at me before going back to the skillet with Royal.

December moved in. “I think you’ll fit in just fine,” she said. “The trick is to hold your own. If you do, they back off.”

“I said don’t fucking teach her things.” Knight’s dark eyebrows descended like storm clouds. “She already has enough of a mouth on her.” His eyes softened at me. “But maybe I like a little mouth with my eggs.”

This exchange caused Royal to shift his body around, shaking his head at the pair of us before dropping his arm around December. Knight said before we came downstairs the pair was engaged, and I pretty much confirmed now it was probably her clothes Knight had given me. He’d called these two for help, to help himself, yeah, but they’d also given something to me.

There was so much about that day that still confused me, but at the moment, I found myself hard-pressed to ask. Things seemed, I don’t know, weirdly normal, and Knight didn’t scare me like he probably should. That probably had something to do with the fact that Knight couldn’t seem to keep either his hands or eyes off me the rest of the morning. I was always in his view, his space, and after eating breakfast, we all reconvened on the couch together. The guys quickly went into playing video games, and though I went to take my own seat, Knight wouldn’t let me.

“Here,” he said, staking his claim. Keeping me on his lap, he played with his controller around me, tucking me into his bear-sized chest as he yelled at Royal from the other side of the sectional couch. He played too while December watched, her eyes sometimes on the game but mostly on Knight and me. She kept whispering things to Royal too while the boys played, things I couldn’t hear, but whatever they were, the conversation had them both smiling. Eventually, Royal played his controller with his arm slung around his girl’s waist, and I noticed the ring hanging from her neck. It was a silver one, like Knight’s. Currently, Knight wore his, putting it on before we both came downstairs.

“The frat’s cleaning crew is going to be here in like an hour,” Knight announced eventually, but he didn’t stop playing. He continued on against the computer when Royal placed his controller off to the side. Knight grinned. “I assume you’ll both see yourselves out.”

Royal tossed a pillow at him, calling him, “Fucker,” to which Knight returned the same. He’d given Royal an earful for telling December about what happened here while the pair cooked breakfast, and I think the only reason December had let him get away with that was because she’d been talking to me. As it turned out, she went to Pembroke as well, a junior like Knight. Royal was actually a new freshman like me, but the same age. She’d said he’d worked first before going back to school, and they both started this year like I had. She’d transferred in.

December wrestled Knight’s hair after getting up from the couch, and after he tossed a pillow at her, Royal and December put their coats back on. They’d removed them before breakfast. I guessed it had been raining that morning before they came over.

“It was good meeting you, Greer,” December said at the door, smiling at me. She had her hand laced with Royal’s. “And don’t let that asshole bully you. I just happened to know for a fact he’s all bark and no bite once you break him down.”

I was starting to see that, but Knight rolled his eyes at what December said. Royal tossed he’d get at him later from the door, and after it closed behind them, I assumed Knight would put the controller down since the cleaning crew was coming. Instead, he only reached over to the other side of the couch. He grabbed Royal’s controller, giving it to me. “I thought they’d never fucking leave.”

I took it from him, and though I didn’t know how to play, I let him teach me. I fucking sucked, first person shooters or really any kind of game not my thing, but eventually, I was able to stick around long enough without Knight immediately sniping me off. Funny enough, I got some good licks in, which hadn’t angered him but made him chuckle behind me. It was a nice sound, his laughter, and he didn’t do it nearly enough.

“Like this,” he instructed, putting down my controller and letting me use his. “You can’t run around like a damn squirrel. Stand up for yourself.”