Falcon (Trinity Academy 1)

Smiling, Lake shakes his head. “I can order something?”

“No, it’s okay. I have a stash of candy in my room.”

Layla comes out of the restroom with the dress hanging over her arm. “Thank you, Lake. I’ll have the dress dry cleaned before returning it.”

Lake gives her a puzzled look. “Why? It’s yours.”

“Mine? You didn’t rent it?” Layla’s eyes lock on Lake, and I wish I could tell Lake to take cover.

“Why would I rent it?” Lake asks while sitting down on the opposite couch from Mason.

“Laaaaaake,” Layla groans. “Why did you buy the dress? It must’ve cost half an arm and a kidney. Can’t I return it?”

Lake’s face instantly transforms into a look closely resembling an angel. My eyes dart between the two wondering if Layla is going to be immune to the look. Many have tried and failed. Hell, the look even works on Mason.

“Please keep the dress. It’s a gift.”

Layla blinks at Lake a couple of times, but then she lifts her chin. “I really can’t. It’s too much for a gift, and I don’t go to many places where I can wear it.”

I press my lips together to keep from smiling.

Mason turns slightly and holds his hand up. “Woman, high five. You either have a heart of stone or way more will power than I gave you credit for.”

Layla looks baffled as she frowns at Mason and hesitates before she slaps his hand. “Not sure why we’re high-fiving but okay.”

“Lake just tried to use his superpower on you, and it didn’t work. We all fail. Repeatedly,” Kingsley explains.

“Are you talking about the adorable innocent look he just had?” Layla asks, then narrows her eyes at Lake. “It’s cute, but still, I’m not going to give in.”

Lake shrugs then takes out his phone. “It was worth a try. I’m ordering pizza. You girls staying or going?”

“Going,” Kingsley answers for them totally oblivious to me wanting to spend more time with Layla.

Before I can say something, Layla walks over to Lake and leaning down, she presses a kiss to his cheek. My eyebrow shoots up, and I tilt my head. When Layla turns to Mason, I take a step forward.

Mason turns his cheek while smirking at me. The fucker.

“We’re not that close yet,” Layla chuckles and instead gives him a wave which has me smirking.

“I’ll have the dress dry cleaned then we can return it,” she mentions again, and Lake only nods because he’s already on a call for food.

My eyes lock on Layla as she walks toward me. She gives me an awkward glance, not looking too sure about how she should say goodnight.

Our first kiss will definitely not be in front of this bunch. I lift my hand and slide it behind her neck.

“Have a good night. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Leaning down, I press my mouth to her forehead. I take a deep breath of her soft floral scent before I pull back.

I open the door and have to bite my bottom lip when a blush colors the apples of Layla’s cheeks. She grins and with a quick wave, darts past me and out the door.

I lean to my right and watch the girls walk down the hallway. Layla waves again as she steps onto the elevator, and we keep eye contact as the doors close.

“Fuck,” Lake snaps as I close the door.

“What?” Mason darts up and around the coffee table to get to Lake. He looks at the phone to see what has Lake cursing. “Shit, that’s not good.”

Worried, I go to stand behind the couch and placing my hands on the back, I lean down.Starry, Starry Eyes.

Is Falcon Reyes off the market or still available?

Follow us to find out who the mystery girl is

in our next edition.The headline accompanies a photo someone took while we were dancing. Luckily it shows Layla from behind.

“It’s trending,” Lake grumbles.

I was hoping to have more time with Layla before the news got out and the paparazzi started to close on us like vultures.

“I’ll call PR and have them take it down,” Mason grumbles, and he begins to pull his phone from his pocket.

“It’s okay.” They both turn to look at me. “It will get out sooner or later. If we try to hide it, things will get worse. The press can’t get onto the campus. I’ll send out a warning to the students tomorrow. If any of them take photos of us, they’ll be expelled.”

“If I don’t kill them first,” Mason growls.I’m busy picking a watch from my collection when there’s a knock at the door.

“I’ll get it,” Mason calls out.

After making my selection, I close the drawer, and while strapping the Vacheron Constantin onto my left wrist, I walk out of my room.

“Falcon, stop with the coffee already,” Mason yells, and turning away from Layla who’s holding the usual three coffees, he sees me and scowls, “You’re killing me.” He pulls his phone out and then sends a voice note as he walks back to his room, “Kingsley, get your ass up here. I have an assignment for you to type out.”