Hollow Hearts (The Harkwright Trilogy)

I take one last look in the full-length mirror attached to the wardrobe door, brush my hands down my skirt and leave my room. The corridors are quieter than I expected and the majority of the girls keep their heads down as we hurry to our classes and begin setting our lives right.

Caitlyn isn’t taking any of my classes so I’m going this one alone and aside from the fact that I’m not happy being alone, I can’t say I’m disappointed. This is for my future, I don’t need any distractions, not even from someone who I like to consider a friend. Hey, I have two friends. Who would have thought it?

I take my seat close to the front, ignoring the snickers coming from the girls and I can’t help but roll my eyes. This isn’t high school, grow the fuck up. I don’t care if they call me a brown nose or start asking me where I’m keeping all the apples - childish bitches - I just set my things out in front of me and wait for my first class to begin.

Just like college we have electives and I’ve chosen three, I don’t care how hard or tiring my workload will be, I’m determined to succeed. With the hospitality management, catering and business, I will certainly get an MBA. The best part, this place doesn’t hold as many restrictions. As long as I can keep up I can make this work, even if I only have three years.

I keep my eyes straight ahead, not paying attention to whoever walks in as my elbow hits one of my pens and it rolls off my desk. How cliche can I get, only it gets worse as I lean over to get it only to find it being held out, presented to me by a man’s hand. My eyes lock onto Maddox’s and the soft smile is more shocking to me than the fact he’s even in here.

“There’s five minutes until class begins, do you mind stepping outside with me for a moment?” He asks and the fact that he asks is already endearing him to me… only slightly of course.

“Yes, of course,” I say, pushing to my feet and ignoring the whispers that are already starting as I leave the room with Maddox hot on my trail.

I turn around as the click of the door closing fills my ears before he gently grips my elbow and pulls me into an empty room and I mean completely empty. There isn’t a single piece of furniture here and it seems strange to me, but I guess every place has those rooms that aren’t needed for whatever reason.

“Is e-everything okay?” I ask, my eyes dropping to the floor as I tuck my hair behind my ears. That’s new, I haven't felt the urge to do that since I got here.

“I wanted to say thank you for saving my life,” he whispers and I flick my eyes up, looking through my lashes as him.

“I didn’t do anything, anyone would do the same.”

He scoffs at my words and I don’t need to question him as to why, I watch his feet as he slowly steps forward and I brace myself for whatever he may do. Only he stops an arms width away and I feel my breathing slow down as I realize he isn’t going to come any closer.

“If that’s true, why didn’t they? There was a whole crowd there Luna, no one was going to help.”

My head shoots up at the use of my name and the acceptance that I hear in his voice at the fact his life means so little here.

“You used my name,” can I get anymore lame?

“You deserve to be set apart from the rest, I won’t do it in front of the others as it will make you a target but if it’s ever just us, I’ll make sure you get to hear your name. Look, I won’t keep you any longer but I’d love to get to know you and you won’t find yourself on the receiving end of orders when it comes to me,” he says and I tuck my hair once more as I slowly nod my head.

“Let’s go back in,” I say as my way of reply and he smiles as I lead the way out of the room and back into class. The whispers can’t get to me, I’m too busy trying to figure Maddox out.

My plan to concentrate on the lesson is shot to shit when he sits in the row in front of me and slightly to my right, I don’t know why I keep staring at him but my eyes are not under my control right now.

He’s got a mop of brown wavy hair that is starting to curl around his ears and I couldn’t help but notice his soft brown eyes when we were talking before. I don’t think he’s as tall as some of the other guys and I’m guessing at about five foot nine, ten at a stretch. He’s not muscular like the others, I mean there’s slight definition to his arms but he’s softer all around. He reminds me of a teddy bear and I can’t help but imagine how he hugs. I bet he gives the best ones out of all the guys, in fact I bet he’s the only one that would even give someone a hug. I can’t imagine the others would give any kind of contact that wasn’t dominating, fear inducing or sexual in some way.

I lean my chin on my hand as my elbow rests on the desk and my face is aflame as he looks up and catches me staring at him. The funny thing, I think his cheeks are redder than mine, he is too cute.

No, do not start humanizing these dickheads. They are all called Harkwright, therefore they are all fucked up. No matter that packaging, their cores will all be rotten.

By the time I’m sitting in my last class, I am shattered. I’m packing up my things when the classroom descends in a stifling hush and I look up to see Tucker standing in the doorway. Everyone is staring right at him, but I refuse to be like the rest, setting my eyes to the front. Only, even the tutor is staring at the intruder and I can feel myself bristling, even if I know I won’t react in any way.

“Thirty-Four, with me,” he commands and my spine stiffens as my mouth falls open.

“Excuse me sir, but I was told my students wouldn’t have their lessons interfered with,” Victoria Doyle, my new favorite person says.

“Then make sure she doesn’t fall behind, she can’t refuse an order,” is his growl and I swallow over the lump forming in my throat as I climb to my feet and go to grab my bag. “Lea

ve it, number Fifty can take it back to your room and make sure nothing happens to its contents,” he flicks his head at one of the other girls and I do as I’m told.

I walk to the door and my jaw tightens when he places his hand on the small of my back and pushes me out of the room and continues to push to show me where he wants to go. He’s a domineering ass and I no longer feel compelled to unravel his mysteries, fuck him. He can stay mysterious, I don’t want to know a damn thing about him.

“You can stop being pissy with me or not, either way you can at least act as though you enjoy my company,” he grinds out through his teeth and my eyes cut to him and I can tell his are trained on me.

“Does it really matter if I enjoy it? As long as you have fun,” I point out and his laughter confuses me. Mainly because it sounds light and carefree and it does not match up to the person, I’ve seen so far.

He comes to a halt, gripping my elbow and drawing me back until I’m slamming into him and I can feel something hard and thick nestling on my ass. I remember how it felt brushing over my panties as he directed my hips, and it brings a heat to my chest that I hope is not showing on my cheeks as well.