*Bianca*
“Just when I thought you couldn’t get any busier...”
Leo looked up from where he was hastily pulling on his pants. He had his toothbrush in his free hand, using it to scrub at his teeth. His hair was sticking up in various places but I knew he would be smoothing it down in his car before getting to the warehouse.
I just woke up to find Leo in this rushed getting ready state. I supposed I was lucky to wake up at all before he left. He’s been getting ho obscenely late and leaving before I got up. I would have been worried he wasn’t coming ho at all if it weren’t for the notes he left to explain that he had been there.
“I’m really sorry,” he said before hurrying into the bathroom to rinse his mouth out. When he returned, he was already tying his tie and grabbing his bag. He looked around wildly before spotting on the bed again. He looked a bit regretful as he bent down to press a chaste kiss to my forehead. “I love you. Be safe today.”
Before I could say anything else, he was out of the door. I stared at our bedroom door for a mont, listening to the sounds of him grabbing various things before leaving the compound.
It seed like lately we weren’t able to find even a few minutes of alone ti together, which was driving absolutely insane since I still haven’t managed to tell him about Darion paying off Professor Bennett.
Although the morning sickness was mostly gone, I was still extrely fatigued due to my pregnancy. I heaved myself out of bed with difficulty, forcing myself to get ready for school. I might not be able to tell Leo about Darion but I had been keeping an eye on him since the incident.
It was annoying how charming Darion was. I understood Leo’s griping about him even more now, especially since my fiance recently upped the guy’s training, requiring Leo to spend even more ti with him.
Darion was very popular. I always saw him surrounded by other students. He tutored others once in a while but I could tell it was just another way for the jerk to inflate his own ego. I didn’t understand how he was able to help others with their studies when he was constantly cutting classes.
There was sothing about Darion that gave the heavy suspicion that he was up to sothing far more heinous than paying off a professor so he can skip class. It was written all over the way he moved and spoke. Until I knew for certain though, all I could do was watch him.
“Class dismissed.”
I blinked and looked up in shock, shaking my head to clear it. I just spaced out for the final part of the lecture. I looked down at my sparse notes in dismay before packing up my notebook and pens.
Darion was ssing with my head as well. I was going to have to tell Leo soon. I felt guilty for keeping it from him but then reminded myself it was only because I haven’t had the chance to talk to him alone for more than a couple of minutes.
If it turned out Darion wasn’t plotting anything, I didn’t want to get Leo worked up over nothing. He had enough going on as it was.
I slung my bag over my shoulder before deciding to head ho to work on a paper I had due at the end of the week. With everything going on, I was starting to put my studies on the back burner and I couldn’t let that continue for a second longer. In case I did decide to work after my baby was born, I needed to be ready.
I was on my way to the parking lot when I spotted Amara sitting on a bench by the library. I smiled, intending to head over to her and offer to give her a ride ho when I stopped in my tracks. She wasn’t alone.
Darion was sitting beside her.
I blinked hard as I looked at them sitting together like they were good friends. I narrowed my eyes when Darion reached up and pushed so of Amara’s hair away from her face, sweeping it over her shoulder.
My fingers clenched at my sides when Amara blushed and giggled at the gesture.
What the hell was going on? I had never seen the two together before this and they were already acting like they were a couple. It made my stomach twist with nerves.
It was just so misunderstanding, I said inwardly as I forced myself to walk toward the two.
Darion spotted first. I think he sensed sohow. The way he turned his dark eyes on caused a shiver of distaste to run through .
Amara was grinning like a lovesick teenager at him before she blinked in confusion at his look. Her eyes rose until they t mine and her smile widened and she waved over.
“Bianca!” she called excitedly, jumping to her feet and tossing her arms around . She grabbed my wrist and pulled back to the bench where Darion was still sitting. “This is-”
“We’ve t,” I said, cutting her off sharply.
Amara blinked at in surprise. “Oh,” she said, looking between and Darion.
“We have a class together,” I supplied in a much lighter tone, shooting Darion a warning look. “How do you two know each other?”
Darion tilted his head at , partially in confusion but also in amusent. He smirked at . “What is it?” he asked, clear challenge in his voice. “You’re glaring at , you know.”
I would have liked to do much more than that but I knew I wouldn’t get away with slapping that smirk right off of his face. Instead, I took Amara’s hand and started to tug her away. “C’mon, Amara. I’ll walk you back to your dorm.”
“I’m not going back to my dorm yet,” Amara protested, digging her heels into the ground. She gave an odd look. “What’s going on, Bianca. Is everything okay?”
Darion gave a mocking look. “Yeah, Bianca,” he said, his voice a low purr. “Is everything okay?”
I gritted my teeth together hard before turning to pin him with what I hoped was an intimidating stare. I pointed a finger at him. “Stay away from my best friend, Darion,” I ordered. “I an it. Whatever you’re planning-”
“Bianca!” Amara said in shock, narrowing her eyes and getting in between and Darion. “Calm down! Darion was just being nice. He’s inviting us to a college party so that I can make so more friends and make connections.”
I cursed inwardly. Of course, Darion was using his charm to make Amara fall for sothing like that. My emotions were raging as I imagined even more of my loved ones having to deal with this jerk.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Amara,” I told her. I shrugged. “I an, you haven’t even been here that long. Do you really think it’s a good idea to start partying already? Maybe you should take so more ti to get settled.”
Amara’s jaw dropped. “I am plenty settled,” she told , throwing her arms up in exasperation. “Of course, maybe you didn’t realize it but I have been here for more than two weeks now. I’m doing well in my classes and even if I wasn’t, you don’t have the right to tell what I can or cannot do!”
I flushed, realizing that people were starting to stare because of the way Amara’s voice was rising quickly. “Amara, I’m just worried about you,” I said, trying to keep my tone level. “I swear, I’m just looking out for you! I’m not trying to cage you in or anything.”
My words didn’t calm Amara down at all. If anything, they made her even more livid. “Well, I don’t need that either,” she snapped. “It’s been so dull since I got here. I thought we’d be going out more. I get that it’s because you’re pregnant but I need to go out and live a little!”
I reeled as if she had physically struck . Not many people knew I was pregnant and now random students were hearing about it.
Amara’s eyes rounded as she realized what she just said. She stepped toward . “B, I’m so sorry. I-”
Darion gaped at , standing up from the bench. “You’re knocked up?” he demanded loudly in amazent.
Several students began to snicker and point fingers at . My whole face flad with sha and I ducked my head, wrapping my arms around myself protectively.
“B, I’m so sorry!” Amara repeated, putting a hand out toward .
My temper flared and I shoved past her. “Do whatever the hell you want!” I snapped before storming off, trying to drown out the laughs sounding off behind as I started to run.
I was almost to my car when my wrist was snatched. I gasped and prepared to puml the person with my backpack only to whirl around and et Taylor’s gaze.
His eyes widened at my wild look but he just put his hand on my shoulder. “Let take you ho,” he said, his tone stern and leaving no room for argunt.
I was suddenly exhausted and more than a little stressed so I nodded, allowing him to lead to his car, knowing that one of Leo’s guys would pick up mine from campus later on.
“You didn’t do anything wrong, you know,” Taylor said after we started driving and I was quiet for several minutes.
I rembered Amara’s anger and slumped back in my seat. “I’m not so sure about that,” I said. “You probably didn’t see the way Amara looked at when I tried to pull her away from Darion.”
“You did the right thing,” Taylor said in a comforting tone. “You were just looking out for her. And she tried to apologize at the end of that, right? She’ll co around.”
I flinched. “Maybe,” I said. I sighed heavily. “She has a right to be mad at . I freaked out when I saw her with Darion and didn’t really handle it very well. I should have been calr.”
“I would have freaked out too in your place,” Taylor told . “Any sane person would have. I’m telling you, Amara will realize you were just being a good friend.”
“Thanks, you’re probably right,” I said, although I really wasn’t so sure but Taylor was right about one thing and that was that I shouldn’t dwell on it anymore.
I needed to focus on what I needed to do now. Darion was targeting my friends now and as much as I wanted to run to Leo to get his help, I knew I still needed more proof that Darion was actually up to sothing.
I just needed to keep a sharp eye on the bastard so that I could stop him before he did sothing.
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