Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 75592 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75592 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Trey snorts, putting a booted foot up on the chest and leaning his elbow on his thigh. “Are you going to tell us how it went with Mardraggon?”
“Oh, that.” I nod as I shovel in another bite and after swallowing, I say, “It went as expected. He’s a dick.”
Wade laughs but Trey doesn’t. “You sure you’re okay dealing with him?”
I glare at my second-oldest brother. “You don’t think I can because I’m a girl?”
“Girl has nothing to do with it,” Trey says.
Wade steps in to defend our brother’s words. “It has everything to do with us being overprotective. We’ll gladly take that duty from you.”
Trey nods. “You shouldn’t even have to breathe the same air as that douche. We’d just like to spare you that.”
The meatloaf sits like a lead ball in my stomach as I realize my brothers have no clue just how well I can handle Gabe Mardraggon. They would flip out if they had any inkling that I’ve had a lot of personal experience holding my own with that man.
The stadium-style lecture hall at the University of Kentucky was no less intimidating on this, my fourth day in the class over the last two weeks. The complex equations the professor wrote on the whiteboard caused my brain to fritz and I was too terrified to raise my hand for clarification because there were over two hundred other students that I was positive were a million times smarter than me. I wasn’t ready for that kind of ridicule.
Instead, I sat in the very last row near the door in case I had to exit for a puking session because math literally nauseated me that much.
“Excuse me,” someone said, and I tucked my legs in to let a guy move past. He ignored the open seats farther down and plopped into the one next to me.
I turned my head to offer a pathetic smile to my new seatmate, only to have my mouth drop open to see Gabe Mardraggon sitting there. I hated how handsome he was with his golden hair all mussed like he’d rolled out of bed and those eyes that glowed like pale bourbon.
I knew he’d been accepted into UK—our town is so small you know when someone farts too loud. I hadn’t had the misfortune of running into him yet and figured I wouldn’t since the campus was so big.
Gabe smirked and I knew him taking that seat was for no other reason than to irritate me. Our families’ mutual disdain clearly drove his action, making the choice to sit next to me less innocent and more of a silent challenge.
I glared at him and turned back to my notebook. The professor began the lecture and I took copious notes, although I understood maybe only five percent of what I was copying down. I was in the middle of tabbing a problem in my textbook when Gabe leaned over and whispered, “It’s very distracting, all of this sighing you’re doing.”
I hadn’t realized I’d been making any noises at all but that tracked. This class caused anxiety and I realized I’d been huffing and puffing it out. I spoke low through gritted teeth. “If you don’t like it, move.”
“Nah,” he murmured, causing me to turn my gaze to him. “I like it right here.”
I glanced around, looking for a nearby empty seat I could move to but there wasn’t one. The class had filled up and while there were some empty seats in the row we were in, I would have to move past him to get there and he’d probably follow me. There’s no doubt he was just being mean at that point.
“I take it math isn’t your strong suit,” he asked, again in a low rumble so that only I could hear and we wouldn’t disturb the lecture.
I kept my attention on the professor but muttered, “An understatement.”
“I could help you if you want.”
My head whipped his way, my teeth bared in a silent snarl as I hissed softly, “Why would you even say that? I’m a Blackburn. You’re a Mardraggon. We don’t help each other.”
“Point out the rulebook that says so,” he challenged. My mouth snapped shut because there was obviously no rulebook. Just decades upon decades of mutual loathing. His voice dropped lower. “Let’s get a cup of coffee after class. I’ll help you with the homework while it’s still fresh from the lecture.”
I was taken aback by his suggestion, the sincerity in his voice disarming. I ignored how gorgeous he was, something I’d never been able to give credence to. His muscular build and amber eyes were a devastating combination for most women, but not this Blackburn.
I was, however, able to, for just a moment, think he was something other than a Mardraggon.
Just a guy offering to help.
“Okay,” I found myself saying before I could rethink it. “Coffee sounds… helpful.”