I guess that’s what Colt meant when he said he didn’t date first year’s earlier. I’m even more bothered that he automatically assumed I was going to try coming onto him. Was he that sure of himself? I would not be one of the dumb ass girls following him around, hoping to be added to his long list of conquests. “What’s with him and Bria?” I ask.

“You seem awfully interested for someone who doesn’t care,” he teases.  But I stay quiet until he continues. “He and Bria are sorta together. Well, as much as Colt’s ever been with anyone.”

“What does that mean?”

“He likes the chase. As soon as they give it up,” he tips his head toward the door, “he’s gone.” Logan pulls my wrists behind my back, securing them with one of his hands. “If Bria sticks around, it’ll depend on how long she’s cool being his fuck buddy. Or until he gets tired of her.” He sweeps his foot underneath mine, but this time, instead of being knocked off balance and collapsing, I lock my ankle with his and bring us both to the ground. It’s not a graceful landing, and I know I’ll be sore tomorrow. I roll over on top of him, pinning him to the mat with my thighs. He smiles up at me. “You catch on quick.”

Colt strolls by again and gives me a questioning look. “Taylor, whatever you want to do in your free time is fine, but can you please dismount Mr. Darcy?”

My cheeks burn with embarrassment and I quickly get off of Logan. I hear a few giggles around me. Once Colt’s gone, I pick up our conversation again. “He sounds like a real delight. Why do girls go after him then if he’s such a dick?”

Logan’s mouth quirks up. “Have you seen him?”

I shoot him a look.

“What? Gay or straight, you can’t fault me for noticing that boy’s cut.”

I shake my head.

“Besides, they don’t always go after him, it’s sometimes the other way around. He likes the chase.” It’s still so strange to me that we’re discussing one of our teachers, even if he isn’t much older than us. Logan continues, “Plus girls like bad boys, right?” I shrug my indifference. “That would explain why I get no play,” he says.

I try to concentrate on the moves I’m learning, but anytime I look at Colt to watch his instruction, I can’t seem to keep my mind out of the gutter, despite what all common sense is telling me. And as much as I try to avoid it, my eyes are drawn to Colt’s form, he’s solid muscle, his jaw is set hard with just a hint of edge. He gives off a distinct, ‘I’m a badass’ vibe. Hard to ignore. Easy to hate.

MJ weaves her way over to me and Logan and bumps her hip against mine, pulling my attention from Colt.

“Lemme guess, you’ve had the pleasure of meeting the one and only Colt Palmer and now you’re feeling the need to shove some ice down your panties.”

“Um, no.” My voice sounds surprisingly confident, though the ice doesn’t sound like a half bad idea. “Well, yes I met him, but the ice won’t be necessary, he makes me want to lash out irrationally.”

“Good.” MJ seems relieved.

“What’s the deal with him, anyways?” Since she brought it up, I don’t feel bad pumping MJ for information too.

Her eyebrows knit together in frustration as she studies me.

I hold up a hand, stopping her. “And don’t tell me ‘he’s nice once you get to know him.’”

She breaks into a smile. “No, actually I was going to say he’s an asshole, but you’ll get used to it.”

MJ and I are going to get along just fine. I grin to myself, realizing that Piper would like her too. 

Chapter 6

I wait in McAllister’s office, ready to leave if he keeps me waiting another…thirty seconds…I decide. I watch the second hand on my watch tick his time away.

              He appears in the doorway, carrying a stack of papers. “Weren’t going to leave on me, were you?”

I don’t answer. Instead I pluck the files from his hands. “What’ve you got for me?” I flip open the first file folder. “I’m going fucking crazy playing teacher here. This was not what we agreed when I came to work for you.”

He gives me a once over. Okay, so it wasn’t like I had many choices after graduating last year, but I knew what I wanted. To be in the field, taking the assignments no one else wanted, going from place to place, never sleeping in the same bed twice. It sounded perfect to me. But the reality has been quite different.

McAllister said he needed me here, at least through this semester, and he promised he’d pepper in occasional assignments to get me out on the road. When I’d agreed, he’d asked me to tone down my “extracurricular activities” – which we both knew meant banging every girl in sight – but I’d said no way, that wasn’t part of the deal.  And so here we are. Me pissed and angry at him for tying me down to this school, and him fed up with girls weeping in Vera’s office, asking to be sent home. But the sooner he sent me out on field work, the sooner that would stop. It was the only chip I had, so I played it. Plus, I had to do something to entertain myself. I’ve learned keeping things purely physical and keeping emotion out of it was the best way to go. And after the last few years of living this way, I have it mastered.

The first file is an assignment for Taylor. I glance at it quickly, wondering if she’ll be able to handle it. The next few files don’t contain anything that would require field work either. Which is why McAllister had been so hesitant to share them with me.

“I’m sure we’ll get something for you soon,” he says, as if reading my mind. But then again, he knows me better than anyone. At least he thinks he does.

He sits down behind his desk and rubs his temples. He lets out a heavy sigh. I feel like I’m looking at him and really noticing him for the first time in years. Being the head of clandestine organization isn’t exactly stress-free, and dealing with a bunch of teenage prodigies lends a certain interesting element, but they’re cheap labor. He can train and mold them to his will and then give them his grunt work while the money rolls in.

Realizing I’m still seated in front of him, he drops his hands and studies me. I can see an idea forming in his eyes. “Today I’ll test out what our new computer-girl is capable of.” He offers a weak smile, the idea somehow exciting him. “And if she’s as good as it seems, I may even resurrect my idea for hacking into the stock market and making some transactions under the radar.” His eyes twinkle.

“That’s a bad idea and we both know it.” I have no problem challenging him, like everyone else around here is afraid to do. I’d long ago stopped trying to win his respect. “You’ll land yourself and her in prison. Not unless you have a strong desire to get an ass pounding?”

He coughs, clearing his throat. The look of alarm on his face is priceless.

“No? Didn’t think so.” I stand and leave his office. Maybe it’s better if I’m here rather than in the field. Someone has to keep him in check. 

Chapter 7

At lunch I join MJ and Logan in line for the salad bar, relieved I don’t have to navigate the cafeteria on my own. I’m pleasantly surprised to see the salad bar is much more than limp iceberg lettuce and baby carrots.

After loading up our trays, we grab ice water infused with cucumber slices, and settle at a table in the corner.

I grab a stray soybean that’s slid off my plate and pop it into my mouth. “So where were you guys last night?”

Logan suppresses a laugh.

MJ kicks him under the table and the laugh dies on his lips.

“I went to get a piercing,” MJ says in her confident throaty tone I’ve grown to like the sound of.

I scan the parts of her I can see. She doesn’t even have earrings in. I raise my eyebrows. “Well…Did you chicken out?”