12

Archer
I move onto the dancefloor and instantly a girl makes eyes at me. Being that I would look like a fucking fool out here alone, I move toward her. “Care to dance?” I ask, even though I have no interest in her what so ever. She’s attractive, but ever since I set my sights on Adrianna, no other girl will do.
“Definitely,” she says.
I pull her onto the floor and her arms wrap around the back of my neck. Her eyes alight with desire that I can’t match, but I have to pretend to be into her just to keep dancing.
As I spin her around, I keep looking out for Miss Vasquez and come up empty handed. If they don’t turn up as expected, I’m not sure I can stop myself marching into her dorm and barging into her room. I need to see her.
While I’m distracted, the girl I’m dancing with yanks me down and slams her lips into mine. I’m stunned for a moment by the suddenness of it, and it feels so oddly wrong that it’s not Adrianna’s lips.
Someone taps me on the shoulder. “Arch.”
I break away, thankful for Oak’s intrusion. “What?”
“We have students at the bar who Bly and I are going to join and torment.” At last. Who would have thought it’d be Oak to see them first? “Wondered if you wanted to tag along?”
“Where?” I ask, finding it hard to believe that I’ve missed them after all my searching.
“In the back. About fourteen of them.” Oak tilts his head to the left. “Do you want to join us or not?”
No wonder I didn’t see them if they’re at the back of this place. I glance at the blonde girl, who’s looking rather irritated by the interruption. “Sure.” I peel myself out of her arms. “Sorry, sweetheart. Maybe another time.” I give her a wink and follow Oak back to our table.
Bly’s fist are clenched. “Ready?” he asks Oak.
Oak nods. “Follow my lead.”
The three of us walk toward the back and the table where the students are. At first, I don’t see Adrianna and all my hope deflates. Until some guy who had been standing by the table moves and it feels like my world slows to a halt.
A mix of fierce desire and intense possessive rage hit me all at once. The dress she’s wearing is as sexy as sin. It’s a hot red, which matches her red-hot attitude and the neckline plunges way too low to be appropriate. She’s sitting at the table with a bunch of adolescent boys dressed like that, and she shouldn’t be seen like that by anyone but me.
Alexander notices us first.
Oak clears his throat. “I didn’t realize all of you had clearance to leave the grounds.” There’s a lethal calmness in his voice. “Who gave you permission?”
I kick Alek off his stool, sitting down. All the while, my eyes are pinned to Adrianna in that hot as hell dress.
“I did.” Alexander lifts his chin. The cocky son of a bitch. “After all, we’re eighteen years old. We can do what the fuck we want.”
Oak arches a brow. “That may be so, but you are all too young to legally be here.”
Alexander laughs. “Who the fuck gives a shit about legal? The academy is all about teaching everything that isn’t legal.”
A few of the students laugh, and I must admit he has a point. The law means nothing at SA. “Can’t argue with that,” I say. “How about we join you?”
“If you think you can handle it, old man,” Rizzo says.
Old man. It’s a pathetic attempt to wind me up. “You know I could kick your ass even after sinking two bottles of scotch, Rizzo.”
Rizzo laughs, sliding a bottle of vodka over to me. “Help yourself.”
I’m not going to say no to that, grabbing the bottle and pouring some into my now empty glass.
The waitress who Oak asked to keep the drinks coming approaches, placing a hand on his shoulder. She whispers something to him before placing a glass of whiskey in her hand.
Oak leans toward her and whispers something, giving her another fifty dollar bill. She nods and winks before heading off to get more drinks.
“So, how the fuck did you lot sneak off campus?” Oak asks.
Alexander, as always, is the only one to speak up. “I’m afraid if we told you that, professor, we’d have to kill you.” What I would do to smack that fucking smirk right off his face?
Now and then, I glance at Adrianna, who is glaring at me hatefully. Ever since my first attempt to get her into bed, she’s icier than the fucking Antarctic.
“I’d like to see you try, Alexander,” Oak replies. “A few have tried, none have succeeded.”
“Yeah right, old man.”
Adrianna’s nostrils flare as I refuse to let up, staring at her like a hungry animal staring at a steak it’s about to devour. She will be mine, one way or another.
“Dimitry,” Oak barks, forcing me to break my gaze.
His eyes widen. “What?”
“Did you forget what happened the last time you whispered something inappropriate to Miss Carmichael?”
I smirk as it’s clear Dimitry is trying to get into Eva’s pants, which Oak won’t like one bit.
“I haven’t said anything that Eva doesn’t want to hear,” Dimitry says, glancing at Eva. “Have I Eva?”
There’s a tension in the air, one you could cut with a knife. Eva stands. “I need to get some air.”
Dimitry says something to her, but she shakes her head and rushes away.
Oak’s eyes track her as she moves through the room. And within thirty seconds, he’s up and following her. The man has lost his shit over that girl. It’s inconsequential when I sleep with a student, but Oak is the principal. He’s the man in charge, so it’s risky getting close to her, especially considering the truth about his past with her parents.
I focus all of my attention back on Adrianna, knowing that there’s nothing I can do to stop Oak. He’s a big boy and has to work out this shit for himself. Her cheeks are flushed a pretty pink as she glares back at me, never once backing down.
“Relax, all of you. We’re just here to have a good time, too.” I can’t take my eyes off of Adrianna. “How are you doing, Miss Vasquez?”
“Fine,” she grits out, her nostrils flaring. “At least I was fine until you arrived.”
I arch a brow. “That’s not a very nice thing to say to your coach, is it?”
She glares at me with a fire that turns me harder than stone.
I groan, as all I want is to have her beneath me all night long and show her what she’s been missing.
Bly claps his hands. “As fun as this has been, I’m not all together comfortable drinking with underage kids in a bar. Now, all of you need to head back to the academy.”
I stand, knowing I’m not letting him cut this short for me. “Ah, cool it Bly. Let the kids have some fun.” I wink at Adrianna. “Care to dance?”
As expected, she shakes her head. “No, thank you.”
“Arch, you can’t be serious. Where the fuck is Oak?” Bly asks.
I shrug. “Fuck knows. I don’t care.” Knowing he’s probably getting stuck in to the student he was supposed to be forgetting about tonight, since they’re both missing. “Dance with me, just once.”
Adrianna sighs in frustration before taking my hand, sparks shooting through my veins the moment our skin touches. I will have her, one way or another.