Chapter 23 SLOANE
Chapter 23
SLOANE
“Slaone!”
“Sloane!” Jasper’s voice yanked me out of my thoughts. His eyes searched mine, surrounded by his teammates, who all had their eyes on me. How long have I been spacing out for?
“Hm?” I muffled, eyes flickering in awe, adjusting myself on the chair, throat bobbing, and a forced smile plastered on my lips.
I always hang out with Jasper and his friends after a game and somehow we got acquainted.
“What's funny? You kept laughing to yourself when I called you out here to mourn with us because we lost a game.” Jasper grunted, his brows arched as he tried to pierce into my soul with his gaze.
My eyes flickered as I forced a nervous chuckle, a horrible one.
What was I thinking of?
Your brother? Your very hot brother who has a dragon tattoo on his back!
When I followed Xaden, I was prepared for everything and anything but not a studio and most definitely not a freaking tattoo on that sexy sculpted defined back of his.
I drooled, literally! The way the tail of the dragon rolled down his spine and the wings spread across his shoulders. I know Xaden loved dragons. When we watched GOT together, he hated that the Mother of Dragons died because she was his favorite character in the series, but I never actually thought he would get a tattoo.
The heat gets hotter.
His mum hates tattoos, she thinks they belong to loan sharks, gangsters, and murderers. Seeing me get a video of him, I thought he was going to yell or at least beg me to delete the video, or worse, make me promise not to tell his mum or something. Still, instead, this man lied between his teeth and told me to paint in his studio which I believe he kept a secret from everyone.
My jaw dropped seeing everything he had in place, almost like he knew that I was going to find out about that place.
He even gave me an extra key to his studio and whispered to me this morning before leaving. I was walking down the hallway, heading to the stairs when he leaned on my shoulders, causing me to jolt, looking around in fear because Jasper was in the house with us. “What are you doing,” I whispered, yelling, glaring at him, leaning closer so that our faces were barely an inch apart.
My nose filled with his ridiculous intoxicating smell, his cologne is to die for. I felt shivers flow down my spine, the breath apart his lips sending shivers down my spine, making my mind go blank, making my hands tremble.
His lips curled into this dangerous smile, the smile of him doing it intentionally.
His palm dragged down my hands, slow, steady, caressing, dangerously intentional. I forgot how to talk, how to even move, how to look away from him. He took my palm and slid something cold between them, yanking me back to my senses, “Go whenever you want…. Don’t break anything.” his deep voice whispered.
When I looked down at my palm as he walked away from me, I realized he had given me a key to his apartment, the one where he had his studio. He gave me the key to an important place in his life.
Oh Xaden.
I was going to go, change my painting setting when Jasper called me to join him because his team lost and here I am offering my condolences but I must have gotten carried away.
I cleared my throat, “Sorry, I was thinking about the new professor who was arriving tomorrow and my project….”
“Sloane, I called you here to mourn for us, not think about your school.” he pouted.
“Right, sorry.” I muffled.
We spent another three hours together and all I did was listen to them go on and on about game strategy and how they needed to improve.
If they were going to make this a hockey class why did they invite me? Besides who mourns a lost game with coffee and croissants?
I survived!
——-
“Morning Sloane!” Daisy waved at me, she stood at the entrance of the class with a beautiful smile, Rave snuck up behind her with a giggle. “Hey, you!”
“Hey, you!” I giggled in return, they rushed towards me, handed me a cup of coffee… which I pushed back. “I have been traumatized, I can’t take coffee again for the next year.” I exaggerated.
Rave laughed, “What happened?” She asked, taking a seat next to me, Daisy followed.
“Spent the whole noon yesterday, eating croissants and drinking coffee, I believe I had six cups.” I sighed,
“Six cups!” They yelled in unison.
I pouted and nodded.
They stroked my back, “Sorry, darling.”
“Guys!” one of our classmates rushed through the front door, “The professor is here!” she squealed. I couldn't tell if it was from fear of the man or excitement. Everyone rushed back to their seats.
My eyes glued to the door, I could hear everyone mumbling behind me, next to me but I just wanted to see who it was… who the person was. The door creaked open and this man walked in.
Six feet, I’m sure, dressed in a blazer over his blue shirt and blue trousers, shoes, sparkling like it had been brushed by the best shoe maker, in his veiny hands were the book he probably wanted to use to teach. He looked so smart and very good-looking.
“Do not be deceived by his good looks, he is a demon. He hardly gives any students the green pass.” Rave whispered.
The green pass basically means, passing his course which according to intel, only one person from my department have. Isaac. No one else.
“Some of you are happy to see me and others are well… not happy.” His voice is so deep, and his striking blue eyes are glaring at everyone.
“He looks mean… I don’t think I am happy to see him.” I whimpered.
“Me too.” Daisy and Rave chimed and we tried so hard to bite back our smiles.
“Oh, hey, Isaac.” he waved at Isaac.
“Good morning Mr Hanson.”
“‘Morning to you, good to see you again.”
“I’ll call the register now so if you hear your name, do well to answer or I will strike you off my register for the day and that’s a demerit point.” he blurted, more like he threatened.
Who the hell is this douche?
“What’s his deal?” I whispered.
“He is just a sad man.” Rave teased and I laughed.
“Okay, shall we?”
He began calling names. Everyone answered clearly. So did Rave and Daisy and Isaac.
Then he got to my turn, “Sloane Everest?”
“Yes, sir!” I answered.
“Sloane Everest?” he called again.
Was my voice not clear enough?
“Yes sir!” I answered.
“SLOANE EVEREST.”
Ah, who the hell is this fucker!
“You called, sir?” I blurted angrily before I realized I was still in class and the man pissing me off by constantly calling my name and drawing everyone’s attention to me was my professor.
Fucking hell.