Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

CHLOE

I combed my fingers through my hair and I stepped out of Mr D's office. I barely closed the door behind me when Lila cleared her throat. I hadn't even noticed her. My mind was on other things.

She stood several metres away, her twin shadows beside her. Her eyebrows rose in pure judgement. She wasn't making any effort to hide it.

"Isn't this interesting?" she asked slowly, smug as hell. "I didn't know he was one of your teachers."

We were doing the same degree; she knew very well he wasn't. Of course, that was exactly the point.

"She looks a bit flushed to me," one of the twins remarked. He cocked his head at me appraisingly and smirked. "Don't you think, Parker?"

"I was going to say the same thing, Hunter," Parker agreed. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"I think I might be," Hunter agreed. "I'm going to need another dose of brain bleach." He pressed a hand to his forehead and pretended to scrub the thoughts away.

I resisted the urge to flip him off and turned to head the other way down the corridor.

All three of them hurried to catch up.

"Are you really sleeping with Dane DiMarco?" Lila asked. "You know what he's like. He's…"

I stopped, turned and placed my fists on my hips. "He's what?"

She skidded to a halt before she ran into me. "He's an asshole."

I contained an eye roll. Where did I even start with that?

"That's a bit rich, coming from you," I said tightly. It was difficult to be the nice, sweet twin when you were under attack like I felt like I was right now.

"What about if I say it?" Hunter asked.

"Or me?" Parker grinned.

I pressed my lips together and smirked at them both. They thought they were so fucking funny. I wanted to wipe the smug expressions off their faces with the back of my hand.

"I don't think she likes us," Hunter said. "Which is strange, because we're very likeable."

The soft look Lila gave them made me want to vomit on all of their shoes.

I shook my head and started to walk away again. I made it a step or two before Lila grabbed my wrist and pulled me to a stop again.

"I'm worried about you," she insisted. "You can do better than someone like him. You know what he's like. He'll do everything he can to drive a wedge between us."

I spun around and shook off her hand. I was done being nice. "What the fuck are you talking about? Are you seriously trying to pretend there isn't already a wedge between us?" I stared at her in disbelief. Wedge was an understatement. It was more like a full-blown continent.

She sighed softly, as though she was the victim here. "There doesn't have to be. We could always?—"

"Always what?" I asked. "I could graciously step aside and let you take Dad's place?"

"We accept," Hunter said. His blue eyes sparkled with arrogant amusement.

I turned my narrowed eyes to him. "Not a chance."

He grinned. "You can't say I didn't try. Although, it would make life easier for everyone. Including you. Lila is right though, you can do better than Mr D. We could introduce you to his younger brother if you'd like."

"I don't need you to introduce me to Asher." My voice was dangerously low. "We've met." He was one of the sincerely nicest people I knew, but his ambition was for his music, not for power. I doubted we'd get along for very long anyway. He was much too nice for someone like me.

"Someone else then?" Parker said helpfully. "There's a whole Academy full of guys you could choose from. Girls too, if that's your jam."

"I have an idea," I said, the mock sweetness I was so good at back in full force. "Mind your own business. Who I see is none of yours. Not today, not tomorrow. Never."

If anything else, their insistence made Dane more attractive. Anyone they didn't like was more appealing to me.

"Are you sure, because we're really good judges of character," Hunter said. "Right, Lila?"

I snorted. As if hers wouldn't be a skewed opinion. She thought highly of herself.

"I don't know, you seem fond of your older brothers," Lila said dryly.

Finally, something she and I could agree on. The twins were the youngest in their family. The rest— It seemed like the older they were, the more toxic they were. Even I would question myself if I got involved with any of them.

Both twins grinned.

"They're okay when you get to know them," Parker said. "Even Reuben. And Caleb."

"And Joshua," Hunter added. "Lucas is okay too. Zeke has his moments."

"Don't you think Chloe and Zeke would be good together?" Parker looked at me speculatively.

"Better than Dane," Hunter agreed. "Maybe we should?—"

"Did I mention you should mind your own business?" I asked. "I don't need any of you playing matchmaker for me. In fact, I don't need anything from any of you." I pointed my finger at them all. "Stay away from me."

"Chloe—" Lila started. "We don't want to cause any trouble." She glanced at both the twins when they looked like they might jokingly contradict her. "We don't. We all know I'm the one Dad is going to choose to replace him. You don't need to turn to someone like Dane DiMarco. All he'll do is make drama when there doesn't need to be any. Find yourself a nice guy and —"

"Disappear off the face of the Earth?" I finished for her. "You'd like that, wouldn't you? Never having to see me or deal with me again." I didn't bother to keep the bitterness from my tone.

"Not off the face of the Earth," Lila said evenly. "Just take a step aside and live your life. You know you'd be happier."

"I know you'd be happier," I said. "All three of you. That's exactly why I have no intention of walking away. You're so sure Dad will choose you, but I'm going to prove you wrong. I'm the older twin. Me. I won't let you walk all over me anymore."

Before they could say another word, I turned and stalked away down the corridor.