Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

Ellis

I made my way into the lecture hall for my first official law class, gym bag full of books thumping my hip as I took the stairs two at a time to find an open seat.

I'd come straight from the gym, and my muscles felt pleasantly warm and loose. Now, it was time to work my brain, and I was so, so ready!

Clayton sat in the third row, and my heart skipped with excitement.

"Clayton!" I called, waving madly as I scooted between rows of seats. "How cool. We're in the same class!"

I hadn't been sure how much overlap we'd have in courses since it was my first year and his second. Clearly, fate was on my side.

A slender guy seated on Clayton's right elbowed him, then nodded toward my row.

Clayton glanced over his shoulder just as I settled into the very small desk behind him, cramming my large thighs up against cool metal.

He did a double-take, eyes bugging. " Ellis ?"

I smiled wide, the excitement fizzing in my veins as good as any exercise endorphin rush. "Hi."

"What are you doing here? This class is for law students."

"I know." I straightened in my seat, warmth bursting in my chest. "I'm a law student now."

" What? "

The student next to him, a guy with a delicate bone structure, pretty gray eyes, and wearing a neatly tailored blue suit, snorted. "Should someone tell him this class doesn't involve a workout?"

"Oh, this?" I waved to my pink tank top with the Beast Mode Gym logo. "I had to work out a client right before I got here. I'm a personal trainer. But don't worry. I showered the sweat off."

"Clayton!" He snickered with a wrinkled nose. "He had to shower the sweat off."

"Yeah, Vic, I heard," Clayton mumbled, gaze sliding over my exposed biceps as I bent to unzip my bag and withdraw a thick textbook and syllabus.

Vic's smile grew nastier when he noticed where Clayton was looking. "Oh shit, you keep your books in a gym bag too?"

He laughed at me. Right in front of my face!

I glanced down at the hot pink duffel, also with the gym logo across it. "I have a proper satchel. I was just running late and didn't think it was a big deal."

Clayton grimaced, tone apologetic as he said, "It's just a bit more formal in law school than undergrad."

"Oh."

I glanced around the classroom. Not everyone wore a suit like Clay and Vic, but I was the only one in shorts and a tank top.

"Professor Callahan is going to tear you apart," Vic said gleefully.

" Clayby?" I said tentatively, my smile slipping. "How did you meet this… charming friend of yours?"

"Uh…"

"Yes, Clayby ," Vic said. "Please introduce us."

"I've known Vic a long time," Clayton muttered. "Our parents are friends."

"Oh."

"Yes, a long time." Vic thrust his hand under my nose. "But this summer we made it official. We're engaged! Isn't that right, Clayby?"

My heart tumbled to my toes.

"Engaged?" I said weakly. "No, that's not…"

"Yep!" Vic's eyes sparkled. Suddenly, I realized he'd known who I was all along. Known that I was Clayton's ex.

He'd been catty to me on purpose.

But people were never really mean to their core. They lashed out in fear or insecurity. That meant Victor saw me as a threat.

Which he should . Because here I was, in law school just like him, ready to prove that I had brains as well as the brawn Clayton couldn't stop staring at.

"Clayton?" Victor gritted out. "Aren't you excited to get married?"

"What? Sorry, I was just noticing the professor is about to start." Clayton turned toward the front of the room. "Let's just focus on class. Callahan won't tolerate any distractions. Last year only four students managed to pull an A in this class, and I want to be one of them."

One of four students? I was going to have to study hard. Not that I couldn't. I'd passed the LSATS, hadn't I?

"Good morning," Professor Callahan boomed from the front of the room, his gaze sweeping across the rows of seats on risers that went all the way to the top of the lecture hall. "Welcome to Legal Writing 101. In this course, you'll be learning the basics of legal research, reading, analysis, and writing. This is essential to build cases and make policy arguments, regardless of what kind of law you go into, civil, corporate, or criminal." He paused. "Well, what are you waiting for? Take notes, for Christ's sake. You might as well know now, I will never repeat myself."

I grabbed my tablet, wincing as I caught sight of my Mondo energy drink sticker. Vic would just love to mock me over that too, I was sure.

I opened a Google doc and began typing as fast as I could, taking notes while Professor Callahan prowled the room, eyes narrowed on us.

He kicked the foot of a sleepy-looking guy in the front row. "Straighten up, Monroe. You barely passed my torts course last semester."

"Sorry, Professor," he mumbled, straightening.

"You look sloppy as hell," Callahan went on. "This is the first class, so I won't dock points, even though you should have all read the syllabus. And if you had—" He paused, his gaze landing directly on me—"then you'd know that I require a level of professionalism from my students. You will show up on time, you will dress like a lawyer, and you will prepare like a lawyer, or you will fail."

I slid down as much as my tiny desk allowed, cheeks heating. A glance at my syllabus confirmed that Professor Callahan had outlined his expectations, and like an unprepared idiot, I'd skimmed right past it.

There'd been so much to do before school started. I had to transfer dorms, rearrange my work schedule—which I'd have to rearrange further to allow more time to change for class—buy books, and color code my folders.

I'd assumed there would be time to read over the syllabus in class.

Clearly, I'd been wrong.

And if that weren't bad enough, Professor Callahan launched into a case study that we apparently were supposed to read before school even started ?

Victor's hand shot up, looking smug as he spouted off the answer.

Of course.

Professor Callahan's gaze shot to me. "And what about you, Mr.…"

"Just call him Gym Rat," Vic said with a chortle.

Callahan narrowed his eyes but waited for my answer. "Woods," I said. "I'm Ellis Woods."

"All right, Mr. Woods. Care to tell us the next point in the study."

I winced. "I apologize, Mr. Callahan. This is my first day in law school, and I didn't know?—"

He raised his hand. "Say no more. You were unprepared."

I nodded, feeling about two inches tall. I braced for an evisceration. Victor looked as if he were salivating. Instead, the professor moved on, as if I wasn't important enough to scold.

"Ms. Bergman? What say you?"

She knew the answer too, because of course I had to be the biggest fool in the room. So much for impressing Clayton.

I dutifully took notes, eyes burning, throat tight. When class ended, Victor turned in his seat, ready to humiliate me. To my surprise, Clayton put a hand on his arm. "Come on, Vic, we'll have to hustle if we want that coffee date before the next class."

Victor reached for his perfectly respectable leather satchel and slid his laptop inside it. "Good idea, babe. I am dying for a mocha latte."

I shuddered at the thought of how much sugar he was pouring into his veins. Clayton paused as he got to his feet, his bag clutched in one hand.

"This isn't you, Ellis."

I raised my chin. "Maybe it is now."

"We both know you're only here because of me, and as you can see, I've moved on." He shook his head. "Just go home before you embarrass us both."