39. Zac

THIRTY-NINE

zac

IT'D BEEN TWO days back at Astor, and East was still lying low, refusing to leave King's penthouse. I couldn't blame him, given the crowd of photographers and news trucks out on the sidewalks just waiting to bombard him with questions. I wouldn't want to deal with that either. But with only a few weeks left of classes, he couldn't miss out on much more or he'd be in danger of not graduating.

It was a good thing he'd been given sanctuary at King's place, though, because no one even knew he was there. The same couldn't be said for his friends, who had to dodge their own set of questions every time the Sprinter van dropped them off at the gates. I didn't know any of them well, but I appreciated the way they refused to give up information about East or his family. Not to mention the tall, broody one had a scowl that made the press back off that much quicker.

"Yo, Zac." I was heading to my next class when West jogged after me. The only interaction we usually had was when I was giving East a hard time, so even though I stopped, curious what he wanted, I was right back in TA mode.

I arched a brow. "Can I help you?"

" ‘Can I help you?' So proper." West smirked, and it was easy to see why he and East were such good friends. They were both little shits. "Yes, actually, you can."

He lowered his bag and unzipped it, only to pull out another bag, this one soft leather and packed full.

"You come bearing gifts?" I said. "No thank you."

West glanced around us and lowered his voice. "It's not for you—it's for East."

I reared back in surprise. East? Why would he be giving me something for him? I was under the impression he hadn't told any of his friends about me.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said, on the off chance he was trying to suss me out and didn't really know the truth. East liked his secrets, and I wasn't about to give them up, even to his best friend.

West rolled his eyes. "For fuck's sake, I know about you and King. No one else does, and it's probably better that it stays that way for now."

Shit. "I see."

He shoved the bag into my arms. "This is some of East's things that I thought he might want until he comes home. Make sure he gets it."

"He'll get it."

"Good." He narrowed his sky-blue eyes like there was more he wanted to say but wasn't sure this was the right time or place to do it. He started to turn on his heel, but his "fuck it" switch must've flipped on, because he faced me again and added, "Just so you're aware, East keeps his circle tight. The fact that he's chosen you in this moment to be with him? It means something. You fuck with that, you fuck with all of us. You got me?"

I shouldered the bag and nodded, secretly glad East had people in his life who cared about him enough to stand up for him. "Got it," I said, before correcting myself. "I've got him ."

West continued to stare me down, but I stood toe to toe with him, unblinking. "You better."

"I do. And so does King."

The mention of our professor had his forehead creasing. No doubt he had a million questions about that one. About all three of us, really, but he must've realized I wasn't the one he should ask about all those details.West gave a curt nod and backed away, holding my stare until he rounded the corner.

None of those princes were my favorite people, but I could respect their loyalty. Admired it, even. Though that was the last compliment I'd ever direct their way.

AT THE END of the day, I grabbed East's bag from where I'd stashed it in King's office, and then walked to the end of the block, where an unmarked car sat on the corner to pick me up. Since we couldn't exactly be seen leaving campus together, King had left earlier. I was supposed to be back at work tonight, but I had time to make a pit stop at his place first if the traffic wasn't too bad.

Could I have sent East's things with King instead of doing it myself? Yes. But selfishly, I wanted to see East and make sure he was okay. He'd still been sleeping when I left King's this morning, and I hadn't wanted to wake him. The fact that he was stubbornly choosing to sleep alone even as he wanted us both near was frustrating, but East did things in his own time. Maybe he was doing better today.

After everything that had happened with East since our return, the conversation we'd had in the car about going our separate ways became irrelevant. There was no way King or I were going to walk away from East now, or each other. We hadn't said the words out loud, but we'd fallen into the same relationship we'd enjoyed on the island when we were within the walls of the penthouse, while keeping to our strict roles outside of it.

One glance at King's expression when I found them at his private pool told me today wasn't the day East snapped out of it.King stood at the edge near the shallow end, watching as East swam laps at a furious pace.

"Has he come up for air yet?" I set East's bag on a chair and went over to King, free now to greet him the way I wanted to—a kiss to those full lips.

"Once," King said, turning back to the pool. "But as soon as I wanted to talk, he disappeared underwater and hasn't stopped since."

"That isn't good."

"No. It's not." He crouched as East approached us again, then reached down and grabbed hold of East's hand.

East came to an abrupt stop, lifting his head from the water with a slight sputter as he glared up at King. "What the hell?"

If King was intimidated by East's caustic tone, he didn't show it. "Out. Now."

East went to pull his arm down, but King merely shook his head.

"Don't even think about it."

East's eyes flicked to mine, and all I could do was shrug. "You want me out, you need to let me go."

King released his hold, and just when I thought East would push off the wall and head back in the direction of the deep end, he placed his hands on the edge of the pool and hoisted himself out of it.

With everything that was going on, it was hardly the time to take note of the tiny black swim shorts he wore, but when they clung to his wet body like a second skin, it was difficult to look elsewhere.

Something he was clearly aware of as he walked up to King, not stopping until they were toe to toe.

"Well, I'm out," East said, angling his chin up in defiance. "What would you like me to do next, professor ?"

King ran his eyes down over that gorgeous body, and while it was obvious East thought he could distract him with sex, King knew him too well to fall for that tactic now. He reached for East's chin and leaned down until their lips were barely a whisper apart.

"To talk."

East yanked his face free. "What do you want to talk about?"He shoved past us and over to where he'd thrown his towel across the end of a lounger. "The fact that my father ruined his life and my future? Sure. Let's make a drink and send up a cheers."

"You know that's not what King means."

"No?" East looked between us, the towel frozen against his chest. "How about the fact that I have no idea where my mother or I will be living in the foreseeable future? And school, what about school? Who's going to pay for that?"

"James—" King started, but East held up a hand.

"No, you wanted to talk, and these are the questions that need to be answered. And let's not forget the trial of the decade that will no doubt take place here in the city. Will I be called for that? Will I be grilled in front of the entire world for the horrible fucking decisions my father has made? Probably. Let's see… Did I miss anything?"

East went back to rigorously toweling himself off, and I took hold of King's arm and mouthed, Let me. He nodded, and as I brushed by him, I felt his fingers trail the back of my arm in a silent show of support.

I reached out a careful hand, halting East's movements and curling my fingers around his. When East brought his eyes up to mine, I noticed the dark circles under them, confirming what I already knew—he wasn't sleeping for shit. That needed to change, even if King and I had to tie him to the mattress and slip him a sedative.

"No one is expecting you to be okay with everything going on right now, especially not us," I said, taking the towel from him and pulling him in close. "We just want you to talk to us and let us try to help you."

King took the towel from me and moved around behind East.

"How can you help me?" East asked, the sarcasm from moments ago gone now, his hazel eyes imploring.

"By being here for you." King wrapped the towel around East's shoulders and put his lips by his ear. "But you have to let us in to do that. You have to let down these walls of yours. Stop fighting us, little prince."

"I don't know how…" East whispered as he leaned back into King's hold. The sheer exhaustion from nights of no sleep and a busy brain were finally catching up with him.

"Let us take care of you," I said, bringing his hand up to my chest. "Let us do what I promised your friend we would."

"West?"

"He threatened my life if I didn't look after you."

"So that's why you're doing this?"

"No." I leaned in to kiss his cheek. "I'm doing this because I care."

East stiffened, but I was done pretending to be indifferent. Done pretending that this arrogant, pompous, infuriatingly gorgeous man hadn't somehow crept into my heart.

" We care." King reached over East's shoulder to stroke his fingers down my cheek, a soft, approving look in his eyes. "You need to come back to school, James. That's the first step." He took East's shoulders and turned him around so he could look him in the eye."I've made sure the press will be nowhere near Astor, and anything else that's worrying you, we can deal with, together. Everything has a solution, and we'll help you find it. But you have to start looking after yourself."

East gave a slow nod and reached back for my hand. "Okay. Does that mean no martinis for dinner?"

King chuckled and winked at the two of us. "How about a compromise? Martinis with dinner."

"I can do that."

"And tonight, you sleep with us."

"Just sleep?"

"Yes. But if you're a good boy, we may not sleep as much the next night."

"Deal."

"Good, now get inside so we can get some food in you." King swatted him on the ass, and as East headed for the door, I looked over to see King watching him go.

"He's more difficult to ignore than you'd expect, isn't he?" I said, already thinking up an excuse to skip out on work so I could stay.

"That's one way to put it."

"And another?"

"Maybe he's not the only one who thrives on a challenge."

Truer words had never been spoken. But who would've guessed we'd all end up being each other's greatest challenge of all?