16. Lux

SIXTEEN

LUX

Mama: When were you going to tell me you had a girlfriend?

Lux: And I thought Sienna was the big mouth of the family

Mama: Lux, why am I finding out from your sister that you have a girlfriend?

Lux: I was going to tell you when I knew for sure.

Mama: Don't take too long.

Lux: Yes, Mama.

"Hello, Special Agent."

His head turned to the side. Not a sliver of surprise passed over his face. Not a glimmer, not an iota. Nothing. Gotta say, I was kinda disappointed. I'd walked extra slowly.

"I knew when you'd parked," he informed me, his eyes narrowed, though there was no animosity behind them. "You want to sneak up on me, get eleven years of training down first, then we'll see how you do."

I held my hands up. "Hey, Radley already said she'd give me good references for when I retire."

He looked at me exactly the way a guy who could kill me with his little finger would look at someone who had absolutely zero killing experience… unless you counted my killer swing, or when I dealt with Tanner's spiders. But they usually got thrown out the window.

"What are you doing here?"

Wow. I think we were having a conversation.

It was definitely the longest we'd ever spoken, if you didn't include the quick rush through my apartment when he asked where the fire exits were. But after this weekend, Special Agent America and I had come to an unspoken agreement, in that he begrudgingly needed to accept I wasn't going anywhere, and I would no longer be pissed that he'd thrown me and my friends to the ground and nearly broke Ace's nose.

And as an extra thank you for not being the total dick I knew he could be, I'd set them up in the apartment below ours for whenever Radley stayed at my place, and sent them a batch of Tanner's brownies.

That didn't mean I couldn't yank his chain.

"You know, you're very brusque for someone undercover as a student. You should take some tips from that guy." I pointed over the courtyard to where a dude was happily skating along the path, a pair of giant headphones pushing back his dyed green hair while he sang and bobbed his head. The deep-set eye roll tol d me Special Agent America didn't agree.

"Does Radley know you're here?" he asked.

I shook my head. "Nope, and I'm not staying. I just came to give her something. And if you smile, I have something for you too."

One thick eyebrow raised, and the gum chewing ceased. "What?"

I held up the smaller of the paper bags I had in my hand. "I heard you liked those brownies. I made some more."

He was about to take it when we both realized we were being stared at. Or I was. Nah, maybe he was too. He was a good-looking guy. I turned to find two girls standing a little to the left.

"Friends of yours?" I asked, glancing at Jake.

One second thought, he didn't seem like a ‘friends' sort of guy.

"Nope."

"Hey," tittered one of the girls. "Are you Lux Weston?"

Jake didn't even try to disguise his groan, and if it was possible, this eyeroll was even deeper.

"I am," I replied, though I used Jake's technique of smiling without it reaching my eyes, because this wasn't the time or place for me to meet any fans. If I wasn't with the boys, I could usually get away with going unnoticed, but something told me that standing next to Special Agent America wasn't helping.

I also didn't know how I felt about a group of girls coming up to me while Radley was so close by. Even though there was absolutely nothing untoward – or toward for that matter – the more I thought about it, the less I liked it. In fact, since the first day I'd spotted Radley, it hadn't even crossed my mind that th ere would ever been anyone else who'd capture my interest like she had.

The boys and I had been on vacation, we'd been out in bars, we'd been out in public, and I couldn't recall seeing any girl during that entire time. Not one. Not only that, it wasn't just me; there hadn't been any action in the apartment either. Ace was with Payton, Parker was too hung up on Scout, Tanner was… well, Tanner.

Maybe the season of experimenting with every edition of Cosmo we could get our hands on had finally caught up with us.

Huh. Although there were definitely a few things I'd like to try with Radley.

"Weston."

My eyes flicked to Jake, who was pointedly glaring at the girl still at my side. It wasn't one of those if-looks-could-kill glares he'd perfected, but she should probably take a step back.

"Can I get a photo?"

This time, I gave her my best smile. No, my second best. Radley would get my best best from now on. "Sorry, not today. But great to meet you."

The saccharine beam dropped off the girl's face, and she took one glance at Jake before thinking better of whatever she'd been thinking. Turning on her heel, she grabbed her friend and marched them both down the path.

"Does that not get tiring?"

"The girls? Or the fans?"

"Either. Both."

I shrugged. "I have all the time in the world for genuine fans, they're why I get to play. Girls… yeah."

"Yeah." He pulled the brownie from the bag and bit into it. "These are pr etty good. Thank you, Baller."

"Lux," I corrected.

"I'll stick with Baller." I watched him demolish it in three bites, screw the paper bag into a tiny ball, and toss it in the nearby trash can.

"You like baseball?"

This time I got a side-eye. "I'm a Dodger. Still pissed you guys took Jupiter Reeves."

Interesting.

I held my hands up. "Hey, you should take that up with Shepherd. He didn't come willingly from what I heard, if that helps."

I didn't get an answer; instead, Jake was talking into his sleeve. "Copy. Clear out here. Baller has arrived, if you want to tell her he's waiting with me."

Thirty seconds later, the doors to the English building opened and out poured hundreds of students. Some jogged straight down the path, some looked like they had all the time in the world, though in hindsight they were probably stoned. Most of them chattered away in groups as they walked off, but it took me ten seconds of scouring through the hoards before I spotted Radley.

I also had a new appreciation for the Special Agents.

Once I found her, I couldn't figure out how I hadn't seen her immediately. It had only been a couple of hours since she'd left my place, but I seem to have already forgotten how beautiful she was. She was without a doubt, by far and away, the most beautiful of anyone in the immediate vicinity. Of anyone… ever .

Her hair was twisted into a top knot, haphazardly pushed up without any thought to all the strands which had escaped, and blew softly as she moved. And all I could think about was the way I gr ipped it in my fist while she rode my dick for the third time last night. Or maybe it was this morning. I tried to stop my brain from reminding me about the way her eyelids fluttered and rolled as she came, clamping down on my cock with her deliciously tight pussy, or the way I stayed awake for as long as I could to watch her sleep after she passed out in my arms.

I tried, but failed on all accounts, and the semi in my pants was testament to that.

How was I ever going to go about my days moving forward, knowing all I now knew?

I prayed for a couple more seconds before she spotted me, or before Ethan told her where I was. I wanted to watch her for a little longer, laughing with a girl I didn't recognize. It wasn't Millie, because she was laughing on her other side. I wanted to watch her; this girl was miles away from the frightened Radley I'd guided out of the restaurant four days ago.

The one still in my orange highlighter hoodie with the sleeves rolled over four times under her jacket, looking so cute and carefree I wanted to put her in my pocket.

And then she spotted me, and the smile spreading across her face scorched my chest; a scorching that felt a lot like a brand with her name on it.

"Hey," she breathed out when she reached me. "What are you doing here?"

I bit down on my smile. "I brought you something." I peered over her as Millie joined us. "Actually, I brought you both something."

I held up the second bag of brownies, which Millie snatched, stuck her nose into, and sniffed deeply. "I heard about these. "

"Hey, Jake already tested them for you. They're safe," I laughed, giving myself a high five when Millie's mouth twitched in amusement, before I really turned on the charm. "And I heard brownies were your favorite, so I baked these fresh this morning, especially for you, as Radley's best friend."

Just like Jake, she raised an eyebrow, but offered nothing more than a curt "Thank you". Tough crowd, but I'd played Fenway Park on Opening Day, and won. Millie was a walk in the park on a perfect summer day.

Radley grinned at her, before turning to me. "What did you bring me?"

Chuckling, I reached into the inside pocket of my winter coat, and pulled out a small package wrapped in brown paper and tied with a string the color of my hoodie. She'd barely taken it from me before she ripped the paper open, to reveal a dark green notebook.

"Lux," she gasped. "It's lovely. Thank you."

I tugged her a little to the side, away from prying ears. Even though I knew she'd tell Millie the second they walked off together, I wanted this moment alone. Just us two.

"You said there was so much you wanted to do, but didn't feel brave enough." I tapped the notebook as she held my gaze. "I want you to write down everything in here, no matter how big or small, and I'll help you do it."

Her eyes widened so much I couldn't tell if it was the cold or the notebook which had them spilling over. "Lux, this is… I can't even… thank you."

"You're welcome." I tucked one of the longer strands behind her ear. "How are you feeling?"

A blush spread across her face; one I could read as easily as any book. It might have been over a year since Radley had sex for the first and only time, but she made up for it all night and again th is morning.

It wasn't just her. I was hell-bent on eradicating any memory she'd had of any guy, period. From here on in, it would be me, and me alone.

"A little bit sore, but amazing," she giggled, "though I nearly fell asleep just now."

"Get a nap in later."

"I wish," she groaned longingly, and that didn't help the semi situation. "I have a full day of classes."

"What's your next one?"

"Victorian poets, but we're getting coffee first."

"You go," I grinned. "I'm not getting between you and caffeine."

I held her gaze, like the IRL version of who hangs up first. I had nowhere better to be, but I also didn't want to make her late, and moved half an inch.

"Hey, don't you want to kiss me?"

I stepped right back into the spot I just vacated. "I'll always want to kiss you, Goldilocks, but someone might see."

Someone would definitely see.

"I don't care."

I scanned her face to see how serious she was being, or whether this would be something she'd regret the second my lips touched hers. "Really?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "Really."

"Then let's fucking go," I whispered, as my mouth surrounded her smile. I kept it as chaste as I could, but it was impossible not to steal a quick brush of her tongue against mine. This time when I stepped back, her cheeks had turned that perfect shade of peach I'd discovered spread across her entire body. "Have fun at class, Goldilocks. You too, best friend," I called to Millie, who was licking chocolate off her fingers next to Jake.

I stayed where I was, my eyes trained on Radley as they walked off. After twenty or so yards, Millie jogged back to stop right in front of me.

I thrust my hands deep into my pockets as her eyes narrowed even more than they usually did.

"Hey, Baller, you won't like what happens if you hurt her."

Regardless of Millie's height, or lack thereof, I had no doubt she could do some serious damage, and given the crazed look in her eyes, I was tempted to take her threat seriously.

I smiled and leaned in. "Don't worry, I never intend to find out."

"Hmmm," she huffed, and finally turned on her heel, throwing a hand in the air as she did. "Thanks for the brownie."

Once they were out of sight, I pulled my phone from my pocket, and typed out a text.

Lux: I know for sure, Mama.