Chapter 10: Dangerous Attention
1563 Words
Classes went smoothly, even if they hadn’t I probably wouldn’t have cared since I was too high from the night before. Nothing happened but I wished to God it had…
Just thinking about it made me smile to myself. I hadn’t seen Ryker at all this morning, and thank goodness for that because I’d probably melt.
Lunch in the Blackthorn café was unusually lively that afternoon.
News of me beating Torin in fencing had spread quickly per usual.
Tessa was practically glowing with pride.
“You destroyed him,” she said, leaning across the table.
“It was three points.”
“It was humiliating,” Tessa corrected happily.
I laughed softly.
Just then, someone approached the table.
“Mind if I sit?”
I looked up.
Sebastian Langley stood beside my chair.
Tall, strong arms, dark brown hair, and sharp-featured. He was no Ryker, but easily one of the most attractive and respected students in the elite circle.
He smiled warmly.
“Congratulations on the match.”
I blinked.
My brows furrowed a bit “Thanks.”
Sebastian pulled out the chair beside me.
“I’ve never seen Harrington lose that badly before.”
Tessa’s eyes sparkled with curiosity, “ You’ve never seen Torin loose at all”. She smiled propping her chin up on her hand.
I chuckled at her honesty “Oh really? that’s is interesting.”
Sebastian leaned slightly toward me.
“You fence good,” he said. “But your balance shifts slightly during lunges.”
I raise an eyebrow.
“Well.. I fence well, and my balance is fine. Didn’t think you were watching that closely”
“I notice details.”
Across the café…
Ryker had just walked in.
Julian noticed immediately like he always does.
“Uhh oh,” he muttered.
Luca Draven glanced toward the table.
Then grinned.
“Well well.”
Ryker’s eyes had locked onto the scene.
Sebastian sitting just a little too closely for his liking.
Talking.
Laughing.
Julian folded his arms.
“So glad I decided not to ditch today.”
Ryker started walking toward the table.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
Maybe he was trying to give him a chance to get up. I don’t know
Meanwhile, Sebastian leaned in closer to me.
“Would you want to maybe practice sometime?” he asked. “I could help you improve.”
I smiled politely.
“That would actually be really helpful, but I think I might have it covered.”
Tessa looked like she might explode from excitement.
Then a chair scraped loudly against the floor.
Ryker sat down across from us.
Sebastian looked up.
“Afternoon, Kane.”
Ryker’s voice was calm.
“Langley.”
But his eyes were on me.
“You need a fencing instructor now Vale?”
I shrugged.
“No I-”
Sebastian leaned back comfortably cutting me off.
“I offered to train with her.”
Ryker’s jaw tightened slightly.
Julian whispered to Luca from the table behind Ryker.
“Oh he hates that.”
Luca nodded.
“Absolutely hates that.” winking at Tessa before turning his attention back to Sabastian.
Ryker leaned forward slightly.
“Pretty sure she can choose her own f*****g training partners.”
Sebastian smiled calmly.
“That’s exactly what I was offering.”
The tension at the table thickened.
I glanced between them.
“Oh my god,” Tessa whispered. “Is this really happening.”
“I think she’ll be fine..” smiling at him. “She has all the help she needs.. I think you should leave.. the table’s getting a little crowded”.
Both Julian and Luca move to the same table.
Sebastian huffed, “ is that right”
I shoot up from my seat “excuse me”.
Ryker watches my every move, saying nothing as I head straight for the girls lavatory, my long braid swinging behind me. Tessa hurriedly running in my direction.
“Zaria are you okay?” She asks behind the stall.
“ I’m fine, I just need a minute”
Swinging the stall door open, Tessa jumps
“What the hell is going on?”
“He’s jealous” Tessa giggles
“Jealous?” I retort laughing out loud “No”
“Yes b***h, jealous.” “Come to think of it, I’ve never seen Ryker Kane jealous of anything yet alone showing any sort of emotion other than anger when he beats the hell out of someone”
I breathe out “I don’t care, that was- .”
Tessa decided to finish my sentence.
“Sexy..”
“Deranged..”
Sexually Deranged?”
I let out a frustrated laugh “Come on”.
We walk back towards the cafe.
“Hey I have to grab something from my locker can I meet you back in the cafe?” Tessa said gesturing at the opposite direction. “ You gonna be okay?”
“Yea sure, I’m fine”.
I stood just inside the entrance, watching Ryker across the room. They had moved back to their regular spot in the cafe.
So I grabbed lunch sat and waited for Tessa,
“Miss anything? Tessa sat her tray down.
“Nope” I say dryly
“Looks like he ran Sebastian away though”.
He sat with Julian and Luca, but he hadn’t said much since.
Sebastian smiled sweetly at me across from his table.
And Ryker had definitely noticed.
Rolling my eyes “ I’ve had enough of this.”
I crossed the room and stopped beside his chair.
“We need to talk.”
Julian immediately leaned back in his seat, sensing the tension.
“Oh good,” he muttered. “ marital problems.”
Ryker looked up calmly.
“About what?”
I grabbed his sleeve and tugged, speaking more sternly this time.
“Outside Kane.. Now”.
He raised an eyebrow but followed me anyway.
We stepped out into the courtyard, the café doors closing behind us and muting the noise.
I turned to face him near the fountain.
“Alright,” I said. “What the hell was that?”
Ryker frowned slightly.
“What was what?”
“That whole silent brooding thing you do when someone talks to me.”
His expression stayed neutral.
“I don’t brood.”
I crossed my arms.
“You absolutely brood.”
Ryker leaned against the stone railing of the fountain.
“You’re imagining things.”
I gave him a look.
“Ryker.”
“Zari”
Turning to walk away, he reached for my hand turning me back towards him.
Exhaling.
“Shit..Fine.”
The word came out reluctantly.
“You were flirting with Langley.”
My eyebrows shot up.
“I was talking to him.”
“He was flirting.”
“That doesn’t mean I was.”
Ryker shrugged.
“You didn’t stop him.”
I stared at him in disbelief
“So I’m supposed to shut down every conversation I have with another guy?”
“That’s not what I said.”
“It’s what you’re implying.”
Ryker ran a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated now.
“I’m just saying Langley doesn’t do anything without a reason.”
I shook my head.
“You think everything here is some kind of power move.”
“At Blackthorn?” he said dryly. “It usually is.”
I took two steps.
“Not everything revolves around your rivalry with Torin or the elite circle.”
Ryker looked at me for a long moment.
“You really believe that?”
“Yes.”
His voice softened slightly.
“I just don’t like the way he was looking at you okay.”
I blinked.
The honesty in his voice caught me off guard.
“Why?” I asked quietly.” It doesn’t matter”.
Ryker hesitated for half a second before answering.
“You know why…..because you’re with me.”
My heart skipped.
I tried to hide the small smile tugging at my lips.
“So this is about jealousy.”
Ryker exhaled slowly.
“Maybe a little.”
I tilted my head.
“You know that’s not a good look on you.”
He smirked faintly.
“Neither is Langley sitting too close to you… it’s f*****g bad for his health.
I laughed softly despite myself.
“You’re ridiculous.”
“And you like it anyway.”
I rolled my eyes.
“That’s still under review.”
Ryker pushed off the fountain railing and stepped closer.
“Let me know when the review process is finished, my career is on the line”
I shook my head, but I was smiling now.
“Next time,” I said, “try using words instead of acting like a caveman.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“I thought the brooding was part of my charm.”
I smirked.
“It’s not.”
Ryker leaned a little closer.
“Good to know.”
The tension between us shifted again, the earlier irritation melting into something warmer.
Inside the café, Julian peeked through the window.
Luca walked up beside him.
“Well?” Luca asked.
Julian grinned.
“They’re not fighting anymore.”
Luca nodded knowingly.
“So kissing next?”
Julian shrugged.
“Give it five minutes.”
Outside, neither I nor Ryker seemed ready to walk away just yet.
- Writer
