Chapter 47: Trey: One Wrong Move

TREY

Professor Collins sets my proposal on the desk, keeping two fingers on the cover as he meets my eyes.

"This is good work, Mercer. You’ve clearly put some thought into it." He pauses, then leans back in his chair. "My concern is how much you’re trying to take on."

I raise a brow, waiting for him to explain.

"The methodology is solid. I have no issue with that, and I like the direction you’ve chosen." He glances at it again. "But this is still one senior research project. You’ve got a considerable amount of data to collect before you can even begin the analysis, and that’s only part of what you’ve outlined. I need to know you can manage all of it."

"I can handle it."

"I thought you might say that." A faint smile pulls at his mouth as he reaches for the approval slip.

He signs the bottom and slides it across to me.

"Then let’s see how you get on. I want an update every week, Mercer. If you disappear for three weeks and come back with half the project done, we’re going to have a problem."

"Weekly updates. Got it." I take the slip.

Approval handled, he spends another few minutes warning me about scope creep and sloppy documentation before sending me out.

A text from Sadie is waiting when I step out of his office and head down the hallway.

Sadie: Should I meet you at the athlete lounge?

She’s been unusually sweet since last night, though maybe I’m reading too much into the breakfast she made me this morning. The conversation about my dad might have left her feeling weird, or maybe I sounded more pissed at her than I meant to when I called it a night.

I’m still thinking about it when I leave the building and round the corner, only to pull up short at the sight of Ezra standing a few feet ahead.

My fingers tighten around my phone.

What the hell is he doing here? Better question, did he fucking follow me?

I bite back a curse as he heads straight for me, closing the distance with enough purpose to rule out an accidental run-in.

He’s healed well. The bruises are gone, along with the swelling. You’d never guess now how much of his blood ended up on my shirt the last time we saw each other.

"You look surprised to see me."

"I am." My gaze sweeps over him. "Figured you’d still be in bandages after bleeding all over my shirt."

His smile pulls tight at the corners. "I might not have Alpha blood, but I’m not weak either."

"Good for you." My eyes drag over him once. "Now, why’d you follow me? I doubt it was to show me how nicely your face grew back."

"Let’s talk." He gestures toward the walkway. "We could grab something at Corner Plate."

I almost prefer it when he’s being a prick. At least then I don’t have to watch him struggle through this friendly act. His shoulders haven’t loosened once, and that grin looks uncomfortable enough to hurt.

He’s after something. Why he thinks buying me lunch will help him get it is beyond me. Unless this is for Dad’s benefit. Look at us, bonding like good little sons.

Fuck that.

I glance at my watch. "I’m already late. I’ve got something—"

"If you’re going to pick Sadie up, her class ended thirty minutes ago," he says over me. "Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here."

Right. The class they share.

The reminder sends anger crawling up my spine, my fingers closing harder around my phone. If I had my way, he wouldn’t get close enough to Sadie to breathe the same fucking air. That would mean getting rid of him, and I’m comfortable with how that sounds.

"Still not having lunch with you." I check my watch again. "Whatever you want, spit it out. You’ve got six minutes."

"Fine." He adjusts the strap of his bag. "I need you to back off from Sadie."

I snort.

The words are so ridiculous I almost think I heard him wrong.

"What?"

"I need you to back off from Sadie," he repeats. "I’m going to fix things with her, and I can’t do that if she’s living with you or whatever the hell is going on between you two."

Well, he’s said it twice now. With conviction, too, which is unfortunate. I was willing to give him the benefit of being temporarily fucking stupid.

"You came all the way over here to tell me that?"

"Yes." Any trace of his forced friendliness disappears. "Maybe you don’t give a shit that she’s your brother’s ex, but you should. I want her back, Trey. Stay out of the picture."

[Let me out. I’ll take him out of the fucking picture.]

That’s a suggestion I’m willing to entertain.

A growl works its way up my throat before I can swallow it, and Ezra backs up. Trex pushes me to follow and my body is halfway committed to the idea.

I crack my neck while I force Trex down. It takes a moment since neither of us is entirely interested in calming down for Ezra’s benefit.

"You just pissed my wolf off."

He lets out a humorless huff. "You’re pissed? I’m the one who should be pissed. Sadie and I have a bond. You’ve never had one, so you don’t know what you’re talking about."

I close the space he just put between us. "You shared a bond. Past tense. You’re nothing to her anymore. Learn to stay in your place."

"You seriously think you know her better than I do?" he snaps. "She spent years loving me. You’ve had her in your apartment for what, a few days? I’ll get her back, Trey. Then you can explain to yourself why she picked me."

Breaking his nose would be easier than standing here listening to him.

He doesn’t show an ounce of guilt. Just convinced that Sadie still loves him and that, sooner or later, she’ll remember it. I hate him a little more for making some part of me wonder if he’s right.

"If you’re so confident she’ll choose you, you wouldn’t need my cooperation." I give him a once-over. "But you came all the way here looking for it, so clearly you’re not as sure as you’d like me to think. And since we’re being honest, you’re never touching her again."

"Who are you to tell me that?" he demands.

"Someone who understands how badly you fucked her up. Do you?"

I move closer before he can answer.

"She spent her birthday waiting for you, Ezra. Her own fucking birthday, and all she wanted was some attention from you." I jab a finger toward his chest, struggling to keep my voice level. "You had her that desperate for you to show up, and when you did, you brought Paige and rejected her. Then she nearly got killed by rogues that same night. Now, you want her back? Are you stupid or just delusional?"

A faint tremor runs through him as he holds himself stiffly. Eventually, a bitter laugh escapes him. "So that’s the sob story she gave you?"

"I was in the fucking next room." I drive a finger into his shoulder. "I heard everything, you bastard."

His eyes widen before he gets his face under control, but I’ve already caught the moment he realizes he can’t bullshit his way out of this.

"You’ve wanted her all along, haven’t you?"

"Yes." He finally asked a question worth answering.

He bites down on his lip as he moves away and drags a hand through his hair. Turning slightly, he taps one foot against the ground while I watch him struggle with information he fucking asked for.

"I don’t care what you want," he says when he faces me again. "Sadie is mine. Once I have her again, maybe you’ll finally understand that you mean nothing to her."

He scoffs.

"She tells anyone who’ll listen that you’re just someone she tutors. You seriously think she likes you? She dedicated an entire project to me, Trey. That’s how much she wants me." His mouth twists. "And soon, she’ll be helping me with the Trials too. There’s nothing you can do about that. She does pathetic shit like that for me."

The mention of the Trials makes the rest of his bullshit fall into place. All this effort to track me down, offer me lunch, and explain how much Sadie loves him, and he finally gets around to what this is really about.

Of course, he came crawling back. She can help him win, and he’s convinced she still loves him enough to do it. He can stand here calling her pathetic and somehow expect her to put that same devotion to work for him.

"Listen to me very carefully." I wait until his composure cracks. "Nothing has happened with Sadie because I respect her. She deserves someone who’ll chase her properly and give her time to decide. That’s what I’m doing. But step out of line, and I’ll send you every fucking video of her moaning my name, since you’re so interested in who she wants. Then I’ll put my mark on her neck and claim her as my mate. She’ll be bonded to me for life, and you can spend yours telling everyone how much she used to love you."

His hands close into fists. I glance down at them, then smile at him.

"How fast this happens is up to you. So behave, and I’ll take my time. Try me, and I’ll fuck her before the week is over."

I knock my shoulder into his as I walk past and keep going. By the time I reach the next building, I pull out my phone and text Sadie.

Me: Give me an hour. Got somewhere to go.