Adler | The Aces of St.Sinclair BOOK 1.

Kiss | A FORTY TWO

A/N: Dedicated to jheneaik0222 and iluvraspberries. Thanks for all your feedback and funny comments!

My intuition had been right that in  putting all of my feelings out to Garren was a spur of the moment thing. It dissolved when that Sunday morning, I was stirred by somebody shaking me awake. I'd figured it was a dream when I opened my eyes to find Garren standing over me. I'd neglected Nadia's mention in returning the spare key to my suite she leant out.

His grin was far from pleasing.

Skipping the club meetings to keep my cover on my X follow ups had come with more troubling consequences than worrying Will. Garren brought it upon himself to organise a 24 hour crash course to prepare me.

Thus began the most aggravating hours of studying that I didn't think were possible to feel. When I simply wanted a little more sleep, I was shoved off my mattress. Garren didn't let me shower until I had properly recapped everything I'd previously revised and when I could shower, he hurried me with the excuse of not wanting to waste precious time.

Then lectured me on my messy bed.

I wanted to rip off my ears, he nagged worse than my own bloody mother.

Also, in between the harsh orderings, he'd mention how I should be grateful to him for going out of his way to help me and I felt tempted to kick him out again. Take back any implications I made about how I thought of him and ditch the tournament.

We'd be boarding a flight to Amsterdam somewhere past noon. Though, there was just one thing I wanted to take care of before leaving. I found him by the academy's football pitch, chatting with some other guys where the midway fence separating the girl's pitch was anchored.

When Hess' eyes found mine, he didn't bother giving his company any notice and started moving towards me with a large grin. Then his face fell at seeing Shaun stood beside me. The disappointment almost appeared genuine.

"Hey, Buns." He greeted, purposely acting like the frowning athlete beside me didn't exist. "Is that new?" He pointed to my hairband. "It looks good on you."

Shaun's eyes narrowed while I ignored the compliment and dipped my hand into my bag. I watched his grin vanish when I plunged out the busted mobile with the frame hanging off. A ghastly burnt screen and a hole where the camera lense would be.

"Here you go."

Both boys were slack jawed. Hess' gaze in particular was bewildered as he stared at the device I placed in his hands, then turned back to me. "What the hell. You actually put it in the microwave?"

"I might've dropped it."

"Dropped it? There's a bloody hole big enough for me to put my finger through it.”

"Then be more careful where you misplace your property. And now that we're done here, never bother me again. Is that understood?"

Hess quirked a brow, eyes fixed on me as he dropped the shambles onto the grass without a care. "Let me at least take you out to dinner for returning my property so safe and soundly."

"Hess would you just quit it?" Shaun sounded exasperated enough for the both of us. "You've got to be getting tired of this. Don't you have anything better to do?"

Hess didn't shift his eyes from where they steadied on me. "Stevie, would you mind telling your boy toy to run along? He's ruining the moment."

Shaun made one affirmative step, shielding me from the other boy. "Enough already." His voice was civil but I was sure there was a scowl on his face. "This is just stupid, Alger."