The College Bully (Love Came In #2)

Chapter 10

Reece

I turned my head with my hands still clasped in front of me, watching Iris walk away. Her perfect ass was hugged tight by those sinful jeans, almost swaying as she hightailed it to the furthest end from me.

I sighed and turned back, meeting James' stare.

"What?"

He continued to study me. "That was Iris Grace. Or rather Campbell."

I frowned at him and clenched my jaw slightly at the name. "Uh huh."

"That's the girl you've been bullying." He leaned back and scratched at his  stubble with that look in his eyes that always made me tense up.

"Bullying is a very strong -"

He cut off my lame argument. "Bullying. And she apparently ran home in tears last week because of you."

I swore at his accusation, my gut clenching. "Trust John to tattle me out."

"He didn't, not at first. I had called him for something else and I dragged it out of him when he paused when I mentioned you." James took a sip of water from his glass, looking at me over the rim.

"Whatever." I grumbled and leaned back into my chair.

"I honestly didn't think you'd go that low."

I fought the urge to reach out and punch his face. "I'm not proud of what I did and what I said but she's Duncan Campbell's daughter, in case you forgot."

This time James sighed. "I know he's the reason Dad's most likely going to be in jail for many years but this is serious, Reece. He knowingly took part in criminal activities and as much as you want to hate on the lawyer, there's no reason to make life miserable for his daughter."

I looked down at my clenched fists and said nothing.

"Oh, shit." I looked up with furrowed eyebrows at James' look of scrutiny and realisation. "That's not the only reason you're such a lunatic when it comes to her."

Before I could question him on that his eyes shifted back over my shoulder and I turned my head slightly, watching as Iris reached the table with a tray. She stared at the forearms I had resting on the table without meeting my eyes and I slowly lowered them so she could place everything on the surface.

She smelled so good, like berries and vanilla. It seemed to come from her very pores, subtle yet sexy. I tried not to stare but when she leaned a little to put the beer mugs down I had to swallow down the urge to rip the shirt she was wearing which moulded to her breasts, big enough to probably fit in my palm perfectly. My hands itched at the thought.

Her hair was up in a bun with small curls resting on her nape. The hair pulled up left her neck bare. It was tempting to see that stretch of unmarked skin. I wanted to nibble my way down from her ear to her neck, lower still until I could maybe lick -

I quickly shook myself out of the thoughts and tried to calm the hard on thankfully hidden by the table. James shot me a small knowing smirk that made me roll my eyes. Maybe I wasn't the most subtle with my stare.

"Iris Grace, right?"

I shot James a look before he hid his smirk and looked at her. She stopped and her back tensed up before she turned and looked at James, studiously ignoring me. "Yes."

"I'm James, Reece's brother. Nice to finally meet you." He extended a palm with a charming smile, or at least as charming as James could get. For some reason I wanted to slap that smile off his face.

Iris looked at his hand with suspicion, and the thought that I did that to her suddenly came to mind, making guilt and pain hit me suddenly.

She hesitantly reached out and clasped his hand, her small palm engulfed by my brother's larger hand. The sight made me want to slap him.

"I'm visiting this big brute from Boston, and I was hoping to spend some time in the city, it seems so charming."

Iris's eyes instantly lit up a bit and her smile appeared. "Oh, you definitely should stay for longer, it's such a beautiful city to explore."

As James and Iris continued to chatter about the city and the places James should go to, I observed the girl in front of me with a sharp gaze. She stood angled as far as she could from me, leaning an arm on the table. As she laughed at something James said, the two of them clearly hitting it off, a sudden stab of annoyance made me want to tell James to shut up and her to get lost.

I cleared my throat as loudly as I could and moved a plate close to Iris's arm, pretending like that was the reason I did so. She immedietly stepped back and lost that smile, looking at me once and turning back to flee once again.

I played with the fries distractedly as James reached for his beer. "Jealous, brother? Don't worry, I won't try on someone you already are smitten for."

I looked up at James's humourous eyes and shot him a look. "Oh, fuck off."

I could feel his scrutinising gaze still on me as I reached for my beer as well. James waved his hand, I assumed at Iris, asking for ketchup, who then proceeded to our table with a bottle of the condiment.

Her scent wafted over me again as I tried my level best to not grab her and fuck her on the closest surface I could find.

She immedietly turned to leave again when James stopped her.

"Wait, Iris!"

She stopped midway and turned back to face James. He looked at me with mirth while I shot him a warning glance.

"I'm in town for a week or so, would you by any chance want to join me for dinner tomorrow -"

The sound of a loud clank made him stop as I almost smashed my beer on the table at his words. I looked up at him with a blank look and saw Iris avert her eyes from me.

"Thank you for the offer, that's extremely kind of you, but unfortunately I have plans and your brother clearly does not want you to be associated with someone like me."

She smiled a tight smile and turned and walked back to the end of the bar. James stared at me with a blank glance.

"What?"

"Nothing." He picked up his beer and took a casual sip from it. "She sounds like she has had enough of you don't you think?"

His almost dissapointed tone made me more mad. "Listen, I don't need to explain anything to you, least of all when it comes to her. Do whatever you want, see if I care."

"Oh? So that little reaction of yours wasn't jealousy you're telling me?"

I clenched my fist and looked up at him.

"Yes it was." James stated with glee again, laughter in his tone. "Man this is going to be good. I almost wish I was here for all of it."