Page 7 of Brutal King
As I looked around, I noticed how all the other girls were staring at Axel, admiring his beauty, and trying to get his attention.
But Axel... his cold glare never wavered. It was on Layla, so cold and heartless it even left me with a chill up my spine. As hot and sexy as he was, the absolute dead stare was disconcerting.
Layla swallowed loudly as the last student left and it was our turn.
“One at a time, please,” the campus director said.
“We’re rooming together,” I said. “Katrina Lee and Layla Tyler... Room 37.”
She looked at me with a blank face, then opened a small box on the table in front of her, found what she was looking for and handed us each a key to our room. “Here you go.” And without further delay, she proceeded with the welcome speech. “I am Mrs. Brighton; campus director and it is a pleasure to welcome you to the Academy. We aim to make every student feel special and valued and I have no doubt you will grow greatly from your experience here. After all, you will be learning everything there is to know about the culinary arts and you will be doing so with the best of the best.”
“I can’t wait to get started,” I said.
For the first time since getting in line, Layla smiled. “This is a dream that I never thought would come true.”
Stone-faced, Axel, standing a little to the right just behind Mrs. Brighton, let out an unusual grunt.
“Oh,” Mrs. Brighton let out as if noticing Axel. “And of course, if you need to be shown around, this is Axel King, campus ambassador who just happens to be the founder’s son.”
While Layla forced a weak grin, I smiled openly and broadly at Axel, wondering if he remembered me. But he didn’t even glance at me. He simply gave Layla a disgusted up and down glare. I almost wanted to blurt out, What’s wrong with you, Axel? Why are you being such a jerk?
“It’s about time you two arrive,” he growled as he turned to walk away.
What the hell are you talking about? I wanted to growl back. Instead, I took a deep breath and glanced at my watch. “Hang on a second,” I said. “Aren’t you supposed to show us around?”
He turned and looked at me for the first time. “You’re with her?”
“Yeah.” And what the hell is wrong with that?
“Like I said, you two are late. I don’t have time to sit around and wait for newcomers who can’t even arrive on time.” He glared anew at Layla. “Besides, I don’t have the stomach to be seen with such trailer trash.”
“Axel!?”
“I, as a second-year student, cannot be late to my classes,” he went on, his eyes on her. “Also, I am the son of Errol King... the founder of this academy. Hell, if I’ll be seen walking around campus with a hick who just hopped off the proverbial turnip truck.”
“Axel!!” I gasped.
“And you,” he said, looking straight at me and I could’ve sworn he recognized me. “You should know better to hang around such cheap trash.” He glared down at Layla’s luggage. “Just look at the hand-me-down ratty, pink suitcase. Damn, girl, did your old bitty of a grandma give you that?” he said with a mocking twang.
“You can’t talk to her like that,” I said, aghast at his behavior.
He smirked at me. “I can pretty much do what I want here. And if a hick in thrift shop heels thinks she’ll get me to show her around, she needs an education that this school is not equipped to provide. Damn, I can’t believe we’ve sunk so low as to allow someone like her into this establishment.” He shook his head and tsked. “We sure have let our standards fall, but I’ll see to it that that changes.”
Throughout the exchange Layla had remained silent, but a sidelong glance was enough to tell me that she was fuming. Her cheeks were red all the way to her ears and her big blue eyes were narrowed in fury.
“Come on, Layla,” I said as I grabbed her arm and tried to steer her away. “I think I can manage to show you around.”
She looked at me and forced a tight smile, but her eyes remained furious. Being the warm-hearted girl from Texas, I thought that she would take the high road and turn the other cheek.
But Layla broke from my hold, stormed up to Axel and slapped him across the face so hard, the sting of the slap could be heard by everyone within a hundred feet of us. Axel’s head whipped to the side under the force of the blow.
“Layla,” I whispered, stunned by her unexpected reaction. Then again, I didn’t really know the girl. She just seemed like a nice, reasonable girl. But to slap the son of the academy’s founder...
Axel brought his hand to his red cheek as he faced Layla once again. He quickly wiped away the surprise and pain of the blow, then pulled out a handkerchief to cleanse his cheek of her touch. “How dare you lay your filthy, grubby little hands on my clean shaven and expensively cologne cheek.”
Layla artfully ignored him, turned to me, and led me away.
“Don’t walk away from me, you piece of trash.”