Chapter 99 | My Squad of Losers vs. Your S-Rank Ego

Blair’s expression froze. Then slowly shifted into pure rage.

"Then why the hell am I here?" Her voice went up an octave. "You waste my time dragging me across campus at midnight for nothing?"

"Not nothing."

"Ugh you’re so disgusting." Blair turned to Misato. "Why did you bring me here? I have mana theory work to finish and this fat scholarship loser is—"

"We’re aiming for top five," I said.

Blair stopped mid-sentence. Turned back to me.

"What?"

"The Midnight Foxes. We’re aiming for top five in the whole academy."

Silence dropped like concrete.

Blair’s mouth opened. Closed. Opened again.

Then she laughed.

Full body. Head thrown back. The kind of laugh that said she’d just heard the funniest joke of her entire life.

"Top five?" She wiped her eyes. Actually had tears. "You? The squad with the fat lottery kid ranked two hundred forty-one?"

"That’s me."

"And Belle. The gold digger with the useless ability."

"She’s on the team yeah."

"And Naomi. The nice girl who cries when people are mean to her."

My hands flexed behind my back. The rope bit deeper.

Keep it together.

"And Jordan. Who sleeps through half his classes." Blair’s laugh died. Her smile stayed. Vicious. "That’s your squad. That’s who you think can crack the top five in the entire academy?"

"Yeah."

"You’re delusional."

"Maybe." I shrugged as much as the ropes let me. "But here’s the deal. If your squad finishes top five? You get Misato back permanently. And I’ll quit the academy. Walk away. You never have to see me again."

Blair’s eyes narrowed. "Okay. So? Why would I care if a scholarship loser like you drops out?"

There it was.

The opening.

I leaned forward. Met her glare with my own.

"How about this. If that happens? You get me too."

"Excuse me?"

"I become your pet. For the rest of our time at the academy." I watched her face. "I’ll even let you get me a cute collar. One that says Jace on it."

Blair’s mouth fell open.

Behind her, Misato made a choking sound.

"You..." Blair’s face went from pale to red in two seconds. "What?"

"You heard me. You win. You get Misato and a pet lottery boy to order around." I tilted my head. "Seems like a good deal to me."

"This is insane."

"But wait there’s more." I kept my voice light. Easy. "If we finish top five though? You join our squad. Transfer to the Midnight Foxes permanently."

"Absolutely not."

"And you become my pet for the rest of the semester."

Blair’s entire body went rigid.

Her face cycled through about six different expressions. Shock. Outrage. Confusion. Something else I couldn’t read.

"How dare you—"

"I’m thinking bunny ears and tail." I let my eyes drift down her body. Slow. Obvious. "Though maybe a maid outfit would look sexier on you. Hard to say without seeing it first."

Blair’s face combusted. Red spread from her neck to her hairline.

Her hands clenched into fists at her sides. Little sparks of blue-white flame danced around her knuckles.

"You disgusting perverted piece of—"

"So that’s a no?" I smiled. "Understandable. Must be scary betting against a squad you think can’t win."

The flames around her hands flared brighter.

"I’m not scared of you."

"Then prove it. Take the bet."

"Why would I possibly—"

"Because you’re Blair Davenport." I held her glare. "Daughter of Johnathan Davenport. Heiress to an empire. Someone with an S-rank ability who’s never lost anything in her entire life."

Her breathing got heavier.

"You’re trying to manipulate me."

"I’m offering you a sure thing. You said it yourself. We’re a squad of losers. Belle with her useless detection. Naomi who’s too nice. Jordan who won’t stay awake. Me at the very bottom." I shrugged. "Should be easy money for someone like you."

Blair’s eyes searched my face. Looking for the trap.

I kept my expression open. Honest.

"And if you somehow win?" she asked quietly.

"Then you’re mine."

The words hung there.

Blair swallowed. Her throat moved.

"Define mine."

"Same terms you set. Pet. Following orders. Wearing whatever I tell you to wear." I paused. "Though I’d probably be nicer about it than you would."

"I don’t believe you."

"Don’t have to. We can write it up. Make it official. Sign contracts if you want."

Blair looked at Misato. "Is he serious?"

Misato’s expression was complicated. Torn.

"I think so."

"This is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard." Blair turned back to me. "You’re betting your entire academy career on a squad that’s ranked seventh out of ten in your own house."

"Yep."

"You’ll lose. Badly."

"Maybe."

"And then you’ll be my pet for three years."

"If that happens yeah."

Blair’s hands unclenched. The flames died.

She walked closer. Leaned down.

Her face stopped six inches from mine.

This close I could see the individual blue shards in her irises. The way her pupils dilated slightly. The small scar above her left eyebrow hidden under foundation.

She smelled like expensive shampoo. Something floral. Rose maybe.

My heart hammered but I kept my expression calm.

"Why?" she whispered. "Why would you possibly make this bet?"

Truth time.

"Because I hate losing more than I hate anything else." I held her stare. "And watching you lord your money and family name over people like you’re special? Gets old fast."

Her breath caught.

"So yeah. I’m betting everything on my squad of losers. Because proving you wrong will feel better than playing it safe."

Blair straightened. Took three steps back.

Her hands shook slightly. She shoved them in her hoodie pocket.

"Fine."

Misato’s head snapped toward Blair. "What?"

"I said fine. I accept his stupid bet." Blair’s voice came out cold. Controlled. "We’ll make it official tomorrow. Written contract. Signed witnesses."

"Blair you don’t have to—"

"I want to." Blair’s smile came back. Sharp as broken glass. "I want to watch him fail. I want to see his face when he realizes how badly he miscalculated."

She walked to the door. Stopped with her hand on the knob.

Looked back at me.

"And I want to see you in that collar. On your knees. Exactly where lottery trash belongs."

The door slammed behind her.

I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.

Misato stared at me like I’d grown a second head.

"What the fuck did you just do?"

"Saved my squad. Probably."

"You bet your entire future on—"

"On us winning. Yeah." I twisted my wrists in the ropes. "So you gonna untie me or leave me here all night?"