I never had any trouble at my other school. I was well-liked. Popular, even. Maybe I’ve made a mistake in coming here. But dammit, no one knows me, and I thought that would be perfect, especially since I swear I could feel my mother in this building. But here I am, right off the bat, the butt of someone’s nasty joke. Maybe Ishoulddrop out like Xander suggested. I feel the sting of tears at the back of my eyes.ThefuckI will.
Xander can kiss my ass. He can do whatever he wants to me.
I’m not leaving.
“So, we should hang out sometime. What do you think?”
I startle when I realize I’ve been deep in thought and this guy’s probably been talking to me this whole time. “Um, yeah, maybe. I’ve got to go. I’ll see you around, Justin.” I fling my bag over my shoulder and rush away.
Walking quickly, I turn the corner and as I pass an open doorway, a hand darts out and grasps my upper arm, knocking me off balance and pulling me inside the room. I stumble and almost fall. The door clicks shut and the unnerving sound of a lock being flipped sets my heart racing. Whoever pulled me in here has let go of my arm, but I can’t seem to get my bearings in the dark room. I make out what I think is a mirror on the wall and the floor is tiled. The hollow stillness in the air makes me think I’m in a bathroom.
I back up until I hit a wall behind me, my chest rising and falling in staccato rhythm. “What the hell is this? What do you want?” I’m annoyed that my voice comes out shaky, more alarmed than I’d intended. I blink furiously, trying to see better. A second later, steps come toward me. I hold my breath as my mind races.
I sense a body right in front of me. Bigger than me, definitely a guy.Fuck. He’d better be prepared to take a knee to the balls if he comes much closer.My mother always taught me to act first, ask questions later. My lungs fill with air, and I’m a split second from raising my knee when I recognize the cologne and catch the harsh glitter of a pair of dark eyes right in front of me. My heart gives a hard thump in my chest. It’s Xander. I can feel his warm breath on my face and my insides twist.
“You’d do well to stay away from him.”
If I wasn’t so freaked out that he’d yanked me in here in the dark, I’d have laughed at him. “Who, Justin? His locker is right next to mine.” His forearms rest on the wall on either side of my head. He inches closer, causing his chest to graze against my breasts. Every breath taken increases the connection between us. I feel the solid strength of him as the warmth of his body begins to seep into mine. The friction makes my nipples tighten against my will, and I silently pray he can’t feel it. Slowly, his lips drag along the skin of my jaw and up under my ear. “He’s not a good person. Trust me when I say that.”
I can’t figure out whether I should be screaming or moaning at this point. My thighs clench at the scarce contact, and I swallow hard past the lump in my throat. “How about you? Should I be scared of you, too? You’re the one who threatened me, told me I should drop out.”
His arms fall away from the wall next to me, his hands finding my waist. One hand glides slowly up my torso, over my ribs, his thumb brushing the side of my breast, then cups my neck. That same thumb feathers up and down my throat as he looks me in the eye, nose to nose. “You should definitely be fucking afraid of me.”
The hand at my waist slips inside my uniform jacket and plants itself at the base of my spine, pulling me against him. His hard-on is like a hot brand against my stomach. With each erratic breath, I feel every inch of him slide against me. I’m scared of what’s happening, but … I’m also very turned-on. This is the worst idea ever, especially under current circumstances.Why am I allowing this? Why am I not fighting him?
“Let me go, Xander.” My words are a whisper against his lips, but I know he hears me.
He closes the distance between our mouths, barely brushing his lips over mine before nipping my lower lip between his teeth. A tug deep in my core tells me I’m in dangerous territory. I gasp, and he releases my lip, but then I involuntarily push my pelvis against his, seeking more contact. Needing something to soothe the pulsing desire. White hot shame floods through me. “I have to go. Let me go.” My words are now a plea.
His husky voice is barely audible. “Remember what I told you.”
And then he’s gone.
* * *
I slide onto the stool at the kitchen island, across from where Aunt Liz is prepping chicken for dinner, still shell-shocked by what happened in the boys’ bathroom after school. I touch my fingertips to my lower lip, gently rubbing the spot that had been between Xander’s teeth, and a rush of arousal flows through me, hot and thick. Shifting on the stool, I realize he’s just made my panties wet without even being here. If he ever found out, he’d probably give me one of those smirking, taunting grins of his, complete with the killer dimple.Ugh.
I already know my body’s instinctual reaction to him is going to be trouble. Judging from the state of my underwear, my hormones don’t seem to care that he’s no good for me. He’s hotter than hell, and despite his attitude toward me today, I’m still as ridiculously attracted to him as I was the day we met. Hell, he’d pinned me to a wall and pressed his steel erection against my belly. It’d been like some sort of bizarre claiming beyond my understanding. It was like he’d said,Be careful with Justin, but don’t worry if I rubmydick up on you.
When I don’t immediately start talking, Aunt Liz tilts her head and asks, “Well? How was your first day? Was it everything you’d hoped for?”
I press my lips together. “I’m going to reserve judgment for a while.”
Her brows raise in interest, and if I’m not mistaken, a hint of concern.
“I just mean I’ve only attended half of my classes and cross-country hasn’t even started yet.” I shrug, knowing I won’t say a word about Xander. “You know how it is. I’m sure it’ll all be fine.”
“Did you meet anyone? New friends? Any cute boys?” She slides me a wink.
I bob my head a few times. “A couple of kids showed me around today and they promised they’d help me out tomorrow with my even-day classes. And we had lunch together.”And I felt this really hot guy’s hard-on, and I think I liked it, but it doesn’t matter because he’s obviously not who I thought he was when we first met.My face colors, and I hope Aunt Liz isn’t paying attention.
“Could you grate some cheese for our salads?” She passes a cutting board with a block of cheese and a grater on it over to me. “Which kids? Maybe I know the families?”
That’s Aunt Liz code for she’s going to check into whoever I’m hanging out with in an attempt to be the parent I need. It’s a shame she can’t help me where I really need it, but there’s no way in hell I’m telling her about Xander and his personality one-eighty.
I nod and pick up the cheese to start grating. “Max Sutton and Daphne Davis. They were really nice. I have English 12 and Precalculus with Max, and AP US Government and an art class with Daphne.”
“Hm. I don’t think I know Max. Daphne is Naomi and Ben’s daughter. She’s super smart—I think she has an academic scholarship.”