Now it’s my turn to look at Ms. Sullivan like she’s lost her marbles. Dark, growly energy? She misses that?
“I should get into class,” I say. Caden lets his hands fall.
Ms. Sullivan gives me a smile like she just noticed me. “You two would have made great partners on this project. Your creative energies complement each other.”
Caden’s eyes turn thoughtful as he watches me walk backward into the classroom. I’m not sure what he’s thinking, but it makes my chest tighten.
“See you at lunch, Harper.” Caden turns to talk with Ms. Sullivan, but I’m out of hearing range now. I turn and see Tanner sitting at our table. Fuck.
He must have passed Caden and me kissing. It’s not a secret the horsemen own me or that they kiss me. Everyone in school must know that by now. But it’s still a little unnerving he walked right past us and I wasn’t aware of it. Was Caden aware?
Shaking the thoughts from my head, I sit in my chair and pull out my sketchbook.
“Enjoying being their whore?” Tanner’s voice is low enough I’m the only one who can probably hear him.
I glance over at Nico, but Angela has him distracted. Good, I don’t need him running off and telling the others what Tanner says. Especially when he’s trying to provoke them.
“Do you miss being beaten up?” I turn to him with a curious look. “I mean, you’re pretty enough without bruises discoloring your face, but if that’s what you want.”
I shrug like it doesn’t bother me. Tanner is a pest.
“It won’t last. Your pussy won’t be enough to keep them from straying.” He opens his sketchbook to a nude woman he’s working on.
I roll my eyes. “Why do you care?”
Honestly it shouldn’t matter to anyone how long the horsemen decide to keep me. I’m not permanent. Eventually they’ll tire of playing with me and move on. So what? Tears well against the back of my eyes.
Fuck, not this shit again. I refuse to cry in front of this particular asshat, so I choke the tears down the best I can. It’s what Jack called subdrop. The emotional letdown from the euphoria. I can handle it.
“I don’t care if they drop you. But while you’re theirs, I can fuck with them by fucking with you.”
My gaze collides with his devious blue eyes. He smiles like the cat that ate the canary. A shiver of dread rolls through me. Maybe I should ask my mom for that Taser.
“I’m going to be honest with you, Harper.”
“That would be a change.”
His chuckle is dark. “I don’t care what it takes. I want to destroy them, and you’re the tool I’ll use to do it. It won’t matter how they try to protect you. I’ll hurt you to hurt them.”
Evil. That’s what I get from Tanner Lewis. Pure, unadulterated evil. A chill races down my back, knowing I’m the target of all that hate.
The door slams, and I jump. Ms. Sullivan comes into class.
Tanner returns to his drawing and acts like he didn’t just drop a bomb in my lap. Here’s the thing. He wants me to take that back to the guys. He wants them on high alert. I don’t want to give him that satisfaction.
But I know I can’t handle him on my own. I need to figure out a plan to deal with whatever Tanner throws my way without involving the guys. As Ms. Sullivan begins her lecture, I can’t help thinking why.
Why am I protecting the horsemen? Maybe Tanner distracting them is a good thing. It would definitely make them let up on the constant attention and give them someone to fight instead.
They want to know everything or they’ll punish me. A little thrill rushes through me at how well they punished me last night, but I ignore it. Tanner wants a war. Fine, I’ll give him one.
Eli
When Caden draws Harper down on his lap at lunch, she winces and doesn’t relax into him like she usually does. Her punishment last night probably did more harm than good. Physically and emotionally. She’s a seething kitten.
I hold out an apple to her.
I get why the others wanted to fuck her wearing their jerseys. I’ve been hard every time she’s near me in mine. But I’m sure her cunt is sore today. Still, a little extra pain doesn’t bother me. I can use it.
