“Go on, choke me, threaten me, hurt me, do whatever the fuck you want,” she screams. “I won’t fight you because you hold all the power!” Her acknowledgment of me being in control soothes the beast inside me. “I’m powerless, weak, nothing buta bargaining chip as you like to call me. You won, Xaden. You fucked the frigid bitch that the Somerset Eagles couldn’t bag.”
My features pull taut. “You wanted to fuck the team?”
She scoffs in disgust. “No, asshole. They wanted to be the ones with bragging rights that they banged Masen’s sister. As you know, I didn’t do shit with them. I dishonored myself by giving you that gift.”
“Awww, you regret fucking me?” I mock.
When the fire slowly drains from her eyes and all that remains is hurt, I frown at the sudden change. “No, Xaden. I regret being tricked into it but no, I don’t regret the act itself,” she says in an earnest tone, then slouches back into her seat and crosses her arms over her chest, then gazes out the window. I sit here staring at her in confusion, she’s a fucking puzzle.
She willingly gave me her body, yet she won’t fucking tell me where the hell she was for the past year. I know Harper knows and I’ll break every bone in that bitch’s body until she tells me where the fuck Toren was hiding.
I locked Toren in her room last night. I didn’t trust her not to try and run. Coach canceled practice this morning, he wanted us amped and ready for the game tonight. When my phone rings as I step out of the shower, I grind my teeth in annoyance when I see Lorenzo’s name.
I snatch the phone off my dresser and put it on speaker as I dry off. “Yeah?”
“Where the fuck have you been?” he roars.
“Busy,” I bite out.
“Last warning, Xaden?—”
“I was keeping the fucking bitch in line. She needed reminding who the fuck she belonged to. I wasn’t gonna answer my phone while I was balls deep inside her cunt now, was I?” I wait for him to unleash his wrath on me for cutting him off.
“Tonight, be at the house at midnight. Bring the girl.” I draw back and stare down at my phone.
“Why?”
“Don’t fucking question me, boy. Get your fucking ass here,” he clips out, then ends the call.
“Motherfucker!” I roar, then cock my arm back ready to smash a hole into the wall with my fist, but manage to stop myself at the last second. I’m not fucking my hand up right before the biggest game of my life.
I get dressed, then stalk out of my room, only to come face to face with Cas as he steps out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. He looks like he hasn’t slept.
“Where were you?”
“Chasing down that fucking cocksucker until dawn.” My brows raise and I roll my lips over my teeth to keep from smiling. The big fucker growls and bares his teeth at me. “Next time you decide not to finish a fucking job, you stay behind and deal with it.” When he shoulders past me I can’t contain my laughter. “Fuck you, X. You’re a real prick,” he snaps, then slams his bedroom door closed, making me laugh harder. It’s been a long fucking time since I laughed and it feels strange to find humor in something again. The laughter dies out when a picture ofherflashes through my mind.
I push the thought away as I pull my keys out and unlock Toren’s door, prepared to wake her ass up, but to my surprise, she’s awake, dressed and sitting on the edge of the bed with her hands clasped in her lap. She slowly lifts her head and looks atme. Her eyes are bloodshot, telling me she cried herself to sleep. She stands and holds her head high.
“I packed a bag because I figured I wouldn’t have time to come back here after my shift.” I just raise a brow in answer. “I need to brush my teeth.” I step aside and motion for her to go about her business. As she passes me, she makes every effort to stay as far away from me as she can. I lean against the wall in her room and wait. When she returns after a few minutes, she doesn’t glance over at me as she grabs her bag off the floor and pulls it on her back. “I need your jersey,” she mumbles beneath her breath.
“Speak up, Tink,” I snarl.
She finally lifts her head and looks at me, a range of emotions flash through her eyes. “If you want me to wear your number at the game, I need your jersey.”
“We leave in five minutes. Be waiting at the front door,” I say.
The second I parked in front of SU, she took off toward her first class. I could feel her wanting to ask me where her friend was the whole way there, but she’s smart enough to know that I would never tell her. The school has been buzzing all day with excitement over the game tonight, this is what we look forward to all year.
Adrenaline has been riding me hard today, the thirst for the big win is at the forefront of my mind. I’ve been running all the plays on repeat in my head all day, not focusing on anything else. Even at lunch, I saw Brady sitting with Toren and ignored them both. That fucker is about to get his after the season, he’ll learn real fast why the fuck he shouldn’t touch my toys. I don’t share what belongs to me.
When the final bell rings out, everyone roars with excitement as they rush out of the classroom. I can’t help but feel the infectious excitement of my peers. They are just as hungry as I am to take Somerset down.
I have big moves planned after this game. We'll be back on our turf soon and I’ll make sure Somerset scum never forget that we are better than they will ever be. I’ll rule them with an iron fucking fist.
“Xaden.” The way Cas says my name has me pausing mid step and everyone in the hallway falling silent. I turn around to see him standing there with a murderous look on his face.
“What?” I clip out as I stalk toward him, ignoring the stares of everyone gathered around.
