A dozen emotions wage war, demanding I fight, flee, scream, just fucking dosomething, and instead my willpower melts into a puddle on the floor.
“No,” I squeak, the noise too weak to convince anyone.
“It’s okay.” His voice is more vibration than sound. “Nobody else ever needs to know how hard you came for me. I’ll keep your little secret just like you’re keeping mine.” His teeth fasten on my earlobe, gently nibbling, carving out a new erogenous zone. Then he releases it with a slow, slippery, slide of sensation. “Youarekeeping my secret, aren’t you?”
I nod, still trying to push him away with arms as useless as tissue paper.
And thank fuck he finally steps back, straightening to his full height, expression reverting to the stony visage we’re all used to seeing. He moves to the exit, only turning when his hand is on the door release. There’s a flicker of shame, there and gone so fast it could be my imagination.
“Fall into line and no one needs to be hurt, no friendships need to break. We’ll just stay away from each other and pretend this never happened.” His face softens into a slight smile. “You’re lucky I enjoyed myself on Saturday because things could be so much worse.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
ZANE
I stride to my locker,past the students lining the corridor walls, none of whom dare to meet my gaze or speak a word.
Maddox waits at the end of the hall but instead of greeting him, I spin the combination to open the door, clenching my fingers tightly over the top, letting the metal bite into my flesh.
The solidity helps as I close my eyes, holding on for dear life because the plan now is to leave her alone. To give her space to recover until the events of Saturday turn into a distant memory.
The plan is to never talk or interact with her again.
But my body is appalled at the thought. All it wants is to sprint back to the room, bend her over a desk, claw down her knickers and sink my cock into her wet, welcoming cunt while those glorious tears spill down her face and her muscles clench and convulse around me.
To feel again what I felt for the first time on Saturday night, that perfect connection as we become one.
Maddox clears his throat and puts a hand on my shoulder, giving a quick squeeze as I open my eyes.
“Is she on board with the plan?” he asks, voice low, so it doesn’t carry.
Don’t look.
Don’t you dare look.
I glance over my shoulder to see Avon staring straight at me. Our eyes lock and it’s like a punch to my diaphragm.
She jerks her gaze away, then her friend bounces along the hallway to greet her, expression morphing from happiness to concern in a heartbeat. Avon makes the universal gesture for stomach cramps and the bubbly blonde wraps her in a sympathetic hug.
She’s keeping my secret.
It’s exactly what I hoped and more than I deserve.
Now stay the fuck away.
I twist back to my locker, heart pounding, chest so tight I can barely suck in a breath. Need crawls through my veins, demanding satisfaction, but the few minutes alone in the room with her showed me I can’t trust myself near her. Stunned by my aggression she might mistake those kisses on her jawline or licking that single sweet tear for another intimidation tactic, but I know better.
I lost control.
Yet another mistake a boy with a monitor strapped to his ankle absolutely can’t afford to make.
When I reach into my locker for a book, Maddox frowns at me. Did he ask a question? I slowly rewind through the past minute. “Yeah. She’s not telling anyone.”
Wilder saunters into the corridor and comes straight over, giving me an eyebrow wave. “Everything sorted?”
“For the moment.”
“Good because I don’t want you releasing the video any more than that girl does.” He ruffles his overly long fringe. “Can’t havethe rest of the school thinking I lowered my standards.” He claps me on the shoulder, and I slap his hand away. “What the f—”
