I try to push him away, but he shoves me back twice as hard. Lights flash when my head cracks against the wall, and I decide to stay where I am until I’ve got a clear shot for the door.
“Ah…here it is…” His eyes light up with an almost demonic light as he watches the first bit of the video I took of him with Haven. “Not my best work, but I dare say, not yours either.”
There’s a faintwhooshnoise as he deletes the video.
When his eyes flick back to me, I can’t help but flinch. “Who else did you send this to?”
“Tons of people.”
He scoffs. “Is it saved anywhere else?”
“Yes,” I lie.
“Your nose scrunches up when you lie, boy.” He tilts his head, lips quirking up. “You wouldn’t risk saving these to the cloud. They’re too…incriminating.” He adjusts his grip, leaning in a little closer so our bodies are almost touching. “Be honest. You don’t back up your photos, do you?”
I swallow. Look away. “No.”
“No…what?” Now he’s right up against me, his muscles against mine.
“No,sir.”
He makes a pleased sound in the back of his throat. “Good boy.”
My eyes slide closed at his touch when he puts my phone back in my pocket. The way his hand lingers sends urgent signals to my brain—but all the wrong kind.
He smiles at the way I flinch when he pats my pocket.
“Now, while we’re on the subject of what a terrible liar you are…”
He stops to inhale a big breath, his slow exhale warming my throat.
I’ve faced off against Ezra. My dad. Haven’s dad. A couple of other guys over the years when the booze was flowing and the hormones raging.
Nothing could have prepared me for the look in Rooke’s eyes. They’re blown out, nearly all black, andlivid.
“I asked if there’d be cops knocking at my door when you came to rescue Haven after the Rain Dance. Why’d you lie?”
I scoff. “I didn’t know?—“
“That there’d be an investigation after you put your brother into afucking coma?” The last words are a vicious whisper.
“No. I mean…yes, obviously, but…” I grab Rooke’s wrist, trying to prise his fingers off my clothes, but he twists his hand even tighter, pulling me away from the wall before slamming me back again. Crowding in even closer.
“Butwhat, boy?”
He’s not mad at me.
Despite his brutal grip, the way his body shakes like he’s struggling not to wail on me until I end up in that empty bed next to Ezra, the way he searches my face tells me this isn’t anger.
It’sfear.
Instead of trying to pull him off me, I tighten my grip until I can feel the muscles in his wrist bunching.
“You worried they’ll find out about you and my brother? What you did to him?” I murmur, my eyes narrowing as I try to search a face that’s mostly in shadow.
“What hebeggedme to do to him.” Rooke chuckles as he leans back, flattening his hand on my chest and pushing me harder into the wall. “I have every reason to be here. Ezra is a former student. You, however, look like you’re trying to assuage your guilt.”
His gaze drops to my mouth before slowly trailing back to my eyes. “Or are you here to finish the job?”
