“I want to go home.” My voice shook, but I didn’t know what for. The darkness he just dragged out of me, or the arousal I was fighting right now.
“Get me out of this place,” I begged, desperate. “Take me home.”
His sigh was lazy, but his eyes were sharp and dark. “You know, you’re a really infuriating, little witch,” he exhaled sharply. “Fine, I’ll go hard.”
He began to rise off the bed. But I bolted for the door, clothes in my hands, shaking.
“God, I need to go. I need to go,” I chanted, my chest tight, stomach in knots as tears spilled out of my eyes, running downmy cheeks, blurring my vision. “I need to get out of here. I need to go home. God please, take me out of here.”
I was in the living room now, my top thrown on the couch as I proceeded to put on my shorts. But I had barely pushed the short all the way up when I heard it. A click.
I turned sharply with a gasp, my arms wrapped around my body protectively.
Zaghan stood by the end of the hallway that opened into the living room, his hardness straining against the boxer he had slipped on. Then my eyes fell on the thing that made theclicksound.
A gun dangled from his fingers.
My breath stumbled out of me.
“I told you not to let another man look at you.” His eyes were dark, furious.
Another man?
Was this still about Donald?
“Now, I have to lose two competent soldiers because of you.” His voice made anxiety weave tight behind my ribs. “Because you decided to flaunt what belongs to me in front of them.”
My pulse pounded as the gun lifted, not at me, but past me.
The shot rang out, echoing twice. A loud scream tore from my throat as I dropped to the floor, my hands covering my ears, shielding my head.
I heard it, the thud of bodies collapsing to the tiled floor. Then silence, followed by the cold, undeniable scent of blood.
I lifted my head, slowly, my eyes scanning until they stopped at a spot. My heart pounded, blood rushing in my ears.
Two men laid motionless in the corner, blood pooling around them. Two men I didn’t remember were here because I was disoriented when I ran into the living room.
My lips parted, throat expanding as a shrill cry tore from my chest, shattering the world around me. Then just like that, darkness rushed in, the world tilting, until I crashed to the floor.
38
BETH
I’m going to marry you, Beth Fraser
Three days had passed already. But the brutality of Mr. Donald’s murder still hung heavy like a stubborn dark cloud. Every news media sunk their fangs so deep into it and wouldn’t let go.
Lochborne Academy of Arts wasn’t any different. Even if just for a few days, he had taught here after all. The halls were still buzzing with the news when the final bell rang, like it had been going on since it happened.
There were voices, some low, some loud enough to be heard from a mile. Then there was the conspiratorial laughter, curiosity sharpened into something…ugly.
Just like yesterday, and the day before that, I walked beside Kenzo, silent, brooding, my steps automatic, and my mind was nowhere near my body.
“Did you see the photo before they took it down?” a boy behind us asked his company.
“Nah,” the other replied, sounding defeated. “My cousin did though. Said it was bad. Showed it to his mom and she fucking passed out in the kitchen.”
My fingers tightened around my strap. Someone passed out from seeing the body. And then there was me who–
