I grimaced at him as he shook his head.
“Yeah, right. You’ll be even more beautiful when Austin bends you over on the poker table,” he remarked sarcastically.
“James, come on, can you not talk to her like that?” Will said from the top of the stairs.
James narrowed his dark gaze and glared at me. “He’ll do it. I warned you.”
“That’s insane, James,” I retorted, backing away until I could grab the table behind me with my fingers. For a second I didn’t recognize my own voice flowing from my lips, more meekly than usual.
He came so close to me that I could smell his cologne. “Don’t play with me, princess,” he said.
I stared at him with my head held high. “Or what?”
“My fantasies will turn into reality, sweetheart,” he spat, with a less than reassuring sneer.
“Yeah, in your dreams, Hunter.”
The self-confidence I showed him was fake, a house of cards built just to protect me from his cutting remarks.
“Like you wouldn’t do it, White.”
He moved his tongue quickly over a corner of his mouth. I felt myself flush.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” he whispered in my ear, as I elbowed him.
“Hey!”
I headed to the door, waiting for Will to come back.
James wore his studded leather jacket over his black T-shirt. He put on a pair of Jordans and came close to me, leaning his hand against the doorjamb.
I cleared my throat as he pulled his vape out of his pants pocket. “Is there any time in the day when you’re not under the influence of something?”
“I don’t know, when I’m sleeping?”
Running his fingers through his hair, he fiddled with a lock. I started to feel the distance between us close in.
“Stop it, James.”
“Stop what?”
He played with mouthpiece of the vape pen with his tongue.
“Whatever it is that you’re doing.”
“Are you already frustrated?” His voice became sneaky and quiet. His eyes slid down between my thighs, like he was checking something. “Does my presence bother you that much, Snow White?”
“Why should it? Don’t flatter yourself, it’s not about you,” I said.
Finally, William joined us. “Ready to go?” He flashed me a dazzling smile.
“Readier than ever,” retorted James, shoving my shoulder as I walked out the door.
Maybe it would’ve been better to go to school.
2
June
