“Are you okay, pumpkin? What’s with all the noises I’ve been hearing in your room lately?”
I take a very long and loud gulp of the hot chocolate Dad made me to avoid answering.
“Listen, honey, there’s been another murder last night, and they’ve even given the serial killer a name. The Dark Devil, because he only seems to target high-placed employees at Devil. But I’m not convinced the rest of Astley isn’t at risk, so I really want you to—”
“Don’t worry, Dad. Sorry, can’t talk. Running late!”
Before Dad has a chance to launch into an overprotective monologue, I take a spoonful of oatmeal, grab an apple, and hurry out.
Chapter 11
Piper
Today is Tuesday, and that usually means the class I’m dreading most: a three-hour long lab stuck next to Cass Henley, with Quill’s eyes burning into me nonstop from the table behind me.
But the prospect doesn’t feel as gloomy today as I rush into the school building just as the bell rings. Though my chest tightens when I open the door, wondering how Quill will act now that we’re in public.
Is this new relationship of ours just a private thing? Will he go back to being Quill my bully when we’re in school?
I’m aware of how unpopular I am. I’m not sure I’d call Quill popular exactly, but the school as a whole is very much in awe of him.
It would be a lot to ask of him that he parade our relationship in front of everyone. Even speaking to me would be akin to social suicide. And while I doubt Quill actually cares about what anyone thinks of him, expecting too much of him would likely be setting myself up for disappointment.
I try to tell myself that it doesn’t matter. He can be as cruel as he wants to me in public, as long as he’s mine in private.
Still, the thought dampens my excitement a bit as I open the door to the science classroom.
Then I freeze. Because Cass is nowhere to be found. In her place, sits… Quill.
I swallow nervously even as my heartbeat picks up, because the thought of sitting next to Quill for three hours feels… well, just a little bit overwhelming.
He may have spent much of the past twenty-four hours with his face between my legs, but that doesn’t mean I don’t still feel pretty damn awkward around him. I’m so scared of saying the wrong thing. It definitely seems like every time I open my mouth, it’s to put my foot in it.
He appears to enjoy my discomfort as I head to the table then sit down, awkwardly crossing and uncrossing my legs, wondering if I’m supposed to say hi to him—we did just wake up together and then have sex, so greeting him would probably be kind of weird, but not saying anything would be too. I hesitate for what feels like an eternity, then end up just clearing my throat loudly, hoping he’ll read into it whatever he wants to. But he merely looks at me, though in the place of his usual murderous glare, something dark and unreadable swirls in his eyes.
It does things to me, and I start to play with my hands in my lap while squeezing my thighs as hard as I possibly can.
I can barely suppress a gasp when Quill leans over to me and whispers audibly, “I like watching you fidget.”
I grab the microscope and am so intent on looking into it that my glasses bump into the lens. Oh, God. Am I just the most awkward klutz to ever have graced the face of this Earth?
At once, Quill’s arm snakes around me as though he’s helping to adjust me in front of the microscope. But his other hand slides up my thigh, making me gulp audibly.
“You should wear a skirt,” he breathes into my ear. “How am I supposed to touch you when you’ve got jeans on?”
Uhhh… you’re not? We’re in school?!
But instead of saying so, I gulp again, and then a squeak slips out of my mouth as he… unbuttons my jeans and slides his hand in.
“Quill!” I choke out, accidentally bumping my glasses against the microscope lens again in my surprise.
My face flames as his hand slips under my panties, toying with my clit.What is he doing? We’re in class!
I glance around nervously, but the other students can’t see Quill’s hand in my panties. At least, I don’t think they can. Our table is very bulky, and luckily, my backpack is hanging off the side of my chair because I didn’t have time to bring it to my locker. I quickly adjust it to ensure it fully hides me.
It feels like everyone is staring, not because Quill is touching metherebut because Quill is touching me… period. I guess they’re just as shocked as me that the most unpopular girl in school is suddenly going out with her biggest bully.
I’d been secretly hoping Quill wouldn’t hide our relationship, but he certainly has chosen a very Quill-like way of going public.
