“Fuck you.” My words shake as I clench my hands into tight fists at my side. Why did that hurt so much?
He grunts. “Pass.”
Fury spikes my bloodstream, my anger and humiliation at his words filling me like a vicious, violent wave. I don’t even realize what’s happening until it’s done. One second I’m about to storm off and the next, my fist is flying, connecting with his jaw, but only enough to graze it because dammit, he’s too fucking tall.
The next thing I know Dominique is shoving me into an empty classroom. The door closes behind us and he locks it before pressing me back into the nearest wall. I suck in a breath and Dominique lifts both arms on either side of me, caging me in with his bulk. “That was an incredibly stupid thing to do.” I don’t miss the threat in his voice, but I absolutely choose to ignore it.
I fist both hands in the fabric of his shirt and shove him with all of my strength, but it’s like trying to move a mountain. “I always knew you were a jerk. But I never knew you were this cruel.”
“It can’t be considered cruelty if it’s the truth.”
Tears sting the backs of my eyes before I blink them away. “Never let them see you cry, sweetheart,” Mom used to tell me. When Dad left her and filed for divorce, it was the lowest I’d ever seen her, but she never did let him see her cry. She was strong. And she raised me to be strong too. I refuse to break down and cry in front of Dominique all because what? He hurt my feelings? Fuck that. His opinion means nothing to me.
“Well, thanks for clearing that up.” My lower lip trembles until I sink my teeth into it, using the pain as an anchor.
Dominique is silent as he stares down his nose at me, eyes devoid of emotion.
“I fucking hate you,” I tell him.
Zero reaction.
“You said your piece. Told me I’m stupid and shallow and can’t hold a guy’s attention. Is there anything else you need to get off your chest? I have a class to get to, and this right here,” I wave my arm between us, “is a waste of my time.”
His gaze latches onto my arm.
With surprising speed and gentle hands he lifts my arm up, bringing it closer to his face like he’s looking for—
I mutter out a curse seeing what caught his attention. Light bruises in the shape of fingers wrap around my forearm. Shit.
Dominique’s expression goes from blank to murderous as he grinds out his next words. “Who touched you?” His already dark brown eyes turn even darker, sending a shiver down my spine.
I don’t answer him.
“I’m not going to ask again, Kasey. Who. Fucking. Touched. You?”
Chapter Seven
My nostrils flare taking in the yellow and purple bruise on Kasey’s fair skin. There’s no mistaking that it’s from a hand. The shape is too distinct, and the imprint is large. A man’s. Someone hurt her.
Whoever he is, he’s a dead man.
Kasey’s already pale skin has gone two shades paler, making her bright blue eyes damn near glow. Her mouth parts, tongue peeking out to lick her full bottom lip. My dick twitches and I silently curse, willing it to stand the fuck down.
She swallows hard, and I know her mind is racing for a response.
“Don’t even think about lying to me,” I warn.
In a move I never would have expected from her, Kasey twists her arm out of my grasp and dips beneath the arm I have pressed against the wall caging her in, in a desperate attempt at escape. It takes two seconds for her hand to reach the door, but before she can open it, I catch her by the waist and tug her back against me. “Not so fast, baby girl.”
Her anger and hatred for me roll off her in waves as she digs her short nails into my arms and kicks her legs, cursing my name.
I flip her around and press her against the door, using my body to pin her in place. I’ve tried to keep myself in check, but she is not making this shit easy.
“Get off of me,” she shouts, and I cover her mouth with my palm, my hand so large I damn near cover half her face. Fuck she’s small. Fragile.
Her eyes blaze and I lean in, ensuring she sees that I am not fucking around right now. Not when it comes to something like this.
“Don’t you dare open that pretty little mouth of yours and scream like that again. Do you feel me? Unless you’re ready to tell me who the fuck was dumb enough to touch you, or decide to drop down on your knees and wrap your lips around my cock, you’re mouth is going to stay closed.”
