His eyes burn with thinly veiled hostility. “That you’ve become like every other chick on campus. Both stupid and shallow. Guess you’re turning into an Infernum groupie like the rest of them.”
He shakes his head as though I’ve somehow disappointed him. “I thought you were better than that.” He shrugs. “Guess I was wrong if you’re already sniffing around the players.”
I ignore the sharp stab of his words, but then he decides to cut a little deeper. “I give you a week, maybe two, before he gets bored.” His gaze rakes over me, but there isn’t a hint of desire in his eyes as they travel over my body. Instead, they hold pity and an edge of disgust. “On second thought, just the one. He’ll lose interest before you hit day seven.”
My cheeks heat and I know he can see the blush climbing up my neck.
“Fuck you.” My voice shakes as I clench my hands into tight fists at my side. Why did that hurt so much?
He grunts. “Pass.”
Fury spikes through 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 Desmond 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 Desmond 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. He shifts back a step before pressing back forward, drawing on his own shifter strength to keep himself in place. “I always knew you were a jerk. But I never knew you to be 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 Desmond 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.
Desmond 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. Dark smudges dot my skin where the silver of Deacon’s rings came into contact with it. Shit.
Desmond’s expression goes from blank to murderous as he grinds out his next words. “Who hurt 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, Meiying. Who. Fucking. Hurt. You?”
87
Desmond
My nostrils flare, taking in the dark signs of silver poisoning dotting Meiying’s fair skin. There’s no mistaking what it is. They’re dark as tar with a green undertone unique to poison, and no way did she come into contact with silver by accident. Someone hurt her.
Whoever he is, he’s a dead man.
Meiying’s already pale skin has gone two shades paler, making her bright 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, Meiying twists her arm out of my grasp and dips beneath the arm I have pressed against the wall caging her in, in a bid for 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, kitten.”
