“Roman, smile, you just had one of your best games ever.” Taylor snapped her fingers in front of my face. “You’ve been staring into space like a whacked out weirdo for five minutes.”
I took a sip and gave her my attention. “I’m fine. Just wound up.”
“Try to take down your intensity.” She held up two fingers. “Just a notch.”
I tossed my drink back resolving myself to get rip-roaring drunk.
To hell with Theodora. Why was I even wasting my energy on her? She’s the one who invaded my space. She’s the one who’d ripped my heart out when she turned everything we had into something ugly.
Then, I saw the heavy door to the room open.
And I saw her.
A halo of blond mussed hair bounced with each step she took.
Green eyes glittered with defiance as she flitted across the room.
On the arm of Nick.
On the fucking arm of my best friend.
She didn’t listen. She didn’t heed my warning.
A thorn in my side she was, I heard a brash crunch echo in my ears, realizing I crushed the plastic cup in my hand.
Theodora
“Do you want me to walk you up to your room?” Nick had one arm slung carelessly over the steering wheel of his Ford F-150 Raptor.
“I can manage. Thank you for taking me home.” I fought a yawn. Kenzie and Justin wanted to go eat breakfast at the local all-late night café where all the college kids flocked to and Nick had joined us. Somehow, it kind of happened that Kenzie rode with Justin and I ended up with Nick. Not that I was complaining. It was nice to hang around someone who was fun and charming. Nice to not feel my heart threatening to crash through my chest bone in a rush of apprehension. Being with Nick was just nice. And that was exactly what I needed. Although, I wasn’t immune to the dark gazes I received throughout the evening from Roman while he partied with his friends and had Taylor at his side. Surprisingly, he didn’t try to publicly throw me out or confront me. Maybe he came to his senses. Or he didn’t deem me so important. Would he always be on my mind? Stupid girl. Clearly, I was still buzzing from the drinks I had earlier.
“Not a problem. I like you, Theo.” He slid out of his seat, walked with a confident swagger around the truck to open my door, helping me step out. His hand was warm and big as he kept his hold, but it didn’t send tingles up my skin. Nick was charismatic and looked like the poster boy for any girl’s ideal dream date. He felt safe and had a comfortable air about him.
His blue eyes crinkled under the lamplight in the campus parking lot as we stood. I glanced behind me at the dorms. “Well, thanks again.” I shifted my feet, not knowing what to say, wondering if he was going to try to kiss me.
“My pleasure.” He rolled his lips as he continued peering at me. My hand was still engulfed in his. “Good night, beautiful,” he said softly and leaned in kissing me on the cheek, his lips lingering before he pulled away.
I flitted my hand in the air awkwardly. “Good night.” I walked steadily to the dorms and heard the roar of Nick’s truck engine behind me. He didn’t drive off until I made it safely through the front entrance.
I trudged up the stairs to the second floor, the clack of my sandals echoing eerily in the abandoned stairwell since it was around four in the morning. I lightened my steps as I made the familiar path down the dimly lit hallway to my room and halted as the small hairs on the back of my neck pricked up and fear slowly oozed through my veins. My door was faintly cracked open.
I reached out, fingers lingering on the handle as worst-case scenarios went through my head. What if someone broke in? What if I’m about to be murdered? Scenes from my favorite horror movies were playing in my head, and I felt like the idiot character who sensed danger but didn’t run away. Then, reason seemed to flit back in my head. What if Kenzie forgot to close the door completely when she came home? She and Justin left the café before us. I assumed she’d already made it back.
I pushed cautiously on the handle, opening the door inch by inch. “Kenzie?” I whisper-called, creeping cautiously into the room. “Kenz—”
A death vise clamped my arm, dragging me into the room. I screamed, but a hand smothered my face as I was whipped around and shoved against a wall. Blackness surrounded me.
I punched out with my hands but fingers clamped around my wrists, securing them behind me like a steel band. I kicked out and soon an ankle was wrapped around mine, holding me in place. If I lashed out with my other foot, I would probably fall to the floor. Panic shimmied through my system like a relentless fever. I hadn’t experienced this since that night long ago…
“You’re trembling. Still afraid of the dark?” The voice was low, definitely male but sounded clinical like he was making a quaint scientific observation. But I knew who it was. “Or is it me you fear?”
“Let me go,” I mumbled against his hand. His large palm covered half my face making it difficult to breathe, and I was terrified of dark places. He knew it very well, and damn him for using it against me. My fear was pulsing through me like the heavy bass pounding from the party earlier tonight. Intensified by the unpredictability of this person I thought I knew so well. Obviously, Roman was certifiable and didn’t take kindly to my defiance. I was stupid to think him leaving me alone for the duration of the party was him letting his revenge go. At this rate, I was going to pass out or have a panic attack if he didn’t remove his hand.
“Remember how you used to beg me to stay with you and hold you because you didn’t want to be alone at night? And I did. I would’ve done anything for you. I wanted to protect you then. I trusted you.”
His words were like tiny shards of glass scraping over my skin because it was all true, and I believed it at the time—he was my knight in shining armor. “Air. I need air.” My words were unintelligible, smothered into his skin.
“Who protects you from the nightmares, now?” he growled, pressing his hard body into my back. My chest flattened painfully against the textured wall.
I was suffocating. Muffled shrieks fell through my lips to no avail as I struggled, which only sounded like pathetic moans. Where was Kenzie? Like a caged animal, fight-or-flight took over my system, and I tried to bite his skin. My mind furiously worked overtime like a hamster on a wheel. Why? Why? Why? Why was he doing this? Did he hate me so much? Was he not happy until he humiliated me completely?
My eyes started watering and a tear trickled down my cheek. He must’ve felt it too because his hand eased up, and I dragged a deep breath into my lungs. I was still wedged between him and the wall, and my arms felt like they could be pulled out of my sockets at any second. I glanced behind me toward the bed on the opposite wall.
“No one’s here but you and me.” He withdrew his palm from my face and fingers trailed down the front of my throat. “Scream, and I’ll cut off your air supply.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“Because you’re in my path. I gave you fair warning.”
“I don’t want to be in your path.”
“And yet you are.”
I closed my eyes, trying to recollect my calm. “Look, if it’s about earlier, I’m sorry, but you provoked me.”