I wanted her, and the heartbreak in her eyes, gone for good.
The fact that I knew better but still found myself drawn to her when she was at her most vulnerable was almost as scary as the prospect of whatever demented fuckery Sawyer might bring my way.
Ollie
“You’re cute. Can I get your number?”
I stumbled to a stop, precariously juggling my phone in one hand and a frothy Starbucks drink in the other. A tote bag full of books and my laptop swung from my shoulder and down my arm when I was suddenly intercepted between classes.
I blinked stupidly at the young man standing in front of me, noticing his gaze seemed locked on my scar despite his throwaway compliment about my appearance. If he hadn’t said something to me, I would’ve walked right into him and he would be wearing my drink.
“Excuse me?”
My mumbled words brought his eyes toward mine, and he flashed me a grin so perfect that I was sure he had practiced the exact curl of his lips in the mirror regularly. I didn’t know why I was his target or what made him think I was open for conversation, friendly or otherwise. I knew there was nothing about my demeanor that was approachable or welcoming. I had walls erected a mile high, and I liked it that way. I no longer wanted to be an easy mark for anyone.
“Your number. Can I have it? I think you’re cute. I like your curly hair.”
I wasn’t in the habit of interacting with strangers. I didn’t trust them. I didn’t trust anyone aside from Huck. At least with him, I knew exactly where I stood, even if I was pissing him off.
“Ummm…” I didn’t want to cause a scene or get involved in an awkward situation. I was trying to blend in, not stick out. He wasn’t the first student to ask me out once I’d transferred here, but there was something about the aggressive way he’d blocked my path and the direct way he was staring at me that made me super uncomfortable. It had me seriously doubting the authenticity of his intent.
The guy shoved his iPhone in my direction, lifting an eyebrow when I didn’t shuffle the things in my hands to take it.
“Just put in your number, and I’ll call it right now.” He smirked at me as I continued to blink stupidly. “I want to make sure you don’t give me a fake number. I hate it when girls do that.”
If this was his usual tactic when trying to pick someone up, no wonder he got fake numbers often enough to have a plan to avoid it from happening. I fought back the urge to roll my eyes as I tried to figure out the easiest way to slip out of this situation. Rejection shouldn’t be something that made me fear for my life, but after everything that went down with Sawyer, I knew just how dangerous saying no to the wrong person could be. It sucked and was totally unfair that I was far from the only female to learn that lesson the hard way.
I could tell the guy was getting annoyed as I remained silent and still, his phone dangling from his fingers between the two of us. I was about to lie and tell him I had a boyfriend who would be very upset if I gave him my number, when suddenly a heavy arm landed on my shoulders, and warm lips landed on my temple.
I gasped in surprise but didn’t pull away, because even without looking at the tall, toned body pressing against my side, I knew it was Huck. He used to feel all soft and squishy when I leaned against him for comfort and support. There was no give in the body next to mine now. He was all hard muscle and threatening aura as he stared down the guy standing across from me.
“I thought we agreed to meet at the coffee shop. I was wondering where you got off to.” His statement was innocent enough, but the way he said it, there was no missing the warning in his tone. “Who’s your friend?”
My overly aggressive suitor fell back a step and held up his hands in front of him. “I was just asking her for directions. I just transferred here, and I’m a little turned around.” He gave me another smile; this one showed too many teeth, making my skin crawl as he finally put his phone away. “Sorry to bother you.”
Something close to a growl rumbled from the center of Huck’s broad chest as we watched the other guy hurry away. When he let his arm fall from my shoulders, I took a second to adjust the things I was juggling and looked at the dark-haired boy out of the corner of my eye. I hadn’t seen much of him since the night of the storm and the start of the semester. I took his disappearance as a good sign, because if I didn’t have to face him, I didn’t have to listen to him tell me how I ruined his life, and how I was his least favorite person on the planet. I didn’t have to remember how he ignored my apology and dashed my hopes of smoothing things over.
“Where did you come from?” I took a sip of the sweet coffee drink and moved to put my phone in my pocket. I was still trying to get ahold of Mercer. She never returned my texts the night of the storm and hadn’t messaged me back when I reached out about my work schedule now that school had started. I’d also called her a few times and gotten no response.
Huck made a face. He took a step away from me and shook his hand like it was dirty before slipping it inside the front pocket of his jeans. “I saw you when I was over by the library. I was going to go to class and leave you to fend for yourself, but I recognized that guy from my bar. He’s a prick and has a hard time hearing no.”
I lifted the fingers of my free hand to touch my temple where I could still feel the imprint of Huck’s lips. That kiss was a familiar gesture, one he’d done often when we were kids.
I cleared my throat and shifted my heavy bag. “I had it under control. I don’t let bossy men order me around or intimidate me anymore.” I’d moved and taken solace in his home for that very reason. “But thank you for intervening. It made getting rid of him much easier.”
Huck grunted in response. And looked past me toward the brick buildings of the college. “I have to get to my next class. I’ll talk to you later.”
Before he could walk away from me, I reached out a hand and grabbed his muscled, tattooed forearm. He stopped mid-step and looked down at my fingers like he wanted to peel them off of his skin one by one.
“Uh… I just wanted to thank you for the other night. I haven’t really seen you since then, but I know that I owe you one. I wouldn’t have made it through that storm without you.” There were too many situations in my life to count where I wouldn’t have come out the other side without him. I often wondered if he had any clue just how important he’d always been to me.
Huck shook his arm free and lifted his hand to wave at a group of girls who called his name. He motioned that he would just be a minute before turning his attention back to me.
“If you feel like you owe me, then do us both a favor and disappear. Get out of my house, and get out of my life before you force me to do something we’ll both regret.” He sounded deadly serious, and I couldn’t stop a sharp chill from racing up and down my spine.
I forced a wobbly grin and told him, “I don’t care how much time has passed. The Huck I know would never hurt me or do anything to me that either of us would regret.”
I refused to believe he’d changed that much, and in such horrible ways, since we’d been apart.
He moved before I could react.
I gasped in shock when he was suddenly right in front of me, one of his rough hands holding my jaw tight enough that it hurt. His amber eyes glowed like they were lit from within by the fires of hell. His voice was low and scary as he moved his face alarmingly close to mine, his fingers holding my face hard enough to leave bruises.