Fuck, I’m such an idiot. Colby really wasn’t the kind of guy I thought he was.
“Do you …” she glances away, looking nervous. “Do you think you could forgive me and we could be friends? You’re going to need someone to show you the ropes around here, and I have a group of friends who are amazing and will welcome you with open arms. Besides, us girls have to stick together, right? This isn’t exactly a nice school to be the new girl at, and from what I hear, you’ve already pissed off Tanner Morgan, which means you’re going to need all the help you can get.”
My eyes widen just a fraction. “Is he really that bad?”
Ilaria laughs and I can’t help but wonder if she’s pitying me. “Yeah, girl. He’s about as bad as they come.”
“Shit. He’s my new neighbor. His bedroom looks directly into mine, and last night he got naked, stared at me through the window, and rubbed one out while watching me. Then when I actually looked up and noticed, the asshole winked at me.”
Ilaria laughs again. “Oh, girl. You’re in deep trouble.”
“He won’t … he won’t actually hurt me, will he?”
“Physically, no,” she says. “He’d never touch a woman, but he’d sure as hell use all the tricks in the book. Intimidation, threats, toying with your heart. Nothing is off-limits to Tanner Morgan, and if he’s chosen you to be his little toy, then it’s guaranteed you’ll be crushed. He’s the type of guy who lets you think you’re winning and right when you become vulnerable, he’ll pull the rug out from under you and watch you burn. You need to be careful.”
“You sound like you’re speaking from experience.”
Ilaria shakes her head. “Not me,” she says. “My friend, Chanel. She was close to him last year … until she wasn’t. But honestly, I don’t think she’s ever really gotten over it. He’s not the type to do things halfway. If there’s a target on your back, he’s going for the kill.”
Well, fuck. That’s just what I need.
“So, I suppose that means I’d be stupid to push away someone offering to be a friend, huh?”
“Yeah,” she says, her lips pulling into a delighted smile. “It would make you a real fucking idiot.”
“Good thing I’m only an idiot when it comes to choosing boyfriends.”
“Yeah, I’m not going to lie, you picked that one really well. Where were your friends when you made that mistake? Surely someone was whispering in your ear to run for the hills.”
I laugh, shaking my head. “They weren’t just whispering, they were practically screaming it, but I just had to see it though. My best friend, Erica, she couldn’t have been happier when I told her we were finally over.”
“I bet,” Ilaria says, reaching over and gripping the class schedule out of my hand before scanning over it. “Ah, you have first period history with me. I’ll take you there, but second period you’re on your own. I’ll introduce you to the girls during break and then we can work out how we’re going to destroy Tanner Morgan and his band of douchebag friends.”
Chapter 7
BRIELLE
Mrs. Porter welcomes me into her history class, and I’m only just saved from standing and introducing myself to the class when none other than Tanner Morgan strides through the door.
Juuuust great. I was hoping to avoid sharing any classes with the guy, but let’s face it, I haven’t exactly been the poster child for luck over the past few days.
Tanner barely spares a glance toward Mrs. Porter before he slinks through the classroom, turning down the first row and heading to the seat right in the very back corner. I’m not surprised he’s late to class. He’s the type of guy who’d probably be late to his own funeral.
“Make it quick, Mr. Morgan. You’re late,” Mrs. Porter scolds, though her tone is far too lenient compared to the scolding tones I’ve become accustomed to at Hope Falls Public. “I don’t need to remind you how bad that looks for your first class of your senior year. Let’s not make this a habit.”
My stare flickers up to Tanner, watching as he saunters down the narrow walkway toward his seat, his hands deep in his pockets. A soft grin lingers on his lips, probably pleased to have irritated Mrs. Porter so early in the day, but it quickly fades as his sharp gaze snaps to mine.
The tension in the room builds and my breath catches in my throat, waiting for him to pass, but it feels as though it takes a lifetime. How is it possible to have this many encounters in such a short amount of time? Fuck, I’ve seen this guy naked and fondling his manhood, and damn it, it was one hell of an impressive manhood. He’s a girthy motherfucker, but also long, and while I wasn’t even a little close enough to tell if it has thick, protruding veins, I just know it does.
And just like that, my cheeks flame the brightest shade of red and he smirks, knowing exactly what’s circling my head.
Crap.
I turn away, unable to handle his intensity, and just when I think he’s about to pass, Tanner moves in behind me, one hand braced against the corner of my desk as his other comes down by my opposite elbow, caging me in like some kind of wild animal. My stare remains locked straight ahead, and I stop breathing completely when he begins to lower himself down, his breath gently brushing over the sensitive skin of my neck.
Tanner doesn’t say a word, but I’m pretty sure the teacher does. I don’t hear it though. I don’t hear a damn thing except the ferocious, heavy beat of my pulse in my ears. My hands curl into fists on my desk, and I consider the consequences of slamming one of them back, right into his junk, but figure violence on my first day isn’t going to go down well.
So I wait, watching him from the corner of my eye as I sense Ilaria beside me, openly gawking at the scene before her. I can only imagine what she is going to say … actually, I can’t. I don’t know her well enough, but I’m sure it’s not going to be good.
Tanner’s hand slips off the edge of the desk, but he doesn’t move, slowly breathing me in until his hand is right back again, a familiar tube of dark red lipstick clutched between his fingers. He places it dead center of my desk, standing it up for the world to see, knowing damn well that my world is caving in on me.
My eyes widen in horror, realization dawning on me. I suck in a breath, my head whipping around to meet his intense stare, but he’s already gone, his back turned to me as he makes his way to the back of the classroom.
That fucker.
It wasn’t Jensen in my room last night, it was Tanner.
He watched me sleep, snuck in through … I don’t know, the window? Maybe he broke in through the back door and found his way up to my room. Hell, maybe he has some twisted friendship with Jensen and he let him in. All that matters is that he was there, violating my privacy and space, and that’s not okay.
That asshole. I bet he’s so fucking smug sitting in the back of the room, his stare boring into the back of my head, just waiting for me to scoop up the offending lipstick and hide it away like it’s some kind of big secret.
No, he won’t get away with this. It’s one thing to throw taunts at me, block my way in the hallway, and make out like he’s some kind of king on campus, but I draw the line at sneaking into my bedroom. If that’s how he wants to play this, then I’ll rise to the occasion. He may look scary as hell with his bike and all those tatts winding up his strong arms, but he’d be wrong to assume he intimidates me.