Her silent obedience is my reward to reap, the cruel laughter music to my ears.
“Dude,” Bishop mutters, plopping next to me on the bench. “What gives?”
I offer Bishop a secretive smirk.
My gaze sweeps over Blair, meeting the glare she gives me from behind her hair. The searing fury in those deep brown eyes tugs at my chest and lower, my stomach tightening. The room narrows to the intensity Blair directs at me.
In an odd sense of wonder, I look at her like this is the first time I’ve ever seen her.
With her attitude stripped back to this simple strength in her vulnerable state, I see beauty.
Blair is hot, if you can get past the fact she’s a criminal.
My fingers twitch for a different reason than the agitation I battled ten minutes ago, fingertips rubbing together to keep them from the sheer temptation of her perky, petite tits. Shit, if she moves a step, I might grab her.
“We have an arrangement,” I explain, snapping out of the weird bolt of heat that passed between us. Must be the see-through shirt. “This is part of it.”
Blair takes a breath and hands me the empty canteen. “Lunch is almost over.”
“I’m not done looking at you yet,” I counter, leaning back on my elbows, taking my time studying her.
Bishop snorts. “You’re an evil dick, bro.”
“Don’t worry.” I waggle my brows and stick my tongue into my cheek. “She’ll get her reward.”
The guys at the table take my meaning to be sexual, reacting like a bunch of animals.
Blair sends another glare at the ground. The angry pinch between her brows is something I have the urge to trace and learn the shape of with my tongue.
What is this…
My head is more messed up today than I thought.
“Um.” Thea Kennedy comes up behind Blair with napkins. She offers them. “I brought you these.”
Bishop tenses, sucking in a sharp breath. I toss a questioning glance at him. His focus is completely locked on Thea, his expression like a hungry lion opening its maw to chomp on a rabbit.
“Thanks,” Blair mumbles, accepting them.
Thea hovers while Blair pats herself. She shoots Bishop and I a disapproving look. This goody-goody is a little buzzkill who probably thinks the world is sunshine and rainbows.
Bishop explodes from his seat and gets in Thea’s face. It’s laughable because he’s a giant next to her, almost needing to lean over to reach her. Thea is shorter than Blair, even.
Thea freezes, clutching the napkins to her chest. “U-um, Connor.”
“Were you invited over here?” Bishop demands.
Thea blinks. “No. That doesn’t matter, though.” She tips her chin up. “Blair needed help.”
“Blair needed help?” Bishop mimics, circling behind her. He clamps his hands on her shoulders. “You hear that, Dev?”
“Sure did.” With a grunt, I rise to my feet and amble into Blair’s personal space. “Did you need help, Davis?”
I communicate what her answer better be with my hard gaze. Blair works her jaw, then sighs.
“No,” she mutters in a monotone.
The caged rebellious energy flows from her almost as if it’s a living entity, brushing against me like a lure. I want her disobedience and mutiny so I can take extra enjoyment from making her bend to my will. I smother the urge to brush wet hair away from her cheeks.
Thea’s big eyes dance between Blair and I with her lower lip tucked between her teeth. “Well—”
“You know,” Bishop drawls next to Thea’s ear, grinning at her flinch. He traces her shoulders, plucking at the chunky sleeves of the sweater she’s wearing instead of the school blazer. “The only thing a girl next door is good for is warming my dick.” He leans closer enough that her auburn curls touch his lips as he speaks in a sinister hush. “You offering, neighbor? You can leave your granny sweater on.”
I catch his words because they’re standing beside us.
Thea trips over her own foot as she stumbles out of Bishop’s grasp. “You…You—”
“Me,” Bishop declares with a proud sweep of his arms. “All me, baby.”
The way he says it hints at something more to the meaning.
Thea seems to understand perfectly. She shakes her head like she can’t believe her eyes. Her expression crumbles and she rushes off, dashing tears away.
Bishop watches her retreat with his jaw clenched. Darkness clouds his eyes. I glance from Thea to Bishop. I’m worried about what’s been on his mind lately.
When I turn back to the table, everyone’s watching the two-for-one show play out. There’s a thirst for blood in every face, the drama unfolding too good to ignore.
“Make the dog do another trick,” Trent suggests.
Sean and the others bust out in cackling laughter.
Thirteen
Blair
It’s fucking cold. And wet. Uncomfortable.
My clothes stick to my skin. The laughter isn’t so bad, but that douche Trent called me a dog.
Fuck. This.
“Ugh,” I snarl under my breath.
My shoulder crashes into Devlin’s chest as I leave the cackling assholes behind. The door bangs when I barrel into it, howls following in my wake.
This school is nothing but a rabid pack of hyenas.
Further down the hall, I catch the disappearing blur of Thea Kennedy as she rounds the corner in a rush. I could go after her and thank her for standing up for me, but I’m pissed off and stuck in wet clothes.
The heavy wooden door clanks open behind me. I whirl to find Devlin. Great. My savage master followed me into the hall.
Can’t a furious girl catch five minutes alone?
We stand there for a moment. My fists flex at my side while he props against the wall, considering me. He’s too focused on my breasts.
“Give me my money,” I demand, flinging my hand out expectantly. “I did it, so pay me.”
Everything about Devlin is sharp, cut and chiseled like marble. Cold. Hard. Unmoving.
Devlin strokes his chin, cocking his head
“The question isn’t whether you followed orders, but how quickly you obeyed.”
“What?” I breathe, stalking toward him. “Are you kidding me? You didn’t say I had to do it with a time limit. You called me over and told me to—” I lose my words, burned away by my anger. I fling my hands around to fill the space. “—in front of everyone.”
“Don’t fret.” Devlin hitches one shoulder, careless, unfeeling. “You don’t have a reputation to ruin in the first place. You’re only your labels to them. Gutter rat, trash, unwanted charity.”
My chest heaves as I drag in stinging gasps. My emotions are running away from me, slipping through my fingers. I work so hard not to let anything that happens in this hellhole get to me. Something inside is cracking in warning. The dam is splintering, threatening to unleash the torrent of everything I hold back.
With a frustrated sound, I shove Devlin. “Pay me, damn you!”
“No.” Devlin grins, arrogant and mean. “Earn it next time. Those are the rules.”
“You haven’t told me all the rules! You keep changing them!”