She nodded and said, “Yeah. Fine.” But not really, because people think I must have slept with you to help me, so the rumors floating around are making me seem like someone I’m not. Not to mention, I really like you. In fact, like doesn't even seem to be the right word. It seems childish for how I feel, but I’m too afraid to say anything. Then there’s the Lindy situation, and how I know she could probably get you in bed just by breathing your way. So yeah… no, I’m not okay, but I'm going to lie anyway.
He didn’t respond, but she could see by his expression he didn’t believe her. “Thanks again… for everything.” She had a free period now and had planned on sitting outside to clear her head. She gave him what felt like a tight-lipped smile and turned to leave. She was pushing the front doors open, when her name being called had her stopping and looking over her shoulder.
He stopped a foot from her, the scent of his cologne, or maybe it was just him, filled her head and made her feel dizzy in the best of ways.
“Want some company?” The smile he gave her was lopsided and had her heart doing funny things.
“Company?” It’s not that she didn’t want his company, but she was surprised he wanted to… she didn’t know… hang out with her?
Maybe her expression looked less than pleased by his offer, because a second later, he said, “I’m harmless, I swear.” He held his hands up in surrender and grinned.
“Okay,” she said softly and found herself smiling.
They made their way to the picnic tables and sat down. They didn't say anything for long seconds, but he kept his focus on her.
“You doing okay, after all that shit that happened at Alistor’s?” She didn't miss how his jaw tightened after he spoke those words.
On instinct, she looked at his knuckles. On one hand, they were busted up and scabbed over, bruised and battered. God, he’d beat the hell out of Josh.
She looked back at his face. “Does it hurt?” She gestured toward his knuckles. He glanced down, but his face remained emotionless.
“Bet his face hurts worse.”
She laughed softly, and he smiled.
“You’re good though?”
She nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine.” And she was, strangely enough. Alex was away at college, so that had been a bullet she dodged, and her parents were too focused on other shit to pay attention to her being shaken up when she’d gotten home. Which was also for the best. Telling them what happened would only have them sheltering her even more.
He nodded slowly. “Good. I’m glad that prick didn’t fuck with your head.” His jaw tightened again. “I should have really beat his ass.”
Really beat his ass? Josh had looked like ground meat when Nate pulled Reese off him. Reese could have done worse?
That shouldn't have turned her on like it did.
They sat there in silence, and she wanted to say something, anything, but words failed her. Reese finally cleared his throat and straightened slightly, his eyes locked on hers.
“You don't look at me like everyone else does,” he finally said, and she felt her eyebrows rise at his comment.
“What way do I look at you?”
He lifted a hand and ran it over his dark hair, mussing the strands slightly. “Like I’m trash, because I don’t have money. I drive a truck that sticks out like a broken bone through skin in the parking lot, and hell, the hundred other things the whole fucking school says about me.”
She shrugged and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “Money and materialistic things don’t make a person. They are just stuff. When we die, it’s not like we can take any of it anyway.” Here she was getting all deep. “I think the majority of the people who go to this school are pompous assholes anyway.” She looked up at him, and there was this expression written on his face that seemed far more intimate than it should have. As if he really liked what she’d just said. As if it pleased him.
“Aside from Nate, maybe one or two other people I can tolerate… and you, everyone else at this school can go fuck themselves.”
She burst out laughing and lifted a hand to cover her mouth. Keira nodded. “Yes, I can agree with that.” He grinned, a flash of straight white teeth.
Another moment of silence passed between them, and then he leaned forward and braced his arms on the table. “Let’s get the fuck out of here,” he said, that half-smile coming back, which shouldn’t have had her legs clenching involuntarily, but with him, her body seemed to have a mind of its own.
“What?” she prompted suspiciously, surprise laced in her voice.
His grin widened and he stood, gesturing to his truck.
She glanced at it then back at him. “Won’t we get in trouble for ditching?”
“Abso-fucking-lutely.” There was laughter in his voice when he responded. He lifted a dark eyebrow. “Let’s break some rules and say fuck BMA and all the assholes in it, at least for today.”
She didn’t know what to say. She’d never so much as skipped a class, but with how today was going, she’d never felt like there was a better solution to her problem than what Reese suggested.
“So what’ll it be, Keira?” There was a challenge in his voice.
She didn’t need to think about it another second. “Let’s get out of here.”
For the first time in her life, she was breaking the rules, and God did it feel good.
9
Reese hadn’t known what the fuck he’d been thinking when he suggested skipping the rest of school with Keira. Doing this shit wouldn’t be how he got his future in order, but he could see something was wrong with her, and a part of him worried it was because of not only the shit that happened with that motherfucker, but also because she’d seen him be so violent.
But it was also because he couldn’t stop thinking about her. She’d been on his mind before the incident, but after… he realized he was obsessed. Seeing her so vulnerable, knowing some prick wanted to take advantage of her, had something possessive and dangerous opening up inside him.
He hadn’t expected her to agree to go with him, but here they were, in his truck, with Reese knowing exactly where he wanted to take her.
The scent of her filled the interior, and he had to shift in his seat when his dick hardened. God, he couldn’t even control his body when she was around. All of this had been a slow burn before the party. But afterward… he didn’t feel like himself anymore.
And it was the first time in his life that had ever happened. He wanted to hang onto it, dig his nails into it and keep it close.
He inhaled deeply, unable to stop himself. She smelled like hyacinth, or maybe lavender. It was this floral aroma that had his muscles tightening and arousal licking through every single part of his body.
He didn’t know much about her, just the few things he heard here and there at school.
She was quiet. She had an older brother named Alex who’d been some hotshot football player back at the academy when he was a student. She was wicked smart—a bookworm someone had called her. He’d heard guys talking about her being a virgin, heard the filthy things they murmured under their breath when she passed. A quick smack to the back of their heads and a low growl had shut them up. Now they knew better than to talk about her that way in front of him again.