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Eve appeared beside me, just as Cayden released me and stepped back. I twisted around immediately, trying to put some distance between us. My gaze landed on his collarbones. His T-shirt was thin, it even had the odd hole in places. I couldn’t tell if it was strategic and designer or just worn. Either way, he looked hot.
“Eyes up here,Bug.” Cayden’s voice was just as hot as the rest of him.
“Don’t call me Bug,” I muttered instinctively, raising my eyes to take him in.
“So, you’re Cayden West? Big-shot ace, the one who’s going to take us to Nationals?” Eve smiled up at him without seeming to realize anything weird had been going on.
“So they say,” Cayden said shortly. “I saw Asher around. He just passed through.” He cast a look over his shoulder.
Damn. This guy caught on quick. He’d already managed to get rid of Josh and Eve with little effort.
Eve tensed. “Shit. I’ll be right back.” She looked predictably freaked out that her brother might appear.
She turned on her heel and disappeared before I could stop her. I was hot on her heels. Eve disappeared down the hall and into a bathroom. I made it to the hall before a hard hand closed around my wrist. Cayden tugged me to a stop.
“We weren’t done talking,” he snapped at me. His tone was far from friendly.
“What do you want?” The hallway was quiet, and no one else was waiting in line for the bathroom. We were alone. Heat crawled across my face as Cayden backed me into the wall and caged me against it.
“I want to finish our conversation from earlier, before you so rudely ran off.”
“Fine, whatever. I called you a parasitoid – it’s not that deep. A kind of insect that eventually kills the host it feeds off. It was a biology joke. It was lame. Let it go. Why are you so angry about nothing?” My voice rang in the air between us.
Cayden stared down at me, a deep frown creasing his forehead. He wasn’t smiling. His face looked hewn from granite.
“When someone crosses me, I don’t get angry-I get even. I’m not the kind of guy who lets things go, you’d do well to remember that. Don’t get on my bad side. I’ll be your worst nightmare, Bug.”
“Don’t call me Bug,” I ground out. My cheeks must be beet red, and I felt squirmy all over. I hated this. I hated the way he was staring at me, giving me no space to avoid his inspection.
“Why not? It suits you… little, scurrying bug, so easy to crush.”
He still wasn’t smiling, and his cruel words hit something soft and vulnerable inside me.Ouch. My lips parted, but nothing came out. I had no words to match his cruelty. His hand cupped my jaw, and the touch jolted me from my shocked reverie. I tried to shove him, but he only stepped closer. So close I could barely breathe. His hand on my chin tightened so much that he was probably leaving fingerprints on my skin.
“Now, let’s get something straight, since it looks like we’re going to be classmates. Stay out of my way, unless you want to be crushed. I won’t hesitate. Don’t test me. You’ll regret it.” He moved his hand in an up-and-down motion, taking my head with him, a horrible parody of nodding. “Say you understand.”
“Fuck you, asshole,” I managed, anger colliding with anxiety in my chest.
“Be careful what you’re asking for, Bug.” Cold mocking was back in his eyes.
I pushed harder at his chest. I couldn’t move him a damn inch. Fucking hockey players.
“Don’t forget what I said, and don’t ignore it either…” He dropped his grip.
I stared at him as he stepped back. He was so huge, his shoulders dwarfed me. I wasn’t even remotely short, and I still felt tiny in front of him.
He smirked coldly. “If you do–it’ll only be more fun for me.”
“You’re insane,” I muttered, cupping my chin. The skin throbbed.
He nodded. “You have no idea, and believe me, you don’t want to find out.”
With that, he turned on his heel and sauntered away, leaving me reeling.
Had that really just happened?
The lock on the bathroom door slid open, and Eve peered out. “Have you seen Asher?”
I shook my head. I dismissed telling my best friend that the new guy had just threatened me. She’d feel compelled to rush in and defend me, and I didn’t want her putting herself in the line of fire either.
