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THIRTY-ONE
“What are you looking for?” Sam asks as I rummage my locker.
“My sketchbook. I checked at the office if a janitor or student turned it in, but no one has.” Not finding it, I close the locker and face her. “I didn’t leave it at your house, right?”
“No.” She frowns as she studies my appearance. “Is everything okay? You seem on edge.”
Sighing, I lean against the locker and fold my arms. “Someone broke in and trashed my paintings at the Deckers’ guest house.”
“Oh my gosh!” Sam yelps. “Did they find out who?”
“Not yet. The police are involved, though.” I look at kids walking up and down the hallway. “I don’t know why anyone would do that, much less how they found out I was painting there. Hopefully, the asshole doesn’t have my sketchbook.”
Her gray eyes peer around in dismay. “Yikes. Whoever did it must not want to live. Brandon is probably going to break their neck when he learns their identity.”
“Hm.” I glance in the direction where Brandon, Eric, and Steve are talking.
I bite my bottom lip, recalling the sexy moments with Brandon the day before. I feel like we’ve gotten closer; our connection has deepened.
But the sweet emotions simmer a tad as I remember what he shared. How his nanny’s sick daughter abused him, and then Mrs. Decker left her son and family for weeks. It angers me just thinking about it. How the hell could she do that?
“Hey, you two.” Rajid’s voice snaps me out of my head. He flicks between us.
“Hey,” I mutter and glance at Sam.
Rajid steadies his gaze on her, features warping into a frown. “Sammie, are we going to be like this until we leave for college?”
She twists her mouth and looks at the floor. After a beat, she huffs a razor-sharp sigh and says, “No. I don’t want to.”
Tension untangles from Rajid’s appearance. His smile resurfaces. “I miss you; miss talking to you.”
“Me too,” Sam murmurs, chipping at her nails.
“Could we hang out later?” he asks with a puppy look.
She’s unable to fight off her smile. “All right. I haven’t watched any of our favorite shows without you.”
Rajid rocks back on his heels in delight. “Me neither. Let’s catch up then.”
I’m happy they want to fix things. I know it must be difficult for Sam because she has feelings for Rajid, but their friendship means a lot to both of them. And neither wants to lose it.
Brandon and I can’t stop staring at each other throughout our classes.
As I’m heading to the cafeteria at lunch break, he clutches my hand and tows me away from my friends.
Everyone dawdles in their steps, watching his hand on mine in amazement. They’ve never seen Brandon touch anyone, and I’m happy that he’s fighting to overcome his dark side.
“Where are we going?” I ask as he lugs me to the Mercedes.
“Let’s have lunch off-campus.” He peels out of school the second he’s behind the steering wheel, adding, “We’re making a pit stop first.”
“Oh.” Heat floats between my thighs on instinct.
Brandon turns off the main road in no time, sneaking into a private area. He parks among trees that provide plenty of cover for what we’re about to do.
Killing the engine, he helps me over the middle console to straddle him.
We make out like famished creatures as I grind against his crotch.
