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“I also want to break your neck quite often,” I continued. But I’m sure you know that. You’re pretty consistent when it comes to provoking me. I doubt it’s not deliberate.”
“It’s not,” she said.
My fingers lingered on her collarbone when she suddenly snapped out of our moment and took a few steps back. Her chest was lifting up and down with every breath. It took me a few seconds to realize why she ran away from my touch. Mom and Troy were going out.
“What are you two doing here?” mom nagged. “You’re going to be late.”
“So? That’s her problem,” I said without looking at Clementine. “No one cares if I’m late. People love me.”
“You,” mom pointed at me with her finger. “You should care. I don’t have time for this. We’ll talk later.”
“Why? Are youlate?” I pretended to be shocked.
Mom shook her head and rushed with Troy to her car. “Go to school!”
I smiled and turned my back to them. I wanted to continue my conversation with Clementine. She obviously didn’t want that. She was already opening the door of her car. I chuckled. We were living together now, and she still tried to hide from me.
“Running away from a difficult conversation? That tells a lot about your character, Hartley!”
She hit the gas and left me standing there without a word. I caught up with her on the first traffic light, and I drove behind her the whole time. When we arrived at the parking lot, she passed by two empty spaces next to each other and continued forward. It made me laugh. She knew I was messing around with her and tried not to give me more opportunities. I respected that.
I parked my car and got out. My eyes found her. She was walking towards the building, looking frustrated and one step away from an outburst. I felt a warm happy feeling of satisfaction.
That was until Clementine saw that dipshit Dylan and her face changed from a state of torment to relief. It twisted my insides. The fact he was the one to make her feel better.
Dylan was strolling in her direction, smiling like a decent human being, not grinning at her like I did. And yet, I couldn’t understand how that piece of shit managed to win over the most self-isolating girl in town.
He hugged her enthusiastically, she half-hugged him. People looked them with curiosity, talked behind their back for weeks now.
I was intrigued. It was the first time I saw them together and didn’t have the urge to break his spine. Because I had a very vivid, very recent image of her enjoying my hands on her and a front roll view of theI-don’t-want-you-but-I’ll-use-youhug she just gave him.
“The point is to go to college next year, not jail, you creep,” Chase smacked my back, mocking my weird stalking situation. “Still obsessed, I see.”
I ignored him, thinking about Dylan. He seemed to be into Clementine for real. I was contemplating a picture in my head.
Me. Using Clementine to get back at Dylan.
Also me. Screwing her until I got her out of my system.
Two birds with one stone.
I wouldn’t be violating the celibacy rule. Sex with Clementine wouldn’t be about pleasure. It would be about revenge.
“Asshole!” Chase tried to get my attention. “They went inside. What the fuck are you still staring at?”
“My payback.”
Chapter Eleven
Clementine
Living with Lucas Cole was a disturbing experience. He kept me on my toes, playing a sick game of push and pull with me. The same day he bullied me into planning their family fun day, he came home and told everyone he would do it. No explanation whatsoever.
The whole not knowing what he was thinking was so nerve wrecking, I declined the one thousand verbal invitations from Elizabeth to join them and made plans to spend the weekend with Hannah. Again. Nothing special, just me bitching about my stay at the Cole’s home, and Hannah day dreaming about Tyler. But everything was better than spending hours with the asshole not knowing if I would become his target for the day or not.
The two of us had a routine. Well, he was the one establishing it. He pushed my limits one day, then ignored me the next two. He loved making me feel anxious and uneasy.
He also never touched me again like he did that morning before school, but he found ways to brush me with his arm, or squeeze me between his perfect hard body and the kitchen counter while trying to grab something.
