AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“The nice ones are always surprise douchebags because they hide it to get their reward,” Blair says. “At least when they’re a bastard up front, you know what you’re getting.”
“Right. And he had my parents so into him.”
“They should’ve dated him then,” Thea says.
We start to walk toward her bakery a few blocks away and I tip my head back to peer at the night sky. The early summer air is warm.
“So,” Thea says, pulling out the sound. “Everything’s fine at school?”
With a wry smile, I squeeze her hand. “Yes, Mom. The rumor mill is always looking for something juicy to tear someone else down, but it doesn’t mean anything. You know that. People like Sam can be shocked I hooked up at a party, but that was my choice.”
“Who with?” Thea leans close. “You didn’t tell me this.”
The growl of a motorcycle coasts down the street and I almost laugh. Impeccable timing. Fox drives by and it’s like my whole body feels it when he turns his head our way. The helmet is blacked out, but I feel the sweep of his gaze.
“I hooked up with Fox.” My heart is in my throat. More than once, but I don’t add that. “Fox Wilder.”
“What?” Thea gasps. “Oh my god. For real?”
“Yes.” The memories flicker through my mind. The rich scent of leather, woods, and the tang of oil. The peek of his tattoos. His hands on me, rough and demanding, familiar and new. “It just sort of happened.”
“Called it,” Blair murmurs. “That dude is always looking at you like you belong to him and him alone.”
“Hah, right. He still has a grudge against me.”
Blair smirks secretively. “Hate sex is a wonderful thing.”
I swallow. She’s not wrong.
“It won’t happen again,” I say, staring down the street as his bike turns the corner.
Not until I fight my way through his misplaced anger.
It figures the first detention Fox shows up for is the final one of our sentencing for fighting in class. The teacher said nothing when he followed me into the room after the final bell, hooking my curiosity. The faculty never challenge him. They let him get away with everything.
The thoughts are short lived when Fox takes the chair next to me, surrounding me with his distracting masculine scent.
All week I’ve sat alone for detention, but now I can’t escape his gaze as it locks on me. He watches me, tracking every move of my hand as I write out an essay explaining the school policy. He doesn’t do the essay and the teacher isn’t paying attention to us.
We don’t speak, but it feels like he’s saying a lot with the way he’s focused on me. If he thinks it scares me, he’s wrong. I’m done letting him intimidate me. Raising my head from my essay, I lift a brow. The corner of his mouth kicks up into an arrogant smirk.
“Such a good girl,” he rasps, leaning into my space. “Perfect little daisy.”
He can call me whatever he wants. I refuse to let his jabs hurt anymore. At first they were a shock, but they’ve lost their power over me once I decided I was stronger than he thought. I’m not a crybaby—never was. Unaffected, I turn back to my task and pretend he’s not even there.
But he doesn’t like me ignoring him. Bullies always get frustrated when their efforts are wasted. It’s how to best them. I can feel his restlessness as he shifts in the seat next to mine, brooding gaze boring holes in the side o
f my head.
Which is it, I want to ask. Cold shoulder or not. He can’t have it both ways.
Without warning, he snatches my wrist, making my pen drag across the essay. I turn a scowl on him, then freeze. His attention is zeroed in on my bracelet, tracing the braided aged leather and poking the stones woven into it. The stones he found for me on the beach.
My breath stutters out of me. “What are you doing?”
This time it’s his turn to ignore me. His thumb slides beneath the bracelet, tugging the material taut. My heart clenches and fear tears through me, worried he wants to take it from me or break it.
“Don’t!”
