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“Why is it weird, Little Star?” I turn so I’m leaning into her now, protecting her from the prying eyes and some of the hateful whispers of the bitches who are jealous of her. Her eyes widen and her pupils blow, the closer my face is to hers. She likes it, needs this from me, and I’m more than happy to give her anything she wants.
Her shoulders lift, the gesture small but there. “I don’t know. I’m being stupid.” She blows out a breath between her plump lips. “I’ve just never had someone hold my hand or want to walk me to my locker. Or kiss, really.” She laughs at herself. The noise dies in her throat when I reach forward and run my fingertips from her cheek to her jaw.
“The guys here are idiots,” I tell her, my words one hundred percent truthful. They’re all a bunch of scared little boys who won’t go against Corey. I have no issue with it. He’s the one who is stupid for thinking she wasn’t in danger with her around me, that I wouldn’t snatch her up. My words work though because the blush is back in her cheeks and a smile on her lips. The bell rings and it sucks that I have to part from her.
“See you after first period?” She leans into me, her hand resting on my side. My stomach muscles clench under her touch.
“I’m not leaving, Little Star. I’ll pick you up.”
She nods and grips her book before heading down the hallway. I watch her the entire time, daring anyone to try something with her or say something. Once she steps in the door, I push off the lockers and start to head to my own class.
“Thanks for bringing J home this past week.” Corey steps into my path. His demeanor on the outside looks relaxed, laid back even. His eyes tell a different story; they’re wild, insistent and filled with hatred toward me. “Usually I would but with practice starting, she doesn’t want me to miss it. Scouts and all.”
He shrugs like it’s not a big deal or that I should be impressed. Only I did my research too and I know for a fact, he hasn’t applied to any of the colleges scouting him or their basketball programs. He plans to stay here and I’d bet one of my kidneys, it’s so he can be with her. Control her for another year and bide his time so she feels like he is all she has. He’s already halfway there by isolating her from everyone.
“It’s not an issue man. I like spending time with Jade.” I fold my arms over my chest so I don’t reach out and punch him like I want to.
His eyes flicker with fire and his cocky smile turns sinister. “At least she forgave me. I was able to make up for missing so much on Saturday night. It was like old times sleeping with her.”
He rubs his hands together, watching me, thinking he has the upper hand. If I wasn’t already aware that he and Harper sometimes stayed with her overnight and the reason behind it, I might get mad. But I do know the horrid, ugly truth. All of it.
I shrug and offer him my hand instead. “If she needed you then it’s all good. I’m happy when she’s happy. And as long as I’m happy, my grandfather will be too.”
Corey’s hand slowly grips mine, while we shake on it. It was low to drop my grandfather’s name but effective. Because the thing Corey wants more than Jade is power and he’ll only have that power by keeping Rip happy. Which means no wars with me or my family. He’s officially stuck and he knows it. I drop his hand and move around him, heading toward my class. I’m already late, but it was worth it. Corey needs to know where I stand and that Jade is not under his thumb as long as I am around.
ChapterTen
Jade
No matter how many times I’ve listened to this song, every time Onyx’s voice croons,feel me,through the speakers, my insides burn and I’m hit with a renewed burst of energy that carries me until the end of the song. The first time he asked me to dance to his song, I goofed around and performed a few moves for him. I love the attention he gives me when I do. The way his eyes turn ebony with every turn or leap into the air I make. The way his lips part and his inked-up fingers trail over his bottom lip when my body rolls in front of the mirror or I drop to the ground. I feel like a sultry vixen, and I’m dancing only for him.
We’ve done this with five songs now. He finishes a song and brings it to me. I dance and then he usually spends half a day in the studio perfecting the song. When I hear it the second time, I can feel the words in my heart, etched deeper with every track. Onyx’s voice has become my rhythm. My body stops spinning at the exact moment his words fade. I’m breathing heavily, and there is a sweat patch on the chest of my t-shirt. My rolled-up sweatpants stick to my skin like a second skin instead of hanging loosely how I like them.
I swipe my hair back in a top-knot and turn to where he is watching me, propped up against the mirror. “Thoughts?”
Onyx’s eyes roam over my body from my toes up to my face before our gazes connect. “You move like a dream.”
His voice is raspier than usual, having been used so much the past few weeks. The huskiness in his words sends goosebumps over my heated flesh. He’s always saying things like that to me. Complimenting me, building me up, and damn it, turning me on. It's a foreign feeling to me, being wanted by this guy, while also wanting him just as badly.
Onyx glances at his phone and his lips frown. “It's almost ten already. I know you have that test in science tomorrow. Did you want to get out of here? I can take you home?”
I take a step toward my bag then falter. My science test is tomorrow, which means today is Thursday. My mom picked up an overnight shift at the diner and won’t be home. I’d been doing well on my own the past few weeks. Usually my body is tired from practice and then meeting with Onyx. I hadn’t even noticed when my mom came home late on those nights. It had been a while though since she worked an overnight shift. I was beginning to think she had changed her schedule until I saw the red reminder on the calendar on our fridge. It all clicked in my head though when I saw the date. Tomorrow is the anniversary date of her attack. I’m sure she plans to work through it and sleep after, not having to think since she'll be exhausted. What I always hate about this day is that she doesn’t know it was also a scary day for me. I wish I could hug that thirteen-year-old girl sometimes and warn her not to look in that bathroom.
On shaking legs, I reach my bag and whip my hooded sweater over my head, the whole time avoiding Onyx’s gaze. I don’t need him to see my internal meltdown. He knows the story, but he has yet to see the devastation and loneliness my life really is on these days. When I’m feeling confident, I grip my bag and smile at him over my shoulder. “I’m ready when you are.”
He frowns slightly, his eyes flash with concern, but it’s soon replaced with the heated look I’m used to. He saunters over to me and takes my bag before grabbing my hand in his. He dips down and grazes his lips against my cheek. For a few minutes, my worries cease to exist, while we walk out to his car and he opens the door for me. Once we’re both situated and he starts heading to my place, my heart sinks. Shit! I didn’t even think to ask Harper or Corey to stay with me tonight. Tomorrow is a big football game so I’m sure Corey is partying. Harper mentioned at lunch too that she would be working on her project tonight. When she warned me, I didn’t even put two and two together.
The closer we get to my place, the deeper my teeth sink into my bottom lip. Sweat starts to dot my upper lip again. Maybe I should have stayed at the studio longer. Who cares if I would be dead on my feet tomorrow. Except I have a test. Stupid tests. I jump when Onyx’s hand lands on mine.
“Jade, what's wrong?”
I shake my head. “Nothing, just the test, you know,” I lie. I am anxious for the test, but I studied my ass off. It should be easy for me.
“You seem off, babe.” He tilts his head in my direction, waiting. I swear he knows I made it up and that I am actually dying inside right now.
“My mom won’t be home tonight.” I swallow around the lump in my throat. “I forgot to tell Harper.” I leave Corey’s name out of it. Even though Onyx knows Corey has stayed the night before and it was always platonic, I haven’t asked Corey to stay since I started things with Onyx. It feels wrong. Disrespectful even.
My mind spins for an idea. I glance at Onyx and find he’s already watching me, waiting. I want to ask him to stay, but I don’t want it to come across the wrong way either. Not that I don’t love kissing him or when he holds me. We just haven’t moved past that yet and tonight would not be a good night to start.
