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I turn around, trying to escape, but my breasts brush against the rock-solid wall that is his chest. God, he is astonishingly good looking, I realize as I stare up into his face.
The man could be a cover model for a men’s fitness magazine with his body and his face. It’s a pity it houses such a shitty personality.
Pushing at him, I clench my jaw when he doesn’t move. “Domenic, let me pass.”
“Only if you pay the toll.”
“What’s the toll?”
“A kiss.”
I suck in air. “You don’t like me, which you’ve made patently clear, so why would you want a kiss? A kiss is personal. It’s intimate.”
He nods. “You’re right. Okay. Get on your knees, then.”
My legs tremble. God, I hate this. I cannot do this. Not even for a roof over our heads. Not even for my freedom. Then I recall what happened, and I know I can’t blow this up. I can’t let Mom down.
I gather all the strength I possess, place my palms against Dom’s chest, and shove him. He can’t have been expecting it, because he rocks back on his heels, and it is enough for me to scoot under him and get away.
“Stay away from me,” I say with as much steely calmness as I can muster.
“I’d much prefer a world where you and I didn’t know one another, Mackenzie,” he replies. “Sadly, this is our world, and if you’re going to be pushed on me, there’d better be something in it for me.”
“I have a suggestion, Domenic.” I open the door and turn to look back at him. “Simply stay the hell away from me, and we’ll both be happy.”
“Oh, no.” His voice carries behind me as I slip out of the door. “I get to decide the parameters here, Mack.”
Mack? Mack! He did not. I hate that nickname. Fuming, but trying really hard to regulate my emotions, I turn to walk back to class, only to slam straight into someone else.
“Hey, slow down, Kenzie. Something on fire?”
It’s Valentino. I don’t know how to feel about this. I’m conscious that Dom is about to emerge from the bathroom, and I don’t want to end up trapped between the two of them.
He spots his friend over my shoulder. “Hey, D. What’s going on?”
“Nothing. I was just giving Mackenzie a little rundown on how some of our school rules work.”
Valentino arches one dark brow. “In the girls’ bathroom?”
Domenic throws back his shoulders and lifts his chin. “You got a problem with that, Tino?”
“If it means you’re trying to intimidate the new girl, then yeah, I do.”
I blink up at him, unsure what’s happening here. Is Valentino actually sticking up for me? The gratitude I feel is almost pathetic, but I’m desperate to have someone on my side. The fact this same person is breathtakingly gorgeous and covered in tats also helps smooth the way a little.
Domenic mock pouts. “Being nice to her isn’t going to get you into her panties, Tino.”
I can’t help but shoot Domenic a glare. How does he know that? I’m far more likely to let someone go in that direction if they don’t treat me like vermin.
“She thinks she’s better than us, though I have no idea why.” Domenic’s words bring me back to the present. “Look at how she holds herself. What were you? Daddy’s little princess? Did he tell you that you were special? No, not a little princess, you’re more…regal…than that. More like a duchess.”
Tino huffs laughter. “Duchess? I like that.”
I don’t. I’m nothing like a fucking duchess. Besides, duchesses have money and titles. I have nothing. I wish I was a duchess. My life would be much better.
Valentino hooks his arm around my neck and says, “Come on, Duchess. I’ll walk you to class.”
Though I don’t appreciate the name, I still find myself tucking into the shield of his body. A part of me is tempted to turn and flick Dom the bird as we walk away, but I don’t. I like the feeling of being under Tino’s wing. Other students send us appreciative glances. I bet we make a good-looking couple with his dark hair and mine so blonde.
