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“Hi, Mackenzie.” Alex drapes himself over the back of my chair, hands on either side of my tray of food, pinning me against the table. His lips are beside my ear, causing cold chills to race up and down my spine. “Did you get my flowers?”
“Alex.” My voice is tense, and my posture rigid, uncomfortable from his nearness. “Yes, I did. Please, step back. I don’t like you this close to me.”
He ignores me as though I didn’t say anything. “Well? What do you think? Do you forgive me for being a jerk to you?”
“Alex, stop it. Just get off me.” I swat at him and struggle against him. My breathing accelerates as my mind goes back to Orpheus forcing himself on me. Inside me.
“Get. Off. Me.” I rasp out, fear, panic, and a slight hint of anger swirling inside me.
I blink and Orpheus’s face looms in front of me. Those black, soulless eyes. That vile smile.
My breathing changes, quick, shallow breaths rasping from my lungs. An involuntary whimper comes from my lips. My hands are shaking as they flutter over to Alex’s hands on either side of the table.
But they aren’t his.
They are thicker, with veins standing up against the skin. The edge of a tattoo peaks out from the black cloak. I stare at it, horror filling me. It’s the bottom of the skull.
Oh my God, Orpheus has me.He’s leaning over my chair, his breath feathering over my skin.No. No, no, no.
Although there’s a part of my mind that knows he’s dead and gone, the panic causes me to hallucinate. I’m no longer in school. I’m back in that hellhole of an attic, sitting on that stained, musty mattress. My lips and chin tremble, my skin clammy, as my heartbeat thrashes inside my ears.
Shit. No. I squeeze my eyes closed.He’s going to rape me again.
A wave of dizziness washes over me. Closing my eyes, I try to focus on breathing, but my mind is blank. I don’t remember any of the stuff Chase taught me. Not with the feeling of him pressed against me, his voice whispering in my ear.
When I open my eyes, black spots appear. My gaze darts around, but all I see is the dirty, dusty wooden beams of the attic.
Fuck. I can’t breathe. Not enough air. I’m going to die, and he’ll defile my body, then leave me for the crows. Once they’ve picked the flesh clean from my bones, he’ll add my skull to his collection on the wall.
“You’ll never escape me,”his voice whispers in my ear.
As I gasp for oxygen, through the buzzing in my ears, I hear the scrape of the chair against the floor and Jeff yelling at Alex. I think he tells him to leave me alone, but I’m not sure. Even though he’s close, I can’t make out what he’s saying.
The walls are closing in on me as the panic takes over.
Alex chuckles darkly, his lips against the shell of my ear. “What’s wrong? Afraid Chase will get jealous?” He puts his hand on top of mine, caressing my flesh. “Why don’t you come with me, Mackenzie? Let me take you somewhere private. Somewhere I can take off your clothes and fuck?—”
That’s all he says before his body is suddenly removed from mine, and I hear the clanging of the metal folding chairs behind me. The scent of his expensive cologne is gone. When I look over my shoulder, Chase’s familiar eyes assess me.
Relief fills me.I’m safe. I suck in a breath, then slowly exhale it. Orpheus is gone.Chase killed him, ensuring he could never harm me again.
Rage creeps over Chase’s face, transforming his expression. All the relief I’m feeling flees as I watch Chase’s hands clench into fists as he turns, facing the enemy.
Oh, God. Please don’t kill Alex. You’ll get in trouble.The thought doesn’t get a chance to come out of my mouth before Chase attacks, grabbing ahold of Alex’s shirt. “You son of a bitch. Leave my girl the fuck alone.” Chase’s fist flies out, cracking Alex right in the nose. Blood spurts in the air as Alex’s head is knocked back from the hit. “You don’t fucking touch Mackenzie.”Crack. “You don’t fucking go near her.”Crack. “Don’t even fucking look at her.”Crack.
The pounding of Chase’s bloody fist against Alex’s skull is loud and relentless. Each crack makes me wince. Chase lost his composure, the rage taking him over.
Just like it did when he killed Orpheus.
I whirl around, panic on my face. “Jeff. Stop this.”
Jeff is already on his feet, hurrying to Chase’s side and grabbing his arm. “Chase, man, stop. You’ll get in trouble.”
But Chase ignores him, shrugging him off before punching Alex again.
I glance around the room at the growing crowd, some cheering for Chase but most for Alex. The rich kid whose dad is on the police force.
Two male teachers run into the room, then turn, yelling to get security.
