A Million Kisses in Your Lifetime(25)

Intoxicating.

A low, frustrated moan leaves her. “Stop saying things like that.”

“Why? Because it goes against everything you believe in? Or because you like it too damn much?” I streak my thumb across the front of her tit, wishing she didn’t have on such a heavy bra, so I could tell if that nipple was hard or not.

“Both,” she admits.

So softly, I almost didn’t hear her.

It’s my turn to be surprised. “Really, Birdy?”

She doesn’t respond. Her breathing is still rapid, and tremors wrack her body, but she doesn’t seem as scared as she was only a few minutes ago.

I decide to push my luck.

“I would never hurt you.” I nuzzle her hair, breathing deep the sweetly floral scent of her shampoo. Damn this girl smells good. “Unless you like it that way.”

She whimpers. I’m probably confusing the shit out of her. She truly is such an innocent.

It would be fun, toying with her.

“I don’t like you,” she bites out, sounding nothing like our usual sweet little Wren.

“Good.” I breathe into her ear, smiling when I feel her shiver. “I don’t like you either. Though I can’t deny I like the way you feel in my arms.”

“Is this how you operate then? You have to force girls to get what you want from them?”

A chuckle leaves me. She is a vicious little thing when she wants to be. Didn’t believe she had it in her. “I don’t have to force girls to do shit. Including you.”

“Let me go then. See if I’ll stick around,” she taunts.

“Nope.” I make a popping sound with the word, tightening my hold on her. “You’ll go running to Headmaster Matthews’ office and tell him everything. I can’t risk it.”

“I told you I wouldn’t tell. Come on, Crew. Please. Let me go.” I like the pleading. I’d enjoy some begging too, but not here.

“We need to make a deal, Birdy.”

“What do you mean?” She stiffens in my hold, wariness tingeing her voice.

“I don’t trust that you’re not going to tell on us. At the very least, you’ll go to Figueroa, and I don’t want to deal with his shit. Which means I’m going to have to trail you everywhere you go.”

An irritated sound leaves her. “That’s ridiculous. And impossible. Besides, I already promised.”

“I don’t trust you.”

“I won’t say anything!” she practically wails. “What would I gain by doing something like that?”

“Getting rid of me and my friends from school so you don’t have to deal with us ever again. Sounds perfect, right? Don’t bother denying it. I can feel your hatred for me emanating from your body.”

The bill rings, the sound faint since we’re so far from the building, and she jerks against my hold. “Let me go. We have class.”

“We can be late.”

“No.” She shakes her head, her soft hair brushing against my chin. “I’m never late. I don’t even skip.”

“Yes, actually, you do. We all witnessed you leaving Skov’s class early yesterday,” I remind her.

An irritated sound leaves her. “That was different. And all your fault, I might add.”

“I’m not responsible for your actions.” I caress her tit, my touch extra gentle, noting how she slowly melts against me. “Like I said, we need to strike a deal, little birdy.”

“I’m not striking anything with you. Let me go.” She stomps on my foot again, surprising me. A yelp escapes and she breaks free, running away from me, never once looking back.

I watch her go, ignoring the pain throbbing in my toes, focusing on the erection I’m sporting thanks to having Wren’s sexy little body rubbing against mine for the last five minutes.

Hearing her confess that she both hated and liked what I said shocked me.

That’s something I’m definitely going to explore further.





ELEVEN





CREW





By the time I’m walking into seventh period, I spot Wren sitting in her usual spot, front and center, her head bent, her long hair covering most of her face. I pause in the open doorway, studying her. Everyone is talking. Laughing. Except Wren. She just looks…sad.

Defeated.

Alone.

Her obvious pain is a heavy weight on my shoulders and it annoys the shit out of me. I’m responsible for it, and normally that sort of thing wouldn’t bother me, but come on. What the hell did Wren Beaumont ever do to me?

Not a damn thing. Her mere existence annoys me, but that’s not reason enough to torture her.

Or is it?

Jesus. I am seriously fucked up.

I walk past her, not saying a word, making my way to the back of the classroom and plopping my ass in my usual seat. Ezra is already at his desk, Natalie perched on his knee, eating him up with her sultry gaze while he sits there like a dumbass and basks in it.

Knowing how Natalie operates, I don’t trust her motives. She wants something from Ez. That’s the only reason she’s paying attention to him.

“Crew, oh my God,” she says when she spots me, rolling her eyes as she turns on Ezra’s knee to face me more fully. “Are you bored yet?”