Broken Trust: A Dark High School Romance(19)

There was something a little darker and more out of control in his next few messages, until the final one was just: Beck: See you soon.

I had no idea why that was so ominous, but Beck still scared me, deep deep down where I’d never admit it to anyone but myself.

For some reason, after I allowed myself to read his messages, I could finally drift off into a restless, nightmare filled sleep. Apparently, I was going to relive my first murder forever, each night as I closed my eyes.

The next morning I dressed for school slowly, not at all enthusiastic about going back. But I had no choice. My deal with Catherine required me to keep up appearances and not let my grades fall. Of course, I’d skipped out on half my classes yesterday and missed a detention, so no doubt it was going to be a shit show today when I got there.

Eddy picked me up, and she ran her gaze over me when I hopped in. “What?” I said, wondering about her curious stare.

“Just checking you survived the night in one piece.” She spun her wheels as she took off along my new street, heading toward Ducis.

“Tired but alive,” I said, dropping my head back on the headrest.

She shot me a side-eye. “No Beck?”

I shook my head, and her forehead crinkled. “I thought for sure he’d have smashed your door down the moment he found out you didn’t live in the compound.”

I sat a little straighter. “He actually didn’t mention it in his text messages. Maybe he doesn’t know.”

I realized then I’d all but admitted to reading his messages, but Eddy thankfully didn’t push me on it. Driving faster than was legally allowed got us to school early-ish for a change. When Eddy pulled up in a spot near the front door, the Delta spots were empty, none of the guys here yet, which was the best news I’d gotten all day.

“I probably need to head into the office,” I said with a sigh, opening my door. “I skipped out on classes and a detention yesterday.”

Eddy shrugged. “Nah, I told Jasper and he got it all taken care of. There are some things they can still deal with, even if you’re iced in public.”

I shot her a glare, and she held both hands up. “I’m not saying the guys don’t deserve it. I’ve been around the five … four of them long enough to know that they can be the worst kind of assholes. I just…” she cut off for a beat. “Just don’t get yourself killed over stubborn pride, you know. Sometimes the enemy you know is better than the one you don’t.”

She got out then, and I followed a moment later, her words running through my head. Was I just being a prideful dick about this? I mean, I’d never been a fan of the whole cutting your nose off to spite your face thing, but this had been a real betrayal. Crawling back to them for my own safety was exactly what they wanted from me, and I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction. Not after what they did.

Eddy left me near the front entrance, and I headed toward my first class. It was at the end of this building, and thankfully the hall was almost empty, so I didn’t even have to deal with the dirty looks and coughwhorecough situations. Just when I was almost at my room, the door swung open on a supply closet next to the science lab, and a strong hand wrapped around mine, yanking me inside.

I choked back a scream as I was plastered against a rock hard body, familiar heat and scent wrapping around me as my head spun.

“Riley,” Beck growled softly, his chest heaving as he held me prisoner.

I swallowed hard. “Your car…”

His car hadn’t been here. Fuck. I’d been led into a false sense of security.

Beck’s eyes were the stormiest gray, boring down into me as he held me, not allowing an inch of space between us. “How did you get to school this morning?” he asked softly.

I tilted my chin up, meeting his gaze unflinchingly—on the outside anyway. Inside I was a quivering mess of emotions. “How did you get to school this morning?” I countered. “Your car wasn’t in the lot.”

The corners of his mouth lifted in a small, smug smile. “You were looking for me.”

“No, I—” Damn him. I had been, but only so I didn’t have to run into him. Not that his arrogant ass would believe any excuses I made, so I just folded my arms over my chest and took a step back so we weren’t so intimately positioned. “What do you want, Beck?”

His smile slipped, and he traced a rough thumb down my face. I flinched away from his touch, and his eyes hardened. “You ignored my messages last night.”

It wasn’t phrased as a question, so I said nothing, just let my flat glare speak for itself.

Beck’s eyes narrowed, and he let out a frustrated sigh. “You can’t just ignore me forever, Riley. I’m still the leader of our team, whether you like it or not.”

“Not,” I snapped, channeling my best petulant child routine. “Is that all you dragged me in here to say? That you’re top dog and I better roll over like a good little bitch before you punish me?”

His hands clasped my waist—tightly—and he pulled me back closer to him. “You probably don’t want to start me on punishments while we’re alone in a closet, Butterfly,” he practically purred into my ear. His warm breath teased at my neck, and I couldn’t fight the shiver of arousal that traveled through me. It was a purely physical response though, and my brain wasn’t falling for it.