Cruel Prince (Royal Hearts Academy, #1)(51)

“No, I’m not, asshole. I attacked him over it.” My heart drops. “I could have seriously hurt him, Jace.”

I’m not sure what to make of the expression on his face. “Yeah, you could have. Yet, here you are standing in my driveway blaming me.”

He wraps his fingers around my wrist and yanks me until I’m the one against the car. “Newsflash, Dylan. I didn’t make you do shit. You chose to beat him up, because that’s your MO. Whenever someone hurts you or pisses you off, you take it to the extreme.”

Anger rises in my throat. He’s got a lot of nerve considering all he’s done. “Are you sure you didn’t steal from Oakley’s stash tonight? That’s your MO. The only thing I’ve ever done was be a good friend, which is a hell of a lot more than I can say for you.”

His upper lip curls and he leans in. “I wish you were a guy, because I swear, I’d beat the goddamn heartbeat out of you, you vile, manipulating cunt.”

I’ve been called a lot of bad things before, but this takes the cake. It’s the worst thing anyone’s ever said to or about me.

I slap his cheek so hard my own hand stings. “I hate you.”

I honest to God do in this moment. It doesn’t even matter why he’s mad at me, because I no longer care.

He plants both palms on the car, trapping me. “Is that supposed to scare me? Because it doesn’t. There’s nothing else you can do—there’s nothing else you can take from me. I won’t fucking let you.”

My heart slams against my ribcage. He’s talking in circles and it’s getting us nowhere. “I didn’t do anything to you.” I grab his face, forcing him to look at me. “You know me, Jace. You know me better than anyone. Whatever you think…”

“No. I don’t.” The sorrow in his voice strikes me low in the gut. “I’m not sure I ever did.”

I was wrong before. This takes the cake. “You’ve held my heart in the palm of your hand since I was eleven-years-old. If anyone has the power to hurt the other, it’s you, not me.” My throat prickles and a rush of anger fills the cavity of my chest. “Hell, it’s all you’ve been doing since I’ve been back.” I jab a finger into his pec. “Britney Caldwell? You think I’m vile? She’s the very definition of it.”

His hand slides to the nape of my neck and he grips my ponytail, tilting my head back. “She might be a bitch, but at least she never betrayed me.”

“Give her time.”

The tip of his nose skims the length of my exposed neck. “Careful, Taylor. Your jealousy is starting to show.”

I laugh. “Please. She has nothing that I want.” My eyes narrow. “Not anymore.”

“You sure about that?” he challenges.

“Positive,” I lie.

His lids lower. “Is that why you wore this sexy little shirt tonight?” His warm breath tickles the side of my neck. “Hoping to get my attention.”

“No.”

Liar, liar, pants on fire.

That earns me a husky chuckle. “Too bad.” He presses his lips against my throat. “Because it’s working. You have all my attention.” He walks his fingers down my torso. “Question is…what are you going to do with it?”

My teeth clench in frustration. “Tell you to go fuck yourself.”

I shiver when he flicks his tongue ring against my pulse point. “I think it would be more fun to fuck you.”

“As if I’d let you.”

My pulse skyrockets when his knuckles brush the bare strip of skin above the waistband of my jeans. “We both know you would.”

“You’re wrong.”

His nostrils flare on an indrawn breath. “Fine. Then tell me to stop. Tell me to stop touching you and go inside.”

I can’t.

“That’s what I thought.” I gasp when he traces the zipper of my jeans with his thumb. “I wonder what I’d find if I tugged these down and slipped my hand inside.”

Blood whooshes in my ears when his teeth graze the hollow of my neck. “I bet you’d be nice and wet for me.” He sucks the sensitive skin into his mouth. “I bet you’d beg for my cock, too.”

“I wouldn’t beg you for shit,” I say, although it sounds unconvincing even to my own ears.

He clamps down on my flesh, sucking and biting so hard it hurts. “Who says you’d have to?” His palm slithers up my abdomen. “Maybe I’ll just give it to you.” He hitches my leg around his waist, pressing his erection into me. “Pull those jeans down and fuck you senseless right here. Get it over with so we can both move on.”

I swear I stop breathing. “Is that what you want?”

“I don’t know.” He grinds against the spot that’s aching for him. “You tell me.”

My insides swoop when he lowers his head and his mouth brushes the lace material of my shirt. But no matter how much I want this—I’m not willing to accept him with a side of Britney.

I want all of Jace. Every fucked-up piece and broken part. All to myself.

“I won’t fuck you while you’re with her.”

He starts to speak, but my phone rings, cutting him off.

Growling, he shoves his hand inside my pocket and pulls it out.