Furore (The Night Skulls MC #1)(12)

I should have been appalled and disturbed by his inappropriate declarations. I should have pushed him away and gone through with my threat to report him. I should have never ever thought that was the sweetest and hottest thing a boy had ever told me. “You need help, Tirone.” So did I.

“All I need is you, Jo. That hugest whole creation may be less incalculable than one kiss…and in that kiss, I knew you needed me, too. ”

My eyes had burned with the tears that suddenly had sprung in them and with the irritation from the contacts had been about to spill. How could I have been so weak to lose myself even for one moment? How could I have been mesmerized that he was citing E. E. Cummings after that disgrace? How could have one moment been enough for him to know? “That’s not true.” I had to lie.

“Don’t try to lie to yourself or me because I felt you. I know when a woman wants me, Jo. There’s nothing wrong with a woman needing a man, especially when that man is crazy for her.”

No one had ever told me something like that before. I was twenty-two and had never been in a relationship, serious or otherwise. Not even a fleeting crush. A couple of minutes ago, I hadn’t even known what a kiss felt like. Then, Tirone Wisely, one of the sexiest boys in school had told me he was crazy for me.

My mind had been about to take a break again, but I hadn’t let it. I couldn’t have. Not again. “You’re not a man. You’re a boy.” I’d shaken at the words, as if the weight of their meaning suddenly had dawned on me. “A minor.”

Anger had flashed on his face “I’m not a boy. I’m almost eighteen, Jo.”

He didn’t look or taste like a boy. He was gorgeous and exuded enough masculinity to fill ten men. But it didn’t change the fact of what he truly was. “My name is Miss Meneceo. Even if you’re eighteen, I’m still your teacher. This can’t ever happen again.” I’d been scolding myself, not him. “Now, get out of the way because I swear to God if you don’t, I’ll scream right here right now and won’t care what happens next to either of us.”

Hurt and distraught and raging, the look in his beautiful eyes had held me in place long enough to shake me. I’d wondered if he’d have let me go or would have touched me again, against all common sense, against my will. I’d wondered if I’d have fought and screamed like I’d said I’d have. I was glad he had dropped his stare and arms because my resolve wouldn’t have lasted long enough.

I’d moved two steps before he hauled me back against the shelf, and I’d have sworn he’d have kissed me again. Part of me, wicked and shameless, wanted him to. My heart had gone frantic when his fingers had found the fabric of my blouse, the back of his hand teasing the skin between my breasts, leaving a line of fire in their wake. I’d opened my mouth to speak, to protest, but nothing had come out but an embarrassing gasp.

“I told you I didn’t want anyone to see you like that. Your body is for my eyes only, Jo.” He’d fixed my button. “You want us to wait? Fine, I’ll wait, but until then you’re mine. If I see anyone, and I mean anyone, coming near you, I’ll punch the shit out of them and fuck you right in front of everybody if I have to so that they’ll lay off my girl. I won’t give a fuck if you scream or report me or call the fucking cops. I’ll ruin us both without a single regret because it’ll still make you mine. Do you hear me, Jo? You’re mine.”

I closed my eyes like I’d had in that moment, savoring every ridiculous jealous possessive word that had been ruining me for months, chest heaving with all the forbidden feelings that still engulfed my body and heart…

“Jo? Earth to Jo?”

With a flinch, I opened my eyes and tilted my head toward the direction of the voice that snapped me out of the haunting memory. Jarica Williams. A Biology teacher. She must have come to meet her students at the library like I had. We both taught the dreaded summer courses.

Immediately, she started complaining about Mr. Perez’s selecting her for teaching the course. To every other teacher, being forced by the principal to be here in the summer was a miserable chore. For me, it was a different story. I volunteered, just like I did in San Quentin.

“Bless your heart, Jo,” she wheezed a little, wiping the sweat off her forehead. “Such a nice girl. A do-gooder. I don’t know why you haven’t scored a man yet. You’re kind, young, beautiful and look at all what you’re giving back to society.”

I laughed under my breath. If only she knew. “Thank you, Mrs. Williams.” I didn’t do either volunteer job out of the goodness of my heart, though. In San Quentin, I was doing it to atone. The summer course I was doing as a last hope.

Ty disappeared one week before his exams. He never took them. I was hoping he’d come for the summer courses. My heart had leapt when I saw his name on the list, and I was ripped to shreds when he still didn’t show.

“Do you know what happened to that boy?” she asked.

My heart skipped a beat. “Which boy?” I knew exactly whom, but I played dumb.

“Tyron Wisely.”

“You mean Tirone,” I corrected because he hated it when people couldn’t pronounce his name correctly. It was one of the things we had in common, and we used to laugh about it together all the time. He’d resorted to being called Ty—even though technically Tee was how his name was to be shortened—because no matter what they kept called him Tyron.