Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 95950 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 480(@200wpm)___ 384(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95950 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 480(@200wpm)___ 384(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
The very same finger that had been buried deep inside the warmth of my body.
This time, the smirk curving his lips is unmistakable.
DELILAH
Dread pools at the bottom of my belly as Mom turns onto the campus of Hawthorne Prep. While I’ve never felt as if I fit in, I never felt unsafe. Like my wellbeing was threatened by the other students who attend this school.
That’s no longer the case.
I glance at my mother, wishing it were possible to confide in her. So much has changed in such a short period of time. And none of it is good. Other than breaking up with my boyfriend, she has no idea what else is going on.
Yesterday after third hour, I turned the corner in the hallway and caught Mom talking with Jasper. His head had been bent as if he was in need of consoling, and even from the distance that separated us, I could see the sympathy filling her blue eyes before she pulled him in for a quick hug.
Why is she so blinded by him?
After a couple months of us being together, I discovered that Jasper had a Jekyll and Hyde personality. He acts one way in front of adults and another with his peers. And if he doesn’t like you…
Watch out.
He’s a formidable and dangerous foe.
It’s doubtful Jasper will ever change.
Why should he?
The guy gets everything he wants.
Well…he’s not going to get me.
He can go fuck himself, for all I care.
Instead of stomping past, I’d spun on my heel and stalked off in the opposite direction.
So, no…I don’t feel like I can share any of this with her. She wouldn’t believe me. Plus, our relationship still feels fractured from my convo with Pembroke. I heard her whispering on the phone last night, pleading with him not to break off their affair. The thought of her begging him for anything makes me sick to my stomach.
Doesn’t she realize that she can do better than a married man?
I snap out of those thoughts when the car door slams shut, and she stares at me with a raised brow from the other side of the glass.
With my backpack in hand, I scramble out of the vehicle before reluctantly trailing after her to the sprawling stone building. The closer it looms, the more my belly spasms with nerves. As soon as I step inside the bustling corridor, my muscles tense, and my shoulders hunch as if it’s possible to make myself smaller.
Less noticeable.
My steps quicken as I beeline for my locker. The plan is to grab the books I need for my morning classes and then hightail it to my first period. I don’t care if I’m the only student in there and have to wait around for twenty minutes. If that verifies my status as a friendless loser, so be it.
As soon as my locker comes into view, I realize that I’ve made it through the hallway without a barrage of nasty comments hurtled at me.
Is it possible the worst of it has blown over?
Hope tentatively rises that life will soon return to normal.
My happiness is short lived when I catch sight of Sloane and Jasper. She’s wrapped around him like a python as he lounges near a locker situated across from mine. Instead of paying attention to the pretty blonde, his gaze is centered on me. A shiver of dread slithers down my spine as I force my feet into movement. The sooner I get my books, the quicker I can hustle to class.
Even though it goes against every instinct, I turn my back to him. My fingers shake as I spin the dial on my locker. It takes three attempts and a curse muttered beneath my breath before I finally hit the numbers correctly. Just as I jerk the metal handle, Sloane sidles up beside me. I give her a sidelong glance as I root around for my books.
“Hey,” she says in a syrupy voice. “How’s everything going?”
“It’s fine,” I mutter, wishing she would stop pretending we’re friends.
“That’s good. I just wanted to check in and make sure you were okay. There’s so much gossip flying around the halls. It’s all anyone can talk about. You’re so brave to be here. If this were happening to me, I’d refuse to show my face.”
“There’s not much choice in the matter,” I say flatly.
“I guess not. Your scholarship probably hinges on attendance or something like that.”
“Actually, my classes and grades are important to me. That’s the reason I’m here.”
Her attention flickers to the boy across the hall. I can practically feel his gaze burning holes into the back of my skull.
She steps closer and whispers, “You must miss Jasper.”
I almost snort.
Not really.
“If he dumped my ass, I’d be devastated,” she adds when I remain silent.
It’s so tempting to tell her that I’m the one who broke up with him, but he’s already spread around the story that I cheated to save face and make me look bad.