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)
Before I realize what’s happening, my spine is pressed against the lockers and Austin’s lips have crashed onto mine. When I don’t immediately open, he nips my lower lip. Surprised, a gasp escapes from me and his tongue delves inside my mouth to tangle with my own.
My palms slip between us, settling on the hard planes of his chest. Even through the fabric of his button-down shirt, I can feel the chiseled lines and the heat that emanates from him. In the beginning, my intention had been to push him away, but the longer his mouth slants across mine, the more everything fades to the background, and I forget this is nothing more than a meaningless display solely meant for Jasper’s benefit.
Just as my fingers curl into the starched material and I lose myself in the kiss, he’s ripped away. My eyes widen when I find the two boys standing toe to toe. Tension vibrates in the air as people stop, craning their necks, not wanting to miss the fight that is seconds away from breaking out.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” my ex growls before shoving Austin in the chest and knocking him back a step. “Keep your grubby hands off what’s mine.”
I wince, afraid Austin will retaliate and find himself in even hotter water with Pembroke. And this time, there won’t be anything I can do to save him. I take a step forward, ready to intervene if necessary. As mixed as my feelings are about Austin, I don’t want to see him get expelled.
He doesn’t deserve it.
He doesn’t deserve any of this.
His eyes sharpen, the smirk never faltering from his face. “She isn’t yours, Morgan. She belongs to me now.” He flicks a hard stare my way, almost daring me to argue. I know exactly what will happen if I do. The silent promise is there, lurking in his eyes. “Isn’t that right, Delilah?”
A growl vibrates from Jasper’s chest as he glares. Hatred and jealousy swirl through his stormy gray depths. The intensity is almost enough to have me shrinking away. Instead of giving into the urge, I straighten my shoulders and hitch my chin. “Yes.”
“Tell him who owns you,” Austin says softly.
I swallow down my growing nausea, hating him for making me say it in front of everyone. “You do.”
“Louder for the people in the back.”
Heat floods my face. “I belong to you.”
“I always knew you were nothing more than a fucking whore!” Jasper bares his teeth before swiveling toward me and leaping forward.
A scream rises in my throat as Austin slides in front of me, blocking the other boy.
After pushing him back a step, he wags a finger. “Ah, ah, ah. No touching my property, Morgan. Unlike you, I don’t like to share my toys.”
And here I thought it couldn’t possibly get worse.
Hot licks of humiliation sting my cheeks.
I glance at the people pressing in on us, hanging on every word. By the end of first hour, it’ll spread like wildfire, and the entire student population will have heard some twisted version of what happened this morning.
“You think this is over?” Jasper snarls. “Not by a long shot. You’re messing with the wrong fucking guy.”
“Nah. It’s over. I won. She’s mine.” He leans in before whispering something that I can’t quite make out.
Fury flashes in Jasper’s eyes as he grips Austin by his shirtfront and hauls him close. Instead of fighting back, the dark-haired boy grins.
“Go ahead, hit me.”
Jasper smashes his lips together as he vibrates with impotent rage.
“Let him go, Morgan,” Kingsley snaps, shoving his way through the press of bodies.
Jasper’s gaze never deviates from Austin. His face has turned a mottled red hue as his chest rises and falls in quick succession. I’ve witnessed my ex lose his temper lots of times but have never seen him pushed this close to the edge.
“Now.”
A murderous haze fills Jasper’s eyes as he shoves Austin away.
“Do yourself a favor and leave.” Kingsley stares him down, daring him to argue.
My ex remains still, hands clenching at his sides as if he’s unsure what to do.
My breath stalls, wondering if he’ll lose the internal battle and throw a punch.
Summer lays a hand on her brother’s shoulder before talking to him in a low voice. Austin’s gaze stays riveted to the other boy.
“You think you can fuck with me, Hawthorne?” He shakes his head. “When I’m done with you, you’ll wish you never set foot in this town.”
“Too late for that. Got anything else?”
Jasper’s hard-edged gaze slices to me. “I’ll be seeing you around, Delilah.”
A shiver slithers down my spine as he stalks away. Even though he didn’t threaten me, that’s exactly how his growled-out words come across.
As a promise of retribution.
Now that Jasper has disappeared down the hallway, the tension vibrating in the air dissipates and the crowd gradually disperses.