Wrath

“Right now? Grading papers and trying not to vomit over the sad state of secondary education in this country.”

“Don’t be cute. I assume you were there.” She hoped her voice wasn’t betraying how much this pervy stalking routine was freaking her out. So she focused on her anger-it gave her clarity.

“Cute is not something I aspire to be at the moment. Enlightened might be a better goal to strive for. Care to fill me in on what’s got you so hot and bothered?”

“I got your text message, Jack-and so did he, just like you intended.”

“He? He who?” He sounded so genuinely clueless that Kaia was certain it was an act; nothing about Powell had ever been genuine.

“Drop it.You know I was with Reed. I know you saw me with him. You probably followed me there.” Kaia could almost see it-his figure, waiting in the dark, coldly weighing his options, delighting in his view. She shivered.

“Are you actually admitting that you were with someone else?” Now his tone shifted from innocence to outrage. “And I’m supposed to feel guilty because my intimate message somehow fell into the wrong hands? Seems like the only guilty party here, mon amour, is you.”

“I’m supposed to believe it was just a coincidence?” Kaia laughed bitterly. “Right. Just leave me alone, okay? This is it. We’re done.”

“I don’t think that’s your decision to make,” Powell said, his voice low and steady. “Only one thing is done here, and it’s your little dalliance with the Sawyer boy. I warned you before to keep your hands off.”

“Or what?” Kaia struggled to keep her voice as calm as his. “You’ll keep following me around until I realize you’re the only man for me?”

“Oh, Kaia.” Powell sighed, and took on a patronizing tone that suggested he was delivering wisdom from on high to a silly little girl. “Stalking is a coward’s game. Hiding in bushes. Peering in windows.” He laughed humorlessly. “Now does that really sound like me? No, when I want something, I take it.”

“Not everything’s yours to have,” she snapped.

“Not everything, true. But you are.”

“You’re pathetic,” she spit out.

“Now, now, that’s not very nice. And as I’ve already suggested, you should be rather nice to me. Or do you want to fail your senior year? Get thrown out of school? Let’s remember who’s in charge here.”

Enough.

“I am,” Kaia snapped. “You know what will happen if I go to the administration and tell them how you’ve been forcing yourself on poor little me.”

“Your word against mine,” he said simply. “And once I’m through with you, your word will be worthless.”

“Your word against mine and Beth’s” she reminded him. “Or have you forgotten I know about that little misstep?”

“Beth’s been taken care of,” he said shortly. “I think you’ll find she won’t be much interested in joining forces with your little campaign. It’s over, Kaia. No more leverage. But I’m a bighearted man. If you’re ready to apologize and come back to me-”

“Dream on.”

“Have it your way,” he said agreeably. “But I think you’ll change your mind soon enough.”

“Just leave me alone.”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that, Kaia.” He chuckled again. “You know, I once suggested that you stick to playing with boys your own age. Looks like you should have taken my advice.”

Chapter 9

“Get out.”

The girl rolled over and snuggled up against him, her blond hair brushing against his lips. Kane spit it out, pushed her away.

“I said, get out.” He climbed out of the bed and began gathering up her clothes, then packed them into a ball and threw them at her.

“It’s so early,” the girl whispered sleepily, burrowing deeper into the covers. “Come back to bed.”

It was early, just past sunrise. Time to take the trash out, Kane thought, but chose not to say. If she wouldn’t leave, he would. He couldn’t stand to look at her anymore. That silky blond hair and those cornflower blue eyes had looked so appetizing the night before. Now they just looked… like Beth.

He slammed a fist against the wall. Damn it. Her again. He’d driven her out of his mind and now, here she was-or a pale imitation of her-in his bed.

“I’m going out,” Kane growled, pulling on a T-shirt and pair of sneakers. “Be gone when I get back.”

“Kane,” the girl whimpered, “what did I do?”

Let’s see, thought Kane. You went home with some guy you met at a party, before he even knew your name. You were insipid and sloppy drunk. You were easy.

But that wasn’t really it, was it? He made two fists, digging his nails into the fleshy heel of his hand to force the thought away.

You weren’t Beth.

He despised himself for his weakness. It was a part of himself he hated, and he’d thought he’d rooted it out years ago.

Beth was like poison to his system, corroding its works. This had to stop.

He didn’t want her forgiveness.

He didn’t want her back.

He wanted her gone.

Gone. But not forgotten.

The card was unsigned.

When the doorbell had woken her just after sunrise, Kaia had hoped it would be Reed. And when she’d opened the door to a delivery man with a long, white box of flowers, she’d hoped it would be a gift from Reed. Maybe he’d decided to call a truce and forgive her.

Hope springs eternal.

Twelve long-stemmed roses.

Each one dyed an inky black.

And that card.

Gone. But not forgotten.

She hadn’t dropped the box in horror-she’d hurled it away from her. Roses painted the color of death flew through the room, their black petals fluttering through the air like locusts.

It would have been bad enough if she’d been absolutely sure it was Powell.

But she wasn’t-and that was worse. Reed and Powell both thought she’d betrayed them; one of them was too cowardly to face her, and too obsessed to walk away.

It wasn’t fear that made her hands tremble or her heart slam in her chest, she told herself. It wasn’t fear that made her pace across the room, unable to sit down or stay still, made her check and double-check that she’d locked the door.

It was anger.

No one did this to Kaia Sellers.

No one had power over her like this. Kaia was the one with the power-nothing happened unless she wanted it to happen.

Hadn’t she already proven that?

After all, she’d made him want her.

Now she could make him go away.

She could make him sorry.