I pressed my lips together, nodding though not really meaning that agreement. I was done being careful. I wasn’t going to let them get away with humiliating and hurting me no matter who I pissed off in the process. And it kind of frightened me how much that didn’t frighten me. I should have been running for my life from these guys. Instead, I was leaning toward the danger, hunting it out like a wild animal taking on prey with sharper claws than me. The only way I could win was by being smart. And even then, I wouldn’t come out the other end of this unscathed. It’ll be worth it when they fall from grace.
When we were done with the fish and I’d caught Mila up on everything we’d missed out on talking about since the Night Keepers had banned me from having friends, I grabbed three jars of mayonnaise and we turned the fish into a thick, gloopy paste that smelled bad enough to make me gag. The scent brought me back to the day they’d covered me in stew and made the entirety of the school join in. It was one of the worst days of my life in all honesty. Discovering that my father was on the run for leaking the Hades Virus into the world had been enough to crush me, let alone the whole school turning on me too.
As my mind hooked on Dad, my heart weighed a thousand tons. Knowing I couldn’t call him held a finality to it that I had to try and come to terms with.
What if he never reaches out to me? What if I never speak to him and find out the truth? What if I never see him again?
Those thoughts undid me and I found solace in the only way I could: focusing on punishing Kyan. I pictured his face the day he’d thrown his stew at me, his eyes cold, hard, dead. That person didn’t marry with the one I’d been with last night, the one who made me laugh and brought out such a wildness in me that I never wanted that part of me to fade. But I couldn’t fall for that pretty mirage. Kyan may have had some good in him, but it was nothing in comparison to the bad. He’d stolen my life, he’d forced me to the bottom of the food chain. He hadn’t spoken up against his friends when they’d hurt me. He was my enemy. And I could never forget that.
I washed my hands in the sink and texted Kyan, my heart feeling as cool and as impenetrable as iron.
Tatum:
Come to the Redwood Dining Hall. Now.
Kyan:
Bossy, aren’t you, baby?
Tatum:
Just come.
Kyan:
Okay, but I’m gonna do it into a pair of your panties.
Tatum:
Why are you making this so hard?
Kyan:
Why are you making THIS so hard?
I gasped as he sent a picture of his dick bulging against his sweatpants and heat washed up and down my spine. Jesus fucking Christ.
Tatum:
You’re gonna wanna deflate that for what I have in mind, douche lord.
Kyan:
Deal. Now call me a douche lord again…
I growled beneath my breath, texting Monroe instead and hoping Kyan wasn’t going to be a prick and not do as I asked.
Tatum:
Come to the Redwood Dining Hall, you won’t wanna miss this.
“I’m gonna go fetch the football team and spread the word,” Mila said with a grin.
“Hell yes, post it online too, make sure everyone comes,” I said excitedly.
“Will do.” She laughed as she headed out the door and I was about to follow when my phone started ringing.
I took it out, finding Kyan calling and pressed my tongue into my cheek as I answered.
“Hey, asshole, are you coming or what?”
“Fuck, baby, say that again,” he said, his breathing heavy and my cheeks blazed as I realised he hadn’t been lying about dealing with his hard on.
“Please tell me you’re not jerking off right now,” I hissed, leaning back against the counter.
“I’m not gonna lie to you, Tatum Rivers. Now do me a favour and call me a fuck-up or an overpriced escort.”
“You can’t be serious?”
“As serious as the news of my grandma in a road traffic accident.”
“Kyan,” I hissed and he growled with desire. “You’d better get your ass down here. You play by my rules too now, understand?”
“I play by no one’s rules. And you’re not sad about me breaking them anyway, you’re just sad I didn’t fuck you like you were begging me to.”
My jaw fell slack and utter fury burst through my veins like liquid fire. My grip tightened on the phone as I tried to stop my body from shaking. “Fuck you,” I snarled. “You think you’re so irresistible Kyan Roscoe, but I only fooled around with you to pass the time. Contrary to what you believe, your dick isn’t one of the seven wonders of the world.”
I hated that I was curious about how wonderous his dick really was. But screw him for trying to make out I was the desperate one. He’d been panting for me yesterday, he’d been the one to drag me behind the Sacred Stone. He’d been the one to-
“God you’re mouthy,” he groaned and I growled in annoyance, about to hang up. “You would look so good beneath me, baby. I can’t wait until you’re desperate enough to beg for it.”
“Get your head out of your ass, fuckboy. I wouldn’t beg for it if you were the only guy on Earth with a dick and one good screw would make me immune to the Hades Virus.”
He groaned heavily, cursing and breathing my name. I hung up in an instant, shoving my phone into my pocket and trying to collect my thoughts as I stood there in a flustered mess.
Did he just…?
Oh my god, he totally played me.
Kyan:
Thanks for the dirty talk. You need
