Collins’ eyes fly to mine quickly, and it’s written across his face.

Fix this.

Damn it.

I bite through the soft flesh of my cheek, hard and quick, until blood trickles down my throat. My cheeks will be raw by the time this is all over.

Maybe if my body bleeds, my heart won’t.

“He can grab me however he wants,” I say, and I’m surprised it’s come out so strong when in my own head it feels like a filthy fucking whisper.

Maddoc swings around, his eyes wide and wild. He has to convince himself I’ve just said what I did.

Royce and Captain are now taking slow steps closer, deep frowns directed at me, and I didn’t miss Perkins slide in on the other side of the hall.

I’d swear he wears a smirk.

Maddoc’s shoulders tense, but he moves toward me.

Anger and uncertainty.

God, what am I doing? This wasn’t supposed to hurt them like this.

I release a deep breath and take a half step toward him, but Collins jumps to his feet and steps forward.

Maddoc glares down at me, his hands twitching at his sides.

Students have shuffled in now.

“Rae...” Collins calls, the fakest tenderness I’ve ever heard ringing through loud and clear for all these fuckers to witness.

Can I do this in front of all their people? With the enemy?

Do I have a fucking choice?

I drop my eyes from his, unable to look him in the eyes this time, and step past, but of course, his hand shoots up and he stops me at his side, shoulder to shoulder, my front facing one way, his the other.

We both shift to look at each other.

His grasp shakes against me as his nostrils flare.

I see in his eyes what I feel.

This is torture.

“Madman,” Royce says quietly.

It works, Maddoc snaps out of it, a shield suddenly hiding his eyes from me, and I’m released. He storms down the hall.

Collins steps forward and I grind my teeth discreetly as he grips my hand and feathers my fingers over his lips. He pulls me away with a gentleness he fights hard to keep.

Fake ass bitch.

As soon as we’re around the corner, he shoves me into a dark classroom and gets in my face.

“Are you fucking kidding me right now?” he growls, slamming his hand against the wall beside my head like he expects me to jump.

I don’t.

“Why do I keep having to remind you to keep your ass in line?” he seethes.

“Because I’m shit for a listener.”

“Well you better fucking learn, or else the video will end up not only on the damn school website but on the evening fucking news.”

“You don’t have the balls.”

“If you believed that, you wouldn’t be here.”

I shove him away.

“I know you do, baby,” he says randomly, quickly moving in. He whispers, “Stay still, and do not look, Bray number three is about to be watching.” His hand finds my waist and squeezes.

Bray number three?

He’s a fool. There is no number three, there are only three number ones – each as strong as the next, none weaker than the other. If he’s hoping to find a kink in their line, he’ll be disappointed.

“I’m going to lean in, and you’re going to let me. Do not push me,” he warns quietly.

“You’ll pay for all this eventually, Graven. In one way or another,” I hiss.

He chuckles against me, his breath growing closer to my neck, his grip on my waist lifting higher.

I dig my nails into his bicep, enough to leave a mark and he tenses like a bitch.

“I promise, baby,” he says purposely. “He barely touched me, don’t worry.” His lips slide across my jaw and I close my eyes so I don’t have to see his face.

His mouth comes down on mine, and in the same instant, there’s a loud bang in the hallway, followed by retreating footsteps.

I shove him away before his lips make full contact, my chest feeling like it’s caved in on itself, and Collins laughs, moving to hit his knuckle beneath my chin.

“Good job, Rae.” He smiles and walks out.

I drop my head back on the wall, slamming my palm against it, and allow myself a minute of misery.

I take a deep breath, and exit the classroom, freezing when I find Bass standing outside the door with his arms crossed, glare in place.

He spins his lip ring as he studies me.

“What the fuck do you want?” I snap, annoyed with everything and everyone.

He tosses me my backpack – he must have grabbed it from the cafeteria for me.

His eyes flick between mine a minute before he starts shaking his head and walks away.

Well, fuck him too.

I move toward my next class, a class Maddoc happens to be in, and push inside with my head held high, but my steps falter slightly when I find he’s entertaining one of Chloe’s minions.

I take another step, and her eyes snap up and meet mine.

A little shot of panic flashes in her baby blues and she quickly averts her gaze, pulls her phone out and waves it at Maddoc as she moves for her seat.

A sudden phone call, huh?

I smash my lips together to keep from laughing.

Right.

Maddoc leans back in his chair as I grow closer.

I slide into my seat and replay what’s just happened in my mind.

I knew these girls were smart.

Yes, ladies, that’s right. I may not be at his side, but you won’t be either while I’m still forced to watch it.

The rest of the day sucks a little less, even if I am coming across as a shady ass bitch.

Raven’s really fucking sitting there, in a dark ass corner not five feet away, pretending we’re not in perfect line of sight.

She keeps feigning busy drinking her beer, but it’s been in her hands for the last hour – it’s got to taste like warm piss by now.

Graven played this well, knowing we wouldn’t run him out as long as she was in sight.

The only reason I haven’t beat his ass tonight is because he stepped out back with a phone glued to his ear twenty minutes ago and she hasn’t moved her ass once.

A couple people have tried to stop next to her to talk, fishing for something, but she dismisses each one who gets within two feet with the wave of a hand – even the chick from the home that somehow ended up here tonight.

The girl looked a little sour over it, but Raven didn’t bat a lash.

A girl steps in front of me and the second she does, Raven’s eyes finally swing my way.

I knew she was watching.

I don’t recognize the chick, but her greedy stare tells me she knows exactly who I am.

The girl puts her elbows on the table, dropping her tits closer to my face like I’m some desperate motherfucker who can’t control himself and has to look.

Raven’s stare meets mine and she straightens in her seat.

You just gonna sit there, baby...not gonna come claim what’s yours?

A crease forms between her eyes.

She knows exactly what I want from her, but of course she does the opposite and slowly sits back.

With a subtle shake of my head, I stretch my neck back to look at the girl in front of me.

Her eyes light up now that she finally has my attention and a smile breaks over her face.

She’s not lacking in looks in any way, but she’s desperate and trying too hard.