Page 58 of Vicious Kings

Cleanup goes quickly at the end of the evening as we bus the empty trays into the kitchen and into the industrial-sized dishwasher.

Tracey finds Sam, and it looks like I won’t have someone to walk back to the campus with. I can ask her, but whenever Sam is around, she acts differently. I don’t think being that hopelessly in love is a good thing, or maybe I’m jealous. Either way, I decide to find Helen and see if I can walk with her, or better yet, get a ride. The last time I saw her, she was helping a volunteer load up a car, so I step outside.

Thankfully, the parking lot is packed with cars, so I should be able to bum a ride home without getting an Uber. I turn to head back inside and stop in my tracks. Jaxon is coming out of the door and walking toward me. He has a jerky smile on his face, as if I should be glad to see him.

“Charlotte, are you heading back to the dorm?” he asks cheerfully.

I glare at him as if I could burn holes through his fat head with my eyes. “Yes, as soon as I find a ride.”

He laughs. “We can walk together. It’s not that far.”

I cross my arms. “You have to be delusional if you think what you did to me was even a little bit okay.”

“Do you think that was intentional?” he asks. “Look, I’m sorry I got carried away.”

I hold up my hand. “Carry your ass somewhere else, because I’m not talking to you.”

He reaches for my shoulder, but I pull it away. I’m only vaguely aware that we might be causing a scene in a church parking lot.

“Don’t touch me,” I hiss. “Don’t you ever touch me again.”

The ever-present smile finally comes off his face when he realizes I’m deathly serious. “Don’t be like that.” He narrows his eyes. “It was a mistake. They happen. Besides, no one saw it. Come on, we’ll walk and talk.”

“They didn’t see it, but you told them,” I argue. “You’ve been running around telling people what we did. You’ve been gloating about it.”

His solemn expression turns into something cruel, and suddenly, I’m back at Monarch. Trapped at the end of a hallway by kids determined to make me cry and then beg them not to hurt me.

“Why do you care if people know what you are?” he asks.

A chill races down my spine as I back away, but the shock on my face only goads him.

He scoffs. “Women like you are all the same in public. You want respect when everyone is watching, but you want to cum like freaks in private. “

Clenching my fist, I challenge him. “Get away, or I’ll scream.”

Jaxon scoffs. “Scream or moan, you little bitch.”

“What’s wrong with you?” I stare at him, wondering what the fuck is loose in his head. “I’ve never been cruel to you.”

“All the same,” he mutters under his breath.

I stumble backward into a car, and he traps my legs against the bumper. Though the metal is biting into the back of my knees, I turn my face away and refuse to look at him. Jaxon grabs me by the chin and yanks my face to face his before laying a soft kiss on my cheek. Chills shoot through me as I start to tremble.

“What if I wanted you?” he whispers. “What if I’m saying those things to keep the others away?”

Thoughts race through my head, but I only ask one aloud. “Are you sending me those messages? Of course. That’s how you knew.”

Rage shoots through me, and fear has no control over me. I swing my hand up and knock Jaxon’s hand off my face. “Fuck you,” I hiss. “Tell everyone I’m a slut, but leave me the fuck alone.”

He frowns in confusion and starts to take matters seriously. “What messages?”

“Don’t pretend.” I slip away from Jaxon and start for the door. His hand wraps around my upper arm, but only to stop me from walking away.

“What messages?” he asks again.

“Just let me go.” My spirit crumbles as I hear my voice shake. My moment of strength recedes into weakness. I can’t start over, because the scars I received at Monarch will stay with me.

“Charlotte, let me take you home,” he speaks softly. “I promise no tricks. We don’t even talk. Let’s go.”

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