Page 33 of Wicked Dreams

Her breath, each ragged exhale, touches my lips. My thoughts go back to the game, to the only way I won’t lose my mind over her. The game with no prizes, no end in sight. Just Margo and I, locked in combat.

“I’ll do anything to win.”

Chapter 7

Margo

My head is spinning when I walk out of the classroom. Caleb follows close behind me, a menacing shadow I can’t shake.

He said he’d do anything to win—but my heartbeat stutters, and the fear crawls up and down my throat. I can’t speak. And I have plenty of things to say—or ask—but I won’t give him the satisfaction.

He stole my first kiss. And then to feel his erection against my belly…

You’re not supposed to show fear to the enemy. Yet underneath it all, Caleb wasn’t always the enemy. He was a boy who I liked. A friend. We were closer than even Savannah and I, running wild together as kids.

I just don’t understand how things got so twisted between us.

I don’t know that I expected the warmest of welcomes, but I did think it would be better than this. It’s been over a week, and I still can hardly believe that he looks at me with such vitriol. No boy has shown me such hatred…

And I don’t know what I did to deserve it.

If I deserve it at all.

“Come with me.” He’s gruff, but he doesn’t touch me. Not since he dropped his hand from my throat and stepped back entirely. Every emotion on display—most of which were not positive—suddenly disappeared behind a cold mask.

I follow him without a word, although I can’t help but touch my heated skin. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a handprint seared there. Our route is twisting, down a level, across, then another staircase.

Finally, we reach the nurse’s station. It’s right by the front office where Robert signed me up for classes. Right by where I first saw Caleb and he pushed me against the wall.

The nurse sits at a desk in her room, and she looks up at our entrance.

“Hi, Ms. Peters. How are you?”

Why am I not surprised that Caleb can be charming when he wants to be?

“Margo isn’t feeling well. Mr. Bryan said it would be all right if I brought her home, but I just wanted to check in with you.” His voice lowers. “I’m afraid she threw up a few minutes ago.”

The nurse’s attention swings in my direction, and she tuts at me. She doesn’t do more than glance, because apparently Caleb’s word is law around here—even for the staff.

She scribbles a note and passes it to him. “I’ll let him know, thank you.”

Just like that?

His hand touches the small of my back, guiding me outside. He hands the slip to the teacher sitting by the door, who then waves us through.

I open and close my mouth, but then we’re outside. No one stops us, and…

“You aren’t serious,” I say slowly. “I can’t leave school. I’m not even sick?—”

“Can’t a guy bring a girl home?”

“Not when the girl is me and the guy is you.”

He snorts, unlocking his car as we approach it. It’s a sleek Audi. Matte black. He opens the passenger door and waves his hand for me to get in. I lean down and peer inside like someone might be waiting in the backseat.

The leather interior is black with lime-green accents, the screen on the dash already glowing with the car’s logo. It just seems excessive. All of it. If I was rich, would I go for this sort of car?

It’s an attention-seeker, through and through. The matte paint puts his vehicle at odds with everything else on the road, but he seems perfectly comfortable standing beside it.

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