Page 79 of Obsessed with my Temptation

“I did.”

I didn’t feel like justifying myself or trying to be nice anymore. Least of all tothisguy.

Mark raised his dark eyebrows. “Emergency?”

He was giving me a chance to excuse myself, but I wouldn’t.

“Not interested.”

His jaw ticked momentarily. “I see. No hard feelings I hope.”

I gave a noncommittal nod and went to leave, but of course, he had something else to say. My eyes caught Henry Campbell’s, who was watching our exchange not too far from us. He had a girl under his arm, who held fast to his waist and laughed at what someone in their group was saying.

Arm raised to cut my exit, Mark said, “A word of advice from a friend, though. You shouldn’t hang out with bad-boy types like Travis. They never bring anything good.”

My shoulders tensed. How the fuck did he know I hung out with Travis?

Whatever the answer was, mine was the same: “I think I can choose for myself who I hang out with.”

Mark watched my face closely, as if trying to discern how much I knew about him and his asshole ways. Newsflash: a lot more than he wished I did, probably.

“He’s not a good guy, Scott. Everyone can see that.”

This time it wasmyjaw tightening as I refrained from lashing out. Who the hell was he to say whether Travis was good or not? Who gaveanyonethe license to do that? The fire of indignation was coursing through me, much more intensely than it ever had when it was something about me. This asshole was talking aboutTravis. And fuck if I’d letMarkbadmouth him.

“You don’t get to talk about him, Mark. Not after what you did.”

Thatlet him know that I indeed knew about his rotten interior. Mark’s expression changed.“I think someone might have been telling you lies about me.”

“Well, you don’t want to know whatIthink.”

I had never spoken to anyone with as much venom as I just did right now. My fists were tightening by my sides, the unsettling feeling I’d had in the past when I was around Mark becoming stronger, and now that I knew what I did, I knew that my instincts had been right. Even without words, I’d felt something was off about him, and it was impossible not to see it now.

Mark’s cool-but-nice persona was only a façade. It hid a layer of rot underneath. I couldn’t begin to understand what made him act the way he did. All I knew was that he’d almost ruined Travis once, that he’d betrayed Travis in the worst possible way when he tried to help him.

Mark’s face was hard and his eyes had grown dark, but before any of us could say anything else, Henry appeared, putting his arm over my shoulders.

“Our mighty Prince, I was just looking for you.” Looking at Mark, he said, “Sorry to take him from you, man. Some people over there want to meet his Highness over here.”

Mark didn’t say anything, nostrils flaring, and I didn’t bother with goodbyes or politeness.

I was fucking done being the better person, the nice, always-polite guy, the perfect Prince.

Henry was guiding us to the crowd, definitely not where he had just been. “I’m not in the mood, Henry—”

“You looked like you were about to sucker punch Mark Jacobson right then and there, Scottie. Bad idea if I ever saw one.”

“What I do or don’t do is none of your business,” I said stubbornly.

I’d never punched anyone in my life, but tonight might just be the right time.

“You’re right, it isn’t. But this is my fucking frat, and for old times’ sake, I’ll give you some advice. Don’t dare or threaten Mark Jacobson again unless you want things to get ugly.”

I was kind of shocked at his outburst and familiarity since we had never been particularly close to begin with. We’d gone to the same high school and he’d been close to Antony, but he was a year older than us.

“Why are you helping me? And why are you telling me this?”

His dark eyes stared right into mine, and for a moment, he looked like he wanted to say something, but then thought better of it and didn’t.

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