Page 40 of Fire Fight

As I stare at his self-satisfied smirk, the words from last week fill my head.

Is that what you want? To be helpless, incapacitated…?

I shove the memory away. The pulse of heat in my face matches to the warmth blossoming between my legs.

“I need my phone.”

His hand briefly brushes my sensitive cheek as he reaches to tug my ponytail. “You need a lot of things, little virgin girl,” he whispers before straightening to tower above me again. “But if you want your phone, I’ll need compensation.”

He cocks his eyebrow, staring at me with a smirk that makes my blood boil. Then he pulls out his waistband, dropping the phone straight down into his briefs.

“Ooh,” he says, shivering. “It’s still warm from your hand. Like having you touch my dick via proxy.”

He sits back down, leaving me standing there, stunned, with no idea what to do. Only knowing the one thing Iwon’tdo is stick my hand in his underwear, rummaging around for my device.

I turn on my heel, absolutely fuming, to see the rest of my table staring with envy. Gretchen looks like she would happily kill to take my place.

God give me strength.

With an inward sigh, I head back to my chair before Drake can do anything more outrageous.

Mum is loungingon the daybed in the back garden when I get home.

There’s a glaze in her eyes that makes me cautious, but her smile is bright as she hauls me down next to her. One arm goes around my shoulder, the other patting my forearm as she launches into a tale about the joys of gardening and sunbathing, apparently, her latest hobbies.

“Hopefully, Arnold gets me the credit card he’s been promising. The moment he does, I’m going to buy half the localnursery.” Then she holds out her hands, examining her nails. “And get a manicure that doesn’t faint at the sight of dirt.”

The activities get her outdoors for a fresh dose of vitamin D each day, and the climb up and down the cliff path is excellent exercise.

Both things that play such an important piece in keeping her mental health stable but were hard to do in our old neighbourhood where gang members would approach whenever we left the room.

My heart overflows at our changed circumstance and I don’t tell her anything about the prank in the cafeteria today. Just like I didn’t tell her about the shove last week.

There’s no use in worrying her when it’s only teasing.

Especially when I can sort it myself.

Arnold arrives home and while he’s changing, I follow Drake into the kitchen under the pretext of setting the table for dinner.

“Where’s my phone?” I ask the moment the door closes. “I need it.”

“You need it? Help yourself,” he says, waving his hand at his crotch and my jaw clenches at the infuriating offer.

As I lay out the cutlery, my eyes fix on the silvery gleam of the butter knives, then stare at Drake’s back as he pulls a jug of water from the fridge. My fingers close around the stainless steel handle, reassuringly weighty in my hand.

“Did you have a good day at school?” Arnold asks as walks through the door, saving me from murderous thoughts. “No more accidents in the cafeteria, I hope.”

He takes a seat, grabbing my mother’s hand the moment she sits beside him, like he can’t stand not to touch her.

Drake sees the same gesture and his lip curls. A rush of bitterness hits me.

“It went fine,” I say, feigning enthusiasm. “The other students have been friendly so far, and I’m learning my wayaround. We also got invited to a party,” I add, lips twitching with mischief. “A few weeks away. Drake promised to take me and introduce everyone I don’t already know.”

“Good on you, son,” Arnold says, clapping him on the back before he can protest. “I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to see you two get along so well.”

I give Drake my sweetest smile as we sit to eat, taking a sharp thrill of pleasure from his stony glare.

It’s good to have the chance to repay Gretchen for her kindness by getting him to do what she needs him to. The fact he doesn’t want to attend is sweet, sweet icing on the cake.

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