Page 42 of Soul of a Psycho

That’s it? She’s embarrassed I’m going to spread rumors? Jesus christ, I almost threw myself at her feet.

“Oh, angel.” I scoff with relief. “I don’t kiss and tell. You don’t have—”

“I mean about being chased,” she cuts me off.

Her eyes turn pleading, and I still. So, shedoesn’twant to report it? I blink. I mean, that’s exactly what I want, but something doesn’t feel right.

“I know you are going to say I should.” She hangs her head. “But I don’t want the attention, you know?” She starts to ramble. “There would be questions, and it’s not like anyone is going to believe me, anyway. And I really shouldn’t have been out past curfew. And my parents would get involved, and I would just like to forget it even happened. It was probably just some stupid freshman messing around.”

I study the way she squirms in her skin, like a frightened child, and I don’t like it one bit. Why should she be afraid toreport it? Sure, she was out past curfew, but that doesn’t mean she’s allowed to be attacked. But… talking her out of it would be detrimental to my plans.

“I won’t say anything,” I tell her begrudgingly.

“You won’t?” She looks up at me with bright eyes.

“No,” I ground out. “Because I’m going to handle it myself.”

Chapter Thirty

Sky

I’m a little stunned when Cade walks me all the way to my seat in Mr. Rykes class, and then confused as he plops down next to me. He’s been transferred out since the first week, but he turns, stretching his long legs out and crossing his boots like he’s never missed a day.

“Ahem,” Rykes clears his throat.

I snap my attention forward, noticing that Cade doesn’t do the same. Rykes sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose, his beady stare flipping between me and Cade. I want to molt into my seat and disappear. I already just barely made it on time. The man already hates me. I don’t need anymore attention, and I don’t know how convinced I am that Cade isn’t going to make a scene about my skull-faced friend.

“Mr. Haven, care to tell me why you are in my class today?”

I look at Cade from the corner of my eye. I’m dying to know the same thing. We had anight,yes,but what does that mean? Between all the running, and then all the orgasming, I knocked out without a second to wonder. I barely recall getting back to my room. And then Ruby didn’t even wake me, and I almost slept through class. I’m a mess, and it’s not something I’ve ever allowed myself to be.

Chairs creak as everyone spins around to see Cade’s answer, obviously excited for drama. I swear I see him wince at being in the spotlight, but his voice betrays it, coming out unaffected and confident.

“Take it up with the headmistress,” he says, not even bothering to look at the professor.

Snickers whip through the room, and even I have to pull my jaw up from the floor. Only in my wildest dreams would I have the gall to speak to a teacher like that, or even my father. What could Cade possibly have on the headmistress that makes him think he can get away with it?

“This isn’t how things work. My class isn’t a revolving door. You transferred out. That’s the end of it.”

“And now I’m transferred back in.”

Rykes scoffs. “Well, until I’m notified of such, you can find the exit.” He turns toward the board dismissively.

Cade’s jaw clenches, and his foot takes up a jittery tempo. Tension suddenly wafts from him as I watch his features darken, one after the other. His jaw hardens, his brows lower, and if I thought his eyes were sinister before, the shadowy pitch now tells me how much I underestimated that.

With a deafening crack of his neck, he turns and yanks his hood back.

“I’m not leaving.” His voice is cold and warring.

Gone is the stoicism, and in its place is an enmity that leaches into my bones. I can taste the contempt as if it’s on my own tongue and it tastes…good.It’s how I wish I could have spoken to Rykes when he scolded me for missing class.

Rykes spins around, a seedy little vein popping up on his forehead. “What did you just say?”

“I said,I’m. Not. Leaving.”

The room goes silent as we all witness the wave of emotions that crosses Rykes’ face. Shock, uncertainty, embarrassment, and then indignation.

“Get the fuck out of my class, Cade.”

---