Page 20 of Tell Me You Like It

I hate to admit it, but it’s working. I’m suddenly super self-conscious, and I can’t help it, my hand settles on my stomach.

“I didn’t have breakfast,” I offer in response.

He leans forward and pushes the chocolate croissant closer to me. With a sigh, I pick it up and take a bite. The chocolate melts on my tongue and combined with the buttery goodness of the flaky croissant, I almost moan.Almost. I manage to bite it back.

“Good, now we can talk,” he says, seemingly satisfied. I hate that I gave in to anything he demanded, but whatever. It’s the last time, so he should enjoy it while he can.

He pauses, just sitting there, watching me eat. He doesn’t eat anything himself, which is a little strange, considering he ordered all this food. But I don’t mention it, because, honestly, I don’t care enough about what he does or doesn’t do to bring it up.

“Well, whatever it is, get on with it, because I have a class in–” I glance at my phone “–twenty minutes.”

Annoyance crosses over his face. I guess he doesn’t like being rushed, either. This guy is a real piece of work.

“I want you to come over to my place tonight. Meet the guys.”

“Yeah, no. I can’t.” I finish the croissant and brushmy hands together, dusting off the crumbs. “I have a thing tonight.”

He pulls a face like he can’t believe I actually have a life outside of classes. “What thing?”

I take a sip of my coffee. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Lux…” He says my name like a warning.

I push out a frustrated breath. “It’s not really your business, is it?”

He leans forward, his forearms resting on the round table. “See, that’s the thing, youaremy business, Little Rabbit. In fact, everything you do is my business.”

I don’t know this guy at all, but I can tell I’ve already managed to piss him off. It’s probably not hard to do, to be fair. He seems like the kind of person who's always on edge.

I scrunch my nose and answer his question, but only because I don’t want to argue in front of all these people–especially since they’re all still watching us as they sip their coffees.

“I was invited to a party,” I say.

He raises a dark brow. “Where?”

“I don’t know. Some girl from my English class invited me. Her sorority is throwing a thing tonight, I guess.”

I hope that by mentioning the sorority, he chills out. It’s a girl thing, so he shouldn’t be worried about other guys being there—not that it’s his call to make. He and I aren’t actually dating. I don’t even know him, for God’s sake. All I know is that his name is Roman Rush, he’s royalty on campus, and he’s a controlling douche. Not exactlyfuck-me-pleasematerial.

He does have one redeeming quality, though. He’s beautiful. Like, cover-of-a-magazine beautiful. Even as he sits across from me, his messy dark hair falls over hisforehead just so, making him look disheveled, but in a I-don’t-give-a-fuck kind of way. It’s entrancing.

But I know how fucked up handsome guys can be on the inside, where the shadows lurk, and honestly, I don’t want anything to do with it. I’ve been burned once, and I’m done with sexy-as-fuck guys. No, thanks. Give me a straight-up nerd any day of the week.

“Great,” he says, satisfied. “What time?”

I pause. He doesn’t think he’s going with me, does he? “I’m going with my friend Bree.” I mean, hopefully. She hasn’t agreed to go with me yet. But I’m sure I can convince her. She’s always down for a party.

He laughs a little as if to say,how cute. “Nice try. But you’re not going anywhere without me, Little Rabbit. I don't want to keep having to remind you—you’re mine now.”

It’s not the actual words that get me, it’s the look in his eyes. He means every fucking syllable. Before, I assumed this was all just for show. Like, it was just some elaborate way for him to save face in front of everyone. But that dark look in his eyes is clear.

Roman Rush thinks he owns me.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Lux

I don’t hearanything else he says. I abruptly rise from my chair, practically tipping it over, and get the fuck out of that cafe as fast as I possibly can.

---