Page 21 of Unforgivable

The part of my conscience that hadn't been shoved into a dark hole by my hatred for this guy reminded me that I was walking a razor thin line between pushing limits and getting slapped in cuffs. It was the reason I had told him multiple times he could have stopped me in that class. Had he truly told me to stop, it would have been hands off in a second. My morals might have been questionable at best, but I still fucking had them.

The irony hadn't escaped me that he had partly turned me in forignoring consent, yet I had given him multiple chances to say no and he didn't. Quite the opposite in fact.

How's that for consent, fucker? I can't wait to see how far I can push you before you break for me…

I was deep in my thoughts about all the plans I had for my little pet project when Kenji reached out to flick me in the head.

“Ow! The fuck, dude? Was that entirely necessary?” I grouched, rubbing the stinging area on my forehead.

“Not if you'd answered me any of the first four times I said your name,” Kenji grumbled. “I asked if you were coming to the gym with me later to workout? Coach wants us working out a minimum of five days, and I've got to get my last one in for this week.”

“Yeah, why not? Can't let myself get soft while you're keeping my captain spot warm for me,” I quipped.

“Don't know, man. That captain jersey looks damn good on me. Might just keep it,” Kenji snickered while flipping me the bird.

“Oh, fuck you dude,” I laughed, shoving at his shoulder. Kenji had never minded that the captaincy went to me. He had been proud of me and saw how hard I had worked for it. I knew he'd been feeling guilty about being given the title now, even temporarily, but I had told him to cut that shit out. I'd been relieved it went to him while I worked this mess out. I'd get my place back in time.

We were hunkered down in the library studying for some of our exercise science classes. I couldn't afford to start falling behind in my school work with Coach on my ass the last few weeks. Unfortunately, my focus was impeded by the last two days of ignored texts from my prickly nemesis.

I begrudgingly admitted to myself that Rhys had surprised me with how sharp and snarky he could be. I half expected him to have blocked me the first day and folded under the slightest pressure, but he had shocked me with some of the quick wit he had thrown my way. It forced me to change my strategy a bit and try to get to know him, push him to drop his guard for me with my unassuming questions.

He played right into my hands. I probed, he answered. The deeper or more insightful the question, the more he responded. He hadn't crumpled a bit when I'd thrown in some lewd ones just to fuck with him, and he'd garnered some respect from me for that.

Only a little though. He was still the worst.

We had been texting regularly over the week and I was gearing upto start pushing some of that twerp's buttons, but Rhys had been irritatingly quiet since Friday night. I went back and forth feeling angry he was ignoring me, yet challenged by this new development. I could adjust my plans if needed.

After all, there was more than one way to skin a twink.

Ugh, gross. Horrible fucking saying, but whatever. New plans needed to be made.

“Hey, you alright?” Kenji asked. “You look like you swallowed a gym sock or some shit.”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just thinking about how to get this miserable fucker to drop that damn complaint,” I muttered. “I thought I was getting close, but I need to…adjust.”

Kenji’s face scrunched with concern before he let out a resigned sigh. “Hawk, just promise me you'll be careful with that. You're already in hot water with Coach and you don't want to make things worse if this kid gets pissy and turns you in for more shit. You feel me?”

I chewed on what he was saying. It was a good reminder that I had to tread carefully with Rhys, but it also made me more determined to completely break him down for what he did to me. My phone lit up beside me, my thoughts instantly going to the person occupying my vengeful fantasies. I smirked thinking of how his ears must have been burning just now before texting me.

But when I saw the name on the screen, the smirk fell off my face and my anger flared. It was a stark reminder of why I was doing all this with Rhys in the first place. Losing my scholarship and having to leave UT would land me right back in the hornet's nest with them…with her. I couldn't fucking let that happen.

I swiped the notification from my aunt's text away and tossed my phone into my backpack. Just her name alone brought with it images and reminders that had my gut twisting and a cold sweat breaking out across my skin.

Darkness…closed doors…screaming…pain…

Worthless…useless…

All my fault…

I blinked hard and shook myself out of the memories that were beginning to suffocate me. With reignited fury pumping in my veins, I gathered all my stuff to leave. “I can't concentrate for shit. Let's just head to the gym,” I grumbled to Kenji, not waiting for him to follow me.

He scrambled to catch up to me and we made the short trek over to Gregory Gym. For the next hour, I concentrated on the burn in my muscles and the fiery focus it brought with it. Instead of letting myself be drawn back into the past, I let my mind stray to Rhys. I imagined his distress, his fear, his confusion when he finally would see the darker side of me he unwittingly unleashed.

He'd only gotten a taste that day in his class, but I was ready to remind him who he was truly dealing with. I had tapped into desires he probably never knew he had, and I wanted to twist them until he was questioning everything he knew about himself. I wanted to draw out his fantasies and turn them into nightmares.

My feet pounded on the treadmill as my heart raced, blood thrumming with adrenaline as my thoughts grew darker. I wrapped up my workout after I was drenched in sweat and my brain was once again calm and centered. It had been one of the best workouts I'd had in a while, the steroid of revenge pushing my performance to new heights.

Kenji had already called it quits and left, so I sauntered into the locker room to shower and change. The room was empty save for what sounded like a single person on the other side. Just one of the benefits of a Sunday evening workout. Fiddling around in my locker, I heard footsteps off to my right that absently drew my attention.

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