Page 149 of Brutal Prince

Indi

It’s as if Briar was some kind of shield. The moment he turns the corner, I’m no longer protected by his presence. Cue Marcus — who’s so fucked, I can’t imagine how many drugs he’s on. I push against him, my mind still whirling with how close Briar was to fucking me.

Marcus’s jaw works feverishly as he steps closer. I keep backing up, but I’m only too aware that I’m running out of hallway with every step.

“I need the bathroom,” I say.

“We all need shit, princess.” Marcus grabs my necklace, and I freeze. I want to move away, but I’m too scared he’ll yank and the chain will break. I can’t risk losing the only thing I have left of my mother.

Then why the fuck did you wear it tonight, you egotistical moron?

Marcus’s eyes dart up to mine. He smooths a curl away from my forehead, shaking his head. But his eyes aren’t on me, not really. They’re unfocused, his mouth moving as if he’s talking to himself.

And when I catch him saying, “…she looked so peaceful…” I can’t bear him being close to me anymore.

So I knee him in the groin.

At least, I attempt to knee him in the groin. But just like self-defense courses have become pretty much compulsory for women these days, it seems every dick head in Lavish knows how to sidestep feisty chicks trying to knee them in the cherry popper.

But it doesn’t matter that I don’t hit my target, because I’m free anyway. That’s the thing with men — you drop a bomb next to them and the first thing they do is cup their ball sacks.

I race away from Marcus before I remember that I’m still wearing Addy’s suicidal heels.

Which means I start running away, trip, fall, skin my knees, and almost twist my motherfucking ankle.

I spin around, plop down on my ass, and start crawling away, already feeling Marcus’s hands on my ankles, my legs, my thighs.

But he’s just standing there, watching me.

I stop and slowly slide off my shoes while my heart thump-thump-thumps so fucking hard, I swear he can hear it.

When my shoes are off, I stand.

Marcus’s eyes track me, but that’s it. His shoulders have sagged, and there’s no expression on his face.

It’s the most terrifying thing I’ve ever seen.

I back away, swallowing hard and wishing more than anything that I had enough guts to turn and run.

But I just keep backing away until I have to turn the corner to go down the stairs, and that’s when I start running.

* * *

Addy meetsme halfway down the stairs. She’s so out of it, I’m almost past her before she recognizes me.

“There you are.”

I cringe, hearing Marcus’s exact words played through Addy’s mouth. She tries to grab me, but I sidestep her easily. “Not now. I have to find Briar. I…I fucked up.”

She starts smiling, but then schools her face with obvious effort. “Is it over already?” One side of her mouth twists up. “Fuck, I didn’t think he was a quick draw.”

I shake my head, waving at her. “It’s not—just—” I break off with a frustrated growl and rush down the rest of the stairs.

I did fuck up, because I was scared.

I got sentimental about my fucking hymen.

Fuck knows why. Girl my age? Should have lost my v-card like three, four years ago.

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