Page 137 of Tis the Season to be Bullied

Christ, what’s wrong with me? I can’t walk around with a fucking hard-on. I need to get my head out of the gutter.

I follow Nim into the Academy’s massive library on the ground floor of the south wing, slipping behind the first stack so I can adjust my cock.

The shelves are too high for me to look over. The ones near the back go all the way to the ceiling and have ladders to reach the top. But by peering around the stacks and holding up a folio book to shield my face, I can watch her without drawing too much attention to myself.

Nim heads straight for the librarian behind the circulation desk in the middle of the library. Her hair is in the same bun as yesterday, but it looks sleek and shiny. I slide behind a different stack, watching her over the top of my book.

“Is that you, Mason?” someone purrs from less than a foot away.

Christ. I snap the book closed and spin to face Eliza Jackson. “The fuck do you want?”

She ignores my tone, her brown eyes taking in every inch of me. “This is the first time I’ve ever seen you in here without your hand up a girl’s skirt,” she says, giving my book a dismissive glance. “Do you even know how to read?”

My hand curls into a fist. I press it into the shelf beside my head before putting my book on a nearby sorting shelf. “Best you fuck off back to hell before Satan realizes he’s missing a demon.”

Eliza quirks an eyebrow at me. “You know, you’re the only person who’ddarespeak to me like that.” She curls her tongue, running it over her top lip. “It gets me so wet, Bennett.”

“I don’t have time for your shit,” I tell her, rolling my eyes as I turn my back on her.

A cool, slim hand glides over my shoulder. “That’s not what Butcher Bennett said when my daddy gave him that loan.”

“We settled our debt a fuck long time ago, Jackson.”

“Why are you following her?” Eliza asks, changing subjects as soon as she realizes she’s not going to get a rise out of me. “Did you break all your other toys?”

Jesus, if there’s one woman I’d do grievous bodily harm to, it’s Eliza fucking Jackson. Andnotin a sexy way. I pull away from her touch, trying to keep my irritation from flooding up past the point of no return. “I’m not following anyone. But if you don’t back off, I’ll get Knox to write you up.”

Eliza cackles like the fucking witch Iknowshe is. “You don’t scare me. None of you do.” She gives me a sardonic smile. “Serpents my ass. More like lambs.” She laughs as she walks past me, headed straight for Nim.

I stand my ground. No way Eliza’s going to make me back down. I’ve been stalking Nim, sure, but I wasn’t hiding the fact.

Probably why Eliza noticed. Probably theonlyreason why. She’s vindictive and catty and downright evil...but she’s not winning any spelling bees anytime soon. She’s perfect cheerleader stock—pretty dumb. And she doesn’t look anywhereas tasty in her uniform as Nim does. She’s built like a plank, where Nim’s all juicy curves.

When she touches Nim’s shoulder, the younger girl flinches and turns wide eyes to her. It’s obvious she’s not sure what to think about Eliza.

Good girl.

They talk for a few seconds, then Eliza glances at me over her shoulder. Nim frowns, seeming almost irritated, and then she locks eyes with me.I stand straighter despite myself. Maybe I even puff out my chest a little more. Nim stares at me, and the color drains from her face.

Eliza walks away, and Nim quickly turns back to the librarian, waving dismissively before heading for the closest exit.

Fuck!

It’s the predator in me that sees something cute and fluffy trying to run away and immediately gives chase.While I’m running, I send a group text to Silas and Knox.

She hurries into the courtyard, but as soon as the first student comes into view she slows into a fast walk. One hand starts patting at her hair, the other tugging her blazer straight.

Oh, baby girl...if you had any clue about what I’m about to do to you, you’d keep running.

Chapter 19

Mason

I’m a patient man, and my next class isn’t for another two hours. I hang back just far enough to make Nim think that I’ve abandoned the chase, silently stalking her as she goes deeper into the courtyard. She slips behind one of the massive oak trees and stays there for a few minutes, as if waiting for me to appear in the courtyard. When I don’t make myself known, she eventually moves out of cover and tips her head up. Dappled sunlight plays over her face, and her body relaxes.

A guy and a girl walk past her, taking a seat a few yards away in the shade. As if she thinks this declares the area safe, she sinks down on the grass, crossing her legs and leaning her face into her hands. At first I think she might be crying, but when she takes her hands away, there’s a bitter smile on her face.

She stares moodily at the grass and starts plucking at the blades as I walk up silently behind her.

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