Page 225 of Tis the Season to be Bullied

His breath butterflies over my lips, sending a tingle rushing through every inch of me. It converges between my legs and burrows deep.

“I…can’t…” I mumble, but while I’m still leaning into his feathery attempt at a kiss.

“Why do youkeepfighting me?”

Fighting him? Him? It’s not him I’m fighting. It’s fucking temptation.

This man is a monster. I can’t allow him to worm his way through my defenses. This is some kind of prank. A trick. And it won’t work on me. I’m not a fucking idiot.

In the distance, the school bell rings.

I summon every ounce of strength I have and shove against Briar’s chest. He steps back, a tiny smile on his mouth as if he’s expecting some more banter to pass between us. But as soon as he sees my determined expression, his face sets like marble.

Swallowing hard, I clear my throat. I have to get out of here, away from his hypnotic eyes, that incredible smell of fresh earth and pine that envelops me whenever he’s close.

In a rush, I hoist myself onto Prince Charming’s saddle. I glance around, my eyes traveling down the never-ending span of fence between me and Lavish Prep.

“How do I—?” I gesture at the fence. “Is there a gate, or?—?”

Briar watches me without expression, but his eyes are as stormy as an approaching hurricane. The side of his mouth quirks up in a most familiar smirk. He takes a few steps back and flourishes an arm. “I dunno, Indigo.” He shrugs theatrically and takes his phone from his pocket. “But you’re gonna be late for next period if you don’t find it soon.”

Icy hatred washes over me, leaving my fingertips tingling and my throat too tight to answer him. I glare at him and nudge Prince Charming into a trot. My eyes are cast ahead, studying the fence for a gate or opening of some kind, but I can see Briar climbing over the fence to get back to his mare.

Briar’s already heading back to the stables, sitting on his horse like his fucking namesake, when I finally spot the fence. I let out a dry laugh. It was so close to where we were standing, Briar must have known it was there all along.

I fume all the way back up the hill and into the stables. Briar’s not there, but one of the stable hands is giving Princess Snow a cool down, a damp towel draped over her back as she walks in a nearby paddock.

I don’t see another person until I slip into the main hallway where my locker is. It’s the period before lunch, so almost everyone’s in the hallway by their lockers or heading for the restrooms.

Addison’s on the far side of the hall, and I wave to her. She spots me and waves back, smiling as she hurries over to meet up with me.

I head for my locker, but a hand catches hold of my arm and spins me around.

Briar.

His blue eyes could have been chips of ice, his face carved from stone. His grip is so tight, I’m certain I couldn’t pull loose even if I wanted to.

I swallow down a cry of surprise, but I shouldn’t have bothered. A second later, he plants his lips on mine and kisses me with such fierce determination that my knees buckle. He slaps a hand on my back, keeping me up, and then breaks our kiss with an animalistic growl.

Sliding a hand over his mouth, he shoves me out of the way and strides down the hallway, stopping beside his locker like nothing’s happened.

The entire hallway comes to a stop. Everyone’s either staring at me or at Briar. I hear footsteps and whirl around, expecting a teacher, but instead one of Briar’s lackeys—the guy who always wears a white cap—is standing in front of me.

“Don’t mind if I do,” he says, grinning.

“What?” I manage, but in a voice that barely resembles my own.

The guy slides a hand around my waist and tugs me closer. I’m so shocked, I don’t even struggle when he ducks his head and kisses me.

What. The. Fuck?

“Indi!” Addison yells from the other side of the hall.

Yeah, fuck, Addy, no time to chat, girl. Apparently I’m a little fucking busy.

I shove against the guy’s chest, and he falls back with a laugh.

My heart’s in my throat. My legs are still shaky from the intense horse ride, and they threaten to deposit me on the floor any minute. All around me, the hall erupts into laughter.

---