Page 34 of Broken Princess

“Jordy!” I call out, shouldering through the crowd to catch up with her. “Jordy, wait! God dammit, wait!” She stops when she gets outside, folding her arms across her chest. Her cheeks are flushed, and her eyes bounce around, looking everywhere but at me. Where the hell is her coat? My vision tunnels when I see the top of her dress. It’s falling off her shoulder, rent at the seam. “What happened?”

“Nothing.”

“Don’t tell me nothing. I saw you running down the steps, and your clothes are torn.” As calmly as I can, I ask, “Did Will do something to you?”

“Why do you care? You’re the king of this school and you set the tone for what everyone thinks is acceptable behavior with me. Starting with what you did last semester and ending with the way you treat me now. I heard the stories, Logan. Once you’re done having fun with your girls, they become free agents. So what do you care if someone else is ready to take their turn?”

I shrug out of my jacket, slipping it over her shoulders. “I told you nobody touches you, but me.”

“Pick a lane, Logan. You say you don’t want me, but in the next breath you say no one else can have me. You posted pictures of me, for god’s sake. Eventually someone was gonna wanna see what all the fuss is about. Will was just trying to show me how much helikesme, like you did last semester.” She sneers.

“I guess things just got a little out of hand. You know how that is, right, Logan? When things get a little,rough? Because Will says that’s your thing.”

“Don’t compare him to me. Whatever crap Will was saying or doing, was probably his way of convincing himself he wasn’t forcing you. But you know damn well, thateverythingwe did was consensual.”

“How much consent could I give? Did I really make an informed choice, when you were manipulating me from the beginning?”

“That’s true. I manipulated the situation, so we’d spend time together, and pressed you to let your guard down around me. But that doesn’t change how badly I wanted you. Or the fact that you wanted me.” I reach out a hand, lifting a lock of hair from her shoulder. “It doesn’t change how much Istillwant you.”

She steps away from my touch. “Oh yeah? And if I believe that I’m every bit the fool the school thinks I am.”

She pulls my jacket from her shoulders, throwing it at me. “I can’t stand to look at you, Logan. You ruined everything, and until this very moment I pretended I was unaffected by what happened. I was gonna try to be the bigger person and bury everything I feel, but I can’t. I hate you, for what you did.”

“I know.”

She hurries down the path, disappearing around the corner, and even though she can no longer hear me; I admit sheshouldhate me. Knowing that, acknowledging that, doesn’t mean I’m not dying to have her with me.

I stalk back towards the party. I can’t make her listen, and my words will never be enough to prove to her just how sorry I am. But I can fix this mess I’ve created. Will’s in the corner with a girl who looks barely coherent. I grab him by the shirt and order her to leave.

“What’s your problem, man?”

“Jordanna. What did you do?”

“What did she say I did?” He asks, lips stretching into a mocking smile. “Oh wait, she didn’t say anything, because she doesn’t kiss and tell.” He laughs to himself. “All those months no one knew what was hiding behind that sweet exterior. Until you shared those photos.” He’s sips his drink slowly through a swizzle straw, knowing he has my attention. “But let’s just say, we were all over each other until we were interrupted.”

“You’re lying.”

“Am I? You mean the two of you never got into it at a party? You were never so hot for her that you couldn’t wait to slip between her thighs?”

I shove him against the wall, pressing my forearm against his neck. “Careful what you say next.”

Smirking at me, he says, “My, my, my, you’re pretty testy. Over agirl.”

“Jordanna is off limits.”

“Would now be a good time to mention I don’t care?”

“Sure, it you think it’s a good time to mention your daddy’s profile might take a little tumble if you go near her again.” His smile disappears and my hold against his neck tightens. “Oh yeah. I know all about that. Stay away from her.”

“That’s a hard ask. The way she fights, and screams…”

I lose it then, slamming my fist into his face. The crunch of his nose isn’t enough so I do it again and again.

“Logan…” I shrug off the hand that’s landed on my shoulder. “Buddy, people are watching.” Hal says, trying to get me to calm down.

“I don’t give a fuck.”

Staring down at Will, I see I’ve damn near rearranged the bone structure in his face. “If I catch you anywhere near her I won’t stop until you’re eating through a tube.”

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