Page 59 of Burn With Me

“I can take care of myself, Hel,” I say.

“Can you?” Her words are a slap in the face. I blink down at her as my jaw drops open. Almost immediately, guilt and regret cross her expression. “Fuck … Rori, I didn’t mean—”

I don’t say anything and I don’t let her get her apology out. I step back into my room, grab the edge of my door and slam it shut. Her hand slaps the wood from the other side.

“Rori, come on, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it like that.”

“How could you have meant it?” I shoot back, turning as I lean against the frame. I’m being unfair. I know that the words probably just slipped out without her ever meaning anything cruel by them. Yet, I can’t seem to calm the rising old pain that blossoms inside my chest. She knows better than most how fucking hellish life was after Marcus left. “I survived that fucking high school,” I remind her, shoving the words out more for myself than for her. “I survived Eric, and I’ll fucking survive this.”

Another thump lands against the wood and I hear her sigh. “Rori, I just want to help you. You don’t even know if you can trust him. You said it yourself—he was out to get you and you were looking for a little payback. What if this is just another tactic? I want to make sure you’re not making a mistake.”

I already made one. I close my eyes and sink my face into my hands. Stress makes the muscles in my shoulders bunch as my nerves jump beneath my flesh. My phone buzzes in my pocket. I ignore it.

She’s entirely right—this could be a new strategy on Isaac’s part. He could be softening me up only to make the knife he drives into my back hurt that much more. It’s not like I haven’t been betrayed by supposed friends or boyfriends before. I’ve been cheated on. I’ve been fucked over. The second Marcus had gone off to college, high school had turned into a war zone. His absence had left a void where a leader was supposed to be, and as his little sister, I was the target many chose to prove that they were bigger and badder than Marcus ever was.

This is different. I’m not that scared little girl anymore.

“Can you just go?” I say through the door. “I’m sorry. I just … want to be alone right now.”

Silence, and then, “I really am sorry, Rori,” she repeats. “I know you can handle yourself—I’m just worried. I love you. You know that, right?”

I blow out a breath and drop my hands away from my face. “I know,” I answer her. “I love you too, Hel.”

“I’ll be here if you need me,” she offers, and after another beat of silence, I hear her retreat—the soft pad of her footfalls echoing through the hallway on the other side of the door.

With a groan, I turn and flop down onto my bed. My phone buzzes again and with irritation, I reach down and yank it out. I slap it onto the mattress next to my head and turn my cheek to check the caller.

Isaac.Motherfucker. I answer the call.

“What do you want?” I snap.

“Come outside.”

I bury my face in my pillow and repress a scream before lifting away once more. “I’m not doing this with you, Isaac,” I say. “I’m tired. Go away.”

“Baby, either you come out or I’m coming in,” he replies, “and as much as I love the chase, I doubt you’ll like what I do when I catch you.”

I contemplate that. “You don’t have access to Rozenfeld,” I reply. “Only students that live on campus can enter the dorms.”

He chuckles and I hate the way it makes my stomach twist up in knots. “Fine then, Sunshine. If you really believe that, then wait your pretty little ass right there, and I’ll be up soon. A quick warning though, if we’re anywhere near a bed—I intend to get you naked again very quickly.”

I shoot up into a sitting position. “Stop it,” I growl.

His breath comes in soft bursts over the line, like he’s walking or something. “I warned you,” he replies. “If you think I can’t get to you, then you’re in for a rude awakening.”

Shit. Shit. Double shit. I don’t want to do this. Not right now—not after my conversation with Hel. “Hold on—please—Isaac. Just stop.” I lift the phone to my ear and hold it to the side of my face.

“You’re upset,” he says.

I grit my teeth. “Gee, I wonder who could be upsetting me.”

“It wasn’t me,” he replies. “You were angry when you answered the phone. Did you fight with one of your roommates?”

I glance around the room.How the hell could he know that?

“Are you looking around your room?” The soft chuckle that reaches my ears following his question makes my cheeks burn with heat. “I’m not there yet, baby.”

“Isaac.”

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