Page 97 of The Venom We Bleed

It’s there though. The urge to turn and go absolutely apeshit on the two of them. The image of their snide smirks disappearing as my foot connects with their dicks hovers in mymind—a blaring reminder of what I’d rather do. I put one foot in front of the other, though, and leave them behind.

I make it to class just in time, the final bell ringing as I step through the doorway, earning a reproving glare from the teacher. I ignore her and take my seat, spending the rest of the period fighting back the rage that swells in my chest. It’s been far too long since I’ve been to Cory’s gym.

The phone in my pocket buzzes halfway through the class and I slip it out from under the cover of my desk to check the screen. The first text is a simple ‘hi’ from a new number and it takes me a moment to realize that this must be from Mads’ phone. After saving it into my contacts, I move onto the reason for the buzz. A new message bubble pops up on the screen.

GIO: Got practice before the game. Come to field after school.

I scowl at the message and choose not to respond. That is obviously the wrong move because as the bell for next period rings to signal class changes, I step out into the hall to find Gio waiting for me. His back is against the wall of lockers, his head tipped back with a smart-ass grin on his too-handsome face.

“Hey, Prep Girl.” He lifts a hand in my direction.

“Ugh, even if I have to put up with you outside of school, can’t you leave me the hell alone here?” I demand.

Students stream around us, their eyes locked on our exchange. The very fact that we’re being watched like a television show premiere makes the skin on the back of my neck itchy. I turn towards my next class and Gio follows, easily falling into pace beside me.

“No can do,” he says. “You didn’t reply to my text.”

“You didn’t ask a question.”

His eye roll is more felt than seen because I keep my gaze centered forward. “Come on, Prep Girl, you ain’t got work tonight and you won’t have a ride back to Nolan’s since we’ll all be at practice before the game. You might as well come. Where else are you gonna go?”

I hate being reminded of all the choices I don’t have.

When I don’t offer Gio a reply, he groans and swivels in front of me, stopping suddenly and forcing me to do the same or risk slamming into him. My scowl deepens.

“Move.” I bite the word out, narrowing my eyes.

He holds his hands up in a placating gesture. All it does is make me want to punch him. “Okay fine,” he says. “How about I make you a deal?”

Before I can tell him where exactly to place his deal—so far up his ass that he chokes on it—Gio reaches into the back pocket of his jeans and withdraws a set of keys. He waves them in front of me.

“I’ll give you the keys to your freedom for a few hours,” he begins, dangling the silver keys over my head for a moment before dropping them and swiping them out of the air with his opposite hand before they hit the floor, “and you’ll come to the game tonight.”

I roll my shoulders back. “Whose keys are those?” I demand. They don’t look like the keys to his Firebird and I wouldn’t put it past the Scorpion Kings to lull me into a false sense of security only to set me up to be arrested for driving around in a stolen vehicle.

Gio grins. “Well, since you fucked up Lex’s ride,” he hedges, his lips twitching with amusement, “he had to borrow a ride from the garage.”

“From his job?” I clarify.

Gio nods. “Yup. It’s probably not any sort of ride you’re used to”—there it is, that reminder that I’m not on the same level asthey are. That I was once in a league completely separate from them and everyone else in this school and therefore, a reminder that I’m not one of them—"but it’ll get you from point A to point B.”

I cross my arms and force myself to look at his face and not those keys. The idea of being by myself for the first time in a week is so enticing that it’s almost worth the risk of being set up. I could go to Cory’s gym and get some of this anger worked out of my system. I could go to my apartment and pick up some things they hadn’t thought to pack. I could just … keep driving straight out of town. As soon as that last thought occurs to me, though, I correct myself. I won’t drive out of town and certainly not in someone else’s car.

“And the only stipulation for this ‘freedom’”—I lift my hands and curve them into air quotes—"is that I come to your stupid game tonight?”

Gio arches a brow. “You used to be at every game for Silverwood Prep,” he reminds me. My breath catches as he steps closer, not stopping until our chests are brushing. The heat of him burns into my front and I refuse to back off. I won’t give him the satisfaction. “You might not be getting credit for it anymore, but you can still cheer for me if you like, Prep Girl.”

I snatch the keys out of his grasp and start to walk off, not bothering to respond to his unnecessary taunt. I get halfway down the hall when his amused call sounds behind me.

“See you at the game, Juliet!” he yells, causing several more heads to turn our way. “I left you a little present in the front seat.”

Without missing a beat, I lift one hand over my shoulder and offer him my middle finger as I keep walking.

38

JULIET

The vehicle is a piece of shit pickup truck that looks as if it’s normally used to haul building materials. Pressing the button on the key fob attached to the ring I’d taken from Gio, the lights flash a dull yellow and I walk towards it. I don’t even care how rusted out the undercarriage looks or that there is a crack that crawls up through the center of the windshield. It’s a car I have access to and I’m all alone.

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