Page 86 of College Hockey Bully

Since day one, I proved that Mrs. Hunter hates my guts. I’m not good enough for her son. She even called me a tramp. Why would she go to such lengths to offer me so much money? Wouldn’t she simply be satisfied with knowing her son is two-timing me?

No, this doesn’t add up—

Mom’s sudden exclamation brings the disturbing thoughts to a pause and my heart flies in my throat. I grab the closest weapon—my laptop and dash toward the door, just as it flies open.

Aiden.

“That’s it. I’m calling the cops,” Mom threatens as he stands in the doorway, his furious expression fading into aloaded stare. She pushes past him. “I told you, she doesn’t want to see—for heaven’s sake, Scarlett, put some clothes on!”

I gasp, lifting the T-shirt from the floor to cover myself. Aiden keeps staring, his expression getting furious again. “Mrs. Pierce, with all due respect, I’d like to speak to Scarlett alone, please.”

“Oh, hell no. I’m not leaving you alone with her, you two-timing—”

“Mom, it’s okay,” I assure her. She scowls, her mouth twisting, no doubt holding back a few choice words. With a huff, she pushes past him again.

“Please turn around,” I say to Aiden. “I was in the middle of changing when you barged in.”

Aiden scoffs. “As if I haven’t seen everything.” Still, he turns, his focus locked on the door.

Lifting my night dress from where it’s resting on the bed, I drag it on. “All clear,” I mutter.

He faces me again, more furious than before, which triggers my own anger. “Why the hell are you looking at me like that, huh? You’re the one who hasn’t answered my calls all day. Which is no surprise, considering you’re back with your ex.”

A slight tilt of his brows is the only sign he just heard what I said. He keeps staring at me silently, which pisses me off even more.

“Why would you do that to me, Aiden? Knowing you were still with Casey, why didn’t you leave me alone—?”

Aiden steps toward me so suddenly and fast, the remaining words fly down my throat. “You enjoy playing the victim, don’t you?”

My head jerks back. Of all the responses, I didn’t imaginethat one. “Victim? What are you talking about?”

He pulls out his phone and swipes across the screen, then turns the device toward me. “Tell me this isn’t you.”

I peer closely at the screen and my heart sinks. For months, I’d hoped—no, prayed—that those security cameras weren’t working, or that no one would be wise enough to request them. One glance, and I’d be in trouble. I know how this looks.

“It is me,” I mutter. “But it’s not what you think.”

“You don’t know what the fuck I think, Scarlett,” he growls. “How about you start by explaining why you were there that night.”

“Tabitha asked me to meet her there,” I reply. “We were pulling an all-nighter at her place and she was coming to pick me up.”

“Why there?” he presses. “Why not at the front of the campus?”

“I don’t fucking know!” I yell. I point at his phone. “That was me trying to call her. She was already ten minutes late.”

“Oh, very convenient,” he snaps, shoving the phone in his pocket. “I suppose she will corroborate your story if I call her, right? What was your endgame? Who are you trying to destroy?”

“You sound stupid, Aiden, trust me,” I snap, beyond furious. He won’t even consider what I just said.

“Is it me?” He steps even closer, forcing me to tilt my head back. “Were you trying to get back at me for that stupid little incident?”

Rage surges through my veins. “That ‘stupid little incident’ made me miss a week of school out of sheerhumiliation,” I snap. “Don’t you dare downplay what you did to me—”

“Ah ha.” A triumphant gleam fills his eyes. “So, that’s it. You wanted revenge. Well, sweetheart, you fucking got it and so much more.” He spreads his arms. “So did I. The sex was awesome, truly.”

“Fuck you!” I push at his chest and he backs off, chuckling dryly.

“We already established that—” The smirk immediately vanishes as he stares at the dresser. In what looks like slow motion, he reaches for the check.

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