Page 54 of Science Project

“So is Imani,” Akio said. “But I don’t sleep with her.”

“I don’t sleep with Jace,” I said, my voice dropping. “Not willingly.”

Akio tensed. “What did you say?”

“Nothing,” I reassured. “Nothing. I said nothing.”

But Akio didn’t seem convinced.

“I promise,” I said, setting my hands on his chest. I moved them up to his shoulders, then to his neck, and then I gently grasped his face to pull him closer so our lips were millimeters apart. “You mean more to me than anyone in my life right now. Please believe me.”

Akio blew out a shaky breath.

“Please, Akio …”

CHAPTER

TWENTY-NINE

AKIO

After stuffing some books into my locker, I kept my gaze on the hallway for any sign of Jace. He hadn’t been alone all last night. But if he had been, I would’ve shown up at his front door, like I had with the other two men who had fucked Nicole, and taken care of him.

Nicole had explicitly said that she wasn’t with him willingly.

Which meant that he must’ve threatened her.

Kai Koh, the third member of Poison, stormed up to me. While Kai stayed on the quieter side, he terrified me the most, more than João and Landon. I shut my locker and pulled my books to my chest, knowing exactly why he was here.

“I told you to stay the fuck away from Imani,” he said between clenched teeth.

“I-I did.”

Out of all the members of Poison, Kai was the most protective of Imani and the most dangerous. I had heard rumors that he had killed many people with his bare hands. Unlike Landon and João, who were loudmouths who intimidated their business partners, Kai actually took action.

He’d definitely take action against me. He’d already told me to stay away from her once.

Especially after I’d taunted João about being with Imani on Saturday night.

Kai grabbed my collar and shoved me against the locker. “Don’t fucking lie to me. You were at Nicole’s house on Saturday night, spying on us, weren’t you?”

“How do you know that? Did she tell you?”

“No,” Kai said. “Imani didn’t tell me anything. I saw you with her.”

“Look,” I said, shaking my head and spotting Jamal Simmons, who was Jace’s best friend, walk down the hallway. “Nothing happened. We were hanging out. I … I don’t even like Imani like that. She’s not my type, and I … I just wanted a friend …”

And I needed to get out of this conversation now so I could pester Jamal about Jace’s whereabouts. He hadn’t shown up yet today. Not only was it a few minutes before the bell rang, but there was a sudden uproar of whispers, Allie Hall’s and Jace’s names being thrown around in the halls. Something must’ve happened.

“It’s not my fault you guys wouldn’t hang out with her this weekend,” I said.

Kai’s grip on my collar tightened as he gritted his teeth. “We were doing a fucking job.”

“What do you want me to say, Kai?” I asked, looking over his shoulder at Jamal, who was staring at his phone with wide eyes.

I glanced around to see cliques of students giggling at their phones. What was going on?

“I want you to tell her what your parents did to mine, and then we’ll see if she still wants to be your fucking friend,” Kai growled, so much anger and rage boiling up inside him, more than usual, all because of Imani.

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