Page 86 of Silver Elite

“Keen. I love you, Tan.”

“I love you, too.”

I slump against my locker, utterly drained. I want to go home.

There is no home.

I don’t care. I want my ranch. I want my uncle. I want my fucking life back.

“Look at you, all by your lonesome.”

I startle when a low voice travels across the room.

Anson.

I smother a sigh. The last thing I’m in the mood for is this guy’s predatory gaze and self-pleased smile.

“You know…” He tips his head, causing his long hair to slide over his shoulder. “I think this is the first time we’ve been alone.”

I tense as he crosses the room, his easy gait belied by the gleam in his eyes. His grin widens with each step.

I force a tight-lipped smile, my skin crawling. “Is it? I hadn’t noticed.”

“I have. I notice you often, Darlington.”

He moves closer, invading my personal space.

“Don’t,” I warn.

“Don’t what?”

He smiles again, and my fists tighten at my sides. I stand stock-still as he bends toward me, his breath hot against my neck.

“I haven’t done a thing.”

Not yet.

When he takes a step away from me, I inch backward toward my locker.

“You know what I like about women like you, Wren?”

The sound of my name leaving his mouth makes my stomach churn with revulsion. But I refuse to show any weakness.

“I like how fiery you are.” He licks his lower lip. “Roe sees someone like you and wants to put the fire out. He doesn’t like the flames—he wants the ashes. He’s a sick boy, in case you haven’t noticed.”

“And you’re not?”

My instincts are screaming at me to get away, but I refuse to let him intimidate me. I do creep back another inch, though, until I feel the whisper of metal on my bare arm. My open locker door.

“No, I don’t want to put your fire out.”

I reach into my locker, my fingers wrapping around the cold steel of my stolen dagger.

“I want to watch you burn—”

I spring to action, grabbing his arm and pushing him into the lockers. At the same time, I press my blade against his throat.

Anson freezes. Caught completely unprepared.

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