Page 60 of Filthy Elites

Jason looks at me. “Do you want to save her from a predator or not?”

“He’s shady, but we don’t know if he’s a predator.”

“He’s eighteen and going after a naïve sixteen-year-old. What the hell do you think he is?”

“Okay, fine. But letting Luke loose on his ass is not going to help. Sage has a huge crush on Justice, so the more we tell her he’s bad news, the more she’ll want him. You know, the forbidden fruit appeal.”

Thanks to the conversation, I don’t realize we’ve crossed into the main school building until the buzz of the student body surrounds us. Everyone turns to stare at Jason and me, making me self-conscious—and wary. In the land of cell phones and social media, all it takes is one upload of a photo of me to lead Juan straight here. Disguise or not, now that he knows I’m alive, he’ll be on the lookout.

Maybe I secretly do wish that he’ll find me, so I can stop living this lie. What other explanation is there for dating the king of the school?

Wait? Is that what’s happening? Am I Jason’s girlfriend?Or maybe that’s the next level of his twisted game. Make everyone—including me—believe that we’re a couple. And then he’ll do something awful to humiliate me.

He sees Finn and Luke and veers straight toward them.

Luke is the first to notice our joined hands. Smiling, he says, “Ah, isn’t love great?”

Finn twists his expression into a “what the fuck” face that’d be priceless if it wasn’t aimed at me. Then he stares at Jason with a question in his eyes, which doesn’t get acknowledged.

“Jesus fucking Christ,” someone exclaims near us.

It’s Cameron, who is staring bug-eyed at my hand in Jason’s. “I heard the rumors, and I couldn’t believe it. So I had to see it for myself.”

Finn rolls his eyes. “Quit being so fucking dramatic, Cam.”

“I called it, didn’t I, Nicola?” Luke winks at me, smiling from ear to ear.

“I don’t understand what’s the big deal. We’re just holding hands,” I say.

“Ignore them. They’re immature babies,” Jason pipes up.

“I have to get to class.” I try to pull my hand free, but he holds it tighter.

“I’ll walk with you.”

My face is in flames by the time we walk away from his friends and cousin.

“Is this show really necessary?” I ask when we stop in front of my classroom.

“What do you mean, Nicola? You don’t like to be seen with me?” His eyes are widely innocent, but the corners of his lips are upturned.

“Come on, Jason. I wasn’t born yesterday. You don’t simply stop hating someone so fast, no matter how good the sex is.”

He pulls me to him, trapping my hands behind my back so there’s no space between our bodies. He brings his mouth close to my ear and whispers. “Aren’t you being a bit cocky? You don’t know if I think fucking you is that good.”

I turn my face to his, bringing our lips only inches apart. “The bulge in your pants says you do. It tells me you want to fuck me right now.”

His eyes turn into nothing but slits. “Careful now, sweetheart. I told you not to tease me.”

A throat clearing behind us forces Jason to pull back.

I turn to find Mr. Kaufman standing there with a scowl etched on his face. “Are you coming in or not, Ms. Devlin?”

“Of course, sir.”

My cheeks are burning up, but I’m still grinning when I pass Mr. Kaufman. I rattled Jason and left him hanging without a chance to retaliate. I know it’ll come later, but I’m not afraid. Whatever Jason has planned for me won’t work to bring me down, because it seems I love when he hates me.

ChapterTwenty-Six

---