Page 19 of Brutal Days

His very hot hand settled on my thigh, and I jumped.What is he doing?Then he moved it higher, and I sat there like an idiot, not saying or doing anything to stop him.Why aren’t I stopping him?

His pinky dipped low and traced way too close. My hands clamped the table hard, and I shot him my most evil glare. I hated that I let him get to me.

He leaned close but didn’t take his hand away. “What will this cost me?”

“More than you have to work with.”

I shot a pointed glance at his crotch, and he removed his hand. It was a ridiculous claim, and we both knew it because he was packing in that department. It was my feigned lack of interest that struck home where it most counted—his ego.

The frown that formed on his too-handsome face told me enough. He didn’t like that I still wanted nothing to do with him. I almost leaped off my seat and danced a little jig like Gia had done yesterday.

Chemistry dragged because I was entirely too aware of him. But he was moody, and that suited me just fine. Maybe I would even find Erin sitting next to me tomorrow.

When the bell rang, we went our separate ways without another word, which also suited me just fine. I almost slept through classes until lunch. After grabbing an apple from the line, I sat and watched Damon with Gia.

She sat next to him at the same table as Phoenix, Shane, and several cheerleaders—Tracey, Jessica, and a few others. We were rid of Piper and Brooke, as they had been seniors last year and were Cole and Riley’s problem at Thane. It didn’t look good, and I could already tell Jessica had it out for Gia.

Not once did Damon turn and talk to her or include her in the conversation. That asshole. He wasn’t attentive or interested. All he did was talk to his cousins. After a few more minutes, Gia got up and came over to my table where we usually ate. She sat down and clasped her hands in her lap, her face pale. I was furious. He hadn’t even looked up when she left the table.

“What are you doing?” I kept my voice low so as not to embarrass her any more. “You need to go back over there and make him pay attention to you.”

It wouldn’t work, though. He had been an asshat to prove a point to me about what would happen if I didn’t act the way he wanted. I shook with anger.

“No.” She sounded defeated, and I hated every second of it. “I’ll just go to the library and get a book I need for class. I’ll see you later.”

“Okay.” I didn’t know what to say—to her.Him?I had plenty.

I stood and stomped over to his table as soon as she was out the door and on her way to the library. “We need to talk.”

Damon’s eyes slowly lifted to meet mine. His face was granite, and a muscle jumped along his jaw. “You know where to find me.”

“Fine.” I spat the word then marched out of the cafeteria and found the nearest stairs to the basement.

I stood in the middle of the dark and musty space, tapping my foot and fuming. The gross basement smelled like sweat and testosterone, two of my least favorite things. Dark energy charged the air, and I felt him. He barreled into the space with hostility blazing in every move. When he stopped in front of me, I almost stepped back—he was intimidating and so large—but I couldn’t do it. No one would make me feel helpless, never again.

“The deal’s off.”

“No, it’s not. You have to do this. You gave me your word.” A ripple of panic went through me. It was for Gia, who had been there for me since we were little. I hated him even more for making me beg, but I would do it for her. “Please. Just name your price.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

DAMON

#NamingMyPrice

Skylar was fucking hot when desperate. I didn’t know what favor she owed her friend or why she would go to the lengths she was, but it meant I could up my ask by ten. I let my gaze wander over her slowly, taking in everything about her—the dark hair I wanted to wrap around my fist, her fucking insanely sexy lips, eyes that matched her name and stood out even more because of her hair color. And that ass, fuck, it was fine. She was slender and toned with curves in the right places. Not as curvy as her friend, which I was down with, too, though the girl talked too much, and I wasn’t into her like that.But Sky…?She was a wet dream.

Still, her comment in chemistry told me how much she didn’t want me. It burned. The only girl in school who wanted nothing to do with me, and I couldn’t stop thinking about how much I wanted to do to her.

Across from me, and not close enough, she stood with her arms crossed over her chest, anger emanating from her posture and expression. It only turned me on more. And having her in the basement, where I sparred with my cousins, lent a dangerous edge to what we were doing.

“I don’t have forever,” Sky snapped.

Her voice wobbled slightly.Is she nervous?

On the one hand, I wanted to see how far I could push her, and on the other, I didn’t want it to end. “I want to get my fingers wet.”

She sucked in air through her nose, and I laughed.

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