Page 254 of Boys Who Taint

Xavier picks up his fork and skewers his potato salad. “She’s my sister. I’m going to protect her. She’s been hurt enough,” he retorts, grinding his teeth.

“You know, you’re not the first to threaten me,” he replies, smiling. “But I appreciate the effort. It’s admirable you wanna protect her. But let’s be real, you don’t stand a chance in fighting me.”

“Whatever. A Torres can’t be trusted,” Xavier says as he shoves some potatoes into his mouth.

“Keep going, you almost sound like your dad,” Apollo says.

“Good. He knows a threat when he sees one.”

“A threat?” Apollo laughs. “The only threat I’ll pose is to anyone who dares to get between me and the things I want.”

“And what’s that?”

“Her,” he growls back.

Suddenly, Apollo grabs my face and slams his lips onto mine. And when his lips unlatch, I’m dizzy just from the way he claimed me … right in front of the entire cafeteria.

“Andhim,” he adds.

“Wow,” Xavier mutters as the potato salad slowly drops off his fork.

Apollo smirks and glares at Xavier. “Any other questions?”

“Did that just happen?” Xavier mutters.

A thick, warm blush creeps onto my cheeks. “Yep.”

Everyone is looking at us, whispering words I can’t hear, but I know what they’re saying.

Apollo waltzes to the cashier, who’s right beside the lady scooping the potato salad into little bowls, and he snatches the microphone right out from underneath her nose, tapping it a few times.

“Is this on? Great. Attention, everyone. I know you already know, but I’m going to tell you anyway because I don’t fucking care. I’m fucking Grey Westbrook and Aspen Caruso at the same damn time. They are mine, and so help you God if you try to stop me because I will fuck you up.” He looks around the room at all the mortified faces. “Any fucking questions? No? Good.”

He pushes the mic away again as the potato salad that was being scooped up drops from the lady’s spoon, and he struts off like it’s nobody’s business, leaving the rest of us utterly stupefied.

Levi

During the day,I pretend she doesn’t exist even though it makes me feel like I’m dying inside. How could I go back to seeing her as a someone I needed to get rid of after I just poured every inch of my fucked-up soul into her?

How can I ever forget what she does to me?

How could I ever want to go back to before?

Every so often, I watch her walk by with her friends or with Grey, squeezing his hand, and I stay on the sidelines, yearning in silence. Catching a whiff of her scent is enough for now.

My hand should be where his hand is, but it’s not going to happen. It’ll never work.

If people ever saw me by her side, word would spread as fast as the fire she started in my heart, and with Felix as the dean, her entire family would know in an instant that I’ve been near her. Any word about my relationship with her—our filthy kisses or our sinful fucks—and I’d be a dead man.

I can’t do that to her. No matter how badly I want her to be mine as much as she is his, I can’t put her through this all over again.

Grey suggested we show the video evidence to her family, but I immediately shot that down. I don’t want them to think Mavis had to die because of my love for Aspen. They’d never accept that.

So I stay where I’ve always been, waiting, watching her like I always have and always will. Maybe until eternity. She’s worth it.

I breathe out a sigh and walk off when she’s gone again. Her scent has left my nostrils and I have classes to attend soon. But I will cherish the memory of seeing her again, despite not having talked the entire day.

This is how it’s going to be from now on.

---