Page 82 of Wicked Scorn
The words hit me like a tidal wave, washing over the jagged rocks of fear and uncertainty that have plagued me since that night. Relief floods my senses, making my knees weak. Tears well up in my eyes, blurring my vision as I realize I can finally take a full breath.
“Thank you,” I manage to choke out, my voice trembling. “Thank you so much, Jeremiah.” I don’t ask him who it is, because I’m too focused on how this nightmare is going to finally end soon.
His thumb brushes against the back of my hand, a simple gesture that speaks volumes. “I don’t want to be away from you, but I think you understand why I need to be the one to take care of this,” he says, his tone full of admiration and a feeling that stirs a longing within me.
“Your biggest qualm about what you’re about to do is that you’ll miss me?” I reply, attempting a light-hearted tone but failing to mask the emotion in my voice. I want to ask him what he’s going to do to the guy, but I don’t really need to. He’ll kill him, it’s just a matter of how. If I know my pretty boy the way I think I do, he’ll make sure it’s a painful enough retribution for what he did to me.
I lean into Jeremiah, our bodies melding together as he kisses me. His scent wraps around me, and for a moment, the world outside ceases to exist. I wrap my arms around his waist, seeking solace in his arms.
“Hurry back to me, Rem,” I whisper against his lips, feelingthe steady thrum of his heartbeat against mine. It’s a rhythm that promises safety, something I’ve never felt with anyone else.
“You know I will,” he replies, his voice a gentle rumble. He strokes my hair, each touch sending waves of comfort through me as he groans, dipping his head to kiss me again.
But then, the moment shatters.
“Isn’t it inappropriate to be making out while on the clock?” Cindy’s snippy voice cuts through the intimacy like a knife. Her tone reeks of judgment, each word dripping with disdain.
I pull back from Jeremiah, my face heating with embarrassment and anger. My eyes dart to bitchy Cindy, standing there with her arms crossed and a smug expression plastered on her face.
I snap back, my voice trembling with barely contained fury, “Do you ever mind your own business?”
“Just saying,” she says, raising an eyebrow. “Some of us are trying to work here.”
“Seems like you’re more interested in watching us than actually working,” I retort, my cheeks burning hotter, and I feel Jeremiah’s chest bounce with the laugh he wants to let out.
“Honestly, Oakley,” Cindy sighs, adjusting her glasses. “It’s unprofessional.”
“Unprofessional?” I laugh, but there’s no humor in it. “Last I checked, you’re not my boss.”
“You should save the PDA for after hours,” she insists, her voice grating on my nerves.
Jeremiah stays silent, allowing me to have my moment, but I can feel the tension radiating from him, coiled and ready to defend at any moment.
“Don’t worry about it, Cynthia,” he finally says, his voice calm but edged with steel. “We’ll handle our relationship. You just focus on your own job.Ifyou have one tomorrow, that is.”
Cindy’s eyes narrow, but she doesn’t say anything more. She turns on her heel and walks away, her footsteps echoing in the suddenly too-quiet library. The fact that she doesn’t give him a hard time tells me all I need to know. She’s aware that Jeremiah could have her airlifted off campus if he wanted to. I think she realizes that he would do anything for me, including having her fired, maybe even maimed.
“You did good, baby,” Jeremiah praises me, kissing the top of my head as I wrap my arms around him, not quite ready to let him go.
“I’m a real shark,” I joke, pressing my forehead against his chest. The anger slowly ebbs away, replaced by the comforting steadiness of his heartbeat.
“Hey,” he says softly, lifting my chin so I meet his gaze. “Don’t let her get to you. She’s not worth it.”
When we pull apart, I finally ask him, “Are you going to tell me who he is?” The words are barely out of my mouth and Jeremiah is shaking his head in the negative.
“He’s nobody. He doesn’t deserve for you to know his name,” Jeremiah says darkly, his jaw twitching with the anger that’s running through him.
All I can do is nod because I trust him and if he thinks this is what’s best, I’m going to believe him. What would be the sense of knowing his name? Looking him up so I can see his putrid face? I want to forget what little I do remember about that night.
“I love you, bunny. I was gonna have Ramsey take you home, but they have a game out of town. I’ve got the water boy coming to be your escort. Do not leave without him,”Jeremiah tells me, and I parrot his I love you, meaning every single word. He kisses me quickly before leaving to go handle the man who set my world upside down.
It’s almost closing time, and the library is quiet now, the soft hum of the overhead lights the only sound breaking the silence. I move through the aisles, checking that all the books are in place and the chairs are pushed in. The familiarity of the routine is soothing, a stark contrast to the chaos that Cindy always seems to bring to my shifts.
As I make my way back to the front desk, something catches my eye. Cindy’s car is pulling out of the parking lot. I roll my eyes when I see her purse, abandoned and forlorn under the counter. Typical. She probably left it behind in her huff. My curiosity piques, and I think about picking it up and looking through it. She’s so uptight and snobby, I’m curious how she lives. Is it neatly organized? Or a haphazard mess because she focuses so much on trying to control other people.
I decide to just leave her purse where it is instead of taking it to her dorm when I leave tonight. My luck she’ll claim I stole her identity or something. I can’t believe she just left me alone to shut and lock up this place. What a bitch.
I’m only a few feet away from the counter when the creak of the main door sounds. Cindy must have realized her bag wasn’t with her. I turn slowly, every muscle tensing as I see Mr. Bryant, a teacher from my old high school, standing there. His lips twist up in a smile, making my stomach churn. Definitely not Cindy.
