Page 52 of Devil's Bargain

“I might believe you if you look me in the eye when you say it.”

I whirl on him. “Just stop, Rick. Just fucking stop!”

He follows a group of students with his eyes before leaning in. “I felt the tension in there. It wasn’t the good kind, and now… Your cheek!”

It burns and throbs. Tears well in my eyes. I blink rapidly to stop them from falling. “Rick, please.”

He searches my eyes for a long moment before taking a step back and nodding. “Fine.”

“I need to go.”

“Then go.”

“April?” Nina’s voice rings out behind me.

I squeeze my eyes shut. This day is just getting better and better.

Nina sidles up next to me and looks at Rick questioningly. “The others are waiting.”

“Sure.” I glance at Rick once more. His hazel eyes warm my back as I walk into the cafeteria and find my usual seat. The moment I sit down, Steph drops her fork on the plate.

“What happened to your face?”

I touch the burning skin. “I walked into a door.”

Nina gives me a look that I ignore.

“What did the door do to you?” Josh laughs, popping a fry in his mouth.

Rick rubs a hand over his jaw as he walks past on the way to his table. I follow him with my eyes. “I was on my phone and didn’t pay attention.”

“I’ve done that too,” Matt says. “It hurts like a motherfucker.”

Ben scoffs, balancing his chair on its back legs. “You’re a fucking tool.”

Josh guffaws. “Brutal, dude.”

Amused, Matt shakes his head.

Ben grins around a mouthful of fries. “You can handle it, Matty, can’t you?”

Matt shrugs. “I don’t know, can I? I might cry into my pillow tonight.”

Dallas rolls her eyes and points her fork at him. “You’re a robot who doesn’t know how to cry.”

“Do any robots know how to cry?” Josh asks. He reaches for his drink and takes a sip.

As they launch into a debate, I push my chair back and make my way to the food court. I collect a tray, fill my plate up, and pay the cashier.

My phone pings in my pocket. I carefully balance the tray in one hand and reach into the front pocket of my leather pants with the other.

The Devil: I think you will appreciate this. ((Attachment))

I get a bad feeling as I open the attachment.

“Are you filming this?”

“Every fucking minute of it!”

---