Page 106 of The Rivals' Touch

I rip myself free and step back. “Don’t touch me!”

Bennett shoves his hands inside his pockets and shrugs as the bell rings. “You shouldn’t skip class like this, babe. Your father won’t be pleased.”

I turn on my heel and storm off, refusing to give him any more of my time.

“I’ll phone you later,” he calls after me, and I fist my hands and grit my teeth as I turn the corner. I don’t know how to get out of this shit show I’m in, but there has to be a way.

* * *

“Why the fuck are you angry?” Zayd growls behind me when I open my bedroom door with too much force.

I walk in without replying or acknowledging him, and when I try to close the door, he puts his foot in the gap and forces it open.

“You’ve been angry the whole way back. You didn’t say a fucking word in the car!” He strides in after me, watching me kick off my shoes.

“Why do you think, Zayd?” I throw my arms wide. “I told you I didn’t want to fucking go there, but none of you listened. When my dad gets wind of this, and he will, I’ll be in a shitload of trouble!”

Zayd walks back over to the door, shuts it, and flips the lock. “This is because of your dad?”

“Will you please just leave,” I sigh, dropping down on the edge of my bed. I’m exhausted.

“I’m not fucking leaving. We had to go! I wasn’t going to let him get away with beating you!”

I lower my gaze to the floor and shrug, sick of feeling powerless. “Yeah, well, you bought me a ticket to my next beating.”

He grits his jaw. “If it’s your dad you’re worried about, I—”

My head snaps up and I hiss, “What, Zayd? You’re powerless against him.” I point to the door. “You don’t know him! He’s a dangerous man!”

Zayd runs a hand through his dark hair and shakes his head. He looks out the window. It’s overcast, and dark clouds are moving in. “What are you going to do? What’s your plan, Remi? You won’t let me help you. Fuck, I…” He drops his head, rubs a hand over his face, then looks back up. “Are you not going to do anything? Are you going to marry Bennett and live happily ever after? I thought you were a fighter, Remi.” He steps closer. “All the times I’ve watched you cheer. The fucking fire in your eyes… Where has it gone?”

I avert my gaze because the truth hurts. “Zayd—”

“No, you listen to me! You’re a fighter, Remi! You will not give up now and let your fucking dad decide your fate because he wants to secure a fucking business deal!”

“I DON’T HAVE A CHOICE!” I scream, taking myself by surprise with the force of my emotions.

Zayd falls silent, watching me for a long moment before he replies, “You’re right. You don’t have a choice.” Then he walks out and slams the door shut behind him, and I stare unblinkingly at my bedroom door until my eyes start to burn. What the fuck does he expect me to do? I can’t go to my dad and tell him I don’t want to marry Bennett. Just thinking about the consequences has me breaking out in a cold sweat.

I shoot to my feet.

Zayd doesn’t seem surprised when I barge into his bedroom and point an accusing finger at him on his bed. “The fire in my eyes hasn’t burned out! Nothing and no one can extinguish it!”

He doesn’t look up from his phone. “Could have fooled me.”

“How fucking dare you, Zayd?! You don’t know me or what I’ve been through!”

“You’re right. I don’t.”

I stride up to him, rip his phone out of his hands, and throw it down on the floor. I don’t know what reaction I want from him, but it’s not the amused look in his eyes. He enjoys riling me up. I go to open my mouth, but he beats me to it.

“Go on, shout at me some more.”

My mouth snaps shut.

“Go on. Tell me what a clueless idiot I am.”

Arms crossed, I narrow my eyes and say, “You’re messing with my head!”

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