Page 82 of The Rivals' Touch

I dart in front of him. “It wasn’t Bennett!”

“Then who?”

I press a palm over his chest, watching the fabric of his gray hoodie scrunch up when I clutch it. “It doesn’t matter.”

“I can protect you!” he says fervently, cradling my jaw.

I start to shake my head, but his lips capture mine and silence my protests. “Let me protect you, baby!”

My breath catches when he dives down to suck and nibble on my neck. He smells so good and feels so nice it’s hard to remember why this is a bad idea. “Zayd,” I whimper, drunk on his poison.

“I can’t get enough of you.” He slides his warm hand beneath my top and cups my breast. “Tell me who hurts you!”

I lose myself in the sensation of his hands on my body as he tweaks my nipple. I want to feel him everywhere.

“Is it your dad?”

I stiffen before I can stop myself, and his eyes darken with realization.

“It’s your dad. He hasn’t stopped.”

A sudden knock on the door makes me squeak with fright, but Zayd muffles the sound with his palm over my mouth. “Don’t make a noise,” he whispers, pushing me behind the door before opening it.

“Have you seen Remi?” Bennett asks.

Zayd is either very good at acting or a good liar in general. He looks confused. “You lost your girlfriend already?”

“I didn’t fucking lose her! She went to use the bathroom.”

My heart pounds against my rib cage as Zayd grabs the doorframe and says, “She’s probably in the library or something?”

“Where the fuck is the library?”

“If you ever left her fucking room, you might not need directions everywhere.”

“Jealous?” Bennett taunts. I might have laughed if my heart wasn’t trying to break free from my chest.

“The library is on the bottom floor. Third door to the left, past the den. You know where the den is, don’t you?”

“Why the fuck would I know where the den is?”

Zayd sighs. “Do you need me to help you find it?”

“I’ll find it on my own.”

“Great! Now piss off!” Zayd slams the door shut, then waits for Bennett’s footsteps to fade before burying his fingers in my hair and brushing his lips over mine.

“I need to go before he becomes even more suspicious.”

Zayd groans like he’s in pain and squeezes my breast one more time before sliding his hand out from beneath my t-shirt, whispering, “You torture me.”

“I can’t be with you, Zayd!”

“You can! Don’t fucking marry him!”

I place my hand on the side of his neck and bounce my eyes between his. “You don’t get it, Zayd! I have no choice! I would call it off if I could, but my hands are tied!”

His fingers brush over my bruised ribs. “Your father?”

I nod, leaning in for a tender kiss. I love his taste.

After sneaking out of his room, I hurry back to mine before Bennett sees me. It’s not until the door opens and he walks in that I realize my ring is on the floor in Zayd’s room.

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