Page 108 of Giving In

But to my surprise, he grabs my hand and breaks our kiss.

“Not now, ‘Me.”

“What?” I squeak. “Why?”

“You’ve been through a lot tonight. You need to rest.Ineed to rest.”

He rests his hands on my legs and I notice his knuckles are bruised and bloody. I look up and I know he can read the guilt in my eyes. In response, he smiles at me and bends down, grabbing my waist and flipping my body on his shoulder easily, fireman style.

“You’re going to bed, missy,” he says as he heads for the stairs.

“What the hell!”

He runs a hand up and down my leg and tightens his grip around my thigh, making me clench.

“My little vixen is going to bed. Do I need to repeat myself?”

I giggle and he gives my ass a harsh spank. “Don’t get yourself in trouble with me, baby.”

I laugh and he throws me on his bed before caging me between his arms and keeping his body above mine.

“I love your laugh, you know that?” he says in the sexiest voice.

I hide my face in my hands. I can’t handle a compliment. “Stop,” I laugh.

“Never,” he says as he spreads kisses everywhere on me. “I’ll never stop worshipping you.”

CHAPTER 20

‘I can’t help but be wrong in the dark

‘Cause I’m overcome in this war of hearts’

War of Hearts – Ruelle

Jamie

By Friday, I’m exhausted and frustrated. After fixing my phone screen, I had to spend money on new textbooks that had been destroyed by Camila or her friendsagain. I had barely enough left for my dress for the ball. That was until the bitches decided to destroy the bike I use to go to school and I spent my last dollars on the repairs. No new dress for me I guess but I can always borrow one of mom’s.

Emily doesn’t drive me to school anymore because she hops in with Luke and his gang now. I guess it’s a good thing because I’ve been spending all my nights at Nathan’s. He’s been reluctant to leave me alone and his house is much better than mine. Only it’s also much further from school and I refuse to let him drive me there. Add waking up extra early to bike to school to the reasons of my exhaustion. And of course, the ultimate reason...Jake. Or should I say, avoiding Jake.

He tried to pick me up and drive me to school but quickly realized I wasn’t staying at my house. He texted me countless times to ask me where I was staying, but I’m not giving it up. I’m not telling him about the one last thing that makes me happy in this godforsaken town.

I’ve been running out of classes in the evening to reach my bike and leave before he can ask me to get in his car. I’ve been hiding in the library to take my lunches and literally sprinting every time he calls my name. I’ve been asking questions and participating so much in English that the teacher’s eyes are constantly on me, and as long as Mr. Ashton is watching, Jake can’t do anything.

I don’t know how long I thought I could keep this up but by Friday morning, Jake catches up with me.

I enter English reading a text from Cole.

Cole: Sorry Jamie but I can’t go to the ball with you. Hate to do this to you but I don’t think I’ll be going.

I frown as I read, head down on my phone. I walk blindly to my chair, anger boiling in me. As if the jock he is isn’t going to go to the ball. He changed his mind on going with me and is feeding me a bullshit excuse.

I sit down still looking at my phone as I’m typing up a reply. As soon as my ass hits the chair, I sense something is wrong.

I look at the time on my phone and realize I’m ten minutes early. I look up and see no one else in the class. No one except Jake, sitting right next to me. My heart skips a beat and I jump up to run out of the class but he’s too quick. He grabs me by the back of my neck and forces me to sit back down.

“Not so fast, Angel. You’re not going to skip English again, are you?”

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