Page 18 of Blurred Lines

It seems to take him several attempts before he can work his mouth into forming words, and when he finally does, his voice is pitch-black. It doesn’t even sound human. “He’s been bothering you since the dining hall?”

Hesitantly, and admittedly a tad afraid, I nod my head.

He pushes off the wall, and moves to yank the door open, but I jump into action, grabbing his arm. I gasp when he spins to face me, and I can see how much he’s holding himself back right now. Rage is a living thing coursing through him. He almost looks demonic, with his blown pupils and stone cold expression.

“You said you wouldn’t interfere.”

“You can’t seriously expect me to sit back knowing that he’s...knowing this.”

My own anger rising to the surface, I cross my arms over my chest. “That’s exactly what I expect you to do. Like I said, this ismyproblem.” His mouth opens in protest, but before he can say anything, I deliver the final blow. “If you value our friendship at all, Wilder, you will stay out of it.”

He snaps his mouth shut, and I can see some of that furious rage he’s harboring being directed at me. Emitting this pained, furious growl, and looking like he wants to rip my head off, he just glowers at me for a long moment before snarling, “fine”, and storming out of the hall.

In his absence, I sag against the door. I appreciate Wilder wanting to help. I do, but I don’t need it—even if I haven’t quite figured out how to handle Deke yet. I’ve spent the last three years looking out for myself on campus, and I’ve been managing just fine. My mom raised me to be a strong, independent woman who doesn’t need to rely on a man for help. Wilder might be around right now, but he won’t be when I go to college and something like this happens there. Besides, ever since he turned up at my dorm room that night, I can’t stop picturing him in his boxers, looking like the best midnight snack a girl can dream of. I donotneed to go adding to those confusing feelings by having him barge in and save the day like some unwanted white knight—or, dark knight, I guess. Seems more fitting to Wilder’s personality, and I smile softly as I recall the top he was wearing when he showed up at my door the night they got Hadley back.

Eventually, I shake off Wilder’s encounter and push off the wall. Fixing myself that coffee I came here for, I head back to my dorm to get stuck into the massive pile of work I still have to get done tonight.

I’m relieved to find things are normal between Wilder and I the next day. It’s like our heated conversation last night never happened, and I’m honestly impressed that he actually listened to me when I told him I’d handle it. As I’m getting ready for bed, there’s a knock on my bedroom door, and when I open it, Wilder stalks in, his eyes wide with adrenaline.

“What are you—”

I don’t get the chance to finish as he slams his lips down on mine, swallowing my words and stealing my breath as his tongue pillages my mouth. His hand slides into my hair, holding me still as he crushes his body against mine, practically bending me over backwards.

I tense in his arms for a second before quickly losing all reasoning and melting into him. His kiss is full of dark promises and violence, and there’s something incredibly heady and intoxicating about it.

As abruptly as he arrived, he breaks away, turning on his heel and storming out again, slamming the door closed behind him. I stand there stunned, long after he’s gone, until eventually I blink and raise my fingers to brush over my lips, finding them still swollen.

Even after I’ve brushed my teeth and climbed into bed, I can still taste him on me. I’m not entirely sure I’ll ever be able to get him out of my system.

***

So, it turns out the night Wilder kissed me, it was because he’d just beaten the shit out of Deke in some sort of stupid testosterone-fueled fight night. To say I am furious is an understatement. I’m fucking livid. After he told me he wasn’t going to get involved, that’sexactlywhat he did.

His actions only demonstrate how little our friendship means to him, and honestly, that’s what hurts the worst. The fact he didn’t trust me to deal with Deke on my own, or wait for me to come to him andaskfor his help. I told him not to intervene if he respected our friendship, yet he did it anyway, even though he said he wouldn’t.

Then, to top it all off, he came and kissed the fucking life out of me...in what? Some sort of claiming? He bested Deke so now he thinks I’m his? I’m so fucking angry at him right now, I can’t even stand to be around him. I don’t know if he can tell I don’t want to fucking see him, or if he’s getting off on my anger, but suddenly, he won’t leave me the fuck alone. He’s everywhere I go. Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner. The library. I honestly just want to hole up in my bedroom to avoid him, but Hadley’s finally beginning to panic about our end of year exams next week, and I can’t let her down. Which is why we’re in the library, when the asshole himself stomps in and plonks his ass down at our table, not even bothering to lift out a textbook or at least pretend to be studying.

“Aren’t you going to at least do some work?!” I snap when I can no longer keep my mouth shut.

Wilder just gapes at me, acting as if everything is normal and he didn’t piss all over our friendship. “God no, why would I do that?”

“Eh, so you can pass your exams, and go to college or whatever it is you want to do once you graduate?”

Wilder waves off my words. “Pfft, I don’t need good grades for any of that.”

“I wish I didn’t,” Hadley grumbles under her breath, earning a ridiculously loud bark of laughter from Wilder.

“You don’t, Sunshine. You’ve probably got more money than I do. You can buy your way into any college, any future, that you want.”

“Seriously?” I snarl, having had enough of this shit. Who the fuck does he think he is? And does he even realize who he’s sitting with? I wave my hand over myself. “Do younotsee the scholarship kid here, actuallyworkingher ass off to get into college?!”

I have had absolutely e-fucking-nough of this. Hadley’s on her own. If I stay here much longer, I’m going to beat him to death with my textbook, and if I ever have the misfortune of ending up in prison, it willnotbe because of Wilder Clearwater.

Shoving my things in my bag, I storm to my feet and glower at Wilder. “Some of us don’t have the fucking luxury of getting everything in life handed to us. Grow some fucking respect for the people around you, or keep your goddamn mouth shut next time.”

With anger heating my skin, I storm out of the library without a backward glance, and stomp the whole way back to the girls’ dorm. I’m halfway there, and still fuming mad, when I hear footsteps approaching from behind as someone runs toward me.

“Hey,” Wilder calls out.

---