Page 14 of Tainted Rose

You’re lying to yourself. Every time you think about him with someone else, it’s like being poked in the heart with a white-hot iron.

At five minutes until the end of class, I’m in the clear, I’ve made it through. Things can only get easier from here, right? Except they won’t. Because while my mind and heart are all torn up over it, my body cries out for him. Fuck me, why do I have to be so in tune with him? I put my notebook into my bag and pick it up off the floor, setting it on top of my desk, ready to get the hell out of here.

That’s when I feel it. A poke to my left side. Whether it’s a finger or a pen, I have no idea. But hell no, no matter how badly I crave him, he doesn’t get to touch me. I swivel in my seat, eyes flashing when they connect with his. His lips twitch up at the corners. “Don’t touch me,” I hiss.

He leans forward and clears his throat before whispering loudly enough for everyone around us to hear, “Aw, baby, you can’t tell me you didn’t like the way I touched you.” He pauses, then raises his brows. “The way I fucked you.”

I shoot out of my seat and grab my bag, rushing up the aisle. “Mrs. Harden, do you mind if I go use the ladies room?”

She eyes my tortured expression, then glances over to Xander who has slouched down in his seat.

“No problem, Scarlett. You can proceed to your next class from there, no need to come back.”

“Thank you.” I nod quickly and hurry across the room to the door, vaguely aware of the rumbling of voices behind me. I catch a few key phrases as I go, like “Did you see the photo of Xander with Aria on Insta?” and “I know, totally hot. I guess they really are together.” and “Wow, Scarlett must be a terrible lay if he’s already moved on.” Cue the laughter of everyone hoping to impress Xander, King of the Roses.

Fuck them. Fuck them all.

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