Page 50 of PET

“I need you to go to class right now, hot lips. It’s the only place I can leave you and feel comfortable doing so. The staff will protect you.”

I guffaw, crossing my arms over my chest like a spoiled child. “Have you forgotten how hated I am at Reaper right now? It’s thelastplace I should be alone, Zeke. What the hell is even going on?”

He groans as I watch his knuckles turn white from squeezing the steering wheel. “Billie, I don’t have time to argue with you. If it makes you feel better, then go to your dorm room and wait for me there, but you can’t fucking come with me. And believe it or not, but Reaper is the safest place for you right now.”

I scoff, looking away for a moment. “That doesn’t make any sense. And neither does the reason I can’t come with you. Why can’t I come? Where the hell are you even going? Who was on the phone?”

His hard glare whips over and pins me to my place. “You ask a lot of questions you’re not privy to know the answers to. Christian needs my help with something that doesn’t concern you at the moment. I’ll tell you what I canwhenI can, okay?”

It’s cute that he’s trying to be sweet about it now, reaching over and tucking a loose strand of my unruly red hair behind my ear. And I hate how I fall for his charms and lean into his hand, giving him a single nod.

When Reaper comes into view, Zeke zooms up to the front doors and comes to a screeching halt.

“I’ll come get you as soon as we’re done, okay?” He leans over and kisses my forehead.

I’m not happy about being ditched, but I also know I’m going to have to be okay with not being with one of them 24/7. And a forehead kiss? No, that’s not going to fly with me. I lean over the center console and grab the side of his face, pulling him to me. His grin splits his face in half before I kiss the side of his mouth.

Then he’s devouring me, pushing my hair from my face as he tilts my head, tracing my lips with his tongue. I moan into his mouth, ready to climb into his fucking lap if he’ll let me. I’m throbbing and buzzing all over for his touch. But then he breaks the kiss and chuckles.

“Damn, Billie,” he rasps against my mouth. “Get your cute ass inside before I make myself later than I already am.”

I move away from him, wiping at my swollen, wet lips with a smirk. “Don’t take too long.”

“Never. And if you need anything, just call or text me—I have eyes all over this school, and people who will do anything I ask of them.”

Staring at him, I cock a brow and ask, “Cocky much?”

He gives me half a smirk and nods for me to get out. “Power is not cocky, hot lips. Now go inside and wait for me.”

I slip out of the car, pinching my knees together as I shut his door and watch his car roar out of the parking lot. Standing here until he’s out of sight, I turn around with a silly grin on my face and a flush in my cheeks. That boy is something else.

The gravel crunches beneath my feet as I turn and walk toward the front doors. Everyone should be in class right now, so I can make it up to my room unseen. But as soon as I step into the dorm building, the cheer squad stands in a circle right in the huge main entrance. They all look at me like a deer in headlights.

I’m about to turn around and run back out through the front doors when the head cheerleader says, “Billie, why don’t you come join us… for old time’s sake?”

I’ve never been a cheerleader, not like Mandi Saunders has wanted me to be. She looks at me like I’m her number one enemy, though I havenoidea why. The girl has had her eyes on me since we were in kindergarten. Maybe I stole her favorite swing on the playground, and she’s hated me ever since. Who knows?

“As great as that sounds,” I lie with a small smile, “I think I’m going to head up to my room and get caught up in my classes.”

None of them say anything as I stroll around them and head up the massive staircase. I make it about halfway up when Mandi’s words halt me in my spot.

“It’s okay, girls—Billie’s never been good at anything a day in her life.”

Their snickers and laughter are like nails on a chalkboard, but I refuse to let her think she’s better than me. I grip the railing until my fingers hurt, grinding my teeth as I stare straight ahead.Don’t do it, Billie. Don’t do it.

But I have to fucking do it.

“What the fuck did you just say to me?” I ask, still staring straight ahead, before I spin around and pin her with my hard, murderous gaze.

She smiles so innocently it makes me want to puke. Crossing her thin arms over her chest and the Reaper symbol on her uniform, she challenges me with a cock of her eyebrow.

I’m tired of girls like her thinking they can push everyone around with no consequences. Well, today that changes. I march down the staircase right for her, and she finally steps back a few feet as concern etches across her pretty little face.

Now that I know I have the boys back on my side, I can walk through the halls of Reaper again like I used to—without fear.

“I may not be perfect, Mandi, but at least I’m not a raging fake bitch like you,” I tell her, stopping inches in front of her.

Her gaze flits across my face as she fights to keep the smirk on her face. The squad around us gasps in horror, clearly unable to believe I called their captain that. They’d all be lying if they said they never called her a bitch in their heads.

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