Page 10 of The Blackened Blade

“I mean what point was there in signalling me out specifically? Because I was a couple of minutes late?” I give him a knowing look. “I wasn't the only late person though, so why me?”

He smooths his tie down his chest again, a disinterested look on his face.

“Ms. Bane, I already-” He starts, before I cut him off.

“Yes, I guess someone withissueslike yours wouldn’t need a real reason to behave the way you do,” I add with a smile as Mr. Finch’s face flushes red. His eyes turn to pinpricks as the wrinkles around his lips grow.

“Listen here, Ms. Bane-” He grits out before I cut him off again.

“I have. I‘ve heard you. Loud. And. Clear.”

His eyes meet mine, the words drying up in his throat and crease growing deeper in his brows the longer he stares at me.

I slowly turn around and make my way toward the only available seats at the back of the class, the students originally there having taken all the middle section spaces.

Surprised looks and whispers ring out as I take the nearest available seat, and right beside Mr. Tall, dark and broody himself.

It was the only available space and he was asleep anyway so who cared?

Apparently him.

He sits up, noticing my presence, a brow raised as our eyes meet. His head slightly tilts to the right, his loose brown hair falling to the side with the small movement and showing off the dark ink crawling up his neck. His piercing blue eyes trail down my body and back up, a crease now furrowing his dark brows.

He takes a small object from his pocket, flicking it back and forth as he watches me, before leaning toward me.

“That's my seat.” His voice is gruff and husky, with a dark threatening undertone.

He clearly didn't like company, but I had already put up with one asshole for today.

I meet his cold gaze before glancing toward the seat he's sitting on.

“Looks like you already have one.”

His brows raise, his eyes slightly widening as a dark smile stretches his perfectly full lips.

He continues to flick, what I now can see, is a very sharp pocket knife.

“They’re all mine, sweetheart. You see, I like my space. I don't share.”

He gives me a grin that would have Mr. Finch peeing himself.

“I like to stretch,” he flicks his blade out further, and closer toward me. “And I wouldhatefor one of my blades to hit you.” His expression begs to differ.

I glance around the room, pointing toward a large open space on the floor to the front of the class.

“There's lots of space for you tostretchdown there.”

He glances toward the area before a chuckle falls from his lips, one so dark and deranged, it has Mr. Finch flinching at the front of the class and other students huddling closer to their desks.

His grin widens, his teeth glistening as his stare grows feral.

He shifts quickly, darting his hand toward me, and before I know it, there's the sharp tip of a blade touching the skin on my cheek. The cold metal presses against me further as he leans in closer, his breath tickling across my face as he opens his mouth.

“Don’t you know who you’re fucking with?” His words are cold, reflecting the dark threat in his eyes, one promising pain. A deranged look that you would only see in a wild animal having been backed into a corner one too many times. One that's been pushed to its limits and now reflects only the darkness and brutality it's seen and been shown time and time again.

“Enlighten me.” I stare into his piercing blue eyes and lean closer to him, my gaze unwavering as the blade slightly grazes my cheek.

Whatever pain he could inflict on me, would never be as bad as what I’d already been through.

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