“Women are only good for one thing, don’t you think, Crew? That’s what you’ve said before.” Malcolm hesitates for not even a second. “Fucking. That’s it. Oh, and cooking. Guess that makes two things.”
“You’re disgusting,” Wren whispers, her gaze shifting to mine. “And you’re no better, considering you’re sitting there letting him say such awful things.”
My anger rises at Wren being her typical judgmental self. “What do you want me to say? That I think Malcolm is right? That women aren’t good for anything else but a quick lay? He might be on to something.”
“You’re such a dick, Lancaster!” Natalie screams from her seat, laughing her head off.
She’s only getting away with saying it because Skov still hasn’t waltzed into the classroom. It’s like a free-for-all in here right now.
“She’s right,” Wren says, her voice eerily calm. “You are a complete—dick.”
My mouth drops open. Ezra is in near hysterics, he’s laughing so hard. Even Malcolm is chuckling.
Wren turns on her heel and rapidly walks up the aisle, snatching her backpack from the floor before she jogs out of the classroom. Running right past Skov, who watches Wren leave before she pulls the classroom door shut.
“Why does that girl keep running out of my classroom when she’s never ditched before a day in her life?” Skov asks no one in particular as she heads for her desk, shaking her head.
“What the hell was that all about?” I ask my friend. “Did you purposely run into her to hurt her?”
Malcolm glares at me. “I don’t trust her. You shouldn’t either. That little goody-goody will eventually tell on us, and then we’ll be fucked.”
“Calling her out and making her look stupid in front of the entire class is your way of trying to keep her quiet then?”
He has the decency to appear contrite. “If she’s afraid of us, maybe she won’t say anything.”
“Scaring the shit out of her might drive her to confess what she saw, too.” Shit, I don’t know what’s going to keep Wren quiet. Maybe I should be nice to her for once. “Don’t forget she could ruin everything for you—for us—with a single visit to the headmaster’s office. Great plan you’ve put into place, my friend. Really solid.”
Though who am I to talk? I did nothing but threaten her earlier. I’m just as bad as Malcolm.
Probably worse, considering all I want to do is fuck her.
The realization smacks me in the middle of my chest, reminding me that I’m mortal after all. I like to act as if nothing touches me, but currently there is only one thing—one person who has the power to touch me. Fuck with my head.
Completely ruin me.
And that’s Wren.
“Maybe someone needs to threaten her in order to get her to keep her mouth shut, since you’re the one who can only think about de-virginizing her,” he retorts.
My glare burns into Malcolm. I hate how he knew what I was thinking. It’s my own damn fault though. I’ve been lusting after Wren since our senior year started. Hell, even longer than that.
Why should I give a damn about a sheltered little virgin, who would probably slap my face if I tried to hold her hand? She’s probably never seen a dick in her life. Never been kissed. Never been touched.
She’s pure. Pristine.
Not my type at all.
So why am I dying to dirty her up?
I glance over to find Natalie listening to our conversation with interest. Fucking great. “That’s not true.”
“Bullshit. You want her so damn bad. I can see it in your eyes. Which means you won’t really do anything to threaten her pretty ass.” Malcolm shakes his head. “She’s going to take us down, and you’re going to let her.”
“Keep your voice down,” I practically hiss, glaring in Natalie’s direction. She quickly glances away. “I won’t let Wren ruin anything, okay? I’ll make sure she stays quiet.”
“Uh huh,” Ezra says, a shit-eating grin on his face. “The only thing you want to use to keep her quiet is your dick shoved deep in her mouth.”
“Shut the fuck up,” I snap, loud enough that my voice catches Skov’s attention.
A sigh leaves her, and she rests her hands on her hips. “Mr. Lancaster, I really don’t appreciate that kind of language in my classroom.”
“Sorry.” I don’t sound that sorry though, and she knows it.
“Oh, I’m sure you are. Since you can’t seem to settle down just yet, you get to go in search of your psychology partner. Bring her back to the classroom, okay? I’d hate to have to mark her absent.” When I just sit there and gape at her, Skov waves her hands toward the closed door. “Go on. Go. Find Wren, and drag her back in here.”
I grab my bag, so no one rifles through it—I trust not one single jackass in this room—and leave the class, unsure where a scared little virgin might go after getting into a fight with a mean girl and then calling me a dick.
I still can’t believe she said that. Those types of words are not part of her vocabulary. That’s what makes her saying such a thing so shocking.
She’s been doing a lot of things this week that are un-Wren-like.
I meander down the hall, killing time. I check my phone, but nothing’s going on. When I spot a girls’ bathroom, I hesitate, thinking that must be where she is.
Without hesitation, I go to the door and push my way inside, stopping short when I see Wren standing in front of the sink, staring at the mirror. She lifts her gaze to mine in the reflection, her wounded expression trying to tear down the wall encased around my heart.
“What do you want?”
Her voice drips with tears. Any other guy would hate the sound, and I try to convince myself I’m not any other guy. I can look past it. So she’s hurt and she’s been crying.
So what?
But the longer she stares at me with those sad eyes, the guiltier I start to feel.
“Skov sent me to bring you back to class,” I finally say.
She glares. “Tell her I’m not coming.”
“I don’t think you have a choice, Birdy—”
“Don’t call me that!” she screams, whirling around to face me. Her cheeks are damp with fresh tears, and her eyes bloodshot. “Just—go away. You got what you wanted, okay? My self-esteem is in the toilet. I’ve realized I don’t have any real friends. None that actually know me. They don’t ask me how I’m doing, or check in on me to see if I’m okay. No one cares. My life is a complete mess. I hope you’re happy with yourself.”
I frown. “Why would I be happy that you’re a mess?”
“Because you hate me. I think you’re trying to drive me out of this school. I know it’s your territory. Eventually you’ll convince everyone I’m not worthy, and I’ll have no choice but to never come back.”
“Oh, come the fuck on, Wren. You’re being melodramatic.”
“Because of you! You make me feel this way.” She throws her arms out. “This is just Crew Lancaster’s world and we’re all merely living in it, right?”
No. It feels like I share my world with Wren, even when I don’t want to. She’s unlike any girl I’ve ever known: an independent thinker, yet a snobby little prude. Despite that snobby exterior, I can tell she cares. She wants people to like her, and she wants to guide girls into what she thinks are the right choices—such as being a prude like her.
She is in search of constant approval.
Attention.
She gets it from all kinds of people.
But not the kind of attention she needs.
The kind only I can give to her.
WREN
I reluctantly followCrew back to psychology class, quiet the entire walk. He doesn’t say a word either, though his body practically vibrates with some unrecognizable emotion.
I don’t know and I don’t care what’s bothering him. If it’s me?
Good. I hope I drive him out of his mind. He does the same to me, so it’s only fair.
We enter the classroom and I immediately go to Ms. Skov’s desk, my expression contrite when her gaze meets mine.
“I’m sorry I just left,” I say, my voice quiet. “Sorry about yesterday too. I’ve been—moody, though that’s no excuse.”
A sigh leaves her and she rests her hands on top of her desk. “It’s okay, Wren.”
I’m about to turn away from her when she keeps talking.
“I want you to know, I’ve been giving it some thought, and if you want to switch your partner to Sam for this project, you have my permission,” Skov says.
I turn and blink at her, shocked by her offer. “Really?”
She nods. “I can tell being with Crew makes you very uncomfortable.”
He does. He literally just chased after me, groped me and threatened me. I should tell Skov right now what he did. How badly it rattled me.
In more ways than I can describe.
But then I’d have to tell her why he chased after me, and what I saw. Which means they’d eventually get expelled, and it would be all my fault.
I don’t want the responsibility. Or their hatred.
“Did you talk to Sam about making the switch?” I ask her.
“Well, no. Not yet. But Natalie has come to me as well, requesting a new partner, and she mentioned she wants to work with Crew. Even though that goes against my views of the entire project, I don’t like seeing you so miserable.” Her gaze is knowing as it settles on me. “You look like you’ve been crying.”
“I’m fine.” I shrug, then glance over my shoulder to see Natalie trying to talk to Crew, and he’s doing his best to ignore her while Ezra watches her with puppy-dog eyes. I turn to face my teacher once more. “I don’t want to switch partners.”
Skov’s eyebrows shoot up almost to her hairline. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.” My nod is firm, as is my resolve. Besides…
I don’t want Crew to work with Natalie. That’ll make her feel like she won, and I don’t want her to.
She doesn’t deserve it. Or him.
“If you’re going to work with Crew, I can’t have these daily emotional outbursts. Do you understand?”
“Yes, ma’am.” I bend my head, embarrassed. I don’t let things get to me like this usually. Though no one really ever tries to mess with me. I have my followers who respect what I say, and anyone who doesn’t agree with my values usually leaves me alone.
Until Crew. It’s like he can’t stop messing with me, and I hate it.
There’s the smallest part of me that doesn’t hate it, though. It’s buried deep. A small, dark kernel of pleasure unfurls in my chest every time he touches me. Earlier when he tried to hold me back, when he had his hand on my breast, I should’ve been disgusted. Frightened.
And I was. At first. But there was something else going on. It was almost thrilling, knowing he might want me. I could hear it in his voice. Feel it in the way he touched me.
In that moment, he did want me. Even if it was only for a second.
“Okay then. Go on, get to work,” Ms. Skov urges, and I leave her desk, making my way to the back of the classroom where Crew sits, Natalie in the desk next to his.
“Are we switching partners?” Natalie chirps, her gaze sliding to Crew.
He’s not even watching her. His focus is one hundred percent on me.
“No,” I say, shaking my head, my gaze stuck on Crew’s. “We’re still partners.”
“God, Skov is such a bitch,” Natalie mutters under her breath as she slides out of the seat and heads over to the empty desk next to Sam.
I settle into the chair Natalie just vacated, tamping down the wave of triumph trying to consume me. I drop my backpack on the floor and zip it open, pulling out my notebook and pencil, settling them both on the desk.
“Skov is sticking to her guns, huh?” Crew’s deep voice washes over me, leaving me warm.
I send him a secret smile, unable to help myself. “Guess so.”
* * *