by Mae Doyle
He doesn’t just hate me. He wants to hurt me. He told me earlier that he would kill me, and I have no doubt that he wants to.
I just have to make it inside. I have to make it home. I have to make sure that I’m never alone with Clay Bryson or any guy ever again. It’s the only way that I can make sure that I’m going to be safe.
There’s no way that this is possible, but that’s not what I’m telling myself right now. I can’t be alone. Not at school, not at home.
There’s nowhere for me to hide, but my brain can’t accept that right now.
Run. Run. Get safe.
“Run, kitten!” Clay’s voice echoes across the football field and I trip when I hear it. “Run as fast as you can, little kitten!”
The dirt cuts into my hands when I fall, but I scramble back to my feet as quickly as possible. I’m too afraid to turn around.
Is he behind me?
I can’t look.
I have to keep running.
It’s one thing that I’ve gotten good at.
Clay
Fucking bitch thinks that she can push me off of her and not give me what I want and I’m going to just let her go? She has another thing coming to her.
I’m going to let her go now, sure, but later? Later the kitten is mine. I can’t wait to see the look on her face when I’m balls deep in her fucking her.
I was going to give her the courtesy of letting her come, but not anymore. Now I just want to use her and fill her and then leave her.
Discard her like the stupid bitch that she is.
She runs to the locker room and picks herself right back up when she trips. Good to know that I have such an impact on her that I can make her fall.
Fucking little bitch.
That’s okay. I take a deep breath and try to focus on the rest of the night. I’ll go pick Elle up and keep an eye on her all night long. She may think that she can get away from me, but after her little stunt out here, she’s just sealed her fate.
My cock throbs and I reach down to adjust myself, moaning as I do. I would have loved to taken her virginity right here and now, but the middle of the field is not the best place to bury myself in Elle.
That will have to wait until later. I need a little privacy.
***
We have to be at the dinner at 7:00, so 6:30 seems like a safe time to pick Elle up so that she can’t make a run for it. Leaving my car idling in the driveway, I saunter up to the house.
It’s going to be the first time that I get to meet her parents, so I need to make sure that I make a good impression. I want to look into the eyes of her parents before I destroy her. Then, when I see them later, I can see how hollow they are.
The sidewalk is cracked, and the porch sags a little to the side. It really is a shithole of a house, but I steady myself and knock on the door. There are lights on inside, but nobody comes.
She ran.
This time, I pound on the door and call her name. I keep expecting to see her stupid face looking at me through one of the windows, but nothing moves inside. The door is locked, although it gives a little when I push against it.
I could tear the whole fucking thing off of the hinges if I wanted to.
But I don’t. I want to get to the school and see where my little kitten ran off to. Someone picked her up and brought her here. But who?
I’ll kill them.
It’s a few miles to the school, but I close the gap quickly and park up front. Handicapped parking is a fucking joke. Kennedy Academy won’t let you in unless you’re in prime physical condition.
Everyone’s already seated by the time I make it to the hall, but I don’t give a shit. We were supposed to bring our parents to this dinner, but mine won’t be seen in public with me. Useless.
I saunter in and sit down next to Teague.
“Where is she?” He keeps his eyes on the stage where our coach is talking.
“She ran. She wasn’t home. Have you seen her here?”
“Nope. I don’t think that the orchestra is going to play until after the presentation. It’s going to be dinner music or some shit.” Teague’s mom turns around and gives him a dirty look but then smiles when she sees me.
Nothing like a little sympathy from a parent.
Fine. I’ll sit through this joke of a dinner and wait until I get to see Elle. She was going to be punished, but I can’t believe that she would have the balls to run away from me. I have to find her, and I have to find out who brought her here.
Nobody stands up against the prince.
The presentation is a waste of time, but I do my best to seem interested. Finally, it’s time to eat, and the wait staff brings out platters groaning with food.
There’s only one thing that I want to eat, and it’s not steak.
“And now, for a little dinner music while you enjoy your meal, the Kennedy Academy Orchestra!” Our principal steps to the side, still clapping, while the orchestra comes on the stage.
They all walk to their spots in front of their chairs, their instruments at the ready.
But there’s no Elle.
I paid her instrument a little visit between classes this morning.
Looks like she just found out.
Chapter 11
Elle
Dammit, I would pay any amount of money to keep the tears from streaming down my face right now, but I can’t stop crying.
Who the fuck would come in here while my violin was in the band room and cut the horsehair on the bow?
I pulled it out of its case to tighten and rosin it, but every single hair had been cut. It took me a moment to register what had happened, and in that moment, all of the other kids saw.
So did Mrs. Ward.
Victoria had locked eyes with me. The sinking feeling I had welled up and threatened to overwhelm me.
“You.” I mouthed it at her. She shook her head, her eyes wide.
Not her.
Clay.
Now everyone else is out on stage and I’m in the back room trying to tighten a spare bow. Mrs. Ward had found it in a hurry, but it’s not mine and I don’t like playing with things that aren’t mine.
And I don’t want to go out and play in front of Clay. I know that he’s out there at one of the tables, watching me. I know that he’s going to be pissed that I didn’t wait for him to drive me to the dinner tonight.
I don’t know what he really wants from me, but now I’m scared to find out. No amount of hot showers can wash the feeling of his hands off of my body.
“You ready, dear? Will the bow work?” Mrs. Ward pops her head into the room where I am. I know that she cares and is worried about me, but I also know that everyone else is out on the stage, ready to play. I’m the new first chair violin. I can’t let them down.
“Ready.” Taking a deep breath, I try to steady myself. Thank God there aren’t any mirrors back here. I know that I must look a mess. As much as I didn’t want to cry when I saw my cut bow, there wasn’t any way to stop it.
“You’re going to be great, Elle.” Mrs. Ward looks at me with pity, which is the one thing that I can’t stand. “Just go out there and do your best, okay?”
I grit my teeth and hold the bow so tightly that I feel the wood digging into my hand. I’ll do my best, alright. I’m going to play harder than ever.
He may think that he broke me, but all he did was push me close to the edge.
This is where I’m the most comfortable. I’ve been pushed to the edge before. He can’t break me.
Following Mrs. Ward out onto the stage, I try to keep my head high, but I want to duck it and hide. The lights are trained on the stage, which means that I can’t see out into the auditorium. I know that he’s out there, eating his dinner, patting himself on the back.
Asshole.
Mrs. Ward announce the pieces that we are going to play and I steady myself, lifting my bow to my violin.
I hate him.
But I love this.
Everyone else needs to look at
their music, but I don’t. I feel the notes coursing through me and feel them flowing from my fingers through my instrument. There’s nothing that can interrupt me now. I’m in my own world of classical music and, try as he might, Clay isn’t welcome.
***
“Elle, I had no idea that you could play like that.” Victoria turns to me now that we’re done. Everyone at the tables in the auditorium clap politely while still talking to the other people at their table. I want to rage at them. They should be on their feet, weeping.
Did they not hear the passion in the piece?
“Thanks, Victoria. You’re also amazing. I hope that you’re not mad that Mrs. Ward put me in the first chair.” This. This is what I’ve been afraid of all day. Victoria is friendly and I may have actually made a friend at Kennedy Academy, but not if she hates me for taking her spot.
“No, not when you play like that. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She grins and walks past me. I turn to follow her, but there are footsteps on the stage behind me and someone grabs my shoulder.
I swear, I know that it’s Clay even though I haven’t seen his face.
“Nice playing, little kitten. How did you fix your bow so quickly?” His breath is hot on my cheek and I try to ignore him, but he squeezes my shoulder even harder.
To the crowd, it probably looks like he’s whispering sweet nothings in my ear. I can imagine parents and staff in the auditorium feeling happy for me. The prince has chosen the new girl to be the object of his affection. Isn’t she lucky?
I try my best to keep my face neutral. If he can see how much I hate him and how unhappy I am that he’s touching me, it’s only going to make things worse. His fingers are like hot irons digging into my skin and I have to use all of my self-control not to pull away from him.
The lights feel hotter than before and are getting dizzying. My palms start to sweat and I have to grip my violin hard to keep myself from dropping it.
When I don’t respond to him after a minute, he gives me a little shake.
“That’s not your bow, is it, kitten?” He traces one hand down my arm until he reaches my wrist and then squeezes it. I swear, I feel the bones shift and rub together.
Biting my lip to keep from crying out, I shake my head. “It’s not my bow,” I whisper.
“Why don’t you and I go backstage and you can tell me all about who loaned you a new bow, okay?” His voice is dark and full of gravel and I stumble forward as he pushes lightly on my shoulder.
Mrs. Ward looks concerned, but Clay simply waves her off when she walks over to us. “Just wanted to be the first to tell Elle what an amazing job she did,” he tells her. I glance up at her face to see that she’s beaming.
He has this effect on everyone at the school. He’s like a damn magnet and the entire school revolves around him, wanting to make sure that he is happy.
Their fucking vindictive prince.
“Now, kitten, tell me where you go the bow.” He turns me around so that I’m facing him but doesn’t let go of my wrist. By now, it’s burning, and I want to pull back from him, but I know that I can’t get away.
And that will just make him angry.
“It’s just a school loaner.” I try to look him in the eye, but I can’t manage it. I don’t want to know what I’m going to find there. He hates me like I’ve never been hated before, and there’s not a damn thing I can do about it.
“That’s a lie.” His voice is quieter now and he steps forward, closing the gap between us. For one insane second I wonder what it would be like to have his body pressed completely up against mine. I wonder how it would feel to have his hard muscles against my curves as he wrapped his arms around me.
Fucking crazy. I’ve lost my damn mind.
“Mrs. Ward gave it to me.” I drop my eyes to his shoes – anything to keep from having to look at him.
“Your sweet little strings teacher.” His voice drips with fake compassion. “Well, I think – ”
But I don’t get to find out what he thinks, because in that exact moment someone calls my name.
We both look up at the man walking over to us. My heart sinks as Ted takes in the scene.
Clay doesn’t know him yet, but he’s about to.
He’s about to learn why I want to leave home so quickly.
I thought that I would be safe at school, but between Clay and Ted, there’s nowhere for me to run.
Clay
I’ve seen this guy once before and the way he’s looking at Elle pisses me off. I made it pretty clear when she first came to this school that she was off limits to everyone in town, but this asshole must have missed the memo.
And he’s old enough to be her fucking father, so I really don’t like the look in his eyes.
Elle’s given up struggling against my hold on her wrist and has dropped her hand limply down by her side. I want to let go of her, but the look on her face tells me that trouble’s coming.
What in the hell could be bigger trouble than me?
“Elle, what are you doing back here? It’s time for you to go.” The asshole doesn’t even look at me when he speaks to her, but it gives me a chance to size him up.
Seeing him up close, he looks like a douchebag. His slicked back hair has too much pomade in it and looks greasy. I’m sure he thinks that his suit fits him, but it’s too long in the legs and the arms and makes him look like a little kid playing dress up.
And don’t even get me started on his face. He has overly-tweezed eyebrows and a hard slit for a mouth. Even by my judgement, this guy is a grade-A asshole.
So how the hell does he know Elle and why have I only seen him around school that one time? Elle doesn’t look like him, so I don’t know that he’s her dad, but the way he’s staring at her is possessive.
No, it’s dirty.
“I’m just talking to my friend, Ted.” Elle’s trying to make her voice strong. I recognize it since she does the same damn thing with me, but I’m not sure that it’s working here. The guy just shoots her a withering look and reaches out to take her violin.
“She’s not ready to go yet.” Without really thinking about it, I step between Elle and the asshole. What am I doing? There’s no reason why I should be standing up for the kitten, but I don’t like the idea of this loser taking something out on her.
For the first time since he came backstage, his eyes flicker over to me.
I see him sizing me up, but that’s fine. There’s no way I couldn’t take this asshole if he wanted to start something.
“I’m sorry, you are?” He sounds bored.
“I’m Clay. Elle’s friend.”
He snorts. “Elle doesn’t have any friends, so I don’t know who the hell you are or what you want from her, but it’s time to let go of her and your stupid little teenager fantasy. When Elle decides to be with someone then I’m sure that it will be a real man, not a little boy like you.”
“You mean a real man like you?” I don’t know what’s possessing me right now, but I can’t stop pushing this asshole’s limits. I don’t like how he’s talking to Elle or the way he’s looking at her.
I also don’t like the fact that my kitten is practically cowering behind me.
“I’m her father, you little prick.” The guy stares down at me, trying to make himself as tall and big as possible. It takes all of my self-control not to laugh at him, but at the same time, I’m confused.
Her father?
“You’re her father?” This asshole looks nothing like Elle and acts nothing like him. Elle doesn’t say anything, but she does take a tiny step closer to me. Not a chance is this loser her dad. “Elle?” I turn to face her but she won’t look at me. “Elle, is he really your dad?”
“No.” She takes a deep breath and looks up at Ted. “No, he’s my mom’s husband. Not my dad.” She shifts her feet and moves a little closer to me.
Who the fuck is this guy if she’s deciding that I’m the lesser of two evils? I’m surprised to find that I like the way it feels to have her next t
o me, even though I’m holding her by the wrist and she can’t get away. But I don’t like the way this guy is looking at her.
Like she’s a delicious snack and he’s just starving.
“I’ll bring her home, Ted. Why don’t you run on back to the house and do some more online suit shopping? It seems to really fit you.” Elle’s wrist twitches in my hand and I let it go, sliding my hand down hers. She’s still holding her bow, but I interlace our fingers together.
She’s not going to run, not right now. The kitten has decided to stay with the wolf and avoid the bear. I can’t say that I blame her.
Ted pulls his phone from his pocket and angrily jabs at the screen. “Fine, Elle, if that’s how you want to be. I just told your mother that you are getting a ride with someone else. Be home soon or there will be consequences.”
She doesn’t respond, but I do. “Hey, Ted, have fun fucking your hand tonight. Make sure that you think of me while you’re spanking it so that you have something good in your life to look forward to, okay?”
“Fuck you, you little prick.” Finally, I get to see the real Ted. He leans forward, his face dangerously close to mine. “Fuck you and your violin, you little slut,” he whispers to Elle. The hair on the back of my neck stands up and I think about throwing a punch, but he finally backs off.
Nobody’s watching us as he walks away, but as soon as he’s gone from backstage, I feel Elle relax. She’s been gripping my fingers tightly but finally loosens her grip.
Oh, fuck. Where do we go from here? I still hate her for looking just like Tiffany, but that doesn’t mean that I want her to have to deal with that asshole.
“Thanks.” Her voice is quiet and I have to lean closer to her to hear her. “Thanks for saying that you’ll take me home.”
“Who the fuck was that, Elle? Is that your step-dad?” I thought that she was just poor but had good parents. I didn’t know that she lived with someone like that. “Look at me and tell me the truth.” I have to lift her chin with my finger to make her look up at me, but I still don’t let go of her hand.
I don’t want her to make a run for it.
