Page 56 of Redeeming the Villain
Taking the pen, I snap, “Thanks.”
Her eyebrows twitch. “You’re welcome.”
The next words flow from me without thought. I want her to feel as badly as I do. As badly as shedeservesto feel. “What’s wrong? Crying because Daddy cut down your allowance?”
She sucks in a sharp and pained breath.
Blair’s head whips around. “Malik! What the hell?”
Alora doesn’t turn back around or shrink. If anything, she sits up taller as a cold mask shifts over her face.
“Fuck you,” she grumbles, her teeth grinding together.
Leaning down and over the small swinging desktop, I prop my head in my hand. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Hmm? I bet you’d even beg me for it.” I squint my eyes at her as I feel everyone around us shift to watch.
“Mal.” Griffin utters my name like a warning, but I ignore it.
Asher and Dean sit up straighter to my right, and I can feel the agitation coming from Ash. I know he has a fondness for her, one I wish would die.
She stands from her desk and turns completely to face me. But I still have the high ground, being on the second level.
She leans up on her toes and over the divider. Grabbing the neck of my hoodie, she pulls me forward as she gets in my face. “I think it’syouwho wants that. You’re just too embarrassed to admit it to yourself.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” I hold my hands up, but she doesn’t let go of my sweatshirt. I chuckle darkly. “Don’t get mad at me just because Daddy won’t buy you a new mansion or private island or whatever dumb shit you want to waste money on.”
Her head cocks to the side as she swallows hard, yanking my head further forward. “You don’t know anything about me, Malik. Youneverhave. All you’ve done is spent years painting this image of who I am in your mind.”
She tugs me toward her even more, the desktop digging into my abs as she continues, “Otherwise, you’d know that before yesterday, I hadn’t seen him in almost two years, you asshole because he shipped me to Avandale to live with my aunts after I turned eighteen before senior year.” Her eyes start welling with tears. “But, no, please keep going on about my dad’s money. That seems to be all you’ve ever focused on anyway.”
I’m speechless, unsure of what to even say back to that.
Could I actually have been wrong about her?
I scoff at the thought.
No. No way.
Her dog stands up and nudges her leg, drawing her attention away from me. She releases her grasp on my hoodie without looking my way again.
Blair’s stare slices into me, more painful than I was expecting, and I sit back in my seat, averting my gaze.
She mumbles something to Alora before Alora gathers her things and stands up, walking out of the room with haste.
“Lumi, go with her. I’ll be right there,” Blair says, hooking her backpack on her shoulders, her posture rigid.
Scoffing at Blair, I cross my arms. “Not like you to miss a class?—”
She cuts me off and juts a finger toward me. “Get your shit together, Malik. And stop being such an asshole to her.”
“Blair, chill the hell out?—”
“Malik,” Griffin’s deep voice grumbles next to me, “watch your fucking tone. I’m done giving you warnings.”
Blair turns and strides out of the room after Alora, Lumi, and the golden retriever.
Tucking my hands in my hoodie pocket, I clench my fists, reminding myself to calm down. But it’s not working.
My goddamn anxiety is spiking, and it’s only pissing me off even more.
