Page 98 of Redeeming the Villain
For a split second, I consider his gaslighting words, and I wonder if I’m really blowing this out of proportion. But as he steps toward me again, with my lip gloss smeared on his face and redness on his neck, I know that I’m not.
“Give me one more kiss and I’ll forget all about this, including you threatening a teacher. We can keep all of this just between us. Right?” He steps toward me, and Sunny starts to growl.
This has already gone on for far too long. He somehow senses my urge to flee and lunges forward, wrapping his hand around my wrist.
“Ahh!” I yelp as someone else screams.
Looking down, I see Sunny’s teeth clamped down on his arm, blood oozing around the bite.
He kicks his leg at her but misses. But I won’t.
Planting my hands on his shoulders, I drive my knee as hard as I can into his groin, feeling a gross, squishy, bursting sensation as my knee flattens against his pelvis.
Collapsing to the ground with Sunny still latched on to him, he screams out in pain, but I don’t waste a second grabbing my purse and Sunny’s leash.
“Drop it,” I tell her, and she releases his arm like she would a chew toy.
“Good girl. Come on,” I grab my purse and rush out of the room into a nearly empty hallway.
There was no one here who was going to save me if Sunny and I hadn’t done it on our own. But not everyone has a Sunny, and the thought that he’s tried this before makes me want to puke.
Walking as fast as I can manage, I exit Moor Hall, feeling the cold air peel his choking grip from my body. My eyes start to well up with tears as I swallow hard.
A wave of disgust and vulnerability washes over me.
Tears start to roll down my cheeks as I look left and right, my gaze bouncing between two paths.
One to my dorm. One to the rink, which is a lot closer to me than my room. It also has the one person in it who I need more than anything else right now.
My feet are moving before I realize it, rushing toward the arena. My breathing starts to rattle in my throat.
Keeping my arms tight to my sides to hold my shirt up, I race to Malik, needing to feel him wrap me up and shield me from the world.
My heart constricts. I didn’t realize how fast he had become my safe space.
I don’t care if things are a tad shaky with us. They are bound to be after everything we’ve been through. But all I know is that right now, the thought of anyone’s else’s touch makes me want to gag. I need him.
Throwing the arena door open, I rush inside, getting stopped by security.
“Excuse me, ma’am. What’s your name?”
He looks at me more intently, recognizing my distress.
“A-Alora Briarwood.”
“Are you okay?” He checks a list on a clipboard. “I’ve got you down here as approved visitors. But do you need any help?”
Shaking my head, I rush past him with Sunny, hearing the sound of pucks smacking against the boards getting louder and louder as I reach the double-door entrance to the rink.
The cold feels good against my skin—extra cold on my cheeks, where my tears are still flowing.
When I walk into view of the players, a few of them spot me immediately. But I don’t recognize any of them.
Someone shouts down to the ice, “Ravenwell!”
And then I see him.
On the opposite end, his head whips my way, and even through the cage, I can feel his stare find me instantly.
