I see you, Riley, and I fuckinggetit. Gently cupping her face, I tilt her head back as I gaze into her sorrowful gray eyes, then lower my lips to hers, stopping a hair's breadth away from connecting with her lush ones. I don’t want to take anything else from her. She’s up against a nearly impossible feat, but I need to taste her. Need to know the reason I don't feel like myself around her. It feels like an eternity before she presses up on her toes and my lips connect with her soft, supple ones. And when they do…fireworks.
Instant explosions!
It’s not supposed to be like this.
I pull her flush against my body and she doesn’t resist, allowing me to deepen the kiss. I explore her mouth with mytongue and nip at her bottom lip as she gasps and moans into me, effectively hardening my dick more. Her kiss is sweet but hungry as she wraps her arms around my neck, molding her body to mine. I have no option but to hold her close. The heat of her body is burning me up. It would be so easy to bring things further, to push her against the wall, or lay her down and shove my dick in her. Riley rubs against me as I tangle my fingers in her hair, holding her in place. Her breathy moans fill my ears. We’re frantic for each other. I don’t want to let go. She’s caught me in her web, and I’m a willing victim.
I internally curse myself.Fucking get a grip, Wes!She’s not in the right headspace, and today isn’t about trying to fuck her. She’ll regret anything she does now, and I don’t want that. I don’t want to be a regret to her. Focus on the plan. It takes everything in me to pull away. Her eyes flutter open and she licks her lips before trapping her bottom one between her teeth.Oh, to be that lip…
I clear my throat, pretending I’m not as affected as she looks. “Stick with Ava. Don’t get caught walking alone on campus. Give me your phone.”
She taps her hand against her back pocket and shrugs. “I must have left it in my room when I ran out of there.”
I groan and shake my head in annoyance. “Don’t goanywherewithout your phone.”
She bats her hand dismissively. “It’s fine. I’m safe on campus. Imagine the headlines if I go missing at this school, or something happens to me.” She flashes her hands open and closed in front of me. “Governor Whittier’s daughter gets abducted at Pointebreak. The press and public would have a field day.”
The smile stays on my face, but the anger’s there—tight in my jaw, hot in my chest. Is she trying to be obtuse, or does she really not understand how dangerous Pointebreak is? Death may not be a common occurrence here, but that doesn’t meanthese forged relationships don’t carry on outside of here. Make enemies with the wrong person and you can expect a target on your back after graduation.
“You really don’t fucking get it, do you? I’m trying to help yousurvivein Pointebreak, Hellcat. These people…these students will stop at nothing to get what they want. Pointebreak doesn’t accept just anyone, and everyone is here for a reason. Everyone has a purpose.” I clench my teeth as my jaw twitches, my anger getting the better of me.
Her face reddens, and she clenches her hands at her sides as her nostrils flair in anger with each shallow breath she takes. Good. Get pissed. “You seem to have a lot of answers. Why am I here, Wesley? What reason did my dad have to send me to this godforsaken place?”
I wish I knew.God, I wish I fucking knew. Julien's been pretty quiet, but I know he’ll share more when he has it. The plan was always to finish out here and take her when we were out and getting established. While here at Pointebreak, we can’t do a damn thing. The other option was to ignore her, but given our status here, our names and reputations wouldn’t stay hidden for long. I know why he hates Michael. Riley’s just the pawn in this endgame. She’s disposable. Or she was…
She knows about us now. It will not be as easy as it was before. And I feel this strange connection with her. I like how I feel around her. I don’t know how to explain it.
Annoyed, she throws her hands up, then looks for a way around me. Riley tries to push past my sizable frame, but I grab her bicep in a bruising grip. “I’ll walk you back to your room. Ava will give you all our numbers. Save them. Use them if you need to.”
Riley gives a curt nod and pulls her arm from my grasp with a sneer. She stomps away from me and I can’t help but take a moment to appreciate the way her ass sways in her jean shorts.She’s disappointed I won’t answer her questions, but I don’t have all the answers. I don’t know what compelled her dad to send her here. And while I know a bit about the vendetta Julien has with her, I won’t tell her. It’s not my place. I can only let her in on mine story.
In only a few strides to catch up to her, and she snorts in exasperation when I sling my arm over her shoulder, tugging her against my side. There are hardly any students milling around, but that doesn’t mean she should walk alone. Hell, I thought that was common sense on college campuses. This is basically the same thing. Pointebreak just houses more…dangerous students.
“I told you I’d walk you back, not walk ten paces behind you like a lost puppy.”
“Maybe the lost puppy look suits you,” she mumbles. I smile as she shrugs out of my grasp and crosses her arms over her chest, looking everywhere but at me. Her poker face is terrible, probably the worst I’ve seen. Her face is an open book, revealing every emotion through subtle shifts in her expression. Anger and confusion roll off her in waves and yet the first thing I want to do is wrap her in my arms and tell her everything is going to be fine. Hold her until the fear leaves her.
“You don’t need to walk me back. I can find my dorm myself.” I ignore her as we walk in silence for another minute, then she slows her steps and looks up at me. “How did you find me so fast? I haven’t been gone that long, yet you seemed to walk up only minutes behind me.”
“Ava gave us the general direction you walked and there aren’t many places out this way. You’re very curious, and what’s more thrilling than an old building that’s not on any of the campus maps?” I smile at her as she narrows her eyes and glares at me. “What do you think that building is? Torture room?” I wiggle my brows and smile widely as I tease her.
She snorts. A small smile graces her lips, and for some reason, that makes me happy. “Knowing the type of people that go here, probably. But it doesn’t matter. You won’t tell me. I’ll figure it out on my own.”
I tap my lips with my index finger. “You also go here, Hellcat. Best to remember the people who are now your peers and colleagues.”
“Right,” she mutters quietly. “Should be an exciting four years.”
TEN
RILEY
Iroll over, shutting off the alarm, and throw my arm over my eyes. First day of classes and I hardly slept last night. I tried calling my dad, but he sent me straight to voicemail.Shocking.I wanted to call James and have him hand over the phone, but unless Dad had a speech, he would have been at home, anyway. Now, I’m more confused than ever, but one thing stuck with me all night long was something Wesley said.I’m trying to help you survive in this place.
Survive.
It’s not the first time my stomach has dropped at the simple word since arriving here. That’s what’s making my skin prick up this morning. He could have phrased it in a number of different ways, but he chose those specific ones. I imagine classes are going to be harder than I originally anticipated.
Those three are a well-oiled machine. One picks up where the other left off. I’ve never seen anything like it. That’s a dangerous combination and I need to watch my back, otherwise I’ll end up with a knife in it. I wish I knew what the hell I did to warrant their attention. My goal was to fly under the radar for the next four years.So much for that.
