"What the hell, Trace?" I cursed, my swollen eyes opening, trying to make sense of how I'd gone from couch to the floor. "You could have at least told me before you tried to kill me!"
"Kill you?" She arched her eyebrows. "Right. Because if the one-foot fall wouldn't have done it, what? Your tiny heart would have burst?"
My eyes narrowed. Hilarious. "Look, I know you're heartbroken, and you're upset, blah, blah, blah, but do you have to be mean to the guy who helped you when you were having a nervous breakdown in front of most of the entire student body?"
"Valid point," she said through clenched teeth.
I grinned. "Knew you'd see it my way. Now, no attacking. I'm going to get off of you, help you to your feet, and attempt not to stare at your ass as you bend over to grab your bag."
"Such a gentleman," she grumbled, taking my hand as I helped her to her feet.
She tugged down her shirt and walked over to grab her book bag. I stared like a man starved. Her ass was fine in that skirt. "Sorry, Trace. I lied. No wonder Nixon was—"
"Can we just… not talk about him?" She tossed her bag over her shoulder and crossed her arms. So much for humor helping the situation.
With a nod, I held my hands up in surrender. "Good deal. Let me just grab my keycard, and I'll walk you to your dorm."
Her face immediately flushed, like the idea of me helping her was abhorrent. "You don't have to do that. You already let me hide out in here for most of the morning and—"
"I insist. Besides, it's kind of my job." I shrugged.
"Your job?"
"Chase Winter at your service. Get used to it, babe. I'm your official bodyguard."
"Says who?" she shrieked.
Yeah, funny. I had the same reaction but was given time to let it sink in; she, however, had two seconds.
"Um, Nixon? Your grandfather? Mo? Just about everyone who loves you…" I shrugged. When the Mafia says jump, you say how high and where.
"Nixon doesn't love me."
I exhaled the breath I'd been holding. "I refuse to get into that with you right now. Believe what you want, but that boy would flipping cut his own arm off before he let someone harm a hair on your head."
Her eyes filled with tears, "Sometimes, Chase… it's the emotional wounds that hurt the most." I pushed back the anger and sighed. "I'd rather he beat me. Cuts heal, bruises fade — but broken hearts? They carry scars for a lifetime."
Well said, damn it. I shoved my keycard back into my pocket and pulled her into my arms. I kissed her forehead. "I don't think any guy can promise not to break your heart. But I do promise that the next jackass who tries it will be on the other end of my fist."
She nodded.
"Come on, Trace…" I nudged her., "One smile. Give me one smile before we walk the plank."
She rolled her eyes.
"Please?" I jutted out my lower lip.
Her smile was pathetic, — looked more like a wince, like I smelled bad, and she was trying to reassure me it wasn't so horrible she couldn't breathe. Awesome.
Hopeless case, that Trace.
I led her outside. At least the sun was shining; that was something.
"See?" I whispered against her ear. "Smooth sailing."
Famous last words. Swear, the minute they left my mouth, people around us started whispering and pointing. Someone yelled, "Skank." Another yelled, "Whore." And somehow they turned into chants.
I made a mental note to kill them all.
And then I made another mental note that if I was to keep my sorry ass out of prison, I couldn't commit unnecessary murder. But was it really unnecessary when they were hurting her feelings? I ignored them as much as I could, told everyone to F off, and managed to get her to her dorm.
Cara came barreling out of the door the minute I swiped my card. Fantastic. Just the girl I wanted to see, the same one I'd rejected the week previous on account that I didn't feel like whoring myself out anymore, because my heart had kind of decided it didn't like it as much as it used to.
"Told you." Cara smirked at Trace then her eyes fell to me. "Nice of you to take over Nixon's sloppy seconds."
Oh, this was going to be too fun.
I always loved it when people momentarily forgot who I was, what I could do, what I was capable of.
Trace tried to tug me into the dorm, but I didn't budge.
"Sloppy seconds?" I repeated.
I released Trace's hand and began to circle Cara.
"Cara…" I threw my head back and laughed. "…I forgot how entertaining that little mouth of yours was, which is crazy because I could have sworn it was wrapped around Phoenix's junk last week."
Trace's face paled while Cara's mouth dropped open.
"Aw, baby, was that an invitation?" I chuckled. "I wonder how your boyfriend, Deacon, would feel about you screwing Phoenix behind his back? Hmm? I wonder what he would do. No, actually…" I snapped my fingers. "…I know exactly what he'd do. He'd drop your fat ass and move on to the next skank ready to spread her legs for him. Then again, maybe he likes that you're easy. Hey, why don't I call him right now and see if he wants to join us for a threesome? Hell, make that a foursome, since you clearly like what you see. I'll play."
Cara's lower lip began to tremble. Do it. Cry. I was just getting started. I would destroy her for making Trace feel small, freaking laugh when she cried for me to stop.
"Don't tell him. Please, just…" Cara looked at Trace for help.
Really? The girl you just insulted? Bullshit.
"You know what girls like you are worth?" I sneered, drawing her attention again, "Nothing. Absolutely nothing. You're a dime a dozen. I won't call Deacon because I truly believe he's your free ride to hell. Your future is clear as day to me. You'll be his perfect Stepford wife, stand back and smile politely while he screws every prostitute available to a man of his tastes, and you'll do Phoenix and whoever will give you the time of day on the side."
Tears streamed down Cara's face.
"Wake up." I stopped directly in front of her, my mouth inches from her face. "You will never be as good as Tracey. You will never be good enough to freaking lick the pavement where her shoes have been. Now listen, and listen very closely."
She nodded.
"You will never look at her in the eyes again. If I hear that you do. I'll ruin your perfectly caked-up face. If you breathe the same air as Tracey without my permission, I'll show you what it feels like to suffocate to death. And if you spread anymore rumors about her or the Elect…" I chuckled. "…you won't make it to Christmas break, without at least one of your pretty manicured fingers missing from your hand. Do we understand each other?"
Cara started to sob and then with a nod ran off, covering her face with her hands. At that rate, she was going to run into a tree and ruin that horrible nose job, but whatever. Not my problem.
"Have a good day!" I called after her, feeling a hell of a lot better after releasing some of that pent-up tension.
I whistled and sent a text of warning to Nixon that the student body was revolting. He'd do his usual scare act to get them to stop talking so I could focus on Trace.
"What the—"
"What?" I shrugged and looked up at Trace's horrified expression. "Hey, let's go inside. I'm cold."
"Right." She followed after me.
"So, you can be scary." Trace finally broke the silence.
Ha, girl had no idea the type of scary I could wreak into this world. "It's a family thing."
"Great." She was watching me closely, probably scared shitless, but hey, better she see me how I really was then be thrown off later. That's what I did. I was the intimidator, the shit talker. It's what I was good at. I'd like to think it's what I exceled at.
The elevator doors opened, and I followed her in. I continued my awesome mood down her hall while girls whispered and pointed. I glared at each girl and gave them a nonverbal warning.
Pretty sure they were going to be locking their doors that night.
"Thanks for wa
lking me home." Trace opened the door.
I followed her right in. May as well make myself comfortable.
"Um, what are you doing?"
"My job." I grinned and lay down on her bed, "Now get your homework done so we can watch a movie."
"We?"
"Yeah. As in you and I. What? You have a cow hidden in here somewhere?" I joked.
She blinked innocently.
"Holy crap, do you have a cow? That would be awesome." I'd never seen a cow up close in real life, so yeah, it really would be awesome. Impossible, but awesome.
"Yeah, Chase. I have a cow under my bed. It's invisible though, so you can't see it. But sometimes at night it comes out to play. What the hell is wrong with your brain?"
I winked and pulled out a creepy looking vampire novel off her nightstand. "Homework," I ordered with a bored voice. "Now."
"Okay, Dad."
My body came to life. I loved her teasing. "Oooh, say it again. Only this time call me daddy while you're—"
"CHASE!" Her face flushed bright red.
I cackled. I licked my lips and blew her a kiss, then opened the book.