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“Hey,
baby!” Chaz’s voice pulled both of us from our thoughts. He snatched
Erin out of the flow of people and I followed, laughing at her delighted
squeal until I noticed the guy standing next to him.
My
face went hot, blood pounding in my ears. As our friends kissed hello
and began talking about what time they each got off work tonight, Buck
stared down at me, his mouth turning up on one side. My breath came in
pants and I fought to keep the rising panic and nausea under control. I
wanted to turn and run, but I was immobilized.
He couldn’t touch me here. He couldn’t hurt me here.
“Hey,
Jackie.” His piercing gaze roamed over me and my skin crawled. “Lookin’
good, as always.” His words gushed flirtation, but all I felt was the
threat underneath, intended or not.
The
bruises had faded from his face, but weren’t entirely gone. One
yellowish streak ringed his left eye, and another brushed along the
right side of his nose like a pale smear. Lucas had given him those, and
only the three of us knew it. I stared back, mute, the coffee clutched
in my hand. I’d once thought this boy handsome and charming—the
all-American veneer he wore fooling me as thoroughly as it fooled
everyone else.
I raised my chin, ignoring my physical reaction to him, and the fear causing it. “It’s Jacqueline.”
He cocked one eyebrow, confused. “Huh?”
Erin grabbed my elbow. “Come on, hot stuff. Don’t you have art history in like five minutes?”
I stumbled slightly as I turned and followed her, and he issued a soft, taunting laugh as I passed him. “See you around, Jacqueline,” he teased.
My
name in his mouth sent a tremor through me, and I trailed behind Erin
into the sea of students. Once I could move, I couldn’t get away from
him fast enough.
Source:
Tamara Webber
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