Total pages in book: 181
Estimated words: 181613 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 908(@200wpm)___ 726(@250wpm)___ 605(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 181613 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 908(@200wpm)___ 726(@250wpm)___ 605(@300wpm)
When the bell rings, I swiftly pack my things and make my way to the front of the class, so I can follow him outside and see if I can get him somewhere alone and unguarded. But the moment I throw my bag over my shoulder, my teacher plucks me right out of the crowd.
“Aspen. We need to talk.”
I frown, confused. “What, why?”
He eyes the rest of the class and waits until everyone’s left before talking. “You’re rarely paying attention. You’re not here for the tests, and you’re turning in assignments late.”
I sigh out loud. “I’m sorry, Alec.”
“Look, I don’t want to have to fail my niece. Please give me something to work with here.”
“I’m gonna do better, I promise.”
“I know you have a lot on your mind, with Mavis and everything …” He trails off. “The point is, if there’s anything I can do, please let me know.” Uncle Alec places a hand on my shoulder. “You can talk to me.”
“Thanks,” I reply, shrugging it off. “I’m fine.”
“You sure? Because every time you’re in my class, all you do is stare at Levi Torres.”
My entire face turns red, and I wave it off like it’s nothing. “I’m just lost in memories. That’s all. He was there when she … died.”
He nods. “I know.”
“Anyway, I’ll fix this, okay? I’ll pay more attention. I’ll send the assignment to your email.”
“Good,” he replies.
“Can I go now?”
He waves at the door, and I rush to leave, hoping I can still catch up. But of course, Levi is already long gone.
Dammit.
I chuck my bag against the wall and groan in frustration.
It’s taking me weeks, months, to come up with a plan, and I’m still drawing blanks, still grasping at straws.
Why is revenge so damn difficult?
Sighing out loud, I walk through the corridor while checking my phone for updates from my friends.
Suddenly, an arm locks around my chest, and my mouth is muffled mid-scream by another hand as I’m dragged into a room.
My heart rate shoots up as I try to dive into my pocket, but my hand is held back by his strong armlock on me.
Fuck!
“I’ll release you if you promise not to scream.”
That voice …
I nod, and when he removes his hand, I mutter, “Levi?”
His strong grip on me softens, and I instantly spin around to shove him. “Get your hands off me.”
His face partially hides beneath a hoodie, the scorpion tattoo peeking out like a threat. His menacing eyes glare at me, and it makes me step back as he closes the gap between us once more.
“Who is he?”
I frown. “What?”
He marches even closer, and I step back in response, but when my back hits the wall, I have nowhere else to go except straight into his arms.
Shit.
I’m trapped.
“Don’t make me ask again, Aspen.” He sounds unhinged.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I respond.
“Tell me his name, or I swear to God—”
“You’ll what? Kill him?” My face contorts, and his dark brown eyes flicker with rage at the sight. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Try me,” he growls back, towering over me. He plants a hand on the wall beside me, leaning in so close I can feel his breath on my skin. “You think I’m a monster? Wait until you see what I’ll do to him if you don’t stop this. Right now.”
“Touch Grey and I will make you regret it,” I hiss, my hand hovering closer and closer to my pocket.
He tilts his head and grins before tapping his finger onto my chest. “See? You did know his name.”
Rage floods my veins, and I reach into my pocket, grasp the pencil, and stab his arm, but it doesn’t even seem to faze him as the blood rolls down his forearm. He grabs my wrist and slams me into the wall, knocking the sharpened pencil out of my hand.
“A pencil?” He scoffs. “That’s what you wanted to kill me with? Pathetic.”
“Motherfu—”
When I try to hit him with my other hand, he grabs that wrist too and forces them both up above my head with just one hand.
The devious smirk on his face makes me question everything I thought I knew.
“You can’t win this, Aspen.”
“Stay away from Grey,” I growl.
“I will … if you stay away from him too,” he says.
“Fuck you,” I spit. “You don’t get to dictate who I hang out with. We’re not friends anymore, remember?”
His eyes narrow. “You thought we were friends?” He leans in so close to my neck that my body erupts into goose bumps as his nostrils flare. It’s almost as if he’s … smelling me?
“I was never, ever going to be your fucking friend.”
Fuck him.
My teeth grind together. “I hate you.”
He laughs against my skin. “Good, hate me. Loathe me. Remind me every fucking day of the week how much you despise seeing me still breathing while you’re out here hoping I take my very last breath.”