CHAPTER EIGHT
CLOVER
By the time my alarm went off in the morning, I’d achieved about two hours of sleep. Broken sleep. I tossed and turned from the time I got into bed until my phone alarm brought me back to reality. A hard reality that sucked ass.
A shower did nothing to wake me up. I went through the motions of getting dressed and doing my makeup before deciding that I couldn’t handle going to class today. The thought of sitting there for hours while the professor talked at length felt too exhausting.
I stared at my reflection in the mirror of my tiny bathroom. With my bright green eye shadow and pale pink lips, I looked like myself. I sure didn’t feel like myself though. I left my shoulder length hair straight, having no energy to style it. Pink leggings and a purple tank top made up my casual attire.
Despite the murder that replayed in my head all morning, my stomach began to grumble with hunger. This time before I left my dorm room, I stuffed the small container of pepper spray that Raina had given me into my bag. I didn’t own any weapons. Maybe that would have to change.
I hated the thought of having to carry a weapon or use it. My safe little world had changed so quickly. I left the dorm and made the short trip to the coffee shop near the school. It was early and people were everywhere. That should have made me feel safe. Instead I found myself constantly looking over my shoulder.
But who was I looking for? Zane? A stranger with ill intention? The Angels?
All of the above.
The trip to the coffee shop was uneventful. I chugged down my coffee but only picked at my bagel. I sat down with my laptop on one of the benches outside the school. Maybe I could get some work done.
I stared at the screen, seeing nothing but Blaze plunging that knife into the man on the ground. So much blood. The thud as the body hit the bottom of the dumpster rang in my ears. I’d witnessed a murder, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it.
Part of me desperately wanted to call Raina. She’d been raised in a world of blood and death. This kind of thing happened all the time. Maybe she’d be able to talk me down and help me through it.
Except I couldn’t call Raina. The Angels made me promise not to tell anyone anything. Even though they hadn’t done anything bad to me, I knew that they could and would if I should give them a reason. I was entirely alone in this.
When an annoying seagull kept hassling me for my bagel, I tossed it on the ground and let him have it. Someone might as well eat it.
I’d just begun to get some work done on a class assignment when a shadow suddenly blocked the sun shining down on me. Startled, I jumped when I looked up to see Zane towering over me.
“Sorry.” He offered me a small smile. “Didn’t mean to scare you. I saw you out here and thought I’d bring you some lunch.”
He held up a bag with the local sub shop’s logo on the front. Without waiting for an invite, he sat down on the bench next to me. My body immediately stiffened.
Zane dug into the bag, pulling out a sandwich loaded with turkey and Swiss. “Here, I got your favorite. I also grabbed you a Dr. Pepper. I know you like those. I hope that’s okay.”
I stared at the sandwich he held out to me, not sure if I should take it. “Um, thanks, Zane. That was nice of you, but I don’t think we should hang out anymore.”
“Not even as friends?” he asked, a hopeful glint in his eyes. “We were friends before we dated. Why can’t we go back to that?”
“I don’t think it’s that simple,” I said, ignoring the sandwich he placed next to me on the bench. “You hurt me, Zane. I can’t ever be okay with that. I think we both need to move on.”
Although I was tempted to apologize when his face fell, I didn’t have any reason to be sorry. He was the one who’d lashed out with physical violence. That was unforgiveable.
“I’m sorry, Clover. Really. It will never happen again. I’ll do anything it takes to make it up to you. I swear.” Desperation laced Zane’s words. It made my stomach turn.
I didn’t want him falling all over himself to make it up to me. I didn’t want any of this. I only wanted to be left alone.
So much for that. No sooner had the thought passed through my mind than a blacked out Audi screeched to a halt in front of the school. Parking in a loading zone with a fifteen minute warning sign, Daire opened the door and got out. My lungs froze.
What the hell was he doing here? Were they really watching that closely?
Daire swung the car door shut and sauntered in my direction. His expression was guarded but hard. Black hair shining with a blue sheen in the sunlight, low slung blue jeans hugged him just right. A plain black t-shirt hid what I suspected to be a firm body. He was undoubtedly attractive in a terrifying way.
I jerked my gaze away. What was wrong with me? The Angels were awful people. Being hot didn’t excuse their attitudes or actions.
“Hey there, Angel,” Daire greeted me with a nod. He cast a look of utter disdain over Zane. “No class today?”
“I didn’t go,” I said nervously, hating the way my voice shook.
Daire nodded in Zane’s direction. “Everything okay here?”
Before I could answer, Zane said, “Why wouldn’t it be? We’re just hanging out. Since when is that any business of yours?”
Fury sparked in Daire’s green eyes. He took a menacing step closer to Zane. “Since you threw Clover on her ass in a fit of temper. Got a problem with that?”
Zane glanced between Daire and me, confusion etched on his face. “Are you with this guy or something? You’re not the type to go slumming.”
My cheeks burned hot from being put on the spot. My voice failed me. I didn’t know what to say.
Daire saved me from having to say anything. With a finger, he beckoned me to follow him. “Come along, Pussycat. I want to talk to you.”
He waited for me to set my laptop aside and stand up before taking my hand and leading me toward his car. My chest heaved as I sucked in fast breaths. I didn’t dare look back at Zane. His heavy stare bore into my back as I walked away.
“What’s that dumb fuck doing here?” Daire demanded, casting a glance back over his shoulder. “Do you need me to get rid of him?”
“No, I don’t think that will be necessary. He brought me lunch. I told him that we need to stay away from each other. He seems kind of desperate to be friends.” I wasn’t sure why I told Daire everything. I didn’t owe him anything.
“Friends, huh? Guys like that don’t make good friends.” Daire led me to the car, holding my hand possessively the whole way. “I have something for you.”
“Are you guys taking turns watching me or something?” I asked, not sure that I wanted anything he may have for me. “That’s kind of creepy, you know.”
“We could put a camera in your room and a tracking device on you instead if you’d prefer. Maybe a nice collar like Raina’s.” Daire flashed me a cocky grin. “Your call, Little Unicorn.”
My nose wrinkled in distaste at his ridiculous nicknames. Anxiety gripped me at the thought of wearing a tracker. I wasn’t a damn animal. I’d always found it disgusting that the Gods had forced one on Raina, although it had actually saved her life. Still, I was nobody’s property. I wouldn’t allow that.
“All right, forget I said anything.” Risking a glance back at Zane, I found him glaring hard in our direction. Thankfully, we were well out of earshot.
Daire pulled open the car door and reached inside, grabbing something off the center console. He turned back to me, holding a bright pink bracelet. “This is for you. I expect you to wear it at all times.”
I frowned as he grabbed my left wrist and secured the bracelet around it. “Why? What is it? A tracker?”
Daire smirked and shook his head. “No. It’s a panic button. If you get into any trouble like last night at the convenience store or if that asshole over there causes any problems, double press it right here in the middle. It will send an alert to Cash, Blaze, and me. We’ll be able to see your location. We’ll come immediately. Got it?”
I studied the bracelet. It looked like a plain pink band. Nothing gave away its true purpose. It was kind of impressive, and a lot less invasive than a tracking device.
“Yeah, got it. Is that all?” Not knowing how to talk to a guy like Daire, I was eager to get back to my laptop. Burying myself in my work felt like the only way to escape the last few days.
Daire still held tight to my wrist. He used his hold on me to paste me up against the side of the car. “Trying to get rid of me, Clover? What’s the rush? Don’t tell me that you want to get back to Zane. You’re ours now, remember?”
“It has nothing to do with Zane,” I protested, feeling weak when Daire pressed against me. “I have an assignment to finish. I didn’t take the summer off like everyone else.”
He held my wrist with one hand, the other bracing against the car as he trapped me with his body. God, why did he have to be so warm and smell so good? Like sage and cedarwood along with that telltale male scent that reached deep inside me.
“You smell like bubblegum,” Daire remarked, leaning in closer to press his face to my neck. “Do you taste like it too?”
He didn’t wait for me to spit out a flustered response. The warm, wet sensation of his tongue darting against my skin sent a shockwave racing through me. Surely he was only doing this for Zane’s benefit. Right? That’s what I tried to tell myself as Daire licked a hot path along my neck.
“Not quite like bubblegum,” he murmured against my skin. “Good enough to eat though. What do you say, Clover? Should I eat your pussy right here in front of Zane?”
“Please don’t. There are cameras everywhere. The school would have us charged.” Trying to be logical with heat flooding my core was both difficult and ridiculous. Part of me wanted very much for Daire to do as he’d said. It wrestled with the part of me that wanted nothing to do with him.
Daire pulled back to peer into my eyes. His grin was both dangerous and sexy as he tapped the tip of my nose. “Blaze was right. You really are cute as fuck. So damn inhibited too. I can’t wait to change that.”
My eyes widened. I’d really gotten in over my head with the Angels. It was all Zane’s fault.
“I should probably get back to work,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
Daire held me against the car a moment longer, his gaze on my lips. Then he stepped back, releasing me. “Remember what I said about the bracelet. Wear it. All the time. Otherwise you’ll be getting an ankle monitor locked around your leg.”
Just like that, he reminded me what the Angels were capable of. The thought of having a tracking device locked onto my body sent chills down my spine. What the fuck?
“I know. I’ll wear it.” Now that I was free, I hurried away from Daire’s car, speedwalking back to the bench.
Daire peeled away with a squeal of tires. My racing heart reverberated in my ears. Zane was on his feet by the time I reached him.
“What the fuck was that?” he barked, waving a hand in the direction Daire had gone.
“It was nothing,” I insisted, wary of his rising temper. “We were just talking.”
“That was not just talking. Are you fucking that guy?” Zane stepped toward me, the veins in his arms protruding as he clenched both fists.
I scowled, insulted by his assumption. “Of course not. If I was, it wouldn’t be any of your damn business anyway.”
Daire had done a good job of making it look like there was something between us. He’d known exactly what he was doing. Sending a loud and clear message. Maybe I shouldn’t deny it. Maybe it would get Zane off my back.
His face reddening, Zane huffed like an angry beast. I braced myself, not sure what to expect. If he hurt me, I could use the bracelet to get Daire back here. Of course, that would only end in blood or death. I didn’t want that.
“Fine. Whatever. Fuck you too, Clover.” In a fit of rage, Zane snatched up the Dr. Pepper can off the bench and whipped it at me.
The open can crashed against my arm, splashing me with sticky liquid. I let out a little yelp, surprised more than anything else. Zane saved me from having to make a tough choice by storming off across the grounds.
I sat heavily on the bench, trying to calm my pounding heart and catch my breath. As much as I hated to admit it, he scared me. The Angels scared me too in an entirely different way.
Feeling helpless and powerless, I stared at the spilled soda on the ground and tried not to cry.