4. Kinsley
KINSLEY
Eden slips in behind me. “Oh, shit. It’s Edge.”
Edge? What kind of name is that?
Front and center, Edge must be the guy everyone either fears or fawns over.
His rolled sleeves expose tanned, defined forearms. The first button of his white dress shirt is unfastened, offering only a hint of what’s underneath.
Otherwise known as a trap, guiding you in only to devour you in one swift go.
None of that is what sets my core aflame.
For some unknown and morbid reason, it’s the black Monarch necktie wrapped around his fist. My imagination morphs into dirty thoughts before the vehement look on his face comes into focus, as though he’s picturing how to use that same tie as a noose to strangle me.
The rest of his friends have the same expression.
Intimidation bleeds from every one of them as they glide through the now-divided hall.
Everyone stares at the scene before them like they’re the four horsemen riding into town to burn it to the ground.
Several people take out their phones. What do they think is going to happen—a sacrifice right here in the hall for stealing a parking spot?
I don’t have the chance to ask Eden about her weird, nervous reaction before Jeep guy fills my personal space.
The combination of cinnamon and weed lingers in the small space between us.
From years of training to fight with guys like him, backing down or away isn’t an option, even when the toe of his boot bumps the tip of mine.
I’ve been confronted by more than my share of guys who think they’re tougher than me on the mat and off, and this guy is no different.
The only difference here is that the mat is a place of safety.
Not to say I haven’t had my share of broken bones, but an official oversees those encounters.
Here, I get the feeling the referee and these guys are one and the same.
I don’t say anything. Instead, I meet his steely gray eyes. He’s quiet for longer than necessary since he’s the one calling me out for some stupid reason.
When the silence remains for far too long, I finally ask, “What? Did you forget why you decided to invade my personal bubble?” My voice comes out low and sounds more uncertain than I’d like.
I also don’t like the fact that I have to look up at him. I feel small in my five-seven frame compared to his defined muscular build and standing at six-two or taller.
He narrows his eyes. After a long moment of him staring at me, a grin slowly thins his full lips, a sign of control, his way of letting me know who’s in charge. He’s obviously the one who calls the shots around here, so I assume he’s not used to being questioned.
He runs his fingers through his hair, pushing it back from his forehead.
I wonder if he’s the one who killed my father.
His build is the same as Python’s, but then again, all four of the guys standing in front of me have almost the same muscular body—bodies that no doubt get their fair share of whatever they desire.
When he still says nothing, I turn to leave.
He reaches out and grips my upper arm before I turn entirely away.
I don’t demand or even ask him to release me.
This is his way of pissing on what’s his, this school and his measly parking spot.
By the way the entire campus seems to bow down to these fuckers, I need the spotlight off me if I’m to get what I came here for, so I give him this single moment of power over me.
I’ll let him believe he’s the one taking it, and I’m not handing it over on a silver platter.
The strands of hair fall again along his face as he tilts his head to the side.
There’s a slight tick to his smooth, square jawline.
Fuck if he’s not a gorgeous specimen. Why are the assholes always hot?
He could make almost any girl drop to her knees.
The perfect hair, his tall, muscular body, penetrating smoke-gray eyes framed with thick lashes, lips I can only imagine being well-versed in the art of kissing and other things, and above all, a don’t-fuck-with-me attitude.
He has all of the ingredients of what a bad boy symbolizes—the exact kind of guy parents never want to see their little girl bring home.
I want to believe I’m immune to his hypnotic allure, but the stirring low in my core proves otherwise.
Focusing on his brazen glare, I wrangle in my racing hormones.
I refuse to squirm or let my guard down—any more than I already have when dealing with this asshole.
I glance down at his fingers wrapped around my arm, then back to his face.
I tried to stroke his ego, even though he clearly doesn’t need it.
But this fucked-up stand-off is taking way too long for my level of patience.
“Do you plan to hold me here like a caveman all fucking day, or did you forget it’s your turn to speak? Or both?”
The fire in his eyes blazes brighter. I’m getting to him in a very bad way.
This probably isn’t the most intelligent way to handle this interaction, but I’ll be damned if he thinks he can manhandle me like one of his playthings.
If Luca were here, this would be one of those situations where he would kick my boot and let me know I’m taking things too far.
I start to pull my arm free. He, in turn, only grips it tighter.
For some fucked-up reason, I smile, knowing he’s enjoying this interaction.
Acknowledging the challenge in my defiance, he furrows his brow, studying me to see if I have the balls to challenge him.
I would have missed the tiniest twitch of his full mouth if I weren’t standing so close to him.
The show of his dominance is only a small part of what’s happening between us.
“Since it’s your first day”—he pauses to peer around to my backside—“and you have a nice ass, I’ll let your attitude, and taking my parking spot, slide—but just for today.”
Clutching my free hand to my chest, I say, “Well, aren’t you a gracious guy?”
He draws me in even closer. Our bodies are so close that heat radiates through his clothes. He would have to have nerve damage not to feel my heart racing in overdrive.
“Don’t ever believe that I am anything but your new nightmare,” he warns as his eyes drop to my mouth.
I bite the corner of my bottom lip, slowly dragging the soft flesh through my teeth. His gaze feasts on the slight movement, and his eyes again find mine. “Good thing I’m not afraid of the dark,” I whisper.
His menacing grin spreads. “I don’t need the dark to do nasty deeds.” His low, deep voice draws out his threat as if he’s asking me to have wild, uninhibited sex for days on end.
Yes, please. Sign me up!
Wait. NO!
I pray he doesn’t notice how I tighten my thighs or realize how he’s penetrating my exterior like a laser cutting through iron. My prayer goes unanswered as his mouth curves up.
“Is this all it takes?” His fingers press tighter against my arm. His eyes are like silver flames as they return to mine. He leans into me until his mouth brushes the tip of my ear. His breaths are like feathers brushing lightly against my skin. “Imagine if my hands were gripping something else.”
Shivers of heat spread like whispers down my spine. With his broad, imposing body demanding all the space between us, it’s like we’re the only two people in an empty hall.
Denying my body any delight in the thoughts those cocksure words conjure, I quickly regain my composure after feeling like his savage spell has just sideswiped me.
I back away from him, forging space between us.
With our glares still locked, I say, “I suggest you get here a little earlier if you like that parking spot so much.” I jerk my arm free of his grasp.
His shadows peer over his shoulder. By the look on their faces, they’re clearly entertained and fascinated by the defiant new girl.
Buzz-cut from the front seat rolls his tongue, tapping his metal bar against his teeth.
He’s definitely the serious one in the group.
He’s also the scariest, despite his overpowering, douchebag leader standing only inches from my face.
Lucky me has managed to make it onto the arrogant asshole’s shit list before I even have a chance to whisper “Venom.” Perfect.
Phase one… complete.
Not done with me yet, Edge leans into me. “Don’t let there be a next time.”
He doesn’t attempt to move, nor do his piercing eyes stray from mine. As hard as he tries to hide behind his irritation, treating me as if I just splattered onto his windshield, his darkening eyes betray him. He can’t help but be as curious as everyone else watching our exchange.
I press my hand firmly against his chest in an effort to push him back. His skin is heated, as if he spent the morning in the fires of hell before coming to school. He doesn’t budge, but I don’t let it dissuade me from making a stand.
“Don’t ever touch me again.”
“Is that a threat?” he challenges.
I shake my head. “No. But this is. If you do, I promise you’ll regret it.”
The smile sliding over his mouth is undoubtedly one on loan from the devil himself. “Looks like you’re going to be harder to tame than the others, but don’t worry, I have my ways.”
“Give it your best try.” I move around him without taking looking away from him. “I dare you.”
“Be careful, little Ninja.” His smirk only grows until Eden clears her throat. He tilts his head and moves his stare over to her like a snake slithering through the grass. Disappointed in his subject, he purses his lips. “You should know better, Blue. You better work on keeping this one leashed.”
I feel like I’ve just been slapped. Eden visibly swallows. Her mouth is open to respond—to agree or bow down—when I lay my hand on her arm, stopping her.
The asshole might be hot as hell, but his deplorable personality could use a major overhaul.