Chapter 5
APOLLO
The bell jingled on the door, and I glanced over to see Daphne Laurel stroll into the Coffee House with her chocolate brown hair bouncing on her shoulders. She had cut it a couple inches shorter since I had seen her at school earlier today and had bangs now too.
I leaned back in my chair, half-listening to the cheerleaders at the table. They were talking about some party happening this weekend, dropping hints about how much fun we could have if I went with them. But I had a medical conference I wanted to attend.
“Earth to Apollo,” one of them said, waving her hand in front of my face.
I tore my gaze away from Daphne and turned to the girl sitting beside me. It had been four weeks, and I still couldn’t remember her name—Jessica? Jenna? Something like that. After giving her half a hum, I peered back at Daphne.
“We’re talking about the party Friday night. You’re coming, right?”
I shrugged. “Maybe.”
Four weeks.
It had been four fucking weeks, and Daphne still wasn’t letting me in. She’d walk into biology, sit beside me all lecture, and take peeks over at me when she thought I wasn’t looking. Then I’d find Little Miss Porn Addict in the library during lunch, listening to her audio smut.
Jetta followed my gaze. “What’s so interesting about her?”
“Who?” the other girls said, glancing over at Daphne.
“Does she go to Redwood?”
“Yeah, I think. She sits in the library every day for lunch and reads.”
Jella–that was her name, right?–scrunched her nose. “What a weirdo.”
“She’s kinda hot, though,” I murmured, my lips curling into a smirk. “A good challenge.”
“That nerd?” Jenna asked, snorting. “You’re kidding, right?”
After ordering, Daphne lingered by the Pick-Up area and scanned the cafe until her eyes landed on me. I held her gaze until she couldn’t handle it anymore and looked away. She tucked some hair behind her ear and shuffled her feet, then glanced my way again.
My lips curled into a smirk, as I stared at her through my brows. “Nope.”
When I slid out of my chair and began in her direction, Daphne looked away, her hair falling into her face. I was done playing around with her. She had been teasing me for the past twenty eight fucking days.
“I like the haircut,” I murmured when I reached her, grabbing some napkins from beside her.
Daphne cleared her throat. “It’s not for you.”
“Oh, really?”
“Really.”
“Guess you didn’t catch my comment about how I thought you’d look good with bangs either, last week, huh?” I hummed, peering over at her and trying my best to hide a smirk.
“Ears filled with too much porn to hear that?”
She snapped her head toward me, her hair bouncing. “No.”
“So you did hear it.”
Her cheeks turned a deep shade of red, and she looked away. “No.”
I leaned against the counter. “What is it, Little Miss Porn Addict?”
Instead of responding, she glared ahead at the barista as he made her coffee.
The bell jingled on the door once more, and I spotted Mark Sesta walk into the Coffee House.
Mark was always in the library when Daphne was there.
I had bumped into him that first day, watching her, and I didn’t like how he seemed to always be around.
After tightening my jaw, I turned back toward her to see her sauntering away with a coffee in her hand, heading straight for the creamer on a separate table. I followed her and leaned against the counter, watching her try to ignore me as she mixed her coffee.
“Do you have a problem?” she asked.
“So cold,” I said, feigning hurt. “What did I do to you today?”
“Hm? Maybe you keep interrupting my lunch period.”
Gods, she’s so hot when she’s angry like this.
“Interrupting? I’d call it adding excitement to your life.”
“My life is exciting enough.”
“I think if it was, you wouldn’t listen to your porn every day.”
She gritted her teeth. “It’s not porn.”
I leaned closer to her. “If you need to be fucked again, all you have to do is ask.”
But really it was me who desperately needed to be inside her again.
“It’s not porn,” she repeated through clenched teeth. “And I am never going to ask.” She poked a finger into my chest, her nostrils flaring. “Especially you.”
“You do need it though, huh? Thought so.”
“God, you’re so aggravating,” she growled. “I’m leaving. Don’t follow me.”
And with that, she twirled on her heel and marched all the way out of the Coffee House. When she slipped into her car, Mark walked out of the cafe, empty-handed, and headed to his. I furrowed my brows and followed along as she sped away.
“Hey, where you going?” Jelleta shouted.
“I’ll catch you later,” I said, hurrying out of the building and to my car.
What the fuck is Mark doing?
He peeled out of the parking lot after her, and I got into my car and followed.
Because whether Daphne liked it or not, she was mine. And Mark fucking Sesta wasn’t going to touch what was mine. Tonight, he’d learn not to put a hand on my girl. Tonight, he’d learn to keep his hands to himself. And tonight, I’d finally get my chance with herl.