Page 75 of Wicked Wolves and Tangled Truths
His lips peel back, exposing his teeth, but he doesn’t answer. Meanwhile Isa’s all but hyperventilating beside us as she watches the exchange.
Slowly, so fucking slow, I turn my head to glare at her. “The same goes for you. Don’t speak to me. We’re not friends. We’re not anything. I don’t fraternize with whores.” She jerks back as if I’ve slapped her and the next thing I know a fist smashes into my face and I stumble back a few steps. Des and Jordy rush up beside me and I shake my head, blinking hard to clear my vision as it meets the angry red glare of the guy she came with.
His nostrils flare and his hands clench into tight fists at his sides as though he’s barely keeping himself from shifting and lunging for my throat. I’d like to see the fucker try.
I spit and my blood smacks the pavement. “You’re gonna regret that.”
“Don’t call her that again. Are we clear?” His tone is hard, his eyes murderous.
I can’t help it. I laugh. “Whatever you say,cabrón.Just know she was underneath me two weeks ago. Don’t feel special.”
“You worthlesssonovabitch.Do you have any idea what she’s—”
“Josué, don’t!” she cries out and we both turn to see her tear-filled gaze. “Please. Don’t.”
Guilt tears into me at the sight of those tears before I push it away. No way am I going to feel sorry for her. She’s gotJosuénow. That’s this fucker’s name. So not the ex.
His eyes soften as they drink her in before moving toward her. He cups the back of her neck and draws her face toward his chest. She goes willingly, wrapping her arms round his waist and fuck, it’s like a punch to the gut. Seeing that, seeing her in his arms hurts more than that fucker’s punch to my face ever could.
I don’t say anything. I have no fucking words. I turn around and head back to the entrance, refusing to look back.
“Watch your back,” Des warns him before moving in step beside me.
“What the hell was that?” Jordy mutters when we’re out of hearing distance from the happy couple.
I don’t answer him.
When Sabrina Hampton walks past me, rather than ignoring her like I usually would, I call her over. Her eyes are hesitant, but they brighten when I give her a smile. She slows her steps, waiting for me.
“Hey, Rafe,” she purrs.
I see the confusion in my boys’ gazes but I ignore them. “Ready to be out of the dog house?” I ask her.
She pouts. “That was really mean of you.”
“Yeah. Well, maybe later I’ll make it up to you. What do you say?”
Lust darkens her eyes and she nods her head in agreement. “Mmmmm. I’d love to.” She settles in beside me. “Are you and the little do-gooder over?”
I shake my head, then look down at her and give her a wolfish grin. “Nothing to be over,” I tell her. “Shit never even started.”
30
Isa
If Josué wasn’t with me, I wouldn’t have survived today. He follows me to all my classes. A few girls give him interested looks but he ignores them, his full attention on me.
Rafael is a no-show first period. A part of me wonders if he’s off screwing Sabrina in the locker rooms or something. I know he’s mad but … I sigh. I want to talk to him, to explain why I didn’t call or text. I know if he knew my reasons, if he knew everything that happened, he’d understand. At least, I hope he would. But I can’t convince myself to expose myself like that to him. His words cut deep. He wanted to hurt me and he did. What if he doesn’t understand? I’m not sure I can handle another rejection right now.
Josué tries to comfort me throughout the day. Every time I catch sight of Rafael, Desmond, or Jordy, he distracts me with a question or a dumb joke. Sometimes it works. But most of the time, it doesn’t.
“Hey,” he tilts my chin up, forcing me to meet his gaze. “You don’t need them. Seven more months and you’re coming home with me.”
I nod. It feels like forever and a day away, but in reality, it’s not that far. Falling out like this with the wolves hurts, but maybe it was for the best.
We eat lunch in the library without incident. Well, Josué does at least. I manage two bites of pizza before throwing my tray away, unable to stomach the food any better than I have been at Brian’s.
Spanish goes by without a hitch. When I get to The Natural History of the Unnatural World, Josué draws a little more attention than he had in my previous classes, but this time, since it’s a class full of guys, Josué doesn’t ignore them.
