Page 13 of Ruthless Blade

“Yeah,” I responded, but quickly put what I needed in my backpack because he was standing a little too close for comfort.

“You’re really pretty,” he said, reaching out to stroke my cheek, and I froze. Why is this guy touching me?

I shut my locker, taking a step back, but he followed me.

"I’ve got to go..." I'd started, but he'd cut me off, his other hand coming up to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. Warning bells went off, as I took another step back.

"Come on," he'd said. "Don't be like that."

Who in the world was this guy? And why was he acting like I was going to fawn all over him?

Suddenly, Kayden was there, stepping between us.

"Looks like you need to take a class on body language," he said through clenched teeth.

Derek rolled his green eyes. "We're just talking, man."

"No, you're not," Kayden stepped closer to him, "You're leaving. Now."

There'd been a moment where I thought Derek might push back, but he held up his hands and stepped back. "Whatever, man. She's not even that hot."

Kayden waited until he was gone, and turned towards me.

"You okay?" he'd asked.

I nodded, not knowing what to say. He left after, another word not leaving his mouth.

I erased the memory from my mind and stepped through the sliding doors and into the library. The campus Starbucks was off to the left, and the front desk was in front of me, with a wide opening up top, showing the many floors and parts to the library.

I always went to the third floor to study because it was the quietest floor to be on. Away from study groups, and away from prying eyes. I could study for my upcoming math test in peace. While I loved Hazel to death, she currently had someone over, and I was not going to be trying to study while listening uncomfortably to their moans.

After getting settled, I lost myself in equations and problems I couldn’t quite understand. Whoever invented Calculus needed to be evaluated. Looking at the clock, it was close to four and time for me to head to the rink to meet Hazel.

As much as I wanted to ignore her comments the other day about my “stalking”, I needed to be there. Being at the rink was the only place I could breathe. Be myself.

I closed the computer and placed my things in the backpack, but as I did so, there was an eerie feeling that festered in my belly. It’s as if someone were watching me.

I looked around, but most students had already left for the day, except for a few who were still stuck in their books. I lifted the backpack onto my shoulders and headed towards the elevators when someone grabbed me from behind and stuffed me into a study room. Too shocked to scream, I trembled in silence.

A strong, masculine hand covered my mouth, and when the person in question turned me to face him, my eyes widened.

“Don’t freak out.”

Kayden stepped away from me, the lights in the room remained off, but kept his body in front of the door so there was no escape. The sun came in from the window, the rays shining on his face. My hand lifted, slapping him.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing Kayden? Have you lost your mind?” I sneered. Sometimes I wondered if he was in the right state of mind. Maybe the upcoming draft was weighing on him or something. Clearly, he wasn’t thinking like a rational person.

“We need to come up with a plan and fast.” His voice sounded off, and his eyes looked like he hadn’t slept in over twenty-four hours.

I took a couple of steps back. “Why?”

He ran a hand through his messy blonde hair as if he’d been doing it all day. “My dad called.”

I leaned against the table and crossed my arms over my chest. “And?”

If he thought we were going to magically break them up in a few days, he had another thing coming. There was no way in hell that could happen. Unless one of them was cheating or something. I took a deep breath; I wanted to get to the rink and fast. I needed to let loose, to be in the place that I was most at peace.

Unfortunately, that place was also Kayden’s stomping ground.