Treacherous

“That’s going to help me how?”

“Just trust me on this, yeah?”

I give him a questioning look; not sure I have the ability to trust anyone at the current moment.

“I don’t know. I think maybe I’m going to stay home tomorrow. That will give people three days to get it out of their systems before Monday morning. Or maybe I’ll see if my mom will let me do home schooling for the rest of the year. Anything would be easier than having to go back there after what happened today.”

“Fuck that.” His nostrils flare. “You’re going to school tomorrow and you’re going there with me. I’m not taking no for an answer.”

“Zayden,” I start to object.

“I know I don’t deserve it, Rylee, but I’m asking you to trust me here. I can make this go away.”

“And how do you plan on doing that?”

“By giving them something else to talk about.” He grins and the action causes a nervous flutter to run through my stomach.

“I don’t know.” I mull over his proposal. I know that going on like nothing happened is my best course of action. But knowing what I should do and actually seeing it through are two very different things.

“You’re going to have to go to school at some point and get your car anyway,” he tacks on, as if this will somehow sway me to his side.

“Yeah, on Saturday when no one is there.”

“Listen, what happened today was beyond fucked up. I can’t imagine how hard the thought of going back there probably is. But if I can make it easier for you, then you have to let me. I feel fucking awful for how I’ve treated you. Consider this me making it up to you.”

“I can’t figure you out,” I tell him honestly, getting a little lost in the incredible depths of his blue eyes.

To say Zayden has been back and forth since we first met would be the understatement of the year. I’ve never been growled at so many times in my life. But I’ve also never felt safer than he made me feel today.

I had no reason to get into his truck earlier. No reason to believe that he wasn’t in on this right along with Oliver and Tiffany. And yet, without even saying it, I knew he wasn’t. Zayden Michaels might be the resident bad ass, but he also has a softer side. One that I’m willing to bet most people have never seen.

After spending two hours talking in his truck, I already feel like I know more about him than most people who have known him for years do. He talked to me about his parents, his sister, fighting, his friendship with Oliver. I saw a different side to him today, and I really, really liked what I saw.

I didn’t think it was possible to find him more attractive, and yet every time I think that, he has a way of proving me wrong.

I don’t know what’s going to happen next or what, if anything, will transpire between Zayden and me, but for the first time since moving here, I actually feel excited about something… even after everything that happened today.

“So, tomorrow morning? I’ll pick you up?” he asks again, clearly sensing the weakening of my resolve.

“Tomorrow morning.” I nod, reaching for the door handle before I change my mind.

“Rylee.” I turn back toward him, my heart skipping inside my chest at his sudden close proximity.

Before I can say anything, Zayden’s mouth is on mine. It’s not rough or forced the way he kissed me the first two times, but tender and sweet—which is a total contradiction to the persona he embodies.

“I’ll see you in the morning,” he murmurs against my lips before pulling back.

“Okay,” I croak, not able to think of a single other thing to say.

Pulling the handle, I shove the door open and step out into the frigid evening air.

“I’M SORRY, he did what?” Savannah practically screams in my ear after I’ve given her a brief run through

of the events that took place earlier today.

“You heard me,” I groan, flopping back onto my bed to stare up to the ceiling.

“Please tell me his ass got expelled and his dad is kicking him the hell out. What the actual fuck? Who the hell would do something like that?”