Convict Me (Broken Heroes 1)

I shove away from the table and stand to grab my still-empty notepad before rushing out of the room and slamming the door shut behind me. I make it exactly three steps down the hall when the thought of her being alone in that room with another guy brings me to a halt.

It’s unsettling how much this little waif of a woman affects me.

Gritting my teeth, I do what every sane man would and walk right back to the door I just came from, positioning myself in front of it. I sigh, leaning my shoulder against the door. I’m close enough to hear them talking inside, and that comforts me.

Time seems to stand still. I know what I’m doing is wrong. I don’t know this girl. I don’t know a damn thing about her, but I want to—and that’s enough to keep me planted right where I am.

Waiting. Listening. Watching.

Chapter Two

Elyse

I barely make it through the next tutoring session. My mind is still reeling, my lips tingle, and my heart is doing somersaults in my chest. I’m all out of sorts—because of him. Hero. That can’t really be his name, right? Questions swirled inside my head. Who is he? Why did he ask me to kiss him?

What just occurred between us was strange…like a chemical reaction—one I want to happen again and again. I try hard to focus on Lenny and the questions he’s asking me, but I can’t, and it’s frustrating. I need this job and the money it offers to keep going to school.

“Are you listening to anything I’m saying, Elyse?” Lenny sounds annoyed. When I look up from the textbook, his expression confirms it.

“Uh, yes—I’m sorry.” My cheeks heat.

“Hey…” Lenny gives me a reassuring smile, “it’s okay. We can pick up where we left off later. I’ve got some stuff I need to do today, okay?”

I don’t want to end our session, not when we still have thirty minutes left, but I’m on edge. I can’t hear, can’t breathe—everything feels all out of sorts. “Okay.” I sigh. “I’m sorry, though. Truly. I don’t know what is going on with me today,” I lie. It has everything to do with that Hero guy. He’s tall, dark, and handsome, with an edge of danger—everything my parents would hate.

Lenny packs up his stuff, and I follow suit. I can still taste the kiss of Hero’s lips on mine. Can still feel the warmth of his muscled body. I’ve never been kissed before, but even with my non-existing experience, I know what we shared is more.

Lenny turns the door handle, pulling it open, and a body crashes into the room. I stumble back to avoid being smashed.

When I realize it’s Hero, I lick my lips and gaze up at him.

He’s so brooding. Dark, coal black hair as unruly as his attitude. His eyes are a soft green, that give away nothing. He’s lean but built. I wonder just what it’d feel like if I took my fingers and ran them under his shirt.

Shaking his head, Lenny pushes past Hero and I with a grumbling, “Thank you.”

I want to shout for Lenny, tell him not to leave me alone with Hero again, but the words never come out. My thoughts shift as I feel Hero’s heated gaze on my skin.

What the hell is he still doing here? Was he waiting for me?

His gaze is so intense, it has me in a trance, and I can’t help but look up at him.

“Are you afraid of me?” His voice is low, sinister even.

My mouth goes dry, as if someone just shoved an entire bag of cotton balls in it, making it impossible for me to speak. Not that I could if I wanted to. What am I supposed to say? I’d never in my entire life had an encounter with a man, and now, I’m having a complete out-of-body experience with one.

Finally getting up the courage to speak, I drop my gaze to the floor. “Should I be?” I don’t want to look at him when he tells me yes, because even I can feel it—the danger, the anger. It rolls off him and slams into me like waves against the shoreline.

“I don’t know yet… What I do know is I’m intrigued by you.”

Intrigued? What does that mean? My roommate has talked numerous times about men wanting to sleep with her, but I’d never heard her say something about them being intrigued by her. I’m a nobody, so him being interested is surprising.

My head pounds. The entire situation is something I can’t quite grasp onto. Hero is intense—far too intense for me. I need to walk away from him, need to put some distance between us.

“I want to see you again, and I know the perfect insurance to be sure I will.”

My eyebrows furrow as he leans into my body, casting a dark shadow over me. His scent of cinnamon and wood tickles my nose. “Of course you’ll see me again. I-I’m your t-tutor,” I stutter, trying to keep the conversation casual. I’ve already spent way too much time in this man’s company. If my father were here, he’d be picking up the bible to pray for him.