Leaning into his face, so I can prove a point, I sneer, “She is no one. Now. Leave. It. Alone. I’m not you Parker. I won’t ever fall at my knees for her like you did Willow. What she did to me, there is no coming back from that.”
Something flickers in Parker’s eyes, his jaw tightens, and he takes a step back.
“Okay, if you don’t want to talk about it, then whatever…”
I damn near sigh in relief. Any more talk about Harper and my brain might explode. It’s bad enough that she’s everywhere I look. I don’t have to torment myself further by saying her name out loud.
“Let’s get some grub. I’m fucking starving.” I let the tension ease out of me.
“Okay, let me text Willow and tell her we’re going to lunch.” Parker pulls out his cell. I roll my eyes, but I understand. I’m happy for him. He found love and happiness after all the darkness. Too bad my story won’t end the same.
After what I heard about Harper earlier, I think it’s time I shake things up a bit. I think it’s time that I make it known that she’s mine to take from, mine to fuck, mine to hurt and break.
It takes a shit-ton of patience, but I somehow manage to keep myself busy waiting for Harper to be released from her last class. I can’t help but check her out as she slips from the auditorium and down the long hall toward the double doors that lead outside.
I could have asked Parker to figure out what dorms Harper lives in, but he has been bothering me enough about her. So, I’m doing the next best thing… following her like a creep. Making sure I stay far enough behind her not to seem suspicious, I walk with her, never taking my eyes off of her.
Surprisingly, she passes all the dorms and starts to walk off the campus. As soon as I realize she is walking in the direction of the neighborhood, I caught her in the other night, my irritation grows. She said she was staying with a girlfriend, but I had my doubts right away. Does she have a boyfriend here? If she does, I’ll kill him, then I’ll fuck her right in front of his body just to drive the point home.
With every step I take, the anger in my gut festers. I can’t stop thinking about her having a boyfriend or even a fuck buddy. My lip curls all on its own, my body vibrating with energy.
We walk for about fifteen minutes before we make it to the same building I saw her run into the other night. She unlocks the front door and slips inside. Bolting forward, I grip onto the edge of the door before it can close all the way. Startled by my presence, she twists around with her fist raised up in the air, her gaze hard.
Pushing inside, I snicker, “Who are you gonna hurt with those?”
“Seriously, Warren? Didn’t I tell you to leave me alone?” Turning away from me, she starts walking up the stairs, her feet stomping on each step. Letting my gaze wander, I can see that the whole place is falling apart, and Jesus fucking Christ, it smells like a urinal in here. How does anyone live here? I feel dirty just stepping in this place.
“Good thing I don’t care what you want.” I follow her without another word. I need to see where she is going and who the fuck she is staying with. The impulse is too strong. I want to know everything, but especially why the fuck she is staying here when she has a scholarship and should be in the dorms.
“Go away, Warren. I’m not letting you inside.” Our eyes lock as she looks at me over her shoulder. Is this the part where I leave? Because if so, she’s sorely mistaken. Stopping at a door on the left side, she fumbles with the key. Obviously, she’s distracted.
Staring up at the ceiling, I direct my attention back to her when she finally gets it to go inside the lock and turns it. As soon as she pushes the door open, I spring forward, wrapping an arm around her waist, and carrying her into the room.
“You didn’t really think that would get rid of me?” I ask with a grin. Yes, I know I’m an asshole, but I have my reasons just as any asshole does. She skirts away from me, and I shut the door, closing us inside together. Alone at last.
“I was hoping it would.” She huffs, switching on the light.
Taking in the tiny apartment, if you can even call it that, it’s more like a small room, barely enough space to hold a twin-size bed, a kitchenette, a table and chair. Harper throws her bag down next to the bed and peels her jacket off. And then it hits me like a kick to the ball sack. She lives here. This is her fucking apartment. There is no friend, no boyfriend either, or fuckboy, at least not in sight.