Do You Dare (Truth And Dare Duet 1)

I felt the blood rush between my ears. and I attempted to hold back my growl.

“Say it again,” he calmly demanded, which pissed me off even more. “Slowly this time.”

I took a deep breath before letting it out. I was trying so hard not to punch this dude. "Listen, Coulter. You need to back off, or I'm going to do something really bad.”

“Like what?” He was testing me, pushing and pushing – waiting for what I’d do, or what I was capable of.

"I don't know. Maybe punch your dick so hard it'll retreat back into your asshole. Have you ever heard of personal space?”

My body was tight as a bowstring. He was too close to me, so close I caught the scent of his cologne and aftershave. He smelled clean and…

I didn’t like the way my body suddenly decided to appreciate the way he looked or what he smelled like. “Take a step back. Now,” I growled.

Maddox took a step forward, crowding into me and forcing me against the wall. His blue eyes darkened and all signs of mischief were suddenly gone. "I don't listen well to demands. I think you know that already. I always do the opposite. Did you, by any chance, want me closer?"

I brought my hands up and pushed against his chest, but he wouldn’t budge.

“You’re so full of yourself.”

“You could be full of me. Time, date and address. You choose, Sweet Cheeks,” he rasped in my ear, his lips whispering over my skin.

What… the… fuck?

A voice interrupted us before I could explode. “Next."

The lady at the end of the food line called again. “Next!”

Maddox pulled away, and I could finally breathe again. I hadn’t even realized I was holding my breath or that my heartbeats had been strangely irregular.

I shouldn’t be feeling this way. I wasn’t weak.

No, in a tank full of sharks – I would not be preyed on.

Straightening my spine, I pushed past him without a second glance.

Fuck you, Coulter.

And game on.

CHAPTER FIVE

Lila

“Do you want to go to the haunted house this year?”

I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been to a haunted house. I hated them as a kid, but my dad would always hold my hand through them. With him, I was safe, and nothing about the haunted houses scared me.

Every Halloween, Berkshire Academy builds its own haunted house on the school grounds. It was a tradition that started a whole decade ago, and to this day, we still honored it.

I took a bite of my pizza, chewing while I contemplated Riley’s question. “I guess we could check it out.”

She clapped her hands, her face lighting up with excitement. “I heard it’s scarier than last year. They’re going all out this time. It’d be fun! How about some girl time? We go to the haunted house then a sleepover at my place? Movie and pizza?”

Riley continued to chatter with enthusiasm while I tried to ignore all the eyes on me. It was difficult when they made it so obvious. The cafeteria had become a nightmare now. I could have tucked my tail between my legs and made a run for it; I could have hidden – but I was never one to accept defeat.

Since Maddox had made me his prey, I’d been the center of attention. A year ago, when I enrolled at Berkshire, I got used to all the judgmental eyes.

Lila Garcia, the ‘poor’ girl. I didn’t have Louis Vuitton shoes or Chanel bags or the latest iPhone. I didn’t prance around with a kilo of makeup on my face nor was I a cheerleader who constantly rubbed herself against the jocks. I wasn’t a follower.

I’d always been the outsider, but after a few months of critical eyes on me and their constant judgment, they had forgotten about me. I blended into the crowd and soon became invisible. It made life easier.

Until Maddox.

Now, the girls looked at me with contempt, like I was the dirt under their feet. They gawked at me with envy because I had Maddox’s attention while the boys stared at me with obvious interest.

None have made a move though.

Riley said I was Maddox’s trophy. Nobody would dare to approach me. The moment he laid eyes on me, I became untouchable to the rest of Berkshire Academy.

Ha, lucky me.

Riley snapped her fingers at my face, causing me to flinch. She smiled sweetly. “Ignore them, Lila.”

I hummed in response before taking another bite of my cold pizza.

“So, haunted house and then sleepover?” Riley asked again.

“Okay, I like that idea. I’m not a big fan of haunted houses though.”

“I’ll hold your hand. It’ll be romantic! Me and you, walking through the dark. I’ll protect you from the bad guys.” She cooed, like a romance hero – way too dramatic.

“Funny. Very funny. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were into pussies.”