Page 19 of Redeemed

Him thinking of the diner too is like a small sign from the universe that I have no reason to worry. The two of us are so close that nothing can tear us apart. Xander is right. We just have to prioritize each other.

As we pass by one of the dorm halls, a girl bursts through the front doors. She’s quickly followed by some guy who’s watching her closely. He’s wearing jeans and a sweatshirt, and I catch a glimpse of light skin and dark hair before he pulls his hood up.

There’s a part of me that wonders—hopes—that it was coincidental timing for him to leave so quickly after her. I’m proven wrong within a second. The girl takes a side path that cuts through a garden before leading into an area littered with trees and picnic tables. She slows to a stop in the garden, reaching out to touch the leaves of a bush.

It’s too dark to make out most of her features, but I can see that she’s a tiny thing. Short, maybe with a little bit of a stomach, and with long brown hair that flows down her back. She’s so distracted that she hasn’t even noticed the guy who’s following her.

“Are you seeing what I’m seeing?” I ask quietly.

“Sure am.”

We watch for a few more seconds just to be sure. The guy is creeping through the shadows, dodging the lamp posts that light up the pathway. With every step he takes, he closes the distance between himself and the girl.

“Oh, hell no,” I grit out.

Xander cracks his knuckles. “The creek?”

“My thoughts exactly.”

Since the guy is so focused on the brown-haired girl, we’re able to sneak up on him easily. With a hand over his mouth, we drag him out of the garden and through the picnic area. The guy’s shouts are muffled enough that the girl is still oblivious to him.

It’s mostly dark over here, and there’s a gentle slope down to the creek that runs through campus. We shove him to his knees in the water, not caring that we’re both soaking our shoes. He’s struggling, but Xander and I overpower him easily and force his head underwater.

I count to ten before glancing at Xander. “You got him?”

“Yeah.”

“Ready when you are, then.”

Xander yanks the guy up by his hair, and I kick him in the stomach. He doubles over with a loud grunt, which only makes it easier for me to knee him in the face. The moment I step back, Xander shoves his head underwater again, and I help hold him down.

“God, I’ve never wanted to kill someone so bad,” Xander groans.

I snort. “Self-control, Xan. I know you have it.”

“Fuck you,” he grumbles.

“You wish,” I taunt.

Heat flares in his eyes, and he leans over the guy’s body until his lips are a mere inch from mine. “I’d be careful, Ace. Keep up that attitude, and you’ll end up with a red ass and a hard, aching cock that I won’t let you touch for a week.”

I’d call him on his bluff, but it’s nothing he hasn’t done before. Not being able to come for a week was pure agony, but I also couldn’t get enough of it. It made me feel owned in a way I’ve always craved, and when Xander finally fucked me, I came so hard, I swear I almost passed out.

Xander’s lips brush against mine in a teasing kiss before he whispers, “Up.”

Shit.I forgot about the dude we’re very specifically tryingnotto kill. We pull the guy up, and I get in his face. “What the hell do you think you’re doing, following girls around like that?”

The guy coughs and splutters. “I wasn’t doing anything wrong.”

“You mean you weren’t doing anything wrongyet,”Xander growls. “What were you planning on doing, huh? Stalking her? Scaring her? Raping her?”

With a grunt, the guy lunges to the side with all his might, but we wrangle him back into the water. This time,I’mthe one ready to kill him. Xander and I both hold him under for longer than necessary, and when we yank him up, I punch him.

“Maybe you could get away with that shit where you’re from, but it won’t fly around here,” Xander seethes. “Got it, asshole?”

“I’ll do whatever the fuck I want.”

I don’t even realize I’ve pulled my knife from my pocket until I’m pressing the sharp blade to his neck. “You so sure about that? Because if that’s the case, I’ll slit your throat here and now. No sense in letting scum like you live to see another day.”

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