Page 80 of Redeeming the Villain

I’m the last one in the room to leave. We head outside into the sunny day to make our way to Moor Hall for piano practice.

The second I step off of the stairs, I feel his presence in front of me before I even look up. Like a part of ourselves exists in one another, an extension of our own bodies.

I’m scared of how much I’m drawn to him. It’s like the moment I stopped fighting it, it somehow got ten times more intense.

“Where are you heading next?” Malik asks, and his friends look our way, shocked that we are politely speaking to one another instead of bickering.

Blair looks at me with a sassy smirk and a knowing gleam.

“Alora!”

I hear Phillip’s voice and watch Malik’s jaw tic.

Spinning around, I see Phillip walking toward me with two cups of coffee in his hands.

As Phillip closes in on me, Malik wraps his arms around my shoulders, tugging me snug against him.

God, he’s ridiculous.

Phillip chuckles at Malik’s poor attempt at marking his territory. I’m surprised he hasn’t tried peeing on me yet to warn other men off.

“For you.” Phillip smiles, stretching his hand out toward me.

As I start to take the cup from Phillip, Malik tugs at my arm, and I lose my grip. The cup slips through my fingers and falls to the ground, splashing and spilling everywhere.

I gasp and jump back as the coffee goes flying, barely able to move at all since there’s a human wall behind me.

Spinning in his arms, I glare up at him. “Malik.”

He holds his stare on Phillip for a moment longer before dropping it to me, his eyes softening immediately. “Yes, baby?”

“You’re a brat. You know that?” I cross my arms over my chest.

I can’t tell if I’m more pissed off at him for spilling a good cup of coffee, disappointed that he can’t behave for two seconds, or turned on that the thought of a man giving me coffee threatens him.

If he wants to fetch my coffee for me, he can, all day long. But now, I’m coffeeless and sad.

Asher and Dean laugh at him. I’m sure they’ll give him shit later, too, for suddenly being Mr. Protective instead of Mr. Bully.

Glancing up at Phillip, I find humor dancing in his eyes and a smirk on his lips. I mouth the words,I’m sorry.

He chuckles. “It’s okay. Malik, I have no interest in Alora romantically. So, next time, try not to ruin her coffee just to make a point.”

Malik stays quiet behind me.

The giant clock tower at the center of the quad chimes, and I look to see that I’m now alsolate.

Pulling away from him, I roll my eyes. “Benice. I’m late for practice. I’ll see you later.”

When I turn away from him, he strikes, catching my jaw in his hand and pulling me back to him.

His lips are on mine in a heartbeat, his other hand threading into my hair as he kisses me like it’s the last chance he’ll ever get.

Everything around us fades away as I greedily take from him. If he wants to claim me in front of everyone, then he can do it.

I’m breathless and dazed when his lips part from mine. His eyes are darker than normal, his eyelids heavy, and his breathing is shallow.

“I’ll find you later,” he murmurs.

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