Page 8 of Manhattan Tormentor

They’re full of scorn as his lip curls when his glare glides to Chelsea’s arm through mine.

I’m rarely surprised, but every time we look at each other it hits me. An alertness in my stomach and lower down. The shortness of air for a second before I regulate my breathing again.

Every single time. I hate knowing he’s the one who plugs me into the electrical current.

This fucking Neanderthal who hates me.

Every time someone speaks his name around me, as if talking about a man-god on earth, I remember how our bodies felt for those few seconds of collision.

The sight of him is like the first time all over again and gives my heart a good old kick.

He can lie all he wants and hide behind his fake life.

He can torment me until forever, and I’d still know his truth.

He experienced something that day too.

He’s the one I’d change my mind for.

And it makes me dumb as shit.

I break our gazes and carry on.

Finn Maverick is nothing but a glorified bully.

He’s nothing to me.

Except, the man my attraction awakens for.

C H A P T E R 2

Sage

When a hand lands on my shoulder, I imagine it’s Finn and my stomach bottoms out.

He’s left me alone for a few days, a rarity. There’s a routine to his annoyance when he seeks me out for his trivial prank shit.

It started as petty shit, something kids in middle school would do. Mostly verbal attacks. Just my presence angered him. Then he hid my things, messed with my locker. One day my car keys disappeared out of my bag. On the verge of a meltdown, about to call my dad about my stolen car, king jackass swaggered by with a smirk and asked if I’d lost something. Realization slammed into me.

Hours later, I found my car three blocks away outside of a sex clinic.

He wanted me to know how easy he was able to screw up my entire day.

It’s not Finn though as I turn around.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Lachlan half grins, straddling the cafeteria bench. He steals half of my sandwich. “What’s up, bro?”

“Nothing much. Didn’t think you’d be in today; isn’t it skip week for seniors?”

It’s the reason I suppose why Finn hasn’t messed with me.

“There’s something more appealing here for me,” he says with a cocky grin, and I laugh. “Oh, yeah? Who is she?” It’s always a girl with Lachlan. They hang around the gates at home like brainwashed pigeons.

“Ah, you’ll know soon enough, Sage. I gotta head off in a minute.” He says once he’s finished my cookie with two big bites. “We’re gonna hang in a few days? Thought we could go do laser tag.”

I love my brother, but we don’t hang out much. Unless it’s a family thing. I know he’s attempting to do brother bonding with me because he’s leaving for Boston this summer. “Sure, if you don’t mind getting creamed.” I gloat and he laughs, climbing to his feet.

“Gotta go see my girl, catch you at home, Sage.”

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