Page 27 of The Boy I Loved
“Hi,” he replied curtly, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket.
“Lauren wants to know why you haven’t returned any of her calls.” She motioned to the group of girls standing on the opposite end of the hall near the lockers. “You two seemed to be getting on well at the party. I figured it would last longer than a one-night stand.”
Dominic tensed at the same time bile rose to the back of my throat. I had to remind myself that he was only my friend—nothing more. Unfortunately, it didn’t hurt any less.
“If I didn’t contact her, there’s a reason for that,” he snapped, his voice much colder than I think I’d ever heard it.
Licking my lips, I took a step back. “I’m going to head to class.” I didn’t want to be in the middle of… whatever this was. I didn’t want to hear about how he fucked Lauren DeMello, or how hot and heavy they’d been in public.
I turned on my heels, ready to book it out of there.
Dominic cursed under his breath and as I started to step away,Stacy put her foot out. My eyes widened, panic searing through me, but there was no way to stop it as my foot connected with hers. The air whooshed around me, the ground barreling forward during my descent.
Stacy’s loud cackle resounded through the hallway, and soon, others were joining in.
Heat spread through my cheeks, slithering toward my eyes, and I had to bite back the urge to cry. The floor was cold and hard beneath me, my knee having ricocheted off the tile.
Dominic knelt beside me, grabbing my biceps, and tugged me to my feet like I weighed nothing. His eyes had darkened, and his jaw ticked with restrained fury. He whirled on Stacy, cutting her off mid-laughter as he shoved her against the lockers, forcing them to rattle. Her brown eyes widened in surprise—the humor long gone.
“You ever fuck with her like that again, and I’ll make sure it’s the last time you fuck with anyone.” His voice was hard and cold, combined with a dark edge that sent shivers down my spine. “You can relay the message to your brainless minions.” He jerked his chin toward the girls at the end of the hall for emphasis. “Hazel is off-fucking-limits.” He shoved her again before turning to face me.
Before I could get a word out, or even process what had just happened, he was wrapping his hand around my upper arm and tugging me down the hall.
The memory faded out of existence and my breathing came out ragged. He’d always protected me when he saw someone picking on me, but it had never been to that extent. I should have known right then that something was wrong with him. I should have tried being there for him more, just as he’d always done for me. Maybe things would be different.Maybehe never would have had to leave, and maybe, none of this would be happening.
DidIfail him?
CHAPTER EIGHT
DOMINIC
“Trouble in paradise?”Mason asked as we walked through the school parking lot.
Classes had ended for the day, and I just wanted to get home and rest—something that probably wouldn’t happen if Clay or Kurt had anything to say about it.
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
He shrugged, reaching into his pocket to fish for his pack of Marlboros. “You and Hazel. You two used to be inseparable.”
My fingers curled into the palms of my hands. I scoffed in response, keeping my gaze on the assortment of cars littering the lot. “We weren’t as close as you think. Her father asked me to look out for her when we were younger.”
Lies.
I’d done that of my own free will.
Mason arched a dark, blonde eyebrow. “Really?” he deadpanned as we reached our vehicles near the back of the parking lot. “You seemed to take your role seriously back then.”
My steps faltered, panic punching through my chest. I whippedmy head in his direction. “Are you accusing me of something?” I demanded in a low growl.
“Accusing you?” He snorted like the entire conversation was beneath him—like he had no interest in Hazel, whatsoever, when that was clearly a lie. He wouldn’t keep asking me about her if he wanted nothing to do with her. “I’m simply just trying to understand what happened between you two.”
I leaned my hip against the trunk of Nicholas’s car, rolling my lip between my teeth in a thoughtful gesture. My entire body was vibrating with nervous energy, and anything I said could easily be misconstrued.
“Have you ever seen a butterfly hang out with a wasp?” I asked slowly.
Mason’s eyebrows dipped in confusion. “No…” he trailed off, not sure where I was going with this.
“Why do you think that is?”
