Page 26 of A Sky of Storms
“Oh, them?” She laughed, cocking her head to the side and punching me in the stomach again. “They’re just along for the ride. I wanted the Potentials to see that smirk wiped off your face and for you to be humiliated.” She looked me up and down, slipping a small knife from her pocket and taking the cuff from her friend. “I think we can do better though, right girls?”
My heart leapt into my throat, confusion boggling my senses. Another student with a weapon … but how? I didn’t have time to contemplate as Black Bob sniggered, grabbing my arm while Cake Face restrained my left. Any other time I would have fought them off, but my body was already aching from the week, and my vision blurred from the pain in my jaw. Before me, Victoria’s face wavered into two sneers. Then my top was being sliced, bra on full display, as my sister shredded my dignity before kicking me to the dirt.
I glared as Victoria checked her crony got it all on camera. The three girls’ laughter reverberated through the trees as they left. In the real world, Victoria wouldn’t dare do something like this. Father would whip her for allowing the world to see an Auger in such a state, and he would have beaten me for appearing weak. In the real world, I could have killed Victoria’s friends and gotten away with it. But I wasn’t like her. I didn’t thrive on hurting others.
My own sister, dropping to an all-time low. I always knew she was a Grade A bitch, but I hadn’t expected her to stoop to this level. This wasn’t the behaviour of someone worthy of ascension, or even a respectable heir. Her actions told me she was afraid. In Victoria Auger’s eyes, I was a threat. To her ascension, to her place in our family, and to her reputation. Well buckle up, big sis, because it would take more than a stupid video and a beatdown to stop me, even if my pride was wounded and the humiliation made my eyes water.
I huffed, spitting a mouthful of blood on the ground as a shadow loomed over me. I looked up to glare defiantly at Ace. “Stuck around to gloat?”
He shrugged, looking entirely unapologetic. “After your little trick today?” The slightest hint of a smile carved those cruel lips. “Maybe I didn’t mind watching a little violence tonight.”
“You just stood there when you could’ve evened the score. What the fuck is wrong with you?”
“You and your sister have bad blood. That’s your business.” He shrugged again, his tattoos contrasting to his pale skin as he held an arm out. Warily, I reached my palm towards his, but he pulled back at the last second, sneering. “On the other hand, it was quite satisfying to watch an Auger get what they deserved. You can all go to hell as far as I’m concerned.” He turned away, following the path out of the woods.
“Coming from a member of a gang notorious for violence and smuggling,” I hissed, staggering to my feet, refusing to give in to my emotions even as the tears blurred my eyes. I was not going to crumple at the first sign of hardship, I was not going to cry over Victoria Auger, and I wasdefinitely notgoing to let this asshole turn his back on me. “I’m talking to you!”
He laughed, continuing to ignore me as he walked away. I looked around me in frustration, spotting a pebble and tossing it at his head before I could think better of it. The stone sailed through the air, but right before it could hit him, he turned and grabbed it with his bionic hand, squeezing so hard the freaking pebble crumbled to a soft powder. Holy shit.
“You threw a rock at my head,” he said sharply, his eyes narrowed to slits. “Are you serious?”
I huffed, thrusting my chin up. “It’s the least you deserve after letting them humiliate me like that. If you want to get off by watching someone get beaten up, do it as far away from me as possible.”
He stalked towards me until he was barely an inch from my face, his chest pressing against mine. I sucked in a breath at his proximity. Both of us were breathing hard as I waited of him to speak or strike me. “You think watching you turns me on, Princess?” He grabbed my throat, just enough to hurt without blocking my airflow. He pulled me closer—so close I wondered if he wanted to kiss me or kick me. “It takes a lot more than that to get me hard.”
His hateful eyes raked over me, and I glared at him, challenging him to do his worst. We stood there in silence, his breath trailing over my neck. Something deep inside me thrilled at the danger oozing off this man. If only he wasn’t a fucking psycho.
After what felt like the standard pause after a threat had well and truly passed, I punched him in the stomach so hard he released his hold on my throat. “You can watch all you like,” I snarled, backing away several steps. “But you’ll never get the real thing.”
He stared at me for a moment and laughed coldly. “As if I would ever reduce myself to an Auger. Fly along little bird, before the other monsters come out at night.”
I gaped after him as he left. I needed a moment to calm my racing heart and collect myself. Who the hell did he think he was? And why had he been out here in the first place? I raked my hands through my dishevelled hair, cradling my arms as I crouched back on my heels for a moment. More importantly, how did Victoria have a knife on her? Any weapons I’d stashed in my luggage had been taken, presumably by the guards who’d kidnapped us.
Something wasn’t right here … and I planned to find out what.
My stomach grumbled and I rose, checking my cuff. The caff would be closing soon, and I wasn’t exactly dressed appropriately anymore. “Just fucking great,” I grumbled. They could mess with my mind but getting in the way of dinner and dessert was just plain rude. With a sigh, I picked up my sorry ass and my earphones and headed down the path towards the dorms.
I was almost to the building when someone laid a hand on my shoulder and I snarled, spinning around and putting my elbow to their throat.
“Holy shit, Starfish, chill,” Zane said, his green eyes widening as he cradled an assortment of edible goods to his chest, a rogue donut spilling from his palm. I sagged, only managing to grunt in reply. His beautiful face shifted into a frown. “Are you okay? I saw the video. Well, everyone did. It was playing ALL over the cafeteria, and everyone had their cuffs turned up really loud, and—”
“Zane,” I snapped. “Not helping. Go be a dick somewhere else, I’m really not in the mood.”
He looked at me intently, leaning forward and getting in my face. “Oh, shit. You’re hangry.”
I frowned. “Excuse me?”
“You know, when you’re so hungry that you start getting mad and turn into raging—”
“No, no, I know what it means.” I rolled my eyes.
“Well, it’s your lucky day because we’re going to ride this wave out in our room. With snacks. Everything is better with snacks. Come on, you know you want some. You want them all up in your mouth like something else earlier today.” He wagged his brows. “Naughty Starfish, pulling that prank in the showers. You’re lucky I like you. I don’t share my snacks with just any clothes thief.”
I couldn’t help but break a smile. He was like a puppy dog that didn’t know when to quit. “Are you sure you have enough to last the night there?” I teased. He’d scooped up a huge armful of supplies—enough to stash for a while.
He smiled broadly. “I got some for you. You weren’t at dinner, and when I saw the video, I knew you wouldn’t be joining.”
My insides warmed, feeling all fluffy. “You brought these for me?” It was such a thoughtful gesture, and so very alien to me, I just wanted to give him a big hug.
