Page 99 of Dirty Roulette
The video plays on repeat. Ryder’s hands were all over my breasts, digging fingers in my hair. I lean into Chad’s ear and whisper, “In your dreams.”
The cell slips back into his pocket and I push myself off him with the dirtiest death glare I can stab him with.
Comic Book Guy waddles over with puckered lips. Using a thumb, he ripples through the pages of his comic book and gives them both a raised eyebrow. Chad huffs, his eyes meeting mine, he licks his lips, looking me up and down.
“Let’s go.” Chad huffs, pushing the chair backward and getting up. They both storm out, knocking things off the tables as they leave.
I move to a computer closer to Comic Book Guy and complete several assignments and obnoxious forum posts. I have about fifteen minutes before algebra by the time I am done. I pack and gather my things. When I walk to the door, I check the hallway and watch people fade.
One step out of the door and Chad puts his arms around my shoulder, his fingers coiling a strand of my hair, his nose smelling the top of my skull. “Come on, let me get a taste, I know you wanna fuck...” he says.
“Get the hint!” I scream at him. My books tumble to the ground and I’m spinning myself in some kind of figure-eight position to get his grip off my shoulder and slap him right across the cheek. He grabs my face, and laughs out of his nose.
“Who’s going to stop me?” Chad’s grin widens as if he slit the corners of his mouth. It is wicked and evil and the ugly thoughts perforate off his skin.
“Dude. Come on. I ain’t about to be the next Brody...let’s go,” Alpaca licks his bottom lip and places his palm on Chad’s chest.
“No, they broke up. The Crab ain’t gonna save her.”
My whole body goes numb. Forget my textbooks. I take my chance and start booking it down the hallway. It doesn’t take long before Chad chases me and grabs my backpack. I fall back, crumbling to the floor. The look in his eyes stops me dead in my tracks. Everything drains out of my body like I’m slowly being injected with Rohypnol allover again from head to toe. It’s worse than the aftermath of drinking that bottle of tequila.
It’s seeping in that I’m actually scared. No... I’m terrified that someone else wants to hurt me just as much as Brody wanted to hurt Charlie.
Chad grabs my forearm, dragging me up to my feet. “Stop it!” I push his fingers off my wrist. But he fists my shirt into his palm and pulls me close. My heart is stuck in my throat as he spins me around and shoves me straight into the wall with my cheeks pressed against the cold bricks. Hands grab my ass, his body pinning me, and I can’t move an inch. He’s exploring me and taking a fistful of my breast. “Now I see why the Crab likes you...”
“Bro!” Alpaca throws up his arms.
“Chill out. Bad girls like it rough,” he says as his breath runs down my neck and his groin rubs against my body. “Right? Aren’t you a bad girl?” He’s so close, his fingers are at my collarbone. I tremble. I can smell him again, and he has a lingering touch of getting too high on a Monday morning.
“Hey!” Ryder shouts, jerking Chad’s shoulder back, spinning him around. With a forearm, he pins the fucker against the wall by the neck. “You touch my girl?” Ryder’s eyes are dark, his nostrils flare.
I crumble to the floor and fail when it comes to picking up my textbooks. A cold chill crawls up my spine and my hands shake. The books fall out of my grip, pages ripping as I try to compose myself. I catch Alpaca licking his lips. He holds up his palms taking subtle steps back. “I’m outta here.” He dashes off in the opposite direction.
Chad’s trembling hands raise up. “I–I was... I ...” He stutters.
Ryder fumes and the vein in his neck bulges with each beat of his heart.
“Huh?” Ryder asks.
“I...”
“I can’t hear you!” Ryder spits out. “Did you touch her? Answer me!”
“S–Sorry... I–I won’t ever do it again!”
Ryder fists his shirt and throws him onto the concrete. “If you or anyone else lays a finger on her again, I’ll end you!” Chad bolts down the hall.
Before Ryder can say two words to me, shadows emerge from around the corner and two police officers come forward with impassive faces and eyes hidden behind reflective sunglasses. Their black boots squeak against the tile. I swallow hard, picking up one of the books before it just plops back down onto the floor again.
Their eyes aren’t on me, but on Ryder as one of them speaks through their radio. The other voice is static, crackling as they say some random number codes they use to communicate. The second officer pulls out a pair of handcuffs and Ryder holds up his palms.
“Sebastian Henderson?” One of the officers asks.
“Yep...” Ryder clears his throat and lifts up his chin. His eyes haze over and he doesn’t even meet my gaze. I can’t breathe, and an overbearing sense of helplessness swims in the pit of my stomach.
“You are under arrest for the assault of Brody Thomas. You have the right to remain silent...” The officer says, but his voice fades out as Ryder places both hands on the back of his head when they pin him against the wall. The sharp click of handcuffs snaps shut, and it’s as if one of the officers shoved the barrel of a gun into my gut as they walk Ryder down the hallway and out the double doors.
Chapter thirty-six
