Page 57 of Provocation
I just want to get home.
MAV
‘What the fuck is this?’ I hear Shade snarl at his phone.
‘What is it?’ I ask absently, making sure the calculations I need are correct.
‘See for yourself.’
My phone buzzes and I glance down, my lip curling up over my teeth in a snarl I can’t control. It’s Daisy looking wrinkled andtousledcoming out of a room in what looks like the library. Her shirt is pulled to the side exposing part of her bra. Her pants are unzipped. Her expression is surprised and behind her in the background is a smirking Bennet.
‘What the fuck is this?’ I parrot. ‘Who sent it?’
‘Not a number I know,’ Shade says, sounding furious beyond words.
I look back at him. His fists are clenched so tightly, I wouldn’t be surprised to see blood dripping from them in a few seconds.
‘This doesn’t mean anything.’
I push that other tiny voice away that whispers that I thought that we were special, thatIwas special.
‘What’s going on in here?’ Blake asks. ‘You both look like you’re about to either throw up or destroy something. Which is it?’
‘I just got sent a picture of Daisy and… It looks like… The picture makes it look like she’s been with someone else.’
‘Who?’ His tone is more menacing than I’ve ever heard it before.
‘Bennet,’ I answer.
‘Bennet?’ His voice is incredulous. ‘Bennet from class Bennet? That talentless fucker with the topknot who thinks he can cut it inourlab?’
Shade shows him the picture and I watch as he pales and then his mouth curls up into a sneer.
‘There is no fucking way that is real.’
‘It’s easy enough to find out,’ Shade says, his voice calm.
Too calm.
‘Where is she?’
I look at my watch. ‘She should be here.’
‘Check if she’s at the house instead.’
Blake nods and takes out his phone. ‘Yeah, the door entry history says she entered about ten minutes ago.’
‘Let’s go, then.’
We grab our coats and walk the five minutes to the house briskly, in silence. But if my friends’ heads are anywhere near the same place mine is, they’re swirling with questions and fear.
It’s the fear that takes me by surprise. I care about this girl more than I thought possible. The idea that she wouldn’t choose me makes me want to simultaneously hurl and beat the shit out of someone. Preferably that asshole, Bennet.
‘I’m going to kill that sonofabitch,’ Blake mutters, showing his own upset. ‘There’s no way she would want him.’
But I hear the same panic in his voice that he pretends is anger. This girl could break all of our hearts as easily as breathing. That’s what should really terrify me.
We enter the house and find two of the guys talking in murmured voices at the bottom of the stairs. They look relieved to see us.
