Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 83520 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83520 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Aiden falters, his gaze slicing from me to the newcomer. I don’t think I’ve ever been so relieved to hear Austin’s deep voice. My body wilts as my knees buckle.
When the guy behind me doesn’t move, Austin growls, “Let her go or you’ll deal with my fists.”
He sets me free with a small shove that sends me pitching forward into the bank of lockers. Air rushes from my lungs as my cheek presses against the cool metal.
From the corner of my eye, I watch as Austin closes the distance between the two boys. Aiden straightens to his full height, which is still a handful of inches shorter than Austin. Neither is a match for him.
“Until further notice, Delilah is off limits. She belongs to me.”
“But Jasper—”
“I don’t give a fuck what Jasper says. He can take it up with me if he has a problem. Delilah is mine. No one touches her. Or talks to her. Don’t even look in her direction. As far as you’re concerned, she doesn’t exist. If I find out that people are gossiping about her and spreading more rumors, they’ll fucking answer to me. Do I make myself clear?”
He cracks his knuckles. The loud popping sound leaves me wincing.
“Now get the fuck out of here.”
Aiden hesitates as his friend scurries out of Austin’s sight.
“She’s just a stupid whore,” Aiden grumbles, clearly not happy to have his fun spoiled.
Austin steps closer, invading his personal space before murmuring fiercely, “Call her that again and you’ll be picking up your teeth off the floor. Got it?”
Instead of answering, Aiden turns and glares at me before stalking down the hallway.
It’s only when he disappears around the corner that I close my eyes and suck in a harsh breath to calm everything that rampages wildly within. Once my heart rate settles, I force them open again, prepared to have yet another run-in with Austin.
Except…I’m alone.
The hall is vacant.
I blink and wonder if him riding to the rescue was nothing more than a figment of my imagination.
Why would he care if someone else hurts me?
Especially when he wants to do the same.
Another handful of seconds pass before I shove myself away from the metal and grab my lunch from the locker, slamming the thin door closed. Before this incident, I was going to brave the cafeteria and hopefully find Duke.
Now…there’s no way I can deal with everyone turning and staring at me. It’s doubtful I could withstand the thirty minutes of torture without falling to pieces.
Swinging in the opposite direction, I hustle toward the photography studio on the other side of the school. As I step inside the spacious room filled with sunlight, I search the area for Mrs. Chambers, the head art teacher. The tension roiling around in the pit of my belly gradually dissolves when she sails out of her office near the back of the room in a long, flowing dress. The necklaces she wears around her neck clink together with every step. There’s something calming about her presence.
Even though I’m self-conscious about the gossip buzzing around school, I beeline in her direction. “Hi, Mrs. Chambers.”
She glances at me in surprise before a warm smile overtakes her features. “Hello, Delilah. I wasn’t expecting to see you again so soon.”
I shift from one foot to the other and blurt, “I was wondering if you’d be around during the lunch period?”
My mind reluctantly tumbles back to Jasper finding me alone in the studio and then cornering me. I don’t want that to happen again.
“That was the plan.” Her brow furrows as she tilts her head in question. “Is there something I can help you with?”
“I, um, thought I’d use this time to look over my portfolio for the spring show.”
She nods in approval before tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “That sounds like an excellent idea. If you’d like another opinion about some of the pieces, just ask.”
“Thank you, I will.” Relief floods through me.
As bold as Jasper’s behavior has grown, he wouldn’t dare lay a hand on me in front of an adult in a position of authority.
At least, I hope he wouldn’t.
Except for the run-in before school this morning, I’ve been successful in avoiding my ex. I know his schedule by heart and have steered clear of the areas he usually lurks. The problem is that I won’t be able to escape him forever.
Despite Austin’s warning, Jasper does what he wants.
Takes what he wants.
And that includes me.
I set my lunch on one of the tables and then head over to my thick folder where my photographs are kept. Once settled on a stool, I carefully spread them out in front of me. Everything that happened this morning gradually drains away as I study the images.
This right here is my happy place.
If only it were possible to spend all of my time in this studio.