Total pages in book: 215
Estimated words: 199344 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 997(@200wpm)___ 797(@250wpm)___ 664(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 199344 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 997(@200wpm)___ 797(@250wpm)___ 664(@300wpm)
Tarni just stares at her as I push people out of my way, desperate to get to Zoey, but as the chanting crowd grows around her, she starts to panic. She looks around, her green eyes so damn wide, searching for a way out, but she won’t find one, not this time.
Zoey finds me through the throng of people, and as her terrified gaze rests on mine, her chest rises and falls rapidly. I move faster, forcing people aside.
“Trash. Trash. Trash.”
I force my way through the circle, shouldering past the assholes who think they can talk shit about my girl, putting a few of them right on their asses, and then finally she’s in my arms. I pull her in, my hand cradling the back of her head as I hold her to my chest, my lips brushing over her temple. “You’re okay,” I murmur for only her to hear as shocked gasps sound from the crowd, their chants quickly fading away as they realize how much fucking trouble they are about to be in. “They can’t hurt you.”
Zoey glances up, those beautiful, teary eyes meeting mine. She doesn’t say a word, but she doesn’t need to, everything she wants to say is right there in her eyes, and before she can argue with me, I drop my lips to hers, kissing her deeply as I hold her against me.
Finally claiming what has always been mine feels so right. None of these assholes will hurt Zoey now. I should have done it right from the start and saved her the torment of the last month. I’ll always regret how long it took me to get here, but hopefully, she will give me the chance to make it up to her.
I don’t stop kissing her until her body finally relaxes in my arms and her knees go weak as she blocks out the people around us. It’s only me and her existing at this moment. Then when I pull back, I hold her chin, keeping her gaze locked on mine. “So, you’re still in love with me, huh?”
Zoey’s cheeks flush, and it’s the most breathtaking thing I have ever seen. “Nah, I made it up,” she teases. “Haven’t you heard? I’m a liar now.”
I grin down at her. “You always were a shitty liar,” I tell her, dropping another swift kiss to her lips before pulling back again and curling her into my side, keeping a hand on her at all times. My gaze slowly makes its way around the circle, studiously taking in the faces of every single person who willingly took part in tearing down my girl, but I don’t stop until my gaze rests on Tarni’s.
Her eyes are wide, filled with fear, and I revel in it, hoping it fucking cripples her, just as she’s done to Zoey. “From here on out,” I announce to every last bastard in the room, my gaze remaining locked on Tarni. “Tarni Luca does not exist. Anyone who wishes to object to that will see the same fate.”
Tarni’s eyes go wide, and I watch as her two friends inch away from her. “Let me get one thing straight,” I tell the crowd, shifting my stare away and focusing on the people around us, all too aware of the way Tarni sinks back into the crowd and disappears without a word, suddenly no longer in the mood to fight. “Zoey James is my fucking girl. An attack on her is a direct attack on me. You fuck with her, you fuck with me. If I hear even a whisper of the word trash within the walls of this school, every last one of you will pay the price for the hell you’ve put her through.”
Murmurs immediately fill the cafeteria as people scramble to get away from me, scurrying like a thousand little rodents, but I tune them out, focusing all my attention on Zoey’s wide eyes. Reaching up, I wipe the tears off her cheeks before pulling her right back into me. “You’re okay,” I tell her.
“Why did you do that?” she whispers, her eyes darting between mine. “There’s no going back now.”
A small smile pulls at the corners of my mouth as everything softens within me. The rage of seeing her targeted fades to a distant hum, leaving me with nothing but this overwhelming need to adore her. “Because it’s time,” I declare. “I should have done it the second I walked through the door of the student office the first fucking day. Hell, I should have done it three years ago and never let you go.”
More tears fall, and she leans in, dropping her forehead against my chest. “I never wanted you to see me like this.”
I smile and pull her into my side as I lead her out of the cafeteria. “Zoey, I’ve seen you suffer through the worst parts of a gastro bug. If that didn’t scare me off, then a few high-school bitches aren’t going to do it. Besides,” I add, “I didn’t see any weakness. I saw you hold your head high and fight with dignity. You approached her to apologize, despite the fact she didn’t deserve it, and she decided to take the low road. You’re the bigger person here. Plus, watching you put her in her place after all these years was so fucking hot.”