Page 42 of Bonding with the Beta (Fated Souls #2)

42

KAYLEIGH

“ Y ou know I’m really not happy about this,” Kayden grumbles as he pulls up into my campus car park.

“I know,” I sigh as he kills the engine. “Me neither, but I can’t not go if my professor asked to see me. It might be about my essay, and I really need these grades this term. Otherwise, I’m fucked.”

If it were for any other reason, there’s no way in hell I’d be coming back to university so soon after last night. I value my grades and my hard work more than anything, and I’m not going to let Josh deter me from that.

“I’m worried about you.” He frowns in my direction, the creases on his forehead becoming permanent. “I don’t like the idea of you being here. You’ve barely spoken two words about what happened, and I have no idea what’s going on in your head.”

My brows twitch. “I thought you could read my mind?” I challenge him.

Kayden breathes out of his nose harshly and closes his eyes. “Kayleigh,” his voice is stern, and I realise now isn’t the time for games.

“I’ll be okay, I promise. I’m going to see my professor, grab my laptop and a couple of things, and then I’ll drive straight to yours later. Alright?”

He looks unconvinced.

“I won’t answer my door. I’ll keep it locked.”

I don’t want Josh to think that he’s won and made me so scared I can’t be on campus alone. This is my home, and I refuse to be bullied out of it.

“I’ll call you if anything is wrong, okay?” I promise him.

Kayden stares back at me, his hand moving to latch onto my wrist like he doesn’t want to let me go. “I can tell Jaxon that I can’t do the job, that I can stay with you until?—”

“No.” I shake firmly. “Jaxon needs you right now, and I can’t take you away from your job any longer. Besides, my professor might take a while. I’ll be okay.”

His eyes flick between mine, slowly admitting defeat. “Okay.”

When he leans over to kiss me softly, I melt into his touch. It’s only gentle and short, but it’s everything. He pulls back and keeps us close, our mouths still grazing.

“Kayleigh, I–” he clears his throat as he stares at me. “I–”

I furrow my brows at him. “What?”

His head shakes once. “I just want you to be safe.”

“I will be. I’ll text you,” I say before placing a final kiss on his lips and stepping out of his car. “Thanks for dropping me off.”

“Bye,” he calls as I shut the door.

I climb the stairs to my dorm room, my legs shaking as I reach my door. I don’t want to associate this room with what happened with Josh; instead, I think about all the good times I’ve had with Evie and Kayden.

As I push open the door and step inside, my foot nudges a piece of paper lying on the carpet. My breathing stops for a second, and I reluctantly reach down to grab it.

My hands shake as I quickly shut the door behind me and lock it. I look down at the paper in my hands, my index finger flicking open the crumbled lined paper.

Kayleigh, we need to talk about last night.

Call me.

Josh

My whole body rattles with anger. I rip up the note and grit my teeth. I don’t even think about my next steps. I storm out of my dorm and race towards the courtyard where Josh and his posse usually eat lunch. He never goes home after each term because he lives so far away, and God, he better hope I don’t find him.

As I walk through the SU bar to reach the seated area outside through double glass doors, I spot Josh sitting with Craig and Jessica. Josh’s face is painted black and blue. The cut on his nose is covered with a stitch, and the corner of his mouth sports a nasty bruise.

The door makes a screeching noise when it opens, causing some people to turn and look. One of them being Josh. He does a double take, his face struck with surprise by my entrance.

He never thought I had a backbone, so I’m proving him wrong.

I watch him quickly move away from his friends when he realises I’m walking directly towards them.

“Kayleigh—”

“How fucking dare you,” I seethe, eyes burning as even more people turn to look at us. “How dare you think you can come back to my dorm room and leave me a note demanding we ‘talk’ after what you did last night?”

He blinks at me before shoving his hands into his pockets. “Maybe you should keep that boyfriend of yours on a tight leash. I could press charges.”

My nostrils flare. “Press charges after you tried to assault me?”

He scoffs, “Oh, please. I barely touched you.”

I shake my head and laugh at him in pity. “Are you that delusional? I genuinely think you have yourself manipulated sometimes.”

“It’s your word against mine.” He flashes me a smug smile. “And with a face like this? I think I know who they’ll believe, especially after your past.”

“Fuck you, Josh.”

“What? Do you not think they’ll go through your file to find that you tried to end your life after we broke up?” His intimidating tone has my fists clenching. “Because they’ll see it and realise what an obsessed, crazed woman you are and that you’re probably lying for attention.”

My chest heaves uncontrollably. I want to smack him in the face.

Hell, I want to rip his skin off.

“Ow, are you going to go crying to your boyfriend now? No wonder you’ve never been stable. You always need to lean on someone for support.”

Josh pokes his tongue into the corner of his mouth where his lip is split. “I fucking hate you,” I rasp. “You’re not going to get away with this.”

“I dare you to go to the dean.” He chuckles and folds his arms over his chest. “And I’ll be there right behind you.”

My jaw clenches as hot-white fury burns through me.

“Oh, and Kayleigh?” Josh calls as I attempt to turn away. I don’t know why I stop. I shouldn’t give him the time of day. “You once asked me why I treated you the way I did…well, I did it because you made it so fucking easy to. No doubt this new boyfriend is going to walk all over you, too.”

The desire to scream excessive curse words flies up my throat, but I choke them down. My fists tighten, and I resist the urge to do more damage to his face; instead, I just shake my head. “Stay the hell away from me.”

I turn and stalk out of the courtyard, trying to ignore the stares and whispers, but it’s impossible. Everyone saw and heard.

The second I walk through the SU bar and head towards my dorm room, my chest begins to heave uncontrollably. I manage to reach my room without collapsing.

My blood boils beneath my skin, and I want to scream at the top of my lungs.

How did I spend months with that monster?

Did I really hate myself that much?

Why was I too weak to walk away?

Because you make it fucking easy to.

I bury my head in my hands and release silent tears.

My hands fumble with my phone as I swipe to find Kayden’s number. I need to hear his voice. I need to hear the calmness and let myself take a breath that has been suffocating me for too long.

When the dial tone rings out, I curse myself, fire running through my veins.

A second later, my phone is flooded with texts and calls from Jessica and Craig, both asking what the hell happened with Josh. I scoff at the audacity like they give a shit about me.

The endless vibrations make me flinch, and I drop my phone onto my bed, not having the strength to deal with this right now. My eyes clench shut, and I want everything to stop.

I stand in the centre of my room and look at the four walls surrounding me. My fingers lace through my hair, and I grip harshly, desperately wishing these negative thoughts would leave my mind.

The pressure inside my skull feels like I’m about to combust.

I need to get out of here.

I need air before I choke.

A second later, I rush out of my dorm room and head through campus. I don’t look, I walk. And I refuse to stop until my mind is silent.