Page 8 of Boys Who Taint (Spine Ridge University #5)

Levi

Months later

Thirty yards.

Taking another drag, I lean sideways against the wall beside the giant doors to the school to have a better look at her.

Thirty fucking yards. That’s how close I can afford to get to her in public without sheer and utter destruction.

I take another drag.

A guy with eerily white hair walks up to her near the door to one of her classes, and the way she smiles at him makes my lip twitch.

But it’s her hand interlocked with his that makes the cigarette drop from my lips.

Who the hell is he?

And why does he have his fingers entwined with hers?

My fist balls as my feet instinctively begin to move, but a hand on my shoulder stops me.

“Watch yourself, bro.” Apollo smirks. “Don’t want you to lose an eye like your dad did.”

I jerk free of his grip. “Leave me the fuck alone.”

“I’m not gonna stop you. I’m just warning you.” He shrugs. “Don’t go near her. That’s just my advice.”

“Whatever.” I turn around and walk in the other direction just so I don’t have to look at them holding hands, frolicking through the hallways like they’re deeply in love.

Bullshit.

I’ve never seen that fucker before, which means she must’ve met him in the previous month.

How is she this close with someone else already?

“Let it go, let it goooooo,” Apollo begins to chant next to me, throwing a ball up and down.

“I swear to God, if you don’t shut up, I’m gonna punch you in the face with that ball.”

“Now that’s a challenge, accepted.” He chucks the ball at me and I catch it midair while it was on its way to my head.

He takes a few large steps back. “Go on, then.”

I take in a deep breath, spread my feet apart, and I catapult the ball back to him, letting out all my rage in this one throw. Yet he still catches it with ease.

He grins and holds up his hand. “Good shot. Left a nice mark, though.” He winks. “Wanna train together?”

I roll my eyes. “Again?”

“Best way to let off some steam,” he muses.

I grumble to myself.

He throws his arm over my shoulder. “You’re gonna need all the strength to beat the fuckers who’ll inevitably come for you any day now.”

I stop in my tracks and stare at him, but the dead-serious look on his face tells me enough. He’s thinking the same thing.

“You know that family will never settle until they have their revenge on the infamous Levi Torres.” He pushes the ball into my hands. “So what better way to prepare than with the best trainer you could ever find?” He slaps me on the back and turns around. “Let’s get to work.”

Aspen

Hours later

In class, I can’t even focus on the words the teacher says.

All I can think of is Levi fucking Torres, sitting there in front of class, hiding in that black hoodie with that aloof posture and legs spread like he owns the place.

He hasn’t said a word since we last spoke, hasn’t even looked at me. As a matter of fact, I don’t think he’s even gotten anywhere in my vicinity.

It’s as if I’ve suddenly ceased to exist.

We used to be friends, and he burned it all to the ground just like that.

I flip the pencil in my hand back and forth as though it’s my last lifeline to a sane mind.

Should I just chuck it at his neck?

Make him bleed the way he made her bleed?

But you saw how shocked he was when she died.

I pause as the memory of her splattered all over the rocks passes through my mind again, and that boy who kept backing up from the scene of the crime.

That boy's face was riddled with disbelief until the darkness took over.

It doesn’t matter. She’s dead because of him.

My nostrils flare as I flip my pencil back and forth again to try to keep my cool while the teacher rambles on and on about stuff I don’t care about.

He told you who he was. He said it out loud. He’s a killer.

Suddenly, Levi turns around in his seat, staring right back at me with those deep brown eyes, and it catches me off guard so much I abruptly stop flipping the pencil and drop it.

I swiftly duck to grab it, but I can’t help but stare at him, wondering if he saw.

If he noticed the slow, simmering hatred.

The unraveling of me.

I swallow away the lump in my throat as I come back up and tuck the pencil into my pocket.

He’s no longer looking at me, and for some reason, I’m relieved.

Every time those eyes connect with mine, I freeze over entirely, and I’m not sure whether it’s because my mind knows he’s a murderer, or if it’s because my heart hasn’t gotten the memo yet that we’re supposed to hate him now.

When the bell rings, I swiftly pack my things and make my way to the front of the class, so I can follow him outside and see if I can get him somewhere alone and unguarded. But the moment I throw my bag over my shoulder, my teacher plucks me right out of the crowd.

“Aspen. We need to talk.”

I frown, confused. “What, why?”

He eyes the rest of the class and waits until everyone’s left before talking. “You’re rarely paying attention. You’re not here for the tests, and you’re turning in assignments late.”

I sigh out loud. “I’m sorry, Alec.”

“Look, I don’t want to have to fail my niece. Please give me something to work with here.”

“I’m gonna do better, I promise.”

“I know you have a lot on your mind, with Mavis and everything …” He trails off. “The point is, if there’s anything I can do, please let me know.” Uncle Alec places a hand on my shoulder. “You can talk to me.”

“Thanks,” I reply, shrugging it off. “I’m fine.”

“You sure? Because every time you’re in my class, all you do is stare at Levi Torres.”

My entire face turns red, and I wave it off like it’s nothing. “I’m just lost in memories. That’s all. He was there when she … died.”

He nods. “I know.”

“Anyway, I’ll fix this, okay? I’ll pay more attention. I’ll send the assignment to your email.”

“Good,” he replies.

“Can I go now?”

He waves at the door, and I rush to leave, hoping I can still catch up. But of course, Levi is already long gone.

Dammit.

I chuck my bag against the wall and groan in frustration.

It’s taking me weeks, months, to come up with a plan, and I’m still drawing blanks, still grasping at straws.

Why is revenge so damn difficult?

Sighing out loud, I walk through the corridor while checking my phone for updates from my friends.

Suddenly, an arm locks around my chest, and my mouth is muffled mid-scream by another hand as I’m dragged into a room.

My heart rate shoots up as I try to dive into my pocket, but my hand is held back by his strong armlock on me.

Fuck!

“I’ll release you if you promise not to scream.”

That voice …

I nod, and when he removes his hand, I mutter, “Levi?”

His strong grip on me softens, and I instantly spin around to shove him. “Get your hands off me.”

His face partially hides beneath a hoodie, the scorpion tattoo peeking out like a threat. His menacing eyes glare at me, and it makes me step back as he closes the gap between us once more.

“Who is he?”

I frown. “What?”

He marches even closer, and I step back in response, but when my back hits the wall, I have nowhere else to go except straight into his arms.

Shit.

I’m trapped.

“Don’t make me ask again, Aspen.” He sounds unhinged.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I respond.

“Tell me his name, or I swear to God—”

“You’ll what? Kill him?” My face contorts, and his dark brown eyes flicker with rage at the sight. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Try me,” he growls back, towering over me. He plants a hand on the wall beside me, leaning in so close I can feel his breath on my skin. “You think I’m a monster? Wait until you see what I’ll do to him if you don’t stop this. Right now.”

“Touch Grey and I will make you regret it,” I hiss, my hand hovering closer and closer to my pocket.

He tilts his head and grins before tapping his finger onto my chest. “See? You did know his name.”

Rage floods my veins, and I reach into my pocket, grasp the pencil, and stab his arm, but it doesn’t even seem to faze him as the blood rolls down his forearm. He grabs my wrist and slams me into the wall, knocking the sharpened pencil out of my hand.

“A pencil?” He scoffs. “That’s what you wanted to kill me with? Pathetic.”

“Motherfu—”

When I try to hit him with my other hand, he grabs that wrist too and forces them both up above my head with just one hand.

The devious smirk on his face makes me question everything I thought I knew.

“You can’t win this, Aspen.”

“Stay away from Grey,” I growl.

“I will … if you stay away from him too,” he says.

“Fuck you,” I spit. “You don’t get to dictate who I hang out with. We’re not friends anymore, remember?”

His eyes narrow. “You thought we were friends?” He leans in so close to my neck that my body erupts into goose bumps as his nostrils flare. It’s almost as if he’s … smelling me?

“I was never, ever going to be your fucking friend.”

Fuck him.

My teeth grind together. “I hate you.”

He laughs against my skin. “Good, hate me. Loathe me. Remind me every fucking day of the week how much you despise seeing me still breathing while you’re out here hoping I take my very last breath.”

“You said it yourself. You killed my sister,” I say.

“You want me to die?” Suddenly, his tongue dips out to lick my neck right below my ear. “Too late. I’m already dead.”

His free hand slips down my body, and I’m fighting so hard not to let it get to me, but the moment he dives between my legs, I’ve lost.

Oh God, what is happening right now?

“Why?” I mutter.

“Dead men tell no tales,” he retorts, his fingers pushing down on my slit.

Why is he doing this ?

And why can’t I stop him?

“You thought I was a good guy? No, Aspen, I’m the fucking villain, and villains take what they’re owed.”

He circles my most sensitive spot until my breathing grows wildly out of control under those darkened eyes of his. I can’t move, can’t even fight, as he has me pinned down right where he wants me.

What the—

“Cursing me with your mind? Do you think it’ll stop me?” His eyes narrow. “Either you stop whatever you’re doing with Grey, or I will force you to.”

I gasp as he presses down on my clit.

“And you’re not going to like how.”

I can barely breathe as lust begins to take over, but I don’t understand why. He’s never, ever shown any interest in me, never once, and now he’s got his fingers all over me like he already owns me.

Fuck.

“I’m not gonna stop until you do, little Firefly,” he murmurs, nipping at my ear. “So what’s it going to be?” With two fingers, he presses down and around, sending shocks throughout my body from sheer pleasure. “Do you want me to push you to your limits?”

“Fuck,” I murmur, unable to even form a proper sentence.

“Do you even know how far you’re willing to go for him?” he asks as my panties grow wetter and wetter. “Because I’m so fucking curious to find out just how much you’re willing to let me break you.”

Break me? Has he gone insane?

Maybe I have because his fingers are driving me crazy.

My legs rub together as I struggle to resist.

But why? Why am I so affected by a guy who killed my sister?

“Already so needy … just like I thought.”

“Fuck you, you don’t know me,” I hiss.

He laughs. “But that’s just the thing, I do fucking know you. And you should’ve thought of that before you decided to make me your enemy.”

“I didn’t make you my enemy. You did!” I rebuke.

His forehead collides with mine as he grinds his teeth while still rubbing me senseless. “And doesn’t it feel so fucking good?”

“I should’ve brought a knife,” I mutter between ragged breaths.

He laughs. “Bring it. There’s not an inch of me you could ever possibly hurt with a goddamn knife, Aspen.”

Arrogant son of a bitch.

“Go ahead, bring that fucking knife, and I will use it as a goddamn toy on this wet fucking pussy.”

“Over my dead body.”

“That’s the spirit. Maybe we can both join your sister then,” he says.

What the f—

With what little fight I have left in me, I kick him in the balls. The momentary lapse in his strength allows me to free myself from his grip, and I punch him in the face so hard it knocks his head back.

I bolt away while he gathers himself, chucking chairs and tables in my way to make sure he can’t follow me.

“You’ll pay for this,” I growl before I slam open the door.

He groans and wipes the blood off his lip. “Stay away from him, Aspen. I’ll be watching you.”

Before I run off, I stick up my middle fingers. “Suck on these.”