Page 92 of Fractured Fates

I curl my fingers around hers, capturing her hands in mine.

“You’re wrong. I have. Just not in the way you think.” I lean closer, lowering my mouth to her ear. “And you’re wrong about something else too, little pig. We do own you.”

I drop my hold of her hands and push her backwards.

“No one will ever own me,” she hisses. “Least of all you, Tristan Kennedy.”

I smile lopsided at her, a look I know has girls creaming their panties. “You said I’m spoiled, little Pig. And you know what, you’re right about that much. I’m used to getting what I want. And do you know why that is?” I don’t wait for one of her bitchy retorts. “I’m the most powerful magical in this school.”

She rolls her eyes at me. “Because Mommy and Daddy own half the city–”

I lower my voice. “I’m not talking about influence and politics here.” I don’t know why I’m telling her. I’ve never told anyone what I suspect. Never told them that I have all this power screeching around my body. Limitless. Unrelenting. Bottomless. Raw.

She holds my eyes and whispers, “Are you sure?” I smirk at her. “Are you sure,I’mnot more powerful?” And as she says the words, I feel something crackle against my skin, taste electricity in the air. Those hairs on the back of my neck don’t just stand up, they bristle.

For the briefest of moments, I wonder … I wonder if …

Then I remember she’s a nobody. From nowhere. An unregistered with no real education and no formal training.

She can bullshit all she wants. She has about as much power as a fucking lightbulb.

“I’m sure,” I say smugly. Her fingers flex. She wants to blast me across the room. She’s spoiling for a fight. All I need to do is push her that little, little bit more …

Then she’ll be out of here faster than you can say expulsion. Gone. Disappeared. Out of my life forever.

I’d probably never see the girl again.

This problem, this headache, would be over.

I can’t do it, though. I’m too damn addicted.

Automatically I take a step away from her. And then another, watching her the entire time. Her fingers twitch.

I want to ask her a million questions. What was she fighting? Why was she running? Why was she fucking unregistered?

But I can’t. The more I know, the tighter that damn noose grows. Strangling, keeping the blood from my brain and the oxygen from my lungs.

She won’t defeat me like that.

“It needs to be spotless,” I tell her. “So fucking spotless I could eat my dinner off the floor.”

* * *

Summer opensher door to me ten minutes later. Displeasure dances in her eyes and Spencer’s right: she’s pissed off I’m late. A movie’s playing in the darkened room behind her and the smell of freshly popped corn wafts my way. She won’t say anything though. She wouldn’t dare.

“Hey,” I say, and when she steps aside I make my way inside her room.

Summer’s family isn’t anywhere near as rich as mine, but she’s still fuck-off wealthy and owns one of the nicest rooms on campus. In fact, it’s not really a room, it’s more like an apartment with a bedroom, a guest-room, two bathrooms, and a large living area.

That’s where everyone is, sprawled over the sofas and lying on the plush carpeted floor. No one’s actually watching the film. Dan and Lily are making out, Spencer has some girl sucking on his neck and a group of the girls from the cheerleading squad are gossiping in the corner.

“Want some popcorn?” Summer asks me, holding out a bowl as she places a sugared piece between her pink lips. If I told her to coil those lips around my cock right now, she’d do it. Even in front of all our friends gathered here. But despite that electricity buzzing through my nerves, that warmth simmering in my blood, I don’t want that.

I plunge my hand into the bowl, the corn warm, and grab a handful.

“What we watching?”

“Some action movie Dan wanted – not that he’s actually watching it.” She motions her head in my teammate’s direction, just as he pulls Lily into his lap. “Get a room,” Summer squeals with obvious delight. Sometimes she whines about everyone hanging out in her place, but I know that’s all part of the plan. She likes to be the conductor, spinning the music around to her pace, her rhythm, having everyone dance to her tune.