Page 108 of Loving the Tormentor

"What the— How am I supposed to know?"

"Well, he fucks you, doesn't he? Doesn't he share a few things?" That's not Cassie, but it's a taunting voice I recognize all too well.

I grit my teeth as I turn to Evelyn. "Why do you want to know? Jealous?"

"Rich boy tries something new with poor girl. We all know how the story ends."

My three friends stand up at the same time. "Alright, everyone, fuck off," Peach nearly barks.

Some people go their own way, but Evelyn and Cassie don't move.

"He shared secrets with me when he fucked me. Like, you know…" She points at my left ear and silently mouths,when he told me that you're not only poor, but you're also deaf. Unlucky.

Alex, Peach, and Ella can't possibly know what she just said since I had to read it on her lips. She did it on purpose, so my reaction would look completely disproportionate.

I fall for it anyway.

"Bitch, you're dead," I hiss as I throw myself at her.

In true North Shore style, my fist flies, hitting her square in the jaw. She cries out, falling back as others gasp around us.

"Nyx!" Alex calls me as I sense everyone moving closer.

I punch her a second time, but she doesn't even try to hit back, only protecting herself and failing miserably.

I faintly hear Peach yell at someone. "Fucking do something, idiot!"

And the mocking voice that answers fuels my anger. "I have a feeling Evelyn is getting exactly what she asked for."

"Achilles!" the three voices of my friends shout at him.

An arm wraps around my waist, lifting me with ease before Achilles drags me to the side.

I see it all. The phones pointing at me. The shocked gazes. And Evelyn's bleeding mouth as people help her sit up. Even my friends are lost as to why I reacted so wildly.

"Nyx," Alex says as I try to pull away from Achilles. "What happened?"

"Let me go, asshole," I rage at the man holding me. "Youtold her? Let go!"

Evelyn approaches us, tears rolling down her face as she shakes.

"I told you, Achilles," she sobs. "You can take the girl out of the North Shore, but you won't take the North Shore out of her."

I'm released so quickly, I lose my footing. Peach is the one who catches me, and Ella takes hold of my hand to reassure me.

"Repeat that," Achilles bites out as he gets in Evelyn's personal space. "Open your fucking mouth and let me hear you say what you think of her."

The violent tone has us all frozen in place. The room falls silent, held in this specific moment in time.

Achilles Duval, the blasé genius who’s above all of us, lost his cool.

"Pathetic, jealous bitch," he says as he steps back and points a threatening finger at her. "Your life is over, Evelyn. Your career, your future. It's gone. You're done for."

The words sound new from his mouth, and the shock on students’ faces tells me I'm right. That the respect people have for him has always been enough. That he's never had to utter such threats before. And that the reason he's using the power he has over everyone is me.

He turns around, heading toward me. Grabbing me by the upper arm with an unforgiving grip, he forces me to let go of Ellaand follow his rhythm as he strides out of the common room and through the castle’s dark hallways.

"You told her about…about…" I choke on my own words. "You were fucking her! Sharing my secret!"