Page 99 of Riot Act

I arch an eyebrow at him. “The way you’re behaving, you’d think we were.”

He holds out his hand. Still. Firm. Expectant. “Now.”

I have to take a deep breath before I can speak. “This is all fun and games when it’s on your terms. The second I fuck with you, you don’t like it. Well, life doesn’t always go your way, pal.” I duck around him, dropping his phone into the trash can by the old stone water fountain as I pass it. Luckily for him, unluckily for me, Pax has the reflexes of an angry cat; he snatches it out of the air before it can actually disappear into the trash can.

Slipping the phone into his pocket, he falls into step alongside me. “That wasn’t very nice,” he growls.

“Yeah, well. I’m not feeling particularly nice.”

“Why not?”

I glower at him out of the corner of my eye. “You went and spoke to my dad? What the hell, dude?”

“Dude and pal are not names you use for someone who’s ejaculated inside of you,” he says matter-of-factly.

“Jesus, Pax!” I look around to see if anyone heard him.

He has the nerve to look entertained. “What? You care about people knowing that we’ve fucked now? You didn’t seem to care so much on the lawn the other day.”

“That was before you went and saw my father,” I spit. “Don’t do that again. Just…stay away from my family, okay? You’re not supposed to be anywhere near them.”

“You want me to stay away from that brother of yours, too?”

I stop dead, turning to face him. My skin is clammy, covered in a cold sweat. Pax stops, too, and other students grumble and mutter as they have to sidle past us. “Yes. I absolutely want you to stay away from Jonah,” I say. My voice is cold. Flat and hard. Fear makes it so. “He’s probably gone back to California, so you won’t run into him anyway.” I don’t know if that’s true or not. It’s not as if Jonah’s texted me to let me know his plans. He wouldn’t. As far as I’m concerned, he wasn’t supposed to be here at all. Dad didn’t mention a visit from him to me. I’ve been hoping against hope that he’s bailed back to the west coast already.

“If he’s gone back to California, then you’ve got nothing to worry about, have you?” Pax says this too easily. It’s as if he knows something I don’t. The weird sharp edge to his expression is making me really worried.

I don’t even know what to say.

Pax reaches out and curls a section of my hair around his finger thoughtfully. People really are looking now. I can’t believe he’s doing it. When the tip of his index finger skates along the line of my cheekbone, my breath catches in my throat.

“Don’t kiss me,” I whisper.

“Now, why on earth would you saythat?” He arches an eyebrow suggestively.

“Because you’re looking at me like you’re going to kiss me, and—”

He grabs me by the back of the neck, pulling me to him. I have no fight in me. I should stop him, plant my hands against his chest and push him away, but I’m too floored by the fact that he’s actually doing it, here, in front of so many people, to act.

I forget everything I told myself earlier. All thoughts of ending my arrangement with him go flying out of the window the second he brings his lips crashing down on mine.

The kiss sears my fucking soul.

His lips are firm, demanding. He urges my mouth open, sliding his tongue past my teeth, tasting me, stealing my breath, and I melt into him. I’m aware of the scene we’re creating. People are stopping, staring, holding up their cell phones…and Pax doesn’t seem to give a single flying fuck.

It’s over before I know it. When I open my eyes, he’s staring at me. Only seeing me. He sucks on his bottom lip, as if savoring the taste of me, and my heart pounds in my chest.

“What the fuck was that?” I whisper, pressing my fingertips to my mouth.

“That was a preview of what’s gonna happen later.” He offers me a raw-edged smile when he steps back. “See you tonight, Chase.”

“I told you. I’mnotcoming to the house!”

38

PAX

Wren: Found his info on a flight back to San Diego. Leaves tomorrow morning. He’ll be back in a week, though. This is Pres’ brother?