Page 212 of Soul So Dark

“You should stop,” I sigh, trying to act casual.

He slows his movements, but doesn’t take his hand off my neck. But I’m right, something’s changed. I can feel it.

He glances down at the duffel bag. “Are you going somewhere?”

I hesitate as it dawns on me that he wouldn’t know anything about where I’ve been for the past week.

I finish nestling my headset inside and zip the bag. “Yeah, um, I’m staying forHaloand then taking some of my stuff to Alex’s.” I clear my throat. “Because I’m moving in with him.”

Austin’s gaze is like an inferno against the side of my face. His hand shoots out and grabs my wrist, giving me a start. Then he raises my left hand, eyeing the purple gem stone on my ring finger.

“What the fuck is this?”

I look up at him, matching his icy tone. “An engagement ring.”

“Is he your sugar daddy now?” His words drip with venom. “What does that make you?”

“Not your problem, that’s what.” I jerk my hand out of his grasp. “Just like I wasn’t your problem after Evie died and I wasn’t your problem when you acted like I didn’t exist around your shallow, elitist friends.”

Alex, on the other hand, came in like a tidal wave and carried me away through that cafeteria door, answered my call, and climbed through my window without a second thought. So what if he’s older than me? If being alive three years longer gives him something that compliments me like no one else can, then so be it.

“Iwas there,” Austin seethes. “Since sixth grade, I’ve been here the whole time, right in front of you. I’ve been here foreverything. But that doesn’t mean shit to you because, out of nowhere, the guy that groomed you in high school rolled back into town. And you’re so stupid that you’re falling for it again!”

I reel back and slam him in the shoulder with my palm. I want to gouge his eyes out for saying that, for saying anything derogatory about Alex.

My Alex.

Austin doesn’t know shit about what happened back in high school.

“You know, Dallas,” he scoffs, “I should’ve known you’d turn out to be such a disappointment. So, next time you want to swallow some dick, maybe you can keep it in your room with the rest of your night job.”

“You werewatchingus?” I screw up my face in shock.

“That shouldn’t bother you,” he shrugs, “since you let thousands of strangers see you naked on the reg.”

My stomach drops as the dread sets in. He knows. Buthowdoes he know? Shelby wouldn’t have told him. I know she wouldn’t do that. Did he recognize me? Has he been watching?

But it doesn’t matter, I won’t admit anything. Instead, I narrow my eyes and square off with his daunting stature.

“I used to feel less-than, compared to you, like I was never enough. But, now, I think it’syouwho was never enough forme.So, get out of my room, Austin,” I spit with disgust. “Go cry to someone else about how our friendship has been nothing but a series of mutual betrayals. We’re done here.”

He takes a step toward me, invading my space. “You’re right, Dallas, I should've told someone back then about your pedophile boyfriend, instead of caring so much about your delusional feelings.”

Sounds mute and, suddenly, all I hear is a shrill, grating voice—Jordyn Harrington’s voice.

“Hey, Tyler, did you hear that Alex is a pedophile now?”

“But I guess this is a pattern for you,” Austin leers down at me, “trying to fuck all your brother's friends. First Alex, then Bowen…”

I open my mouth, but his words send my mind into a tailspin.

“How long have you been chasing him? Did he finally kick your ass to the curb so you went crawling back to Alex?” Austin leans down into my face. “Like a mutt and his bitch.”

Like a gunshot, I reel back and slam my palm into his nose with a sickening pop. The force of my entire body behind my wrist throws his head back and he stumbles to the side. Clutching his face, he falls back into my desk, knocking the monitors over with a crash.

Wasting no time, I grab my bag and storm out of the room. ForegoingHalonight, which pisses me off even more, I flee the house without a word, throw my shit into my Civic, and tear out of the driveway. My only consolation is that Austin will have to explain to everyone why he went into my room and came out with a bloody nose.

I hope I broke it. That should throw a wrench in any photo ops at his social engagements for the next week or so.