Page 23 of Wicked Little Darling

And constantly invite me to get food with him, of all things.

I bit back all the profanities teeming on my tongue and muttered, “No, I don’t, thanks.”

“What did you eat today?” He tilted his head and let his eyes drift down my body. I wanted to blindfold him just to stop him from drawing this uncomfortable, unwanted heat from somewhere deep inside me. From dragging it to the surface with just a simple sweep of his gaze.

With a worn-out sigh, I sat heavily on my bed and hung my head in my hands so I wouldn’t have to look at him anymore. “I don’t see why that’s any of your business.”

“Aren’t you my business? As my roommate?”

I lifted my head, and when our gazes connected, it felt like the world had begun to slant and I was moments away from sliding off. “Dakota, let’s get things straight between us, okay?” He lifted his brows, then planted both feet on the ground andturned toward me so he was sitting sideways in his chair. “Just because we’re roommates doesn’t mean we have to be friends. I appreciate you helping me at the cemetery, but please,pleasejust leave me alone.”

My stomach growled right as I was done speaking. Dakota’s eyes flicked to my abdomen, then back to mine.

“Who said I wanted to be your friend?” He tilted his head and raised his brows.

Humiliation burned beneath my skin. I was so tired of being toyed with. “Just—just leave me alone, please,” I bit out.

“What if I don’t want to leave you alone?” He posed the question in a soft voice, but his eyes bored into mine with a hard awareness that felt like an icy hand wrapping itself around my throat.

A strange thrill of excitement crackled through me, making my heart pound and my mouth go dry.

I honestly didn’t know how to respond to that. Or why the fuck it excited me, of all things.

Today had started out so promising; my morning classes had gone smoothly enough. Nobody bothered me or even acknowledged me, and the courses themselves seemed straightforward and passable.

But it all had gone downhill halfway through my meeting with Dean Voss, and things were just continuing their downward trajectory. I didn’t want to know what I’d find at the bottom of this hill.

When he stood up and set his book on his desk, those dark eyes never leaving mine, I shoved to my feet, grabbed my backpack, and flew out of the room like the devil was on my heels.

Because I was pretty sure he was.

5

COME ON IN AND GET TRAUMATIZED

DAKOTA

“Alright, I’ll give you a few minutes to find a partner.”

Professor Hawkins gathered the small stack of papers from his lectern and made his way to his desk in the corner of the room. I leaned back in my chair and watched the students scurry around and pick their partners.

It would be pointless to try and find a partner. Not a single person here would ever willingly come near me, and besides that, this class had an odd number of students.

That was fine with me, I didn’t mind having to do this project alone.

After ten minutes passed and everyone had obviously chosen their partners, the professor took his place up at the lectern again and told everyone to quiet down.

He began writing down each pairing, and when it was my turn, I told him it was just me.

“What?”

I shrugged. “It’s fine, I can do it alone.”

Professor Hawkins shook his head. “No, no, this is a group project. Can I have two students volunteer to work with Dakota?” He looked around the room where not a single personraised their hand. Everyone was looking down at their desks or in the opposite direction.

It was kind of funny.

The door burst open and every head turned to watch a flustered Reese come barreling into the room. A wave of excitement rolled through me, and I sat up straighter.