Page 68 of Phantom Flower

“No,” he said calmly.

I was going to fucking die.

He was currently manhandling me in the middle of the hallway for everyone to see.

His hand stayed on my waist.

I wanted to cut that hand off.

Okay, that was a lie.

Before I could find the words to argue, I spotted Marco a few feet ahead.

He was standing near his locker, staring at Dimitri’s hand wrapped around my waist. He was wearing one of his soft sweaters again. Marco had always been shy, the kind of person who shrank when attention turned his way.

But right now, the concern on his face was clear even from a distance.

Oh, my poor sunshine.

“Rei…” Marco’s voice was cautious as we got closer. He glanced nervously at Dimitri, then back at me. “Are you okay?”

I quickly pulled away from Dimitri’s hold, ignoring the warning growl that rumbled from his chest. I did not want to drag Marco into whatever this was. He had always been fearful of trouble, especially trouble involving people like Dimitri. I had told him bits and pieces over the past week. About how intense things had gotten. Marco knew enough to be worried, and I could see it all over his face now.

“Yes, of course I’m okay,” I said, forcing a small smile even though my heart was racing. “Come on, let’s go to class.”

Marco did not move right away. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his fingers twisting the strap of his bag. He was clearly intimidated by Dimitri’s presence.

“Is… he coming with us?” Marco glanced at Dimitri again, then quickly looked away.

Dimitri’s eyes narrowed at Marco, but he did not say anything. Instead, he gave a short nod toward the hallway ahead. “You both can go first.”

Marco was clearly nervous, but he nodded and started walking ahead of us. I moved to follow him, grateful for the small buffer, but Dimitri’s hand suddenly grabbed the back of my neck. He pulled me back against his chest.

“Don’t pull away from me again,” he murmured against my ear. “You won’t like the consequences.”

“Fine,” I whispered.

Dimitri released my neck, but his fingers trailed down my spine in a caress before he let go completely.

“Good. Go ahead.”

I hurried after Marco. Dimitri followed a few steps behind us. I was kind of grateful he gave Marco space.

Marco kept glancing over his shoulder as we walked, his steps a little quicker than usual. When we turned a corner and had a bit more privacy, he finally spoke again.

“Rei… what the hell is going on?” He kept his voice low. “You disappeared all weekend. You didn’t answer any of my texts after the party.”

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck where Dimitri’s hand had been. “It’s complicated, Marco. But I’m okay. Really.”

Marco twisted the ribbon in his hair nervously with one hand.

“Are you? You didn’t text me back since Friday,” he said, glancing past me to make sure Dimitri was still a few steps behind.

I felt guilty.

I had told Marco bits and pieces over text last week, enough for him to know that things with Dimitri had escalated beyond just texting. I had downplayed a lot of it because I did not want him to panic, but clearly he had been thinking about it. He also knew the guy in the video from the woods was Dimitri. At first, he thought I had been forced. And while maybe I was, I did not exactly hate it.

I would do it again.