Page 15 of Merciless

Elijah steps past Katie and holds his hand toward me.

My jaw drops.

Am I hallucinating? Have I been transported to some weird new dimension where my stepbrother not only stands up for me, but wants to help me up from the ground?

When I don’t take his offered hand, he wiggles his fingers.

“Come on, birdie. The class is waiting,” he murmurs.

Glancing past him, I blink at the students watching us. All of them are in just as much shock as I am that Elijah Astar is talking to me. No, scratch that. Not just talking to me, but helping me. Even Mr. Thorn perks up in his seat, eyes wide and his precious coffee forgotten.

Katie slaps Elijah’s hand away from me. “She can get up on her own. No need to dirty yourself with her filth.”

I glare at her.

Elijah’s features slacken, and he turns to her. “Touch me again, and that will be the last time you’ll use your hand.”

Katie’s jaw slackens, and she eases back a step. Her frightened gaze snaps toward me, then back to him before she races out of the classroom.

The class remains silent, still watching Elijah and me.

He holds out his hand to me again and raises an eyebrow. “Well?”

I wrinkle my nose and stand without his help. “I don’t need you,” I grumble.

Elijah chuckles, the sound smooth as caramel. “I don’t believe that for a second.”

I push past him and sit in the only empty spot. Unfortunately, it’s beside Elijah.

Mr. Thorn clears his throat. “All right. Now that the show is over, today we’re going over⁠—”

His voice fades as I zone out. This will be the talk of the day, not that it’s anything new. I’m always the center of attention for the wrong reasons. And if the person who’s been watching me finds out that Elijah tried helping me, they’ll go after him too.

As much as he gets under my skin, I don’t want anything to happen to him.

I try not to pay much attention to how the class ignores anything Mr. Thorn says. They’re all looking at me, watching as Elijah takes the seat beside me and pulls out his sketchbook.

I don’t know what possessed him to help me.

Why now, of all times?

He’s been watching me for years, so he has to know about my old friends disappearing, then coming back with bruises and busted lips. He had to have seen that anyone who smiled in my direction or showed any sign of friendliness toward me ended up in the same situation.

So why would he put himself in danger like that?

I mentally shake away the question and focus on Mr. Thorn as he discusses lighting. My thoughts keep drifting back to Elijah and analyzing what happened. I come to one conclusion, and it’s not only to protect me, but him, too.

Whatever Elijah has up his sleeve, I’m not falling for it.

CHAPTER 7

ELIJAH

DAY 1 OF THE BET

When Mr. Thorn dismisses the class, Eden leaps out of her chair and charges toward the exit. I follow close behind, a smirk fighting its way onto my face. Funny how she talks a tough game, yet the moment I show her a little attention, she’s running from me as if I told her she’s about to gain eight inches inside her.

In due time, she will. For now, I have to warm her up to me.