Page 109

The following day at breakfast, cutlery tinkled against ceramic, people caught up with each other after the weekend, and I watched her surreptitiously while pretending whatever Liam and Nathan were discussing reached my ears.

She gave no inclination she knew I existed anymore, let alone she’d seen the note, and my fingers itched to text her something that would make her react.

The spoon clinked against my mug as I fixed my coffee and dragged my attention resolutely away, only to discover with a jolt it was Mia they were talking about.

“She looks different lately,” some guy said, grinning wolfishly and ogling her. My teeth ground together and I reached for a sip of coffee and prayed they’d nip it in the bud before I had to say something.

“Nah, you’re blind. She’s like… properly hot. That body… with that innocent-looking face.” Nathan hummed, taking a ravenous bite of his omelette.

Shut the fuck up.

The fork creaked in my grip as I stabbed a piece of bacon with murderous force and prayed I wouldn’t have to hit anyone, though the odds were currently stacked against me.

The other guy nodded, a leer creeping onto his face, one my knuckles itched to wipe off.

Breathe. Don’t lose your shit.

“And you know what else?” Nathan added, leaning in conspiratorially, the glint in his eye pulling the rage into a blaze in my chest.

Do not finish that sentence.

“I bet she’s a freak, too. The smart, quiet types usually are,” he said, a leering grin tugging at his lips.

My grip on the fork turned white-knuckled.

“Cut it out,” I rasped. “My breakfast’s lodged in my fuckin’ throat.”

I kept my expression as neutral as I could and my eye on my plate, chewing my eggs mechanically and not trusting myself to look at them.

“You don’t think she’s hot?” Nathan snorted, disbelief thick in his voice.

“That’s not the point,” I ground out, then chewed another mouthful and forced myself to swallow, even as the food had turned into cardboard in my mouth.

“Cut. It. Out.” I repeated, each word hissing through gritted teeth as my eyes flashed to them.

“Relax, man. No use getting worked up over a piece of pussy.” He made a placating gesture with his hand and barked out a laugh. “Although…” He rolled his lip between his teeth, and his gaze flicked to her again, stripping her bare from across the room.

My composure splintered.

I shot to my feet, blood rushing in my ears. My knuckles sang as I punched him straight in the face, the impact zinging through my fist, up my arm. The sickening crunch told me I might have broken something.

It should’ve disgusted me.

“I said, shut the fuck up.”

“What the fuck’s wrong with you, man?”

Blood was streaming down from where he was clutching his nose, and his voice was a little thick. He stood up anyway, shoulders squared, like he was considering fighting me.

Hit me, I dare you.

My own blood ran hot at the prospect.

“I wanna have my breakfast in peace. Is that so much to ask?” I gritted out, tone feigning a casualness that was entirely put-on.

For a moment, Nathan stared at me, cheeks blotched red, his expression a mix of disbelief and searing rage that told me he might actually do it.

Then, his face blanched in one fell swoop.