of him.
The wave builds in intensity at the bottom of my stomach. It’s like a waterfall I’m about to fall over.
He reaches his free hand and twirls a hard, pebbled nipple between his thumb and forefinger.
“Ash…oh…God…”
I come, crying his name out loud. He claims my mouth with his to shut me up.
He kisses me, long and hard like he can’t get enough.
He shatters me then gathers me up and puts me back together.
I don’t want to stop kissing him, but I need more from him.
So much more.
I reach for his belt with unsteady hands.
“What do you want, prom queen?” he asks with an edge of amusement.
“You, Ash.”
“Reina,” he growls my name, and I swear his cock thickens even more.
He’s about to help me unbuckle his belt when a rustling sound comes from the locker room.
We both freeze.
“Who’s there?” I whisper.
Asher places a hand on my mouth. “Shh, if anyone finds us, we’ll be suspended.”
Right. He’s not supposed to be in the girls’ locker room, or screwing someone in the showers.
He helps me get down on my feet. When no other sound follows, he opens the door.
“Where are you going?” I can’t shake the disappointment out of my voice.
His eyes drag over my body, slow and with purpose. “I’ll wait for you at the car.”
At the car? He’s really leaving me like this?
“We’ll finish at home.” He winks and steps out.
Oh.
I bite my lower lip at the promise. Maybe this time, I’ll convince him to forgive me. Maybe not only will our bodies come together, our hearts will too.
Maybe, just maybe, after all these years of separation, we can find a compromise.
Because I want to be a part of Asher’s life.
I finish my shower in record time even though my skin is sensitive and heated because of the orgasm he wrenched out of me.
It doesn’t take me long to pull on my jeans, top, and shoes.
I take one last look at the mirror and pause at my flushed cheeks. A smile breaks out on my lips, genuine and…I can almost say…happy.
Happy.
I never thought that word could taste so sweet.
I throw my bag over my shoulder as I push on the door. It’s locked.
What?
I pull on it, but it doesn’t move.
They can’t close now. There are other students still on campus at this time.
The lights flicker before the locker room goes black.
I stop breathing.
No, no.
This can’t be happening. Not again.
My pulse spikes as I reach into my bag for my phone. This time, I make sure not to drop it.
I’m trembling all over, my fingers barely able to type anything.
I search for Asher’s phone number, but before I can hit it, there’s another rustling sound behind me.
I spin around, but it’s too late.
My face slams against something hard and my vision goes black.
This is what happens when you don’t play by the rules, Reina.
You lose.
Hands reach out for me as I run down a dark, filthy alley.
“Rai…”
“Go, Rai.”
“Run! You have to go.”
My heart thumps louder at that voice. I know that voice.
That voice has been caught between my heart and my ribcage for as long as I can remember.
I’ve been missing that voice from my life, and it has finally returned.
Reina?
I startle awake, my chest constricting with a frightening force.
“Reina? Are you okay?”
I’m disoriented for a second. It’s like I’m still in that alley, battling against the invisible hands coming for me.
It takes me a few blinks to realize I’m home, lying on my bed. Izzy sits beside me, wiping sweat off my forehead.
The back of my throat feels dry and scratchy. “W-what happened?”
Her brows furrow with concern. “Aren’t you supposed to tell us that?”
My throat itches as I speak. “What do you mean?”
A look of sympathy covers her features. “Asher found you passed out in the locker room at school.”
Memories crush down on my brain. Asher and me in the showers. We agreed to meet outside then…then the lights went off. Something collided with my head and then everything went black.
“Did Asher see what happened?” I ask Izzy.
“I don’t think so. He did report it to the administration, though.”
Not that they’ll do anything. They found no footage the previous two times. This one won’t be any different.
My fingers tremble as I pull the sheet up to my chin. The back of my head hurts and something in my body feels sour and beaten up as if I’ve been running the entire day.
“Where…” I clear my throat from the onslaught of emotions. “Where’s Asher?”
“He just stepped out,” she says with a tight