Bittersweet (Redemption #3) - Jessica Prince Page 0,47

well as feeding him and fussing over him constantly. I thought for sure it would send him running for the hills, but to my surprise, Jensen loved it.

“It’s not one of those stupid romantic comedies, is it?” I asked, scrunching my nose up in distaste, making him laugh.

“Please. Like I don’t know you better than that. It’s got enough violence and blood to satisfy your psychotic little heart.”

I gave him a big, closed-mouth smile, my cheeks puffing out like a chipmunk’s from the enormous bite I’d just taken. “Good. You know I prefer action over anything else.”

A shadow suddenly fell over the table, and when I looked up, my smile fell. Ronny Culpepper was standing there with a couple of his asshole buddies at his back and Rina under his arm. “Aw, aren’t you guys just the cutest,” Ronny mocked, his and Rina’s eyes both full of malice as they sneered down at us. I shouldn’t have been surprised that she’d go for a guy like him after Jensen shot her down the way he did. Ronny was a dick and Rina was the female version of that. I wished it hadn’t taken me so long to see it.

“Fuck off, Ronny,” Jensen growled, his face getting red.

“Or what?” Ronny goaded.

Jensen’s fists clenched on the table and my belly began to twist with anxiety. He’d already gotten into two fight at school. The second was with a jackass from Ronny’s crew who felt the need to get revenge for his buddy. It hadn’t worked out well for him since he’d gotten his ass handed to him as well. If Jensen got into another, I wasn’t sure there were enough strings for his dad to pull to get him out of trouble. It would be his third strike, and Ronny knew that.

“Why don’t you stand up and make me,” Ronny continued, and I got the sick feeling he was intentionally trying to push Jensen into taking a swing, knowing if he threw the first punch, he’d be expelled no matter what.

“Just ignore him,” I whispered, placing my hand on Jensen’s fist to try and calm him down.

“Just ignore him,” Rina mimicked derisively. “Saint Shane. Little Miss Perfect. Always so damn boring.”

I cut my eyes to her. “Don’t you ever get tired of being a raging bitch all the time?”

Her overly glossed lips twisted up in a malicious smirk. “At least I know how to have fun.”

“Sure are puttin’ in a lot of work for some pussy, Rose,” Ronny cut it with a slimy grin. “She let you tap that yet? Probably not, huh? Heard this one’s totally a prude, keeps her legs crossed tight, man.” He jerked his chin in my direction. “Gotta work hard if you wanna get in her pants. Not sure she’s worth the effort.”

My cheeks heated again, but this time it was in embarrassment. Rina started to giggle, and I knew exactly who it was that told him I was a prude.

Jensen was on his feet in an instant, ripping his hand away from mine as he pushed up against Ronny, bumping him with his chest. “What the fuck did you just say about her?”

“You heard me.”

I shot up, rushing to Jensen’s side and grabbing hold of his arm. “Jensen, stop. He’s not worth it.”

Ronny kept on going, pushing harder and harder for a fight. “Bet she’s a shitty lay too. Waste of time if you ask me.”

Jensen had Ronny by the throat before I could react, shoving him back so hard the jerk slammed into the table behind him.

Everyone in the cafeteria was suddenly on their feet, shouting and chanting “fight” like they couldn’t wait for it to happen.

Ronny stood up and grinned, just waiting for Jensen’s hit. And he was about to get exactly what he wanted before I stepped in the middle of them, placing my hands on Jensen’s chest and pushing him back. “Stop it!” I shouted, giving him another shove. “If you fight him you’re gonna get expelled!”

He didn’t budge. He didn’t take his eyes off Ronny. Hell, I wasn’t even sure he’d heard me. His eyes had taken on a glazed look, the storm brewing in them so dark they’d turned nearly black. His face had gone red with rage and his chest was rising and falling like he’d just run a marathon. I was looking at a boy I barely recognized, one who was out for blood. He was laser focused on Ronny like a shark that smelled blood in the