Tales of Darkness & Sin - Pepper Winters Page 0,16

of detective shows together to pass the time.” I shrug. “She told me I’d make an awesome one because of my need to always want to protect those who aren’t able to protect themselves.”

Protect women from pieces of shit like my father who like to beat and rape them.

I’m not sure what to make of the look on her face. “I’m sorry about your mom, Zander.” She reaches for my hand, and it feels like a live wire connecting our bodies. We both jolt at the touch, but neither of us put a stop to the contact. If anything, she squeezes harder. “If you really want to be a detective, I think you should go for it.” A small smile unfurls. “I think you can do anything you set your mind to.”

Jesus.

It’s not so much her words, it’s the genuine look in her eye when she says them.

She’s the first person to look past my glasses, acne, and skinny frame…and see something more.

If anyone would have told me I’d be sitting in an empty classroom, having such a personal discussion with the head cheerleader and prom queen while she’s looking at me like I strung up the moon…I’d say they were on drugs.

But this thing…what I feel happening between us right now.

It’s real.

So fucking real.

And I don’t ever want it to go away.

For reasons I can’t fathom, the girl is like a balm to all my internal scars

As if she was put on this planet just for me and me alone.

“It’s funny.”

A crease forms between her brows. “What is?”

I cup her cheek with my free hand. “You’re so much more than just a pretty face, Violet Mead—”

“What the fuck is going on here?” someone who sounds a lot like her boyfriend bellows from the door.

Violet quickly releases my hand. “Scott…hey.”

“Don’t hey me, Violet. What the fuck is this?”

“Nothing.” She grabs her purse off the desk and stands. “We were working on an assignment.”

He turns his angry eyes on me. “You better not be hitting on my girlfriend, you ugly dipshit.” He curls a possessive arm around her waist, tugging her to him. “She’s mine.”

I want to point out that she didn’t seem like his a few seconds ago, but Violet’s a big girl and is perfectly capable of telling him that herself.

But she doesn’t.

“Baby, relax.” Angling her body towards him, she runs her hand along his jaw. “Come on, let’s go grab something to eat.”

Almost instantly, Scott’s irritation dissipates.

But not before closing the distance between their bodies and kissing her.

Something strong and ugly rolls in my chest.

It’s obvious whatever spark I thought we had between us never existed.

Chest coiling, I watch as he takes her hand—the same hand that was holding mine just a short moment ago—and leads her out the classroom.

They’re almost out the door when she cocks her head, her gaze colliding with mine briefly…before she’s gone for good.

I’m halfway to my house when I hear footsteps behind me.

I stop, and sure enough, so do the footsteps.

An ominous sensation pulls at my gut.

One that gets worse when I turn around and see Scott…with a bat in his hand.

Motherfucker.

The first swing to my ribs brings to my knees.

The second has me seeing stars and crying out in pain as I curl up into a ball on the pavement. “Wh—”

“You can thank Violet,” Scott sneers.

Huh? That doesn’t make any sense to me.

However, I can’t speak because he attacks my legs this time.

A cracking, throbbing sensation pulsates through me. The pain is so intense—so excruciating—it robs me of breath.

“Violet?” I croak out, because I have to know what the fuck he meant.

Reaching down, he snatches a fistful of my hair.

“This is our thing.” A sharp punch to my face sends a bolt of rage spiraling through me. Unfortunately, I’m in no position to unleash it on him. “She flirts with guys and then I catch them together and beat the shit out of them to show them who she belongs to.” An evil, malicious smile spreads across his face. “Makes her all wet and horny.”

My rage quickly turns to revulsion.

It doesn’t sound like the Violet I know, but who’s to say I really know her to begin with?

Maybe it was all a ruse.

Violet lies to others...who’s to say she’d never lie to me?

I don’t want to believe it, but it’s the only thing that makes sense.

She’s the gorgeous head cheerleader dating the star quarterback…and I’m just a nobody.

Scott positions the bat over his head once more. “Flirt with her again and