A whole-body shiver goes through me and I can’t even breathe properly as the same scenario happens again.
Every time one of them punches, the other jumps back up and delivers a stronger one.
The crowd alternates between holding their breath, gasping, and cheering so loudly that my eardrums nearly explode.
I’ve never seen a more brutal manifestation of violence and testosterone than right now.
It’s like they’re out to kill one another while everyone watches.
I was aware of the animosity that ran between them, but I didn’t think it was this savage.
Or out of control.
The more I watch, the tighter my stomach gets. I don’t think I can stay for the whole thing.
I’m sure Ava will be able to get home by herself—
My thoughts are cut off when Jeremy wipes the blood off the corner of his mouth and stares straight at me. As if he knew I was there all along.
How the hell did he find me in the middle of all these people?
My stomach flutters the more he watches me with that icy stare of his. Only, right now, fire erupts in their gray depths. No, it’s a wildfire that won’t be stopped unless it devours everything in its wake.
He’s looking at me as if I’m the first he’ll devour.
As if I’m the only one he sees in the crowd.
And that doesn’t make sense. Jeremy has never looked at me this way.
Or has he?
That night, the first night at the deck, after he took me inside and went down on me in the middle of my stupid sleep paralysis, I think he had this look before he attempted to choke me.
I gasp when Landon uses his small moment of distraction and pummels him to the ground.
He leans down to whisper something in his ear, then stands to his full height, opens his arms wide, and grins, showing bloodied teeth as our students chant.
“King! King! King!”
But their celebratory yells end in a collective “Ahhh” when Jeremy jumps up and punches Lan into a corner.
He drives his fists in his face over and over. The brutality is criminal level and keeps heightening with every passing second.
Our students go silent while TKU’s become insane. Their cheers grow with Jeremy’s craziness.
The referee jumps in to announce that he won by points, but instead of backing away, Jeremy punches Lan one more time.
And when he tries to stand up? Jeremy throws him back down again as if to prove a point.
I’m deaf to all the noise, to the students chattering, to Ava grumbling about losing the money she bet on Lan.
My gaze remains locked on Jeremy, who’s glaring at Landon as if he has a personal grudge against him.
Could he know about Landon’s involvement in the fire? Maybe about my involvement?
I’ve never stopped feeling guilty about that, not even after Jeremy threatened me and basically turned me into his sex toy.
His morals shouldn’t reflect mine, and I don’t want to hurt people. However, I’m not idiotic enough to tell him about it. That would only create trouble.
I was so sure Landon wouldn’t either, but he’s been clearly displeased by how I’ve been refusing to be his spy, so maybe he sold me out.
No.
He wouldn’t do that. At least, I hope not.
Either way, I don’t want to stay here. I manage to drag Ava with me. Considering her dejected state, she doesn’t mind too much and doesn’t call me a killjoy.
We eat some ice cream on the way to the dorm, and then I tell her I’m going to study.
She says she’ll practice her cello.
Usually, I wait for her to go to sleep so I can sneak out, but I’m restless tonight.
Fifteen minutes after the sound of her cello fills the space, I throw on my hoodie and slip out of the flat.
It feels like it takes me forever to reach the cottage. I open the gate with the wireless key Jeremy gave me soon after I became a regular visitor at his property.
The whole house is shrouded in darkness, but the gothic vibe doesn’t bother me tonight.
Something else does.
Out of instinct, I stop at the door of the cottage. Usually, this is when he’ll ambush me, then chase me all over the place.
However, when I push open the door, nothing happens.
Though I’m sure I saw his bike outside. Could he be taking a shower?
I go all over the cottage, but there’s no sign of him. However, I catch a glimpse of a mass of muscles through the kitchen window—that he fixed after I shattered it to pieces.
My steps are careful as I head in his direction. Jeremy sits on the deck, leaning back his palms on the wood as he stares at the gloomy lake that I’m sure is filled with water ghosts.