Page 25 of Crush

Instead of cowering, Zeke straightens. “What’s your Society got to say about this, huh? I thought you weren’t allowed to abuse your members without your cloak on.”

That brings me to a halt. I hiss through my teeth.

Sensing the upper hand, Zeke continues, “I may not be a member, but I do recall the attempts to recruit me before I went Hollywood. I know your secrets, Thorney-boy. Don’t be stupid enough to forget it.”

“And what will you do to me?” I ask darkly. “That I won’t then do to you?”

“Steal your girl, for one.” Zeke gives a bloody smile. “Deny it all you want, but you’re practically oozing body odor for that chick. I wonder what good ole King Damion will think about that?”

I swallow back the rising anger, though it burns my throat to ashes. “You said it yourself. You’re not a member. You don’t get to waste his time with your baseless theories. Me, though? I love wasting time punching things.”

Zeke winces, though he tries to cover it up with a sneer. “Go ahead and try. I’ll squeal your name all over this shit-hole school until you’re expelled. See, unlike me, you don’t have a seven-figure career. All you have is daddy, and if you piss him off? Well…” Zeke exaggerates a shrug. “What’ll you have to fall back on? Ember’s pussy?”

Rage overflows. My teeth grow hot with flames when I peel my lips back and ready for another throwdown. This time, it’ll end with broken bones.

I grab Zeke by the throat, the back of his head slamming against the lockers so hard, he garbles in protest. “You do not approach her. Look at her. Touch her, or fucking think about her, and I will know. She is not your toy, Zeke. I don’t share. So if you’d like to keep that D-list face of yours in prime condition, I suggest you go sniff for cast-off skanks somewhere else.” I bend close, basking in his gasps for breath. “Got it?”

The locker door flies open, and the rest of the swim team filters in with Jaxon in the lead.

I release Zeke.

In less than a second, Jaxon comes up to my side, saying to Zeke, “Time’s up, man. Off you go.”

“No problem.” Zeke coughs, throwing up his hands in surrender, but his expression is anything but. “Hey Thorne, tell your dad I said hi, okay?” He winks, then walks around me, bumping my shoulder in the process.

“You cocksu—”

Jaxon grips my other shoulder. “Not happening, man. Not here.”

“You didn’t hear what he said. That gremlin thinks he can rock up to this school and shit all over my rule…”

“Breathe, man. Breathe.”

I do. My inhale ices my teeth. “He threatened me, Jax.”

“Okay, so we whoop his ass when we actually have clothing on. Deal?”

I glance at him, giving a hard sniff.

Jaxon peers closer. “Did he say anything else?”

Working my jaw, I debate all the reasons I shouldn’t tell him about Zeke zeroing in on Ember. “Nah.”

“Good.” Jaxon draws out the word like he’s not entirely convinced. “Then let’s get dressed.”

“Fine.”

A straggler waltzes through the pool’s door, and it arches open. Ember’s laughter—it has to be hers—drifts through.

“You’ve got eyes on you, man,” Jaxon murmurs beside me. I blink, then look in the direction he’s staring.

Zeke has one knee up on the bench between the line of lockers, grinning in my direction as he dries off his balls.

I give a low rumble in my throat, unimpressed with those shriveled lumps but concerned over what Zeke just witnessed. I was drawn all too easily to Ember’s sounds, blocking out all else.

Zeke’s presence changes things. He’s threatened to go to my father. Not that I’m wailing in concern, but it forces me to consider how I’m acting and how I should proceed moving forward.

I need to prove to everyone that I’m out to conquer Ember, not protect her.