Page 12 of Brutal King

Axel came in close to her, his eyes as hard as steel. “You’re lucky I don’t have you arrested for assault,” he hissed. “But if you ever try to lay your dirty hand on me again...” With a disgusted huff, he pushed her away and turned to walk off along with Kobe, who gave me an angry glare.

From the way he looked at me, did he even recognized me? Did he know I had waited for years to hear from him just to see him like this? An arrogant prick of a bully? Damn, he had grown into such a hot guy, too. The kind of guy girls would be willing to drop their panties for.

He once looked at me with adoration, but just now...he looked at me as though I was the enemy. What happened? Did he even remember our first kiss?

The cafeteria was silent, all eyes on us... on Layla.

Unshed tears lined her eyes as she fought to control herself, but she certainly had better control than I did. Tears of frustration and humiliation streamed down my cheeks.

“They’re spineless jerks who rely on dear old daddy to remedy anything that goes wrong for them,” Layla said. “Don’t let them get to you, Kat.”

After everything Axel had said, all the insults, here she was consoling me.

After the initial shock of the scene wore off, the people around us started giggling and pointing.

“Kat...” she said.

I let out a pained sob, bringing more giggles from those around us. Unable to take it any longer I ran out.

“Kat!” Layla called after me.

I ran until I was outside and ran on until I’d reached the door to our dorm house. Out of breath and panting, I stood there sobbing.

“Kat,” Layla said as she caught up. “Don’t let those idiots ruin your day. Can’t you see that for all their money and prestige, they’re just too little boys looking to show what big shots they are... or aren’t, as it were.”

You don’t understand, I wanted to say. I know them. I know Kobe... and he knows me. That he would treat me that way hurts like you can’t imagine. That he could be so cold and callous... What happened to turn him into such a despicable person.

For all the privileges he had, he’d become a bully... and I, his victim.

“Come on,” Layla said. “Let’s go inside and get cleaned up.”

I shrugged.

“We don’t want to be late to our classes,” she went on. “Those boys would just love that, wouldn’t they?”

I tried to laugh, tried to smile. “You were starving. You barely had time to take three bites before those clowns came along.”

“Yeah, but they were three very hearty and delicious bites,” she said with a startlingly bright smile. “Besides, we have that large bowl of fruit in our room. I’ll grab an apple or something.”

I looked at her, so peppy and optimistic despite the tomato sauce in her hair and all over her clothes. Would she feel the same if she had been close to Kobe as I had? Would she be so chipper if she’d been close to him, close enough to have him trust her... confide in her... confide a secret... a secret that led her to believe that they could be more than friends?

Chapter 4

Isat by my bedroom window staring outside and waiting. For what, I wasn’t sure; Kobe King? Was I waiting to see him pass by? Was I hoping to see him walk up to the door of my dorm to come apologize?

Fat chance.

And while a part of me did want to see him, to hear his reasoning – anything to explain his behavior – the other part of me never wanted to see him again.

After what he’d done, I just couldn’t shake off the sense of hurt and humiliation he’d caused me. A chill ran up my back and I hugged my thick bathrobe tightly around me. It was still damp from my shower, and I knew I had to snap out of this and get ready.

Layla had been kind enough to let me take a shower first. I was shaking with rage by the time we’d reached our room, not only for my wounded pride, but for the ruined Chanel suit.

Damn.

I’d stood under the steaming water, willing it to erase what Kobe had done, willing it to erase what Kobe had become.

But it was no use. Kobe had treated me badly, and nothing was going to undo that.