As I get closer I see that her eyes are rimmed with red and that she has tear tracks down her cheeks.
“There’s no point looking for help, everyone already left.”
“I-I wasn’t. What are you doing here?” she asks again.
“Needed to talk to you.”
“And in order to do that you had to break into the girls’ locker room?”
“I walked through the door. I’m not sure that classifies as breaking in.” My voice is low as I close the last bit of space between us.
The second I’m in front of her, she stands, clearly not wanting to be at a height disadvantage—although she always will be, seeing as she’s a head shorter than me while only in a pair of sneakers.
“Whatever. Miss Jones is in her office. You need to get out of here before she finds you.”
“Why? What do you think she’ll do?”
Her lips part, but she must decide against saying anything. We might not have been here long, but word quickly got around that we don’t exactly do as we’re told.
I take another step forward, forcing her to take one back in order for us not to be pressed against each other.
“What do you want, Cole? If you’ve come to scare me into keeping my mouth shut, then I can tell you that I’m really not in the mood for it.”
“Why were you crying?” It’s not the question I wanted to ask, but it’s the one that falls from my lips nonetheless.
Chapter Five
Hadley
“Why were you crying?” Cole’s question catches me off guard, and, for a second, I think he’s asking because he cares.
But I’m not sure Cole Jagger has the capacity to care.
Not about me, at least.
“None of your business,” I sass, drying my eyes. It’s then I realize I’m standing in just my skirt and bra, my shirt crumpled in my hands.
“You should get dressed,” he snaps. The words are rough in his throat, as he drags his eyes back to my face.
“Why?” My brow rises as I lower my hands. I shouldn’t provoke him, but it’s the only way I know how to make him respond.
“Hadley, don’t play games with me, I’m really not in the mood.” Cole’s eyes darken, hunger swirling there.
When he’s like this, wild and unpredictable, it’s easy to believe he wants me. Wants more of this connection simmering between us.
He glances back toward where Miss Jones’ office is. The blinds are down, but I know she isn’t in there. I lied earlier when I told him that, because I couldn’t drag my eyes away from my phone, from the photos littering social media. Photos I didn’t want or need to see, but ones I sat obsessing over all the same.
A pained whimper crawls up my throat, but I smother it, blinking back the tears.
“What. Happened?” He growls the words, inching toward me. I step backward, trying to keep a safe distance between us. After the heartache of seeing my family in those photos, of seeing him, I don’t trust myself not to do something stupid where Cole’s concerned.
“I told you, it’s none of your business, Cole. You have your secrets, I have mine.”
“Is it Hayden?” he spits. “Did he do some—”
“Hayden? You think this is about Hayden?” Disbelief coats my words.
“It isn’t?” Confusion clouds his eyes and maniacal laughter spills from my lips.