“Right,” I say. “That should make it easy.”
“I don’t know if your request would possible, anyway,” he says. “We don’t arrange student schedules that way.”
“Make it possible,” I say, leaning across the desk and resting the intricate design of the faux rings covering my brass knuckles on the surface. “Or I let your dirty little secret leak.”
“Threats are not going to work here, Ms. Apple,” he says, stiffening. “There are no secrets at Willow Heights.”
My eyes blaze at the little worm of a man. “I bet the town would think differently when they find out you allow your school’s secret society to have a rape room under the library.”
His face freezes, and I know I have him. “That’s preposterous,” he splutters. “We disbanded any such organizations several years ago, and before that, I can assure you no such activities took place.”
“Isn’t that convenient.” My voice is flat, not asking.
“Ms. Apple,” he says, his lips tight. “As I’ve explained, you are no longer a student here, and even if you had completed the admissions process, we have filled all the scholarship spots.”
“I’ll expect my thug-free schedule on Monday,” I say, standing and heading for the door. The school day is almost over, and I want to be out before anyone sees me. I know it doesn’t make sense. They’ll see me when I come back. But that will be on my terms.
As soon as I step around the last row of cars and the Escalade comes into view, my heart sinks. A fucking Range Rover is parked beside it. Again.
I don’t want to see him. I never want to see him again. But the only thing I want to see less is the twins, so I keep walking. Royal climbs out of his car into the paralyzing heat and waits for me to approach. “Harper,” he says. “Don’t drive off. I won’t touch you.”
He holds up both hands, like it matters to me that he’s unarmed.
He doesn’t need weapons. He is a weapon.
“What do you want, Royal?” I ask, noticing the weariness in my voice, my blood. I’m not scared the way I was last time. I just want to get it over with.
“I… Wanted to see you,” he says quietly.
“Why?” I ask, stopping in front of him. “What could you possibly want from me that I haven’t already given? No, actually, that you haven’t alreadytaken. There’s nothing left, Royal.I’mnothing, just like you always said.”
“I never said that.”
I cock my head. “Didn’t you, though?”
He rakes a rough hand through his hair. “Harper, listen,” he says. “Can we just—can we talk?”
A laugh escapes me, but it’s more of a bitter snort. I don’t think I’m capable of laughter anymore. “Fine,” I say. “Whatever you want, whatever you think I still have left to take, take it. I don’t care. I’ll give you anything you want if you’ll just leave me alone for the rest of my fucking life.”
“I don’t want anything,” he says, having the nerve to look offended, like he’s never asked me for a thing.
“Then why are you here?” I ask.
“Are you—no,” he says, shaking his head. “Of course you’re not fucking okay.”
“Now that we’ve established that, can I go?”
His dark eyes search mine, as if trying to find something real behind my snarky attitude. But that’s locked up tight now, where he can’t reach it. I’d like to say he’ll never touch me again, not anything below the surface. But I’ve made a hundred promises ofneverwhen it comes to Royal, and he turned every one of them toalways.
“Were you really trying to end your life?” he asks after he doesn’t find whatever he’s looking for in my eyes.
“No,” I say. “Of course not. My life is even more glamorous now than it was before I was gang raped and left for dead in a swamp. I mean, what could possibly make a girl like me want to end it?”
“I don’t know,” he says slowly, a frown creasing his brow. “I wouldn’t know what could make a person try that. I never did.”
“And see, that’s the thing. You and I are nothing alike. We never were. So stop thinking I’ll react the way you do, or take something the way you want me to. I won’t.”
“Just seeing me made you do that?” he asks, like it fucking matters why.