I shook my head. “I’m not taking back my threat.”

“I know.” He sighed. “But can you try not to threaten her again? At least for this week. Give me a shot?”

I groaned, but nodded. “I’ll try to refrain.”

“Thanks, B!” He clapped me on the shoulder too before he took off for his class, an extra bounce in his step.

Cross watched him go. “He’s like a giant five year old sometimes.”

I laughed. “This week’s going to suck. I can already feel it.”

Cross held the door for me, following me into the class. We both moved toward the last rows of seats, dropping into the closest two.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

Tabatha chose that moment to enter the room. A couple football guys followed, along with Monica and another girl on the charity committee Taz had put together. Tabatha looked over, her gaze lingering on me before she slid into her seat. The guys sat closer to us, one of them holding out a fist to Cross.

“Hey, man.”

Cross met it with his, nodding and leaning back. Our conversation was done. Normals could hear.

“Hey, Cross.” Monica smiled, sliding into the seat behind Tabatha and parallel to him.

Cross looked at her, then to me, and didn’t respond.

Tabatha’s mouth fell open slightly.

Monica just shrugged. She ducked her head to whisper with Tabatha.

Cross noticed the exchange and turned to me with a questioning look. I shook my head. I’d tell him later.

He kicked his feet up on the book rest of the chair in front of him. The other student didn’t seem to mind.

The teacher came in then, with a note in hand. She read it for a moment before looking around to find me. “Bren, you’re to go to the office.”

I sat up straight, tension filling my shoulders. “Why?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know. The note just says to send you there.”

My counseling session was tomorrow. I hadn’t done anything wrong. The next charity committee meeting wasn’t till Thursday. There was no reason for me to go there.

Except get in trouble.

I had to go. I knew it, but I couldn’t make myself get up. My legs literally wouldn’t work.

Feeling Cross’ gaze on me, I rested my hands on my seat. My palms were flat, my fingers spread out. “I’m good. Thanks.”

She dropped the note onto her desk. She seemed tired and distracted, her hair frazzled around her, but she looked at me curiously. “Excuse me?”

“I’m aware this looks ridiculous to you, but I haven’t done anything wrong. If I go there, I’ll just get in trouble. So, I’m not going to the office.”

The tension I could feel in my shoulders filled the room. Everyone fell silent and waited.

Here I went again. Starting trouble, but I swear this wasn’t intentional. I just couldn’t move around the boulder in my stomach. And what I’d said was true—if I went, I’d be walking into trouble. I was never called down there for good things. Always bad. Always trouble.

Hell, maybe I should at least cause a little trouble. Maybe then I wouldn’t feel like I was walking to my slaughter.

The teacher looked at Cross. “Are you going to back her up if I send her to detention?”

There was no hesitation. His chin rose. “You know I will.”

She rolled her eyes, letting out an impatient sigh. “This is ridiculous. This whole crew system is stupid. She!” She pointed right at me, her words directed at Cross. “Is not going to go anywhere in life. You know that, right? She assaulted a member of this administration with a deadly weapon, and she’s still here. She should be in prison, or at least expelled from this place.” There was a wildness to her words. “Bren Monroe! Get out of my classroom.”

At least now I felt like I’d earned it, and I was aware of how stupid that was.

She waved her hand in the air. “I don’t care who your brother is or what lawyer he hired. If you lay one hand on me, I’ll make sure you go to prison. You hear that?” She stabbed her finger against the desk.

I winced from the force, but she didn’t flinch.

The room was so silent. Someone’s phone buzzed, but no one moved to get it. I stood, grabbing my books. A second later, Cross’ chair scraped as he stood too.

The teacher’s hands flew in the air. “Are you kidding me? Cross, you have so much potential.”

He didn’t reply. He just looked at me.

Everyone watched us leave.

“You can’t follow her to the grave or to prison,” the teacher called. “You won’t be able to share a cell, and I don’t think you’ll care about a coffin.”

Her words struck deep.

It felt like my own knife had plunged into me. I didn’t know it was going in until it was there, and the pain took my breath away.

I didn’t move for a second, not until I felt Cross behind me. His hand touched the small of my back, and I jerked forward.

I debated where to go—to the office, to find out what trouble I was in, or back out the door with another “cut day” under my belt. It was my second goddamn day back, and I already wanted to run.

Cross stepped close, but his hand fell away. I knew students inside the class could see us, and I knew I looked weak. I couldn’t help myself.

I felt beat down.

In that moment, they won.

“You might not even be in trouble.”

I rolled my eyes. “When am I not in trouble?”

He grinned, and I felt my toes curl.

“When you haven’t done anything wrong.”

“I’m sure they made something up,” I protested. “It’s day two, and I’ll be out of here.”

“Come on, Bren.” Cross’ hand came to my back again, slipping under my shirt.

Warmth spread under his touch, and my body started to buzz. My eyelids grew heavy as I looked at him. I knew what he was doing. Even just the slight reminder of his touch had my need for him growing. After the last three nights, I was almost feverish just being near him.

“You’re not making me want to go to the office.”

He laughed softly, but moved away. “Let’s just see what they want. If you’re in trouble, you know I’m walking with you.”

I gave in, going with him, but the teacher’s words haunted me.

Cross, you have so much potential… You can’t follow her to the grave.

She’d touched on what I’d always thought about Cross.

Why was he crew?

Why was he friends with us?

Why was he friends with me?

Why was he with me?

I snuck a look at him. The teacher was right. He could do better than us. He had a future. He could have a future now. He had the smarts, the looks, and he could do bigger and better things than all of us here.

He shouldn’t be with you, a voice whispered to me from the back of my mind. It didn’t speak up often, but it was saying something now.

I looked at him more fully.

He ignored my perusal, probably knowing what was going on in my head. But I realized that voice was right.

The firefly was coming back. I felt the beat of its wings, the steady growing of its dangerous warmth. It’d been so long since it kept me company, and I felt its impending arrival.

I was bringing him down. I was holding him back.

I was spiraling.

Cursing, Cross reached in front of me to open a closet door, and he pushed me inside. It was dark, and he didn’t bother turning the light on.

This was perfect. The darkness. His mouth was on mine two seconds after he pushed me up against the door.

Oomph!

I had one second of notice, and then I was slammed with lust. It scorched me, doubling what it’d been moments ago. I felt like I was going to explode as I kissed him back.

“Cross,” I moaned.

He only kissed me. He didn’t stop, and I couldn’t do anything except go along for the ride.

It felt so good, all of it. The way he held the side of my face. The way his lips pressed against mine, his chest against mine. How I felt his strength, his power, his determination as he drew in a breath. His lips never left mine.

“Whatever you’re thinking—” He ripped his mouth away, but only to take a ragged breath before he moved back for more. “Stop. I don’t want to hear it. I don’t want to feel the ramifications, but I know you’re slipping away.”