4. Hunted

~ CARA ~

The next morning, eyes aching because I’d only gotten five hours sleep, I followed the rest of my study group out of the Modern Lit lecture hall, sighing with exhaustion. The assignment we’d been given wasn’t due until midterms. I was going to be spending a lot more time with this group than I thought.

“So, we need to find a time we can all meet and make sure everyone’s keeping up with their assigned pieces of the project,” Diana said. She was the kind of girl who turned heads wherever she went—shoulder length, wavy blonde hair, blue eyes, and a smile that would wrap guys around her finger, but would turn sharp as a blade at the sight of another beautiful woman.

I’d spent enough time dealing with the crap dealt out by girls like that in high school. I had no interest in spending months working with her. But I had no choice. The professor had assigned our groups.

“I work a lot,” I said as we all turned down the main hallway. “If you guys meet at the library, I can check in during my shift.”

“That’s a good idea.”

I looked at the girl to my left gratefully. Meg had brown hair pulled back in a ponytail and cute glasses. Of the entire group, she was the only one who wasn’t an arts student. She was a science major, taking a couple literature classes to “broaden her foundation.” She was the only one I felt might become a friend. Meg didn’t wear fancy clothes, or talk like she knew everything. She seemed a little timid, but sweet. And I was pretty sure she lived on the same floor in my dorm.

Meg caught my smile and flashed me a shy grin in return. “You know, I was going to ask you—”

I didn’t hear anything else because the sensation was sudden and overwhelming. My skin pebbled like someone had taken gentle fingers and stroked them down my body from my collarbones, to my thigh, then back up. I physically shivered.

“What the hell—” I turned away from Meg to look ahead and froze mid-step, until I realized what I was doing and made myself move again, heart racing.

Rig Landon prowled the hallway towards us, his bright blue eyes locked on me, and a smile on his face that suggested things. Dirty, erotic things.

I shivered again and a spiral of desire curled low in my belly.

Down girl.

The increasing heat in my stomach was quickly doused when I realized he had three girls walking with him, all babbling and giggling, finding excuses to touch him. One of his friends walked at his shoulder, but neither of the guys spoke. At least, not with their voices.

The way Rig eyed me spoke volumes.

As we drew level on opposite sides of the hall, he didn’t take his eyes from me. Turning his head to follow me, he winked. “Good morning, Cara.”

I gaped, but made myself keep walking. Meg was staring at him, shocked, as well. But then he was behind us and I refused to crane my neck to see whether he kept watching me.

I plowed on, my heart suddenly hammering in my chest, and my skin prickling as if he’d stroked me.

“What was that—” Meg started, but she was interrupted by Diana.

“Why the hell is Rig Landon talking to you?” The blonde goddess’s voice had gotten shrill, as if I had offended her somehow.

I bristled. I knew I wasn’t popular. I knew I didn’t look like a show pony. But Diana didn’t have to act like a guy talking to me was confusing. 

Only I am allowed to assume I am repulsive to the opposite sex.

“We met in the library the other day,” I said through my teeth, wishing I didn’t sound so defensive. “And he talked to me last night at the party, too.”

I felt stupid for adding that. Like it was a badge of pride.

It wasn’t.

“He talked to you at the party? Why—ohhhhh,” Diana said, stepping up to my other side, a smug smile on her face. “So, you had the Rig Landon experience, huh?”

“I… what? No! We talked. For like, ten seconds.” And kissed for less, though it seemed like more.

“Sure.”

“I’m serious.”

“Whatever.”

I huffed, frustrated. “He likes to tease me. That’s it.”

“Tease you? Is that what we’re calling it now?” Diana said with a pinched laugh.

“You need to be careful about him.” The deep voice from behind us surprised me. I turned to find the other guy from our study group, Jason, a jock who was going to struggle in the class, I could tell. He just never seemed to focus on anything except making a joke.

But his face was serious now.

“I don’t have to be careful because there’s nothing going on,” I ground out. “He just entertains himself by making fun of me.”

Jason shook his head. “Rig doesn’t tease girls he’s not interested in. He’d just ignore you. Seriously, Car, you need to be careful. He’s a player. A real man-whore. Like, even worse than me.”

I was stunned silent for a moment, uncertain how to talk to a guy who referred to himself that way… but half-admiring that he didn’t pretend he wasn’t. It was… oddly refreshing. Until he opened his mouth again.

“Did you hear the trouser-snake story?” Jason asked Sam, the one who’d given me the drink the night before.

Sam barked a laugh as Diana turned to leap on Jason, grabbing his arm and gushing, pleading with him to tell her. But I refused to let this conversation continue.

“I… thank you, Jason,” I said firmly. “But don’t worry. I don’t want to have anything to do with Rig… or his trouser-snake.”

Meg snorted and we shared an amused look.

As the others continued to talk about Rig and his friends, I shook my head, feeling deeply uncomfortable. But Meg leaned a little closer and gave me a gentle smile. “Jason’s right about being careful. Especially if you’re… inexperienced with guys,” she said, with a quick, pointed glance to meet my eyes. “A friend of mine hooked up with him last year. He really hurt her. So… just be careful, okay?”

I was shocked. “Like… physically?” I asked.

Meg spluttered. “No! No, I mean… she liked it. Whatever. But he just left her hanging after. She said he warned her, but she didn’t think he was serious. He was. He’s a fuckboy, Cara.”

“Oh, you don’t need to tell me that,” I sighed. “That’s exactly why I wouldn’t do anything with Rig Landon. I promise.”

The conversation continued, but I tuned out because it was making me uncomfortable—and making me remember that kiss, which I didn’t want to. Two corners in the hallway later, I said goodbye to them all with a fierce sense of relief. I had to get to the library and my next shift. “I’ll see you guys there later to study, right?” I asked as I walked away.

Jason groaned, but Meg just gave me a nod and a wave.

*****

Later that afternoon, I was at the library desk. It had been quiet that day, so I’d had some time to study while I attended the desk, which was a relief.

When I heard my name in a deep, gravel tone, for a moment my heart skipped and I looked up, expecting to see those striking blue eyes and that wicked smile.

Instead, it was another guy, features slightly sharper than Rig’s, but hair dark like his. I recognized Rig’s friend from the Wolf Pack, Mack. I looked around quickly, searching for the others, but apparently he was alone, a large book resting on the desk in front of him.

“It’s Mack,” he said a second later when I was still just standing there, staring. I wanted to groan at myself. Why did I always get so awkward around cute guys?

“I know. Sorry, I’m just distracted.”

He nodded, but his grin said he knew better.

He had a nice smile. It pushed lines into his cheeks and softened his dark eyes. Rig had smile lines too, and a slight cleft in his chin. Rig’s jaw was shadowed a little more as well. I wondered what it would feel like if I dragged my fingernails along his—

“Um, are you okay, Cara?” Mack asked, his tone a little worried.

I wanted to smack myself. I’d been standing there staring at him, thinking about Rig and… what was wrong with me? This guy was turning me in knots because of a stupid kiss? I didn’t have time for guys like these.

“Sorry! I’m fine. Just distracted. It’s been a long day.”

I made myself move then, taking the book and asking for his card, walking to the card reader and answering his questions about my job at the library by rote while I got the book checked out.

But when I handed it back to him, Mack frowned. “I guess I hadn’t thought about what it would be like to have to work as well as study. That seems… hard.”

I shrugged. “I’m used to it.” I’d been doing it since Sophomore year of high school. It was the only way I’d been able to save enough to go to University at all. It wasn’t like my parents had the cash. My father drank it all.

Mack looked thoughtful, but didn’t move away. Just then, another couple students came to the desk and I helped them check out books, but when they left, Mack was still there, leaning on the counter, staring at me.

Nerves trilled in my chest—what was going on with this guy now?

“You know,” he said a minute later, “I could maybe… help you.”

“Help me with what? Are you going to work my shifts in the library?” I laughed, turning away to the computer, hoping he’d get the hint and leave.

Mack snorted. “No, I meant help you. Personally.”

I frowned, tapping on the keyboard and unlocking the screen. “What are you talking about?”

Mack tipped his chin down and stared at me out from under heavy brows, a smile flashing.

My stomach went cold. I watched him warily.

“I’m just saying… you’re pretty and funny and… if you wanted some help so you didn’t have to work so much… I’d be happy to help you,” he said, his voice low and suggestive.

He quirked an eyebrow, I had to swallow back a lump of combined horror and fascination. Did he actually think… “Are you suggesting you could be my… sugar daddy?” I half-laughed.

Mack snorted, but his eyes flashed. “Yeah, I guess I am. If you wanted—”

“You’d pay me to… like… sleep with you?”

Mack shrugged casually. “Well, I wouldn’t be quite so transactional about it, but yeah.”

He watched me like a hawk on a mouse. A tiny, huffing laugh broke from my throat as I turned and walked slowly back the few steps to stand directly across from where he leaned on the counter. I leaned on it so we were almost nose to nose. His pupils dilated when I looked at his lips, then back up to his eyes.

“So… you’re saying,” I whispered, “that you want me enough that you’d make my life easier just to get me?”

He nodded, and his lips curled up on one side.

“Why?”

“I don’t know,” he murmured. “You’re… different. I like it.”

I couldn’t decide whether to be enraged, or laugh in his face. My heart was beating too quickly, but more out of anger than anything else. To give myself a second to think, I turned to look left and right like I was checking to make sure no one could overhear us, then I braced on the top of the desk and leaned in close so that my lips almost brushed his ear.

“Mack?”

“Yeah?”

I smiled. “That’s the most offensive proposition I’ve ever heard. You need to leave now.”

I let the fake smile fall off my face and pushed back, folding my arms to stand there, glaring at him.

Mack raked a hand through his hair and stood up too. “Cara, I’m sorry, I wasn’t trying to—”

“Leave,” I snapped.

“I wanted to help you! It seems like it has to suck being busy all the time. It must be exhausting!”

“Not nearly as exhausting as listening to that kind of ignorant shit. Leave, Mack. I don’t know who or what you think I am, but I’m not selling my virginity.”

His eyes flashed. “So you are a vir—”

“Leave. Now. Or I’ll call security.” Three years at university and I’d never said those words before, now this was the second time in as many days.

What the hell was happening to my life?

But Mack had his hands up, trying to soothe me. “Wait, wait. I’m sorry. I owe you an apology. Please, let me tell you that I’m sorry!” He sounded so frantic, I hesitated.

Wrong move. It just encouraged him.

“I get it,” he rushed on. “I get it. I’m sorry. I’ll never say anything like that again. I promise. But I wasn’t trying to be an asshole. For real. I thought… I mean, I have money. Money is easy for me. It’s not easy for you. I just didn’t think about how it sounded. I’m sorry, Cara. Really. I mean it.”

He looked so pained, his forehead lined and eyes pleading. Was it an act? Or was there a heart hidden underneath all the flashing smiles and cutting remarks?

I didn’t let my expression soften, but I sighed. “Okay. Fine.” I didn’t believe that he hadn’t known what he was saying. But it did seem like he hadn’t wanted to offend me. “But you do need to go. I have to work.”

“Sure, sure, just… don’t hate me, okay? I know I can be an ass, but I just speak without thinking sometimes. I don’t mean to upset you. I promise.”

I tilted my head and watched him, but he didn’t waver. His eyes remained locked on mine.

“I believe you,” I admitted warily.

His shoulders sagged then and he smiled. “I’ll make it up to you.”

“You don’t have to, Mack. Just… treat me like a person, not something you can buy off a shelf.”

He nodded quickly. “Got it. Sorry. Really. And don’t worry, I won’t ever say that again.”

“Whatever—”

“I mean it, Cara. You’re different. I don’t want to upset you. I want to get to know you. I just went about it the wrong way. Can we start again?”

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

Mack straightened, then suddenly his smile blazed, his dark eyes shining as he dropped his chin, giving me an adorable, flirtatious smile, and offered his hand over the desk.

“Hi, my name’s Mack. What’s your name?”

It was stupid, and silly, and his smile had an edge that meant I needed to be very, very careful. But my heart beat a little faster as I rolled my eyes, then reached for his hand and shook it.

“I’m Cara,” I said with a laugh.

“It’s really nice to meet you, Cara.”

And he sounded like he meant it.