Chapter 8

• Kane
• "And I told you that I'm not taking orders from you," she says, keeping her expression even. He loves and hates that about her all at the same time. She's so strong and soft at the same time, the exact balance he craves. He hears Talon chuckling behind him, but he ignores him. This is a game to Talon, and he's going to annihilate him if he touches what's his. Talon pours his drink down his back before he shoves into him, and he turns around, shoving Talon back into the bar.
• "I'm sure our fathers will be pleased to hear about this," Talon grins at him, adjusting the collar of his baby blue polo shirt.
• "I'll kill you in front of your stupid-ass father if you touch her again. I do not give a fuck." Kane doesn't get to tell him that she's his because Celeste is curling her fingers around his forearm, her touch bringing him out of his rage.
• "Kane, it's okay. Stop." She looks panicked, which is a rare occurrence from her. "We need to get out of here." She's pulling on him like her small frame could possibly move him if he didn't want her to.
• "Aren't you embarrassed?" Ella cackles, walking up next to him and hopping on the bar. He feels Celeste tense even as he backs away from Talon. "You're chasing a man who clearly doesn't want you. Everyone knows what happened between you and Blaine."
• Celeste doesn't respond, but he doesn't expect her to. She's not one to lower her level just to argue with the trash. But Kane's already six feet below basement level, so he obliges.
• "Put your tits away and go find a cock to suck. You're not adding to anyone's conversation here." He furrows his brow, looking her up and down with disgust. "Don't talk to her again."
• A tight grin flexes Ella's cheeks; he knows he's hurt her, but she won't show it. She thinks she's valuable because she's had encounters with the fraternity, but really, he can't imagine ever being drunk enough to stick with her.
• "Let it go, Kane. None of these people are worth this," Celeste says to him, looking up at him from under thick dark lashes. She isn't weak; she's focused, and all she seems to care about is getting him out of here before he commits a homicide. Blaine always told him that she cared about him in a way he'd never understand, but he never believed him.
• "Do you stay up at night, CELESTE wondering if you could have saved him if only you'd been around? Wasn't he waiting for you? Why won't you tell anyone where you were that night? I heard you were around Faircliff, but you know how rumors spread around here." The dumb blonde bitch sneers, and before he can snap, Celeste's arms are around his neck, pulling him down to her height.
• Kane can feel the curves of her full breasts pressed against his chest, and he hates that she can make him hard when he was just ready to rip someone's head off a second ago.
• He only realizes that the guys have migrated over to them when he hears Wilder chime in, "They spread almost as easily as your legs, Ella." And Nathaniel's laugh booms because the two of them are acting like children.
• Celeste pulls him down to her level so she can whisper in his ear.
• "She's making shit up, and you know it. We need to leave so we can talk. I was being petty showing up here like this because you pissed me off leaving me stranded in the library half-naked." He swallows hard, remembering how she looked and felt last night, and his body reacts to the thought. "When I got back to my room this morning, there was a threatening note on my door." Her green eyes bore into his, and he sees the panic swirling there.
• Kane grabs her chin roughly because the thought that someone was that close to her, could have even done something to her had she been in her room instead of in the library, makes every muscle in his body strain. "What the fuck, Celeste. Why are you just now telling me that?"
• She gives him a questioning look before jerking her face out of his grasp. "We're not exactly friends, Kane. We just coexist in the same family, and even that is a fucking mess. Why would I tell you?"
• He wants to shake the attitude right out of her body, even though everything she said is true. "Did you tell anyone?"
• She shakes her head. "I don't trust anyone except for…" she trails off, but she doesn't have to say his brother's name for him to know what she's going to say. Subconsciously, he's wrapping an arm around Celeste, pulling her close to his side where she belongs. He feels her stiffen in his arms, and he doesn't care. She can fight it all she wants; she's coming back to his room tonight where he can keep an eye on her until they figure out who is messing with them.
• He turns his attention to Ella, then tilts his head toward Talon. The grin spreading across his lips looks absolutely psychotic because that's how he feels right now, unhinged. "Keep your bitch in line. And if I find out you're the one who left the note on Celeste's door, you're dead." He doesn't miss the confused look that crosses Talon's face before he tries to cover it with a smug smile. Maybe it wasn't him, but it has to be someone close to him.
• "Is that a promise Blackwell? Are you going to beat me up in one of your little graveyard fights?" Talon laughs, and it takes everything in him not to tackle him to the floor. Celeste's soft hand is sliding up his chest and cupping his face. The feeling of her hands on him is so magnetic that he doesn't realize he's not looking at Talon anymore; instead, he's watching her.
• "I don't think it was him. He's too pompous to do something like that and not broadcast it across campus. Please, let's just go," she whispers against his ear after she pulls him down to her again. He can't explain the intense feelings of possession that he feels for her, and it wrecks him. She's the last person he should want, and the only person he can't have.
• Kane needs to get out of there before he does something stupid. He scoops her up and tosses her over his shoulder, his eyes trained on Talon. He needs to see this. He needs to see that Celeste Monroe is and always will be Blackwell property, and he'll end his life if he tries to bring her into whatever little game he's playing. He wasn't around to protect Blaine when he needed help, and he won't let anything happen to Celeste. Just because he can't trust her, and just because he likes to torment her, doesn't mean he'll let anyone else near her. She's his to toy with.
• "Put me down, Kane. I feel woozy." Celeste kicks her legs, but he plants his hand on her ass, and that makes her settle for a moment.
• "That's from all the liquor you downed, slugger," he says dryly, letting his hand slide down her leg and then back up under the coat she's still wearing. The panties she's wearing only cover part of her firm ass, and he uses that to his advantage. He makes it to the stairs and looks over his shoulder to see where the Wolves have migrated to since they left the bar.
• Wilder has found his way back to the couch the Wolves usually claim, and there's a girl with curly red hair on top of him. Her long hair is covering his face, but if his hands on her ass are any indication, he has a mouth full of her tits. Nathaniel holds up a beer, a smile on his face as he sees that Kane is taking Celeste up to his room. It's not until they get up the stairs that he sees Declan coming out of his room. He looks upset but doesn't say anything. He adjusts his glasses and opens Kane's bedroom door for him, probably so he doesn't try to kick it open.
• Kane tosses Celeste on his bed, and she squeals, pulling herself up on her hands and knees before collapsing face down on his black satin pillows. Declan is still standing in the doorway, his eyes bouncing back and forth between Kane and his stepsister. He knows exactly what Kane wants to do with her and exactly why he shouldn't.
• "Do you want me to take her back to her dorm? I'm going for a walk down to the cliffs." Declan is being logical, worried that Kane might do something to make things worse. Kane is aware of it, but the jealous streak in him hates the fact that Declan's looking out for her in any capacity. He'll do whatever he wants with her.
• "I'm not staying here." Her voice is hard, but he ignores it. Celeste stands up but loses her balance quickly. He pushes her back on the bed. She's not safe without him, and the sooner she realizes that, the better off she'll be.
• "The fact that you think you have a choice is insane." He puts his hands on his hips, and she scowls up at him. "You're going to tell me what you're hiding about Blaine."