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  I sank into my chair toward the back, fighting the urge to vomit. Had the universe tilted itself on its head and shifted its polar axis? Why were people being so nice?

  Head spinning with confusion, I didn’t hear one bit of the lecture. As soon as the bell rang, I popped up from my seat and bolted for the door. I rounded the corner to the main office and skidded to a halt, nearly getting trampled by some girls behind me.

  Santiago?

  He stood in front of the admin building with the principal, Ms. Marie. She giggled, her eyes glued to Santiago’s bulging biceps as he spoke. They didn’t look like they were going to stop talking anytime soon either.

  Damn it. Ms. Marie was the only one who had the code for long distance calls. I knew this because my mom had forgotten a field trip permission slip last year. When I called her at work to see if she could fax it over, they told me she was tied up. I tried to call my dad next, but the call wouldn’t go through until Ms. Marie punched in the code.

  I ground my teeth. How was it possible? Santiago had everyone wrapped around his little finger. My mother, my best friend; now the principal. Even the police and people at the hospital seemed to be under his spell.

  I went to class to bide my time. If I couldn’t get to a phone during school, then I’d call my dad when I got home. And I knew my father wouldn’t be so easily manipulated by Santiago’s charms. As much as I had trust issues with the man, he was ruthless when it came to stuff like people messing with his family. Once, I remember my mother had an issue with a new doctor at work. He kept hitting on her or something. I knew she’d tried to talk to the doctor to get him to stop, but when she did, he threatened to have her fired if she complained to HR. My mother finally gave in and told my father. Not only did the doctor never bother her again, he lost his license and left the state. I knew my mom felt kind of bad, but I didn’t. Jerk had probably been harassing poor nurses for years. I only wish I knew what my dad said to send the guy fleeing for his life. Must’ve been pretty damned entertaining, because my dad was scary. He always knew the exact pressure points to maximize fear. That’s why I had to believe he’d know what to do. He always knew what to do.

  ~ ~ ~

  By lunch I was suffering from severely low blood sugar, and the dizzy spells were growing stronger. I’d been so nerve-racked in the morning because of Santiago coming to pick me up that I hadn’t eaten. I definitely needed food.

  Ignoring the other students’ gawks, I stood in line with my tray: a slice of greasy pizza, red Jell-O, and orange slices. I neared the register and felt a very deliberate push from behind. “Bitch!”

  The contents of the tray went flying, as did I. My body slammed onto the cold tile floor, sending the air whooshing from my lungs. I immediately heard grunting and a guy behind me scream.

  I rolled onto my back to see Santiago gripping the boy—only he wasn’t really a boy, but a mannish teen with a beard, BO, wide shoulders in a letterman jacket—by the collar of his shirt. His name was Jer. Mr. Dipshit Quarterback. It was a widely known fact he worshipped Janice.

  “Get the fuck off me, dude!” Jer struggled, but Santiago whipped him around like a tiny rag doll, threw him facedown on the floor, and placed his thick boot in the small of Jer’s back. Santiago kneeled and grabbed Jer’s hand, twisting his wrist and placing him in some weird pretzel hold.

  “Don’t ever fucking touch her again. Do you hear me?” Santiago said in a low, menacing voice. “I know where you live, where you eat, I know where you piss. None of which you’ll ever do again if you lay another fucking finger on her.”

  The entire cafeteria fell into a horrified hush as everyone froze in their tracks, including the register lady.

  My eyes practically did somersaults out of my head. Oh no! “Let him go, Santiago. You’re going to break his arm.”

  “Say you heard me, asshole,” Santiago was as cool as a lethal cucumber, and ignored me.

  “I heard you.” Jer’s bright red face was smushed against the dirty floor as he managed to form the words.

  “You’ll never touch her again,” Santiago whispered. “Right?”

  “Right.”

  Santiago released Jer’s hand, slid his booted foot to the floor, and looked at me. “You! Outside.”

  I pointed at myself. “Me?” Oh no. I wasn’t going anywhere with this madman.

  Just then, Ms. Marie showed up. Her eyes zeroed in on Jer, who was picking himself and his very battered ego up off the floor. “Mr. Jerold Parker! To my office!”

  Jer pointed at Santiago, who simply nodded his head to greet the principal. “But this guy just—”

  Ms. Marie pointed to the exit. “Office! Now!”

  Jer did as he was told, clearly baffled by the situation.

  “I’m so sorry, Mr. Asturias,” Ms. Marie groveled, grinning goofily before returning to her frown and trailing behind Jer.

  Santiago’s lethal gaze shifted back to me, and the entire lunchroom continued to stare in silence.

  “You. Outside. Now,” he growled.

  Oh my God, he was going to kill me and no one was going to stop him.

  I turned slowly and walked outside, listening to the students’ voices explode as we left. I suddenly felt the urge to run and never look back. Instead, I walked at a brisk pace, weighing self-defense options.

  “Where the hell do you think you’re going, Dakota?”

  I didn’t answer, but headed for the parking lot.

  “Dakota…” he warned.

  “Stop! Okay! Just stop!” I turned, and he almost rammed right into me. “You are not my father. Don’t tell me what to do. I don’t even know who the—”

  He moved so fast that I didn’t even see him coming. He cupped his hand over my mouth and pulled me into him. “Don’t. Don’t say another word.”

  Though he towered over me, his dark eyes were inches from mine, his anger palpable. But I didn’t feel afraid. Not even close. I felt…riled up. Then I noticed the heat from his body, the hardness of his chest against mine, and the feeling of his hips pressed against me. They only made me think about one ridiculous thing. Sex.

  Damned you, stupid hormones!

  Well, my brain was stronger than my hormones, and my rational thought wouldn’t be overridden by some ridiculous, biological response to this man’s body. And face. And…everything.

  “You’re making a scene, and everyone is watching,” he seethed. “You will calm yourself. You will remember everything I told you. And you will never challenge me again. Nod if you understand.”

  I nodded, but only so he’d let go.

  “I’m going to release you now. I’m trusting you.” He slid his hand from my face, and I immediately opened my mouth to scream at him. But before any sound made it past my lips, he covered my mouth with his.

  His lips were hard and soft and hot. All in one. He pulled me closer, and though a part of me really, really wondered why he was kissing me, the other part was too busy noticing the roughness of his stubble scraping the edges of my lips as his hot mouth worked over mine. That other part of me also noticed the heat explode from every point of contact between our two bodies. It noticed his strong hands pushed into the small of my back, pressing me to him like a vice. Damn it. The man tasted like fifty-one flavors of sin—sweet, salty, sexy—and I wanted more.

  I slid my hands around his neck and deepened the kiss. His tongue thrust against mine in a blatant erotic rhythm that sparked an unexpected groan from somewhere deep inside my chest. He returned the groan and upped the ante with a hard, heated object pressed against my belly.

  “Christ!” He suddenly pulled his head back. A look of sheer shock danced in his eyes before being replaced with an icy, controlled glare.

  Wow. What was that? Another ploy to control me? Or had what I just felt been as real as my body told me it was?

  “Why did you do that?” he growled.

  I dropped my arms. “Wait. You kissed me.”

  He stepped back and ran his hands through his me
ssy black hair. “Only to shut you up.”

  “You could’ve just used your hand again,” I panted.

  He glowered, and I noticed the vein pulsing in his neck. “Damn it,” he seethed under his breath. “I—fuck. Fuck…” He lowered his head and blew out a loud breath. “I thought you were—and then I—shit, never mind. Just get your ass back to class and stay out of trouble.” He turned away.

  I never imagined it could happen, not with this man, but Santiago was visibly shaken. “What the hell is the matter with you?”

  Santiago was right back in my face again. “You have no idea what you’re messing with, do you?”

  Hello? Ummm…that would be a big fat, no! “All I know is that I was hit by a car, you appeared in my life, and now I’m your prisoner.” And you just kissed the breath out of me in the school parking lot.

  “You forgot the part,” he seethed quietly, “about how someone broke into your house, and you’d be dead right now if it weren’t for me. But if that’s not enough to entice you to stop challenging me, then maybe I should have a talk with your mother.”

  Maybe I should tell him I don’t care anymore. I only hoped he wouldn’t find something else to blackmail me with. He seemed like the type of man who had many tricks up his sleeve. That kiss, for example. But what else could he use against me? Apart from my family and Mandy, there was only one other thing that mattered. High school. As in, getting out of it.

  Oh no.

  “W…what did you say to Ms. Marie?” I asked. “Why were you in her office?”

  His lips formed a sly smile. “Can’t talk about it. Official business.”

  He’d told her he was someone “official”? And she believed him? “So what did you say? Are you trying to fuck up my chances for college? Get me expelled or something?”

  His nostrils flared, and his hands tightened into fists. “I would never do that to you.”

  “Oh. But you’d threaten to hurt me and break up my family?”

  “I never threatened to hurt you,” he growled.

  “Like hell you didn’t.” At the very least, he’d said things that led me to believe they were physical threats. And he hadn’t denied trying to break up my family.

  “You’re a fucking psycho.” I stepped forward, chin lifted.

  “And you’re a spoiled little brat.” Chest heaving, he closed the gap between us, pressing his body against mine.

  Then I felt it again. That tension. The heat. Being near him caused an instant chemical reaction in my brain. I wanted to claw at his clothes and taste those lips again.

  He began to lower his head, but then his beautiful dark eyes narrowed, and his jaw muscles pulsed with agitation. “Get your ass to your next class, Dakota. I’ll pick you up right here.”

  My body in complete shambles, I backed away. Because despite everything my brain told me, this man completely undid me.

  Get a hold of yourself, Dakota. He’s just using your lust to control you. Yes, it was no secret the man was built like a god. By now, he had to know his body was his most powerful weapon against my young, overly eager, hormone-riddled body. I just needed to bide a little time, make it home, and call my dad. He would know what to do. He would fix this.

  I walked off to class, holding in that scream still begging me to let it loose.

  ~ ~ ~

  The rest of my classes were a blur. I felt too scared and in too much shock to pay any attention to the other students who kept hounding me during the breaks. Some asked about Janice, others about Santiago. When I finally saw Mandy right before my final class, I almost collapsed at her feet and kissed her toes. I opted for hugging her instead.

  “Where have you been?” I asked.

  “I had a dentist appointment. Got here after lunch. Why?” She smiled brightly. In her pink T-shirt dress and flip-flops she looked bound for the beach.

  Oh no! The senior party. “Is the pool party today?”

  Disappointment flooded her eyes. “You forgot, didn’t you?”

  Mandy had signed up for decorations and made me promise to go. With everything that had happened, it had slipped my mind.

  “It’s okay. I understand,” she said, squeezing my arm. “After all, you were hit by a car, hospitalized, someone broke into your house, and—by the way, is it true your boyfriend showed up and kicked the crap out of Jer?”

  I nodded.

  “I really, really like your boyfriend. Do you know how many times Jer has spit on me?”

  “Hey, Dakota.” Dax stood there with a goofy grin on his face. He wore an orange logo shirt and Hawaiian-style board shorts. I immediately noticed how, before, he’d always seemed so huge, larger than life. But now, he looked so boyish and innocent. Did he even shave?

  What the hell’s happened to me?

  “Hi,” I said.

  “You going after school?” he asked.

  “To the pool party?” I wasn’t going anywhere, and I might never be free again. But why did he want to know?

  “I’m going! I helped with the decorations,” Mandy offered.

  Dax stared at me waiting for an answer, completely ignoring her. Jerk.

  “Can’t.” I pointed to my bruised face. “Doctor said I need to take it easy for another week.”

  “Oh. Well, let me know when you’re feeling better. Maybe we’ll hang out.”

  Wait. Wasn’t he afraid of my psycho stalker? I didn’t know if I should give him a point for bravery or deduct one for stupidity.

  I smiled. Not too big. “Sure.”

  Dax strolled away, and Mandy’s face lit up. “He likes you!” she squealed.

  Yeah, well, I wasn’t the least bit interested in him anymore. Besides, even if I were, what good would it do me now? I was the prisoner of a man I’d made up.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  After class, Santiago’s truck waited curbside, his predatory eyes watching me from behind dark glasses as I begrudgingly approached. It was an exceptionally hot day, not so atypical for a California spring, but Santiago seemed perfectly at ease taking in the scorching sun. Not a bead of sweat to be found on the man.

  Figured. Ghosts don’t sweat.

  I climbed in and hugged my backpack, hoping it might shield me from the menacing man behind the steering wheel.

  “Put your seat belt on,” he commanded.

  I obeyed, but didn’t speak. I just wanted to get home and call my father.

  Santiago cranked the key and the loud engine roared to life. As expected, everyone stared with fascination. Even Dax, who was on the way to his car.

  Santiago noticed immediately. Then again, he seemed to be constantly scanning everything and everyone around us.

  “I think he likes you,” Santiago said.

  I shrugged.

  “Ah. The silent treatment. Probably for the best. That mouth of yours is trouble.”

  I looked at him, in shock. A hint of a smile dashed across his lips, then he threw the truck into first and floored it out of the lot.

  I hadn’t realized it before, but I’d been holding my breath from the moment I got in that truck, only releasing it when Santiago turned at the light in the direction of my house. Thank the Lord he wasn’t going to drag me away to some remote cabin in the woods.

  Oh no! But we are going to be alone. That was equally bad.

  Minutes later, we pulled into the driveway, and he turned off the engine. “You can have a break and then start your homework. Your mother will be home at eleven.”

  What a complete jack…

  Remember, just call your dad.

  “Sure. Whatever.”

  He opened the front door, and I slid past him and up the stairs to my room.

  I shut the door, again holding my breath, praying Santiago wouldn’t follow me.

  He didn’t, and I dove for my cell. I dialed my father, nearly bursting at the seams with hysterics.

  The call went right into his voicemail again. Son of a bitch!

  “Dad,” I whispered, holding my shaky hand over m
y mouth to muffle the sound. “I need to talk to you. It’s urgent. Please call me back. Okay? I need you.”

  I pressed END.

  “Everything all right?” Santiago said.

  I jumped out of my skin. I hadn’t even heard the door creak. It always creaked. The entire house was built like a squeaky wheel. “Where did you come from?”

  His brows knitted together. “From downstairs. What are you up to?”

  “Huh?”

  “You look like you’re up to something.”

  “No. Just…calling my dad,” I said.

  He stepped inside the room, and I stepped back.

  He frowned, perhaps displeased by my aversion to him.

  “It won’t happen again,” he said. “Don’t worry.”

  “What won’t happen again?” I hoped he’d meant the scaring me part.

  “I won’t kiss you again. I’m sorry. It was just a reaction. And after last night—” He stopped whatever he was about to say. Now, while I unsuccessfully attempted to purge erotic images of him from my thoughts, I wondered what he’d been up to the previous evening. But, whatever. I couldn’t help my thoughts, and I didn’t care why he’d kissed me. Or that I was developing some strange, dark obsession with him.

  “Fine. Whatever,” I said. “Can I just have some space? I have a lot of catch-up homework to do.”

  He was about to say something else, but instead closed his mouth and bowed his head, granting me my wish. He closed the door behind him, and this time I heard the floor squeak as he went downstairs. How did he turn his stealth on and off like that?

  I sank onto my bed and tried not to let the situation overwhelm me. I slid open my nightstand drawer and grabbed my journal. I began to write,

  If only I could make him go away. But how? If I made him up, can’t I unmake him up? I want my life back. As horrible as it was, it was mine. I knew I wasn’t crazy. Now, my life feels over, and I never even got to live it. Maybe I’m not meant to be happy. Maybe it’s time to accept that there is no future for losers like me.

  I lay down and pulled the covers up. My head hurt from trying to make sense of everything. I didn’t have the energy to fight anymore.

  ~ ~ ~