“Ah but you’re not so special anymore are you?” Cassie continued to ignore him as she moved slowly through the line. “How the mighty have fallen. Guess that’s what you get for being a slut.”

Though she had not wanted to give him the satisfaction of reacting in anyway, she could not stop herself from shooting him a dirty look. He chuckled softly, enjoying the fact that he had finally gotten a reaction out of her. Cassie shivered; her skin crawled with disgust as his arm brushed against hers. “Truth hurts, doesn’t it?”

She kept her chin held high, but inside she was a seething mass of raw nerves and revulsion. She wished that she hadn’t sent Devon away, she wished that she had never stepped foot in this line. She wished for many things, but none of them were going to do her any good at the moment. She was here, Devon was not, and Mark seemed determined to make her miserable.

“Doesn’t it, whore?”

Cassie’s jaw clenched tightly as she fought the fierce urge to punch him. If she hit him though, she would probably hurt him. And no matter how much she wouldn’t mind hurting him, she knew her conscience could not handle it. “I’m talking to you,” he growled, his growing agitation evident in his voice.

Her eyes flickered briefly toward him. Shock riveted her. His eyes were feral, frantic. She was surprised and horrified by the lack of control that radiated from him. He was about ready to snap. Fear coiled through Cassie. She took a small step back, her attempt at bravery forgotten in the face of his wildly unstable persona. She did not know what was wrong with him lately, but this was the second time she had seen him half crazed as he came after her. The first time had led to the school hating her, this time she was afraid it might lead to actual violence. She wasn’t entirely certain that even if she did hit him, it would affect him in his current condition.

Cassie glanced around the cafeteria, searching for an escape, but they had slipped into the inner area of the lunch line. A wall now blocked her back and students were crammed around her. Students who would offer her no help right now. Out of habit, and looking for something more to protect herself with, Cassie grabbed a tray. She clenched it tightly, holding it against her chest in a poor attempt to shield herself from his bizarre behavior. It did little to help.

She glanced at the crowd still ahead of her, silently urging them to move faster. “You always thought you were too good for all of us. For me. Now you’re nothing.”

She shot a fierce glare at him, anger boiling up to replace the curdling horror inside of her. “I am too good for you,” she retorted, unable to stop herself.

His eyes bugged out of his head, his hands fisted at his sides and for a brief moment she thought that he was going to hit her. “Bitch!” he spat.

Cassie had enough. Tossing her tray onto the metal railing, she turned and began to shove her way through the crowd, ignoring the disgruntled looks she received. Pushing free of the crowd, she inhaled a shaky breath, wanting nothing more than to be free of the cafeteria, and the school.

A hand seized hold of her arm, ripping her around. A startled cry escaped her as Mark’s hand tightened on her, his grip becoming painful. “Don’t you walk away from me!”

“Let go Mark.” She tugged on her arm, but he wouldn’t release her.

Cassie’s hand fisted, she didn’t care what happened she was going to knock him on his ass. Another hand shot forward, seizing hold of Marks’ arm in a bone crushing grip before Cassie could let her fist fly. Cassie’s eyes shot to Devon as he stepped forward, fury radiating from every inch of his body. “Let her go before I break your arm,” he snarled.

Mark’s mouth dropped, his eyes widened in pain as Devon clenched down harder. Mark’s fingers released her, not by choice, but because he could no longer hold her. Mark tried to pull his arm free, but Devon held tight. His jaw was clenched, a muscle twitched in his cheek as he glared violently at Mark.

“I told you before to stay the hell away from her.”

The words were spoken softly, but they caused the hair on Cassie’s arms and neck to rise. She had thought Mark was out of control, but she could sense the unraveling restraint that Devon fought so hard to keep in check. Cassie glanced at Mark’s arm; it would only take a little more pressure for it to snap.

“Devon,” Cassie breathed, worry flaring through her.

Chris appeared beside him, blocking the curious stares of the students that passed by. “What’s going on guys?” he asked brightly for the benefit of those surrounding them, but his eyes were dark and turbulent as he studied Devon wearily. He glanced at Cassie before focusing his attention on Mark.

Cassie reached out, stroking Devon’s arm, trying to reach him through the thick cloud of fury that suffused him. His eyes flickered to her, burning hotly. She was momentarily frightened of him, frightened by what he might do. She had never seen him like this, wild, frenzied, so very close to killing. Cassie’s breath caught in her chest, but she did not move away from him. She would not abandon him now, this was her Devon. No matter what, good or bad, she loved him with every ounce of her being. She just had to reach him, to stop him from doing something awful in front of so many witnesses. She had to stop him from doing something that he would regret.

“Devon please, just let him go. It’s ok.”

His eyes flickered briefly, light coming momentarily back into them before the darkness descended over him once more. He turned slowly back to Mark, who looked truly petrified as he gaped down at the hand clenching his arm. Cassie glanced pleadingly at Chris, but he remained silent, stony as he glared at Mark. She felt hopeless, lost.

There was no one to help her now, no one to stop Devon if he snapped completely. Devon took a step closer to Mark, pulling his arm against his chest. Terror tore through Cassie. He was going to kill Mark.

Abandoning all caution, she threw herself forward, instinctively knowing that Devon would not hurt her. Shoving her way in between them, she stood on tiptoe to grasp hold of Devon’s cheeks and swiftly bring his mouth down to hers. Shock slammed into him, stiffening him against her. She stood awkwardly, her lips pressed against his compressed, hard mouth as she waited breathlessly to see what he would do. His body remained unmoving for a moment more, and then everything changed.

Cassie had only wanted to divert his attention from Mark, to keep Devon from hurting him. She had not expected that all of the frenzy he had been feeling toward Mark would be diverted to her. His hardness melted away, he released Mark as his arms clamped tightly around her. He lifted her off the ground, pressing her flush against him.

Fear trickled briefly through her; she had never felt him this wild, this savage. He clenched the back of her head, his fingers threaded through the bottom of the loose twist in her hair. His mouth was firm against hers, desperate, fierce. Though she was certain that he would never hurt her, she also realized that he was highly unstable right now, barely in control of himself. His mouth opened against hers, his tongue plummeted in.

A small moan escaped Cassie. She forgot all her doubts and concerns as she melted against him. Heat suffused her, pooling through her entire being, warming her everywhere. Her heart hammered in her chest, she fit perfectly against him. Her hands clenched tight at his neck, she wanted to bury herself in the security and bliss that he provided her. The entire world, and the awful events of the day, disappeared as she became completely focused on him.

He was her everything, he was the one thing that could make her whole, complete. He worked the knot out of her hair, letting it free to flow down her back. His tongue stroked over her mouth, tasting her, savoring her. He was hard against her, the muscles in his arms rigid, yet she could feel a small tremor working through him as his kiss deepened, becoming almost bruising in its intensity. She did not utter a complaint, did not make a sound. She knew that he needed this, that he needed her.

She just hadn’t realized how much.

A shiver of fear raced through her as his teeth hardened and lengthened. She could feel them against her bottom lip, fierce, needy. Deadly. Though she was scared, and more than a little over her head, she could not stop the thrill of excitement that raced through her.

Curiosity, and an overwhelming urge that she could not deny, took hold of her. Gently, lightly, she flicked her tongue over the tips of his engorged teeth. Devon shuddered; his hands clenched tighter upon her, his kiss became harsher. She was lost to him, lost to everything that he was, and the wonderful sensations that he made her feel. Never in her life had she experienced anything as breathtaking as this, and she wanted more.

She wanted all of him.

Devon broke away suddenly, releasing her as he took a swift step back. Cassie took a stumbling step back, shocked by his abrupt release of her. It took her a moment before she could get her wobbly legs firmly beneath her again. She stared breathlessly up at him, shaken, and unfulfilled. His emerald eyes were dark, tortured, wounded. Horror tore through her at the sight of his anguish, his unraveling control, his desperate need. For the first time it hit her just how hard it was for him to be around her, how hard it was for him to control himself, and keep her safe.

Tears sprang to her eyes, hating the torment that radiated from him. Torment that she had caused him. Her hand flew to her swollen lips; a choked sound of dismay escaped her as the tears burned her eyes. The last thing in the world she wanted was to hurt him, to upset him in anyway, and yet that was exactly what she was doing to him. She was torturing him.

“Devon,” she whispered, her voice choked with horror and sorrow.

His darkened gaze turned to Chris, small tremors ran through his fisted hands. “Mark?”

Chris cleared his throat, obviously surprised and uncomfortable with what he had just witnessed. “Ran off the first chance he got.”

Devon nodded briskly. “Get her out of here. I don’t want her around these people anymore. I have to go, but I’m leaving her in your hands.”

Cassie blinked away her tears as his gaze turned back to her. She wanted to reach out to him, to comfort him, but she instinctively knew that she should not. He was close to completely unraveling and her touch might just push him over the edge. Though his eyes were tormented, love also shone from them and that would have to be enough for now.

With a shaking hand, he reached out and briefly caressed her cheek before turning on his heel and disappearing into the gaping crowd. Cassie blinked rapidly, startled to realize that they were still in the middle of the crowded, oddly silent cafeteria. Questioning, condemning stares were focused intently upon her. Chris stepped forward, still looking slightly shell shocked as he slid his arm through hers.

“Come on Cassie,” he said gently.

She stared helplessly up at him, wishing that he could offer her answers to the questions and confusion enveloping her. For so long Chris had been her rock, the one person that she could turn to when she needed solace. Right now he was just as lost as she was. He led her swiftly through the crowd as it began to come alive again; the comments were no longer whispered as accusations were hurled at her. She barely heard any of them through the haze that surrounded her.

They reached the cafeteria doors as Melissa came strolling around the corner, her books held tight against her chest. Her eyebrows rose in surprise when she saw them, her mouth parted slightly. Her gaze darted behind them, narrowing as the buzz in the cafeteria increased. “What happened?” she demanded fiercely.

“A lot,” Chris muttered. “We’re leaving.”

Her gaze darted to Cassie, who was still too numb and shocked to even begin to explain. Melissa didn’t question them further as she fell into step beside them, her narrowed gaze darting back to the cruel crowd still gathered within the cafeteria walls. Cassie made it all the way to Chris’s car, and was even settled into the backseat, before she started to cry.

CHAPTER 6

Cassie paced her room restlessly, her gaze darting continuously to the darkened night. Devon should be here shortly, if he came at all. The thought froze her briefly in midstride, before she continued on. He had to come. She couldn’t allow herself to think that he wouldn’t. If she did, she would start crying again, and it had only been a couple of hours since she had completely regained control of herself.

It had taken another hour to convince Chris and Melissa that she was fine, and to go home. They had been reluctant to leave, but she didn’t want them here when Devon arrived. She needed to speak with him alone. Turning on her heel, she paced restlessly back to the other side of the room. She felt as wound up as a yo-yo.

She glanced at the clock on her nightstand, dismayed to realize that it was almost ten o’clock. Where was he? What would she do if he didn’t come tonight? Terror tore through her at the thought. Her chest constricted, making it difficult for her to breathe.

It had happened so swiftly, her love for him had been rapid and all consuming. She wanted to be frightened by it; she should be frightened by it, but she wasn’t. To be this dependent on someone else was something that she had never wanted. Loving someone this much left her vulnerable to all of the hurt and cruelty that she knew resided everywhere in the world. But it was too late, she was helplessly in love with him, lost to him, and she could not lose him. She would do anything to keep that from happening.