Chapter 3

I saw Ryder in the school parking lot, leaning against his sleek black car as if he was the owner of the world. His smirk was already in place when he saw me approaching him, as if he had been waiting for this specific moment his entire life.

Of course, he had. He knew. Ryder always knew.

His eyes glittered with happiness as he bent his head. "Well, well. Didn't expect to see you here, Zara."

I forced down the acid in my mouth. Every fibre in me wanted to flee, to turn back.

But it was too late.

"I'll do it," I said, going straight to the point, the words raw shards on my tongue.

Ryder's smile turned even wider. "I knew you'd see things my way. And now, it has to be on my terms because you came to me."

I curled my hands into fists, pushing nails into palms.

I hated him. Hated the arrogant note in his voice, the way he looked at me as though I already belonged to him.

But most of all, I hated that he was right.

"Stop yapping. Just tell me what I have to do." I snapped.

Ryder chuckled, pushing off his car in a smooth fluid motion. He slid with an ease that said you had the final say in a situation.

"You don't get it sweetheart. You don't ask for something this huge and expect an easy ride. You pay the price."

"Then I'll pay."

"Good girl," Ryder sneered, and I loathed the moment even more.

...….

I hated everything. Every single decision that had brought me to this point.

Every last desperate, degrading attempt at trying another route before settling on the worst possible solution, Ryder Jameson.

And now, like some kind of curse I had brought upon myself, he was everywhere.

It began small. Subtle. At first, I thought I was losing my mind.

Like when I went into first-period English and he was slouched in a chair in the back, mindlessly thumbing through his notebook as if he hadn't sat front row center the whole year before. His eyes locked on me the instant I walked in, and that smile, oh, that damned smile twisted up at the corners of his mouth.

I had to use all the will power in me to not react.

And then there was the second period.

Then third. Then fourth.

When I got to my locker before lunch, my patience was hanging by a thread because Ryder wasn't just appearing around me, he was going out of his way to make sure that I noticed him.

He was leaning against the lockers a few feet away, arms folded over his chest, chatting idly with some of the football team guys.

But his eyes? They were on me.

I slammed my locker shut with more force than necessary and whirled around. "What are you doing?"

Ryder blinked, feigning innocence. "Standing? Living my best life."

I clenched my teeth. "Why are you following me around like a lost dog?"

He grinned. "Because I can."

I let out a frustrated breath. "Seriously, Ryder?"

Before I could say more, he pushed off the locker and walked over, closing the distance between us in a few lazy strides.

I stiffened.

He leaned in slightly, dropping his voice just low enough that only I could hear. "You agreed to my deal, sweetheart. That means you belong to me now."

Heat crept up my back, half-anger, half-something I was not going to admit.

"I agreed to your deal," I corrected, grinding the words out. "I didn't agree to harassment."

He laughed. "Semantics."

I shot him a glare that would have melted steel. "You're enjoying yourself, aren't you?"

Ryder leaned forward, affecting consideration. "Immensely."

I wanted to scream.

Instead, I turned on my heel and walked down to the cafeteria, not noticing the sound of his laughter ringing after me down the corridor.

I wasn't doing this. I wasn't playing his game.

I just needed to survive three months. That was all.

...….

By the time I arrived at the table to pick up my lunch tray, Ryder was already sitting at my usual table.

With my friend. I nearly dropped my tray.

"Oh, there you are!" Ryder shouted, as if he had been waiting for me the entire time. "We reserved a seat for you."

My clueless friend was grinning, oblivious to the hell I was enduring at the moment.

"Uh, what's happening?" I said, voiceless.

Leah smiled. "Ryder just showed up out of nowhere and started talking. Did you know that his uncle owns that fancy steakhouse in the city?

I scowled at Ryder. "You have an uncle who has a steakhouse?"

He shrugged. "I have a lot of uncles."

I gritted my teeth. "Why are you here?"

He chewed a casual bite of his apple, his jaw moving with lazy confidence. "Because I can."

My eyelids fluttered, a flicker of disbelief tightening my chest.

"Zara, stop acting weirdly," Leah commented, furrowing her brow. "It's just lunch."

Yeah. Lunch with a wolf in sheep's clothing. Lunch with someone I had never really liked, and it was worse because she knew I didn't like him. Leah just liked the notion of hanging out with the high and mighty, basking in their reflected glory.

I was tempted to grab my tray and sit somewhere else, but I knew Ryder would just trail along.

So, taking a deep breath, I lowered myself into the chair opposite him and started stabbing at my food like it had personally insulted me.

Ryder watched with a slow, knowing smile, his gaze heavy with amusement.

I pretended not to notice him. Or at least, tried to, until he leaned in towards me, voice lowered just for me, his breath warm against my skin.

"You look cute when you're angry."

I nearly spat out my drink, coughing as heat surged up my neck.

Ryder grinned, completely unfazed.

I was going to kill him.