Ugly Things

Part of me wanted to burst out laughing. Surely he was joking. He had to be. There was no way he could know about me and Elias. Absolutely no way. I looked at him, a grin spreading across my face, but then it faded almost as it had come.

His expression was stone, his eyes hesitant, watching me.

“I see you think I’m kidding,” Hunter said, a small smile forming on his mouth. “That’s an intriguing reaction.”

“You are,” I said without thinking. I stared at him. “Aren’t you?” I asked nervously.

His smile widened and he shook his head. “See, why would you think that? I tell you something very specific and secretive, something no one else should know about, and you think I’m making a joke? You are terribly dense.”

“Fuck you,” I hissed, my eyes widening at his insult.

He was in front of me before I could step back, his hand locked around my jaw, fingers stroking. I wondered if he knew how gorgeous he was; if he knew the kind of effect he had on people. I bet he didn’t.

“Relax darling,” he said softly, his lips curving upward. “We’ll get to that eventually. Right now I want to talk to you about your options. Would you take a seat?”

I glared at him but didn’t move.

“Fine,” he said.

He took hold of my shoulders and pushed until my knees had no choice but to buckle and I fell onto the floor. It was cold and damp and I couldn’t look at him. I heard him sit down and an agitated sigh rumbled through him.

“Look,” he started, “this is how it’s going to go: you’re going to do what you’re told and I won’t expose your relationship. Do I make myself clear, Tate?”

He knew my name. This bothered me because I never mentioned that to him at all. Curiously, I looked at him and lifted an eyebrow.

“No one would believe you.” I felt a smirk coming. I had got him.

“I thought you’d say that,” he muttered, nodding. He reached up and tapped his forehead. “That’s why I brought these.”

I watched him reach over into his bag and rummage through it for a few minutes. He produced a manila-colored folder. He looked at me and dropped that onto my lap.

“Always come prepared,” he told me.

I stared down at the folder before I opened it with trembling fingers, having no idea what I would find; inside were three black and white photos, all of me and Elias; two were just him staring at me in an innocent way, but the last was from this morning, outside the school, his fingers in my hair, and lips against my cheek.

“What the fuck is this?” I asked.

“What does it look like?” His voice was cold, like I was oblivious to what I was holding. “It’s pictures of you two.”

“So you’re a pervert?” I said, frowning.

“You could say I’m an opportunist. I’ll meet you here tomorrow and the game will begin.”

He smiled deviously and helped me up. His lips were on mine before I could react. It was one kiss, very soft, and then he was gone. Somehow he had managed to get out of the room without my hearing him.