Dangerous Affection

Chapter 2 the message

The silence in the hallway felt heavy enough to choke me.

Principal Sterling stared at us, his eyes wide behind his gold glasses. Behind him, the two security guards looked back and forth between Jaxson's hand locked around my waist and the heavy white-gold varsity ring resting on my index finger.

My heart was beating so fast I could barely get air into my lungs. Everything in my life was hanging by a thread. If I said Jaxson was lying, Sterling would call the police, my scholarship would be gone, and my mom wouldn't get her treatment. But if I said yes, I was handing my entire life over to the most dangerous guy in school.

Jaxson’s hand squeezed my waist harder. His fingers dug through my shirt, hot and firm against my skin. It was a clear warning.

Well, Miss Rae? Principal Sterling asked, his voice sharp and demanding. Is this true? Were you with Vance this morning?

I swallowed the lump in my throat. I looked over at Julian, who was still sitting on the ice near the bleachers, clutching his neck. He wasn't even looking at me. He wasn't trying to help. He was just watching, completely terrified of Jaxson. Jaxson was right about him. Nobody here was going to stand up for me.

Yes, I whispered, my voice shaking.

Speak up, Miss Rae, Sterling ordered.

I took a deep breath, clutching the edges of my sweater. Yes, sir. I was... I was with Jaxson. In his room.

The word felt like ash in my mouth.

Principal Sterling looked at Jaxson, his forehead scrunched in anger, but I could see the exact moment he realized he couldn't do anything. Jaxson’s father owned half the buildings on this campus. His family donated millions to Saint Jude’s every single year. The principal couldn't touch him, and now, he couldn't touch me either

This is highly irregular, Sterling grumbled, adjusting his necktie. If your ID card was used at the vault, Vance, we still need to investigate how it got there.

Investigate all you want, Jaxson said, his tone completely bored. My family's lawyers will be here in an hour to make sure you don't harass my girlfriend while you look for the real thief. Now, if you're done bothering us, she has a class to get ready for.

Without waiting for Sterling to answer, Jaxson turned me around and forced me to walk down the long hallway toward the back exit. His arm never left my waist. He held me so tight against his side that every step I took was matched to his.

The second the heavy doors closed behind us and we were outside in the cold morning air, I grabbed his wrist and tried to pull his hand off me.

Let go of me! I snapped, my eyes burning with angry tears.

Jaxson stopped, but he didn't let go. Instead, he spun me around and pinned me back first against the cold brick wall of the building. He stepped in close, blocking out the sun, trapping me completely between his huge body and the wall.

Watch your tone, Little Scholar, he said softly, his gray eyes turning dark. I just saved you from going to jail.

You lied! I shouted, my hands pressing against his chest to keep some space between us. He felt like solid rock. You told them I was in your room! Now the whole school is going to think...

They're going to think you belong to me, he cut in, his voice completely flat. Which is true for the next thirty days.

It's fake! I said, my voice cracking. It's a fake contract so you don't get kicked off the hockey team and I don't lose my mom's medical coverage. That's all this is!

Jaxson leaned down until his face was just inches from mine. I could smell the cold air, cedarwood, and mint on his breath. His gaze dropped down to my mouth, then back up to my eyes.

Nothing about me is fake, Elena, he murmured. He reached up and ran the back of his hand along my cheek, his touch surprisingly soft compared to how rough he had been moments ago. You think someone framed you by accident? You think your ID card just happened to fall into the wrong hands this morning?

My breath hitched. What are you talking about?

Someone wanted you gone, Jaxson whispered, his thumb lightly pressing against my bottom lip. Someone paid to have that vault unlocked with your card so you'd be expelled today. If I hadn't stepped in, you’d be sitting in the back of a police car right now.

Panic rushed back into my chest. Who? Who would do that to me?

You'll find out, Jaxson said, pulling his hand back and reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a folded piece of thick paper and held it out to me. But right now, you need to sign this.

I looked down at the paper. Bold black letters at the top read , EXCLUSIVE ACADEMIC AND PERSONAL CONTRACT.

What is this? I asked, taking it with trembling hands.

The rules, Jaxson said. Rule one , you tutor me every day after practice for two hours. Rule two: you wear my ring everywhere you go. Rule three , you eat lunch with me, walk to class with me, and go to every game with me.

And rule four? I asked, reading down to the bottom of the page where a bold line was highlighted in yellow.

Rule four, Jaxson said, stepping even closer until his chest was brushing mine, his hand coming up to rest on the wall right beside my head. You don't talk to Julian. You don't look at Julian. If another guy tries to get near you, you walk away. If you break rule four, the contract is off, and I let Sterling hand those stolen test papers to the police.

You're crazy, I breathed, staring up at him. You're actually crazy.

I'm keeping you safe, he said, his voice dropping into a dark, possessive purr. Now sign it.

He pulled a silver pen from his jacket and pressed it into my hand. My fingers were shaking so much I could barely hold it. I knew this was a trap. I knew that signing this paper was like handing him the key to my life. But when I thought about my mom lying in that hospital bed, waiting for her treatment, I knew I didn't have a choice.

I pressed the paper against the brick wall and wrote my name at the bottom: Elena Rae.

Jaxson took the paper back, looked at my signature, and a slow, dangerous smile spread across his face. He folded the paper carefully and slid it inside his jacket.

Good girl, he murmured.

Before I could say anything else, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out with shaky hands. It was a text message from an unknown number.

My heart stopped when I opened it.

It was a photo taken just five minutes ago. It showed me pinned against the wall with Jaxson leaning over me. But under the photo was a message that sent pure terror through my veins:

Nice try using Vance to cover your tracks, Elena. But I know what you did. Leave St. Jude’s by midnight, or your mom's hospital turns off her life support.’

My hands shook so badly I dropped the phone. It clattered onto the wet concrete between us.

Jaxson looked down, grabbed my phone off the ground before I could reach it, and read the screen. I watched his face completely change. The cold, arrogant look vanished, replaced by a dark, murderous rage that made him look terrifying.

Who sent this? I sobbed, clutching my sweater. Jaxson, please, who is doing this to me?!

Jaxson stared at the phone for three long seconds. Then, without a word, he grabbed my wrist, yanked me toward his sports car parked near the curb, and shoved me into the passenger seat.

Jaxson, what are you doing?! I cried out as he slammed my door shut and marched around to the driver's side.

He got in, locked all the doors with a loud click, and turned to me, his gray eyes burning with pure danger.

Nobody threatens what's mine, Jaxson growled, slamming his foot on the gas as the car roared to life. We're not going to class, Little Scholar. We're going to find out who sent that text , and I'm going to ruin them before midnight.