The guy rolls over and his hand lands on my stomach, flirting with the hem of the cropped shirt. Running fingers underneath, he explores my ribs. As soon as his hand hits the bottom of my breasts, I start to writhe. He is too strong for me.

No, no, no... Never end up alone at a party. This is why.

Before I know what's happening, he is crawling over me, tearing the shirt off and yanking down the skirt and spandex shorts. I kick out and try to scream, but the music is too loud. My ears ring with adrenaline, and any movement I make to get him off are too easily thwarted.

"Get off me..." I mumble as my stomach churns with hot acid, "I don't want you on me!"

Heart thrashing, my eyes fly open and tears stream down instantly. Bailey's face is close to mine and I jerk back when I see a mirror by my face. His eyes widen abruptly and he leans away.

"S-sorry," he whispers, holding up his hands and showing the small mirror in one, "I was making sure you are breathing." He looks a little sheepish, "how do you feel?"

"Get away from me!" I kick out across the bed, but the other side comes sooner than I expect.

THUNK!

Ow!

Bailey leaps to his feet and moves around the bed. His hands hook under my armpits and lift me back onto the mattress, allowing me to sit upright. He crouches, removing his touch.

"That was a hard fall."

"W-where i-is Mallory?"

"She is downstairs getting some food. Zane made pancakes. She asked me to sit in here with you."

My stomach lurches at the mention of food and I automatically groan. I wrap an arm around my stomach as my head starts aching. I need water and food... Ugh, food sounds gross.

"Where am I?" I don't even look around.

"One of the guest rooms at Zane's house..." Bailey gives me a sympathetic look, which tells me he might know what happened last night.

"Oh..."

"Mallory said she put you in here because you were so drunk," Bailey runs a hand over his face, "she left to get you water and aspirin and found some prick in here with you... Are you okay?"

My throat tightens, remembering what happened. Everything is crystal freaking clear.

"No."

Bailey reaches for me and I don't jerk away. He looks as surprised at my calm as much as I am. He brushes a loose tendril behind my ear and trails fingers across my cheek. His hand is warm and comforting. As much as I hate him, I know he would never hurt me like that guy last night.

"She said she got him out of here before anything awful happened, but you were really shaken up," Bailey goes on, returning the hand to his knee.

I'm not sure why she would tell him anything. She must really think he has a thing for me. And here I am, still hoping he has some good in him.

Jesus, girl. Get a grip.

"Are you and Cassie finally done?" I want to talk about anything other than me.

"That's what she said, but we'll see... She has what I need on a USB card. I won't put it past her to have a copy. She'll find a way to use it against me," Bailey's voice is low and quiet, calculating.

"I want to go home."

"Let me get..." Bailey stands.

I cut him off, "can you take me?"

He falters and turns back, "of course."

Every movement hurts and Bailey does his best to help me downstairs. Mallory stuffs her face in the kitchen with Zane who is recounting the fight between Cassie and Bailey, and some guy named Reynold. She doesn't even argue when I tell her Bailey is taking me home. She looks pretty cozy. Probably worming her way into Zane's good graces. I can't imagine him turning her down for just one night.

The drive is short and Bailey doesn't make me talk. He plays some jazz music softly and keeps peeking at me. I stare out the window at the bright sky and wonder what's going to happen when I get home. Dad is going to be pissed I ran out, didn't call, and never came home.

"Thanks," I mutter when he halts the Cheyenne on the curb.

"Max, you can count on me as a friend." Bailey touches my bicep and squeezes gently, "if you need to talk or just want to hang out. Anything. Okay?"

My mouth goes dry with his words. I don't know if I can or should trust him, but my gut doesn't twist. Maybe whatever Cassie had over him made him do all those terrible things to me. This could be his way of fixing all those wrongs, but I won't fall for it again. We can be friends, but that's all.

💀

All weekend I hide in my room and don't bother with any homework. Bailey texts me several times, but I ignore him.

Mallory doesn't message me at all, which can only mean she got what she wanted. Cassie went down, at least for the weekend, and she's celebrating. She doesn't want to wallow with me in self-pity.

Monday, I skip school, telling my dad I don't feel good. He actually buys it since I moped around all weekend like a zombie. Bailey sends a couple texts. One during homeroom and another after lacrosse practice.

On Tuesday, Dad says I have to go to school. I find my oldest pair of jeans that are loose on my hips and don't show off my shapely legs. I never thought my body was anything to gape at, but after all the guys at school last week and the party...

I don't want to show off anything. I throw my hair into a greasy, messy bun and tug on a large sweatshirt that I am basically swimming in. I give myself a decent spritz of perfume, so I don't stink and draw too much attention.

Leaving my bag behind, I drive to school. I wait for the parking lot to clear out and head straight for the library. The librarian isn't at the circulation desk, so I sneak right up to the loft. No one is up here and it looks like it's been deserted since I was up here with Mallory. I find The Goal, the fourth installment from Elle Kennedy's Off-Campus Series, and try to disappear. It doesn't help much, but it's better than nothing.

I don't even bother going down for lunch. I make one escape for the bathroom, unnoticed while classes are in session.

At the end of the day, I wait for the noise in the halls to die down. Whispers in the stacks below the metal stairs catch my attention, and I stop moving. It sounds like Zane and Bailey.

"How do you know she's worth it?" Zane asks.

"Just because you don't know her doesn't mean she's not worth protecting," Bailey snarls.

"Look, I'm just saying... Is she worth this much trouble? You're throwing yourself under the bus to protect her reputation. Do you even know if she gives a damn about it?" Zane sounds stressed and frustrated.

"No one else sees her the way I do," Bailey's voice is dangerous and possessive.

Who are they talking about?

It has to be Cassie.

"Now, now," but that's Cassie's voice, filled with self-assurance, "don't talk like that in public."

"No one expects me to stay with you after what you did at the party," Bailey growls, "give me the damn USB, Cassie."

"Or we'll make you pass it over..." Zane demands, "your stupid little game is fucking over."

"Why do you even care?" Cassie giggles, sighing.

"Get the fuck out of here," Zane rumbles, and two sets of feet whisk out of the library.

Did they get what they wanted?

Is Cassie's hold over Bailey finally gone?

Then the last footsteps disappear after the others. I don't even know if I understand what I heard. I don't have the brain power to dissect any of this. I just want to get home, curl up under the covers, and forget the world is out there.

💀

The rest of the week, I spend drowning in nightmares, dressing like a slob, and hiding in the loft, finishing the Off-Campus series and read a couple others by J. Wolf. That weekend I turn off my phone and actually shower. I am starting to smell and Dad is complaining. I don't want him to have even more reason to target me.

Sunday night, I brush out my damp hair and head downstairs to say goodnight. I don't know if I am going to resume going to classes or not, but all the panicked texts from Bailey have me considering it. He wants to meet up for the project. I kind of suspect it's just an excuse to get me to respond and talk to him. I do want to know if what I heard in the library is the end of his troubles with Cassie.

"There you are," Dad chuckles when I settle on the couch, "you've been a fucking zombie all week, Maxine."

"I think I'm feeling better. It was some bad flu."

"I ordered a pizza."

"I don't think I'm up for it just yet," I haven't had much of an appetite and barely eat a granola bar a day.

Dad slams the recliner shut and is on his feet so fast I know he is mad. I wince when his strong hands land on my shoulders and he wrenches me to my feet. He shakes me vigorously, laughing his beer breath down my chest.

"What the fuck is wrong with you! You're acting like a typical teenage girl who got herself dumped by some popular jock boy! Were you involved with that boy? I told him to stay away from you!"

"No, no..." I shake my head and decide to say, "he doesn't want me, Dad. I fooled myself, but he made it clear."

"Is that what this is about?" His fingers dig into my arms, "you allowed yourself to believe he might want you? You foolish, foolish little slut."

Tears prick at my eyes as he shakes me a little harder and then suddenly lets me go. He slumps back in the chair and I flee to the security of my room. I bury myself in my covers and try to keep my sobs quiet.

💀

"Get off me..." I mutter around his hand.

"I'm just warming you up," he laughs, moving his mouth to my neck, "and then I'm going to fuck you!"

"The hell you are!" Mallory slams the door behind her and flies toward us.

He plunders off the bed and slams her down. I don't see what happens, but Mallory ends up on the floor, unconscious. The guy looms toward me, husking pants and boxers all at once.

I wake in a cold sweat with my alarm blaring in my ears. I slam my fist on it, realizing I am late. Dad left early this morning for some office meeting, which means he doesn't know. I take my time showering and slip into jeans with a loose, emerald plaid shirt that hangs low enough to hide my ass. I throw damp hair into a ridiculously messy pony and head to school looking like a soccer mom with ten unruly boys.

My first instinct is to wait for the parking lot to clear, but Mallory knocks on my window, making me jump. She smiles wide and I force my best fake smile. It actually hurts my heart to pretend to be content, but I can only pray it will get easier.

"You have been MIA," Mallory complains as I grab my backpack.

I shrug, "I'm here now."

"Was it the party or something? Did you get sick?"

"Yeah."

Mallory walks me to my locker, blabbering about how silent Cassie has been since last week. I suppose Mallory would have texted if she needed me. I wonder if this means we are already done. We broke up Bailey and Cassie, so now most of Cassie's power is gone with it.

"I have to get to class, but we should meet up soon and plot our next move," Mallory pecks my cheek and races off.

I actually gather my things for homeroom and am suddenly engulfed with body heat and the smell of leather. Bailey.

"Hey," I turn to face him.

He takes my stuff for English, "will you actually show up if I carry your stuff for you?"

I swallow back the emotion swelling my throat, "I suppose."

"Where have you been?" He lets me into the class first as the warning bell rings.

I slide into my desk, "uh, I wasn't feeling good."

"Are you better now, Max?" He drops my things on the desktop, taking his seat.

For whatever reason, I don't want to lie. I avoid his gaze and flip open my notebook. Bailey huffs out a heavy breath as the tardy bell rings and the teacher takes the front.

The class drags on forever. Bailey's eyes bore into me the entire hour. I scribble down on the paper and hold it up to answer his question. I glance at him and his eyebrows stitch together distressed. Finally, the bell rings at the end of class, and my ability to fake it fades.

"Will you eat with me at lunch?" Bailey grabs my stuff and walks me down the hallway.

"W-what?" I fidget with my hair nervously until we get to my locker, "why?"

"So that I know you're still here... And because I can do what I want now."

"So...? The break up was real? She's finally off your back."

"Yep," he smiles so big I actually can't stifle the smile that spreads my face, matching his.

"Okay."

Bailey passes over my things and walks me to my next class. The rest of the day goes by way too slow. I am suddenly looking forward to something.

I shouldn't be. Mallory and I are still planning to take him down, but I am second-guessing every bad thing Bailey ever did to me. He did it because of Cassie. She wanted to go after me and she had something over him.

Perhaps, I should give him a real chance to prove himself. The last two times I did that, he failed, but he was still under her thumb...

Give him a real chance.