The Touch of a Villain: An Enemies to Lovers High School Romance (The Boys of Clermont Bay Book 1) by Holly Renee (best book recommendations TXT) 📕

“I’m sorry. Okay?” Lucas straightened his jacket, and he looked so perfect in his uniform. He was bred for this lifestyle.

“It’s fine.” I shook my head, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease as I looked at him. I knew that he didn’t like Beck, but when I heard him talking about me to my father, I had lost trust in him.

A trust that was fragile to begin with.

We walked through the front doors, and I felt like more people were looking at me now than they had yesterday. But yesterday curiosity filled their eyes and the questions on their lips, today it felt like nothing but judgment.

I had only been here one day, and already, they thought they knew who I was.

I pushed through them quickly with Lucas at my side, and he stopped by my locker as I quickly traded out books.

“I’ve just had a lot on my mind.” His hands fidgeted with his pockets. “Dad puts a lot of pressure on me.”

I hated that he said that. It felt like a dig that started at the base of my spine and slowly worked its way up. I knew that he hadn’t meant anything by it, but he was right. My father did have expectations of him, and suddenly, he thought he could have expectations for me too.

But it was different.

Whatever Lucas and my dad shared, it was something I would never have with him.

It was something that I would never allow.

Because when I looked at him, all I could see was how much my mother had loved him. Even to the end, even through all his faults, I think a part of her still loved the idea of him until the day she died.

“I know.” I nodded and closed my locker. I didn’t want to fight with Lucas. I didn’t need anything else to complicate my life or my head.

“Fuck,” Lucas swore under his breath, and I turned just in time to see Beck walking toward us.

He had to see Lucas standing right next to me, but he wasn’t looking at him. He was staring daggers at me as he pushed through the sea of students.

“I’m going to get to class.” I lifted my backpack over my shoulder with shaking hands, but I was too late. Beck was already in front of us, and there wasn’t a chance I was going to be able to escape without his notice.

I ignored him as he moved in front of me, but Lucas didn’t. His body was stiff and he was looking at Beck with as much animosity as Beck was looking at me.

“Why didn’t you answer me last night?” Beck wasn’t quiet, and I saw several people turn their heads to see what he was saying.

“You called me?” I cocked my head slightly and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear.

“Don’t act dumb.” His pupils swelled as he looked down at me.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and flipped it over in my hand. “Oh.” I looked up at him with fake shock on my face. “I must have turned it off.”

He bit out a harsh laugh, but I didn’t care if he was angry.

“Come on, Josie. I’ll walk you to class.”

Beck’s gaze snapped to Lucas when he spoke, but I was already moving. I pushed past Beck, my shoulder grazing against his chest, and I followed Lucas toward my class.

Beck’s hand wrapped around my bicep before I could get too far, and he looked torn as his gaze bounced from me to Lucas and back.

“Turn on your phone,” he commanded me, and I jerked my arm from his touch.

“You don’t get to tell me what to do.”

I didn’t give him another moment to respond. I pushed past him and walked to my class without a backward glance.

He had some nerve.

I was so angry with him. So fed up. My heart raced as I said goodbye to Lucas and took my seat next to Cami. I could barely even look at her as my hands shook.

She could deal with Beck and his whiplash from now on. I wanted nothing to do with him.

Even if that felt like a lie.

I was determined to believe it. I was determined to keep myself as far from him as possible.

I knew that he wouldn’t allow it though. He hadn’t allowed it since the moment I met him.

“Hey. You okay?” I looked over at Cami, and there was so much concern in her eyes that all I could feel was guilt.

Guilt over what I had done with Beck, and guilt over the way he had treated her.

“Yeah.” I nodded. “I just have a headache.” It wasn’t a complete lie. My head was pounding.

“Okay.” She nodded once and glanced up at the teacher. “You’re coming to my house tomorrow before the party. You need to relax.”

Her party. Crap. I had completely forgotten about that. I couldn’t even believe that she still wanted me to come after the way she was looking at Beck when he had walked off with me yesterday.

“I don’t know,” I whispered and rubbed my forehead. “I’m not sure the party is such a good idea.”

“Come on.” She held up her hands as if she was begging. “I promise we’ll have a good time.”

I should have told her no, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to get to know her more. I wanted to know what her relationship was like with Beck, or their lack of a relationship if he was to be believed.

But he wasn’t.

I couldn’t believe anything he said.

“I’ll think about it.”

She smiled and went back to paying attention to the teacher, but I couldn’t focus on anything.

I pulled my phone out and turned it on for the first time since yesterday afternoon. Message after message popped up on my screen. I ignored the ones from Beck and quickly clicked on Allie’s name.

I miss you. She