Page 14 of Merciless

I’m not sorry. The bitch deserves it.

Katie’s head rears back, aghast at my half-assed apology.

I’ll admit, I could have done better, but she deserves worse.

She blinks, and her features twist back into a snarl. “It’s not like I did it on purpose. What kind of apology is that? Do you even care that you ruined my shirt?”

“I apologize,” I say.

Katie shakes her head and jabs an acrylic nail toward my chest. “See! You don’t care. The least you can do is sound apologetic. I think you should show me that you’re sorry.”

I inch backward as she steps closer. “I don’t know how you want me to show you.”

“Kneel and kiss it.” She points to her polished shoes.

Snickers fill the room, drawing my horrified gaze to the class watching the entire interaction. I find Elijah’s bored glare. He leans his elbow against the table, his hand cupping his cheek. The only thing that’s missing is the contempt in his stare and the curled lip like he’s disgusted at the sight of me.

I don’t know why it matters that he’s watching this. He could save me any moment now, but he won’t. He’d rather sit on the sidelines and watch Katie embarrass me in front of everyone.

Lifting my chin, I turn to Katie. “No.”

Her eyebrows shoot up to her hairline. “No? You don’t get a choice in this, freak. Kiss my shoes or you’ll pay.”

“You’re out of your fucking mind if you think I’m going to do that.” I glance at the professor sitting behind his desk. “Aren’t you going to do anything about this?”

Mr. Thorn sips his coffee and drops his chin to peer at me above his glasses. “You’re late to class, Miss Astar. I think this is by far the least of your worries.”

My jaw drops.

Katie smiles, smug, like she’s won this battle. “Kiss. Them.”

I ease back another step. “I’m not kissing your shoes.”

She growls and fists my hair before shoving me to the ground. I drop to my knees and grab her wrists.

Katie lets out a high-pitched laugh. “I don’t care if you don’t want to kiss my shoes. You’re going to do it, then pay for a new shirt.”

“Your dad is friends with mine.” I stumble over my words and call my stepfather my father. “I’m sure it won’t come out of anyone’s pockets.”

She rolls her eyes. “You think I care?”

I grunt as she forces my head down until my mouth hovers over her shoe. Tears burn the backs of my eyes, but I hold them back. I refuse to cry in front of these assholes, especially Katie.

“That’s enough.” A deep voice cuts through the screaming in my head, and the room falls silent.

Katie’s hand disappears from my hair, and I wait before straightening to a kneel.

Elijah stops behind Katie, his blank expression twisted. Other than boredom or disgust, annoyance is the first emotion I’ve seen him display when he looks at me.

Katie turns to him and folds her arms against her chest while popping out her hip. “Are you really sticking up for the freak? Seriously?”

Elijah’s gaze slides to me, and I stop breathing.

Is that . . . sympathy in his eyes?

It’s brief, barely there. Then it’s gone just as quickly as it appeared. His gaze darkens and narrow as he turns his focus back to Katie. The cruelty in his eyes is enough for even me to scoot backward. It’s like looking at a completely different person.

“We have class, and I won’t wait until she gives in to kiss your dirty shoes,” Elijah says, the corner of his lip curving into a brief smirk.