My Fake Boyfriend Is the School Bad Boy novel Chapter 132

Chapter 132 Claiming Me In Public

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He tapped his knuckles against the table. The sound broke my concentration.

“The Formal is next Friday,” Trent continued. He leaned closer. “The tickets cost two hundred dollars a piece. That is four hundred dollars total. Does the fake boyfriend plan to shell out the cash for a prop? Or did the contract expire before the big night?”

The insult stung. It hit the exact center of my insecurity. I lacked the wealth. I lacked the status. Trent knew how to wield my poverty like

a blade. He enjoyed the power dynamic.

“My financial status is none of your concern,” I stated. I lifted my chin. I met his mocking stare. I refused to cower.

“It is a valid question, Harper chimed in. She inspected her fingernails. “You need a dress. You need shoes. You need a ticket. Steinmann possesses the money, but he lacks the interest. He ignores you. He realized the PR stunt was a waste of his time. He will find a real date

for the dance.”

The cafeteria noise began to drop. The surrounding tables noticed the confrontation. Students turned their heads. They watched the drama unfold. They waited for my response. They wanted to see the scholarship student break under the pressure of the affluent elite.

I opened my mouth to defend myself.

The heavy double doors at the front of the cafeteria swung open with a massive, echoing crash.

The remaining ambient chatter died in an instant. Total silence fell over the massive room.

Ryder Steinmann stood in the doorway.

He wore his scuffed leather jacket over a dark henley shirt. His dark hair fell across his forehead in a chaotic mess. The fading yellow bruise on his jaw looked sharp under the overhead fluorescent lights. His broad shoulders blocked the exit. He surveyed the room with the precise, calculated focus of a predator.

His hazel eyes swept over the crowded tables. He found Trent Lawson leaning over my space.

The air in the room turned lethal. The dark, untamed storm I missed all weekend returned. It radiated from his massive frame in physical waves. He did not look broken. He did not look miserable like he did in the library. He looked like a king claiming his ruined territory.

He walked down the center aisle.

His heavy combat boots struck the linoleum with a steady, punishing rhythm. The sound echoed off the high ceiling. The students in his path scrambled to clear a path. They pulled their chairs closer to their tables. The sea of Crestview uniforms parted for him.

He kept his gaze focused straight ahead. He locked his eyes onto Trent.

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13:13 Fri, Jul 10

Chapter 132 Claiming Me In Public

He reached my circular table.

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Trent swallowed a visible lump in his throat. The cruel smirk vanished from his mouth. Trent pulled his hands off the plastic surface. He took a massive step backward, putting distance between himself and my chair. Harper Vance crossed her arms and looked at the floor. The

bullies retreated the second the monster arrived.

Ryder ignored them. He treated Trent and Harper like meaningless dust.

He stopped at the edge of the table. He stood opposite me. The scent of worn leather and cedar wrapped around my senses. The ice in my

chest cracked.

He reached into the front pocket of his leather jacket. He pulled out two silver foil tickets.

He tossed them onto the open pages of my biology textbook.

The silver paper glinted under the harsh lights. They were VIP passes. The school reserved those passes for the wealthiest donors.

I stared at the tickets. I looked up at his face. The golden flecks in his eyes burned with a fierce, starving fire. The professional wall I built in the library shattered into a million unrecognizable pieces.

“You want to talk about the arrangement, Lawson?” Ryder asked. His voice dropped to a rough, scraping gravel. The sound echoed in the dead quiet of the cafeteria. “You want to question my interest?”

Trent did not answer. He remained frozen in place.

Ryder did not wait for a response. He shifted his entire focus to me.

He did not whisper. He did not lean down to keep the conversation private. He wanted an audience. He wanted the entire school to witness the moment. He wanted to dismantle his own lie. In the parking lot, he used the act to hide his bleeding heart. Today, he used the truth to burn the act to ash.

He placed his calloused hands on the table. He leaned his weight forward.

‘Raisa, Ryder stated. His deep voice carried across the massive room, commanding the attention of every single student. “I am done hiding. I am done letting them dictate the narrative. I am done standing in the dark while you sit in the light.”

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