The Nerd Who Stole The Quarterback (Astra and Zayne) novel Chapter 7

Chapter 7

ZANE

FUCKING ASTRA HAWTHORNE.

Her entire presence was a goddamn infection.

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As I drove toward the student parking lot, her scent filled the car like it had every right to be there. Sweet. Warm. Strawberry and something softer underneath, clean skin, cheap soap, and her. It crawled into my lungs and stayed there, making my grip on the steering wheel turn white- knuckled.

I hated it.

I hated that I could always pick her out in a crowd, even before I saw her. I used to convince myself it was some cheap perfume she drowned herself in to trick boys into noticing her. But this morning, after her rushed shower, hair still damp and messy, uniform thrown on like she’d been chased out of bed… she still smelled like that.

Natural.

Fuck.

It made everything worse.

I wanted to roll the windows down and rip it all away.

To grab her messy bun, tilt her head back, make her remember exactly how little she belonged in my life.

But most of all…

I wanted to ruin her,

The thought slid through my mind, dark and ugly and far too satisfying. I imagined pinning her against the seat again, watching those big eyes fill with fresh tears, listening to her breath hitch when I told her she was nothing. That she’d never be anything but Trash–tra to me. That I could break her so easily it wasn’t even a challenge.

My jaw clenched so hard it ached,

She had sat there, stiff as a board, arms wrapped around herself like that would protect her, staring out the window like the trees were the most interesting thing in the world. Smart girl. She hadn’t said a word since I threatened to wring her neck.

Good.

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11:30 am P P P P

Chapter 7.

telher be scared.

Let her remember who the fuck I am.

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Because this, her sleeping down the hall, eating my food, breathing my air – was temporary. A mistake. One I was going to correct.

I’d make her life so miserable she’d beg to leave.

I’d break her down until she couldn’t even look at me without shaking.

I’d enjoy every fucking second of it.

The thought sent a dark thrill through me. Pure, vicious hunger.

I pulled into the student parking lot and slammed on the brakes harder than necessary. The car jerked to a stop.

I sat there for a second, jaw tight, staring at the steering wheel.

Then the usual noise hit, my boys rolling up, laughing, girlfriends hanging off their arms like

accessories.

“Yo, Zane! You look like you wanna murder someone,” Jax called, smirking as he leaned against my hood. His girlfriend, Riley, was draped over him, chewing gum like it was her full–time job.

“Rough night?” Tyler added, slapping the roof of my car. His girl, Madison, giggled beside him.

I forced a smirk, pushing the door open. “Something like that.”

They laughed, clapping me on the back, talking shit about practice, about who was going to get fucked up at the weekend party, about some freshman who thought he could try out for the team

I half–listened, scanning the front gates on instinct.

There she was.

J

Astra Hawthorne, clutching her bag like a shield, hair down and still a little messy, hurrying toward the building like she could disappear if she moved fast enough.

Our eyes locked across the lot.

For one second, everything else faded.

She froze.

I smiled, slow, cruel, full of promise.

*Run, Trash–tra.*

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11:30 am P p p p.

Chapter 7

*You’re not getting away that easily.”

She looked away first and hurried inside, head down.

My blood heated all over again.

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Maya slid up to me, wrapping her arms around my waist. “Baby, you’re tense. Rough morning?”

I didn’t answer. Just wrapped my arm around her waist, pulled her in, and kissed her hard and deep, the kind of kiss that usually shut her up and made her melt.

But the whole time, my eyes were on the doors Astra had just disappeared through.

I tasted Maya’s cherry lip gloss and felt nothing.

All I could think about was how Astra’s lips would feel if I ever broke her enough to taste them.

Tyler whistled. “Damn, get a room.”

I pulled back, smirking like nothing was wrong, but my mind was already somewhere darker.

We all headed into the building together, talking shit, laughing, the usual noise. But my eyes kept scanning the hallways.

I knew her schedule like the back of my hand.

When we walked into homeroom, I went straight to my usual seat, the one directly behind hers.

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