Kingsley Academy

Chapter 23

Kade's POV

As soon as I pulled her close, I could feel her walls crumbling, but not enough. She was still holding back, still doubting me, and I hated that. I hated that someone had done this to her, that they had taken her trust and smashed it to pieces, leaving me to pick up the shards.

She pulled away slightly, her hand resting on my chest, her eyes filled with conflict. "I need time," she whispered, her voice shaky. "I need to figure this out."

I clenched my jaw, the frustration building in my chest. "Allison, I'm not letting this go. I'll find out who did this, and they'll regret ever crossing you. I swear it."

She looked up at me, her eyes searching mine for something—maybe reassurance, maybe a reason to believe I wasn't like the rest of them. But after a beat, she stepped back, the space between us widening again. "I just... I can't deal with this right now. I need time."

Before I could say anything else, she turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, my fists clenched at my sides, my heart pounding in frustration. I wasn't going to stop until I made this right. I wouldn't let this be the end.

But as soon as she disappeared down the hall, a voice behind me cut through the silence, dripping with smugness. "Lost her the day you finally got her, huh?"

I turned, already knowing who it was before I saw him. Cole. He was leaning against the lockers, that infuriating grin plastered on his face, like he had just won some twisted game. I stared at him, my mind racing, trying to understand what he meant. But the way he looked at me, like he knew something I didn't, made my blood boil.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" I growled, stepping toward him.

Cole chuckled, pushing off the locker as he stood to his full height. "I heard it all, man. That little heart-to-heart you had with her in the garden. You were so wrapped up in her, you didn't even notice me."

My heart stopped for a second, then started pounding harder than ever. "You... you heard us?"

He shrugged, completely unbothered. "It wasn't hard to figure out, you know. And when I realized what a juicy little secret she was hiding, well, I figured why not let the rest of the school in on it?"

I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. Cole. It was him. He was the one who exposed her secret, the one who destroyed everything.

My vision blurred with rage, my fists clenched so tight my knuckles turned white. "You... did this?" I barely recognized my own voice. It was low, dangerous, shaking with fury.

Cole just smiled, like he was proud of it. "Don't worry, man. I'll take good care of her. She'll find comfort in my arms after this whole thing blows over. You know how it is."

Something snapped inside me.

Before I could stop myself, my fist connected with his jaw. The sound of the impact was deafening, and Cole stumbled back, his grin wiped clean off his face. He barely had time to react before I was on him, throwing punch after punch, my rage blinding me to everything else.

"You fucking piece of shit!" I roared, landing another hit to his ribs, knocking the breath out of him. I couldn't stop. I couldn't think. All I could see was him, standing there smugly, after ruining everything.

He tried to fight back, but I was too far gone. Every punch was harder than the last, and before long, he was barely standing, his face bloodied and swollen. I didn't care. I wanted him to hurt. I wanted him to feel every ounce of pain he had caused her.

"You're going to pay for this," I growled, grabbing him by the collar and slamming him against the lockers. "You think she'll ever come to you? You think she'll ever look at you again after this?"