Page 45 of A Reputation Dark & Deadly

Chapter 12

Logan didn't spendthe night that night. It was probably for the best. They needed some space to evaluate everything that had happened and what they were going to be. The weekend was over. Monday morning came roaring back, reminding each of them that they actually had individual lives, commitments, and goals they needed to work towards. The night alone helped Peyton refocus and she got up early once more to shower. Unfortunately, the shower facilities weren't as empty as they had been Sunday morning. She still managed to get one of the last empty stalls, but after she finished and was blow drying her hair, the girl next to her whistled and narrowed her gaze directly toward Peyton's neck.

"Damn, girl," she said. "Get some last night?"

It was only then that Peyton saw the bite mark on her neck, clear for the entire world to see. Her face turned the color of beets and she immediately hurried up with her hair so she could spend the majority of her time trying to cover the mark up. It wasn't violent; it almost resembled an intense hickey so there was no mistaking Peyton received it in the throes of passion. She just hoped nobody recognized Logan Jeffrey at her dorm anytime soon because it didn't take a rocket scientist to put two and two together in order to figure out who did that to her.

She also couldn't show up late to class because she didn't want Logan to think that she was using her new relationship with him to her advantage. She wanted to go on with her life as normally as she could. No one could know about them. That much was clear. But there was something inside of Peyton that told her Logan bit her like that on purpose. That was a predatory bite, as though he wanted to tell the world that she belonged to him and no one else. On the one hand, she was disgusted that she was being used like a piece of property he owned. On the other, she liked that he was territorial over her. Not in the dangerous sort of way. It was more the idea than anything else. Logan didn't strike her as the jealous type and to see him act out of character because of her made her feel desirable and powerful, two feelings that were a relatively new concept for her.

She spent the rest of her time putting makeup on the bite in order to conceal it as best as she could.

By the time she finished and inspected it thoroughly in the mirror, she decided that she had done her absolute best to conceal it. To an innocent onlooker who happened to study her neck, it looked slightly discolored but nothing to question. There was no way anyone would suspect she had been bitten in the throes of passion, except for maybe Logan and that was if he even realized he had done that.

When she was satisfied, she left, only returning to her room to drop off her pajamas and grab her things. She made it to class a few minutes before it began and she managed to stroll to her seat before Logan even looked up from his phone. When he did, however, his eyes immediately honed in on her bite mark, or lack thereof.

No. Logan clearly knew he had left a mark on her and now he was looking for it. She watched his jaw tick before he ripped his eyes away from her neck to meet her eyes and when that finally happened, she realized that he did not look happy about the fact that it wasn't quite there anymore.

Class went by quickly. It was odd, watching him from her new perspective. Watching him teach as a lover rather than just a student with an infatuation. Peyton didn't think it was possible but it almost felt as though she was even more attracted to him now than she had been before. There was a pride streaming through her bloodstream as she took in every movement, every stride, every smile. It made her heart flutter and her panties soak. She wished he would bend her over his desk and take her from behind. Immediately her face flared up at the thought and she had to look away from him, afraid he could read her mind. The last thing she wanted to do was distract him. However, when she finally looked up at him, she found him looking at her, his hazel eyes a shade darker and his jaw tightened on its hinges, even as he spoke.

He knew. It was as though he could tell from her blush what she was thinking.

When he finally dismissed the class, he strolled over to where she sat. He crossed his arms over his chest but didn't say anything, didn't even look at her. Peyton didn't have to hear him say anything to know that he wanted her to hang behind. She pretended to slowly put her things away in order to give the impression that she wasn't staying behind on purpose. Although, Logan could have just asked, considering it wasn't a secret that she was also his TA.

"What the fuck is that?" he asked, gesturing at the concealed mark after the door closed and the classroom was completely empty save for them.

"Oh, you mean the bite mark you left on my neck for the entire world to see?" Peyton asked, perking her brow and shooting him a questionable stare.

"No," he replied, shaking his head. "What is that shit covering up the bite mark?"

Peyton rolled her eyes. "Makeup," she snapped, her fingers curled into fists and her hands resting on her hips. "You didn't actually think I would be okay walking around with that, did you?"

"Why would you cover up something like that?" he asked. He didn't seem possessive or controlling about it, he seemed genuinely interested in what she had to say.

"Because I'm not five," she said, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"This has nothing to do with your age, sweetheart," he said, an edge to his tone. He almost sounded offended and she wondered if he was just sensitive because she mentioned the word age. Immediately she banished the thought because Logan didn't seem to be the type to be insecure about his age. "I gave that to you."

"Do you want me to walk around like you marked your territory so now, no one can claim me?" she asked, wrinkling her brow. "I'm not a cow, Logan. You can't just stick your brand on me and then parade me around with it like you're saying no one can have me anymore."

"You are mine," Logan said through his teeth, taking a step toward her. "I don't have to prove that to fucking anybody."

"Then why are you so upset that I have a mark on my neck that I covered up?" she asked. She tried not to get too defensive, tried not have attitude in her tone but it was difficult and she had never been that patient.

"It happened, sweetheart," he told her. His gaze was a fiery gold and he held her gaze with his easily. His tone was low but serious and nothing short of dangerous. Not that he would hurt her in any way but that he was being serious and it was imperative to him that she take what he had to say seriously. "We happened."

"I'm not denying that we did," Peyton said.

"You're covering it up," he pointed out, gesturing toward the mark without touching her. He clenched his jaw and kept any other words that wanted to come out in and she was surprised at his restraint. "What happened, happened."

"I'm not denying that," Peyton told him. "I would never hide you." When she said that, she was surprised that the words were fluid out of her mouth, that she meant them without question. "But I do care about my reputation. And people are going to assume I'm with you because of yours."

"What's wrong with that?" Logan asked, again genuinely perplexed.

"You have no idea how hard I worked to be taken seriously," she told him. "All people see when they look at me is blonde hair and legs. They don't see who I really am."

Logan paused a long moment, reaching out to curl a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Peyton leaned into it, her eyes almost closing at the contact. He typically reserved these moments when they were alone in her room. Even though they had only really been together for the weekend, she had automatically assumed he wasn't the type of guy who did public displays of affections. Then again, he also wasn't the type to have girlfriends, either - if that was what she was, anyway.

"Why do you give a shit what people think of you?" he asked her. "You're an intelligent young woman. You know who you really are. Why does it matter what anyone thinks of you?"