Damaged and the Beast (Damaged #1)

“You’re breaking up with me on test day?” I whispered, starting to cry.

“Damn it,” he said, pulling me out of the classroom. Once again, the other students became scarce to avoid Cooper. “I’m not breaking up anything.”

“Why are you so angry?”

“I can’t turn around without you and Nick getting cozy.”

“That’s bullshit.”

“Whatever. Look, we need to take this test so we can get out of here. I need you to calm down.”

“Are you going to calm down?” I asked, wiping my eyes.

“Say it,” he demanded in a quiet voice. “Say it and I’ll calm the fuck down.”

“That I love you or that you’re mine?”

“I know I’m yours. I need to know you’re mine.”

“Who the fuck else’s would I be?” I growled at him.

Cooper grinned at my tone. “You’re so fucking hot when you get pissed. I wish we could leave right now.”

“I’m not getting naked with you until you stop acting like a douche.”

“Even if I do this?” he asked, kissing my neck before returning to class.

Lowering my gaze, I avoided the looky-loos as I followed Cooper back into class where the instructor waited. Soon, Manuel handed out our tests and my panic returned. Half of the questions were in Spanish and I understood none of them. Was I supposed to know how to read this? Why hadn’t I learned? Was the panic making me dumber or was I stupid and so I was panicking?

I spent so much time freaking out about freaking out that I had to hurry to finish the test in time. Handing the packet back to Manuel as I walked out with Cooper, I had a bad feeling that no matter who I studied with I might be in over my head.

Cooper remained grumpy for the rest of the afternoon. He even frowned during sex, watching me like he was searching for something on my face. By the time he dropped me off at work, I was ready for a little space. Even so, I worried the last few weeks with me had distracted him and he’d done poorly on his tests too.

Despite the wonky day, the first few hours at work were great. Test day put everyone on edge so they hadn’t eaten much. After the exams were over, students showed up at Denny’s and ordered most of the menu. Super busy, I loved every minute of the rush. In fact, by the time Cooper arrived, I was rolling in cash and ready to celebrate. Maybe I’d treat him to something special?

Usually when Cooper arrived, he’d kiss me in a completely inappropriate way before sitting down where he spent the next few hours making lewd comments to get me to laugh. This time though, Cooper walked straight to the restroom and I assumed even Cooper Johansson got sick.

When he emerged, his sleeves were pulled down past his hands, making him look like a kid in an oversized shirt. His expression made me worry more.

“What’s wrong?”

Cooper shook his head as he took my face into his hands still hidden in the shirt sleeves. “Tell me you love me,” he whispered.

“I love you so much and you’re scaring me.”

“I had a shit day, but I need you to need me like I need you.”

“I do,” I said, sitting next to him in the booth. “You look sick.”

“Just stressed. I have a lot of pressure on me to take over shit and I’m not even done with college. My pop is in a hurry to take a backseat in the business and it’s all on me and I only have you to help me relax. Everyone else just takes. Well, Aaron is cool, but no one relaxes me like you do, baby.”

Cooper turned to look at me and I saw such fear in his eyes. “You can’t live without me, right?” he asked in a pleading voice. “If I fucked up, you’d give me another chance, right?”

“Fucked up? Like if you were with another girl?”

His expression full of pain, Cooper shook his head. “If I’m scared I’ll lose you, why would I cheat?”

“I don’t know, but you seem freaked out. I can’t imagine what would be so bad that you’d be this way?”

Cooper studied my face in a way that made me think he wanted to confess. Was it really another girl? Was an ex pregnant? I couldn’t imagine every girl was on birth control and Cooper wasn’t great about using condoms. I waited for him to explain, but he only tightened his lips into a grim frown.

“You’re coming to my place tonight, right?”

“Of course.”

Cooper nodded, taking my hand. “I was thinking we should blow off school and work. Just take off for a few days. A little vacation.”

“I want to find out how I did on the tests and they’ll tell us tomorrow. Friday at the latest.”

“I’ll have someone email them to you.”

“Why do you want to leave so badly? Are you in trouble?”