The Hell in Your Eyes Ch. 10

Raising his hand, he firmly took her chin within his hold. "I'll be waiting here for you after school. Promise me that you'll come home with me so that we can talk."

Her brows lifted in surprise then quickly furrowed in aggravation. "I don't think that's a good idea, Jack," she whispered for his ears alone.

His jaw hardened as he fought the desire to growl in response. "Fine. Then promise me that you'll answer me the next time that I call you," he quietly demanded.

Sam's mouth parted as she peered up at him helplessly. After a moment, it snapped closed, and a stubborn glint appeared in her large, blue eyes. "I'm not going to agree to that. I still need time to-"

The growl he had been holding in finally emerged. "Damnit, Sam! I'm not leaving until you promise. If you're not going to promise then I'm going to hoist you over my shoulder, and take you home right now!" he furiously whispered. "That pencil necked fucker over there can watch me do it. So, don't push me."

Pulling her chin from his grasp, Sam defiantly crossed her arms before glaring up at him. "So, now you're threatening me again?" she caustically inquired. "Go right ahead, Jack. It's not like I've ever had a say in any of this anyways."

Ignoring the taunt, Jack returned her glare. "Promise me right now," he ordered.

"Miss Bertram, we really must go inside. There are several things that I must attend to," the vice principal piped in.

"I said in a minute," Jack snapped distractedly. Releasing an exasperated breath, he copied her stance by crossing his arms as well. "Say it, brat. I'm not going anywhere until you do."

Sam's lips pinched together in response. "You're such a bully," she hissed.

Jack nodded solemnly. "That may be, but I'm still not leaving until you say it," he informed her.

Her arms collapsed at her sides before she stomped a foot in frustration. "This isn't fair," she complained. "All you ever do is push me around. I am not your slave, and I'm tired of you treating me like I am!"

Jack's dark eyes widened incredulously. "For the love of God, woman! All I'm asking for is a simple phone call. Why do you have to turn everything that I say into some evil, underhanded scheme? You act like I'm the devil. I just want you to talk to me!"

Sam's brows lifted once more in amazement. "Talk? You want to talk?" she inquired with disbelief. " Since when has that ever been a priority to you? Tell me, Jack. In all the time that we've known one another, when have you ever been remotely interested in talking?"

Jack's visage grew volatile as he peered down at her. Lifting a hand, he raked his fingers through his dark hair in exasperation, and bit back a curse. When the action did little to relieve the anxiety coursing through him, he reached for her hand with his own, and pulled it towards him until her palm was placed over the front of his chest.

Taken by surprise, Sam allowed him to cover her hand with his own as he pressed her fingers against the thrumming, pounding of his heart. His rib cage lifted and fell erratically, but the steadiness of his gaze when she looked up at him was slightly unsettling.

"I love you," he firmly stated. "Don't make it sound like I only care about one thing because it isn't true, and you know it."

Sam's expression grew disconcerted as she slowly shook her head. "You don't even know me," she softly replied.

"I know you, Sam." Pressing her hand tighter against his hard chest, a determined glint appeared in his dark eyes. "I know you where it matters most. Can't you feel it?"

Her mouth parted, but she couldn't seem to swallow past the lump that had formed in her throat. Jack took the opportunity to press her further. "If you can't trust me, then can you at least trust in that? I'm not going to hurt you, baby. Not anymore. You're safe with me. I promise."

Sam attempted to pull her hand from him, and he reluctantly released it. "I have to go," she quietly repeated.

The distress her words caused quickly became evident. "Don't do this," he pleaded. "You can't leave me. You can't. I need you."

Turning away, Sam stepped across the grass until she reached Mr. Palmer's side. Without pausing to acknowledge him, she continued towards the school while the older man's baffled gaze darted between them. After a brief moment of indecision, he swiftly stepped into line beside her.

They had only managed to walk a short distance when Jack's fleeting control finally evaporated. Pacing back and forth in agitation, his fists clenched at his sides while his breath seethed from between his teeth. A low growl rumbled from deep within his chest, and then his mouth twisted as a snarl born of vexation exploded from his lips.

The sound was reminiscent of a gunshot filling the brisk morning air. Startled by the ferocity of the sound, both Sam and the vice principal pivoted in unison with mouths agape.

It was apparent from his furious visage that the confrontation had rattled Jack beyond endurance. His dark eyes blazed with malicious savagery while his chest lifted, and fell heavily. His entire frame shook with the power of his anger, but it suddenly stilled altogether when he took in the expressions on the faces before him.

Mr. Palmer's countenance remained apprehensive while Sam's features blanched with disbelief. Held stricken in place, neither uttered a sound as they stared at the man standing before them as if he had taken leave of his senses.

"Is everything alright, Mr. Bertram?" the vice principal hesitantly inquired.

Jack's dark gaze narrowed considerably in response to the older man's innocent probing. Taking a threatening step forward, he watched in satisfaction as the other man quickly took a step back.

"Everything is fine," Jack stated harshly. "Children just have a way of pushing your buttons." Turning his head slightly, Jack's cold visage cut across Sam like a knife. "Once she is home where she belongs, things will be different."

Unsure of how to respond, the vice principal's brows lifted several notches as he slowly nodded. He was fighting to formulate an appropriate reply when a rough sound of indignation escaped the young lady standing beside him.

Still baffled by the situation in general, he swivelled his head in order to regard her, but she had already turned away to storm off in the direction of the school building. Her departure caused the older man's thin lips to part wordlessly as his confusion increased.

He had never been confronted with this particular situation before, and his lack of experience left him flailing. He was completely at a loss, and it showed. It was the sound of Jack's Dodge Challenger roaring to life that finally broke him from his stupor.

With something akin to amazement, he turned his grizzled head just in time to see the vehicle shoot out a cloud of smoke before it furiously tore down the block, and disappeared from sight altogether.