Forbidden Fruit: Volume 1 by Lisa M. Harley, Janice Baker, Lexi Buchanan, Jessica Hawkins, Missy Johnson, Stacey Lynn, Rebecca Brooke, Olivia Linden, R. S. Grey, Morgan Jane Mitchell Page A

informed lies, I’ll tell the guards about the stash of weed you keep hidden under your mattress, and I’ll make your life a living hell.”
    “I don’t have a stash of anything!” She exclaimed, her pretty little mouth dropping open.
    “Not yet,” I replied calmly, narrowing my eyes.
    That shut her up.
    She turned back to her pile of clothes and continued to fold them. I watched her, not liking how quickly she had reverted back to being calm and focused. I didn’t trust her.
    Not one little bit.
    ~*~*~*~
    Don’t fall for it. She is just trying to get to you.
    I watched as Sherry fawned all over Max as he helped her with one of the essay questions. Pretending it didn’t bother me wasn’t an option though, because it did. I wanted to storm over there and punch the shit out of her. I chuckled to myself. That would wipe that smug little smile off her face.
    The class was only the six of us girls, and Max. One of the other guards usually stood around too, in case a fight broke out I was guessing.
    I was convinced the other five were only there to perve on Max. For me, the perving was just a bonus. Only today, he was ignoring me. He was spending all his time helping the other girls, and it was driving me insane.
    I hated the way Sherry threw back her head when she laughed. I hated the way she stuck out her chest whenever he walked past. But most of all I hated the way seeing him with other girls made me feel.
    I called over the other guard. When he got closer, I saw his name was Jon. Ah, that Jon. From last week.
    Well, two can play that game, Max.
    “Are you okay?” Jon asked when he reached me. I flashed him a smile.
    Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Max glaring at us. Exactly the reaction I wanted. Childish? Yes, but if it worked, it worked.
    “Can you explain this to me?” I asked, my voice sugary sweet. I barely listened as he ran through the question, my head all consumed with Max. He was still watching, his eyes dark.
    Yes . I was getting under his skin. But my doubts were still there.
    What if Sherry was right?
    What if I was just another random girl he was going to fuck while I was here, and forget about when I’m gone?
    I groaned loudly, loud enough for Jon and Max to both stare at me, confused by my outward display of emotion.
    I had become that person.
    The kind of person who was completely dependent on someone else. The kind of person I’d spent all my life trying not to become. Depending on people meant they let you down. My whole life had been one person letting me down after another. Why had I been so quick to cling to Max?
    I give the guy a blowjob, and suddenly I’m planning our wedding?
    This was never going to go anywhere. He was at least twelve years older than me for fucks sake! He was a way for me to pass the time, and that was all he was ever going to be.
    God, I need to separate myself from him. How could I have become… this , in the space of three fucking weeks?
    Was I that tragic? Apparently so.
    I thanked Jon, and then put my head down and forced myself to focus on my essay questions. From here on, it was study, sleep and eat. That was it. I could make this work, and get somewhere in life, or I could fuck things up. Again. All pining over Max was going to do for me was break my spirit even more than it already was.

     
    Chapter Seven
     
    I was avoiding him. And it was working too. I ate, and I stayed in my room. There was nowhere for him to corner me. Until I was yanked behind a bush a few days later while walking across for breakfast. I rubbed my arm and glared at him.
    What the hell did he think he was doing?
    “Why are you avoiding me?” he asked, angry.
    “Because there is no point? I’m over whatever this is, okay? So you can move on to the next girl.”
    “Move on…what the hell are you talking about?” he hissed, his eyes clouded with confusion. “You think this is what I do? You’re the first that I’ve ever…” He shook his head. “Whatever. If that’s