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When I fuck her in my bed, in my house, she’s not going to be thinking of my brother.
“I’m not like Greyson or Steele. I’m not going to go behind your back and scare away the guys who think they have a right to touch you. And this is even more poetic because this fucker should’ve never laid a hand on you. But especially somewhere private. Somewhere that belongs to me.”
“Your lock is fixed. Your apartment is clean. Get some sleep, baby. You’re going to need it for what I have planned for you. And you don’t deserve to sleep on somebody’s couch.”
“No, if I wanted to force you to spend time with me, I’d tie you up and keep you in my room like a good little pet.” He leans in, his eyes gleaming. “I’d cut off your clothes and make you kneel at my feet as I did my homework, with a gag in your mouth and your wrists bound behind your back. Maybe I’d put a vibrator in your pussy and watch you squirm and see how far I could push you before you begged for just a little more… pressure.”
“We can simulate your death if you want, baby. But you’re not leaving this earth one second before me.”
I want her alone. I want her isolated. But I need her to learn that, of all the people in the world, and of all the fucked-up shit people will do to each other, I will never leave her.
“You want me to call the police,” I repeat, my voice hoarse. “So they can come snoop around my destroyed apartment where you murdered someone?” Miles rolls his eyes. “They won’t be looking for anything like that. Besides, no body, no crime. Call them, Willow.”
“We’re going to the pizza place on the corner,” Aspen says when I don’t respond. “And you’ve been weird lately.” It’s the second week of the semester. I watched someone die. My place was broken into and ripped apart. Of course I’ve been weird.
If I was nice, I’d be in there with her, locked door or not. You know, to hold her hair and rub her back. As it is, I’m not nice. And the sound of her throwing up vaguely makes me nauseous, too.
“Where do you even get this shit?” “I know a guy.” Well.
Well, I knew I was obsessed with her. It should be fucking obvious that I’m in love with her, too.
Willow nudges me. “You got something to say to that, Miles?” I look at my brother, then at her. I believe her. That she’d never fawn over someone who didn’t deserve it. So I don’t fight it, and I don’t rebuke my brother. I don’t stake a claim on Willow, even though she makes my heart hammer and draws my focus like no other. My mistake. One I’ll be paying for, for quite a while.
“You will,” he replies. “You don’t have a choice. There’s never been a choice with us, wild girl. You’ll fall in love with me, and it’s going to be a hundred times better than any love you held for Knox. Because I deserve you and you deserve me.” His gaze intensifies. “And when you do realize that you’re madly in love with me, you’re going to know in your bones that I won’t leave you. I haven’t left you, and I won’t ever. It’s you and me until the end of time.”
“What do you need?” he rephrases. “You,” I choke out. “Directions.” “Orders,” he corrects.
I have to deal with the fact that Knox was an asshole who didn’t give a shit about me. There. He didn’t give a shit. And Miles… Miles always has.
“What are you doing?” she finally asks. I grin. “Reading your palm.” “You know how to do that?” No, but I’m not about to ruin it.
“I don’t love you.” The words are out before I can stop them. But now that they hang between us, I can’t go back. Can’t snatch them out of the air like they don’t exist. “I won’t love you. Ever.”
“Ready?” Knox calls. “We’re going to go fuck up some Wolves’ assholes!” I groan—and I’m not the only one. “Hey, hey, I didn’t mean it like that,” Knox yells. “Jesus fuck, you perverted dicks. Those Wolves won’t know what hit ’em.” “Because we’re taking them from behind!” Rodrigues calls. “You’d know all about that,” someone else says. “Yeah, it makes me an expert on fucking—unlike your virgin—”
“Okay, fine. If you don’t want to see what we’re doing here, get out of the car.” “Fine, I will.” I yank on the door handle, but it doesn’t budge. I glare at her. “Unlock it.” “Yes, ma’am,” she replies, hitting the button. I see it unlock, and yet, the door still doesn’t fucking open. “Oh, you do want to find out?” Violet turns back around in her seat. “Great.”
“Why’d you do that?” I ask. “Because not all families look the same. You don’t just get me in this deal, wild girl. You can have more love than you know what to do with.”
“This is why you didn’t fuck my throat,” I groan, smacking my palm to my forehead. “You’re such an asshole.” He chuckles. The woman’s mouth quirks, and I press my lips together.
I thought she was going to stab me for a minute there, but this is totally worth it.
“If you suck him off, I’m going to throw you both out of this car,” Knox swears. “And leave us on the side of the road?” I laugh, although it’s strained. Because she’s tracing a path over my jeans. “Okay,” Willow says instead. “We’ll let you handle the cleaning fee when you drop the car off.” She unbuttons my jeans and reaches in, past my briefs, and wraps her slim fingers around my shaft. My head falls back. Do I think of my grandmother? Or do I let this happen?
“I may have twisted it that way, Willow, but he was dead either way. But at least you learned something.” I throw my hands up. “At least I learned something? What, that my boyfriend is a psychopath?” I freeze. “You’re not my boyfriend.” Oh, fuck. He’s grinning. Argument forgotten, he looks like he just won everything.
He lunges forward, and I let out a sharp squeal. We’re in the middle of the parking lot of a rest stop, but no one gives a shit. He grabs my hips and tosses me over his shoulder, then breaks into a run. “She’s my real girlfriend!” Miles yells. I shake my head and laugh. What the fuck is wrong with us? “Fake,” I cry out. “Fake girlfriend!” He slaps my ass.
Knox is pacing. He grabs my upper arm and drags me toward his car, so fast I stumble. “What the fuck?” I shove at him. “What are you doing?” “You got Miles into this mess,” he seethes. “If anything happens to my baby brother—” “Knox.” I dig my heels in. “Where are we going?” “Get in the car, Reed.” He gets up in my face, his hand wrapping around the back of my neck. Holding me nose to nose with him. “My brother would sacrifice everything to save you. We’re going to do the exact same fucking thing.”
“I was on the phone with Miles when he crashed,” Knox says quietly. “I listened as that fucker hit his car repeatedly until he crashed, and then he dragged my brother out of it. And he took his phone, too. I heard his voice. He just wants answers, Willow, and he thinks you can give them to him.” My shoulders sag. I should’ve known Knox had an ulterior motive. If it was just a matter of getting to his baby brother, he would’ve gone without me. “Okay,” I whisper. “But he won’t forgive you.” “But at least he’ll be alive.”
“What else did he say?” Greyson asks, catching up to me. Steele closes up the garage, and Knox follows slower. Dragging his feet. “He said he wants to torture me before he kills me.” The sad part is that I’d accept it, if it means Willow lives.
“Are you sorry for killing my brother?” he asks. “Your final words, Whiteshaw. Better make it count.” His thumb pulls back the safety. I don’t know shit about guns, but clearly everything up until now wasn’t a real threat. Now, it’s ready to go. I lift my chin and stare him down. “If I knew this was how it would end, I would’ve tortured him a bit more first.”
“I love you,” he says. “You’re still yelling,” I whisper. “I can’t hear you.” I smile. It makes it easier to say, “I love you, too.” He grins. Oh, so he heard that? “Asshole,” I add. But my smile widens, too.
Back in the hall, I spot the closed bathroom door. I grin. I open it silently, spotting familiar gray sweatpants on the floor outside the shower. The water is running, the curtain closed, and I creep toward it. Miles is either going to not be surprised at all, or he’s going to jump a foot. Hopefully he won’t deck me. I slowly grasp the edge of the curtains. “Gotcha!” I whip it open. Finch screams. He’s naked. Wet. Fuck. I scream back, louder, and cover my eyes, then spin around for good measure. Not what I wanted to see. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” I rush out of the bathroom and smack right into
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“You good?” I ask BJ, stopping beside him. He’s getting greener. “I’m glad you’re playing,” he mumbles. I roll my eyes. “Yeah, me, too, with that fucking attitude.”
