Voracious (The Edge of Darkness, #2)

by Leigh Rivers

It’s over. It’s been over for two years. He’s wrong. If it was over, then what the hell has this entire trip been? The sex. The kiss. The need to hold me. We aren’t done.

“How can you just sit back and watch these people control him?” “Do you care about your family, Miss Rhodes?”

My stomach plummets. What if they see Chris? Regardless

He’s untraceable. The last time that happened, he was gone for three months.”

Do I still love him? Yes, without a doubt. Am I in love with him? I have no idea.

my nerves shattering when I see Chris glaring at me from the back seat.

I usually wake to her gone.

and I need to hold back on telling her I think I might be falling in love with her. Might be.

Freckles: I miss you too. I smile and type a reply.

“What are you going to do when I go to Hawaii with my family in January?” “Burn your passport before you can leave.”

“You’re doing so good, Freckles,” I say, kissing below her ear as I thrust harder. My voice is shaky, but I keep praising her. “Taking it so fucking well.”

She’s like my own sunrise. Beautiful. Perfect. She fills a part of me that’s been empty and dark for as long as I can remember.

not even Stacey knows that they say “I choose who I love, and I choose you”.

I’d give it all up for Stacey.

I don’t stop the car until I reach the police station.

I flinch as Dad slams his hand against the steering wheel. “That’s enough! Why are you saying this?”

telling me sickeningly how he’s imagined me doing this since I was fourteen. Sick, perverted asshole.

“It means it’s time for your punishment. Did you think I was going to let you off with everything? My friends have been waiting for years to have a shot of you again.”

suddenly grows heavy, and my eyes sting. “For someone who doesn’t like me being with others, you don’t mind sharing me. You contradict yourself.”

If I’m lucky, he’ll make me overdose.

I remember the feeling of him on top of me when I was a teenager, him asking if the blood smearing his cock was virginal. Little did he know that I’d lost my daughter a month prior.

“I wonder if she’ll cry this time – or at least stay awake. I loved her tears before.”

Ima puke

“I’m sorry,” he mutters under his breath as he kisses my cheek, sliding something sharp into my palm.

“I always knew they’d find their way back to each other. I’m glad they talked things out.”

I wonder if they’ll be around when we have kids.

With my eyes on her, I say, “So beautiful.”

I want you forever, I say in my head.

“Fine.” She smiles, and my heart stutters in my chest. “Since you’re my boyfriend.”

“I know you’re blaming yourself for all of this, little one – I can hear it in your voice. He’s a disease. And he’ll be dealt with. You don’t need to be silent anymore.”

I love you so much Tobias ❤️

I smile at his joking tone. “I think we’re becoming friends, Tobias.” He lets out a disbelieving laugh and hangs up on me.

It’s like a mixture of love and not being able to breathe unless she’s around – thoughts that run wild wondering what she’s doing, where she is, if she’s thinking of me. It’s the butterflies that flutter like maniacs when I know I’m going to see her soon. The Stacey Rhodes Effect.

“Because I love you. I’ve been in love with you for ages – it’s been all I’ve thought about. And I keep falling more in love with you every single fucking day.”

“I’m in love with you too.”

“And over there” – she points to the cave next to the beach – “is where Kade told me he loved me for the first time.”

Everyone holds me, and the room is filled with sniffs, shaky breaths and whispers of “Sorry” and “We have you” and “We love you”.

Chris is nowhere near us, and even if he was,

You just fucking jinxed urself

That’s fine. Let me die. I’m not too fond of your fucking company.

Maybe if I die, I’ll reincarnate into a dog. Stacey likes dogs. She’ll cuddle me.

I can’t wait to see Stacey beat the shit out of Cassie.

Base beelines straight for Luciella, but his eyes drop to the writing on her chest, and his jaw ticks.

I can fucking feel them everywhere, but I only want to feel you.”

“Make them go away, Freckles.” “Make what go away?” I manage to ask. “The voices.”

Kade: Run and hide. Unless you want everyone to witness me fucking you? Having an audience won’t stop me – I’ll take you in front of the entire party.

But then where’s the fun in that?

Do you know how much of a head fuck that is for me? I want you. I wanted you when we kissed during dares. I wanted you when we kissed months later. Cuddling in bed. FaceTiming while we both fell asleep. And I wanted you the night we spent with the other couple. Don’t you get that? It’s not a quick fuck. I want you.”

Damn he would bark

“Give me a good reason and I’ll stop. I mean it. I’ll delete your number; I’ll stop contacting you. You can find someone else to unload on when you’re feeling down.”

“I’ll give up. I promise. Just give me a good reason.”

Dad’s version of love comes in the form of obsession; a desire so strong that the only way to have it is to seek, to stalk, to steal and to destroy.

“Besides, I prefer his son.”

She’s been insatiable lately.