Untouchable (Untouchables, #1)

by Sam Mariano

“She’s a lot nicer when you’re mean to her, you notice that, Jake? You merely touch her and she runs and tattles on you. I toy with her, and she manages a ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ for me. Makes you wonder what the difference is, doesn’t it?”

“Go to hell,” I tell him, shifting to try to dislodge his hand. I gasp as he squeezes my nipple. There’s a bite of pain, but a strange sort of tension lying just beneath it. It feels weird, but I actually don’t completely hate it. I hate him, though.

“Are they still bothering you?” she asks, her voice low. “Something like that,” I mutter vaguely. “Well, you just keep your head up and don’t let them get you down. No one can dull your light unless you let them.” Rather than respond to her unsolicited platitude,

“How’d you like the notes I took for you yesterday?” “Those were not notes. That was written porn.” “Erotica, then. Don’t be basic and pretend you don’t know there’s a difference.” I roll my eyes at him. “I work at a bookstore; I know what erotica is.”

Tales of Ordinary Madness. Carter seems like a Bukowoski

“Bringing a cute kid in was pretty low. I can’t be mean to you in front of your baby sister.” “I mean, you could be,” he reasons. “But yeah, I kinda figured you wouldn’t. You’re a sweetheart underneath it all, aren’t you, princess?”

“She’s not my kid, Zoey.” “I mean, I would hope not, because you would have been way too young to even have sex—” “It’s not too young. I was thirteen the first time I had sex.” That stuns me a little. “You were having sex when you were 13?” His enlightening response is a shrug. “We don’t all wait until we’re growing gray hair, Ellis. That’s just you.”

a football game I frankly don’t care about, but I can’t, because he brought a tiny, adorable, raven-haired buffer.

“Carter, wait! You forgot your gift card.” “No, I didn’t,” he calls back, just before the door closes. I frown at the door, then hesitantly pick up the gift card. It takes a few seconds before I take his meaning. He bought the gift card for me?

“I’m aware of that. But it definitely looked like you two were talking until his friend broke up the party.” I shrug. “Sometimes when he leaves class and doesn’t have anyone else to talk to, he talks to me.” “Now that I think about it, I haven’t heard him joinin’ in lately when people are talking crap about you with that lame nickname the jocks used absolutely no brain power to dream up,” she says.

“Harlot is such a fun word,” Grace agrees. “Ho is unimaginative.”

Not to make you sound like a snob, but I always thought you were too swept up in your own world to even notice the jocks until this Jake thing happened.” Why does everyone keep saying that?

As I’m giving my phone dirty looks, I shift my body, suddenly uncomfortable for reasons I don’t even understand. Then I pick the phone back up, my thumb slips, and the worst possible thing happens—I accidentally ‘like’ the photo. Gasping, I stare, horrified, at the little red heart. “No! No, no, no, no.” I quickly click the button again to unlike it, then I drop the phone like it turned into a tarantula, afraid to even touch the damn thing.

My hopes die as my screen lights up with a notification that he just sent me a message. Motherfucker! “Shit,” I hiss, grabbing the phone and sliding the message open. “That’s shady,” he says simply.

“Uh-huh,” he sends back, clearly unconvinced. “Strange how you saw my picture, but you’re not following me…”

“Didn’t date the stripper, either. You have bad information.” “I may be using overly polite terminology,” I admit. “Fuck is the word you’re looking for.”

“You can feel special if you want to. I’d rather make you feel dirty. I’d rather see all your feelings in your eyes when you hear the cold bite of my voice telling you how to please me. I’d rather you half-naked, on your knees, waiting for permission to suck my cock like a good little whore.”

“Grace doesn’t have a boyfriend anymore, and yes, you would have hated her last one. He’s a goody two shoes. He even got on my nerves, and I’m friends with Grace.”

My type is ‘not a dangerous sociopath’ and I’m not convinced you fit the bill.” Carter smiles like that amuses rather than offends him. “I’m not a sociopath.”

“It was,” I say with a nod. “I haven’t lied to you,” he says. “You lie to everyone,” I state. “From what I can tell, your whole entire life is a lie.” “I didn’t say I don’t lie to anyone, I said I haven’t lied to you,”

Carter’s mind moves fast even when he hasn’t had time to prepare—I saw that in the empty classroom, when he turned a routine bullying into sexual assault with a hint of potential murder if I didn’t keep my mouth shut, when he hijacked Jake’s crusade because he discovered I appealed to his particular appetites. That all happened in the space of a few minutes; Carter had no idea what he was walking into or that any of that would happen, and he still directed it like a fucking maestro.

“What, your rally girl isn’t giving you enough attention? I thought she was the best,” I remark innocently. Carter nods. “It’s all right. I find moderate jealousy cute in a girl. Keep it up.” “I don’t want you to find me cute.” “Then

“I do, but I have no interest in going to her parties. Not to mention, if the whole team is going to be there, that means Jake would be there, and you must be out of your ever-loving mind if you think I’m going to put myself in that situation. Me at a football party with you, Jake, and Shayne, not to mention the whole rest of the team. I’ve seen Carrie, okay? I know how that story ends.” “With you exhibiting telekinetic powers?” I nod my head. “Exactly. And I’ve gotta tell you, pig’s blood is not a good look for me.”

Honestly, I don’t think the guy has the stomach for it. He’s the one who wanted to rough you up, and he couldn’t even finish the job.”

“You know what? I’m curious what would happen if I reached my hand down that little garbage disposal hole in the sink to retrieve a lost spoon, but not curious enough to try it. Jake is at that party, Grace.”

“Wait,” I cry, breaking the kiss. “Carter, please don’t hurt me.” “Sh,” he murmurs against my lips. “I won’t. Just relax. I want to make you feel good.”

Before I can even complete the thought, Shayne smirks at me and starts golf-clapping. I swallow down a lump of embarrassment, but I can’t keep my eyes from darting around the room to see who else might have noticed, who else might be judging me.

“I am so sorry you had to come to that party because of me. I feel like I led you right into temptation, and you tried so hard to warn me.”

“You always have to make me work extra hard for you, don’t you, princess?”

Knowing he already has the answer, I respond with stony silence. I know exactly what this is, and I really don’t want to hear it. I may not be able to argue convincingly that Carter isn’t bad news, but it’s no one else’s decision to make. It’s mine. I’m the one who will bear the consequences if I’m wrong to give him a chance, so I don’t need to be told what to do, or who to spend my time with. I’m perfectly capable of deciding that on my own, and anyone who doesn’t like it can mind their own business.

“Hop in, babe.” Heat creeps up my neck and stains my cheeks. He had to call me babe, didn’t he? Why does he live to torment me? I shoot him a look of warning, then look back over at Pastor James. “I’ll see you Wednesday.” “Yes, I’ll see you then,” he replies, his voice faintly resigned. I open the passenger door and slide in. I no more than get it shut and I feel Carter’s hand move to the nape of my neck. He grabs me and pulls me in for an aggressive kiss, just in case the “babe” didn’t get his point across. When he finishes kissing me and nips my bottom lip, I want to sink into the seat and disappear. Carter looks out my window, shooting my pastor a little smile.

and I feel Carter’s hand move to the nape of my neck. He grabs me and pulls me in for an aggressive kiss, just in case the “babe” didn’t get his point across.

He shrugs. “We’ll see. I don’t like the way he looked at you.” “That’s absurd.” “I know what I saw,” Carter replies.

watching your ass when you get into my car. And that look on his face when I kissed you? It wasn’t judgment, it was envy.” “Stop,” I say, covering my ears. “Stop trying to pervert everything in my life. I need some things to stay pure, dammit.” “People aren’t pure, princess,” he tells me, shaking his head as he hits his turn signal. “When are you ever gonna accept that?”

And that look on his face when I kissed you? It wasn’t judgment, it was envy.” “Stop,” I say, covering my ears. “Stop trying to pervert everything in my life. I need some things to stay pure, dammit.” “People aren’t pure, princess,” he tells me, shaking his head as he hits his turn signal. “When are you ever gonna accept that?”

He nods. “Two that year. When I was 14, I dated a 16-year-old. Then 15 was the year I got a little more active, 16 was pretty active. Last year was the highest. Not the best year to date Erika; I fucked around on her a lot.”

Bad communicators, or men too timid to tell a woman what they really want—clearly not something I struggle with.

“I’m not complaining, I actually really like this about you, but I’ll label it a weakness because it makes you easy to take advantage of. You try too hard to see the good in people, which is weird as hell, because one of the things I like most about you is that you don’t seem to give a single fuck what anyone thinks of you. I’ve seen people bullied with far less venom than you have been fold under the scrutiny, but you sail through the halls like a queen, like we’re all beneath you, and our opinions legitimately don’t matter. People call you stuck-up, but you’re not stuck up. You’re too nice to be stuck up. I don’t know what you are. Well-insulated, maybe?

“Bravery,” I deadpan. “Bravery and unselfishness are my worst qualities? This isn’t a job interview. Don’t bullshit me, Carter.”

They’d put you down because they don’t like you, or they don’t like those things about you, but I do. They’re beneficial to me, because they’re the only reason you even talk to me, but… if pressed, that’s why I’d call them weaknesses.”

or they don’t like those things about you, but I do. They’re beneficial to me, because they’re the only reason you even talk to me, but… if pressed, that’s why I’d call them weaknesses.”

But as long as you don’t actually, physically kill me, I’ll survive you. I’ll survive everybody. I don’t give outsiders enough access to my inner world to destroy me. They could torch everything they’re able to reach, and I’d still have a lot left.

Leaning in closer so I can address him without Erika overhearing, I say, “So, hangin’ out with your ex is super fun. We should do this more.” Carter smirks. “See why I fucked the art teacher?”

“So, hangin’ out with your ex is super fun. We should do this more.” Carter smirks. “See why I fucked the art teacher?” “I might’ve fucked the art teacher too, if it was the only way to get away from her,” I admit. “Oof, would watch,” he murmurs. I grin, my cheeks flushing, and bump him in the side. “Behave yourself, Mr. Mahoney.”

“I might’ve fucked the art teacher too, if it was the only way to get away from her,” I admit. “Oof, would watch,” he murmurs. I grin, my cheeks flushing, and bump hi...

After a moment of stunned silence, she demands, “Are you serious?” “Do I bluff?” Carter asks simply.

“Just because it’s stupid doesn’t mean you didn’t do it,” I fire back. “Don’t try to use logic to bail yourself out.” Carter blinks at me. “I… do not know how to respond to that. What else am I supposed

“Don’t bullshit me,” I tell him, shoving him in the chest. He doesn’t budge. “If you did anything with her, tell me that right now. Not later after you’ve thought it over, weighed the pros and cons. Now. We weren’t technically official, so I guess… this is a gray area, but it isn’t gray if you lie to me. I will never trust you if I find out you’re lyin’ about this. I won’t date you either. You can terrorize me all you want, I’ll shut you down so fast, my relationship with Jake will look warm and fuzzy.”

“It’s a coincidence that part of the scenario she tossed out actually happened. You know me. If I had wanted to get off, I would’ve made you do it, not called in a sub.” I would’ve made you do it shouldn’t reassure me, but it’s so damn true, it’s kind of hard to refute. “You promise?” I mutter.

“Where is Cartwright?” I ask, realizing I haven’t seen him lately. “Did we leave him in the woods?” “He had to put out the fire,” Carter mutters, easing back on my hips and looking down at me. “For sure,” Brianna volunteers, flashing us both an innocent smile. “Gotta put out those dangerous fires.” Carter shakes his head at her, climbing off me. “Fucking cockblock.” “You’ll thank me tomorrow when she’s sober,” she advises him. “Don’t count on it,” he