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Anger boils my blood as I watch them in the empty classroom. Aspen’s pointing to something in a textbook, attempting to teach Ken Ruckman—an offensive lineman on the football team—how to do math during her lunch period. But the dumbass is too busy focusing on her. My hands clench into fists when he leans in way too fucking close for my liking.
“Um.” A pink blush stains her cheeks as she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “I mean, I guess I could.” The douchebag grins. “Great.” His gaze drops to her chest. “Maybe after we can watch a movie and hang out?” Over my dead fucking body.
However, he stands in front of it, blocking me from exiting. “What is your prob—” I don’t get to finish that sentence because his hand slides to the back of my neck and his mouth crashes against mine. What the hell?
Everything freezes…except my heart, which feels like it’s exploding. It’s my first kiss.. The fact Knox is the one doing it is just…weird.
Pinching the cigarette between my fingers, I take another long drag, watching as Aspen unfastens herself from my uncle’s—and her dead dad’s best friend’s—dick and fixes her dress.
Before I can stop myself, I utter, “Isn’t it time for you to go back to your coffin, Morticia?” Snarling, she bares her teeth at me. I make the sign of the cross with my fingers. “May the power of Christ compel you.”
But the thing is…we all want to be special to someone. We all want to feel cherished and cared for. To know you have someone in this world who gives a shit about you.
“You don’t have to. I can walk—” “Walking alone at night is dangerous for a young lady,” my dad chimes in. “One of us will drive you.” Choose your poison wisely, Stray. She looks at me. “I’ll be ready by seven fifty.” Good girl.
“I don’t want a damn thing from you, asshole,” I hiss before the door slams shut. But even as the words leave my lips, I know it’s a lie. Because buried deep down…beyond all the hurt and pain. Beyond all the lies I’ve convinced myself are the truth and all the truths I’ve forced myself to believe are lies… I want to know why something inside me comes alive whenever he’s near. I want to know what makes him tick and what makes him so evil. I wanted a battle…but he gave me a war.
But then she’d know the truth. That as much as I loathe her with every fucking fiber of my being… I’m also completely fucking drawn to her.
But my favorite feature of hers was her hair. Long, silky red locks that fell down her back in soft waves. My mom once told me she was made fun of for her red hair while growing up, but I never understood why. It made her different…unique. She looked like a princess out of a storybook...
“Knox.” “Go away,” he snaps. I poke him harder. “I need answers.” He pounds the mattress with his fist. “And I need sleep.” Rolling my eyes, I flick my gaze to the alarm clock on the nightstand. “No, you don’t. It’s two—” Holy shit. It’s two in the afternoon. I never sleep this late. I snatch his pillow away again. “Goddammit,” he roars, sitting up in bed. “Why the fuck are you extra annoying today?” “Gee, I don’t know,” I start. “Maybe because I woke up in your bed wearing your t-shirt and I have absolutely no idea how I got here.”
“Have a nice nap?” Confusion mars Ken Ruckman’s face when he opens his eyes and looks around the empty football field. He tries to move, but he won’t get very far. Given he’s handcuffed to the scoreboard.
He breathes a sigh of relief. “Yeah.” “But since you’re offering to give me whatever I want…I should probably take you up on it, huh?” Stepping between his legs, I stroke my chin. “Decisions, decisions.” He swallows thickly. “Whatever it is, I got you.” He starts rattling off a stream of suggestions. “Need me to fuck someone up for you? I’ll do it. Want me to wash your jeep? I’ll make it happen. Buy you lunch every day for the rest of the year? You got it, bro. Hell, I’ll even rub your feet—” “I want you to suck my dick.”
“And I’ll make sure my dad—Aspen’s stepfather and a member of the FBI—knows what you did to her.” Motioning to my phone, I shoot him an icy glare. “I’ll also release the video I took. The one that makes it look like you were the cocksucker this time.”
“Oh, and Ken?” I call out. He narrows his eyes. “What?” “To answer your question from earlier, you don’t get to fuck with Aspen because she’s mine.”
“Hold on,” Staci utters. “For what?” She exchanges a nervous glance with Traci before she speaks. “It’s just…you never come over and talk to us.” No shit. They’re both annoying cunts who hide behind their makeup and filters and think their shit doesn’t stink when it fucking reeks.
“Aspen’s so annoying,” Traci says with a roll of her eyes. “Always walking around with her nose in the air like she’s better than everyone else.” Pot meet kettle. “Plus, she’s fat,” Staci adds. Aspen isn’t fat. Then again, standing next to these two would make a skeleton look chubby, but that’s irrelevant.
I notice Aspen standing at her own locker a few feet away. Judging by the pissed off expression on her face, she obviously overheard our little exchange. “I can’t give you a ride home today,” I state as I stroll past her. She looks like I plunged a knife into her heart. Good.
Brie’s eyes lock with mine from across the table. “It’s safe to say everyone will talk about that video now.” “Yeah—” my sentence jams in my throat when I see Knox enter the cafeteria. He folds his arms over his chest, his dark stare zeroing in on me as my phone vibrates with another text. This time from him. Knox: You’re welcome. When I look up, he’s already gone.
“I want you to come straight to me when that happens so I can take care of it. I don’t like the thought of you feeling uncomfortable while you’re here.” I want to point out that I’m feeling pretty uncomfortable right now, but my brain snags on the other half of his statement. While I’m here. Like my stay will be temporary. “Sure thing,” I grit through my teeth because I just want this conversation to be over. I nearly jump out of my skin when he runs his free hand down my cheek. “Good girl.”
“I like things the way they are,” I whisper, hoping that puts an end to it. Another sigh. “Well, I don’t.” It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him to man up and end it then, but then he says, “I want more.” “More…meaning—” “Just more.” He pounds the steering wheel with his fist. “I want you to want me to leave my wife. I want you to ask me how my day is going because you care about me. I want you to let me take care of you.” His voice lowers a fraction. “I’m in love with you, Aspen.” I feel many things for Leo, but love will never be one of them.
Shaking his head, he laughs. “Anyone ever tell you you’re stubborn?” It’s my turn to laugh as he climbs into the driver’s seat. “Yeah…you.” He palms my cheek, his expression going serious. “I love you, Aspen.” Well, shit. I guess that’s going to be a thing now. “Fine, you twisted my arm. You can buy me two things off the value menu now.”
My skin tightens, and my stomach dips as everything around me starts to spin. He fists my hair, yanking my head back before running his nose up the side of my neck. “Don’t start something you can’t finish.” I open my mouth to tell him to fuck off, but his hand clamps around my jaw, tilting my head so his lips can capture mine. His mouth is savage and hungry. A reward and a punishment.
“Stray,” he snaps, forcing my gaze up. “What?” He grabs one half of his bagel from the toaster. “Stop staring at my dick like you want it for breakfast.” I open my mouth to tell him I’d rather dine on rat poisoning, but he’s already walking away.
He says nothing, so I continue, “I tried asking your dad if he could help with the investigation—” “You asked my father for help?” I nod. “Yeah…but it didn’t go well. He pretty much said she was a whore and got what she deserved.” Knox snorts. “No surprise there.”
“She was murdered, Knox…then left out in the woods to rot like a piece of garbage. And the people who can help figure out who did it don’t seem to give a shit just because she took off her clothes for a living.” My arms curl around my frame. “I know what it feels like to know that no one in the world gives a fuck about you. And the more I think about it, I’m realizing that it could have easily been me who was murdered instead of her.” I shrug. “I guess I’d just like to know someone would still fight for me if it was.”
My eyes land on the half-empty bottle of wine on the island in the kitchen. Surprise, surprise. I bet if I turned myself into a bottle of merlot, she’d finally pay attention to me.
Bringing his arm up, he sniffs. “I’m gonna go grab a shower.” “I got into Stanford,” I blurt out as he walks up the stairs. I hear him come to a full stop. “Great. How long until you and that furball get the fuck out?” I raise my middle finger. “Dick.”
“That’s…” I let my sentence trail off and pick up a cupcake instead. “Well, you know what they say, there’s a first time for everything.” His eyes scan my face, like he’s trying to memorize every freckle on it as he walks toward me. My cheeks heat with every step he takes. I expect him to snatch the cupcake from me so he can eat it, but he dips his head…then runs his tongue ring across my lower lip. “It tastes sweeter than it looks,” he murmurs before edging away.
Next thing I know, his hand seizes my chin, gripping it so hard it hurts as my lower back digs into the counter. “Watch your mouth, young lady.” He’s out of his mind. There’s no other explanation for it. “Fuck you.” I look at my mother, who’s now peering down at the floor. “Are you really gonna let him speak to me that way?” Because my dad would never. “I will not tolerate disrespect in my house.” Trent raises his hand. “It’s time you learned—” “Dad,” Knox barks, wedging himself between us. “Aspen didn’t know the rule.” The rule? Jesus. This place is becoming more like a prison every
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After cleaning the floors and counters in the kitchen, I haul the trays of cupcakes Aspen made to the garbage outside. Rage simmers in my gut as I toss everything into the bin. I turn to walk away…but stop. Reaching back into the bin, I pick up one of the cupcakes and bring it to my mouth. The moist sweetness hits my tongue and all I can think is… Fuck him.
My stomach sours and the tiny hairs on the back of my neck stand at attention as I take in the trail of blood on the floor. No. Acid works up my throat as I round the small corner to my bed. I inhale a sharp breath when I find Whiskers on the floor in front of my bed. With her throat slashed. I clench my fists, my chest recoiling as I stare at the mutilated kitten. This was a warning. And if she’s not careful…it will only get worse.
My mother wanted me to look classy tonight for all her ritzy friends. But she stole my hard-earned money, so fuck her. Payback is a bitch. And tonight? So am I.
“Be good,” he settles on before going back to his lobster. I bat my eyelashes at my stepfather. He wants the perfect family? Well, I’m gonna give it to him. “Sure, daddy,” I state with a mock pout. “I’ll do whatever you want tonight.” Beside me, Knox chokes on his drink.
I’m still wrapping my mind around what happened when Knox finally removes his hand from between my legs. His harsh stare shoots across the table, resting on Leo. A smug smile tugs at his lips as brings his fingers to his mouth and sucks them. “Can you pass the salt, Uncle Leo?” I swear my jaw nearly falls to the floor.
“Good girl.” He juts his hips, causing me to gag again. “You look so pretty with a mouthful of cock.” Pure hunger fills his gaze, almost like this is as torturous for him as it is for me.
Angling my head, I look at the carving etched in the wall. My heart sinks. It doesn’t say Hate Me like I originally thought. It says… Help Me.
Knox’s next words punch through the air like a bullet. “She was only sixteen.” His face twists. “Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, Aunt Lenora, but now you finally know what a sick piece of shit your husband really is.”
“I hate you.” She spits in my face as another sob escapes her. “I hate you.” She doesn’t hate me…she hates herself. She hates what she did. She hates what he did. She hates that I held up a mirror and forced her to look at herself without the façade she likes to put on.
“You know why Leo didn’t know I made you come last night?” I flick my tongue ring against her swollen clit and she moans around my cock. “Because he’s never done it before.” I suckle the sensitive bud as she gags on my dick and the sounds of me eating her fill the jeep. “He doesn’t have a clue how you look when you come.” I circle my tongue in steady little swirls around her clit. “He doesn’t know how wet your pussy gets when you’re so turned on but trying your hardest to fight it.” I suck her pussy lips until I find her hole again and tease that with the tip of my tongue. “The way this
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“Because that’s how he does it, right?” Her soft cries cause something to thaw inside my chest. “He comes just as fast as he leaves you. Uses your body as his little fuck toy and takes advantage of you with his old, wrinkly dick.”
She scrambles to the front seat of the jeep. “I hate you.” Aspen keeps saying that shit, but I’m the only one who sees her. The only one who can help her.
“I don’t want you seeing him again. Understood? Feed him some bullshit about wanting to focus on school and graduating. Hell, tell him whatever the fuck you want. Just make sure you end it.” Pain etches across her face. “Why are you doing this to me?” That’s where she’s wrong. I’m not doing it to her… I’m doing it for her.
“Trent, please,” she begged through sobs. “You’re going to kill him.” I loved my mother more than life itself, but I really wished she’d stay the hell out of this. Because the only thing worse than him attacking me… Was when he attacked her. As if on cue, he released his grip and stood. His face twisted into a menacing scowl as he turned every ounce of his fury on my mother.
“You better clean that piss up off the floor,” my father barked to my mother who was standing in the hallway. I tilted my head so I could watch them. “I will,” my mom responded, her thin frame shaking like a leaf in a hurricane. He gripped her chin so hard I had no doubt it would leave another mark. “You will, what?” She casted her gaze down, no longer daring to look at him. “I will, sir.”
Because while my mother’s side of the family was well off—on account of owning an oil company—and she had the money to escape and start over... My father—Special Agent Knox—had all the power. And he made damn sure we both knew we had nowhere to run. And nowhere to hide. Because sooner or later…he’d find us. And when he did… He’d kill us.
“I think you’re making a mistake.” Sadness fills his tone. “I love you, Aspen. You know that.” But does he? Because if he did, he would understand why I’m ending things. Hell, he would want me to end things. He’d want me to go off to college and date guys my own age. He’d want me to be independent, so I know that life can exist without him before I try to build a life with him. He’d want me to be free…because expecting a teenage girl to carry the weight of a secret relationship with a married, older man isn’t fair. What it takes out of me isn’t fair.
“I need you,” he pleads, like it’s physically breaking his heart. “Aspen, don’t leave me.” It’s always about Leo. What he wants. What he needs. It’s never about me. Nothing is ever about me.
His throat bobs against the knife as he swallows, yet he’s completely calm. “I’m not your pawn anymore,” I inform him. “Your little blackmail bullshit is over.” A smirk curls his lips. “Okay.” He looks down at the knife. “Is that all? Because I’m tired.” Goddammit. Even when I’m the one holding a knife to his throat, he’s still the one in control.
