Nightfall (Devil's Night, #4)

by Penelope Douglas

And then I felt it. The smile still on my face.

I was smiling. A little. Shit.

Guilt washed over me at the mess we had made, knowing I couldn’t pay for it, but the worry left as quickly as it came, because al...

“I was never trying to scare you,” Will said, rain glistening on his face and wet hair. “I just wanted to see something.”

But just then, he moved with the speed of light, barreling right at me, and I yelped as I leapt to my feet and so did he, but before I could run, he crashed into me and pinned me to the wall.

I yanked his fingers off my chin and shoved him in the chest, stepping away. He didn’t want me. He wanted to use me, and no matter how much I wanted to indulge a fantasy of fun and excitement, I’d be the one to pay later. Not him.

Getting me into bed, so he could get laughs when he told everyone what a lousy lay I was or rub it in my brother’s face that he’d gotten me to spread my legs, were the only things he was interested in.

“Real monsters don’t wear masks, William Grayson III,” I retorted. “They look like everyone else.”

“I won’t let you walk home in this,”

“‘Stop it, you’re scaring me,’” I said on the recording. “‘Oh, no. Whatever will I do? Don’t be too hard on me, Daddy.’”

I closed my eyes, hearing myself moan on the phone. Shit.

My brother would get angry, because his mind would make up whatever story was the easiest to go along with what he thought was happening in that recording, too.

But . . . a night away was rare. At least I could relax, knowing Martin wouldn’t be here. I had my earbuds and a book.

But he didn’t. He left me alone.

But he just left me sitting there, the minutes stretching into an hour, and the hour stretching into two.

The band director called my brother and asked if I could put in more work-study hours by helping in the kitchen tonight. Then they’d keep me over since it would be too late to go home. Martin was probably fine with it since I was “working,” but I didn’t for one second think the director came up with that lie herself.

I just sat there, trying to read on my phone. Will glanced over every once in a while as he spent time with his friends or slow danced with some girl to make sure I was where he’d left me.

Before I knew it, the lights were dimming and Will was shoving me toward his sleeping bag smack-dab in the middle of Michael, Kai, and Damon.

I looked up to see his eyes still closed. “You said you weren’t trying to scare me upstairs,” I told him. “So, what were you trying to do?”

“I was trying to see if you liked it,” he whispered.

He needed to leave me alone. Just give up. If he kept pushing me, I’d do something stupid because I could feel it coming.

There were moments I wanted to do something outrageous. I mean, sure, I wanted a boyfriend. I wanted fun.

I would’ve regretted it, but I would’ve liked it, I think.

I guess I understood people letting themselves be used, even for just a night if it meant not being alone for once.

His head was propped on his hand, his eyes sharp as he brought up his fingers and dragged his thumb across his throat, not blinking once as he stared at me.

You’re not special, so don’t get confused, girl.

I reached into my pocket and fisted the granola bar. But I was no longer hungry.

BAay

CHAPTER 5

She hadn’t changed a bit. Why the fuck was she here?

The heat on her cheeks, rosy against her golden skin, was still so beautiful, and I’d bet her slender neck could still fit in my hand.

My mouth watered, and my cock started to swell.

I narrowed my eyes, a knot tightening in my gut.

What was I going to do? She was on my agenda, but not yet.

Nine years. Nine years, and I still wanted to fuck her.

Only now I wouldn’t give her sweet and gentle. Shit had changed.

So tough. So cocky. I liked stubborn. I liked women who took control.

“It’s not my fault,” she bit out. “It’s not my fault that you wrapped your entire happiness up in some delusion you’d cooked up in your head where I loved you and life would be right as rain if we were together.”

“I did what I had to do, and I’d do it again,” she growled, her voice cracking. “I’d do it again.”

“No worries, baby,” I murmured. “I intend to deserve it this time.”

He said no one would touch her. They weren’t synonymous, I’d learned here.

“Or I’ll bathe you,” he warned over his shoulder. “And there are five of me to hold you down.”

He wouldn’t poison her food. What fun would that be? He was just getting started with her.

Michael. They’d sent her here. I knew it. But why? To motivate me?

It had to be them, and if they could get someone in, why not one of them?

I had my plans for her, but there were bigger things at play right now, a...

Did they know what she did? They would’ve had to in order for Rika, Banks, and Winter to be on board with this.

Unfortunately, none of it was necessary. I knew exactly what I was doing, and even though it pissed me off, I couldn’t blame them for doubting that I was in control.

I didn’t answer, because I knew better than to answer.

Like Damon, though, it was the pain or it was nothing with Aydin.

“Our fathers didn’t send us here to learn how to behave, Will. They would enjoy her, too, with or without her permission.” He paused and then continued, “They sent us here as punishment for not being more mindful of discretion. To learn how to not be sloppy,” he explained.