More on this book
Community
Kindle Notes & Highlights
But instead of spitting, he shook me hard, growling like he was frustrated with himself more than me, and I broke into more tears.
I was so sorry for all of his pain.
“Get off,” I told him. “I— We can’t.” He wrapped his fingers around my throat and squeezed. “This is how it should’ve gone,” he whispered up to me, cutting me off. “You were a hot little piece of meat, and I know you liked it.”
“We should’ve just kept it this simple, huh?” he said. “But you didn’t want people to know the shit we did.”
“Why did you do it?” he asked. “Ashamed of what you liked me to do? There was still so much more to come, but you cut us short. We didn’t even do half of everything I had planned for you.”
Aydin was right. Will wasn’t an ally.
CHAPTER 12
It wasn’t that I didn’t want my friends to know that I was into her, because they already knew I was, but if she got the slightest attention for it, she’d get scared off, and she was already constantly bolting away from me.
Or maybe she couldn’t. Something kept bugging me about Friday night. Dropping her off at her house, I could hear it in her voice when she demanded I stop a couple houses down, instead of right in front of her driveway. It was fear. Almost like she was panicked.
But instead of looking at Damon or Michael when he said that, Kai met my eyes, a knowing smile playing behind them. I flipped him off, and he just laughed silently.
Because while no one was ready to do more than entertain the idea as a joke, not one of us doubted that Damon was somewhat serious. He might even already have someone in mind.
She’ll be in class. She never misses school.
Then a tear fell down her cheek, and she quickly swiped it away.
She was here and dressed for school, but she was hiding instead of going to class?
Please? God, she must be desperate if she was using manners.
“There’s nothing in that selection that’s good, so just give me The Grapes of Wrath paperback, because things can always get worse, and that choice will really make this day complete.”
What was wrong with her? As far as my friends were concerned, there’d always been something wrong with her, but she looked . . . defeated. Like a broken vase barely held together with glue.
“Look at me,” I whispered. But she choked out a sob, turning her face away so I wouldn’t see. “Don’t,” she demanded. “Please, don’t be sweet. I . . .”
Rage boiled my blood, and I wanted to know what happened. Who hurt her? The sight of her crying was like a knife in my gut.
“Knock knock,” I said.
And in that moment, I wanted to do nothing else with my life more than change her world, so she’d never feel like this again. Goddammit.
I dipped my nose into her hair, the scent making my head buzz and the feel of her warming every muscle in my body.
“Just open the theater,” I told him again. “Then you can go back to sleep.”
I felt bad about waking him up and dragging his ass in, but ever since my impromptu birthday party last May after prom, my parents took my keys to the theater so I couldn’t let myself—or others—in.
“Thank you,” she told me. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
I’d seen her in the theater by herself from time to time, so I figured this was her happy place.
After a moment, she spoke up, her voice soft. “I don’t think about anything else when I’m watching them,” she explained. “They take me away. It’s an escape. I like the survival aspect in some of them, too. Ordinary people becoming extraordinary. Being called to do great things.” She rolled a Milk Dud between her fingers, watching the screen. “Hell hones heroes, you know? I feel it when I watch them.”
“Hang around more and maybe you’ll find out,” I taunted.
“Do you still want to hold me?” she suddenly asked me.
I shot my eyes up to hers, but she just stared at the seat in front of her. My heart hammered in my chest, and every inch of me warmed.
I closed my eyes, savoring the feeling of finally having her in my arms. I had to fist my hands to keep them from roaming, or else she’d probably slap me.
“Don’t tell you I said this,” she whispered in my ear, “but you smell good.”
“Keep being, like, pleasant and shit, and I’m going to find it really hard to keep being nice, Em. What are you trying to do?”
Sweat cooled my pores, and my cock twitched. I wanted everything at once, and my hands shook so fucking bad, I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to control myself. I didn’t want to scare her.
God, I’d waited for this, but as soon as my mouth moved over hers and her body filled my hands, I wasn’t in a hurry anymore. I slowed everything, slipping my hand under her skirt and squeezing her thighs as she repositioned herself and straddled me.
But I had to go slow. I didn’t want this to be over, and she scared easily.
Kissing. Only fucking kissing, and I was about to come already.
I hated it when things ended up being exactly how you hoped they’d be.
Because contrary to whatever she thought, this shit wasn’t ending when the lights came up.
CHAPTER 13
He’d changed. And I didn’t like it.
A shiver ran up my spine. A wax museum? Lifelike. What the hell did that mean?
I dropped my gaze, seeing his cock in his hand as he jerked it.
Until he begged in a whisper, “Suck on your finger. Deep throat it for me. Suck it hard.”
Will gave him my underwear? I gnashed my teeth together, my nausea turning to fury.
“What did you do to get sent here?” I asked him. “I mean, your parents actually sent you here? Aren’t you their favorite or something?”
“You’re twenty-six,” I told him. “What comes after this? Where do you go? Do you suddenly grow up?” I searched his eyes. “If it hasn’t happened by now, it’s not going to. You do you, and I’ll do me.”
“But then you didn’t need them, right?” I taunted, calming my voice. “Still have my pink ones from after Homecoming? Have you used them a lot, or did you just lube up with your own tears over the years?”
Believe me, Will Grayson. I know exactly where you’ve been.
CHAPTER 14
