Table of Contents

DARE SERIES COLLECTION

Copyright
I DARE YOU
PLAYLIST
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
CHAPTER FORTY
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
EPILOGUE
I PROMISE YOU
PLAYLIST
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
EPILOGUE ONE
EPILOGUE TWO
IF YOU DARE
PLAYLIST
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENT-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
EPILOGUE
DARE SERIES BONUS CONTENT
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CODE OF SILENCE
PROLOGUE
CONTACT ME
OTHER BOOKS BY SHANTEL TESSIER
 Dare Series Collection
Copyright © 2020 by Shantel Tessier
All rights reserved.

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Editor: Jenny Sims

Formatter: CP Smith
Cover Designer: Melissa Cunningham
 PLAYLIST
DIAMANTE – “Sleepwalking”
Like A Storm – “Love the Way You Hate Me”
Papa Roach – “Gravity”
Korn – “Coming Undone”
Onlap – “Everywhere I Go”
Sivik – “High – Remastered”
No Resolve – “Love Me to Death”
Nothing More – “Sex & Lies”
Divide the Day – “Fuck Away the Pain”
Starset – “Die for You”
Eminem, Rihanna – “Love the Way You Lie”
Chase Atlantic – “Triggered”
From Ashes to New – “An Ocean of its Own”
Egypt Central – “White Rabbit”
The Veer Union – “Bitter End”
Breathe Carolina – “Shots Fired”
Sick Puppies – “Here with You”
Skillet – “Feel Invincible”
Shinedown – “How Did You Love”
Ruelle – “Fear on Fire”
Too Close To Touch – “Sympathy”
Theory of A Deadman – “Angel”
Meg Myers – “Desire”
Blacklite District – “With Me Now”
Nothing More – “Go To War”
Valerie Broussard – “A Little Wicked”
 PROLOGUE
COLE

HAVE YOU EVER been to a funeral where the preacher stands before the friends and loved ones of
the deceased and talks about how shitty the person was? How he fucked around on his wife? Or spent
his family’s life savings to feed his gambling addiction? How about during his bachelor party when
he snorted coke off a hooker’s ass?
Me neither.
Why is it that we’re fucking saints the moment we die?
You hear the preacher say things like, “Oh, John Smith was a lovely man who loved his wife and
kids,” when he should really be saying, “John Smith was a worthless piece of shit who fucked the
underage babysitter every chance he fucking got while his wife was busy working two jobs and
raising his ungrateful children.”
And let’s not forget that the deceased in that casket before you never even went to church. Let alone
knew the preacher who speaks so highly of him. All he knows are the stories the blinded loved ones
wrote down on a little card for him to share.
He’s a fucking puppet.
Now, I haven’t read the Bible word for word, but I know the Lord says if we confess our sins and
ask for forgiveness, he will cleanse our souls, and we will be forgiven.
Poof. It’s like magic.
That begs the question–what if you’re not sorry? What if you don’t care to be forgiven?
No amount of holy water could cleanse my soul, and I’m okay with that because when I sinned, I
understood that I would one day have to pay. We’re all going to die eventually. You can be one of
those people who bury your head in the sand to avoid talking about it all you want, but it’s life!
Live or die.
Heaven or hell.
Angel or devil.
It’s black and white. There are no gray areas.
So tell me ... when you’re lying in that casket in front of your friends and family, what are they
going to think of you? Are they going to believe that preacher who talks bullshit, or are they going to
know you didn’t care if you were going to burn for eternity?
I’m not a religious person. Obviously. But I do know this. When I am damned to hell, it’ll be
because I fucking earned it.
 CHAPTER ONE
COLE

I LOOK UP at the dark, cloudy sky. It’s officially a new year. January first. Some would consider it a
chance for a new beginning, but I’m not like most people. The sun set hours ago, but I stayed out here
in the heated pool, trying to clear my mind. But like always, it’s a mess. Constantly reminding me of
that day. A day that took so much from me ... as if I had it to give.
I didn’t.

I stand at the bar in the kitchen next to my friends Eli and Landen. Maddox, our other friend,
stands across from us.
“Go on. Take it,” I taunt Maddox, looking down at the stopwatch on my phone.
He lets out a long breath and throws back the shot.
“Five,” I count, and everyone in the room shouts and applauds him.
“Fuck, man.” He gasps for air. He places his palms on the bar and bows his head. “You
wouldn’t think that would be that hard.”
Eli laughs beside me. “You’re such a fucking pussy.”
“Let’s see you do five shots of Crown.”
Eli waves him off like it’s nothing.
“In one minute,” Maddox adds.
Eli rolls up his sleeves. “Line ’em up.”

A raindrop falls on my face, and I roll over onto my stomach and dive to the bottom of the pool. I
sit here and just enjoy the silence. Trying to forget. They always come back to me, though. Like
ghosts. They haunt me, reminding me I failed them.
I let out a long breath and watch the bubbles float up to the surface. Closing my eyes, I fist my
hands, feeling that tightness in my chest at the need for air. I hold out just a little longer.
Something hits my arm, and I open my eyes to see it’s a diving ring. I place my feet on the bottom
and shoot up, sucking in a deep breath when I hit the cold night air.
I see my best friend Deke standing by the lounge chair and table. The white umbrella from the table
shields him from the rain.
“We’re ready,” he says, placing his hands in the pockets of his black jeans.
I swim over to the side of the pool and climb out. Grabbing the towel off the table, I wrap it around
my hips. “Where are the guys?” I ask.
“Meeting us there.”
I nod and run a hand through my spiked hair to knock the water out of it.
Deke looks over at the dark pool. “How is your shoulder?”
“Fine,” I lie. It always hurts, but I’ve learned to live with the pain.
He nods as if he believes me. He doesn’t. “Kellan doesn’t like your plan.”
“Then Kellan can sit out,” I snap.
“That’s what I told him. But you know him.” Deke sighs. “He thinks people will look for him.”
 “That’s the point.” You kill a mouse and leave it in the open, then other rodents come out to feed on
it. It’s called bait. I go to step around him to head into the house, but his hand shoots out and lands on
my wet chest, stopping me.
“You sure you’re ready, Cole?” His eyes go to the scar on my shoulder. “I’m not doubting your
plan. It’s solid. But I want to make sure you can execute it.”
I nod. “We’ve waited long enough.”

AUSTIN

I SIT IN the back, staring out the window of the white Escalade SUV. It’s decked out with all the
amenities required by a rich person. Heated leather seats and steering wheel. TV screens in the dash
and headrests. Oversized tires with some shiny chrome wheels. Blacked-out windows. A booming
stereo system. The interior is a beige color and smells of leather. Things I’ve never had before. I
never needed them.
He thinks they’ll intimidate me. He’s wrong.
It’s been ten years since he saw me last. Four since I’ve spoken to him on the phone. I just need to
get through the next four months and then I’m out after graduation. In two months, I’ll be eighteen and
won’t have to live with either one of my parents.
Raylan slows down, veering onto the wide shoulder before turning down a private road. The trees
lining the narrow drive look like claws as the branches nearly scrape the sides and top of the SUV.
“He’s a good man,” he says, breaking the silence.
He’s got you fooled!
I snort, seeing nothing but what the headlights allow us to see. It’s almost midnight on a Saturday
night and eerie out here in the middle of nowhere.
For as long as I can remember, my father has preferred to live in seclusion. No one comes this far
out of town. That’s why he picked this property after all. He had this house built for his wife when
they got married. They chose to settle down in Collins, Oregon, a small, rich city on the coast, even
though he was living in Vegas at the time he met her. She was a showgirl, and he had money. A match
made in heaven.
“He’s not home often,” he adds, sliding his green eyes to mine in the rearview. Well, that’s a
bonus!
The trees part, and through the soft drizzle, I see a house fifty yards ahead, facing us. Three stories
tall, it looks every bit like the small castles I used to read about in fairy tales. Green vines climb up
the sides of the house like hands grabbing on for dear life. Last time I was here, I used them to climb
out from my second-story window. Its white stucco and black shutters make it look a tad on the evil
side when lit up at night from the spotlights on the ground. It has twelve fireplaces, a six-car garage,
and living quarters for the people he hires to do the jobs his wife is very capable of. A five-tier
fountain sits in the middle of the circular drive. Large trees cover his twenty acres, hiding them away
from anyone who happens to be nearby.
Raylan brings the SUV to a stop and gets out. I step out and shut my door, following him. The only
sound is the wind whipping the trees around. Raindrops on my skin cause a chill to run up my spine.
“Come on,” he calls out, already climbing the stairs.
I take them two at a time, passing the white columns and entering the house. I stand in the massive
foyer looking over the black and white checkered floor and to the staircase to the left. It lacks
anything resembling a home. And makes me think more of a museum with priceless artifacts. It smells
the same. Like money. Crisp hundred-dollar bills. As if the walls and floors are made of them.
“Austin? Is that you?”
I hear the annoying voice and sigh. My father’s wife, who is young enough to be my older sister,
comes running into the foyer. Her bleach blond hair down and straight. Her makeup done as if she just
finished getting ready for the day. Dressed in a pair of black slacks and a blouse to match, she looks
as if she’s spent her day at an office.
She doesn’t work.
“Oh my gosh, you’ve gotten so big,” she squeals, pulling me in for a hug. The smell of her
expensive perfume almost makes me sneeze.
“Hello, Celeste,” I say, giving her a half hug.
She pulls back but holds my arms and smiles. Her brown eyes soft. “Wow, haven’t you grown up?”
“That’s what kids do.”
She smiles at Raylan. “Please put her things in her room.” Then she takes my hand and starts
dragging me out of the foyer and down the hall. We take a right into the elaborate kitchen. “Your father
left these for you,” she says, patting the kitchen island.
I walk over and pick them up. It’s my school schedule, a set of keys, and a credit card. Along with
a note.
I bought you a new car. Don’t wreck it. And here is some money. The limit is thirty thousand.
That is my father. Always buying shit. He paid my mother off. Bought us a big fancy house that she
let go to shit. Gave her a fancy car that she sold for more money. He gives her more child support than
we could ever need, but she uses it on drugs, alcohol, and her boyfriend. Anything to feed her
addiction instead of me.
“He got me a car?” I question.
She claps her hands excitedly. “Want to go see it? It’s in the garage. I helped him pick it out.”
I shake my head, hoping she didn’t have it custom painted bubble-gum pink to match her
personality. “It’s late. And I’m tired.”
It didn’t take very long to fly from California to this fucking town on the coast of Oregon, but she
doesn’t need to know that. I could use some sleep.
She nods, her smile falling. “Of course. Let me show you to your room,” she says as if I don’t
remember where I stayed last time I was here.
I leave everything on the island and follow her up the grand staircase, noticing the lack of pictures
on the walls. My room is the first door on the left.
To my surprise, it doesn’t look like a teenager threw up in it. It’s large with a white sleigh bed and
matching long dresser. It has big bay windows overlooking the forest in the back, and a TV mounted
on the wall. It looks the same as it did when I was seven.
When she looks at me, I arch a brow, causing her to laugh nervously. “I don’t know what the trend
is these days. But I figured we could go shopping this week and you can pick out some things for your
room.”
“Thanks. Sounds good,” I say, reaching out and picking up a dark gray scarf from the bed.
“I bought you these today,” she says, holding up the other four in various colors. “It’s up into the
fifties now, but it can still get cold at night. I wasn’t sure you had any since it stays pretty warm in
California.”
“Thank you,” I say, dropping it onto the bed and rocking back on my Chucks. I just want her to
leave. One thing about living with my mother was that I was always alone, and I liked it. I’ll take
silence over endless chatter any day.
 “So I’ll leave you alone to get settled in. I know it’s late.” She comes up to me and pulls me in for
another hug. “I’m so glad to have you here, Austin.” Then she pulls away and walks to the door to
leave but comes to a stop. “Oh, Austin. Be ready to leave by ten in the morning.”
I frown. “Where are we going?”
She smiles brightly. “Church.” Then she shuts the door.
I fall onto the bed and close my eyes. My mother ships me to my dad’s, and he has his young teeny-
bopper wife babysit me. My life can’t get any worse.
I pull my cell out of my back pocket to see if I have any messages. Nope. I have a feeling my
friends have already forgotten about me. I didn’t have many to begin with anyway. Digging into my
purse, I pull out my journal. I’ve had it for as long as I can remember. It was like my therapy back
when I needed someone to talk to but no one was there. The older I got, the less I wanted to talk to
people. Kids my age don’t want to hear about my problems.
I sit up when I hear engines roaring and loud bass from outside. Making my way over to the
window, I look out to see headlights back in the trees. There’s a dirt road that runs parallel to the
house. I remember it from last time I stayed here. It used to lead up to the cemetery on top of the hill, a
couple of hundred yards away, but now it dead ends down at the bottom of the hill. By the house.
A white SUV of some sort comes to a stop first, and the front two doors open. I can’t make out the
people—too far away and too dark out—but they’re tall. The second car to pull up is a little black
two door.
I quickly count five bodies and watch as they all make their way around to the back of the trunk.
They pop it open, and one guy leans over, reaching down into it. He pulls out a man. He falls to the
makeshift gravel road and tries to scurry away.
“What the …?” I trail off as two men grab him, picking him up. One at his feet, the other by his
head, and they start to walk away with him.
The one man slams the trunk while another grabs a black duffel bag out of the SUV. And then they
start to walk off. I duck to make sure they don’t see me, which is stupid. They don’t know I’m up here,
and it’s after midnight.
Do they know my father lives here? Although trees cover most of this side of the house, you can
still see it from where they are now. Do they just not care?
Going over to my suitcase, I yank out my black hoodie and slip it on before leaving my room. I
quickly make my way down the staircase and to the back foyer.
I crack the back door open just enough to squeeze through, and then I crouch, going over to the far
corner of the terrace. I peek over the railing and see the five figures walking. Two still carry the man,
two others have flashlights in their hands, lighting their way, and the fifth trails behind them. Hands in
his black jeans pockets, head down. None of them seem to be in a hurry.
“I didn’t know …” the man they carry wails while some of the others laugh at him. “Please,” he
begs. “She never told me.”
“Lying?” one asks with a snort. “Have some fucking balls to admit it, man.”
“You’re gonna kill me,” he cries.
They don’t respond to that statement.
With leaves and branches crunching under their weight, they walk farther and farther away from the
house and up the hill toward the cemetery.
I squint and can barely make out their flashlights anymore. Where are they going? Do they really
plan to kill him? Or just fuck with him? I can’t not know.
Making up my mind, I stand, pulling my hoodie up and over my head, and take off after them.
 I follow their lights, making sure to stay far enough behind them so I’m not seen. I only run into a
couple of trees along the way. By the time we come to the top of the hill, I’m sweating and panting for
breath. The cemetery finally comes into view, and I look back over my shoulder, but all I see is
darkness. The house is no longer visible.
 CHAPTER TWO
COLE

“HERE SHE IS,” Deke says as he drops the man’s legs.

Shane drops his arms, and Jeff lands face first in front of the pile of dirt. A grave he knows all too
well.
“What?” he asks, doing the crab walk backward, but my legs stop him. I kick him forward. “Why
are you doing this?” he cries.
“Because we believe in an eye for an eye,” Bennett answers. “And I wanna see you fucking blind.”
He places his hands up. “You guys are just kids …” My friends laugh at that.
“And you’re just a sorry piece of shit.” Deke spits on him.
My four friends circle him. Like sharks. I stay where I’m at, facing him and the cemetery. I take my
hands out of my pockets and place them behind my back, watching him size us all up—weighing his
odds. They’re not in his favor. They never are when it comes to us. No one can get past the GWS
unless we all agree to allow it. And walking away comes with a price.
That most can’t afford.
“Just please … let me go.” He swallows as the others shine their lights on him. “I won’t tell
anyone …”
Their laughter grows. I step up to him, and he looks up at me. His tear-streaked face makes me
sick. “Every action has a consequence,” I begin. “You can deny it all you want, but we all know why
you’re here. And we believe it’s time for you to pay up.”
“What about your consequences, Cole?” Jeff yells at me, and I stiffen. “Huh? You killed three of
your best friends, and I don’t remember you having to pay up!” he snaps.
I pay every day.
Deke takes a step toward Jeff, but I place my hand on his chest to stop him. “It’s okay, Deke. Let
the man speak. They’re his last words, after all.”
“You’re not fucking God!” he shouts, pounding his fists into the wet ground. The earlier drizzle
now falls steadier, soaking us all. I smile. Find that fight, Jeff. You’re gonna need it. “You guys can’t
do this to people.”
I look around the dark, abandoned cemetery where the dead are laid to rest and then forgotten.
You can’t see the cliffs to the right, but you can hear the ocean hitting the jagged rocks below.
There’s blood in that water. “Who is here to stop us?” I ask simply.
“Cole!” He growls my name. I tilt my head to the side. “I knew your mother … She would be so
ashamed of the man you’ve become.”
A slow smile spreads across my face as the air around us thickens like fog. My friends take a step
back from us, knowing that I’m going to need a little more room.
“Goddammit …”
“You shouldn’t take the Lord’s name in vain,” I muse.
“You shouldn’t murder people,” he snaps.
“I’m going to give you a chance,” I tell him. “A chance to win your freedom.” We both know that’s
a lie. He can’t beat me. No one can.
 His eyes dart from me to my four friends who still circle us. Their flashlights shining on him allow
me to see. “Is this some sick joke?” he demands.
“Not at all,” I say, reaching up behind me and grabbing the back of my black t-shirt. I rip it over my
head and toss it to the ground away from us. Now shirtless, I’m ready for a fight. Then I remove my
flashlight from the back pocket of my jeans and toss it as well. “I hope you don’t faint at the sight of
blood.” I can already smell the copper, and my mouth starts to water. Fuck, it’s been too long since
I’ve had a good fight. I roll my shoulder, trying to release the tightness.
“You’re just like your father,” he shouts. “Fucking taking anything that you can get your hands on.”
I hear something behind me. A faint sound of branches snapping. But I don’t turn around. Not yet.
“Get up and fight me,” I order.
Jeff shakes his head.
“He doesn’t want to play,” Shane says with a chuckle.
“I’ll let you have the first hit. More than fair.” I can’t help but smile.
I hear that sound again behind me, and it’s closer. I take a quick look—on purpose—and Jeff takes
the cheap shot I knew he would.
He jumps to his feet and lands a hit on the side of my face. I hit him back with a fist to his jaw. His
head snaps to the side, and I pound my other fist into his nose. His hands come up to cover it as he
stumbles back. I grit my teeth when my knuckles crack as I hit him in the mouth. His teeth rip my skin
open like a knife to butter.
I love it!
He falls into Deke, and he holds him up while I hit him over and over. My fist connects with his
stomach, face, and head. My skin continues to split. Blood pools down my fists, making them
slippery. Deke gets tired of holding him up and pushes him toward me. I swing, hitting him one last
time, and he falls back to the ground.
I stand over him, breathing heavy, and sweat covers my body as the rain comes to a stop. My hands
are down at my sides, and I can feel the blood dripping off them like a faucet left on—mine mixed
with his.
Jeff starts to cough.
“I dare you to get up,” I growl.
“Is that … what this … is?” Jeff gasps for words. “Another dare?” He coughs. “You guys … and
your sick … fucking pranks …”
“No!” I snap. “This is you paying for the life you took.” My voice grows louder, and I clench my
fists, wanting to hit him some more. My shoulder throbs, but I ignore it.
“When will you get what you deserve?” he whispers roughly. “Huh, Cole? What is your price …?”
I drop to my knees, straddling him. My balled fists rise and then come down on his already bloody
face. I scream out of frustration when he just lies there and takes it. I want the sting of a punch. I want
the feel of skin breaking. I need to feel it. Need the pain. I deserve it, after all. He was right. I killed
my friends.
I fist his shirt and yank his limp head off the ground, my legs still straddling his hips. His eyes
black and blue, face split and bloody. Lowering my face to his, I growl. “Give me what I deserve!
Why don’t you get your sorry ass up and hit me?” My voice rises. “Why don’t you be a fucking man
and fight me?”
He doesn’t respond. His head falls back, and I shove him down, causing his head to hit the ground
with a thud.
Deke slaps me on the back. “Go walk it off, Cole. We got it from here.”
 I stand and take a step back from them as they pick him up off the ground.
I fist my hands, loving the feel of the split knuckles. The wind picks up, and it makes my blood-
covered body shiver from the chill.
Fuck, I love a fight!
My father says I was born a fighter. He would say if a man can’t use his hands, then what is he
good for? The only difference is that my father pays to use someone else’s hands.
A tree branch snaps behind us, and we all turn around to look. Four flashlights dance in the
darkness. “Did you guys hear something?” Deke asks.
“I thought I did. But I don’t see anything,” Shane answers him.
“I’ll go check it out,” I say, walking away from them. “And hurry it up.” I grab my flashlight off the
ground and shine it ahead of me, listening to them laughing behind me as they finish off the sick
bastard who deserved every little thing he got tonight.
My tennis shoes squelch along the muddy ground, and I come to a stop to just listen. I shut my light
off and stick it in my back pocket. I know this land like the back of my hand. And no one is ever out
here. No one who is up to any good.
The Lowes estate is down at the bottom of the hill, but they’re never home. And if for some reason
they are, they’re already in bed.
My hands hang by my sides, the blood slowly dripping off them and falling onto the leaves. My
body craves more.
Slowly taking one step after another, I tune out the guys behind me as their voices grow quieter the
farther away from them I get.
A sound to my right has me smiling. Whoever it is, is close. Very close. I stand and wait, not
making a move. They’re in the dark just like I am because I don’t see any light. Then I hear it again. It
could be an animal, but it doesn’t sound like one. I hear two distinct sounds—a pair of shoes.
I take a step to the right, and I hear an intake of breath. So close.
Then they take off. Their shoes pound the ground, and I run after them. I run into a small frame,
wrap my arms around it, and tackle it to the ground. It makes a noise of annoyance and two hands slap
at my face unable to make contact. I grab the wrists and shove them down to their sides and then
straddle them to pin them down underneath me.
I yank my flashlight out of my back pocket and turn it on, shining it down onto the intruder.
Dark green eyes look up at me, framed by long dark lashes. Soft pink lips are parted, and she has a
small diamond stud piercing in her button nose. Dark brown hair covers half her face, and she growls,
“Get off me.”
She blinks several times, the light blinding her, but I don’t move it. It keeps her from seeing me.
“Get off me,” she demands this time, panting.
I tilt my head to the side, just watching her squirm under me. I’ve never seen her before, and I
know every woman in this town. I know every woman within thirty miles. But not her. Not this face.
She starts fighting harder, but I hold her easily. She wears a black hoodie, and it’s up, covering the top
of her head and side of her face. I reach down and yank it back, causing her to twist her neck.
“Don’t touch me!” Her voice snaps.
“Cole?” I hear Deke call out.
“Over here,” I answer, not taking my eyes from her.
“You sorry son of a …”
“What did you find?” he asks as he comes up next to me. He shines his light on her, and she turns
her face from him, closing her eyes. Six earrings run up her ear in various colors. “Oh, a toy. Where
did she come from?”
“Not sure.”
“Are there more?” he asks.
“Fuck you,” she spits out while her body nervously shakes under my weight.
How much did she see? Does she know I almost beat a guy to death? She should be afraid of me.
My demons like the rage. Feed off it. And I’ve never been one to starve.
Deke laughs. “I like when they have a dirty mouth.”
She arches her back and delicate neck, letting out a scream of frustration that rings out in the dark
night.
“No one can hear you out here,” I tell her, my free hand coming up and wrapping around her throat
but not choking her. The blood on my hand covers her sun-kissed skin as if I’m painting a picture on
her body. She swallows hard against it. “There’s no one to come save you.”
She whimpers.
“I love it when they scream. Go ahead, sweetheart,” Deke says softly. “Scream for me,” he says,
kneeling next to us. He wraps her long dark hair around his bloody fist, and he jerks her head to the
side to face him.
She bares her perfect teeth, sucking in a breath, but she doesn’t cry out from his force. Both of our
lights stay on her face, and she squints, trying to see.
In the distance, I hear an engine roar as Shane, Kellan, and Bennett leave. “What were you doing
out here all alone?” he asks her.
“Watching you murder someone,” she snaps.
He throws his head back, laughing at her honesty. “Like to watch, do you?” he asks.
Her hips buck under me, but I keep her down. I’m well over twice her size, so she isn’t going
anywhere. She can wear herself out all she wants.
“What a coincidence. So do I,” he tells her with a dark laugh.
She stiffens, and he looks at me. “Go ahead, Cole. Give me a show. I earned it. We gave her one,
after all.”
“Don’t,” she whispers as her lips part, and she sucks in a ragged breath.
I smile down at her even if she can’t see me. My hand loosens around her slender neck, and I run
my fingers down her skin and along her collarbone, pulling down her oversized hoodie in the process.
The blood trail I leave behind makes my cock harden inside my jeans. I can feel her pulse race, and I
like it. The fear in her green eyes. The sound of her ragged breathing and shaking of her body.
“You know how much I love to perform,” I tell him.
“Please.” Her body trembles with the plea while my fingers run over her shoulder, pushing her
black bra strap off and watching it disappear into the sleeve of her hoodie.
Deke slaps me on the back. “She’s begging you already, Cole. Fuck! That’s some kind of record,
right?” He whistles.
The wind picks up and tosses her hair around her face, causing it to stick to the blood along her
neck and chest. “Red is your color,” I tell her.
“Orange is gonna be yours,” she growls, lifting her chin.
I smile at her words.
Deke just laughs it off. “She may have recorded it,” he says, getting serious.
I sigh as if that thought is disappointing. “That would be very stupid of you.”
I drop my flashlight beside her head. Letting go of her, I sit up, and just like I knew she would, she
yanks her arms out from underneath me and lifts them to my chest, trying to shove me off her. I don’t
budge. Then she runs her nails down my skin. I feel it break at her force, and I refrain from moaning at
the pain.
I wrap my hands around her wrists and push them above her head, holding them against the wet
ground. Then I scoot my body up to her chest and sit down on her. “Check her pockets,” I order Deke.
She screams out as she tries to fight me. Her hips buck, and she kicks her legs out, but Deke pulls a
cell out of her back pocket. “It’s locked.”
“What’s the passcode?” I demand.
She clamps her mouth shut, and her eyes narrow. I like the fight in her. Most women would already
be sobbing. I lean down and give her a threatening smile even though she still can’t see me. Lowering
my voice, I say, “Either you give me the passcode, or I take it from you. What’s it gonna be,
sweetheart?” A part of me wants her to make me take it. I love it when someone forces my hand—
making the decision for me.
“I didn’t …”
“That’s not the only thing we’re gonna take,” Deke says, cutting her off, and then I hear him undoing
her pants behind me.
“No!” she cries out. Her hands fisting as I hold them down above her head. “It’s retina … it’s a
retina scanner,” she says in a rush.
“Fucking technology,” he growls. “What happened to the good ole days where you just flipped the
phone open, and it fucking worked?”
He holds it up to her, my flashlight lies on the ground next to us, shining on her face. It must open
because he pulls it back and starts to go through it. He grunts.
“What is it?” I ask.
“No videos or pictures. But there is something interesting.”
“I tried to tell you. I didn’t record it,” she says, panting. My weight on her chest makes it hard for
her to breathe.
“What did you find?” I ask, ignoring her.
There’s a long pause before he finally says, “Austin Lowes.”
My brows shoot up. “As in Bruce Lowes?”
Silence.
I chuckle. “Well, well, well, I didn’t know he had a daughter.” She looks around our age.
Seventeen, eighteen at the oldest.
She clamps her mouth shut. Interesting. She doesn’t want to acknowledge the bastard either. Good
for her. He’s a sorry piece of shit.
“We don’t have time for this,” Deke growls, his patience wearing thin since he isn’t going to get to
play with her. He stands and pulls out the gun tucked in the back of his jeans. “Let’s just kill her.”
She narrows her eyes up at the darkness. My eyes trace the blood on her wrists, neck, and chest.
She’s too beautiful to kill. Too precious to destroy. Yet. He’s afraid she’ll talk, go to the police, but
I’m not. She fears us. Thinks we’ll hurt her. She’s not wrong.
“Put the gun away,” I order.
“But …”
“Now.”
He tucks it back into his pants. “Let’s take her with us. I don’t trust her not to call the police
afterward.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you,” she snaps.
I almost smile at her bravery. “You’ll do whatever the fuck we say,” Deke replies flatly.
 “She won’t call them,” I tell him. Placing both of her wrists in one of my hands, I run my free hand
down the side of her face, smearing more of her flawless skin with blood. “Will you?”
She clamps her mouth shut.
He snorts. “You don’t fucking know that.”
“No one will believe her.” I lick my lips. “She’s covered in his blood. It’s underneath her
fingernails from where she scratched my chest. It’s on her clothes. In her hair. As far as they’re
concerned, she will be an accessory to murder.”
“You fucking bastard …”
I get a thought. “What did you guys do with the body?”
“Kellan got a call and had to leave; he rode with Bennett, so they all left. I told them we would
take care of it.”
“Perfect. Call my phone with hers.”
“What? Cole, we don’t have time …”
“Call my phone with hers, Deke,” I snap.
He lets out a huff, but then moments later, I hear mine ringing in my pocket. They remain quiet,
probably wondering what the fuck I’m thinking, but they’ll find out soon.
I stand up off of her, and she tries to scramble away, but I grip her hoodie and yank her to her feet.
Wrapping my hand around the back of her neck, I start shoving her forward. She twists in my grip, and
my hand slips, allowing her to get a few steps ahead of me. I run after her and fist her hair, pulling her
against me. She whimpers. With my free hand, I grip her hip and press my front into her back. Her
soaked clothes feel cool on my warm skin. Leaning my head down, I whisper in her ear, “We’re not
done, sweetheart.”
“Where are we going?” she demands, and I smile against her skin. I love that she keeps fighting
even though it’s not going to do her any good.
I don’t answer, and Deke doesn’t say because he doesn’t know what I have in mind.
I remove my hand from her hip but continue to hold her by her hair. I walk her over to where I
know they had the body, and Deke shines his flashlight down on the now dead man. She doesn’t gasp
like I expected her to, which tells me she saw quite a bit earlier. She expected him to be dead.
“Hold her,” I demand, shoving her into Deke’s arms.
“Let me go, you son of a bitch!” she screams as her chest hits his.
I hear him grunt. “Fuck,” he hisses. “She punched me.”
Ignoring them, I reach down into the black bag we brought and yank the now clean knife out of it.
“Pin her to the ground. Face down.”
The darkness covers us, but I hear her grunts as she curses him while he easily tackles her to the
ground.
Grabbing my flashlight out of my back pocket, I shine it down on them. He straddles her ass, his
hands wrapped around her wrists, pinning them to her lower back. Her head is to the side, facing me.
Those plump lips have thinned, and her green eyes simmer with rage.
I kneel beside them and yank up the right sleeve of her hoodie. “What are you doing?” she asks in a
rush.
“Insurance,” I say simply, and then I drag the blade against her forearm.
She cries out in the cemetery as the skin gives and blood starts to pour from the wound. I take the
knife and run it through the stream of blood. Then I turn to the body and stab him in the chest with it.
“Now your DNA is in him with the murder weapon,” I say simply, and I hear Deke chuckle as he
realizes what I’m doing. “You go to the cops. They dig him up and investigate his murder, and you go
down with us.”
“Fucking …”
“And you called me. More proof that we were communicating the night of the murder. Around the
time of death.”
Her breathing is labored, and I shine the light down on her again to see the tears rolling down her
face, cutting through the blood like my knife just did her skin. But they’re not tears of sadness. They’re
tears of anger. She looks so beautiful.
“Return her phone and let her go so we can bury this body,” I tell Deke.
He releases her wrists and then stands over her. She scrambles to her hands and knees and starts to
crawl away. He tosses her the phone. She stands up on shaky legs as she holds her arm where I cut it.
We both shine our lights on her.
“Get the fuck out of here before I change my mind,” I growl.
She turns and runs.
“We should have killed her.”
“That wasn’t part of the plan,” I argue.
He fists his hands. “I don’t fucking care about the plan. What I care about is not going to prison. We
should at the very least have taken her with us.”
“Did you want to take her home?” I arch a brow. “Keep her as a pet?” I shake my head. “She won’t
say anything.”
“She will …”
“She won’t. She’s Bruce Lowes’s daughter. We kill her, and they start looking for a missing girl.” I
shake my head. “Then that brings questions.”
“They’d never find her body, and you know it,” he adds.
“I wasn’t worried about them finding her body.” We’re smarter than that.
“Then why not let me shoot her?” he growls. “Two birds with one stone,” he says, gesturing down
at Jeff’s body.
“Not yet,” I respond.
He runs a hand through his hair. “You want to fuck with her.” It wasn’t a question. He chuckles.
“This will be fun.”
I smile.

AUSTIN

I RUN IN the darkness, almost tripping over my own feet and the tree branches. But I don’t stop. I
continue down the hill toward the house.
Lights come into view, and I run through the back door and slam it shut. I make my way up the
stairs and into my room. I close the door and lock it. Then I make my way into the bathroom. I rip off
my hoodie, shirt, and then yank down my jeans that are still undone. Standing in front of the mirror in
just my black bra and matching thong, I pull my strap back up onto my shoulder and look at myself.
Blood covers both shoulders, arms, neck, and my face. He was right; it’s also in my hair from their
hands fisting it. I look like I belong on an episode of The Walking Dead. Like a zombie attacked me.
Bile rises up the back of my throat, but I swallow it down.
Turning on the faucet, I place my forearm under it and run warm water over it. Grinding my teeth
against the sting, I grab the soap and quickly wash it. Who knows what the hell was on that knife. Or
who all they’ve used it on.
 Blood trails down my arm and drips onto the white marble floor. I walk into my room to grab one
of the scarves Celeste gave me and turn back to the bathroom, trying not to get blood on the carpet. I
wrap it around the wound and pull it tight with my teeth, making me whimper at the pain as I try to
figure out what the hell I’m going to do to get it to stop bleeding.
I once watched my mother sew her crackhead boyfriend’s face up with a needle and thread. It made
me want to puke at the time. I was nine.
I place my hands on the counter and bow my head while angry tears run down my face. Breathing
heavy, I try to calm my racing heart.
“Bastards,” I hiss.
I pound my fists into the countertop. Fucking bastards.
Then I yank open the medicine cabinet and start digging around for anything I can use on my arm. It
needs stitches but how the hell do I explain that to Celeste? How do I explain it to the hospital staff? I
find butterfly Band-Aids and a small tube of superglue. That’ll have to do. But I won’t be able to use
it until later. Once I know the bleeding has stopped.
“Fuck,” I hiss through clenched teeth.
I fall to the floor and lean my back against the cabinet, holding my right arm to my chest. What am I
going to do? They know that I know their names, but they didn’t seem concerned in the least.
Especially Cole. He was adamant that I wouldn’t go to the police. And I had every intention to until
he set me up to be a part of their murdering cult! Now my hands are tied and stained with blood.
I didn’t get a look at their faces. They kept their lights on me or off, so they could be anyone.
Anywhere. And they know my name, so they know I live here.
My hands shake as I run them through my matted hair. The dead guy had said they were kids, but
they didn’t sound young. Will they go to school with me? That thought makes my stomach knot. They
could fuck with me, if that’s the case. More than they already have. I have to show them that I could
run their little fucking boy group into the ground. I’m smarter than they are.
As for the dead guy? I can’t save him. It’s too late for him. I have to save myself.
The smell of the blood is strong, and I swallow the lump in my throat. Sitting up on my knees, I
yank the hand towel off the countertop and turn on the faucet, wetting it. Then I get down on my hands
and knees and scrub. The blood comes off the white marble easily, but it’s stuck in the grout between
them. Those angry tears come faster.
I have to rinse the towel out twice, but finally, I’m able to scrub it all away. I close my eyes and
place my hand over the scarf covering the cut. How long will it bleed for? How …
The sound of laughter has me jumping to my feet. I turn off the bathroom lights, then run into my
bedroom. I turn those lights off as well, then go over to the windows and see their flashlights. One
stands at the back of the car by the trunk, and the other gets into the passenger seat.
Cole is the one at the trunk. I can feel it. Probably putting his bag and evidence away. He shuts the
trunk and then the light hangs down by his side. A shiver runs up my spine. Even though I can’t see his
eyes, I know he’s watching me. I’m also very aware that I’m standing in front of my window with
nothing but my bra and underwear on. I get a feeling he can still see me even though my room is dark.
His light shuts off, covering them in nothing but darkness, and then I hear his car door open and
close. The headlights come on as the engine roars to life. And then it takes off, driving back down the
way it came.
I run back into my bathroom, put on the same blood-stained clothes I was wearing, and then grab a
new pair of jeans and t-shirt and leave my room. Making my way down to the kitchen, I go into the
pantry and grab a trash bag. Then I rush to the garage.
 Flipping on the light, I see the white Escalade SUV, a yellow Hummer, a white Jag, and red BMW
in the six-car garage. I ignore them all and start opening the cabinets along the wall until I find what
I’m looking for.
Then I turn the lights off and head out the back door, knowing what I need to do.
 CHAPTER THREE
COLE

STANDING IN MY shower, I take deep breaths as the water washes away any remains of the man
who we killed earlier. And although I should be happy, I’m not.
He was right. I’m not God. I shouldn’t get to choose who lives and who dies, but I do anyway. He
deserved to die for his sins. As far as mine? I should have died. Everyone in this town feels that way.
I wish I could answer the questions they are too afraid to ask me. Because they fear me. My rage. I’ve
had it for as long as I can remember. But over time, it has just gotten worse, and I’m growing tired of
holding it back. I found comfort in letting it free and allowing it to take over me. But then when it
leaves me, I’m cold all over again. Nothing but emptiness.
I hang my head and let it hit the white tiled wall with a thud as the water runs over my head and
back. I fist my cracked knuckles and enjoy the tightness in my joints. The pull of my broken skin. It’s
the only reminder that I’m still alive. The only way that I know what I did was right.
Jeff deserved to die!
We didn’t have time to sit back and wait for it to happen. And pray that it was a slow and painful
death. Although, we did take his life too fast, if you ask me. I would have drawn it out longer if we
had not been interrupted tonight.
Austin Lowes. She’s going to be a fucking problem. But once I figure out what my options are with
her, I plan to take care of her.
I turn off the water and open the glass door, picking my towel up off the floor and drying off.
Wrapping it around my hips, I make my way into my room and grab a pair of sweatpants out of my
closet. Noticing the clock on my nightstand, I see it’s almost 3:00 a.m. Kellan, Bennett, and Shane all
had places to go and women to fuck after our get-together in the cemetery. Deke and I, however, went
back to the clubhouse afterward before going home. We had some things to discuss regarding Jeff and
what we wanted to do next. He never once questioned the fact that I hadn’t wiped the blood off. He
knew better than to ask.
Once dressed in my sweatpants, I grab my phone off my nightstand and see I have a message. I
frown. The number is not saved as one of my contacts.
Opening it up, I notice it’s a video. And I just received it a few minutes ago. I press play.
It’s dark, so I squint to make out the image. I hear a match being lit followed by flames. The person
holding the phone takes a step back from the burning object.
“Do you see that, Cole?” an unfamiliar voice asks over the sound of the crackling fire.
“What …?” I trail off as the person starts to circle the fire. But I still can’t place where they are or
what is burning because it’s too dark and the fire is causing a glare.
It comes to a stop, and the camera spins around. My jaw tightens when I see it’s Austin. She looks
the same as she did a little over three hours ago when I let her run off. All I can see is two black
straps on her shoulders. Her face and neck smeared with his blood from my hands.
She smiles, the light from her phone making her green eyes shine like stars. It makes her look like
an evil angel with perfect teeth and a blood-stained face. “What evidence, Cole?”
Then it goes dead.
 I grip the phone in my hand, clenching my teeth. What the fuck did I just watch? What was she
burning?
How did she get my number …? I had Deke call my cell from her phone. That’s how she got it.
And what evidence, Cole? What did that mean? Fire?
Realization hits me, and my heart starts to pound in my chest. I go to the number and press call.
“Hello, Cole.” She answers on the first ring as if she was expecting me to call. Her smooth voice
is no longer high-pitched in fear or anger. She’s collected herself. Almost seductive.
“You fucking bitch …”
She laughs softly, and it runs over me like lava, burning my skin. “You know when I got back to the
house, I thought what could I do that would clear my name if you decided to set me up?”
My jaw clenches.
“It occurred to me that if there’s no DNA to be found, then there’s no way for you to pin me for a
murder. Did you know that it takes just a little over two hours to burn a body?”
I laugh nervously. “Fire doesn’t destroy everything, sweetheart.”
“I know.” I can hear the smile in her voice that lets me know she’s ahead of me again. “That’s why
after it finished burning, I took a hammer and crushed what bones were left and then tossed the dust
over the cliff into the ocean. Oh, and no worries, I also burned my clothes as well.”
“Fuck …”
“I know how to cover my ass, Cole. I’m a Lowes, after all.”
I stare ahead at my dark gray wall, trying to decide my next move, but she’s not done.
“But it was fun watching you think you had it all figured out.” Click.
“Goddammit!” I throw my phone across my room.
I’m not mad she destroyed the body. Fuck what she does to him. But as far as I know, she just
recorded that conversation to prove that she was innocent all along. She could go to the police, and it
would be her word against ours. The guys and I don’t have a good reputation in this town to begin
with. The only reason we’re not in jail is because we have rich parents who bail us out of trouble.
And it doesn’t hurt that Kellan’s uncle is the chief in another town not far from here.
“Think, Cole,” I say, starting to pace my room. What can I do to get her to keep her mouth shut?
What could I do to make her understand why the bastard had to die?
My door opens, and I spin around to see Lilly standing in my doorway, her pink princess nightgown
on, her blond hair a curly mess, and her brown eyes tired. “Cole?” she asks softly. “Are you okay? I
heard something.” She brings her favorite bunny to her chest and hugs him tightly.
“Everything is fine,” I say, walking over to her. “Go back to bed.”
“Will you come with me?” she asks, holding out her right hand.
I sigh and bend down, picking her up. “Come on.” I walk her across the hall back to her room and
lie down with her. I kiss her on the cheek as she curls up into my side. Placing my hands behind my
head, I stare up at her pink ceiling. Austin Lowes, you just fucked up.

AUSTIN

I STRIP OUT of my hoodie and t-shirt. Then remove my jeans. I reach down into the garbage bag and
put on a new pair of jeans but refrain from putting the clean shirt on. I’m still covered in his
blood. I really didn’t think this through all that well, so I’m winging it. I’ve never had to burn
evidence before.
I pull out my cell, and taking a deep breath, I press record. I show the dead man lying on the
ground. It didn’t take me long to dig his ass up. I left him in the grave because they didn’t bury him
very deep. Mistake on their part. I take the matches out and light one. Then toss it onto him. I start
to circle the body making sure not to trip over the gas can. Once I show it all, I turn it to face me
and smile. Fuck you, Cole! “What evidence, Cole?”
Then I stop the video and put my phone away. I place my clothes in the fire and sit down. I’m
shivering from the cold, but the fire heats my body. It’s going to take a while for him to burn
completely. I grip the hammer and pound it into the wet ground just to waste time. When I’m ready,
I’ll take the dirt to smother the fire, make my way back to the house, and send the video. And he’ll
call me. He’s a cocky son of a bitch who won’t be able to stop himself. He’ll want to talk to me.
Feel me out. And I’ll be calm and collected and ready to show him that he shouldn’t have fucked
with me.
My head snaps up, and I look around the darkness. Ever have that feeling someone is watching
you? Making the hair on the back of your neck stand up. That’s how I feel right now.
“Hello?” I call out.
All I hear is the wind howling through the tall trees. I roll my eyes and go back to pounding the
hammer into the ground.
You’re paranoid, Austin. Lighting a dead man on fire will do that to you.

I groan, standing outside the church while Celeste fixes the red cardigan that I wore over my black
dress for service this morning. Not going to lie, listening to the preacher speak about how Cain killed
Abel didn’t sit well with me when I only watched a guy get murdered hours ago and then burned his
body to save my own ass. But living with two druggies, there’s not much that you don’t see. And you
learn really quick that you do what you have to in order to survive. They don’t call it a dog-eat-dog
world for nothing.
I laid in bed early this morning before the sun rose, contemplating on going to the police, but then
thought better of it. There’s five of them. I’m sure one would cut a deal and get off free while the
others took the fall. That would leave me in deep shit because someone would come after me. And
I’ve watched enough shows on TV to know that I would get in trouble for tampering with evidence. I
didn’t save my ass just to go down with them.
“Were you up late, honey? You look awful.” Celeste’s brown eyes look me over slowly, taking in
my hair. I washed it before I went to bed after I burned the guy, then I fell asleep with it wet. All I did
this morning was run a brush through it. I didn’t even put much makeup on. Bare minimum was going
to have to do.
“Thanks,” I mumble.
She frowns. “I’m sorry, I just meant that you don’t look well. Are you sick?”
I wave her off her lame apology. I know I look like shit. “I know what you meant. And no, I’m
fine.”
She nods. “Did you like the service? Pastor Fritz is so nice.”
I’m sure he is. “Yeah,” I say, looking away from her. I almost played the sick card this morning.
And now I know I could have pulled it off.
“I spoke to your father earlier, and he said that he won’t be home until next week.”
I nod. No surprise there. “Where is he?”
“Trying to close a deal in Vancouver,” she says excitedly. She’s so proud of him it’s sickening. “He
wants to have a family dinner when he returns.”
I go to open my mouth to say no thanks when the hairs on the back of my neck stand, and then I hear
his voice.
“Hello, Celeste.”
She looks over my shoulder, and a bright smile lights up her face. “Hello, Cole.”
My stomach drops at her confirmation.
“Have you met my stepdaughter?” She looks back at me and starts fluffing my hair. I push her hands
away. Is she trying to set me up with a madman?
“I haven’t,” he says and then chuckles.
She grips my shoulders and spins me around so fast I almost trip over my black pumps.
“This is Austin. Austin, this is Cole Reynolds. He’s a senior with you this year.”
I look up at the man who had me pinned to the ground just hours ago. The same man who sliced my
arm open with a knife, trying to pin me for murder. And my mouth goes dry because he’s smiling
down at me. Perfectly full lips pulled back to showcase a set of pearly whites. A straight nose and
high cheekbones along with a square jaw. A pair of sunglasses shields his eyes, but I can feel them
running over my body just like his hands did last night.
“It’s nice to meet you,” he says, reaching out and grabbing my right hand. He leans over and gently
kisses my knuckles.
I yank my hand away, and he chuckles.
“Austin!” Celeste snaps. “I’m sorry, she’s not quite herself today,” she adds when I just stand there.
“It’s quite all right.” He continues to smile down at me, and I swallow nervously. What is he doing
here? He’s probably here to teach me a lesson that no one fucks with him. I may not know him, but I
learned enough last night.
“How is Lilly?” she asks him.
He turns his attention to her, dismissing me at the mention of this Lilly. “She’s doing well. Thanks
for asking.”
“Great. You’ll have to bring her over, and we can all go swimming. I know how much she loves the
water. Like you.”
He laughs and nods. “Absolutely.” Then I feel his eyes back on me. “How does that sound,
Austin?”
The way he says my name sounds like he wants to drown me. I don’t answer.
He throws me another sinister smile as if he knows how much being here is affecting me. “Well,
we should get going,” Celeste says.
“Actually, I was wondering if Austin would like to go to lunch. A bunch of us seniors are meeting
up …”
“No,” I say, but Celeste speaks at the same time.
“That would be great.” She leans down, kisses my cheek, and then looks at Cole. “You crazy kids
have fun.” Then she walks off, leaving me standing with a murderer.
The smile he’s had this entire time drops off his face like he just removed a mask. His defined jaw
sharpens, and his chest bows out—ready for a fight.
I take a nervous step back. “How did you find me?” I ask, and I hate that my voice shakes. Any
courage I had last night now long gone.
He doesn’t answer. Instead, he grips my forearm, the same one that he cut last night, and I know it
was on purpose. I hiss in a breath as he turns and guides me down the stairs of the church and along
the narrow walkway to the parked cars.
“I’m not going anywhere with you,” I snap.
“You don’t have a choice,” he growls. “Now get in the fucking car.” He yanks me to a stop and then
shoves me through the driver’s side of the black two-door car. Then he’s falling into the driver’s seat,
pushing me across the center console.
I scramble into the passenger seat awkwardly and quickly push down my dress to cover my thighs.
Before I can even reach for the door handle, he has the car in reverse and then squeals out of the
parking lot.
I sit with my back plastered to the seat, my eyes on him as he races down the highway. His hand
fisted on the stick as he shifts gears. His dark blue t-shirt showcasing his toned forearms.
“What do you want, Cole?” He doesn’t answer. I see we are headed back in the direction of my
house, and I have a feeling he plans to place me in the grave he and Deke had dug for the guy who I
burned. “I’m not going to tell the cops,” I say, letting out a long breath. I open my mouth to speak, but
something warm gets my attention.
I yank up the sleeve of my red cardigan and hiss in a breath when I see blood running down my
arm. His hand grabbing my forearm must have pulled my cut open.
“Fuck!” He hisses, noticing it, and demands, “You didn’t get that stitched up?”
I narrow my eyes on him. “Who the hell was going to stitch it up?”
He lets out a long breath and nods to the center console. “I’ve got a towel in there. Get it out and
apply pressure to it.”
“Like you care if I bleed to death,” I snap.
“I don’t. But I don’t want that shit on my seats.”
“Bastard,” I mumble and open the console. When it pops up, I freeze as I stare down into it.
There’s a black handgun and a knife along with a small black hand towel, a roll of duct tape, and a
pair of handcuffs. Everything a serial killer needs.
He takes a quick look down and growls. He yanks out the hand towel, tosses it to me, and then
slams the console closed, placing his right forearm over it.
I sit back in my seat and stare straight ahead, applying pressure to my forearm with the towel.
“Where are we going?” I ask roughly. The car is too small for us to be this close together. All of a
sudden, I realize I know nothing about this man, and whatever plan he had last night, I fucked it up. On
purpose.
He doesn’t answer. Instead, he reaches over and presses a knob on his dash, and “Coming Undone”
by Korn fills the speakers. He turns it up to drown out my heavy breathing as we fly down the
highway.

_______________

THE CLOUDS HAVE opened up, and the rain has started to fall. We passed a sign thirty minutes ago that
said Marita fifty miles.
He still hasn’t spoken or even looked my way. I’ve sat completely still, hoping he would forget I’m
in the car.
“Has it stopped bleeding?”
No such luck. “Yes.” Comes my clipped answer.
When he turns on his blinker and pulls off the highway, my heart starts to pound in my chest
because I don’t know what he plans to do with me. But now that I know there’s a gun in the center
console, I’ll do whatever I can to get to it. Even though I have no idea how to use one.
He slows down and pulls into a parking garage. I look around, noticing how deserted it is on this
rainy Sunday afternoon.
We spiral up and up until we’re on the fifth floor. He pulls into a parking spot, the tires squealing at
the sudden turn, and then he brings the car to a quick stop. The seat belt locks on my shoulder.
I look around, expecting his friends to circle us. My muscles tighten, ready to defend myself.
But nothing happens. He shuts the car off, and we just sit in silence. I swallow the lump in my
throat. My hands shake, ready to reach for the door handle and run.
“Don’t,” he says calmly as if he knows what I’m thinking.
My head snaps to look over at him, but he stares straight ahead. “I’m not going to hurt you.” I snort,
and he turns his head to look at me. “Not today, anyway,” he adds, and that nervousness bubbles up
again.
He smiles at me, a soft one, and I fist my hands in my lap because I know he can feel my fear. Men
like him feed off it. I reach out and yank his sunglasses off his face. It’s raining, for Christ’s sake; he
doesn’t need them.
A set of baby blue eyes stare into mine.
He reaches out, and I jump in surprise. I expect him to laugh, but he doesn’t. Instead, his eyes drop
to my cardigan as he takes a lock of my hair between his fingers. He twists the strands around it. “Red
really is your color,” he says softly, and then his eyes are back on mine.
Warmth spreads down my back as he threads his fingers through my hair. I whimper, half scared to
shit. The other half turned on.
What is wrong with me?
He leans into me, stopping his face just inches from mine. I let out a long breath, trying to stop my
racing heart. “Cole …” I whisper his name.
He smiles at me. “Don’t be afraid, Austin. If I wanted you dead, I would have killed you last night.
And I sure as hell wouldn’t do it while Celeste knows you’re with me.”
I close my eyes and whimper, trying not to show my fear, but it’s leaking from my pores. His car
reeks of it.
“Look at me,” he orders, and I open my eyes. He’s still in my face, his hand still gripping my hair.
“Although, I did imagine sneaking into your room and making you pay for what you did. But thought
better of it.”
I swallow. “What do you want from me?”
He tilts his head to the side as if to think about his answer. “For you to understand.” He pulls away
from me, and I suck in a long breath. Sitting back in his seat, he looks straight ahead over the concrete
barrier that comes up to the hood of the car. “See that man?” He points out at the building across from
the parking garage.
I have to squint, but I see a man standing in his office. The glass windows showcasing everything.
His hands in his hair. His suit jacket on the floor and white button-up untucked. His suspenders
hanging from his waist. “What about him?”
“That is Jeff’s brother.”
“Jeff?” I look at Cole.
“The guy we killed last night,” he answers without any remorse.
“Oh,” I say, looking back at the older man. And my breathing picks up. This is just another way for
him to pull me in. Get me involved. “I don’t wanna know …”
“This man killed his wife.” He ignores me. “He beat her repeatedly. All the time. But he was smart
about it. As smart as a bastard like him can be. He never touched her arms, legs, or face. He only
touched where he knew she could cover up.” I look back at Cole. “One day, she had had enough and
went to tell the one person she thought she could trust. His brother, Jeff.” He runs a hand through his
dark hair as he stares straight ahead at the man. “She begged him to help her. Her husband kept her
close because she had no family. Well, she had someone, but …” He trails off. “Anyway, so she
turned to his family and asked for some money to leave her abusive husband. He told her to give him
a few days.” His hand grips the steering wheel. “But he went to his brother and told him what his
wife had asked him to do. So when he got home, he beat her. He beat her, not caring where the bruises
showed up because he knew she wasn’t gonna survive this time.” My throat tightens. “Then after he
beat her to within an inch of her life, he took a knife and slit her throat.” He speaks with no emotion,
and tears sting my eyes. “He didn’t even give her a proper burial. He carried her to the old cemetery,
dug a hole, and dropped her in it.”
I reach out and touch his arm. “I’m sorry …”
He yanks back from me, and his eyes meet mine. They have fire in them, and his breath has picked
up.
I lower my eyes to my lap. “Who was she to you?”
“She was Eli’s older sister.”
“Eli?” I ask, looking up at him through my lashes.
“My best friend,” he says, his eyes back on the man who runs around aimlessly in his office.
I don’t remember that name from last night at the cemetery. “Why not kill him?” I ask.
“He doesn’t deserve death yet.” His eyes meet mine. “Death is no different than anything else. It
too must be earned.”
I look over at the man, and he has his cell in his hand. He keeps putting it to his ear and then pulls it
away. Repeating the motion. “What do you think he’s doing?”
“He’s trying to contact Jeff.”
I look over at Cole, and a soft smile covers his face. “They are business partners. And without Jeff,
he’ll lose everything. Jeff was the mastermind behind their shit show.”
I look back at the guy who stands in his office. He reminds me of watching a hamster in his cage as
he runs on his wheel, getting nowhere. He just keeps circling around, that phone still in his hand. “So
you go around killing people who kill others?” I ask.
He snorts. “No. Jeff was … an exception.”
I run a hand through my hair, trying to understand what is going on and how I feel about it. “You
still killed someone …”
“It wasn’t like he was innocent,” he snaps.
I narrow my eyes on him. “You cut my arm.”
He places his hand in my hair again, but instead of leaning into me, he yanks me across the center
console. I gasp at the feel of his nails digging into my scalp. “I’ll do whatever I have to do,
sweetheart. And I watched the video. You’re not as innocent as you claim to be.”
“I’ve never killed anyone,” I snap.
He chuckles, and his free hand comes up to my throat. “But you want to.”
My heart starts to pound. “You don’t know me …”
“You’re a Lowes, after all. Remember? Everyone in our town knows what kind of man your father
is. Including you.”
I clamp my mouth shut because I know how terrible he can be. And I can’t count how many times
I’ve wished him dead.
He leans in, his nose running along my jawline. I shudder. “We are all the same, Austin. Some of us
just choose not to pretend.”
 CHAPTER FOUR
COLE

I PULL AWAY from her, and my eyes fall to her lips. Bringing her here was a mistake. Having her
in my car alone with me was a mistake. But I made them anyway. I’m known for fuckups. No one
expects much from me. Well, no one except Lilly. But she isn’t hard to please.
I run my thumb over her bottom lip, wondering what it would feel like between my teeth. Or
wrapped around my cock. Either one would do at the moment. She licks her lips, letting me know
what she is thinking, and that’s enough for now.
I sit back in my seat and throw the car in reverse. Pulling out of the parking spot, I don’t look back
once at the bastard who is going to pay for killing my best friend’s sister.
We’re ten minutes from Collins when she finally speaks to me. “What did Jeff mean by another
one of your dares?”
My jaw tightens. She heard more than I would have liked. I don’t answer. Instead, I pull my cell out
of my pocket and call Deke’s older sister. She answers on the third ring. “Hey. I need a favor,” I say,
refusing to look over at Austin.
“Well, hello to you too, Cole,” she says with sarcasm.
“Can you help me or not, Shelby?” I snap.
She sighs heavily. “Is it illegal?”
I don’t answer, and a silence falls between us. I sit with my cell to my ear, waiting for a response.
She knows she’s not going to get any info. After a minute, she finally answers. “Sure.”
“I’ll be there in fifteen.”
“I don’t want any trouble, Cole,” she says softly. “You know I can’t …”
“I know. It’s not like that,” I say and then hang up before she can say any more.
I chance a glance over at Austin, and she’s already staring at me. “We’re going to go see Shelby.”
“Is she your girlfriend?” she asks softly.
I almost laugh. Deke would kill me if I tried anything with his sister. Plus, she’s not my type. She
wants commitment. Stability. Love. I have none of those things to give. Not to mention, I’m a senior in
high school, and she is six years older than the guys and me. But I don’t respond to Austin either.
Because a part of me likes that she is curious. Why would she care if I’m already taken?
I don’t have time to process that thought, though, because a phone rings, breaking the silence of the
car.
Austin looks down at her cell in her hand, lets out a long sigh, and then places it to her ear. “Hey,
Mom.” There’s a pause. “No, I haven’t seen him.” She bows her head and rubs her temple with her
free hand. “I don’t know …” she growls. “What do you want me to do?” she snaps. “You’re the one
who shipped me off like a Christmas present that you wanted to return.” Her voice grows inside my
car. “If you want to speak to him, then you call him.” I glance over at her, and she stares straight
ahead, but I can see her eyes start to glisten from unshed tears. “I’m not sending you money, Mom.”
Her hand fists in her lap. “Is that why you sent me here?” she demands. “To send you his money?” She
gives a dark laugh. “You call him and ask him to send you money for you and your piece of shit
boyfriend,” she snaps. “I’m not gonna do it.” She pulls the phone from her ear, shuts it off, and tosses
it into my back seat.
The silence fills the car once again. I shift uncomfortably. “Do you wanna …?”
“No!” she interrupts me.
I’m not sure how long she has been in town, and I never stopped to question why she was here in
the first place. I didn’t even know that Bruce Lowes had a daughter. And today, standing outside the
church, Celeste said she is a senior this year. I stayed up trying to decide what to do with her. How to
corner her so she can’t run from me. Then I remembered that Celeste never misses church on Sunday
mornings. So I sat in my car in the parking lot until I saw them leaving after the service was over.
Then I made my move.
“Where did you move here from?” I ask.
She reaches up and quickly wipes away a tear from her cheek. “What does it matter?”
“It doesn’t. Just making small talk.”
“I prefer when I thought you were trying to kill me over small talk,” she snaps.
I smile. Yeah, there’s something about Austin Lowes that I like. A lot.

AUSTIN

MY HANDS FIST in my lap. My throat is tight and heart pounding. I’m so angry with my mother.
I haven’t always been the best daughter. I caused trouble. I got expelled from school for stupid shit.
She had to talk the cops into not taking me to jail for smoking pot. She was just saving her own ass
since she was the one who supplied me with it. But she made a big scene. “That was the final
straw,” she said.

We walk in the house and she slams the front door behind me. “What the fuck were you
thinking?” she demands.
I ignore her and keep walking toward my room. Wanting to get away from her.
“Hey!” Phillip, her boyfriend, steps out of their room and into the hallway in front of me. “Your
mother asked you a question.” His dark brown eyes stare down at me.
I ignore him and go to step around him. He reaches up, grabbing my backpack, and yanks me
backward. I trip over my feet and fall on my ass. Before I can recover, he pulls me up and throws
me into the wall, causing my books to dig into my back. Then his hand comes up, and he slaps me
across the face.
I slap him back. It’s not the first time he’s put his hands on me. But I prefer this kind over the
soft and gentle kind he attempts when my mother isn’t around.
“You ungrateful bitch!” he yells in my face. “Without us, you would have nothing.”
“You would have nothing if not for me!” I scream. “I don’t see you working for anything. My
father gave my mother and me all this. What the fuck do you give us?”
He hits me again. So hard that it knocks me to my knees. I taste blood and get up, running to my
room. I slam my door and lock it.
I lean up against it as angry tears sting my eyes. I can still hear them in the hallway. “Send that
bitch to her dad’s,” he snarls.
“He never wanted her before. Why the hell would he want her now? She is nothing but trouble,”
she growls.
“We have to do something. I can’t take her in this place with us any longer,” he tells her.
There’s a long pause. Then she says, “I’ll call Celeste. That stupid bitch will want her.”
 The first tear falls down my cheek. I run over to my window, yank it up, and jump through it,
wanting to get the fuck out of here.

Three weeks later, I was on a plane to Oregon.

My life wasn’t a good one. And honestly, I wasn’t all that surprised when my mother dropped me
like a bad habit for her boyfriend. But I still thought she would fight for me. Want me. But she didn’t;
all she needed was him. She stood by and let him hit me. Touch me.
But now it’s clear they have a hidden agenda. She wants me to get access to his money and send it
to her. Fuck no! If she wants his money, she can call and ask for it. She’s never been shy about asking
before.
Cole slows the car down, and I realize we are pulling into a driveway. And I’m instantly on alert
once I realize it’s not my father’s. “Where are we?” I ask as panic bubbles up my throat.
“Shelby’s,” he answers and shuts the car off, getting out.
I follow him up to the front door. He enters without even knocking.
“Shelby?” he calls out.
“In here,” a woman’s soft voice says.
I follow much slower as I’m taking in my surroundings. The house is nothing like my father’s. It’s
much smaller, homier. Smells of coconut.
We round a corner and walk into a kitchen. A beautiful blond sits at the table. She looks up at him,
smiling warmly, her crystal blue eyes soft. She stands and walks right to him. He hugs her, and it
makes me think they have something going on.
“This is Austin.” He gestures to me without looking my way. “She needs stitches.”
My eyes widen. That’s why we’re here? Stitches?
Her eyes widen as well. “Oh, my, what happened?” she asks, concern in her words.
“He took a knife to my forearm,” I say, lifting my chin.
“He what?” Her wide eyes snap to his. “Cole …?”
“Just stitch her up so we can go. I need to get home,” he snaps.
She closes her mouth and then walks over to me. “May I see it?”
I remove my red cardigan and lift my right hand in the air to show her my forearm. It’s covered in
blood from when he broke it open earlier.
She gasps. “Cole Reynolds. Why the hell would you do this to her?” she demands.
We both look at him, and he’s glaring at us, lips thinned. When she realizes he’s not going to
answer, she looks back at me. “I tried to superglue it.”
She sighs heavily. “That won’t do on a cut like this.”
His phone rings, and he pulls it out of his back pocket. A soft smile appears on his face and then he
walks out, answering it to where we can’t hear him.
“You poor thing. Come on. I have everything we need in my spare bedroom.”
I follow her and sit down on the end of the bed like she instructs. “Do you do this for him often?” I
ask. She frowns, walking into the adjoining bathroom. “Stitch people up?” I clarify.
She laughs softly, coming out with a wet washcloth to clean the blood off. “For others, no. For
them, yes.” I tilt my head to the side. “They tend to get into trouble a lot.”
“They?”
“Great White Sharks.”
“I don’t understand what you are talking about,” I say, shaking my head.
“Do you not know them?”
 “I don’t know who them are. I just moved here and …”
“Oh.” She nods in understanding, tossing the washcloth into a dirty clothes hamper in the corner.
“The GWS, Great White Sharks is what everyone calls them. Cole, Deke, Shane, Bennett, and Kellan
are all on the school swim team. They are sharks in and out of the water. Cole is their captain. All of
them already have scholarships for college next fall.”
“Do you go to school with them?” She seems older than us but how else would she know them?
She chuckles. “I’ll take that as a compliment. But, no, I am Deke’s older sister.”
“I see.” The bastard who wanted to kill me last night. Now here I am, and his sister is going to
stitch me up. “But you have done this before?” It’s not that I’m afraid she’s not qualified; at this point,
I’ll take anyone’s help.
“Yes. I’m a trauma nurse. I keep stuff here just in case the guys need something done.”
“What kind of something do you mean?” I ask slowly.
She sets down a box next to me on the bed. “They dare one another to do stupid shit. Half the time,
they end up in an emergency room. And I’m there to patch them up only to send them on their way to
do it again.”
“Dare one another?” Is this one of your dares? Jeff had asked Cole last night.
She opens the box to pull out a package. She rips it open and takes out a cold cloth that she rubs
over my cut. I hiss in a breath through gritted teeth. Then a syringe and a vial of clear liquid. She
sticks the end of the needle into it. “It’s hard to explain. Even I don’t know all the details. But they
dare one another to do something stupid, and if they don’t complete the dare, they have consequences.
It’s so juvenile, if you ask me. But then again, they are still boys.” She smiles at me. “Okay. Now
you’re gonna feel a sting. I’m going to numb the area.”

_______________

THIRTY MINUTES AND fifteen stitches later, I’m walking out of the spare bedroom with my arm stitched
and wrapped. I hold my forearm in my hand as I look at all the pictures that cover her soft yellow
hallway. I stop at a picture of Cole. Seven other boys stand around him in front of an indoor pool. All
of them in white sweatpants and matching jackets unzipped. Like they just finished a swim meet.
Shelby walks up behind me. “Which one is your brother?” I ask just because I want to know which
guy wants me dead.
“This is Deke.” She points at the one to the right of Cole. He has soft blue eyes and a pretty smile.
Of course, the bastard is good looking. Hell, they’re all pretty decent looking. “Then it goes Kellan,
Bennett, and Shane.” She points at the others to the right of Cole.
“Who are these guys?” I point at the three on his left side.
She sighs. “That is Maddox, Landen, and Eli.”
“Eli?” I ask. He’s the one who had the sister. The reason they killed Jeff. What was her name? Did
Cole ever mention it?
“Yeah. He, Maddox, and Landen all passed away last year.”
“What?” I ask, turning to face her. When Cole spoke of him earlier, he didn’t mention that he was
dead.
“They were in a car wreck. The only one who survived was Cole.”
“Cole was with them?” What Jeff was saying makes sense now. What about your consequences,
Cole? You killed three of your best friends …
 She nods. “Cole has always been a troubled soul. And then … well … He hasn’t been himself
since. He had a rough life growing up. Losing his mother at such a young age. And Lilly …”
That’s who Celeste had asked about. “Lilly? Is that his girlfriend?” I keep asking this question
because I’m curious for any personal information about him. And what’s more personal than loving
someone?
“No.” She smiles down at me. “Lilly is his little sister. He raises her.”
My brows pull together. “What about their dad?”
She goes to open her mouth, but Cole clears his throat from behind us. I spin around to see him
glaring at me. His eyes briefly go to the picture on the wall of all his friends, then they are back on
mine. “Let’s go.” He turns and walks out without a backward glance.
“Thank you,” I tell her, and she surprises me by pulling me in for a hug.
“Anytime. Come back in a week and I’ll remove them.”
 CHAPTER FIVE
COLE

AUSTIN STAYED SILENT in the car, but I could hear her mind working. The questions she had
were ones I would never answer. Some things are just better left the way they are.
I dropped her off at her father’s without a goodbye or a see you around. She got out, and I sped off,
heading home.
As soon as I step into my father’s house, I hear Lilly’s voice. “Cole?”
“In here,” I tell her, entering the kitchen. My father stands at the breakfast bar with a glass of his
favorite scotch in his hand. It’s not even five yet.
“Where have you been?” he demands.
Just then, Lilly runs in, carrying her stuffed bunny, Hippo, in her hands. “Hey, princess,” I say, and
she jumps into my arms. “How was ballet today?”
“Ms. Talon taught me how to twirl.”
“That’s awesome,” I say, hugging her.
My father clears his throat. “Lilly, give Cole and me a moment.”
I kiss her soft cheek. “I’ll be right there.” I set her down and then turn to my father.
“I spoke to Bruce Lowes this morning.”
I fucking hate that guy! Knowing that he has a daughter makes me hate him even more. She’s
already causing problems for me. “And?”
“And his daughter is in town. Moved in with him.” He eyes me skeptically.
“I don’t see how this requires a conversation between us.” I avoid my father at all costs. He’s not
any better than Bruce Lowes. They’re best friends, after all.
He sets his glass down. “She’s trouble. Stay away from her.”
That piques my interest. But I’m not surprised, considering she burned a body and crushed the
bones with a hammer. I like her creativity. It’s sexy. “How so?”
“Guess her mother is some crack whore. The mom’s boyfriend abuses her.” He rolls his eyes. “He
said the mother wants her to stay until she graduates. But he plans on sending her back the moment she
fucks up.”
“And you’re telling me this why?”
“Because I’m giving you a warning. Lord knows you don’t need anyone helping you and your
friends get into trouble.” Then he picks up his drink. “Oh, and quit fucking his wife.”
I smile at that statement.
He grunts. “He knew that your car was over there one night last week. All night. He has help, for
Christ’s sake. You think you’d be a little more discreet.” Then he walks out of the kitchen.
My smile widens. Pulling my cell out, I send a quick text to Celeste. I want to know everything
there is about Austin Lowes.

Up for swimming?
 She sends a text back immediately. Absolutely. Bring that little princess on over.

_______________

“COLE, WATCH ME,” Lilly calls out from the side of the pool.
I stand in the shallow end, looking up at her. “Watching.”
She puts her feet together, bends her knees, and leans over at the waist, her hands out in front of her
before she falls into the pool face first, doing her version of a dive.
She comes up sucking in a long breath. I reach out and grab her even though she can swim. “That
was awesome, Lil,” I say with a big smile. Celeste claps from her raft in the deep end.
“I’ve been practicing,” she says, smiling up at me. Her blond hair sticks to her face and neck
because I forgot to braid it. Now it’ll take me forever to get the tangles out.
“So how was lunch with Austin today?” Celeste asks from behind me.
I refrain from smiling. “It went well. She didn’t say much.”
She sighs. “Yeah, I asked her how it went, and she didn’t respond. Just went up to her room, saying
she was tired.”
That’s because she spent last night watching us kill a guy and then she burned the body. I lick my
lips and say, “I hate to be forward, but I didn’t even know Bruce had a daughter.”
She frowns. “You’ve met her before. I remembered that earlier this afternoon after I introduced you
two.”
“What? When?” She must be mistaken.
She sits up on her raft and uses her hands to paddle over to me. “You guys must have been around
nine. Maybe ten. I don’t know. Bruce and I have been married for ten years now, and she’s seventeen.
So seven.” She laughs. “I was off on the math.”
My frown deepens. “I don’t remember.”
“I don’t think she does either.” She sighs. “She came to stay with us for a few weeks during the
summer. We had just gotten married. Her mother had been admitted to the hospital for an overdose.”
“Then why did she go back?” Lilly throws some diving rings into the water and watches them sink
as she puts her goggles on.
“Her mom went to rehab. Got better. Bruce bought them a house, sent her money …”
He sounds like my father. Just wants to throw money at it. Bruce doesn’t care about Austin any
more than my father cares about Lilly. At least he knows I have a scholarship. He knows I have plans.
He just doesn’t know that I plan on taking Lilly with me when I go to college. It’ll be hard, but I’ll
make it work. And he won’t fight me. He’s never wanted her.
“So why now?” I watch Lilly dive in and kick her little feet to make it to the bottom to grab a ring.
Then she pushes off the bottom and shoots up. I help her to the side of the pool where she will get out
to repeat the process again.
Celeste sighs. “She got expelled from school. Caught with drugs.” She shakes her head. “Her
mother called me, demanding I take her. That she was just too much to handle anymore.”
Lilly jumps in, getting two rings that were close to one another this time.
“Bruce said no, that we didn’t have time for her, but I have nothing but time.” Her eyes fall to the
water, and she runs her hand through it slowly. “He’s always away. And I don’t think Austin was safe.
I think she just needs a different environment. Different friends.” She looks up at me and smiles. “You
could help her.”
 I chuckle. I’m not a good influence, by any means, and Celeste knows that. This entire town knows
that I do what I want, when I want. No one tells me I can’t do something. And when I find myself in
trouble, my father bails me out because he hates it when I make him look bad. “You know that’s not
true, Celeste,” I finally say as Lilly jumps in again, splashing me.
She drops her head. “We both know that you’re the lesser of two evils,” she whispers, and my
chest tightens at her words.
Yeah, I try to beat the kind of men who she married. Like my father. Right now, I can only do so
much. But one day, they will all pay. I will release all that anger bottled up inside me, and it will
fucking rain blood on this town.

AUSTIN

I WAKE UP with a headache and a throbbing forearm. Shelby couldn’t give me any pain meds, but she
said that it shouldn’t hurt once the numbing shot wore off. It’s not painful, just a dull ache.
Getting out of bed, I walk over to my closet and put on a white long-sleeve shirt to cover my
stitches. It hangs off my right shoulder, letting whoever sees me know that I didn’t take the time to put
a bra on. Then I yank on a pair of yoga pants before walking out of my room in search of Celeste.
I make my way down the staircase. “Celeste?” I call out when I walk into the kitchen. “Oh, I’m
sorry,” I say to a woman who stands in front of the open fridge.
“You’re fine, dear. Can I get you something?” she asks, placing strawberries on a silver platter.
“I’m looking for Celeste.”
She nods. “They are out in the pool. I was just about to take them some fresh fruit. Would you like
something?”
“No, thank you,” I say and then walk out of the kitchen and then down the hall. They? I hope my
father isn’t back home. I want to avoid him as much as possible. I know he didn’t want me here. As
much as I hate my mother, she was right. My father’s never wanted me, and he won’t now. I’m here
because of Celeste. And although she drives me nuts, I must admit she’s pretty awesome. But you’ll
never hear me say that out loud.
I push open the back doors and step out onto the porch. I hear splashes coming from the right and
make my way over to the edge of the terrace. I stop short when I see Celeste in the pool floating on
her bright blue raft over by the rock slide in the deep end, and Cole is also in the pool with a little
blonde on his hip.
“Austin!” Celeste spots me and waves. I wave back slowly. “Did you have a good nap?” she asks,
and Cole looks over at me. He lets go of the little girl, and she swims over to the steps.
“Yeah,” I say, walking around the pool and plopping down on a lounge chair. I look anywhere but
at Cole. What is he doing here? Is he trying to fuck with me? Is he feeling Celeste out to see if I said
anything to her? I wouldn’t do that. She would tell my father, and who knows what he would do with
me. He’d probably try to help Cole pin it on me so my ass would go to jail. Out of his life.
“You should come swimming with us. The pool is heated.” She lies back on her raft. Her purple
string bikini reveals more than lingerie would. Letting the world know that my father paid for most of
her body.
I think about saying yes but stop myself. “Not today.” I just got stitches. I’ll have to get those
removed before she can see my arm. Plus, I don’t think the chlorine would feel very good on it.
The little girl gets out of the pool and makes her way over to me. “Hi,” she says with a big smile
on her face.
 “Hello.”
“My name is Lilly. I’m six. Wanna watch me dive?”
This is his sister? They look nothing alike. She has blond hair where he has brown. She has brown
eyes to his blue. “I’d love to,” I say with a smile of my own.
“Cole, can I dive in the deep end? Please?” she begs, jumping up and down.
I take a chance to look at him, and he’s staring right at me. My hair is still up in a messy bun from
when I slept and pieces fall out down my back and shoulders. His eyes drop to my exposed shoulder
and then down my chest. They slowly run down my body to my legs, and I feel them tighten at the look
in his eyes.
The man who tried to pin me for murder is now at my father’s house with his little sister,
swimming with my stepmother.
He’s up to something. And I need to get ahead of his game. I’m not some stupid little girl who he
can play.
“Please, Cole? Just once,” she asks, standing by my lounge chair. Water runs off her bright yellow
one-piece and onto the concrete.
“Yeah. One time,” he tells her, running his hand through his wet hair, making it stand straight up,
and she squeals with excitement. He swims over to the deep end, passing Celeste on her raft. He
comes to a stop and looks up at her. She prepares herself for her dive, takes a deep breath, and falls
in head first. He reaches under the water and grabs her, pulling her up and then helps her to the side.
She climbs out and comes running back over to me.
“Did you like it?” she asks with that excitement still on her face. I envy it. I wish life was that
simple.
“I give it a ten.” I hold up all my fingers, and she bounces up and down. “Perfect.”
She lunges for me, wrapping her arms around me for a tight hug and soaking my shirt and legs. The
water feels good. Not too cold but not warm either. She pulls away. “I can dive for rings.” Her face
falls all of a sudden. “I can only grab one at a time, though.”
I refrain from laughing at how adorable she is. “I’d love to watch you dive for rings.”
She bounces over to the edge of the pool and tosses five rings in the shallow end. “Cole?” she
yells at him. “Cole?”
I look at him to see why he is ignoring her, but when my eyes meet his, he’s staring down at my
chest. His jaw tight and eyes glaring with anger.
I look down to see what he is staring at. “Geez,” I mutter to myself. She soaked my white shirt, and
I don’t have a bra on.
I hunch over and pull it away from my chest. Standing up, I go to walk away, but Lilly stops me.
“You’re not gonna watch me?” She pouts.
Shit!
I reach over and grab a blue towel off the back of a lounge chair and drape it over my shoulders.
“Of course, I am,” I tell her, sitting back down and plastering a smile on my face.
I ignore Cole, but I can still feel his gaze on me for a few more seconds before he turns to her and
helps her out with diving for her rings.
We spend another hour out in the pool when Cole finally announces that they have to get going. At
first, Lilly tried to beg him for another five minutes, but he didn’t budge. He’s better than I would
have been because the moment she pushed that bottom lip out, I would have caved. Then she threw a
fit. He glared at her, but she didn’t care. She just wanted to swim.
“She can stay out here with me,” Celeste tells him.
 “I don’t think …”
“Please?” Lilly begs, interrupting him. She hugs his shoulders while they still stand in the pool.
“Lilly …”
“Let her swim a little longer, Cole. It’ll be dark shortly. She can stay the night. We can have a girls’
night. You kids go have some fun.” She looks at me, and my brows rise. What is her deal with Cole?
Does she not know how much he hates me? That he wants me in jail? Or worse, dead?
“Please? Please?” Lilly begs. “I wanna stay. I wanna swim. And have a girls’ night.” She splashes
the water around them with her hands.
“Fine,” he says with a heavy sigh. “Just tonight, though. Okay?”
“Thank you.” She hugs his neck, and he pats her back.
“Yay.” Celeste claps her hands excitedly. And it makes me wonder why she and my father never
had a child of their own. I’ve never thought about it. And sure as hell never asked. Then she looks at
me. “Austin, we have a ten o’clock appointment at the salon in the morning.”
“For what?”
“I figured you’d want to get you hair done.” She shrugs. “Something new for school. And it gives
us time together.”
“Thanks.” I’m not really into spending time at a salon, but I’ll give her this. Celeste has been more
of a mom in the past twenty-four hours than my mother has in the past seventeen years.
She claps excitedly as Cole hands her Lilly. She bounces on her raft, straddling Celeste’s legs.
Cole goes under the water and then his head pops up in the shallow end. He stands, and I watch
with complete fascination as he climbs the stairs to exit. Water drips off his lean body. Shelby had
mentioned that he was the captain of the swim team, and I didn’t understand what that meant until just
now. His black swim trunks hang low on his narrow hips. He turns to face me, and my mouth starts to
water at the defined V that dips into his shorts and his chiseled abs. Thoughts of him pinning me down
to the ground last night come back, reminding me of how strong he was. You can still see the faint
marks my nails left when I clawed at his chest.
He isn’t overly muscular; he’s lean. But what he does have is chiseled, and my legs threaten to
buckle. Good thing I’m sitting down.
“You have my towel,” he speaks, making me jump.
“Oh, sorry,” I say in a rush and yank it from my shoulders and toss it to him.
I look up at him through my lashes when he just stands there in front of me, and now, he’s the one
looking down at me like he wants to push me up against the wall. Or down onto the lounge chair.
That’s when I remember why I had his towel in the first place. My shirt is still wet. And my
nipples are hard from the wind making me cold. “Excuse me,” I say as I jump up. Turning around, I
take off into the house.
 CHAPTER SIX
COLE

FUCK!
That’s the second time since she’s walked out here in the past hour that she has got me hard. I fist
my hands down by my sides. I don’t have time for her. To be some teenage boy obsessed with a set of
tits and ass. Especially Bruce Lowes’s daughter.
“Cole?”
At the sound of Celeste’s voice, I wrap the towel around my hips and turn to face her in the pool.
Lilly’s still on her lap. “Yeah?”
She sighs heavily, her eyes dropping to my hard cock, letting me know she knows what I’m
thinking. “Keep an eye on her.”
“I can’t—”
“Cole,” she interrupts my refusal. “You owe me.”
Running a hand through my wet hair, I growl. “Pick something else.”
She gives me a kind smile, but we both know it’s fake. “I’m picking her. And that’s not gonna
change.”
Fuck!
I turn around and walk into the house, water still dripping from my hair and board shorts. I take the
stairs two at a time, knowing where her room is. I watched her stand at her window after Deke and I
finished with Jeff.
I don’t knock. I barge right into her room, and she squeals, jumping back from her dresser, a shirt in
her hands but not on. She holds it up to cover her naked chest. And I wonder if her nipples are still
hard. “What the hell, Cole …?”
“Get dressed, we’re leaving in ten.”
Her eyes narrow on me. “I’m not going anywhere with you,” she snaps.
I smile. I gotta say, I do love how challenging she is. The fight. The constant back and forth. She
actually thinks she has a chance to stand up against me. Austin Lowes doesn’t have a choice. Her
mother doesn’t want her, her father is just itching to send her back, and her stepmother just threw her
to the sharks. I’m all she has, which sucks for her because I destroy everything I touch. And as much
as I don’t want her around, I look forward to ripping her to shreds.
I shut the door, and she swallows nervously as her eyes go to it, then shoot back to mine. I advance
on her with slow and confident strides as if I’m about to attack my prey. My hard cock reminds me
that I could throw her on her bed and take her right now, and no one would stop me. But even I have
limits.
“What are you doing in here?” Her voice shakes with fear.
I reach up and cup her soft face. She still has on the makeup from church this morning. Her dark
green eyes lined with black. Her lashes long and thick, and her plump lips stained with a light pink.
Her eyes widen, but she doesn’t pull away from me. I lean down, my lips inches from hers. “Do I
need to remind you again?” Her chest rising and falling fast with each breath. My free hand itches to
yank the shirt she’s using to shield her chest from me. To get a better look at her tits without the wet
fabric she wore outside. To touch them. To suck on them. “That you don’t have a choice.”
She lifts her chin, and her green eyes simmer with rage. I like it. “You’re not my boss, Cole. You
can’t tell me what to do.”
I let my hand on her face trail down over her delicate neck, where her pulse races, to her bare
shoulder. Her body shudders. My fingers continue downward over her bare arm and bent elbow, and
then I stop on the bandage covering her stitches. My eyes meet hers. “We both know that I can.” I take
a step back before I go too far. “Now get dressed. We have somewhere to be.”
Her narrowed eyes stay on mine. Almost as if she’s challenging me. Her chin lifts, and nostrils
flare. “Cole—”
“This is not up for discussion,” I snap, interrupting her. “I will drag you to my car by your hair, if
need be.”
She lets out a growl, and I take that as her acceptance.

_______________

SHE SITS NEXT to me in my car as I drive down the curvy road, heading farther away from town.
I take the steep hills at a fast pace, speeding more than I normally would to keep her on her toes. I
can taste her fear—smell it—and it’s intoxicating.
She places her hands out in front of her on the dash, and I chuckle. Her head snaps to the side to
look at me. “You’re trying to scare me on purpose.”
“We both know you’re already scared of me.” She doesn’t comment.
I make my way down the last hill, and the road curves to the right. I take it, the rear end fishtailing,
and I hear the intake of her breath.
“Where are we?” she asks, looking out her window.
“Does it matter?” I ask, and she rolls her eyes but doesn’t respond.
I come to a stop at a stoplight and make a left turn and remove my seat belt.
“What are you doing?” she asks, looking over at me.
I throw her a smile, and her eyes narrow on me. She hates when I ignore her questions. Too bad.
She’ll find out soon enough.
We arrive at the warehouse and pull up to the curb. I look over at her. “Do you know how to drive
a stick shift?”
“What?” she snaps. “Why would that matter, Cole?”
“Yes or no.”
“Yes!” She crosses her arms over her chest, and my eyes fall to it. The memory of seeing her tits
still fresh in my mind. They had looked round, perky, and so fucking perfect. I need out of this car.
I nod my head and then turn around, reaching for my black bag and hoodie. “Keep your phone on
you,” I tell her. “As soon as I call you, answer.”
“Cole …”
I get out and slam my door shut before I hear her say anything else. My phone vibrates in my
pocket, and I pull it out, expecting it to be her, but Bennett flashes across my screen.
“Hello?” I answer it, throwing my bag over the metal gate.
“Hey, man. Thought we were on for tonight.”
I place my hands on the gate and climb it before jumping over it, landing on my feet. “I am.”
“What?” He pauses, and I look up at the sky. The sun almost done setting. “Well, what time?”
 “Now.” I pick up my bag.
“Cole, how the fuck are you doing it right now? I’m with Deke and Shane. I spoke to Kellan
earlier, and he said he hasn’t spoken to you all day.”
“I’ve got it covered. Disable the alarm system now and then head to the clubhouse. I’ll meet you in
an hour.” I hang up, placing my phone back in my pocket.
I pull my hood up and over my head and throw the bag over my shoulder. I run around to the back.
The dim light buzzing above my head, I keep my eyes down, staring at the ground, knowing where all
the cameras are. I helped place them, after all. Then walk up to the back door. Seconds later, my
phone vibrates, and I check it.

Deke: You’ve got two minutes.

Grabbing the tools out of my pocket, I place them in the lock and twist them. A pop sounds seconds
later.
Walking in, I smile at the car that sits before me. A bright fucking red Ferrari 250 GTO. My
favorite color. Only thirty-nine were produced, and I’m about to make this one mine. A few other cars
are in the warehouse, but I ignore them. They’re not why I’m here.
I grab the key off the hook that hangs on the wall and then jump into the car, throwing my bag in the
passenger seat. I take out my phone and call Austin.
“Cole, what the hell are you doing?”
“Turn the car around,” I order her.
“What? I don’t have time for this. What are you—”
“Turn the fucking car around, Austin,” I snap, interrupting her. She’s right; we don’t have time for
this.
I sit in the silent, dark warehouse and can hear the engine of my car outside in the street as she
pulls forward and turns around to face the right direction now. “Follow me,” I tell her.
“Follow you?” she asks, her voice rising in panic. “You’re not coming back?”
“Nope,” I say and hit the door opener on the visor. “Don’t lose me, Austin. You stay on my ass. Do
you understand me?”
Silence.
“Fucking answer me, Austin!”
“Yeah.” I finally hear her answer in her small voice.
“Let’s go.” I hang up, start the car, and take off.

AUSTIN

I HANG UP the phone and toss it into the passenger seat. You stay on my ass! What the hell does that
mean?
My hands shake, and my knees bounce as I sit in the driver’s seat, waiting for I don’t know what to
happen. I don’t know where we are or what he has planned.
I hear an engine, and then a red car pulls out of a driveway to the gate I had watched him jump just
minutes before.
He turns onto the road and takes off. I shove the car into gear and follow him.
He’s gone before I can even figure out how to shift his car. It’s been a long time since I’ve driven a
standard. And I didn’t want to tell him, but I suck at it. My ex, Martin, had yelled at me for hours
when he tried to teach me. I let off the clutch, and it jumps.
Shit!
I get it into second. And then third. I make it to fourth a lot better and press on the gas. He’s long
gone. I can’t even see the taillights ahead of me. But I remembered what direction we came from. I
hope that was the same one he took out of this town. It’s officially dark, and the town is quiet. We
must be on the outskirts because I haven’t seen another car or person since we pulled in.
I hear sirens behind me, and I start to panic. What the hell was he doing? Does he want me to get
caught? Is that his plan? Another game he wants me to lose? Well, I’d much rather it be robbery than
murder, if I had to choose.
I see a tire repair shop at the end of the road with their garage open. I pull into it and get out
quickly, pulling their bay door shut and lean up against it. Thankful it was open. I yank my ponytail out
and run a hand through my hair. Frustrated and pissed that he has done this to me. Again!
Then I hear my phone ringing in the car. I run back to it and jump in, answering it when I see shark
light up my screen.
“Hello?” My voice shakes with nervousness.
“Where the fuck did you go?” he demands.
“I could be asking you the same question,” I snap.
He growls. “Where are you?”
“Hiding in a garage.”
“Goddammit.”
“Maybe if you had given me a heads-up, I would have had some time to prepare to help you steal a
fucking car,” I yell. My hand squeezing the phone a little too hard.
“Calm down,” he snaps. “Take a deep breath.” He lowers his voice.
My throat tightens as my heart pounds.
“I’ll send someone to come get you,” he says calmly.
“What?” Come get me? “Who?”
“Deke …”
“Are you crazy?” My voice squeaks. “He wanted to shoot me!” I all but yell. “I’ll drive myself.”
“I’m not coming back to get you,” he says matter-of-factly.
Translation—I’m on my own. If I get caught and arrested, I’ll take the fall. But I’d rather take my
chances with the cops than with Deke. Or any of those other guys who were with Cole the other night.
I fucking hate him!
“Where am I going?” I ask, running a hand through my hair. My nerves shot.
“I’ll send you the address,” he says. “And Austin …?”
I hang up. I don’t have time to talk to him. I’m wanted by the police at the moment. I have got to get
myself out of here.
The sad part is that this isn’t the first time I’ve run from the cops.
I get out, yank up the bay doors, and look both ways but find no cop cars in sight. I get back into his
car and take off, leaving black marks on the floor of the garage.
I hear my phone go off and take a quick look down at it and notice that he has me going back to
Collins, so I toss the phone. I’ll make my way there, then once I’m in town, I’ll look at the exact
address.
My shoulders start to relax once I hit the curves, climbing the mountains, the city lights behind me,
and finally able to drive his car better.
Anger starts to set in. Just what the hell did he think he was doing? Was this just another situation
he wanted me to be involved in that could possibly get me in trouble?
I laugh at myself. Of course, it is. The guy is hell-bent on getting my ass thrown in jail.
I take the curves just as fast as he did earlier. Not worried if I fall off the cliffs to my right. At least
that wouldn’t end in jail. Just death.
I take the next curve and then it dips down to a steep hill. I reach the top and see lights. “Shit!” I
hiss when I see three cop cars. They must have tried to follow Cole, but he lost them. One is sitting on
the right side, its ass almost falling off the cliff. The second, parked in the oncoming lane, faces me
since the road is only two lanes. And the third is driving straight for me. He comes to a quick stop on
his side, and I have a moment of panic. Do I stop? Just pretend like I was speeding? Or do I gun it and
try to outrun them? Maybe they don’t know I’m involved in whatever Cole did.
I get my answer when the cop who is stopped on the cliff gets out and throws something in the
road. A spike strip. Fuck! They know I’m involved. Even if I stop, they’ll question me. Then I’ll have
four other guys on my ass for turning Cole in.
I gun it. I get right up to the spikes and swerve to the left. The driver’s side of the car barely misses
the cop car that sits there, but it doesn’t miss the side of the mountain, and it rips off the mirror.
I laugh. Cole will not be happy about that. I look in the rearview mirror to see them jumping in
their cars, but they’re never going to catch me. They had all their eggs in one basket, hoping I’d hit
those spikes. Too bad for them.

_______________

I PULL INTO town and punch in the address that Cole gave me. He’s called me four times, and I’ve
ignored them all. Let him sweat it if I got caught and turned him in.
I pull down a gravel road and look around seeing nothing but darkness. I shut off my headlights, not
wanting to bring attention to me and the car even though he has a loud exhaust on this thing. It’s not
easy to hide.
I squint as I drive two miles an hour, not wanting to hit a tree or a person, until I see lights up
ahead.
I speed up. As I get closer, I see a metal barn-like structure. The door swings open and out walks
Cole followed by four others.
Of course! This night just keeps getting better and better. I gun it, then pull the e-brake, bringing the
rear end around to stop in front of them. Dust from the gravel flies and all but Cole lift their hands to
wave it away.
I open the door and jump out, slamming it shut behind me. “What in the fuck was that, Cole?” I
demand.
He stands there, his blue eyes narrowed on me. His legs wide and hands in the front pockets of his
black jeans. He still wears his black hoodie, but the hood is back.
“What the fuck?” I look to my right to see Deke, staring down at me with wide eyes and mouth
opened. “You let cemetery girl help you?” he asks in surprise.
The other three look back and forth between Cole and me, trying to figure out what the hell is going
on and who the hell I am.
My chest rises and falls fast, my heart racing. “You almost got me arrested,” I snap.
“You should have kept up,” he says.
My eyes bug out. “Kept up? I didn’t know you were going to steal a car,” I snap. He just stares at
me. That look of hatred on his face. He should be thanking me for not turning him in. “Take me home,”
I demand.
“Deke.” He looks at him. “Give her a ride home.”
What? “No!” I say, taking a step toward Cole as he turns and heads back toward the house. “You
take me—”
“Gladly,” Deke says, interrupting me and taking a step toward me. I shut my mouth and take three
back. He stares down at me with a smile on his handsome face, but the light shining down on us from
the side of the barn makes him look crooked. Or maybe it’s the fact that I know just how truly twisted
he is.
“I’ll just take your car,” I say with a smile, and he stops walking away. His back still toward me.
Then I look down at it and smile. “I knocked off the mirror.”
“You what?” he snaps, turning to face me.
I give him the biggest fuck you smile I can. “I ran into the cops, and they threw a spike strip out.”
His brows rise. “I was able to dodge it but hit the side of the mountain. It knocked off your mirror.”
He fists his hands down by his sides while Deke laughs. The other three still stand around, not
knowing what is happening.
“Who is this girl?” I think it’s Kellan who asks softly. I can’t remember who Shelby said was who.
“I’m Austin.” I answer his question when neither Deke nor Cole makes a move to do so. “Austin
Lowes.”
All their heads snap to look at Cole. And Deke looks down at his feet, but I don’t miss his jaw
hardening. Cole stares at me for a long moment as silence falls around us. And I feel like I’m back in
the cemetery with him and Deke. Like he’s trying to think of his next move.
Is he going to stab me this time? Let Deke shoot me?
Finally, he looks away from me and to Deke. “Take her home,” he orders and then turns, giving us
all his back. He walks into the barn, letting the door shut behind him.
“Let’s go home, baby,” Deke says, walking over to me.
“No …”
He grabs my upper arm and squeezes, making me cry out as his fingers dig into my skin. The other
guys turn their backs on me and walk into the same door as Cole. Deke drags me across the gravel
and over to the side of the building where a black Range Rover sits. He tosses me in the passenger
seat and then climbs in. I press my body against the door.
He chuckles. “I’m not the one you should be afraid of, baby.”
“What does that mean?” I demand, pissed off over what Cole put me through tonight.
“It means …” He starts his SUV. “That Cole is the only one who decides if you live or die. Not
me.”
 CHAPTER SEVEN
COLE

I RIP MY hoodie off and then my black t-shirt. I toss them both to the floor and raise my fists in front
of me. I start bouncing around and hit the punching bag that hangs from the rafter.
I hear the door open and then Kellan’s voice. “Cole, what is going on?” he asks.
“I’m handling it,” I say, hitting the bag again.
“That’s not what it looked like from where we stood,” Shane argues.
I snort.
“She’s Bruce’s daughter—”
“Yes. I know who she is!” I snap, interrupting Kellan. I drop my hands and turn to face them. “I’m
well aware of whose daughter she is.”
Kellan looks like he’s seen a ghost, but Shane smiles. “She’s perfect.”
I let out a growl. “She’s mine!”
He doesn’t even try to hide his smile at my possessiveness. “No. I mean she’s perfect for what we
need.”
Kellan shakes his head. “Absolutely not. I’m not gonna be responsible for her.”
“Between the five us, she would be fine.”
“Look at what happened tonight,” Kellan snaps, arguing with Shane.
“Were you not paying attention?” Shane asks. “She managed to get away from the cops. And she
didn’t even have any help.” He points at me. “Cole left her to fend for herself.” He smiles as if he’s
proud of her. “And I must say, I’m impressed.”
I, however, want to strangle her. She fucked up my M4. I just bought that car. And the cops saw her,
which brings up another thought. Why were the cops there? We disabled the alarm, and no one was
around for miles. That warehouse is there for a reason; no one is ever in that part of the town. Barnes
is a little town full of elderly people who live in retirement homes. Who would have seen us to call
the authorities on us?
“I say we bring her in. See how she does.” Shane nods to himself. “Challenge her. She seems like
the kind who wouldn’t back down from a fight.”
“And?” Kellan asks.
“And what?” Shane looks at him.
“When she gets us caught and we’re all in jail, then what?”
“That won’t happen.”
“How can you promise that?” Kellan snaps.
Shane looks back at me. “Because she won’t turn on someone she loves.”
I look at Bennett, the only one who has kept his mouth shut this entire time. He meets my eyes, and
my chest tightens at the look in them. “You know damn well that she would be the best piece no one
ever saw coming,” he says.
My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I pull it out to see it’s a message.
 Deke: The princess was dropped off. Unharmed. You’re welcome.

I put my cell back in my pocket, close my eyes, and let out a long breath. “You guys know what this
means, right?” I ask.
When silence falls over the room, I look them all in the eyes before I speak. “We’re throwing a
party.”

AUSTIN

SHARK: PARTY TOMORROW night at my house. Be there at ten.

Cole sent me that last night while I was in the bathtub. As soon as Deke dropped me off, I jumped
in the bath to clean off. To wash the day away. I never responded, but I don’t think he expected me to.
He had summoned me, and he knew I’d show because well, what else do I have to do? And I want to
know what those boys are up to.
Three had looked at me like I was a disease. Cole looked like he wanted to kill me, and Deke
looked amused.
First, they kill a guy, then they steal a car? Like what is their deal? Was the car one of their dares?
Shelby had mentioned how they were always getting into trouble.
And she had called them Great White Sharks? In and out of the water. That’s why I put his number
under Shark. I could use them on my side at school. It’s the second semester of my senior year at a
new place. And the town is a stuck-up, wealthy city. I’m sure all the students are little brats, so I
could use someone on my side who others are afraid to cross. Or five someones. Even if I’m afraid of
them too. Deke said that my fate was in Cole’s hands. So he runs the pack. That was obvious, though.
As long as I stay on his good side, I should be okay.
“You look so pretty.”
I look over to the chair next to me that Lilly occupies. She had stayed the night with us. Then this
morning Celeste had asked Cole if she could tag along with us to the salon to get her hair washed
along with her nails painted. I found it odd that she asks Cole for permission and not their father, but I
shrugged it off. Shelby had told me that Cole is the one who pretty much raises her.
“Thank you,” I tell her with a smile. “You look very beautiful.”
She holds up her hands, showing me her little fingers. “Cole’s favorite color is pink.”
“Then he is going to love your nails.”
She nods. “That’s why I picked this color.”
Celeste comes up to us, placing her cell in her pocket. “Well, Lilly, I just spoke with Cole. I had to
beg and promise to have you in bed by eight thirty, but he said you could spend one more night.”
“Yay.” She throws both of her hands above her head.
It’s probably because he is throwing a party. Celeste looks at me. “Oh, wow, Austin. I love your
hair.”
I look at myself in the mirror. “Really? I figured it was different.”
“It’s beautiful.” She grabs my shoulders and leans over to whisper in my ear. “He’s gonna love it.”
I frown. “I didn’t do it for a he.”
She gives me a small smile and pats my shoulder. “Whatever you say, dear.”
I look back at myself in the mirror and sigh. I guess it can’t hurt to try to impress him. I mean, he’s a
boy, after all. All men think with their dicks. “Where are we going after we leave here?” I ask her.
“Wherever you want,” she says simply.
I smile. “I need something to wear tonight. Something red.”
She nods her head as a woman comes up behind her. “Celeste?”
She spins around and opens her arms. “Ellie.”
“What are you up to?” her friend asks as she pulls away.
“I’m out with my stepdaughter.” She turns and gestures toward me. “Ellie, this is Austin. Austin,
meet my friend Ellie.”
Her friends smile drops off her face as her eyes meet mine, and she looks back at Celeste.
“Stepdaughter?” she asks quietly as if I can’t hear.
Celeste nods and gives a soft smile. “Yes. She is spending the rest of her senior year with us.”
“Oh,” She turns back to face me. “It’s nice to meet you.” She nods and then dismisses me, turning
back to whisper to Celeste. She places her arm in the crook of Ellie’s, and they walk off.
I turn and smile at a confused Lilly. “How about an Icee? I saw a cookie place downstairs that had
them.”
She nods excitedly as her brown eyes light up. “I like the Coke ones.”
“What? No way. Me too.”
She giggles, and I laugh, ignoring Celeste and her friend who are no doubt talking about me and
where in the hell I came from. No one in this town probably even knows Bruce Lowes had a daughter
except for the people I met back when I was seven. And most of them are probably long gone by now.

_______________

IT’S TEN THIRTY when I finally pull up to Cole’s house. Deke had messaged me the address an hour
ago. And I tried not to let it bug me that Cole gave him my number. Like the bastard was too busy to
even message me himself.
The house is just as big as my father’s house, but I’m not surprised. I park the bright red BMW my
father bought me in the front and get out. The evening chill making me shudder. During the daytime, it
gets up to mid-fifties, but it gets cold at night. Thankfully, that gives me a reason to wear long sleeves
to cover my stitches.
I bought a thin deep red sweater that hangs off the shoulders with a black, tank top to wear
underneath. I paired it with black skinny jeans and black high heels. And topped off the look with red
lipstick. I hate to admit that I tried a little harder than I would have if not for Cole. And then that
pissed me off. But of course, I didn’t change. Instead, I hung out at my house for thirty more minutes,
knowing I would be later than he stated.
I walk into the house, and “Fuck Away the Pain” by Divide the Day pounds through speakers that
hang on the walls. Kids of all ages crowd the foyer and hallways. Some even look old enough for
college. I scan the crowd for Deke or Cole, not knowing what they have planned for me. Once again,
I’m suspicious about why I was even invited.
I make my way into the large open kitchen and find red Solo cups along with bottles covering the
countertops. I pick up the Fireball, pour a small amount into a cup, and toss it back, needing some
courage to face them once again. Then I do another one.
“Hi,” a girl says, coming up to me.
“Hello,” I say with a head nod. She’s got bleach blond hair and big blue eyes with pouty lips and a
small face. She looks like one of those Instagram girls who have millions of followers—absolutely
flawless.
“I’ve never seen you before.” She holds out her right hand. “I’m Becky.”
“Austin,” I say. “And I just moved here.”
“Oh, how exciting,” she says, grabbing a Solo cup and filling it with rum and Coke. “Are you going
to Collins High?”
I nod. “Yep.”
“I’m a senior. How about you?”
“Same,” I say and pour myself another shot of Fireball.
“I wonder if we’ll have any classes together.”
I secretly hope we do because she seems nice enough. Swallowing another shot, I look around the
massive kitchen and the bodies that fill it. “Who throws a party on a Monday night?” I ask myself
more than her.
“Cole Reynolds.” She rolls her eyes. “He and the Great White Sharks do whatever they want,
whenever they want.” Then she smiles. “But they do throw some awesome parties.”
“Where are their parents?” I ask.
“Never around. They are all socialites in this town with big careers. Always busy and not enough
time for their children.”
“I see.” They’re like my father. Maybe that’s why Cole takes care of Lilly so much.
“Where are you—”
“Austin?” a demanding male voice interrupts her.
We both turn to see one of the guys standing in the entryway to the kitchen. I can’t tell you if it’s
Kellan or Shane, but his narrowed dark eyes are on mine. Everyone stares at him as he glares at me.
I arch a brow in question.
“Cole is looking for you,” he snaps. “Let’s go.”
I turn my back to him and roll my eyes, but when they meet Becky, hers are round in surprise.
“What?” I ask.
She just shakes her head. I grab the bottle of Fireball, ignoring my cup, and walk out after the
warden who was sent to fetch the servant.
“Shane?”
“Kellan,” he growls.
Okay then. I take a sip of the Fireball as we walk past kids in the hallway. He takes me up a flight
of stairs. My heels sink into the rich beige carpet. He comes to a stop at a door, and I go to walk in,
but he blocks me. I look up at him. “I don’t want you here,” he states.
I smile. Finally, someone who feels the same as me. “Well, that makes two of us.”
His brown eyes drop to my chest and slowly run down over my legs, and when his eyes meet mine
again, there’s a challenge in them that I’m not sure how to take.
He reaches behind him and opens the door. We step into a dimly lit room. There’s a couch to my
left. A few chaise lounge chairs ahead of me, facing a TV that hangs on the wall. There’s a basketball
game playing, but the sound is off. “Gravity” by Papa Roach plays through the speakers but not loud
enough to where you can’t hear yourself think.
“Found her,” Kellan calls out to the room.
Three heads turn toward me as the guys stand over by a pool table in the corner. Each one has a
girl under their arm. None of them are Cole.
I lift the bottle to take another sip, enjoying the burn of the alcohol.
 “About time.” I hear his voice, and my skin breaks out in goosebumps.
I look to my right to see him sitting on another chaise lounge with his right hand propped behind his
head and his legs crossed at the ankles. He’s dressed in a pair of blue jeans, a white t-shirt, and a pair
of Nikes. Simple yet still looking just as frightening as he did on the steps of the church. His blue eyes
take me in as he looks me up and down twice. They linger on my chest, and I bite my bottom lip.
When his eyes meet mine, he stands.
I take a step back. My heart picks up speed, still very well aware of what this guy is capable of.
“Girls, leave,” he orders. They all whine in unison, but the guys pull away from them and push
them out the door, shutting me inside with them.
“Why am I here?” I ask, wanting to get this over with.
He takes the bottle from my hand and brings it to his lips, taking a big gulp. His Adam’s apple
working as he swallows.
I cross my arms over my chest, trying to look unaffected. But I’m having trouble breathing.
“We’ve been thinking …” Cole says, rubbing his chin.
“We want you to be part of our group.” Deke finishes his sentence.
I look among the five of them and start laughing nervously. “You’re joking, right?”
“Not one bit,” Deke says, shaking his head.
“No thanks,” I say and turn to the door. I twist the handle and start to pull it open, but a hand slaps
on the door over my head, holding it shut.
I jump back to look at Cole. He leans against it casually, getting comfortable and blocking my only
exit. “It wasn’t an offer, Austin.”
My eyes narrow on him. “What makes you think I want anything to do with you guys?”
“Deke,” Cole says, lifting the bottle to his lips again.
I spin around to see Deke step up to us, his phone in his hand facing Cole and me. A video plays,
and it’s of me driving Cole’s car away from the warehouse after he stole the red car.
“How did you get that?” I demand.
Deke just chuckles, placing the phone in his pocket. “I don’t kiss and tell, baby.”
My eyes narrow on him calling me baby. I turn back to face Cole. “You’re blackmailing me.
Again.”
He shrugs carelessly. “You can call it whatever you want.”
“I’m calling it what it is,” I snap. “You know damn well that I had no idea what you had planned.”
He pushes off the door and leans down, his face inches from mine. I can smell the cinnamon on his
lips and can’t help the shudder that courses through me. “I dare you to prove it.”
“You son of—”
“In order to join,” Deke interrupts me. “You have to pass a test,” he says, crossing his arms over
his broad chest.
“I’m not interested.”
“Initiation.” He corrects himself.
“I don’t want to be involved with whatever fucked-up shit you guys are in.” How many different
ways do I have to say it?
“Just let her go,” Kellan says. But no one listens to him.
Deke continues. “You have to fuck one of us while we all watch.”
My heart starts to pound at his words. And my eyes widen when he takes a step toward me.
This is a joke. It has to be.
He arches a brow in challenge when I just stand there staring at him. “You want me, baby? I’m
ready.” He licks his lips as his blue eyes settle on my legs. Then he reaches down to his jeans and
unbuttons them.
He’s serious! I immediately look at Cole.
His eyes hold their usual anger as they glare down at me, but a slow, devious smile spreads across
his face, and the guys start laughing. “Well, there’s your answer, man,” one of them calls out from
behind me.
My jaw tightens. “I don’t want to—”
“Leave us,” Cole orders, interrupting me. And like the trained sheep they are, they all walk out. I
can still hear their laughter as they walk down the hall, the door slowly shutting behind them.
I plop down on one of the chairs, trying to slow my racing heart. “You can’t force my hand, Cole.
Not with this.”
He walks over to where I sit. Reaching out, he runs his busted knuckles along my cheek. I swat his
hand away, afraid of what will come out of my mouth if he touches me.
His hand grips my hair and yanks me to stand. I cry out as he shoves my back into the closed door,
making it rattle from the force. He towers over me, pushing his body into mine. I’m panting while he
holds me still. He dips his head to whisper in my ear. “Are you a virgin, Austin?”
“No,” I growl. My hands come up to push him off me, but he grabs them and pins them above my
head. I whimper, and my thighs tighten.
“That’s a shame.” He sighs, and his breath skims across my skin, making me shudder. “I like to take
pretty, innocent things and destroy them.”
“You’re sick,” I say, panting.
He chuckles but doesn’t deny it. “But that doesn’t make you want me any less. I saw the way you
stared at me in the car. The way you licked your lips when I thought about kissing you. The way you
whispered my name. How you stared at me when I got out of the pool. And let’s not forget the way
you allowed me to touch you last night. Tell me, were you disappointed when I didn’t throw you on
the bed and fuck you right then?” I moan. “I bet you’re wet right now.”
“Cole.” I growl his name, not wanting him to see how right he is.
But he ignores me. “You wore red for me again, sweetheart. You wanted my attention. And you got
it. Now what are you gonna do with it?”
 CHAPTER EIGHT
COLE

MY BODY PRESSES hers into the door, and I stare down at her, silently daring her to tell me to go
to hell. She needs to. I’m not good for her. I shouldn’t be anywhere near her, let alone touching her or
thinking about fucking her right here. Because the only thing on my mind right now is pushing her
down to the floor, spreading her legs, and burying myself inside her all night. Fuck the guys. Fuck the
party. And fuck the fact that she hates me. Hate sex is always the best.
I lower my head to her neck, loving the smell of cherries, and whisper, “What’s it gonna be,
sweetheart?”
Her breathing is ragged, her body is soft, and my cock is hard. I just need her to say the words.
“You want me, just admit it.”
She stiffens against me, my words finally getting to her. “Get off me, Cole.” They weren’t as
forceful as she meant for them to be, letting me know she’s struggling. That’s good enough for me.
I smile and when I let go of her hands, she shoves me backward. I go willingly to allow her space.
My eyes roam over her hair. She changed it—the dark brown softly fades to blond at the bottom. The
best of both worlds. It looks great on her.
She straightens her red sweater, and I love that she wore it for me. “But you don’t have a choice
about joining us.”
She stomps her foot. “Why does it matter so much to you?”
Because we need you. “You’ll have fun.”
“I’ll get arrested. Possibly die.”
I smile. She’s not far off. “Just give it a try.”
“Why do I feel like people don’t just give it a try?”
I step into her once again, and she looks up at me through long, dark lashes. “Do I need to remind
you that—”
“That I don’t have a choice.” She cuts me off.
“See. Was that so hard?”
She rolls her eyes, turns around, and yanks the door open. I grab her upper arm and pull her to a
stop. Leaning down, I whisper into her ear. “Tonight, you belong to me.” She gives me a side glare,
and I give her a threatening smile. “Understood?”
“Understood,” she agrees through gritted teeth.
I take her hand in mine, and we walk out together. We make our way down to the kitchen, passing
the partygoers. Some call out my name, giving me a head nod, and others lift their drinks. I ignore
them. They came to kiss my ass, and I’m not in the mood to indulge them. Instead, I’m trying to figure
out how to get away from her. I shouldn’t want her. Not like this. Not at all.
But this is part of it. The guys agreed on it. They said if we have her join, then we need to show her
off. Or else we wouldn’t have had the party. It’s all a formality.
“Hey, Becky,” she says to a blonde as we enter the kitchen.
The girl looks at me and then at Austin. “Hi,” she says softly. Her eyes shoot back to mine.
I ignore her. Letting go of Austin’s hand, I grab a red Solo cup and make her a drink without even
bothering to ask what she likes. She’ll drink whatever I give her.
Once I finish her drink, I make myself one. “Here,” I say, handing it to her.
She takes it without even looking at me. Her eyes remain on the girl as they chat about pointless
shit.
Deke stands over in the corner with a blond bimbo under his arm. Shane sits at the table playing
poker with some guys. And Kellan stands over by the entrance with his tongue down some redhead’s
throat. I don’t know where the hell Bennett went.
I walk around the breakfast bar and put my arm around Austin’s shoulders. She doesn’t even
acknowledge me. But the girl, Becky, looks up at me wide-eyed and then back at Austin.
What the fuck is he doing? Is going through her mind at the moment. Because I never show any
affection to women. I ignore them until I have them naked in my bed. Of course, Austin doesn’t know
that, so she wouldn’t understand what I’m doing right now. But I’m letting everyone here know that
she is mine! That way, when she starts doing her dares, no one will turn her in if they see her. I can’t
risk getting my ass burned because of her.
I take a sip of my mixed drink as “Love the Way You Hate Me” by Like A Storm plays through the
speakers of the house, and I smile. She’s gonna hate me, all right. And I’m gonna love it.

AUSTIN

I TAKE A big gulp of my drink, and Becky’s eyes bore into mine. I don’t think she’s blinked once in the
past twenty minutes, which is impossible.
“Are you okay?” I finally ask her.
Her eyes shoot behind me, and I look over my shoulder to see Cole, looking down at his phone.
Bastard!
“How do you know Cole?” she asks.
“Just met him.” I reach out and take her drink from her hand. She doesn’t argue. I take a gulp of it
and hiss in a breath. Hers is strong. Just how I like them.
Her eyes widen. “Are you serious?”
I nod, taking another drink. I’m starting to feel lightheaded. “Why?”
“Just be careful,” she warns.
I look back at him over my shoulder again, and he leans against the countertop. His arms over his
chest as he looks over at who I think is Shane. His defined jaw is sharp, and his eyes narrowed. He
always looks so angry. Dark. But that is what draws me to him. He’s so mysterious. I want to know
what goes on in his mind.
I lift the drink and take another swallow but pull it away when I see it’s empty. “I drank it all,” I
say, handing it back to her.
She laughs and pours herself another one.
“You know them well?”
She nods and hands me a new full drink. “Been going to school with them since kindergarten.”
“Girlfriend?” I ask.
Her laughter grows. “No.”
I nod. Figures. Guys like Cole don’t settle down. They don’t allow girls to get close enough to see
who they really are.
I take another drink and lick my lips. They’re starting to tingle. He pushes off the counter and turns
to face Shane, giving me a profile view. His arms still crossed over his chest, he stands to his full
height, and I watch the way his jeans hang on his narrow hips and remember what his body looked
like when he got out of my father’s pool. I bite my bottom lip before taking another drink.
“Girl, you’ve got it bad.” Becky laughs.
I whip around to look at her. But even I can’t deny it. “I’m treading water,” I admit. Guys like Cole
Reynolds are why smart girls turn stupid. It’s embarrassing on so many levels but understandable.
I mean, I fucking hate the guy, and I still want him to take me to his room. That alone tells me how
unbelievably stupid I am.
She takes a step toward me, closing the small space, and whispers, “These waters are infested
with sharks. And you are bleeding.” She looks over my shoulder at Cole, then back at me. “But there
are worse ways to die.”
I take another big gulp of her drink and thoughts of how he held me against the door upstairs make
my thighs tighten. And that first night in the cemetery … or when we were in his car and he was
telling me about Eli’s older sister. My heart starts to beat faster when the words he said to me upstairs
come back to me. And let’s not forget the way you allowed me to touch you last night. Tell me, were
you disappointed when I didn’t throw you on the bed and fuck you right then?
My heart starts to pound faster at the thought of him doing just that.
I finally nod at Becky as she stares at me expectantly, unable to deny that. I’m bleeding all right. I
take another gulp. “What do I do?” I ask her.
She gives me a big smile and takes the drink from my hand. “Take advantage of it while you can.”
Then she tosses it back.
 CHAPTER NINE
COLE

“I UNDERSTAND WHY you’re doing it, but are you sure you want to do it?” Shane asks me.
I nod. “Not a doubt in my mind.”
“Okay.” He turns, giving me his back, and walks out of the kitchen.
I move to the kitchen island to make my third drink when Kellan comes up to me. They’re all going
to come to me one by one. Well, except for Deke. He knows my mind is made up. And none of the
others are going to be able to change it. They should know that by now.
“I think we should call it quits,” he growls.
I arch a brow. “Why is that?”
He sighs heavily. “She’s a liability. What if one of us gets in trouble because of her?”
I shake my head. “Won’t happen. We’ll let her take the fall before we go down with her.”
“How can you guarantee that? She could roll over on us.”
I slap his shoulder. “Don’t worry, okay? I’ve got your back.”
He stares at me as if he doesn’t believe me, but I give him the drink I just made, and he downs it in
a few gulps. His nerves showing.
I’m making myself a new drink since I just gave mine away when my side is bumped and two arms
wrap around my waist. “What the …?” I look down to see Austin standing beside me with her eyes
closed and a big smile on her face.
My first thought is to shove her off me. The second is to lean down and kiss her hair.
I do neither.
Instead, I stand staring down at her like she has two heads. “Austin?” I finally say. “What are you
doing?”
She looks up at me, and her big green eyes look glazed over. She’s tipsy. Great! I’ve only made her
two drinks, and neither one were strong. For this very reason. I didn’t want to put up with a drunk
girl. She had a bottle of Fireball in her hand when she entered the game room. Shit!
“I know you want to kiss me. Go ahead,” she says softly.
I laugh nervously. She can’t read me that easily. “You had your chance upstairs. You passed.” Good
choice.
She leans up on her tiptoes, her mouth next to my ear, and whispers. “I dare you.”
My body stiffens. She doesn’t understand what those words mean to me. How they give me a pass
to do whatever the fuck I want. As if I needed that.
I turn in her arms, so I’m facing her, and slide my right hand into her hair. Her eyes close, and those
perfect red lips release a moan. The soft sound goes straight to my cock. “You don’t know what
you’re doing,” I say against her lips.
Her eyes open and look up into mine, and her hands slip up the back of my shirt. I feel eyes on us in
the packed kitchen, but I ignore them. She has all my attention. And this is what I wanted, right? For
everyone to know that she belongs to me. A message so no other guy even attempts to take her from
me.
Her nails drag down my back, and I imagine her doing that while I fuck her up in my room. Just her
and me. “I know exactly what I’m doing,” she purrs. “Now. I dare you to kiss me.”
I smile because I’m going to make her wait for it. I tilt her head back and run my lips along her
jawline. And down her neck. She smells like heaven and sex all wrapped in one small package that I
just want to rip open.
A shiver runs through her body, and she moans, “Cole.”
“You asked for it, Austin. Remember that.” I nip at her neck, and her breath hitches. Her nails dig
into my back, but only now, she’s pulling me toward her. Needing me closer. I agree.
I let go of her hair, grab her thighs, and lift her off the floor. Spinning us around, I set her ass on the
kitchen island. I hear the faint sound of bottles being knocked over, but neither one of us pays attention
to them. Both of my hands return to fisting her hair. I yank her head back as she lets out a whimper,
and then my lips are on hers. She opens for me, and I dive in. My lips on hers aggressively. My tongue
in her mouth with determination, and she tastes like cinnamon.
So fucking good!
I growl into her mouth, and she moans into mine. Her hips grind into me, and I know she can feel
how hard I am for her. Because she pulls her lips from mine and pants. “Fuck me, Cole.”

AUSTIN

MY HEART POUNDS in my chest, and I try to suck in a calming breath. I just asked him to fuck me.
I’m so dead. And so drunk.
But I want him. Why do I want him? He’s done nothing but try to get me arrested. Blackmailed me.
Over and over yet I just asked him to fuck me.
Is it the danger? The way he touches me? The way he speaks to me? I wasn’t lying when I told him
I’m not a virgin. But that doesn’t mean I have a lot of experience either.
He pulls away from me, causing my legs to fall from around his waist. His blue eyes look me up
and down, and then he turns, giving me his back, and walks out of the packed kitchen. Denying me.
Shame washes over me at what I just did. He wants me dead. Not for sex.
“Whoa,” Becky says, fanning herself as she sidles up beside me. “That was intense.”
I jump off the island and grab the bottle of Fireball. I take a gulp and then shove kids out of the way
who stare at me like I’m some kind of joke. I push a couple making out in the hall and make my way
toward the back door.
I need some fresh air.
I stumble my way out to a gazebo. The night air hits my face, and I take another drink.
I plop down and look over the large backyard. An Olympic-size swimming pool sits to my left, and
I wonder why Cole and Lilly were over at my father’s house swimming yesterday when he has his
own. Looking to my right, I see tennis courts lit up and kids drinking from kegs.
“There you are,” Becky says, coming out the back door.
I blow the hair out of my face. I just want to be alone.
“Mind if I join you?”
“Not at all,” I lie.
She plops down beside me. “Wanna hit?” She offers me a joint.
“Thanks,” I say and put it to my lips. I take a long drag. The smoke fills my lungs, and I lean my
head back, holding my breath. Then let it out. And hand it back to her.
“So you and Cole … I get it now.”
“I hate him,” I say without thought. My body doesn’t understand that.
 She laughs and takes a long drag from the joint and passes it back to me. “You guys weren’t fooling
anyone, honey.”
I take a drag. “What do you mean you guys?”
“Cole doesn’t kiss and tell. Well, he doesn’t kiss and show either.” I arch a brow. “He’s a
manwhore, don’t get me wrong, but he is very discreet about who he takes to bed. I thought he was
going to lay you down on the island and do you right then and there for all of us to watch.” She
chuckles.
“Me too,” I say honestly.
“Not gonna lie. I wouldn’t have looked away.”
I throw my head back, laughing. “Well, you told me to take advantage of it while I can.” I take
another hit of the joint. “I intended to do just that.”
“I didn’t mean right then.” She laughs. “But I’m sure everyone enjoyed the show.”
“That wasn’t a show. That was pathetic,” I say, and she chuckles. I take another hit.
“Hey, girls,” a man says as he enters the gazebo. He’s got blond spiky hair and a set of soft brown
eyes. His black long-sleeve t-shirt and dark faded jeans show off his large, muscular size.
“Hey, Bryan,” Becky greets him.
He offers us a Solo cup. “I brought you girls a drink.”
“No thanks,” I say, holding up the joint between my fingers.
But Becky takes a drink and then passes it to me. “Vodka,” she says.
“Okay, one drink.” Vodka is my favorite. My mother’s boyfriend always had it at the house, and
when you’re in the mood to get drunk, you drink what is available.
“Becky, Christopher is looking for you. Something about you owing him a shot for some bet you
guys made.” She rolls her eyes but jumps up and walks off with a wave of her hand, leaving me alone
with the new stranger.
He takes her seat next to me. “Where’s Cole?”
“Why the hell would I know?” I ask, wishing the weed would kick in. So I lean back against the
wood, relaxing.
“Isn’t he your boyfriend?”
“No,” I say quickly.
“That’s not what it looked like.”
I let out a sigh. “Why does everyone care what we were doing minutes ago?”
“Because I thought you would want to start your year out right by being on the arm of the hottest guy
in school.”
I refrain from rolling my eyes. Cole may be a dick, but he doesn’t say corny lines like that. No. He
just tries to blackmail you for murder. “And who is that?” I indulge him.
“Me.” He grabs the Solo cup from my hand and takes a drink of the vodka. He goes to hand it back
to me but drops it.
I stand quickly, gasping as the cold liquid spills all over my lap.
“I’m so sorry,” He jumps up. And then his hands are on me. I go to move backward, but my knees
hit the bench.
“It’s okay,” I say, but he pushes into me, causing me to fall back down onto my ass. My head even
with the zipper on his jeans.
He stands over me, and he leans in and sniffs my hair. “What the …?”
“Bryan!”
His voice interrupts what I was about to say.
 Bryan sighs heavily and turns around to face Cole but blocks me so I can’t get up from the bench.
“Just what the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Cole demands.
“What you didn’t have the balls to do earlier,” Bryan answers, crossing his arms over his chest.
Cole gives me a quick once-over before his narrowed eyes go back to Bryan as he storms across
the backyard toward us.
I look away from him. I don’t need him to save me. I reach up and shove Bryan out of my way.
When I stand, Bryan turns to face me. “Let’s go.” He grabs my arm.
“I’m not …”
“Let her go!” Cole growls at him and yanks him forward. Bryan pulls me in the process, and we all
fall down the two stairs at the entrance to the gazebo.
I roll onto my back as I look up and see Cole punch Bryan in the face.
“Austin? Are you okay?” Becky asks as she runs over to me.
“Fine,” I snap, getting up. She reaches up to pull the grass out of my hair, but I shake her off as I
turn to face the guys.
The backyard starts to fill with people. Deke and Shane run out the back door.
Cole is straddling Bryan, punching him in the face. Bryan manages to block it and then land a punch
to Cole’s chin, knocking him off.
Bryan goes to hit him while he’s down, but Cole lifts his right leg, kicking him in the stomach.
Bryan stumbles back, and Cole jumps up in time to hit him in the face. Blood runs from Bryan’s
mouth, and then Cole hits him again. Bryan stumbles back. Before he can recover, Cole hits him again.
When Bryan falls to the ground this time, he doesn’t get back up.
People gather around the backyard with their phones out, recording the fight. Deke and Shane both
just stand there, looking at their friend but waiting for I don’t know what. They let him beat Jeff
almost to death. Maybe they don’t get in his way until the job is almost done. I shake my head as I
walk past them toward the house. It’s time for me to go.
I’ve already got my phone out of my pocket and ordering an Uber when Becky comes up beside me.
“I’m going home,” I tell her. “Wanna share an Uber?” I know she is just as drunk as I am. And she
smoked too.
“Absolutely,” she says.
I walk into the house just to be pulled back. I spin around to see who placed their hands on me and
come face to face with Cole. His chest is heaving, and his forehead is covered in a thin layer of
sweat. He has a cut on his upper lip.
“Where are you going?” he demands.
“Home.” I spin around, giving him my back, but he yanks me back again.
I turn around and shove him backward. He doesn’t budge. “Stop putting your hands on me, Cole,” I
yell.
“Austin …”
“You had your chance. You passed.” I throw his same words back at him.
His jaw sharpens, but this time when I turn around, he doesn’t try to stop me.
 CHAPTER TEN
COLE

I PULL UP to Bruce Lowes’s house in Austin’s car that she left at my father’s house last night.
Deke pulls up behind me in his Range Rover. “Dude, you know she’s still gonna be pissed at you,
right?”
“Yep.”
He snorts. “What are you gonna do about it?”
“Nothing.”
He jogs to catch up to me as I climb their front steps. “Seriously? We need her.”
“She doesn’t have to be happy with me to do what I say. She’s hated me up until this point, and I’ve
still managed to …”
“Blackmail her,” he finishes.
I don’t respond.
“Don’t you think it would be easier to have her compliant?” he asks, and I turn to face him as we
stand at the front door. He runs his hand through his disheveled hair. His blue eyes bloodshot from all
the drinks we had last night. After she left, he and I locked ourselves in the game room and drank until
we woke up this morning with pounding headaches. “I mean, she’s already afraid of us. Especially
me.” He gives me a cruel smile. “But last night, that was a different side of her. A side you can work
with. Fear is a good motivator but so is seduction.” He shrugs. “And it’s not like it would be hard for
you to fuck her. She’s hot.”
My jaw clenches, and I turn to face the door. This conversation is over. I knock on the door, and
Celeste answers in a yellow sundress and a smile on her face. “Hey, boys. Please, come in.”
“Celeste.” Deke greets her.
“Where’s Lilly?” I ask, wanting to get the hell out of here.
She frowns. “She’s in the media room with Austin. They are watching Cinderella.”
My hands fist. I don’t like Lilly getting close to Austin. Because she isn’t going to be here long.
“Austin’s car is in the driveway,” I say and then toss her the keys. I hear them hit the marble floor
because Celeste was not quick enough to catch them as I walk off. And me too big of a dick just to
hand them to her.
I walk up the stairs and pass Austin’s bedroom, continuing to the end of the hall, and open the door
to the media room.
The only light comes from the big screen on the wall. I don’t see them, but I hear Lilly’s voice. “Do
fairy tales exist?”
“Depends on what you consider a fairy tale,” Austin tells her.
“What do you mean?”
I walk around the circular couch and stand in the shadows as they lie on the fluffy cushions. A bowl
of popcorn sits between Austin’s legs. Lilly’s head on Austin’s chest. They both look straight ahead at
the big screen.
“Well, not all girls are princesses in need of a knight to save them,” Austin tells her. “Some save
themselves.”
 “Belle didn’t have a prince. She had a beast.”
Austin smiles. “She did.”
“But in the end, he turned back into a prince. I liked him better as the beast,” Lilly says.
Austin chuckles. “Me too. He was much more appealing. She didn’t love him for his looks. She
was in love with how he made her feel. Special.”
“Has anyone ever made you feel special?” Lilly asks her.
Austin tilts her head to the side. “No.”
“I’m sorry,” Lilly says softly.
Austin just laughs it off. “You don’t need a man to make you feel special, Lilly. You are already
special. All on your own. Don’t forget that.”
Lilly sighs heavily, and they both stare straight ahead at the movie. “What about Frozen?” Lilly
asks, unable to stay quiet.
“Easy. There was no love story between princess and prince. Only sister love. And it still had a
fantastic ending. It also proved that love could be deceiving.”
“What is deceiving?” Lilly draws out the word, sounding it out.
“It means he lied to her to get what he wanted.”
She nods as if she understands.
Austin pops a piece of popcorn into her mouth. And I find myself backing out of the room to let
them finish their movie. Deke’s words run through my mind. Fear is a good motivator but so is
seduction.

_______________

DEKE AND I stand in the kitchen with Celeste. They’re talking about his sister, Shelby, when Lilly
enters. “Where’s Austin?” I ask her.
She smiles up at me, not catching my tone. I have a don’t fuck with me attitude today that I can’t
hide even if I wanted to. “Upstairs in her room.”
Before anyone can stop me, I make my way back up the stairs, and like last time, I don’t stop to
knock. I barge right on in. She sits on her bed but jumps up as I enter. “Jesus Christ, Cole. Don’t you
ever knock?”
I round the bed, and she takes a step back. We both stand there, staring at one another. My heart
pounds in my chest, and my mind wanders to her and me. And what we could be doing if I wasn’t so
fucked up. If I didn’t hate her father so much.
“What do you want, Cole?” she demands. Her face is free of makeup. Her hair down and over her
shoulders. She wears a white t-shirt and cotton shorts. She looks like she just rolled out of bed, and I
hate that it wasn’t with me. “Cole …”
I take her face in my hands, and I press my lips to hers. Taking what I fucking want as I have
always done.
She shoves me away as I knew she would. Now that she is no longer drunk, things are back to
normal. That’s why I didn’t take her up on her offer last night. “What do you want from me?” she
yells, her anger rising as easily as mine does.
“Isn’t it obvious?”
“No,” she snaps.
“Everything.”
 She lifts her right arm. “You want me to bleed for you? You want me to go to jail for you? You
want me to fucking kill for you? Jesus, Cole.”
“I want all of those things. And more,” I say with a nod, and her eyes narrow on me like I’m
playing some sick game. She’s not wrong. “Don’t you see, Austin? I’m that guy who wants to take
everything from you. I want to destroy you. I want to hurt you.”
“You already have,” she says through gritted teeth.
I smile. She’s referring to her stitches from where I cut her. I could make her bleed to death for me
without a fucking knife. “You have no idea what I can do to you. You have no idea what I’m capable
of. I could make you nothing.” The thought of destroying her and putting her pieces back as crooked as
mine is so fucking strong.
Her jaw sharpens, and then she slaps me.
My hands fist down by my sides at the sting on my face. I hate that I like it. I’ve been raised to love
a fight. “I dare you to slap me again,” I growl. Testing her.
I expect her to laugh. To call me fucked up but she doesn’t. Instead, she does what I say. It was
harder than the first, and I find myself pushing her backward, my fists hitting the wall on either side of
her head, but she doesn’t back down. Not her. She has so much fight in her that it makes her dark
green eyes shine. And I love it.
“I’ll hit you as many times as you want,” she growls, breathing heavily.
“I wanna hit you back.” I lie. I don’t want to hurt her. Not in the way she thinks. I want to break her
from the inside.
She lifts her chin. “Go ahead. I can take a hit.”
“I wanna punish you for burning Jeff’s body. I wanna punish you for fucking up my car. And I
wanna punish you for how much you make me want you,” I tell her. My dick is still hard from that kiss
we shared in my kitchen. The thought of fucking her is so strong that it’s hard to think about anything
else.
“Why?” she asks, her chest rising and falling fast with each breath.
“I told you, sweetheart. I like destroying pretty, innocent things.”
Her eyes look up into mine. She searches as if she’s trying to decipher my words, but they were
honest. There was no hidden meaning.
“Why?” she asks again, and her voice wavers. That fear creeping back into her features.
“Because perfect things don’t belong in a fucked-up world.” It’s that simple.
She swallows. “I’m not perfect.”
I lean in, my lips almost touching hers, and her breath hitches. “You are to me.” I’ve never said
anything more true to a woman. She is just like me. The fight. The anger. The hate. I see the way she
fists her hands when I force her to do something. I see how she rises to every challenge I throw at her.
With no warning. And I love that she refuses to back down. Give up. She’ll go head to head with me,
and in her mind, she feels she has a chance to win. It turns me on so much. She was built for a man
like me—a savage.
“Cole,” she whispers.
I remove my right hand from the wall and cup her face. She whimpers, and it fuels my desire to
make her mine. “I wanna watch tears roll down your beautiful face because I think you’re gorgeous
when you cry. I wanna see blood on your flawless skin because you look like a priceless work of art.
And I wanna look down at you while you’re on your knees because you want to please me.” My
thumb runs over her trembling bottom lip. “I wanna make you a beautiful, broken doll, Austin.” Her
eyes widen at my confession. “All mine to play with.” I look at her parted lips while licking my own.
“All mine to fuck.” She moans. “All mine to destroy.”
She just stares up at me. Her eyes searching mine. When they fall to my lips, I close the small
space and kiss her. She doesn’t pull away or push me back. Instead, she opens up for me, and I tilt her
head, deepening the kiss, stealing her breath away.
I want to take everything from her. And I know it won’t take much to get it. I pull away, and she
slowly opens her eyes. “I’ll be here to pick you up at seven thirty on Thursday morning.”
“What?” she asks, breathlessly.
“You ride with me to and from school,” I tell her. “You may not be mine yet, but to everyone else,
you already are.” Then I walk out, not giving her a chance to argue.
“Ready to go?” I ask, entering the kitchen.
Lilly runs to me, and I pick her up. Deke stands from the table. When we walk outside, I say to him.
“Post the video.”

AUSTIN

A HORN BLARES outside, and I yank my shirt off the hanger.

Bastard! He can’t even come into the house?
I grab my Chucks and put them on as I hop down the stairs. Celeste is waiting for me by the door.
“Here is your lunch, sweetie.”
“I’m gonna eat at school.” They have Chick-fil-A, for Christ’s sake. Last night, I looked up the
school online, and I couldn’t believe my eyes. It’s definitely for the rich kids.
She shakes the bag, and the horn blares again. “Thanks,” I say and then run out as she tries to kiss
my cheeks.
I run down the stairs and fall into the passenger seat. Man, he didn’t waste any time getting his
precious mirror fixed.
He doesn’t say anything, but he stomps on the gas as he shifts gears. I buckle up and sit back,
staring straight ahead. I haven’t got much sleep the past two nights because of what he had said to me
while in my room. He wants my mind. He had the chance to fuck me, and he didn’t take it. He wants
me broken, and a fucked-up part of me liked the way it sounded.
No one has ever wanted me like that.
“Hi, Austin.”
I spin around in my seat to see a cute little blonde sitting in a booster seat. “Lilly.”
She smiles at me. “We’re late.”
“I’m so sorry.” I didn’t know that we were taking her to school too.
She laughs. “It was Cole’s fault. He was busy arguing with Daddy—”
“Lilly,” he snaps, interrupting her.
She picks up the headphones that sit in her lap and puts them over her head and starts pressing
buttons on an iPhone.
I turn back around and pull down the visor. Pulling my red lipstick out of my bag, I line my lips and
then press them together. I see Cole watching me out of the corner of my eyes. He wants to mind fuck
me? I’m going to return the favor. I’m stronger than he thinks. I’m smarter than he thinks.
“Cole?”
“What is it, Lil?” he asks, looking at her in the rearview.
“My phone died.” She pouts. “You didn’t charge it last night.”
“I forgot,” he tells her.
 “I was listening to my song.” She whines.
He sighs heavily.
“Please …” She begs.
He picks up his phone and scrolls through it while we sit at a stoplight. Moments later, he reaches
over and turns up the knob on the dash, and Taylor Swift fills the inside of the car. I can’t help it. I
smile, and he glares over at me as Lilly starts to sing along to “Everything Has Changed.”
And then the smile drops off my face. Because my life has officially become a Taylor Swift song.
Four times. That’s how many times the song played on repeat before we get to her school. He pulls
up to the drop-off line and gets out, pulling his seat forward.
“Bye, Austin,” she says, grabbing her pink sparkly backpack and matching lunch box and getting
out of the car.
“Bye, Lilly,” I say with a wave.
He crouches between his open door and the car. Eye level with her. He helps her put her lunch box
inside her backpack and then helps put it on her shoulders. He kisses her cheeks. “Have a great day,
princess. Make sure to eat your yogurt,” he says sternly, and she nods her head.
She hugs him, and he hugs her back. “I love you, Lil.”
“Love you too, Cole,” she tells him, and she runs around the front of the car and up the stairs. He
stands and watches her until she’s safely inside the building, then climbs back into the car. Even
though teachers cover the walkway and entrance.
He puts the car in gear and takes off.
The guy acts like he knows nothing but evil, but I know the truth. To that little girl, he’s a savior.
She’s so young, and he does so much for her. Shelby said he practically raises her. Lilly is six, so he
would have been eleven, maybe twelve when she was born. I want to ask him how old he was when
his mother died but think better of it. Cole isn’t the kind of guy you ask questions. If he wants you to
know something, he’ll tell you.
I look over at him as he drives us to school. He has his left hand on the steering wheel and his right
on the shifter. His sunglasses rest on top of his head and he wears a scowl on his face. Even angry, he
looks gorgeous.
He pulls his hand away from the steering wheel to check the black watch on his wrist. Then he
speeds up. He wears a pair of blue jeans, and his long-sleeve gray t-shirt shows off every ripple as
he fists his hands. He’s angrier than usual. And I wonder what he was fighting about with his dad.
I don’t even think he realizes that Taylor’s song continues to play. His mind is elsewhere as he
speeds down the road.
We pull into the parking lot of the high school, and I let out a long breath. It looks more like a
college campus. Multiple buildings scatter around acres of green grass and three stories tall. A huge
football stadium is to the right of the parking lot. We get out, but before I can take off, he grabs my
hand.
We walk into a set of doors, and he pulls me through the busy halls, knowing exactly where we’re
going. I notice some kids that see him coming avoid eye contact with him. A few nod their heads in
greeting. Others call out his name. He ignores all of them.
“We have second and fourth period together.” He finally speaks to me.
“You know my schedule?”
“Yes.”
I bet Celeste gave it to him.
“Hey, man,” Deke says, coming up to join us. “Austin.” He gives me a big smile that makes my skin
crawl. He’s up to something.
I just stare.
“We’ve got calculus together,” he tells Cole.
“Yeah, I’m gonna walk Austin to class first.”
I snort. “I don’t need an escort.”
They both ignore me. What the hell is up with him? Just two days ago, he wanted to break me, and
today, he’s treating me like I can’t walk the halls of the school alone.
The bell rings, and I growl. “Crap.” Not a good way to start your first day.
Cole grabs my hand, and we walk down the hall as kids scatter like roaches when the lights come
on. He and Deke talk about their plans for tomorrow night. I ignore them. We come up to a door. He
opens it and shoves me inside. I start to protest, but he spins me around and grips my hair before he
leans down and kisses me. I gasp into his mouth, and he takes the opportunity to slide his tongue
between my lips. I kiss him back without thought. His lips feel so soft even though his words are as
sharp as a knife. He pulls away quickly and slaps my ass. “See you after class, sweetheart.” Then he
walks out.
I turn to face the classroom half dazed and half horrified. It’s full.
“Hey, Austin,” the blond headed guy who sits in the front row says.
“Huh?” I manage to say.
“How’s it going, Austin?” the guy next to him says with a wave.
“Good to see you again, Austin,” another says.
My eyes dart around the room as these guys I’ve never seen before all greet me by my name.
“Austin?”
Finally, a voice I recognize. I look at the back to see Becky—my kind of girl. I walk back to her,
ignoring those who say hi to me. I plop down in the empty seat next to her. “What the hell?”
“What?” she asks.
“How do these people know me?” I ask like she would freaking know.
She smiles softly and pulls her phone out of her bag. “The video.”
“What video?” I ask in horror. Did Deke share the video of me driving Cole’s car? Are the cops
going to show up here to arrest me?
She scrolls through her iPhone and then holds it up to me. It’s of Cole and me at his house party
Monday night. I walk up to him and wrap my arms around him. He looks down at me in surprise, and
then I smile up at him like I’m his doting fucking girlfriend. You can hear every word I say to him. He
spins around in my arms, and then he’s whispering against my lips. All of a sudden, he picks me up
and places me on the counter …
“He posted this?” I demand.
“Deke did,” she answers, putting it away. “Cole doesn’t do social media. But Deke”—she rolls her
eyes—“is an attention whore.”
I fist my hands. Tonight, you’re mine. He wanted everyone to know I belong to him.
 CHAPTER ELEVEN
COLE

WHEN I WALK into class and sit down, Deke sits next to me. He leans over his desk. “What’s the
plan?”
“With what?”
“Tomorrow night? How are we gonna play it?”
“Like we always do,” I say simply.
“We’re not gonna give her any special rules?”
I shake my head. “Nope. She’s gonna play just like the rest of us.”
He smiles. “This is gonna be so much fun.”
The door opens, and a few students walk in. The last one is a blonde by the name of Natalia. She
spots me right away and plops down in the free seat to my left. Deke grunts when he sees her.
“Hey, Cole,” she says excitedly.
I don’t acknowledge her.
Deke speaks to me. “I have a feeling she is gonna surprise us.”
“Doubtful.”
He snorts. “You don’t give her enough credit.” He sits back in his seat. “I see the way she looks at
you.”
“Oh, yeah? How’s that?” I can’t get the look of want she gave me out of my mind from my party or
in her room. I should have taken her up on her offer. Next time she throws herself at me, I’m not going
to back down. She’ll have me. And she’ll realize what a mistake wanting me is.
“Like she wants to rip your heart out,” he answers.
I smile.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if your dare is that she wants you to jump off a cliff.” Deke chuckles to
himself. “Or stab yourself in the eyes.”
“How was your winter break?” Natalia asks, not caring that she’s interrupting our conversation.
“Hey, Nat!” Deke calls out, leaning forward in his seat to look past me to her. “His break was
great. He’s seeing someone so quit trying.”
“Dick,” she mumbles but sits back and doesn’t say anything else to me.
I look over at Deke, and he winks. “You’re welcome.”
I chuckle.
An hour later, Deke and I are walking out of class. I was planning to get Austin at her classroom,
but she’s already standing in the hall, leaning up against a locker right outside the door. Her arms are
crossed over her chest, and a look of rage flares in her green eyes. She looks like she wants me dead.
And that thought makes my body heat rise.
“Guess she saw the video.” Deke laughs.
She throws him a fuck you look, and then her eyes are back on mine. “You had him record that on
purpose,” she snaps.
“No.” Not a lie. “That implies I was aware you were going to throw yourself at me.” She gasps as
I step into her, pressing my body into hers. Her eyes hold mine as she stares up at me, not pushing me
away or backing down. “You have to admit the way you asked me to fuck you was sexy as fuck.”
She sucks in a long breath, her chest rising in the process. “I didn’t watch the whole thing.”
I lower my face to her neck, and my hands go to her narrow hips. I can’t keep my hands to myself
anymore. “Well, then you need to watch it again.”
“No thanks. I saw enough.” She huffs, but her body physically melts into mine.
I kiss her neck, and her hands come up to my shirt, gripping it tightly like she wants to rip it off me.
“You still want me to fuck you, Austin?”
“Don’t,” she warns me breathlessly.
My lips trail up to her ear, and I nibble on it. She whimpers. “Because I still wanna break you,
sweetheart. Like …”
“Cole!”
I let out a growl as I hear Kellan call out my name. I pull away from a panting Austin and look over
at him. He stands with Deke and Shane.
“What?” I snap.
His dark narrowed eyes go to Austin, then back to mine. “I need to talk to you.”
“Later,” I say and grab her hand, yanking her away from the locker and pulling her down the
hallway toward second period.
“What you did was not okay, Cole,” she says as I shove her into a seat. I sit down next to her.
“Out of all the things I’ve done to you in the past week and that is the thing you are gonna harp on
about?”
Her green eyes narrow. “This has to do with my reputation.”
I snort and look away from her.
“I’m serious.” She slams her delicate hand down on my desk. “You’re trying to make the school
think I’m a whore.”
“Are you?”
Her eyes widen, and then she purses her lips. She sits back in her seat, folding her arms over her
chest again.
I lean over, whispering, “How many guys have you fucked, Austin?”
“Fuck you, Cole,” she replies flatly.
I go to open my mouth, but the teacher gets our attention, so I sit back and watch her anger simmer.
Thinking how explosive she is going to be when I finally give her what she wants.

AUSTIN

SITTING IN THE cafeteria with the guys, I’m still pissed at Cole. Every guy in the freaking school seems
to know my name. And that I want to spread my legs for him. I guess Deke has like tens of thousands
of followers. Becky did say he was an attention whore.
Cole sits to my left and Deke to my right. They’ve got me sandwiched in as if I’m going to get up
and run toward the nearest exit. I wanted to sit with Becky, but I haven’t seen her since first period,
and I didn’t get her number.
Kellan sits across from me, chewing his food like it’s alive and about to walk off his plate at any
given second. Bennett and Shane argue about which car is faster.
Cole slams his phone down onto the table, and I look over at him. “What’s wrong?”
I roll my eyes at myself the moment the words are out of my mouth. Like he’s going to tell me. And
like I really care. Not even sure why I asked. But he surprises me by answering. “Celeste isn’t
responding to my texts.”
“Why are you messaging her?”
“Coach wants a meeting after school, and I need Celeste to go get Lilly since I’m having to stay
late. I don’t want them to put her on a bus without warning.”
“I can do it.” All the guys fall silent. Kellan even stops chewing his food, and his brown eyes glare
at me. “What?” I ask, looking at Cole.
He stares down at me. His blue eyes search mine as if he’s trying to decide if I would be a better
option than putting her on a bus. “She likes me,” I say as if that will make a difference. I don’t have a
lot of experience with children, but Lilly is six. She can tell me if something is wrong. She can tell me
if she’s hungry. She can go to the bathroom by herself. All I gotta do is drive her home.
Finally, he nods.
“Cole—”
“I’ll call the office and let them know,” he interrupts Kellan.
“Can you do that?” I ask, just realizing what he said. “Isn’t that a parental thing? You’re not really
her dad, are you?” I ask, and he tenses.
“Cole is …”
“Kellan!” he interrupts him again. Then he looks at me. “After lunch, I’ll give you my car keys.
They’re in my locker.” Everyone resumes their previous conversation, making me think I’ve missed
something.
Then a thought hits me. “Uh …” I trail off, and he looks back down at me.
“What?” he barks.
I ignore his anger and lower my voice. “What about your gun?” I don’t want to get pulled over in
his car and go to jail. Then again, maybe that is his plan.
“It’s not in there,” he answers.
I eye him skeptically. His eyes narrow on mine, angry that I don’t take his word for it. “It’s never in
the car when Lilly is present.”
“Oh.”
He looks away from me, dismissing me once again.
 CHAPTER TWELVE
COLE

I STAND IN the locker room after our meeting with Coach about our upcoming season. My phone
beeps, and I pull it out of my pocket to find a text from Austin, and my heart starts to pound. I
shouldn’t have let her pick up Lilly. I don’t want them getting close because I don’t want to hurt Lilly
when I push Austin away after I’m done with her. But Celeste wasn’t answering, and Lilly and I
haven’t gone over the procedures for her to ride a bus yet. It’s the second semester of my senior year.
Even last semester when I had after-school meetings or meets, I always had someone lined up when I
couldn’t make it. Either the nanny, Blanche, or Celeste helped me out.
I open it, thinking something is wrong, but it’s a picture of Lilly sitting at a round red table eating a
cup of ice cream. A big smile on her face and a text from Austin.

She said she had a great first day back, and she made a new friend. His name is George. I
hope you don’t mind. I took her for ice cream.

I smile. I’m glad she had a good day, but this George shit won’t work.
“What the fuck are you doing, man?” Kellan asks from behind me.
I close out of the text and place my phone back in my pocket.
“Drop it,” Deke warns.
“No! This shit is getting out of hand,” he snaps. “He’s in way over his head.”
I whirl around on him. “You doubting me?”
“Yes.”
I grind my teeth.
“You’re not thinking clearly. I understand you wanna fuck her over, but this is too far. She is gonna
burn you. And I’m not gonna go down ’cause you wanna get your dick wet.”
I step into him, but Bennett grabs Kellan’s shoulder and pulls him out of my reach. “Watch it,” I
warn.
“I’m gonna watch it all right. From the sidelines when she blows everything up in your face,” he
shouts. “You think she’s any better than he is? You think she’s not gonna find out that you’re using her?
That you want to fuck her dad over?” He shakes his head.
“I have it handled,” I growl.
He snorts. “She’s out with Lilly, for fuck’s sake, Cole. When she takes everything you have, you’ll
only have yourself to blame.”
I step into him and punch him in the face. His head snaps to the side, and he stumbles back, running
into Bennett. I punch him again before he can recover, and then I’m yanked back.
“Calm down, Cole,” Deke says as he holds me back.
My heart pounds in my chest as it rises and falls fast. I fist my hands, that feeling of split knuckles
calming me. That familiar throb in my shoulder returns.
He rights himself and wipes the blood off his chin. “She needs to disappear.”
 “You stay the fuck away from her, Kellan!” I growl.
He shakes his head, letting out a chuckle. “You’re already fucked up enough, Cole. You don’t need
some whore making you worse.”
I go for Kellan, but Bennett grabs him, yanking him back. “Enough!” he demands. “Get the fuck out
of here, Kellan.” Then he shoves him toward the door.
Kellan throws his hands up and walks out backward, making sure he can see me the whole time.
Letting me know that he no longer trusts me. I could say the same about him. He’s keeping a very big
secret from us. That only I know. What he doesn’t know is that I plan on using it against him. Very
soon.
Once the door closes, Deke releases me. I let out a long breath.
“Maybe we should reconsider,” Shane says.
“No.” Bennett beats me to it. “We stick with the plan.” He looks at me.
I turn around and storm out, ready to get the fuck out of this school.
“Cole?” Deke calls out as I walk out to the parking lot.
“I’m not in the mood, Deke,” I tell him, coming to a stop by his Range Rover. He is taking me to
Austin’s house to get Lilly and my car.
He comes to a stop in front of me. “I just wanted you to know that I got your back.”
“Thanks.”

_______________

I WALK INTO the Lowes house without even bothering to knock. I take the stairs two at a time to the
second floor, but I don’t find the girls in Austin’s room.
“Austin?”
“In the kitchen,” she calls out.
I make my way down the stairs slower and walk into the kitchen. Lilly is sitting on the counter, and
Austin stands next to her with a tray of cookies in front of her.
“Hey, Cole,” Lilly says, smiling brightly.
I walk over to her and kiss her hair. “How was school?”
“Good. I made a new friend. He’s new. Just like Austin.”
I look at Austin, and she is dipping a butter knife into a tub of pink icing—Lilly’s favorite color.
“That’s great.”
“Can he come over and swim with us?” she asks excitedly.
Hell no. “We’ll talk about it later,” I tell her.
“Here you go.” Austin turns to face her and hands her a cookie that she just finished icing.
Lilly bites into it. “So good,” she says with a nod. Then holds it up to me. “Try it, Cole.”
I lean down and take a bite. Austin goes back to frosting another cookie, and I swallow. “You’re
right. Those are good.” I pick her up and set her on her feet. “Go get your backpack. We’re gonna
leave soon.”
She bounces out of the kitchen. Once she is gone, I position myself behind Austin, pressing my hips
into her back. She stiffens against me. “Cole.”
I reach up and pull her hair from her shoulder, wrapping it around my fist. I yank her head back,
and she sucks in a breath. That anger I have for her rises because she’s causing problems for me. Big
ones. She was supposed to be a toy—something fun to use—but I haven’t even got to play with her
yet. Not how I imagine anyway.
I lean down to her ear. “Still mad at me, sweetheart?” I don’t care how mad at me she is over the
video. It got the job done. Everyone fucking knows she belongs to me. She surprised me with her
actions. I knew she wanted me, but I didn’t expect her to be so forward with an audience.
“Yes.” She breathes.
“That was a weak answer.” I chuckle. “But I like your fight, Austin. Your anger. It shows me that
you haven’t given up yet. And you’re gonna need that.”
She picks up the knife that sits next to the tub of icing. Her hand grips it like her life depends on it.
She’s not far off. “Are you gonna stab me?”
“It crossed my mind,” she growls, but her ass pushes into my already hard dick. God, this woman
drives me mad.
I smile. “You better make sure you kill me, sweetheart. Because you won’t get a second chance.”
“I’ll only need one,” she assures me.
I have no doubt.
I bring my free hand up and wrap it around her throat, and like always when I touch her, her pulse
races. “I figured you for the type of girl to grab a gun over a knife.”
“I’d go for whatever is in reach.” She pants.
I let go of her neck and yank the knife from her hand and hold it up to her throat. She whimpers.
“The thing about a knife is that you have to get up close and personal, sweetheart. And you have one
chance to do the most damage.” I run the knife down over her black shirt, between her breasts, and
her chest rises and falls quickly with each breath. I want to cut the annoying fabric off. “But we both
know that you don’t have a problem with letting me get close to you, do we?”
She shoves my hand away and spins around in my arms. My one hand still fists her hair. “You son
of a …”
I cut her off, slamming my lips to hers. She tries to push me away, but I tighten my hand in her hair,
and it causes her to cry out. I slide my tongue into her mouth and kiss her aggressively. Her legs
buckle, and her hands grip my shirt just like they did in the hallway at school. I drop the knife, and it
hits the floor with a clank. My now free hand goes underneath her shirt, and she doesn’t try to stop me
as I slide it up and cup her breast.
She whimpers.
“I guess you still want me to fuck you,” I whisper against her lips.
“Why do you do this?” She pants.
“Do what, sweetheart?” I play dumb.
She groans. “Like you have to prove to yourself that I want you. When you don’t want me.”
I can’t help it, I laugh. “Feel that?” I press my hard dick into her lower stomach. Her green eyes
stare up into mine. “That’s for you. You do that to me. Now tell me that I don’t want you,” I demand. I
grab the top of her bra and yank it down, exposing her breast to my hand. I run my thumb over her
nipple, and it hardens. I want my lips on it.
“You don’t want me,” she whispers hoarsely.
I remove my hand from her breast and out from underneath her shirt. I take a step back. “You’re
right. I don’t.”
Her eyes narrow on me as she fixes her shirt.
“Got it,” Lilly says, running in, and my eyes go to hers.
“Thank Austin for picking you up,” I tell her because I refuse to say it. I didn’t ask her to; she
offered.
 “Thank you, Austin,” she says, walking over to her and hugging her hips.
Austin smiles down at her, our conversation no longer on her mind. “You’re welcome, Lilly.”
“Can she pick me up tomorrow?” she asks, looking at me.
I refrain from growling. This is why I didn’t want Austin’s help. “I’ll be able to pick you up
tomorrow,” I tell her. She pouts, and her brown eyes look at the floor. “And Austin will be with me,”
I add, making her smile.
Fuck!

AUSTIN

FRIDAY WENT AS well as Thursday did. Cole showed up, and we dropped off Lilly. Then we went to
school, and he walked me to first period. He kissed me in class and at lunch, and every time, I found
myself leaning into him. And I have to remind myself that I still have stitches in my arm because of
him.
We’ve just picked up Lilly, and I’m looking down at my phone, responding to a message I got from
Becky. We finally exchanged numbers today. And she hasn’t stopped texting me since third period.
I just happen to look up to see he missed the exit to my father’s house. “Where are we going?” I
ask, glancing at Lilly in the back seat. She has her headphones on as she watches videos on her phone.
“My house,” he responds brusquely. He’s been in a mood today, and I noticed the tension between
him and Kellan at lunch. And I didn’t miss the cut on Kellan’s face either. Something is going on.
“Why aren’t you taking me home?”
“We have plans.”
My knees start to bounce. We have plans. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned about Cole
Reynolds, it’s that I never like his plans. “Will you quit with the cryptic answers. Why didn’t you take
me home?”
He doesn’t respond, and my anger for him grows like it always does. “Cole—”
“Later,” he snaps, interrupting me before looking in his rearview mirror at Lilly. And I get it. He
doesn’t want to say it with her in the car even if she has her headphones on. That makes me even more
nervous.
“You’ll already be asleep by the time I get home, okay?” he tells Lilly as we stand in the foyer of
his father’s house.
“Okay,” she says, nodding her head.
“Be good for Blanche.”
I’m not sure who the hell Blanche is, but if I had to guess, I would say a nanny.
“Always,” she tells him, and then he hugs her. Before I can say anything, he’s grabbing my hand and
dragging me out of the house and back to his car.
“Now are you gonna tell me where we are going?” I ask.
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
I bite my bottom lip, wanting to demand he tell me what the hell we are doing, but I know fighting
with him won’t get me anywhere.
“Can you at least tell me how long we will be?”
“Why?”
“Really?” He can ask me questions, but I can’t ask him any? When he doesn’t say anything, I roll
my eyes. “Becky is going to a party tonight and asked me to go.”
“No,” he says immediately.
 “Excuse me?” I snap.
He looks in his side mirror and changes lanes. “No,” he repeats as if I’m hard of hearing.
“You can’t tell me what to do, Cole.”
“Wanna bet?”
I grind my teeth in frustration. “I can go out if I want.”
“Not without me and I’m not going out tonight,” he says matter-of-factly.
“What the fuck, Cole? You’re not my boyfriend,” I grind out, tightening my hand on my phone. Even
if he was, he still wouldn’t have a say in what I do.
“The entire school thinks otherwise.”
“That’s because you told them that,” I snap.
He glances over at me. “No. That was all you, sweetheart. And wanting my cock.”
I suck in a breath through gritted teeth. I want to scream at him. Slam his head into his steering
wheel and jump out of this moving car. Instead, I pick up my phone and text her.

Me: I’m down. Doing something right now. Will let you know when I’m done.

Then I lock my phone.

We sit in silence, and I stare out the passenger window, ignoring him as he flies down the highway.
Fifteen minutes later, he pulls off onto a dirt road, and I immediately know where we are. The
barn. The same place he had me come to when he stole that car.
My back straightens when I see Deke’s black Range Rover and a white Mercedes SUV parked on
the side. He parks in front of them and then shuts the car off, getting out.
I take a deep breath and follow him inside.
It’s one big open area. The ceiling comes to a high point with dark wooden rafters. There’s a set of
stairs to the right that leads up to what looks like a loft. A punching bag dangles from the ceiling. A
dart board hangs on the wall to the right along with a shuffleboard and a pool table to the left. Three
gaming chairs face a big screen TV. A small mini bar is over in the right corner.
It’s a man cave.
It has to belong to one of their fathers. And they party here.
Deke is on his phone but nods his head at Cole when he sees us enter. Shane is sitting on a couch
drinking a beer, and Bennett is sitting in a chair texting on his phone. I look around for Kellan but
don’t spot him anywhere.
I come to a stop and stand awkwardly, not really knowing what I’m doing here with four guys. One
wants to destroy me, and one wants me dead. Not sure how the other two feel at the moment.
My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I pull it out to see it’s a text.

Becky: Okay. Sounds good.

I look up when I hear Deke finishing his call. He walks over to me, and I take a step back. He
smiles. “Still afraid of me, baby?”
I pull my lip back in disgust and mumble, “Something like that.”
Cole snaps his fingers at him. “Did you get it?”
Deke nods. “I sure did.” He walks over to a table and picks up a black drawstring backpack.
“Here you go, baby.”
I roll my eyes, and Cole snatches the bag from his hands. “Is it all here?”
 Deke snorts, offended by Cole’s lack of trust. “Of course.”
Cole grabs my arm and pulls me over to the table and hands me the bag. “Holy crap. This thing
weighs a ton. What’s in it? Bricks?” Maybe I can use one to knock out Deke.
Cole snatches it from me and holds it upside down, shaking it. Things start to hit the table with a
thud. The first to fall out is a roll of duct tape. And then a small knife. Followed by a pair of
handcuffs. A cell phone. Something that resembles a black box. The last thing is a driver’s license.
Serial killer starter kit.
I pick up the black box because it looks the least threatening and take a step back from the table.
“What is all this?” My voice shakes as the hairs on the back of my neck stand.
“It’s all yours,” Deke says with a wicked smile.
“Mine?” I ask wide-eyed. Why would I need these?
Cole picks up the handcuffs, and I take another step away from him at the sound of the metal
clanking together. His eyes stay on mine, void of emotion.
“Remember that initiation we talked about?” Deke asks, wiggling his eyebrows.
My heart pounds in my chest, and my palms are sweaty. I tighten my grip on the black box.
Deke takes a step toward me. “I think it’s time you give me that show, baby.” He takes the
handcuffs from Cole.
I grip the black box, and my eyes shoot to Cole, waiting for him to stop Deke. To tell me that this is
another sick joke. But his eyes run up and down my body before meeting mine once again. This time,
there’s a coldness to them that I remember from outside the church, and my breathing picks up. Fear
creeping up my spine.
I hear a door open behind me, and Deke reaches out for me. I spin around to run but hit a human
wall. I squeal as my thumb presses a button on the black box. A buzzing noise has me jumping back. I
then look down to see Kellan on the ground tensed up into a ball.
 CHAPTER THIRTEEN
COLE

“WWHHHHAAATT … THHHEEEEE … FFFUCCKKK.” Kellan growls as he lies on the floor of

the clubhouse.
Deke stands beside me, bent at the waist laughing his ass off while Kellan shakes from the Taser
Austin just zapped him with.
I just stand here thinking maybe this was a bad idea. If she doesn’t get herself killed, she’s going to
kill one of us.
“What was that?” she asks, spinning around to face Deke and me.
“You just tased his nuts,” Deke tells her, still laughing.
“What?” She gasps wide-eyed. “Why would you give me a Taser?” she snaps.
“Get up, man. Walk it off,” Bennett says, grabbing his hand.
Deke looks over at me. “I’m gonna keep her gun,” he says, making a joke, and my jaw tightens.
Kellan still lies there, but he has stopped shaking. That’s a plus.
“Why the fuck am I even here?” she demands, and no one answers her.
“Come on,” Bennett says, offering his hand to Kellan.
He gets to his feet, his hands fisted down by his side. He’s breathing heavy, and he glares at the
back of her head. He grabs her shoulder and spins her around, then shoves her back against the wall.
Her head hits it with a thud, and her eyes close for a brief second. “Bitch!” he shouts as his hand
wraps around her throat.
I run over to him and yank him from her. She sucks in a deep breath the moment he releases her
throat.
Deke grabs Kellan by the collar. “Whoa, man. It was my fault,” he tells him.
“She fucking tased me!” he shouts, pointing at her.
I stand between them, blocking her. “Don’t ever touch her again,” I say, and I’m surprised how
calm my voice is. Because I’m about to rip his fucking head off.
“Fuck you, Cole!” he shouts. “And your new fucking whore!”
I shove Deke out of the way and slam my fist into Kellan’s nose. His head snaps back.
“Ffffuuucckk.” Kellan’s cupping his face, so his voice comes out muffled.
“Add that to the mark I gave you the other day.”
“Cole,” Deke growls in my face. His hands grip my shirt. “Go home,” he tells me.
I shake my head. “No …”
“Go home, Cole!” He shouts my name. I look over his shoulder at Kellan. Blood pours from his
nose and onto his white button up. “Cole?” Deke snaps, giving me a little shake. My eyes finally meet
his. “Take Austin home,” he orders me. His blue eyes drill into mine.
He lets go of me, and I stand there, fisting my hands, breathing heavy. He walks away from me, and
Kellan smiles. Blood runs down his nose and over his lips. “Have it under control, huh?”
I step toward him, but Deke slams the black drawstring backpack into my chest. Once again full of
the items. “Go home,” he repeats.
I spin around, and my eyes find Austin. She remains standing by the wall, and I can see her body
physically shaking. And I realize it’s time to go. I walk over to her and grab her hand, yanking her out
of the clubhouse without another word.
She falls into the passenger seat, and I get in, start the car, and take off down the gravel road.
“Are you all right?” I ask her once we hit the pavement.
“Like you care.” Her voice is rough, and I know it’s from Kellan’s hand around her throat.
My left hand grips the steering wheel. “I didn’t know—”
“Just stop, Cole,” she shouts, interrupting me. “Quit acting like you fucking care!” She fists her
hands in her lap.
I shut my mouth because she’s right. Asking if she’s okay does imply I care. And I don’t. Not one
bit.
As I shift my car, my cracked knuckles remind me that I do. Or I wouldn’t have just hit my friend
over a girl. For the second time in as many days.
That thought makes my stomach tighten.
I pull into her driveway and come to a stop. She hasn’t said one word in over fifteen minutes. She
has been typing away on her phone. I’ve opened my mouth to ask her who it is a hundred times but
managed not to. I have a feeling I know who it is anyway. She reaches for the door. “Austin …?”
She exits and slams it shut before I can say anything else. I sit back, running a hand through my hair
in frustration. Then I put the car in gear and squeal my tires, circling the driveway to head home.
I walk into the silent house and make my way up to my room. As soon as the door shuts, my phone
rings. “Hello?”
“Hey, man,” Deke greets me. “I just wanted to apologize. You know I was just fucking with her,
right? I wasn’t gonna touch her.”
“Yeah,” I say, letting out a long breath. I didn’t stop him because I loved the look of fear in her
eyes. The way she looked at me for help. I wanted her to know that she was on her own. See what she
would do. If she’d fight.
“Kellan is gone,” he says, getting my attention.
“Gone how?”
“Like threw his hands up in the air, said fuck all of us, and left.”
“Good.” Fuck him! He’s been giving me shit, and I’m tired of it.
He starts to laugh. “You gotta admit that shit was funny.”
I grunt. And his laughter fades. “We’ll give things a week. See if it’s died down.”
“Sounds good,” I say, and we hang up.
I remove my tennis shoes, shirt, and jeans. Then I walk over to my dresser and pull out my board
shorts. I put them on, grab a towel, and head downstairs to the pool.
The night air is chilly, but the stars are out. I dive into the pool, and the chlorine burns the cuts on
my knuckles. Coming up for air, I tread water.
When I’m all alone with my own thoughts is when the memories try to pull me under. And it’s not
just my friends; it’s my mother too. God, I miss her so much. Every time I look at Lilly, I see her. I feel
her. I think that’s why my father hates her so much. But it’s not Lilly’s fault. She didn’t ask to be born.
To have a mother who died.
I dive under the water and push against the wall of the pool and swim. My shoulder screams. Four
months of physical therapy helped it, but nothing numbs it. The cracked ribs and collapsed lung
healed just fine, but the shoulder will always be a reminder that a mistake cost me three lives. Three
best friends. I still have their numbers in my phone. Their last text messages. Sometimes when I’m
alone, I read them as if they just sent them to me.
 It makes my stomach knot and my chest tighten.

“Maddox!” I shout. “Maddox! Come on, man.” I kneel over his bloody face as he lies in the
middle of the street. I feel around his neck for any sign of life.
“Cole?” My name is called out from behind me.
I run over to Eli. He sits up in the ditch, coughing. Blood runs down his mouth, covering his
shirt. “Hang on. Help is coming,” I say, grabbing my shoulder.
“He’s dead, isn’t he?” he asks, looking over at Maddox. I can’t answer. Can’t make myself say
the words.
“Where’s Landen?” I ask instead. Looking around, I see the car upside down in the middle of
the road ahead of us. Broken glass and beer cans litter the pavement. The front end is missing. The
top crushed from the impact of the rolls. Eli starts to cough again, and blood pours out of his
mouth. “Cole.” He wheezes. “Please don’t let me die.”
My already tight chest constricts even more and I’m having problems catching my breath.
“You’re not gonna die,” I promise him.
His big brown eyes meet mine. “Please …”

I swim ten laps. My muscles are sore, and I’m breathing heavy. I think I’ve exhausted myself
enough for bed. I have problems going to sleep at night. Most of the time, I end up crawling in bed
with Lilly. She helps calm my demons.
I get out of the pool and grab my towel, wiping my face. “Deke?” I ask, surprised when I pull it
away. He comes walking over to me from the back porch. “What are you doing here?”
“I’ve been calling you.”
“My phone is upstairs. What’s up?”
“We have a problem.”
I sigh. “What now?”
He holds up his phone, and I squint to look at the picture he’s showing me. It’s of a guy by the name
of Nate Wax drinking from a keg. “I don’t …” My eyes narrow on the picture when I look past him to
see two girls standing in the background. Both laughing with drinks in their hands. It’s of Austin and a
blonde. “Becky,” I growl.
“They’re at a party.” He nods his head.
“I told her she couldn’t fucking go,” I snap.
She doesn’t understand how things work in this town. Guys see her at a party without me, and
they’ll wonder why I didn’t go with her. They’ll start to think maybe I dumped her. That she’s
available. Then they’ll make their move. And that’s just not going to work with me. She’s mine. Has
been since I laid eyes on her. Even if she chooses not to acknowledge it.
“Well …” I look back at him. “Guess we’re going to a party.”
He smiles.

AUSTIN

“I’M SO GLAD you could make it,” Becky says, bumping her red Solo cup into mine.
“Me too.” I tip the cup back and take a large gulp. It’s my third one, and I’ve got a damn good buzz
going. Some might even say I’m drunk.
As soon as Cole dropped me off at home, I changed my clothes, jumped in my car, and left. It’s a
Friday night, and I needed a fucking drink after what happened with the guys. I embarrassed myself
and tased Kellan. And I started a fight. Even I know a girl who starts a fight between friends is never
good.
If they didn’t want me dead before, they do now.
I take another drink. My phone buzzes in my pocket, but I ignore it because I don’t want to speak to
anyone at the moment. It’s probably Celeste. I didn’t tell her I was leaving. I’m not even sure she was
at the house.
“I’m out,” Becky announces as she stands from the couch in the living room at some rich kid’s
parents’ house. “Let’s do some shots.” She smiles down at me. “I saw some bottles of vodka.”
I stand, and the room sways a little. “You talked me into it.”
We make our way through the people and into the kitchen. A guy who looks over twenty-one with
his lip piercing and gauged ears stands behind the kitchen island. He reminds me of Martin, and I
wonder if he ever thinks of me. He hasn’t crossed my mind once until now.
The guy lines up five shot glasses and then starts pouring the vodka into them.
We clink our glasses together and then down them.
“Another,” I say, not even feeling the burn.
Becky laughs, and we slam our glasses on the countertop.
She raises her phone, and I lean into her, pushing my lips out and throwing up the deuce. I have
become the typical drunk teenage girl, and I’m not ashamed. She takes the picture, and then I see her
starting to upload it to Instagram. “Don’t upload that,” I say, placing my hand on it and slamming it to
the counter. “That’s all I need is for Cole to see it.” She said he didn’t do social media, but Deke
does, and he has tons of friends. Someone is bound to inform Cole. I don’t want to have to hear about
it.
“Okay.” She smiles, and we both laugh.
“And why don’t you want me to see it, sweetheart?”
My laughter dies off when I look across the island and into a set of blue eyes. My throat instantly
goes dry, and my stomach drops.
Cole stands before me, his hands on the island, spread out wide, and his eyes are staring down at
me, void of emotion. “Hmm?”
I don’t answer.
“Fancy seeing you here, baby. Hello, Becky.”
I see Deke standing next to him, his eyes running over her chest, but mine go back to Cole. He
pours a shot of vodka and then slowly pushes it across the countertop to me. “I dare you.” A shiver
runs through me at the challenge in his deep voice.
“Shit,” I hear Becky whisper, and I lift my chin. He arches a brow.
He’s not my dad. He’s not even my boyfriend. I can do whatever I want whenever I want. I grab the
cold shot glass and knock it back. I slam it on the countertop and shove it over to him. “Another,” I
demand.
Becky places her hand on mine. “Austin …”
“Another,” I repeat, ignoring her.
He does as I say without taking his eyes off mine. But this time, he takes it instead of giving it to
me.
“Thought you weren’t coming out tonight?” And I slurred the last word. Becky laughs.
He is not amused. “That was the plan.”
“And?” I ask, trying to act like I don’t care he’s standing in front of me. That he’s here when I
wanted to get away from him. How much can one person humiliate another? I think he is up to ten
times. In six days.
“Plans change.”
“Isn’t that the truth?” I ask, yanking the bottle from his hand and pouring myself another shot. Then
Becky. “To plans changing.” We clink our glasses together.
He slams his hand down on the counter and leans over it. “Do not take that shot, Austin!” he shouts,
getting everyone’s attention.
My anger rises. Just two hours ago, his best friend had his hand around my throat. I want to get
drunk, and I want to forget about this fucking week where I have completely lost all grasp of my life.
“What are you going to do to me, Cole? Gonna hurt me?” I ask. A part of me wants him to. I want his
hands fisted in my hair. Around my neck. I want him to make me weak in the knees like at his house
party. Even if it was for show. I didn’t realize how cold I was until he touched me. Now my body
craves that burn.
His blue eyes narrow on me, and I notice he’s changed his clothes since I was with him earlier. He
had on a black t-shirt but now he has on a dark blue one that matches his eyes. I lick my lips,
remembering what his chest looked like when he got out of my father’s pool. Just fuck me already! At
this point, I have no dignity left anyway.
“I dare you,” I say and then toss back my shot.
He stands there, staring down at me like he wants to rip my head off. I’ve never seen such pretty
blue eyes look so dark. All I can do is give him a lopsided smile, knowing I got to him. My lips went
numb an hour ago. Show me what you got, Cole.
“Sleepwalking” by Diamante plays through the house, and I turn to face Becky, dismissing him
when he just stands there. “Let’s go dance.”
She grabs my hand, but I don’t even get a chance to step away from the island before I’m picked up
and thrown over someone’s shoulder.
I stare at an ass wrapped in blue denim as I hang upside down. “Cole!” I hit his muscular thighs
with my fists. My head bouncing up and down. He slaps my ass. And I moan at the sting.
“That was just a warning,” he growls.
I smile.
I hear people talking as he turns and walks down a hallway. Then he’s opening a door. He steps in
and places me on my feet. I stumble back, my heels clinking on the tile. He slams the door shut.
I spin around to see we’re in a bathroom. “What …?”
His hand grips my hair, and he spins me back around. I pant as he shoves my hips into the counter.
He stands behind me, staring at me in the mirror. He lowers his lips to my ear. “I’m not gonna let you
back out, sweetheart.”
I moan, pushing my ass into him, and I can feel how hard he is.
He chuckles as his lips trail down my neck before his teeth sink into my skin. A shudder runs
through me, and I rise on my tiptoes. “Cole.” I swallow. “Please.”
He starts kissing my neck again. “You’re gonna hate me in the morning.”
“I hate you now.” I breathe.
He lets go of my hair and spins me around. His hands go to my hips, and he lifts me, setting me on
the counter. Then his lips are on mine.
I grab the hem of his shirt. “Take it off,” I mumble against his lips.
He pulls away, reaches up behind him, and yanks it up over his head. “Jesus,” I whisper, placing
my hands on his hard and chiseled abs. I didn’t know a body could look like this.
 My hands lower, and I yank at his belt and then his button. His hand is in my hair, and he’s nipping
at my lips as I pant. My mind screams this is a bad idea, but my body says nothing that looks this good
could be bad.
He grips the hem of my shirt and yanks it off, tossing it to the floor by his.
I pull his jeans down only to find he has a pair of black boxer briefs on. I go to remove them, but he
yanks me off the counter. I stumble into him.
He chuckles at my lack of stability and patience. I don’t care.
“Remove your heels,” he orders, and I do as he asks without question. He undoes my jeans and
yanks them down my legs. I kick them off. “Put your heels back on.”
“What…?”
“Put them back on, Austin.” He demands, kneeling and holding them out. One at a time, I slide them
on. When he stands back to his full height, I realize why he wanted me to put them back on. Even
though I’m still a few inches shorter than him with my heels.
He removes my thong next, and before I can stop him, he has my bra undone. The last time I stood
naked in front of a man for the first time, I was terrified. My entire body shook. But I don’t feel that
way right now. And it has nothing to do with the alcohol in my system and everything to do with the
way his blue eyes darken as he looks me up and down. They linger on my breasts, and he slowly licks
his lips. They’re not anything to show off, but they’re not small either.
Then his hands are on me. He grips my sides and yanks me to him. His lips take over mine, and I
moan into his mouth. My hand goes between our bodies, and I reach inside his boxers. My thighs
tighten when I feel how big he is.
I pull away, panting. “Please.”
“Please what?” he asks, kissing along my jawline. He lowers his lips to my neck, and he sucks on
it hard. I arch my back, giving him better access and not caring if he leaves a hickey.
Goosebumps break out over my body, and I yank his boxers down his legs, shoving him backward.
His back slams into the wall, and I drop to my knees before him. I’m not going to allow him to take
his time. To draw this out. I want to fuck. And I’m going to get what I what for a change.
“Goddamn.” He hisses, throwing his head back into the wall with a thud.
I take his hard dick into my hand and run it up along the shaft. He’s thick and long— he’s going to
feel amazing. I look up at him, watching his muscles clench with each ragged breath he takes. I almost
smile at how gorgeous he is when he’s all worked up. This is a side of Cole I haven’t seen. And I like
it.
He raises his hands and grips his dark hair. Those muscles rippling like waves.
He’s equally evil as he is gorgeous.
“Fuck me, Cole.”
He looks down at me, those blue eyes dark with lust. He lets go of his own hair to fist mine. I hiss
in a breath as my scalp stings, but I didn’t expect him to go easy on me.
“Open your mouth, sweetheart.” He orders roughly, and I do as he says because I’m getting what I
want. I’m going to bring this bastard to his knees even if it means I have to stay on mine.
 CHAPTER FOURTEEN
COLE

I OPEN MY mouth, but nothing comes out when she wraps her lips around my cock. She allows me
to control her head as I pull her back and thrust my hips forward. I watch in complete fascination as I
fuck her pretty mouth. I’ve been thinking of nothing but this for days, and here she is on her knees
before me.
Yet it still isn’t enough.
She can’t scream if her mouth is full. She can’t beg if she can’t speak. I want her cries of pleasure
—her begging me for more—more than I want her on her knees at this moment.
And I always get what I want.
I pull her head away, and she’s panting. Tears have welled up in her green eyes. I yank her up by
her hair, and she cries out.
I smile. That’s more like it.
I know what she is doing. She’s trying to play me at my own game. But that’s not going to happen.
I’m better than she is.
“Cole …” She pants.
I spin her around with my hand still in her hair, and she hisses in a breath, then I shove her hips into
the counter.
My free hand goes between her legs, and she spreads them more for me. I smile, sliding a finger
easily into her. “You’re soaked, sweetheart.” She moans, rocking her hips to get me to move faster. I
remove my finger and grip her throat, pulling her back to my front.
She stares at me in the mirror. It’s starting to fog up from our heavy breathing. “Fuck, you’re
beautiful,” I say honestly. There’s no denying that Austin Lowes is gorgeous. There isn’t a single flaw
on her skin. Well, except the stitches on her forearm. But even that makes me proud. Knowing I did
that. I made her a little less perfect in someone else’s eyes. To me, it’s just a reminder of how strong
she is. How much fight she has.
She swallows against my hand, and I lean down to whisper into her ear. “You’re mine,
sweetheart.” Letting go of her throat, I replace my hand with my lips. I kiss her soft skin, and she tilts
her head to the side for me. I feast on her neck like I’m starving. Nipping and sucking. The sounds she
makes has me so hard it hurts.
I pull away to see two hickeys on her neck, and I smile.
She bends at the waist, lowering her head to the countertop, and her body starts to shake with need.
I slap her ass. She moans as she shifts on her feet. I slap it again, the sound bouncing off the
bathroom walls. She pushes it into me. My hand goes back between her legs, and she’s so wet, it’s
dripping down her thigh. “You like a little pain with your pleasure, Austin?” I ask. Her only response
is the sound of her heavy breathing. “I like it rough too.”
Not able to hold out any longer, I take my cock in my hand and push it into her. Not even bothering
with a condom. I’m going to fucking own Austin Lowes and I refuse to have anything between us.
She lifts her head up off the counter and screams out as I spread her wide to accommodate my size.
Fuck! She’s tight!
 She places her hands on the mirror in front of her, and I grip her hips as I pull back and slam into
her again and again.
Her cries of pleasure have me smiling because I know everyone can hear her on the other side of
this door. That’s why Deke and I showed up here after all. It was to prove a point. I wasn’t going to
leave until I fucking made it.
I pull her body back from the countertop and her hands fall from the fogged mirror. Leaning over, I
press my chest to her back. I push her into the countertop, and my right hand reaches around her body
to find her clit.
“Oh … God …” Her voice trails off and turns into a cry as I work her to orgasm.
“That’s it, sweetheart. Come all over my cock,” I growl before I bite her shoulder.
Her pussy tightens around me, and she screams out my name as she comes seconds later.
I pull my hand away and stand up to my full height. My hands grip her hair and I yank her head from
the counter as I pick up my pace. Knowing what I need in order to get off.
I should pull out now. She got off, and that’s all that matters. This part isn’t about me. But as I look
down at my slick cock moving in and out of her shaved pussy, I feel my breath pick up and my balls
tighten. I can’t stop now.
“Fuck!” I growl, slamming into her so hard that our knees hit the cabinets below the counter. She
calls out my name, and it sounds like she’s about to come again. I don’t stop. I can’t. At this point, I’m
committed.
She’s fucking mine!
Her eyes fall closed, and she cries out my name as she comes once again. I pull out just in time to
come all over her perfectly round ass that has my handprint on it.

_______________

I PULL UP to her father’s house in her car, and Deke rolls up beside me in his with Becky.
“Give me ten,” I tell him as he rolls down his passenger window.
“Take your time.” He smiles and then pulls her over the center console to kiss her.
I get Austin out of her car and carry her into the house. She passed out before I even hit the
highway. Once up in her room, I lay her on the bed. I remove her heels, shirt, and jeans, and then
cover her up with the blanket before walking out. I’m reaching for the front door when I hear Celeste.
“Cole?”
I turn around to face her. She comes down the hallway to stand in the foyer. Her blond hair down
and a bit tangled, letting me know I woke her. A peach silk floor-length robe covers her with a
matching sash wrapped around her waist, but I can tell she’s naked underneath it. It leaves nothing to
the imagination, and her nipples are hard.
She looks at the top of the stairs and then back at me. Her eyes slowly take in my wrinkled shirt
and disheveled hair. The hickey on my neck. “Well, that didn’t take long. Can’t say I’m surprised,
though. You always do get what you want.”
My jaw tightens, but I don’t acknowledge her statement.
She laughs softly, walks up to me, and places her right hand on my cheek. Then lifts on her tiptoes
to kiss my lips. I don’t kiss her back. “You don’t have to rush off.” She pulls away. “Come, I’ll make
us some coffee.” She turns, walking away.
“I know you’re fucking Kellan.”
 She comes to a stop and slowly spins around to face me. “I don’t know …”
“I let him borrow my car last week while his was in the shop. He came to see you, didn’t he?”
She runs a hand through her blond hair nervously. I was hoping she would have the balls to admit
it. She’s just like her pathetic husband.
“Spoke to my father the other day. He said that Bruce knows I’m fucking you.” Her eyes widen.
“That his trustworthy staff informed him my car was here all night.” I look her over once and then say,
“I’ve never fucked you, but I instantly knew who it was.”
“Cole …”
“I didn’t deny it.”
“Jesus, Cole!” She hisses.
I shrug. “I don’t care what he thinks I do.”
“He’s my husband,” she snaps.
Now, she cares about her marriage. “See, I haven’t told anyone that I know. Not even Kellan.” I
step to her and smile, loving that my father gave me this information. “Now, as long as I keep your
secret, you owe me.”
Her eyes narrow on me. “I’m not like her, Cole. You can’t blackmail me.”
“Is that so? You’re fucking an underage boy.” Kellan is the baby out of all of us. He doesn’t turn
eighteen until after graduation. “Do you wanna go to prison, Celeste? You see it all the time on the
news. This town will rip you to pieces. Bruce will leave you, of course. He has money; he can find
another woman. They’re a dime a dozen to men like him.” Her lips thin. “He’s not gonna pay for the
legal bills of a cheating wife.” I take a quick look around his multi-million-dollar mansion. “That’s
why you stay with him, right? For what he can give you?” She opens her mouth to speak, but I
continue. “You’d lose everything.”
Her breath picks up as she stares at me with hatred.
“I’ll let you think about it.” I give her my back and walk toward the door. My hand touches the
knob when she speaks again.
“What is it you want?” Her voice shakes with anger.
I spin around to face her. “I want you to get Kellan off Austin’s back.”
She sighs. “He’s mad that I never told him about her.”
“None of us knew about her,” I snap.
“He wants her gone. Afraid her loyalty lies with him. That she’ll tell Bruce about us. I tried to
explain to him that she hates her dad. She wouldn’t …”
“She’ll never find out,” I assure her. “I’ll keep your secret if you do what I want.”
She bites her bottom lip nervously. I’m not sure how she’ll talk him into backing off, but she better
fucking do it. “And I’ll tell Bruce I haven’t slept with you.” Might as well clear my name. But he’s not
going to like that I’m fucking his daughter any more than if it was his wife.
She finally nods. “Okay.”

AUSTIN

I SPENT ALL day Saturday in bed nursing my hangover. Everything hurt. So bad. Plus, my body was sore
on top of that due to Cole and me in the bathroom at the party.
I slept off and on, and by Sunday, I was back to myself, but I didn’t venture from my room.
I didn’t hear from Cole until Sunday night around nine. A text that said I’ll be there at 7:30
tomorrow.
 I ignored it, knowing he didn’t care about a reply.
Monday morning came, and I was ready on time. Now that I know he takes Lilly to school, I don’t
want to be late just to spite him.
And just like the other two times he took me to school, we didn’t speak. Lilly sat in the back
singing along with her headphones on, and I messed around on my phone. Running through social
media pages of my friends back in California. Nothing seems to have changed, yet I still haven’t heard
from anyone. Big surprise.
I put it away as he pulls into the parking lot of the high school. I exit his car as Deke pulls in next to
us. And my eyes widen when I see Becky get out of the passenger seat. “What?” I ask, eyeing her up
and down.
She smiles and throws her arm over my shoulders. “Girl, I’ve got so much to tell you.”
I laugh. “You can keep all your sex stories to yourself.”
“Well, just FYI, yours seems to be public knowledge.”
I stop walking. “What does that mean?”
She stops and turns toward me. “Everyone heard you and Cole in the bathroom. It’s all everyone is
talking about.”
My mouth falls open. “How are they talking about it? It happened over the weekend.”
She lifts her phone and shakes it. “I can show you …”
“No!” I cut her off. Not wanting to know what they are saying. It was my fault. I did it. I dared him
just like he wanted me to. Then I allowed him to carry me off to the bathroom and fuck me. I never
even thought about stopping him.
I let out a long breath and then stomp my way into the school. I can hear Cole and Deke speaking
behind me. I stop at my locker, grab what I need, and then continue to my class, ignoring him as he
calls out my name in the busy hallway.
It’s hard to avoid the looks guys give you when you know they are picturing you having sex. But I
did it. I kept my nose down and eyes on my paper. Cole didn’t come into the classroom and kiss me as
he had last week, but I knew next period would be difficult. Because we have it together.
An hour later, I walk in to our class and sit down. He walks in and takes the seat next to me. To my
surprise, he doesn’t say a word to me, and it makes me nervous.
I spend the entire hour biting an eraser off my pencil and bouncing my knees. He never once looks
over at me. But kids keep looking back at us. The hickey I gave him on his neck is very visible. I,
however, covered mine up with makeup the best I could.
After the bell rang, I ran out of class but was brought to a quick stop. “Don’t,” I say when he
shoves my back against a locker.
He likes to corner me.
He glares down at me. “How long you gonna stay mad at me, sweetheart?”
“Stop calling me that,” I snap.
“Would you prefer bitch?” I narrow my eyes on him. “Because that is how you’re acting.”
I reach up and slap him. The sound bounces off the busy hallway walls. Students come to a stop,
and the loud chatter dies down to whispers. Everyone is looking over at us wide-eyed. I get the
feeling people don’t lay their hands on Cole unless they are prepared to get hit back.
A slow and devious smile spreads across his face before his head drops to my neck. His hands go
to my hips, and he digs his fingers into my skin.
“Cole,” I growl, trying to push him off me, but he doesn’t budge.
His lips softly kiss up to my ear. “Pain turns me on, Austin.” He presses his hips into mine and he’s
hard. And just like that, I melt like fucking butter.
Stay strong! You’re mad at him.
“Want me to take you out to my car and fuck you?”
“Cole …” I say, but the bell cuts me off.
He pulls away, laughing, knowing exactly what he did to me. “Come on. I’m walking you to class.”
I grind my teeth but am thankful for the interruption. Because I think I was going to tell him yes.

_______________

I LOOK UP to see Becky walking into the cafeteria. I call out her name and wave my hand. She comes
bouncing over and plops down across from me. “You just love being the topic of the day,” she says,
shaking her head.
“What now?”
“Everyone is talking about how you slapped Cole.” She wiggles her eyebrows. “They are saying
he’s whipped.”
I throw my head back and laugh. If they only knew the truth. Cole comes to sit beside me, and Deke
sits down next to Becky. “Traitor,” I mumble, and she gives me a big smile before kissing him.
The one friend I have made is now sleeping with one of the enemies. This will not end well for me.
Kellan sits down to my right, and I stiffen. Even Cole squares his shoulders, but he doesn’t look
over at him.
Shane and Bennett join us, and all the guys talk about crap I can’t keep up with.
Deke takes a second to shovel some food into his mouth between arguing with Shane when I look
up at him. “Can I have Shelby’s number?”
The table falls silent. His eyes meet mine, and they narrow. “Why do you want her number?”
“How do you even know her?” Kellan growls.
“She did my stitches. I need them out this week,” I say.
“What stitches?” Shane asks.
Cole and Deke don’t answer him. I frown. Have they not filled them in on what happened that
night? I look over at Cole, and he’s glaring at me. I glare back, not backing down from him.
“I’ll take you today after school.” Cole breaks the silence, and I don’t even bother to argue as they
resume their conversations.
A small victory, but a victory nonetheless.
“What about these stitches?” Kellan presses.
Cole looks down at his phone. “It doesn’t concern you, Kellan,” he says.
Becky makes an O face with her lips at Cole’s tone. Deke shovels more food into his mouth, letting
me know he isn’t going to say a word about it. Shane and Bennett also let it go, knowing they aren’t
going to get any more info. Kellan slams his drink onto the table and then stands, walking away.
 CHAPTER FIFTEEN
COLE

I ALREADY MADE the mistake of leaving her alone with Shelby once. I wasn’t going to make it
again. I heard her talking to Austin about me last time we were here. So this time, I stand in the
kitchen with them while they sit at the table as Shelby removes her stitches.
“It looks really good,” Shelby tells her as she examines it. “And the scarring will be very
minimal.”
Austin smiles at her. “Thank you.”
“Of course,” Shelby says, waving off her gratitude and pulling her in for a hug.
“May I use your restroom?” Austin asks, standing.
She nods and shows her where it is.
I’m leaning up against the kitchen counter when Shelby reenters. Her smile drops off her face when
her eyes meet mine. She comes to a stop in front of me with her arms crossed over her chest. “Why
did you do that to her?”
I don’t respond.
She sighs at my silence. “Why are you getting so close to her? I’ve seen the video Deke posted
online. You’re playing her. But the question is why?”
“What I do with her is none of your concern,” I decide to say.
“Cole.” She runs her hand through her hair. “You can’t do this to people.”
“I can do whatever I want.”
She fists her hands down by her sides, clearly frustrated. I stare back at her unblinkingly, showing a
sign of indifference. Shelby has too much heart. I don’t have enough. “I saw the news. And that Jeff is
missing.” She changes the subject, her eyes searching mine for any indication I had something to do
with his disappearance. She knows me better than that. I’m a wall. She gives me her back and lets out
a nervous laugh. “This has to stop, Cole.”
“Are you gonna stop me?”
She spins back around to face me. “This is serious! This is your life!”
I look away from her as guilt starts to eat at me. A life I shouldn’t be living.
“Cole.” She softens her voice. “It wasn’t your fault.”
I tense. No one talks to me about what happened that night I killed three friends. They know that’s a
line I never cross, but Shelby doesn’t care about people’s limits. “You can’t right all the wrongs in the
world. Eli would understand. It was an accident. It could have happened to any of us.”
“We both know he deserved it,” I growl, focusing on Jeff instead of my friends.
“Jesus.” She hisses softly, realizing I just admitted to killing Jeff. “Who all knows?”
I clamp my mouth shut. She looks away from me.
“Was Deke involved?”
I stare at the back of her head, refusing to give in to the urge to look at the floor. I won’t answer her
question, but I also won’t give her a reason to assume either.
My silence has her turning back to face me, and there are tears in her soft blue eyes. She reaches
out for me, her hands gripping my shoulders, and her eyes meet mine. “I need him, Cole. You can’t
take him from me. Do you understand?”
My eyes search hers, a tear falls down her cheek. And my chest tightens at the thought of losing
Deke. He and I are by far the closest. He, Eli, and I were inseparable. He was supposed to be with us
that night. But plans changed, and he ended up not coming along. It probably saved his life.
“Thank you again …” Austin’s voice trails off as she enters the kitchen.
Shelby lets go of me and turns her back to us quickly, rubbing the tears from her face.
Austin comes up to me and watches me closely, probably wondering what the hell is going on
between us. But I give her a cold stare. I don’t owe her an explanation.
“Anytime,” Shelby says cheerfully. Her tears now gone. A smile on her face.

_______________

THE SILENCE IN the car is as thick as fog, making it hard to breathe. To swallow. My hands fist the
steering wheel and gear shift.
Austin sits beside me, and I can feel her anger toward me rolling off her shoulders. She’s confused
about what she saw between Shelby and me. Probably thinking I’m playing her—fucking her and
others too. And I won’t tell her otherwise. What I do is none of her business. Just like it’s not
Shelby’s.
Her phone goes off, and she looks down at it. “Great,” she mumbles.
“What?” I ask unable to help myself.
She types back a quick reply and then throws her phone back into her lap but stays silent.
“What, Austin?” I growl.
“That was Celeste,” she answers.
“And?”
“My father is coming home tomorrow. He wants to have a family dinner.”
And just like that, my tense body relaxes. I smile. “What time?”
Her head whips over to look at me. “Why?” she asks, eyeing me skeptically. “Have plans for me
already?” she snaps, angry with me.
Ignoring her question, I grab her left hand and bring it to my lips to kiss her knuckles. “Because I’m
gonna have dinner with my girlfriend and her dad.”
She yanks her hand from my hold, and it reminds me of when I kissed it outside the church and how
leery she was of me then. She knew I had ulterior motives. I still do.
“One, you’re not my boyfriend. And two, why?”
“Do I have to have a reason?”
“Yes! I can see it all over your face. You just wanna piss him off,” she says matter-of-factly.
“What’s so wrong with that? Don’t tell me you care if he gets mad? I already know you hate the
man too.”
“Yeah.” She looks down at her hands in her lap. “But if he gets mad at me, he can ship me back.”
I look over at her quickly, surprised by her words. We don’t share personal information because I
don’t talk about myself and because I don’t care to know about her. Maybe I should … But then I
remember what Celeste told me about how she didn’t think she was safe and how I was a good
influence for her. And my chest tightens. I’m a murderer. Evil. What could they do that would be
worse than that? “Celeste wouldn’t let him send you back,” I tell her. She would fight for her to stay
here. Because if it came down to it, I would force Celeste to make that happen. Like she said, I
always get what I want. And too bad for Austin, she’s it at the moment.
Plus, I still have some tricks up my sleeve. One that will get her father to do whatever I want.
Including giving her to me.
She looks straight ahead and lets out a long breath. “I’ll tell Celeste you’re coming,” she says and
then picks up her phone again.
I look ahead as I drive her home, wondering just what has happened to her that she would rather
stay here with the devil than go home to her mom and her mom’s boyfriend. A part of me wants to
know. The other just doesn’t want to acknowledge it.
Because I don’t care. I don’t.

AUSTIN

THE NEXT DAY was just like all the other days. Cole picked me up. We dropped off Lilly and then went
to school. Once again, he didn’t say anything to me, but he kissed me before class and made sure to
put his hands on me. I didn’t push him off.
His words and stares are so cold, but when he touches me, he’s hot as fire. It doesn’t make any
sense. And he’s starting to get in my head. The back and forth with our bickering. The way I like that
he touches me. The way he is with Lilly. He thinks the world of that little girl. And every time I see
him kiss her goodbye when we drop her off at school makes my chest hurt. I want to ask why he
seems to do everything for her but can’t quite find the words. And I know he would ignore me. Cole
is good at that, and it drives me crazy!
I haven’t had many boyfriends. I only ever dated Martin, and he was nothing like Cole. So dark. So
closed off. Something about him keeps me guessing. Makes me wonder what happened to him that has
made him this way at such a young age.
Cole reaches over and grabs a fry off my plate, smearing it in ketchup as we sit in the cafeteria.
“We have a team meeting today,” Deke tells him.
“I know. I got the message.” Cole nods, looking down at his phone.
“Hey, we’re going to the movies tonight. You guys wanna go?” Becky asks as she steals a fry from
my plate. At this rate, I’m not going to get any.
“Can’t,” I say through a mouthful of cheeseburger. “We’re having dinner with my father and
stepmom.”
Deke is trying to pull Becky to him for a kiss, but she pushes him away. Shane and Bennett are too
busy on their phones, but Kellan gets up, throws Cole a look of hatred, and then walks off. Cole
ignores him completely.
“Meeting the parents, huh?” Becky smiles. “Things getting serious.”
I choke on my cheeseburger, and Deke snorts.
“I knew her father long before I started fucking her,” Cole replies flatly.
Becky gasps, and Deke chuckles like what he said was actually funny. I roll my eyes. He can be
such a prick.
As we walk out of the cafeteria, I stop at his locker with him. “What’s up with you and Kellan?” I
ask.
He looks over at me for a quick second and then starts to dig in his locker. “Getting personal?
Didn’t think we did that.”
I snort. “You seem to get really personal with me.”
He shuts his locker and throws his arm over my shoulders as he walks me to my class. I notice the
people who stare at us as they walk by, but I ignore them. “It’s nothing to worry about,” he says.
“I’m starting to feel like he’s more of a threat to my life than Deke is,” I say and give a nervous
laugh. At least now Becky is keeping all his attention.
He stops walking and turns to face me. We stand in the middle of the hallway, and he stares down
at my face with no emotion. He lifts his right hand and pushes a piece of hair behind my ear. Then his
fingers continue downward and run over the hickey I have covered up. And fear creeps up my spine.
He’s no better than the rest. Out of all five of them, he’s the one who has done the most damage. I take
a step back from him, and his hand drops to his side as his blue eyes meet mine.
“I’m no better.” He says what I’m thinking.
I swallow nervously.
“I still wanna hurt you. I still wanna see you bleed. And I think of you bent over that countertop
every second of the day.” His hand reaches out and snakes around my waist, pulling me in. “The way
you looked when you came … the way you cried out my name … it just made me want all those things
even more. Don’t think I’ve changed, Austin. Because I haven’t. And I won’t.”
I tilt my head back to look up at him. My heart pounds in my chest. “Are you saying I should be
afraid?”
He leans his head down and whispers into my ear, his hand still splayed across my back, holding
me in place. “You should be terrified, sweetheart.” My breath hitches. “Because I’m gonna get what I
want.”
“Which is?” I can’t help but ask.
“Everything you have to give.”

_______________

“YOU OKAY?” BECKY asks as she shoves my arm.

“Huh?” I ask, looking over at her as we stand in the parking lot waiting for the guys to finish their
meeting with their coach. Cole was able to get Blanche to pick Lilly up from school today, so I stayed
with Becky to wait on the guys.
She frowns at me. Her white Gucci glasses cover her blue eyes. “I asked if you’re okay.”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I nod with a lie.
“I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say you’re lying. Why?” She adjusts her backpack on her
shoulder.
Mine sits on the ground by my feet while I lean against Cole’s car. “I’m just … tired.”
“Austin, I don’t pry into Cole’s and your relationship …”
“We’re not together,” I correct her.
She snorts. “But you know you can talk to me, right? I know I’m your only friend and all.”
I shove her. “That’s not true.”
She arches her perfect brown brow. “Name another person.”
I bite my bottom lip and let out a sigh. “Fine,” I growl.
She throws me a winning smile. “See. Only friend.”
“I’m about to replace you,” I say jokingly.
She throws her head back and laughs. “Well, good luck with that. Most of the girls hate you
because you’re dating Cole and none of the boys would go near you because of him.”
I roll my eyes. “He’s ruining my life.”
 She stands tall, and the air around us changes. “That’s what I’m talking about. I see how he keeps
you secluded and the way he was with you at the party that night. Then yesterday at lunch you
mentioned stitches, and he got pissed. It was like he was the reason you have them.”
I run a hand through my hair. What would she do if she knew Deke wanted to shoot me just two
weeks ago? “It’s fine, Becky. Really. Thanks for worrying about me, but I’ll be fine.”
She nods once as if she doesn’t believe me. “What’s up with you and Deke?” I change the subject.
“Oh, it’s just sex,” she says, waving me off.
I wish that’s all it was between Cole and me.
I look over at the school and see Deke and Cole walk out of the gym, and my thighs instantly
tighten. He wears a pair of black basketball shorts, and a white Under Armour shirt that clings to his
lean body. And a pair of tennis shoes. He has a black duffle bag thrown over his right shoulder, and
he’s looking down at his phone, texting away as they walk toward us.
I hate how gorgeous he is. How my body wants him even though I know I shouldn’t.
Deke reaches us first, and he picks Becky off her feet and kisses her. She giggles like a schoolgirl,
and then he slaps her ass. Cole finally comes up to us and pops his trunk. He throws his bag in the
back, picks mine up, and tosses it in there as well and then lifts his chin to Deke. “I’ll call you later,”
he tells him and then gets in his car.
I fall into the passenger seat and buckle my seat belt. My hands fist in my lap as I think of what
Becky said a minute ago. He’s making me the laughing stock of school. If she sees how he treats me,
then so does everyone else. It’s just some game to him. “I’m driving myself tomorrow.”
“No, you’re not,” he says, still staring down at his phone. I yank it out of his hand and throw it
behind him. “Hey—”
“Why are we doing this, Cole?” I demand. “Huh? Why am I here?”
His defined jaw sharpens, showing me his annoyance.
Too bad.
“Why don’t you just stop? Let me walk away? I haven’t gone to the police about anything. And I’m
not going to.” I’m too far in. I know too much. They would hang my ass with them. And I refuse to let
that happen.
“No,” he growls. “You’re not going anywhere.”
I unbuckle my seat belt, shove open the door, and jump out. Deke and Becky have already left, so I
start walking, not even caring about my bag being in his trunk.
“Austin!” I hear him yell my name and then his car door slam shut.
“I’m walking home, Cole.” I shout, not bothering to look back at him.
“Why do you do this?” He yanks on my shoulder, spinning me around. “Why do you piss me off?”
“Me piss you off?” I hold up my right arm. “Look what you’ve done to me. You sliced my arm, and
I had to get fifteen stitches. And let’s not forget you almost got me arrested.”
“Please.” He rolls his eyes. “I knew what I was doing when I stole that car. You weren’t going to
get arrested.”
“You may have, but I didn’t! I’m not a criminal, Cole.”
“That’s not what I heard.”
“What does that mean?” I snap.
“I heard you were doing drugs. Got in trouble with the police. That you were too much for your
mother and her boyfriend, so they sent you to live with Bruce.”
I want to demand who told him that, but I already know. Celeste. No one else here knows anything
about me.
 “You’re right,” I say, and he frowns as if he wanted a fight. “I got in trouble. And was shipped
here.” I spread my arms out wide. “To my dad’s because she wants me to send her his money.” Not a
total lie. “But I don’t have to put up with you, Cole. You and your bullshit games.”
I throw my hands up. “I’m done.” My voice shakes. “You take whatever video you want of me and
show the police, show the school.” My throat tightens with emotion. “Show whoever the fuck you
want. I’m done, Cole.”
I turn my back to him and walk away. The first tear runs down my face and then another one. I’m
not that girl who gets all emotional. But I cry when I get angry. And I’m so mad right now. At my
mother. At my father. And at my life.
A hand fists in my hair, and I cry out when my back is pinned to a hard chest. “I’m not letting you
walk away,” Cole growls into my ear, making me shiver.
“You don’t get to choose …”
He spins me around, looking down at me and lifts his hand to my cheek. He runs his thumb through
my tears. “Beautiful,” he whispers.
“Please stop.” I hate that I’m begging, but I’ve got nothing left. I’m treading water, but the water’s
too deep, and he’s circling me. He smells the blood and is just waiting to strike. Waiting to pull me
under into the darkness where he’ll eat me alive. He’s a shark, after all.
He smirks down at me. “You think no one wants you, Austin, but I do.” Another tear runs down my
face. “Why do you think I keep you so close? Why do you think I want everyone to know you belong
to me?” I don’t answer. “It’s because I want you. And no matter how much you fight it, I know you
like being mine.”
“I don’t belong to you,” I say, fisting my hands.
He chuckles. “Are you wet right now, sweetheart?”
“Fuck you, Cole.” My voice is breathless.
“That’s exactly what I wanna do to you.” His hand cups my face and tilts it back. I don’t fight him.
He lowers his lips to mine, and I open without thought.
This man has power over me. And it’s scary. My body just reacts to him, no matter how hard I try
to fight it.
His tongue slips between my lips, and my arms wrap around his neck. I taste my tears, and I know
he can too. He presses his body into mine, and his hardness presses against my lower stomach. I
moan.
Cole deepens the kiss, and it takes my breath away. When he bites my lip, I nip at his. Then he
pulls away, panting. “Now. I’m gonna take you home. And I’m gonna fuck you.”
 CHAPTER SIXTEEN
COLE

I SHIFT MY car as I fly down the highway. My cock hard and needing her. I’ve tried to play it cool
since Friday night in the bathroom at the party. I’ve tried to act like I did Austin Lowes a favor by
fucking her, but I want her. And then when I saw her tears, I lost it. They turned me on so much. And
the taste of them when I kissed her … They were amazing.
We pull up to the house, and we barge through the front door, my lips on hers. I grip her ass and
start carrying her up the stairs.
“Celeste?” she asks against my lips.
I had spoken to her earlier when she messaged me that she couldn’t pick up Lilly from school
today. I had to get Blanche to do it. “At the airport …” Kiss. “Picking up Bruce …” Kiss. “We’ve got
an hour …”
We enter her room, and I slam the door shut before I toss her onto the bed. She sits up immediately
and removes her shirt and bra. I rip my shirt off as she goes for her jeans. She lifts her hips and kicks
them off at the same time I toss mine to the side.
Then I crawl onto the bed and straddle her hips. My fingers run over her tattoo on her ribcage even
a white rose has a black shadow.
“I’m not going to use protection,” I tell her. She never did mention that last time, but we need to
clear that up.
“I’m on the shot.”
Perfect.
She looks up at me as her hands go to my chest, and she drags her nails down my bare skin. I hiss
in a breath at the pain. It reminds me of that first night in the cemetery. It had turned me on then just as
much as it does now.
I grab her hands and pin them above her head. She arches her back and lets out a moan. “What’s
wrong, Cole? Thought you liked a little pain with your pleasure?” She arches a brow in challenge.
I smile and let go of her wrists. “I do.”
“Then ...” She does it again. This time a little slower and harder. Red marks cover my chest and
abs, and my cock stands at attention. She looks at it, licking her lips. Then her eyes meet mine. “What
are you waiting for, Cole?”
This woman tries my patience. Literally every day, I have to remind myself that this is a game I
intend to win. At any cost. Otherwise, she will catch me at a weak moment, and lust makes a man
weak. It can make the strongest man falter.
I wrap my hand around her throat and squeeze. She arches her back, and her pretty red lips part. I
wish they were wrapped around my cock right now. This time isn’t like the last. I’m not putting on a
show for the ones who stand on the other side of the door. This is just for her and me.
“I love it when you challenge me, sweetheart.” I lean down and whisper against her parted lips.
She lifts her hips to meet mine, letting me know what she wants, but she’s going to have to wait. “It
lets me remind you where I stand.” I run my tongue along her upper lip while my free hand runs over
her shaved pussy. She’s wet. Not caring about foreplay at the moment, I push my hard cock inside her,
and her eyes close. “Above you.”

_______________

WE SIT AT the table in the formal dining room. Celeste sits across from me, Austin to my left, and
Bruce sits at the head of the table to my right. His right-hand man, Raylan, sits to the left. He doesn’t
speak. Never does. Not to me anyway. He’s a pussy if you ask me.
It’s going about as well as I thought it would—tense.
The only two people who have spoken since we’ve sat down are Celeste and Austin. And they’re
only speaking to one another.
I haven’t touched my food. I didn’t come here for dinner. Well, not the kind their cooks can make
me. I came to see the look on Bruce’s face when he saw me. It was priceless. Even now, he stares at
me with his dark brown eyes narrowed, trying to figure out my angle. But he’ll never guess. And the
fact I was fucking his daughter only an hour ago upstairs makes it even better.
Celeste gets up. “I’m gonna do the dishes,” she announces, and Bruce rolls his eyes. Probably
because they have help who does that. But he allows it.
“I’ll help you,” Austin offers, all but running after her, not wanting to be anywhere near her father.
The bastard hasn’t even said one word to her, but I think she prefers it that way.
“Leave.” He snaps his fingers at Raylan. He gets up and walks out of the room without a word.
“So,” he starts the moment we’re alone, “I’m a little confused. Which one are you fucking? My
daughter or my wife?”
I want to say both just to be a dick but refrain. Instead, I lean back in my seat, stretching out my
legs. “Austin,” I say her name. Because she’s not his daughter. He’s not a dad to her in any way.
He narrows his eyes on me. “So you were screwing my wife before my daughter showed up?”
“I’ve never screwed Celeste.”
He snorts.
“Why would I lie? I’ve got nothing to lose. But since you brought it up … My father told me that
you think I spent the night here, but I assure you, I haven’t. Not even since I started seeing Austin.”
He arches a brow. “Trying to be a gentleman, Cole? That’s so out of character for you. I still don’t
believe you haven’t slept with my wife, though.”
I lean forward, my forearms on the table. “Come on, Bruce. I’m offended. You know me better than
that. If I wanted to fuck your wife, you would never know.” He opens his mouth, but I continue. “But I
have a proposition for you.”
He can’t mask his surprise at my words.
We don’t work together. We’re enemies.
All part of my plan.
“I’m listening.”
“My dad also told me that Austin’s mom wants her to live with you until graduation, and you want
her out as soon as possible.”
“She doesn’t belong here.” He fists his hands on the table.
“I don’t disagree.”
“I’ve already spoken to her mother. Today. I offered to send Austin back to California with twenty
thousand. She said she could return.”
I tilt my head to the side, choosing my words carefully. “I know how you can get rid of her and
keep your money.”
“How so?”
The bastard is so money hungry, he’s already sold his soul once. And the devil is going to be
coming to collect soon. He just doesn’t know I’m the one who will deliver him. “Give her to me. Let
her stay here. I’ll make sure she stays out of trouble.”
He leans in, his eyes narrowing. “No.” He stands from the table.
I knew he’d say no. That’s why I came prepared. “What if I told you I have something you want?”
He comes to a stop. “What could you have that I would possibly want?”
I dig into my pocket and pull out the single key. I toss it onto the table.
He looks at it, and his eyes flare with anger. “You son of a bitch …”
“It’s all yours. If she stays.”
“It is mine! You stole it.”
“I found it.”
His fisted hands bang against the table, making our glasses rattle. “You fucking stole it!”
I smile up at him. “I dare you to prove it.”
He snarls.
“Do we have a deal or not?”
“You planned this,” he claims, eyes flaring with rage.
I knew I’d need insurance.
He looks at the key longingly. His eyes go from it to me, and he nods. “Done.”
“How do I know you’re not gonna fuck me over?” I ask, picking the key up and twirling the chain
around my finger.
“Haven’t you heard of honor among thieves?” he snarls.
I have. I also know how he operates. “She stays.”
His eyes shoot to the direction of the kitchen and then back to me. “Until graduation. And then she’s
gone.”
That’s all I need.
“Why do you want her? She can’t be that great of a fuck. Her mother sure as hell wasn’t.”
Sick bastard.
I stand from the table and ignore that statement. “Oh, and just a heads-up. My car will still be here
in the morning.”
Just then, Austin enters the dining room. “Let’s go to the media room,” I tell her. “I wanna watch a
movie.”
She frowns but nods.
“I’m leaving town tomorrow morning,” her father scowls. “I’ll be gone for two weeks.” Then he
walks off.

AUSTIN

“WHAT WAS THAT about?” I ask as we enter the media room.

“Nothing,” he says, closing the door behind us.
“Cole?”
“What?”
“Why do you blow off everything I ask?” I plop down onto the circular couch.
He walks past it and goes to the glass table that sits underneath the screen. Grabbing the remotes,
he bends down, looking at the stacks of movies underneath it. “I don’t know what you’re talking
about.”
I shove off my shoes and lean back, crossing my arms over my chest. “Yes, you do,” I argue.
He stays silent while he picks out a movie and pops Gone in Sixty Seconds into the DVD player.
He flips the lights off and comes to stand in front of me. I glare up at him as the movie begins.
Then being the bastard that he is, he reaches up and grabs his shirt and pulls it over his head,
tossing it to the floor.
“What are you doing?” I ask, the room getting hotter by the second. I hate how my eyes run over the
marks that my nails left just an hour ago when we were up in my room. The way he hissed in a breath
as I drug my hands down his skin. I want to mark him just as much as he wants to claim me. It’s very
unhealthy.
He then reaches for the button on his jeans. “You.”
“Cole.” I look around as if we’re not alone. But we are. “We could have done this in my
bedroom.” But my heart starts to pound at the thought of doing it in here while my dad and Celeste are
downstairs.
“I wanna do you in here,” he states.
His jeans hit the floor, and then he’s crawling on top of me. I pull back, eyeing him nervously.
“You’re up to something.” But my thighs are tight, and my pussy already wet.
He chuckles, gripping the hem of my shirt. “Don’t trust me?”
“No.”
He removes my shirt and tosses it to the floor with his. Then he pulls the straps of my bra down,
exposing my breasts. My nipples are hard, and he licks his lips. “Good, because you shouldn’t.” Then
he lowers his lips to my skin.
I arch my back and let out a long breath as he sucks on my nipple. Gently biting it. He releases it
with a popping sound and moves to the other side.
I reach up and grip his hair, pulling on it. He then trails kisses down my stomach. My breath starts
coming faster as he kisses my hip bones before dipping between my legs. His tongue licks over my
pussy, and I shudder. “Cole.” I pant.
He positions himself between my legs and throws them over his shoulders. I arch my back when
his tongue enters me. He fucks me with his mouth as hard as he does with his cock. I cry out and slap
my hand over my mouth, not wanting anyone in the house to hear me even though I know they can’t.
This is a fifteen thousand square foot house. The odds of them standing on the other side of the door
are slim.
That familiar feeling that I get every time he’s had his hands on me starts to build and I arch my
back as my eyes close. My thighs tighten around his head and I come with his name mumbled due to
my hand still on my mouth.
He lowers my legs and he yanks my hand away. I suck in a ragged breath as my body shakes.
He hovers over me as he licks his wet lips. “You taste amazing, sweetheart. Like me.” Then his
lips are on mine.

_______________

THE FOLLOWING SUNDAY, I find myself back at the clubhouse. And once again, I didn’t get much info
about what the hell I’m doing here. But this time, they didn’t give me anything I could use on any of
them.
I stand, leaning up against the table to face the open room. Cole stands to my right talking to Deke
while Shane and Bennett sit on the couch.
“Where’s Kellan?” Shane asks what I’m thinking.
I’ve tried to steer clear of him at school, but for some reason, he continues to sit next to me at
lunch. Thankfully, I don’t have any classes with him, but I can’t hide from him since he’s friends with
Cole. Even if their friendship seems to be on the rocks at the moment.
“He’s coming,” Deke assures him.
Cole turns to me. “I’m gonna go over the rules with you.” I nod. Still not sure what we’re doing
here. “One, you have a month to complete your dare. But if you complete it sooner, then the next
person goes the following week.” So this is about the dares. I swallow, not wanting to do this. “Two,
there has to be a consequence for each dare. If the dare is not completed, you must face the
consequence by midnight on the last day. Three, there are no limits to the dares.” No limits? That
makes my stomach knot up. “Four, if your dare gets picked, you may choose to be present while the
dare is being completed.” I break out in a sweat and look at Deke. What if I get his, and he wants to
go with me? I don’t want to be alone with him. He smiles and then gives me a wink like he knows
what I’m thinking. “Last rule ... you get caught, you’re on your own. Understand?”
“Yes,” I say with a head nod, but on the inside, I am shaking.
The door opens, and Kellan walks in. His eyes are on mine while he walks over to the table. I take
a step toward Cole, and he places his arm over my shoulders, and I let out a shaky breath. Although
Cole is the reason I’m here, he makes me feel the safest. He’s made it very clear that he won’t tolerate
Kellan touching me. I’m not so sure if he would stop Deke, though I’m hoping I don’t have to find out.
“Here you go.” Shane walks around, handing each of us a piece of paper and a pen. Then he goes
back to sit down on the couch.
I remove myself from Cole’s arm and turn to face the table. Bending over, my pen hovers over the
paper.
What kind of dare could I possibly do? Shelby told me they have been doing these for a while, and
they physically hurt themselves. I don’t want to be responsible for someone getting hurt. That will just
give them another reason to hate me.
Think! What all has Cole told me? Not much. I know they killed a guy. I know that the guy has a
brother who beat his wife and then killed her …
I get a thought. It’s crazy and borderline illegal, but not enough to where I would spend the rest of
my life in prison. Or end up dead.
I hear the guys behind me and know they are all done. They knew what tonight was so they already
had their dares chosen before they walked in the door.
Even though I didn’t want anything to do with this, I feel like now I have something to prove. I have
to show them that I’m not afraid. I can hang with them.
I write down my dare and consequence and stick it in a bowl in the middle of the room. Then go sit
on the couch next to Cole. I cross my legs, and he slides his hand between them, gripping my inner
thigh. Kellan’s eyes go to his hand and then to Cole’s. He doesn’t acknowledge him. But I tense.
Why does he hate me so much? Does he not understand that I don’t want to be here?
Shane walks up to the bowl and draws a piece of paper out. His eyes go straight to mine. I
swallow nervously.
He begins. “SURPRISE! I’ll meet you in the sea. We’ll swim together as we flee.” He looks at
Cole and then back down at the paper. “Consequence: you must dress like me for the day.”
 Kellan is the first one to speak. “What the fuck is this shit?’
Cole shifts his body on the couch and turns to me. “This isn’t how it works, Austin.”
“What?” I shrug. “You didn’t say it couldn’t be done like that.” I didn’t want to give the dare away
because I don’t want to be told I can’t do it by someone. I had to make it to where no one would catch
onto it. If they’re making me do this, I’m all in. Too late to turn back now.
“It doesn’t make any fucking sense,” Kellan snaps.
“It’s a riddle, idiot,” Cole defends me. I almost smile.
“Absolutely not!” he snarls at Cole. “Draw again, Shane,” he demands.
“No,” Bennett says. “She’s right. She isn’t breaking any rules. And that is what he drew. We’ve
never had anyone draw twice before, so we’re not gonna start now.”
 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
COLE

“THIS IS BULLSHIT!” Kellan barks, standing to his feet.

I slowly remove my hand from between her legs and stand, facing him. “You don’t like it, you can
pull out.”
His eyes widen for a brief second before they land on Austin where she still sits on the couch. I
don’t agree with her dare, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to back her. She doesn’t know what
we’re doing. I’ve kept the rules as simple as possible for her. Not wanting her to know more than she
needs to. She’s a fucking chick. What did he think she was going to have us do?
“Pull out?” Kellan growls at my words. “Want me to leave, Cole?”
Anyone can withdraw at any time. But to be thrown out, we all have to agree. I wish the fucker
would just walk away. Kellan and I have always butted heads even though we’ve all been friends
since we were little. I didn’t hate him at first, but after Maddox, Landen, and Eli died, things changed
between us. And the fact that he took my car to Bruce’s house to fuck his wife isn’t setting well with
me. Why would he do it? Did he want me to get caught? If that’s the case, why? And if so, would
Celeste have said I was the one she fucked? Does he want me to rat him out? Me take the fall? I’m not
sure, but I’m keeping my mouth shut until I find out.
“Cole—” Shane starts.
“No, let him make his decision,” Deke interrupts him. He comes over to us and crosses his arms
over his chest, ready to fight Kellan. But I don’t need his help, and he knows it. “I’m tired of you two
fighting over fucking pussy.”
“Hey,” Austin says defensively.
“What is it, Kellan? You wanna fuck her too?” he asks, and she gasps. “You mad Cole found her
first? Fuck, man, go stick your dick somewhere else. She’s not worth it.”
Austin shoots to her feet, eyes narrowed on Deke, but I shove her shoulder, making her sit back
down. “Cole—”
“Is that the problem, Kellan?” I ask, interrupting her and taking a step toward him. His brown eyes
meet mine. “You want her? Want me to share her with you? All you gotta do is ask. It wouldn’t be the
first time we’ve passed a girl around.”
I know Celeste isn’t the only bitch he’s fucking at the moment. Just last week, he hooked up with
Melanie, a girl on the volleyball team. Not like he has a reason to be faithful to Celeste. The bitch is
married, after all.
His eyes go to Austin, and I hate how he looks over her like she is a piece of meat for him to eat.
That would be the icing on the cake for him. To fuck Bruce’s wife and daughter. And if he did sleep
with her, that would piss off Celeste, and she would send her back without a second thought. I saw
her eyes when she spoke of Kellan. She loves him. His eyes meet mine again.
I turn to Austin and grab her hand. I yank her up from the couch and slide my arm around her waist,
pinning her back to my front. She tries to fight me, but I hold her in place. Her breath picks up in fear.
“Cole, what are you …?”
“Did you listen to the video?” I ask him, cutting her off.
 “What video?” she asks, and her voice shakes.
I bring my free hand up and wrap it around her throat and tilt her head back. It makes her arch her
back, pushing her chest out. She whimpers, and her hands come up and grip my arm as if that’s going
to stop me. Her pulse races, and she swallows nervously. His eyes go to her tits.
“Did you hear her scream my name inside that bathroom? Did you listen to her beg me for more?”
Her body trembles against mine.
“Everyone has heard that video,” he snaps.
“I haven’t,” Deke chimes in.
Kellan looks at him and snorts. “You were fucking there. You were the one who recorded it.”
He shrugs. “Doesn’t mean I listened.”
Kellan takes a step back, running a hand through his hair. “This is ridiculous,” he says frustrated.
Then his eyes meet mine. “I don’t want your whore, Cole. I don’t want her anywhere around me, let
alone inside her pants. And I’m sure as hell not gonna let you push me out of the group because I don’t
like your little fuck-toy of the month.” He grabs his jacket off the couch, turns around, and storms out
the door.
I let go of Austin, and she takes three steps away from me, sucking in a deep breath. I turn to the
guys, putting my back to her. “We need to vote his ass out.”
Shane sighs heavily. “He’s just going through a hard time.”
“Bullshit!” Deke snaps. “He’s always caused problems for us.”
“Cole?” I hear Austin’s voice behind me, but I ignore her. I’m busy at the moment.
Shane looks at Deke. “I can see where he’s coming from. I’m still skeptical if she should even be
here.”
“She’s not going anywhere,” I growl.
“Cole?” she snaps. I still ignore her.
Bennett raises his hands. “This will blow over. Just let Kellan cool off.”
“He’s been this way for months now. He was like this before Austin ever came into the picture. He
didn’t even want to be involved with Jeff, and that makes me question his loyalty to the group,” Deke
growls.
“COLE!” she yells.
“He was just worried that we would get caught,” Shane tells Deke.
I snort. “He just didn’t wanna get his hands dirty.” I hear the faint sound of a door opening and
closing behind us.
“Cole?” Deke says.
“What?” I bark.
He looks over my shoulder. “Austin just left.”

AUSTIN

AS I COME up to his car, I hear someone exiting the barn behind me. I know it’s him. “Take me home!”
I order, not even bothering to turn around and face him before I fall into the passenger seat and slam
the door shut.
My body physically shakes with rage for what Cole just did.
He gets in and looks over at me, but I keep my eyes straight ahead. My hands ball into fists in my
lap, and my heart pounds in my chest.
He offered me up to Kellan. To fucking Kellan of all people! I thought he had been protecting me
from him these past two weeks, but I was so wrong.
And my mind can’t seem to process that. I know Cole is a fucking savage. I have seen firsthand
what he will do to get what he wants. But to just offer me up to any of them? Like I’m some toy they
can just pass around? Is that why they wanted me to join so badly?
“Austin!” he growls my name, his irritation showing.
I turn and glare at him with hatred. I’m fucking panting; I’m breathing so heavily.
His narrowed blue eyes are on me like it’s my fault. As if I should have said yes, Kellan, if you
want me, then go ahead and take me.
“Austin …”
I do what he once did to me, reach over and turn up the volume, blaring “Bitter End” by The Veer
Union. Then I sit back in my seat, dismissing whatever the fuck he planned to say.
He allows it, putting the car into gear and throwing gravel as he takes off.
When he pulls up to my house, I’m out of the car before he can even bring it to a stop. I walk in,
slam the front door, and run up to my room. The moment I shut it, it opens. I turn around to see him
entering just as fast as I did. “Get the hell out, Cole,” I say, pointing at the now closed door.
“No,” he says simply.
“Get the fuck out!” I shout.
He takes a step toward me, and I throw up my hands, taking a step back. “Don’t you dare come
near me.”
“Austin—”
“No, Cole!” I interrupt him. “What you did back there was completely unacceptable!”
“I—”
“You were out of line!” I shout, fisting my hands down by my sides. “You don’t own me. And you
can’t just decide to offer me up to one of your buddies.” I give him my back, planning on locking
myself in my bathroom to get away from him.
He grabs my shoulder and yanks me back to face him. “I can do whatever I want.”
My skin is boiling; I’m so mad. “No! You can’t. This is my life!” I scream.
“Need a reminder?”
“No!” I jerk away from him. I wasn’t expecting him to let me go, and I stumble backward but
manage not to fall. He smirks. “I don’t need you to remind me that you are a man who doesn’t care if
he hurts a woman,” I snap.
His eyes narrow on me. “Don’t push me, Austin.”
“Push you?” I ask and snort. Spreading my arms out wide, I say, “Do your worst, Cole.” What else
could this bastard do to me that he hasn’t already?
“You don’t mean that, sweetheart.” He takes a step toward me; his eyes look me up and down, and
he licks his lips.
“Not only did you offer me up to Kellan, but you have also humiliated me at school,” I growl. “You
recorded us …”
“You begged me for it. The video proved it.”
My mouth falls open at his words. He knew he was coming to the party, and that we were going to
have sex. And he knew he was going to have Deke record it.
I stand there speechless as he closes the small space between us. His right hand comes up, and he
slides his fingers into my hair. I stare up at him at a complete loss while his eyes roam my face.
“You knew what you were doing, Austin. And I told you, you were going to hate me in the morning,
but you didn’t seem to care one bit.”
 “I didn’t know you were going to record it,” I say as angry tears start to sting my eyes. My body
shakes, and my throat begins to close up.
He lowers his mouth to my ear. “It’s not my fault you spread your legs for the devil, sweetheart.
That’s all on you.”
“You set me up.” I choke on the words.
He chuckles. “I did no such thing. You went to a party. You got drunk, and then you dared me.” He
pulls back, and his eyes stare into mine. I refuse to blink, to let the tears fall. I’m stronger than this.
“You dared me to hurt you.” He runs his busted knuckles over my cheek. He lowers his face to where
his lips almost touch mine. “And I did.”
I swallow the lump in my throat, trying not to show him just how much. “You had no right …”
“Even if I hadn’t had Deke record it, everyone there still heard you, sweetheart.”
I swallow the knot in my throat and look away. I hate that he’s right. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have
dared him. I shouldn’t have played into his little fucking game. I’ve been pushing back just as much as
he has, but I’m the one who seems to lose every time. He has help. He’s got a team on his side. I have
no one.
“And it’s not like you didn’t enjoy it.”
I whimper at his words and whisper, “Go to hell, Cole.”
His hand grips my hair, and he moves my head, forcing me to look up at him. His blue eyes search
mine. They shine. He lowers his lips and smiles against mine. I don’t dare move. “Sweetheart, I am
hell.”
I hate how right he is. “Please go.” I swallow what pride I have left and beg him to leave.
He releases my hair, and his hand moves to cup my face. I try to swallow the knot in my throat.
“I’ll see you in the morning.” He leans down, kisses my forehead, and then walks out. I throw myself
onto my bed and scream into my pillow.
 CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
COLE

I STAND OUTSIDE her door as I hear her muffled scream. She’s breaking. Every day, I’m dragging
her closer to the edge of no return. But in order to get her to fall, I’m going to have to drag her. I won’t
be able to save myself, and we’re both going to hit fucking bottom.
Minutes later, I walk into my father’s house and go straight up to Lilly’s room. Her pink kitty lamp
is on next to her bed, and she is sound asleep. I turn it off, and the only light comes from her nightlight.
Leaning down, I kiss her forehead and then walk out, leaving her door cracked open. I head to my
bedroom, strip out of my clothes, and slide on my board shorts, then make my way down to the pool.
I dive in and the cold night air burns my skin when I come up for a breath.
Kellan is becoming a bigger problem every day that goes by. And I don’t know what to do about it
or what he has planned. He knows about our final dare. The one we have planned for graduation
night. I wonder how much he has told Celeste about what we do. People in this town know we
destroy shit. We’ve been daring each other to do stupid shit since we were little kids. But when I was
sixteen, Eli dared me to steal my father’s car and run it into the creek. I did it three hours later. I hated
that car, and he fucking loved it. It was his baby. His beloved. Nothing mattered other than that car.
He never found out it was me. He was in a pissy mood for months, and I loved it.
The dares just snowballed from there. We got a system down, and it worked for us. Eight boys
whose parents had money and could get away with anything. We did it all. Well, not murder. We just
progressed to that recently.
I go back underwater and do a lap. Then another. I’m tired and exhausted when I finally get out.
The time on my phone reads 1:05 a.m. I dry off, and thoughts of Austin enter my mind.
I need more from her.
I smile when I think of why I’m doing this to her. Because I can. It’s that fucking simple. It’s like
she forgets she has no one. Except me.

_______________

THE FOLLOWING MORNING, I pull up to her house, and she’s already sitting on the front steps. Her
backpack at her feet and phone in her hands. She stands when she sees my car and walks toward it. I
find it odd but don’t question it.
She wears a pair of holey jeans with her black Chucks and a simple black t-shirt. Her hair is down
and in big curls. A pair of black sunglasses cover her green eyes, and red lipstick highlights her lips.
She looks fucking delicious.
She gets in, not saying a word, and sits back in the seat. I take off, trying to ignore the erection in
my pants. I can’t think straight whenever she is around me. All I want to do is bury myself in her.
After dropping Lilly off, we pull up to the school, and she still hasn’t spoken a word. Not unusual
for us, but it has me on alert. We walk inside and go to our lockers. She takes her time, and I watch
her. She hasn’t removed her sunglasses, nor has she smiled.
 She’s still pissed. And I find it sexy as fuck!
The bell rings, and I grab her hand, expecting her to pull away, but she doesn’t. I walk her to class,
and as we step inside her room, she turns to face me. And before I can do anything, she lifts on her
tiptoes and kisses me. Which is unusual. I always initiate it.
She moans into my mouth, and I tangle my hands in her hair. She kisses me like she’s desperate for
me. Her body presses into mine, and I deepen the kiss. As if we are alone in my room and I’m about
to rip her fucking clothes off.
Finally, she pulls away first, and I push her glasses up to her head. The smile she gives me is
nothing short of wicked. I narrow my eyes on her.
She’s up to something. The only other time she looked at me like that was when she sent me the
video of Jeff’s body burning.
She’s like me, after all—has no limits.
“I’ll see you next period,” I say, and she turns, giving me her back. Not saying a word.

AUSTIN

I SIT IN first period in the back next to Becky. She is on her phone texting—Deke, I’m sure. For two
people who are only having sex, they seem to be obsessed with one another. It’s annoying. She was
supposed to be my friend, but I only get her when he is at practice with the guys.
I have so many questions I want to ask her, but they are going to have to wait. I decided last night
after Cole left that I wasn’t going to let him get to me. Not anymore. I was going to show all of them
that I can do this. You don’t see them crying or begging one another to stop doing something they don’t
like, so I’m not going to either.
I grab my bag, get up, and walk to the teacher’s desk. “May I use the restroom?”
She raises her hand and waves me off without looking at me. I walk out of class and down the
silent hallway. I pass Cole and Deke’s calculus classroom and head straight to Cole’s locker. I’ve
watched him do his combination enough to know it by heart now.
Once it pops open, I reach up to the top shelf and grab his car keys and then slam it shut. I finish
running down the hall and take a right, heading up the stairs to the second floor. I turn to the red box
on the wall with a red handle. I then look up at the camera and pull it down.
Go big or go home!
The alarm sounds, and the lights start to flash. Doors burst open, and students run out into the
hallway. I stand on my tiptoes, looking for Shane. I see him exit the last classroom on the right. I make
my way down the hall to him. “Let’s go,” I yell over the sounding alarms.
“What are you doing, Austin?” he asks confused.
“We don’t have time. Let’s go.” I grab his hand and drag him down the hall.
We make it down the stairs, and I see Cole out of the corner of my eye, but I don’t stop. We barge
out the double doors. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see soon enough.” I tell him the same thing Cole has told me so many times. I press the
unlock button on Cole’s car, and it lights up.
“Whoa.” Shane comes to a stop. “Why do you have Cole’s car keys?” he demands.
“Because I’m gonna drive us.”
He shakes his head.
“Yes. This is your dare,” I state, and he grinds his teeth, knowing he has to do it.
“Cole is gonna be pissed.”
 I smile. Fuckin’ right, he will be. All part of my plan. “When is Cole not pissed?”
“We can’t leave, Austin,” he states.
“I didn’t pull that fire alarm for nothing,” I growl.
“You did that?” he asks wide-eyed. “Shit. You’re gonna be in so much trouble.”
I grab his arm and yank on it, finally getting him to move again. We get into the car, and I hold out
my right hand. “Phone,” I demand.
He digs it out of his pocket without question. I turn his off along with mine and shove them into the
center console.
Then we’re off.

_______________

I PULL UP to the same parking spot Cole brought me to three weeks ago and turn off his car.
“Why are we here, Austin?” Shane asks.
I let out a long breath, nervousness setting in. “Cole told me all about Jeff’s brother,” I say, and he
stays quiet. “About how he beat his wife who was Eli’s sister.” I look over at him. “One of his best
friends.”
He looks away from me, his lips thinned. I look down at my hands knotted in my lap, letting out a
long breath. I’m about to tell this guy too much about myself, but I want him to trust me, right? To have
one more person on my side. “I know what it’s like to have a man put his hands on you and not be
able to stop it. To have no control.” My chest tightens. “I don’t believe in what you guys do or how
you do it, but I do believe he deserves to suffer for hurting someone he was supposed to protect.
Love.” I clear my throat. “And I want to help.”
I look over at him to find him staring at me with a blank expression. I bite my lip, nervously
waiting for him to say no. That I’m screwing up plans they already have. Instead, he nods. “I’m
guessing you have a plan?”
“I do.” I smile at him.
 CHAPTER NINETEEN
COLE

I SIT IN fourth period with only twenty minutes left when the door opens. Austin walks right in with a
smile on her face and her head held high. I want to yank her back out the door and choke her.
“Where have you been?” I demand when she plops down next to me.
She doesn’t answer.
I’ve been calling her for three hours. And then between classes, we realized that Shane was gone
too. A call to his phone told me it was also off. And they were together. That’s when I realized my car
keys were gone. Talk about pissed!
“Mrs. Duncan, can you send Austin Lowes to the office please?” The office comes over the
intercom.
“You heard her, Miss Lowes,” the teacher tells her, and she stands.
I get up as well and follow her out. “What the hell did you do?” I demand, bringing her to a stop in
the hall. “Austin?”
She just looks up at me. Her green eyes full of mischief.
“Where did you go?”
“To do Shane’s dare.”
I grind my teeth. “How did you get out of class?” She isn’t eighteen yet. She can’t sign herself out.
“I pulled the fire alarm,” she explains.
“What?” I shout. That was her?
She doesn’t even flinch at my tone. “I did it for the dare.”
“What the hell were you thinking? They’re gonna suspend you.” Fuck! I told her dad I would keep
her out of trouble. How the hell am I going to get her out of this? The guys and I may do some really
stupid, illegal shit, but it never involves the school. That jeopardizes our chance on the swim team.
We’re not that stupid.
“Get off my back, Cole,” she snaps, her finger pressed into my chest. “You brought me into this,”
she shouts. “Don’t blame me for something I didn’t have any control over.” She steps into me. “You
should have taken what I did to Jeff as a warning. Instead, you took it as a challenge. But you know
what, Cole? You underestimate me, and that’s your fault. Not mine.” Then she walks off down the
quiet hall, heading to the office with a little too much hop in her step for someone who is about to get
suspended.
And I can’t help but smile. Austin Lowes is more of a shark than I thought.

AUSTIN

“I GOT SUSPENDED,” I tell Celeste as I plop down on the couch in my father’s house.
She stands in front of me, eyes narrowed and hands on her hips. Cole stands in the corner, glaring.
He’s still pissed off at me from earlier. After I walked out of the principal’s office, he was waiting
for me, looking every bit of the dick he is. We haven’t spoken since, but he had to drive me home. I
was hoping he would just drop me off and go, but no, he is obviously just as nosy as he is an asshole.
“Yes! The school called me! I had to convince them not to press charges. What you did was
illegal!” she barks. Her eyes go to Cole. “You’re supposed to be keeping her out of trouble.”
I snort. “He’s not my babysitter.” If she only had a clue of what he’s put me through, she’d see what
I did was nothing.
“I had nothing to do with it,” he chimes in, and my eyes narrow on him. He’s the reason I did the
damn dare in the first place!
“It’s not a big deal. It’s just three days,” I tell her. I’ve been suspended for more.
“No big deal? Your father is gonna be pissed,” she snaps.
“What’s he gonna do, ground me?”
“He’s sending you back to your mother’s,” Cole answers me.
“What?” I ask, looking back over at him.
“Cole—” Celeste starts.
But he continues. “He wanted to ship you back to your mother’s the other day with twenty grand.
Because, like your mother, he doesn’t want you.”
“Cole,” she snaps.
How much does he know? “How do you know that?” I demand, standing from the couch. Then I
look at her. “Jesus, how much have you told him about my life?”
She opens her mouth, but Cole speaks. “He told me at dinner the other night.”
“What?” I snap. Why would he tell him that? Cole and Celeste are obviously close. But how close
are he and my dad? As far as I know, he hates him as much as I do.
“I won’t let that happen,” Celeste assures me. “And I’m the only one the school contacts. So we
just won’t tell him.” She bows her head and sighs.
I glance at Cole, and he’s staring at me with disgust. Like I’m some charity case he took on. As if I
asked to be part of his little twisted group.
My eyes go back to Celeste. “I don’t care. Let him send me back.” That’s what I want, right? It
would get me away from Cole and his friends. It would get me out of all his fucked up scams and
blackmail. I turn my attention to Cole. “Not sure why you do.”
“Austin?” Celeste starts, but I ignore her and pull my cell out of my back pocket.
I go to my contacts and find Bruce. Then hit call. Placing it to my ear, I tap my foot on the Persian
rug, hoping he still has the same number. It has been four years since I’ve called him.
“Austin?” he growls in answer.
“I got suspended,” I say without wasting a second.
Chuckling has me looking up, and I see Cole. He has his hand over his mouth trying to hide a smirk.
His eyes meet mine, and he shakes his head like I’ve lost my mind.
“Austin!” Celeste snaps, taking a step toward me to yank my phone from my ear, but I place my
hand up to stop her and take a step back.
“What?” he barks through the line. “What the hell did you do?”
“Pulled the fire alarm.”
He lets out a growl of annoyance. “How long?”
“Three days.”
Celeste throws her hands up and storms out of the room, and I look back at Cole. He is no longer
laughing at me, but he does have a smirk on his face.
My father clears his throat. “Well …” He pauses. “Will it affect graduation?”
I frown but say, “No.”
 “Okay, then. Don’t do it again,” he snaps and then hangs up on me.
I place the phone in my back pocket, my eyes never leaving Cole’s. “He’s not sending me home.”
He arches a brow. “Just wanted to know if it would affect graduation.” His smirk grows to a full
smile, and my eyes narrow on him. He wanted to ship you back to your mother’s the other day with
twenty grand. “Did you have something to do with this?” I demand.
He reaches up and rubs his lips, his eyes on mine. “I have no clue what you’re talking about.”
I take a step toward him. “What did you do, Cole?”
“Insurance,” he says simply.
It’s the same thing he said to me before he sliced my arm open. “I know you’ve done something,” I
snap.
“I dare you to prove it.”
I run a hand through my hair, unable to play mind games right now. I can’t take it anymore. “I need
some air,” I mutter. I shove open the door to the terrace and take off. I run because it feels good. I run
because that’s all I’m allowed to do. I feel like Eli’s sister’s husband. That hamster in the cage.
Unable to do anything. Unable to go anywhere. I make it to the top of the hill, and the cemetery comes
into view, but I don’t stop. My lungs tighten as I try to suck in a breath. My side hurts, but it’s
something I did. It’s my choice. Fuck them! And their rules for me. Screw …
I’m hit from behind and thrown to the ground. “What …?” I look up to see Cole on top of me.
“What are you doing?”
“What are you doing?” he snaps.
“Trying to get away from you. Now get off.” God, he’s relentless.
I shove him, but he grabs me and pins my wrists down. I growl.
“You are so frustrating,” he says, his blue eyes looking down at me, a smirk on his face. He’s
enjoying this.
Bastard!
“Fight me,” he orders.
“Cole,” I snap. Not in the mood for his shit.
“I dare you to fight me.” My eyes narrow up at him, and he arches a brow. “Show me what you got,
Austin.”
I buck my hips, kick my feet, and try to yank my hands free of his iron grip, but nothing works. I
arch my back and scream.
He lowers his head to my neck, and I can feel his heart racing against my chest. “Let it out,
sweetheart,” he whispers. “Just like you did that night I had you pinned. The night I decided you were
going to be mine.”
“Stop.” I hate how he says mine. As if he really wants me to be his. No one has ever wanted me
like he does, and that thought makes me a little nervous and excited.
He pulls away and looks down at me. “I’m gonna hold you here. Pinned to the ground. Helpless.”
My eyes narrow on him. “And you’re gonna fight me until you have nothing left. Until you’re weak.
Worn out. Until you realize I’m stronger.”
“Please,” I growl the word. Unable to say it otherwise.
“No,” he says simply.
“I hate you,” I snap.
He frowns as if that hurt his feelings. “You hate yourself, Austin.”
“No …”
“You hate that you’re powerless. You hate that you have nowhere to go.” He looks up at the
cemetery and sighs. “I was once like this.” He looks back at me. “I once had no control too, Austin.
But I picked myself up and fought. Now fucking fight me,” he orders.
I try once again, kicking my feet and digging my heels into the ground to throw him off. Jerking on
my hands but nothing works.
He lowers his head to my neck and laughs. He fucking laughs at how weak I am. “I can do this all
day, sweetheart …”
I turn my head and sink my teeth into his neck.
His left hand releases mine, and he lets out a growl from the pain. I ball my fists, swinging. I hit
him in the side of the head, and his body jerks back. I dig my heels into the ground and lift my hips,
throwing him forward over my head. I roll out from underneath him. He recovers quickly and lunges
for me. I stick out my leg, kicking him in the chest and knocking him back. I crawl on top of him and
straddle his hips. I wrap my hands around his wrists, pinning them above his head. I’m panting. Heart
racing.
He has a cut on the right cheek. His bottom lip is bleeding, and he’s got a big smile on his face as
he looks up at me. It’s the first real smile I’ve ever seen from him. And even though I know how evil
he can be, he looks absolutely gorgeous.
“You think you’ve got me?” The amusement in his voice lets me know he’s indulging me.
I lick my lips. “I’m the one on top.”
He chuckles softly. He pushes his arms out wide, and it forces me to release his wrists. Before I
can plant them by his head and catch myself from falling, his hands are on my face, and he flips us
over and pins me down.
“We need to work on your speed.”
“We need to work on your attitude,” I tell him.
“Oh, yeah?” he asks, arching a dark brow. That smile still on his face. It’s so bright it’s blinding. It
almost makes me forget all the shit he’s done to me. “Why do you say that?”
“’Cause I’ve known you for three weeks, and this is the first time I’ve ever seen you really smile.”
It drops off his face like he didn’t know it was there. And just like all the other times, he places
that mask on that hides him from the world. I knew he’d do that. But I wanted him to know that I
noticed it.
I wrap my arms around his neck and my legs around his hips. Letting him know his fuck you look
doesn’t intimidate me anymore.
I’ve got you, Cole Reynolds.
His hands are on the grass on either side of my head, holding himself up. “I’ll fight you, Cole. I’ll
play this game even though I don’t know what the hell I’m doing. But I dare you to smile for me. I
dare you to show me something that nobody else sees.”
 CHAPTER TWENTY
COLE

I STAND AT the clubhouse with my arms crossed over my chest and wearing a scowl on my face.
Her words from earlier in the cemetery gnaw at me. She fought. She showed me she has a little more
in her. But then she had to go and ruin it by pointing out that I was smiling. That I, for once, was
genuinely happy for a second. Nothing else mattered. It instantly pissed me off.
She’s getting to me. Not good.
I shouldn’t care. Actually, I should call the whole thing off. Call Bruce and tell him to send her ass
back to her mom’s. That would be the smart thing to do. She’s clouding my head, and I need to think
clearly. One fucking sentence was all it took to twist my mind. I dare you to show me something that
nobody else sees.
What the fuck is that? What does she want to see? There’s only me. The hate. The rage. The
fuckups. I’ve got nothing else to show.
Shane walks in and sits down on the couch next to Austin. She is texting on her phone. We haven’t
spoken since that moment in the cemetery three hours ago. After she dared me, I got up and walked
back to the house, leaving her lying on the ground. Then I got in my car and left. Shane sent a mass text
an hour later that we all needed to meet. I sent her a text to drive yourself. She didn’t respond, but I
knew she read it.
“Where the fuck is Deke?” I snap. The time he is spending with Becky is really getting annoying.
“On his way,” Kellan answers. I don’t miss his eyes gliding over Austin. She avoids looking in his
direction.
“Fuck! That man gets some pussy, and everything else goes to shit,” I snap.
Just then, the door opens and in he walks. A smile on his face and licking his lips as if they were
just between Becky’s legs. “Let’s get this over with.” He rubs his hands together. “I’ve got plans.”
Shane stands up and walks over to the table, not wasting another second. He places a laptop on it.
“Whose is this?” Bennett asks.
Shane smiles like a fucking idiot. “Jerrold’s.”
I stiffen. “What?”
He looks at me. “It was pretty awesome.” He turns and looks at Austin who still sits on the couch.
She’s smiling as if proud of herself. “We walked in. And no one even questioned us …” I fist my
hands. “She pushed her tits out and went into his office, asking about the bathroom. I’ve never seen a
guy move so fast. He took her down to the lower level to show her the nicest restrooms they had.” He
rolls his eyes. “And I slipped inside and stole his laptop. Then on the way out, I pulled the fire alarm
so it would take longer for him to notice it was missing …” He trails off. “Told you she’d be perfect,”
Shane says, looking over at Kellan. That smile still on his face. Those reservations he had last night
about her, long gone.
“Seriously?” Deke asks surprised “But how did you …?”
“How did she even know who he was? Or where he was?” Kellan snaps, interrupting him. “How
much have you fucking told her?”
I cross my arms over my chest.
 He growls. “Cole …”
I look at her, and she throws me a smile. Like I just got caught in some big lie. “That night we
killed Jeff. Remember when we heard something? It was her. She was there, and she watched us.” I
haven’t told them because they never asked about where she came from or how I found her.
“Jesus!”
“I blackmailed her.” I glare at Austin. “Had Deke call my cell with hers. I took the knife and cut
her arm.”
“Stitches …” Shane whispers to himself, starting to put two and two together.
“Then I took the knife and stabbed Jeff with it. Told her if she went to the cops, they could link her
to the body and she’d be a suspect.”
Bennett looks amused. Shane runs his hand through his hair nervously. Kellan looks pissed, and
Deke, he’s texting on his phone. “She sent me a video later that night of her burning the body.”
“What the fuck?” Kellan barks.
“Told me there was no evidence to pin her with. The following day, I took her to his work and
explained why we killed him.”
Deke smiles down at his phone but speaks to me. “Good one.”
“Why the fuck didn’t you tell us all this?” Kellan demands.
“I haven’t told anyone,” she snaps at him.
He turns to face her, and I bow my chest, ready for a fight. If he goes for her, I’m going to take him
down. “You need to leave,” he snaps.
She stands from the couch, her green eyes full of rage. She gives him a sinister smile, like this was
her plan all along, and then her eyes meet mine. “Gladly.” She turns and heads toward the door.
“Don’t you dare walk out that door!” I shout, and she stops. I look at the guys. “Everyone out
except Austin and Shane.”
“Cole …”
“Get the fuck out!”
They all look at one another for a long moment, and then their eyes go to her. She’s got her chin
lifted and a fuck you look in her eyes. One by one, they start to walk out, no one speaking.
Austin stays where she is at, and Shane comes to stand in front of me. “I didn’t know what she had
planned, man.”
She rolls her eyes at him ratting her out. But all of them will do that. They owe her no loyalty.
“Why did you go to him?” I ask her.
She doesn’t answer.
I turn to Shane again. He speaks without me having to ask twice. “She said she knew what it was
like to have a man put his hands on her and not be able to stop it …”
My eyes shoot to her, and she is drilling holes into his head.
“Stop.” I hold up my hand to cut off whatever else he was saying. I walk over to her. “Who has hit
you?” I demand. I can take a hit, she had said, but I never gave much thought to it. Not until now.
Her hard eyes meet mine. “This isn’t about me.”
“Bullshit!” I snap.
“I just wanted to help Eli’s sister.”
“She’s dead,” I snarl.
“Yes, I fucking know that.” Her voice grows louder.
I cup her cheek, softening my voice. “Who hit you?”
She flinches as if I slapped her and pulls away. “My life is none of your business.”
 My father said that her mother’s boyfriend was abusing her, but at the time, I thought he meant her
mom. It was her. “It was your mother’s boyfriend, right?” Her jaw sharpens, and her eyes dart to
Shane again. “Did she know he put his hands on you?” She looks away from me. “Did you tell
anyone?” I demand.
She looks back at me. “Like I told people about you?” she snaps. “You blackmailed me. Twice.”
“That is different.”
“How? You offered me up to Kellan. You allowed Deke to undo my pants.”
Shane’s eyes widen, but I ignore him. “I’m talking about him hitting you.” My eyes narrow on her.
“Has he touched you before?”
She bites her bottom lip and looks down at her black Chucks. “Austin? This is serious.”
She throws her head back laughing, but it’s forced. “What are you gonna do, Cole?” Her green eyes
meet mine again, and she spreads her arms out wide. “Gonna go to California and blackmail him?
Kill him?”
“So he has touched you?” I ask through gritted teeth.
She runs a hand through her hair. “I’m not gonna discuss this.”
“Yes, you are,” I snap.
She crosses her arms over her chest. “Talking about it doesn’t change it.”
“Did he rape you?” I demand.
Shane shuffles from foot to foot.
“No,” she answers, but that doesn’t ease the tightness in my stomach. “Look.” Her eyes meet mine.
“I thought we weren’t going to do this?”
I clench my fists. She’s right, but Bruce is just waiting for the first opportunity to ship her back. I
have a deal with him, but that doesn’t mean he won’t fuck me over at any given moment. “Just tell me
what he did.”
Her narrowed eyes go to Shane, and he looks away from her, feeling guilty for throwing her under
the bus. “No, Cole!” she snaps, her anger taking over. “This conversation is over!” She turns her back
to me and starts to walk toward the door.
“Austin!”
She spins around to face me, her long hair slapping her in the face while walking backward to the
door. “I’ll tell you what, Cole, when you feel like sharing your secrets with me, I’ll share mine with
you.” And with that, she spins back around and walks out, slamming the door shut.
Shane and I stand in the silence, and I fist my hands down by my side. I shouldn’t have made her
drive herself here. Then she wouldn’t have been able to leave.
I spin around and yank my shirt off, walking over to the punching bag. It’s my go-to when I need to
relieve some anger.
“I’m sorry, man,” Shane says, clearing his throat.
“Don’t repeat what you heard tonight,” I say before I start pounding the bag, imagining it’s her
mother’s boyfriend’s face, until my shoulder is screaming from the pain.

_______________

TUESDAY MORNING, I sit in fourth period as kids put their stuff in their bags. The bell getting ready to
ring, and I look over at her empty seat next to me. I didn’t get much sleep last night. I tossed and
turned and imagined her as a kid—what her mom’s boyfriend did to her—and it made me think of
Lilly. How evil this world is and how many men would take advantage of a little girl who couldn’t
defend herself. Who has no one to protect them. It made me furious. Austin is a perfect example of
that. I’ve been taking advantage of her ever since I laid eyes on her.
I got up and crawled in bed with Lilly. I held her close and kissed her hair. The thought of someone
hurting her makes me sick, but nobody cares what happens to Austin.
While I laid there trying to figure out how I can protect Lilly from evil, my mind went back to
Austin. I hate that she refused to tell me what her mother’s piece of shit boyfriend has done. How old
was she the first time he hit her? Touched her? Did her mother protect her?
I haven’t heard from her, but the urge to pick up my phone and text her has been strong.
The bell rings, and I walk down the hallway, into the cafeteria, and sit down at our usual table.
Becky comes in with Deke on her arm, and they laugh like they’ve got nothing but jokes to tell. For
the first time, I envy my best friend. He can turn it off like a switch. He can go from murderer to a
fucking comedian in an instant. Not me. I hate the world. I hate myself. And I hate Austin.
No, you don’t.
“What’s wrong, Cole?” Becky asks me.
“Nothing,” I growl.
Deke waves her off and chimes in. “He’s just pissy ’cause Austin isn’t here for him to hang all
over.”
Becky looks at me for a few seconds, her crystal blue eyes watching mine, and I look away.
Noticing the white walls and students walking in, I hear them talking about their nonexistent lives. I
feel her eyes on me, and I look back at her. Yep. Still staring. “Do you have something you want to
say?” I snap.
“Do you and Austin have plans this weekend?” she asks, ignoring my anger.
“Why would we have plans?”
“Because you guys are dating,” she says simply.
“Babe, I told you it’s not like that,” Deke says, shaking his head. Then he gets up to grab their
lunches.
She leans forward, and I hold in a sigh. “I see it written all over your face.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I’ve gone to school with you my entire life, Cole.” She lowers her voice. “I’ve seen you lose
people you love.” My fists clench. “And I’ve seen how you look at her. I’ve seen a change in you.” I
snort. “The other day, when she and I were standing outside the gym waiting for you guys to finish
your meeting …” She looks down at the table. “I asked her how she was doing. If she was okay. I felt
like something was wrong with her, but she blew me off and said she was just tired.” Her eyes meet
mine. That explains why Austin jumped out of the car and tried to walk home. Becky got to her. “She
lied, of course. I could ask you if you’re okay, and we both know you would lie too. But I know you
better. Known you longer. I’ve watched you lately, and although I think you have hurt her, I also think
you protect her.”
“Becky …”
“I see how you pull her tighter when Kellan walks into a room. And some would just chalk that up
to being possessive, but I think it’s more than that.”
“Like what?” I can’t help but ask.
“Even the devil catches feelings, or he wouldn’t go into rages. Even he knows how to love.”
“Stop! I don’t love her.” What the fuck? Has Deke warped her mind?
“Maybe not love. But I see the way you kiss her in class and in the halls. How you touch her, not
caring who is watching. I see the look in your eyes when she isn’t around and she consumes your
thoughts. It’s written all over your face. Like right now.”
“And?” I ask, wondering what she sees. If she can read me that well.
“And you’ve always been the kind of guy who would burn this town down if given a reason.” She
sits back in her seat, crossing her arms over her chest. She smiles at me. “And Austin is your reason.”

AUSTIN

I LIE ON the couch, watching a rerun of Gilmore Girls, when I hear the front door open and shut
and then Phillip’s voice. “Where is your mother?”
“How the hell should I know?”
He walks over to me and knocks my feet off the couch and plops down next to me. He leans into
me, grabbing my arm.
“Don’t touch me,” I snap, yanking out of his hold.
“Come on, Austin. You’re gonna miss me. I know I’m gonna miss you.”
I roll my eyes and stand, walking to my room because I know he’s drunk. Just as I shut my door,
it’s shoved open and hits the interior wall. I spin around before he throws me onto the bed. “Get
off me!” I shout.
“You know you want me, baby,” he growls.
I lift my knee between us and aim right for his balls. He cries out when I make contact. “Get off
me.” I shove him, and he hits the floor with a thud.
“Little bitch,” he growls.
“Honey?” I hear my mom call out to him, and the front door open and close. She enters my
room seconds later. Her green eyes narrow on me and then they go to Phillip. “What happened?”
She runs to him. “Did you do this to him?” she demands, helping him sit up.
I stand by my bed, my hands balled into fists and my body physically shaking.
“What did you do?” she yells at me as he gets up to his feet.
“I’m gonna teach you a lesson …” He comes for me, and I grab the lamp off my nightstand and
throw it, hitting him right in the face.
My mom cries out as he hits the floor once again. “Get the fuck out and don’t come back!” she
screams at me.
I grab my purse and phone, and jump out my window before it’s too late for me to get away.

That was the day before they shipped me off to Oregon. That was the most aggressive he had ever
gotten with me. I’m not sure how far he would have taken it, but I didn’t wait to see.
I went out and partied all night. It wasn’t hard to do since it was New Year’s Eve. I went to a party,
got wasted and smoked some weed. Then went home long enough the next afternoon to pack a couple
of bags and take a cab to the airport. My mother didn’t tell me bye, and she didn’t call. Not until days
later when she wanted to know if I had seen my father and could send her money.
They’ve been on my mind a lot since I walked out of the clubhouse last night. My conversation
with Cole keeps playing in my mind, and it’s driving me nuts. I can’t understand for the life of me why
he cares. Why he pretends. Why can’t we just decide we hate one another but want to fuck and leave
it at that? I hate that he had Deke record us, but I can’t be mad for what he said. Everyone there knew
what we were doing in that bathroom. And of course, I’ve done it multiple times with him since then.
And let’s not forget the fact that he touches me while at school. I kiss him. Fuck, the other day I
moaned while in the hallway between classes. He hasn’t forced me to do anything when it comes to
sex. I’ve done all that on my own.
He’s such a mystery. And that’s what draws me to him.
To be honest, I’m comfortable with the violence. I’ve seen it all my life. My mother has dated her
boyfriend for over fifteen years, but they never got married. It’s all him. She would have done it in a
heartbeat. He didn’t want to be tied to someone who had a kid. Another reason I think she always
tried to get rid of me.
In a way, Cole is like me. We both do what it takes to survive. We’re just fighting two completely
different battles.
But Cole has taught me that I can turn that pain into power. That I have the ability to stick up for
myself. Even if I fail every time I go up against him, he has a strange way of encouraging me. This is
just another level of hell, and I feel like I’m doing better at it.
I lean my head back, soaking up what little sun there is. Today is the first day of my three-day
suspension, and I chose to do nothing but hang out in the pool. Celeste had a date with some
girlfriends and asked me to join her, but I declined, wanting to spend it alone. Even though it is a
cloudy day. It’s Oregon, after all, and we’re right on the ocean. Gloomy seems to be the norm. But I
like it.
I’ve got a black bikini on that has silver hoops connecting the sides on the bottoms and straps for
the top. It’s going to give me terrible tan lines, but I’m not really concerned because I don’t think I’ll
get much with the clouds. Plus, I’m already pretty tan.
I hear the back door open, and I sigh. “Did you bring me leftovers?” I ask Celeste as I place my
hand down and run it through the water, turning around.
“I skipped lunch.”
“Cole?” I ask when I see him standing by the pool. Wearing a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt, he
has his hands in his front pockets. “What are you doing here?” I ask, my eyes darting to the door to
see if he came alone.
He walks over to the lounge chair and sits down. He bows his head and runs his hand through his
dark hair.
“Everything okay?” I ask, not expecting an answer.
He looks up at me. “I can’t … I can’t get you out of my mind,” he admits softly.
“What?”
“What you told me at the clubhouse last night. I can’t forget it.”
I sigh. “Cole, please—”
“Just hear me out,” he interrupts me.
I get off my raft and swim over to the edge, placing my forearms on the side. His blue eyes watch
every move I make, and I can’t decipher the look.
“I knew someone who was taken advantage of. She was strong, but I still saw it eat at her.” He
looks away from me. “I hated not being able to help her. To save her from the memories. And the
betrayal.” He swallows. “She was like you. Had no one.” His eyes come back to mine, and I try to
swallow the knot in my throat. “You know I would have never let Deke touch you, right?”
I look away from him because no, I didn’t know that. That night in the cemetery and then again at
the clubhouse—he never made a move to stop him.
“Kellan?” I can’t help but ask.
“I was testing him.”
“What does that mean?”
 He runs a hand through his hair. “He wants you, Austin.”
“Yeah, dead like the rest of you.” I snort.
“No. He wants between your legs, sweetheart. Deke was baiting him. I had to follow through.”
My eyes drop to my hands on the wet concrete, avoiding his gaze.
He sighs heavily, and I glance up at him. He’s staring down at me. “Just know, I wouldn’t let
anyone touch you, Austin. No one but me.” I’ve never seen his blue eyes so soft. And I hate that it
makes me feel warm inside as if someone actually wants to protect me. It’s crazy to think of Cole that
way. Maybe this is just another one of his games.
“I want you to tell me—”
“I don’t talk about it,” I interrupt him.
His jaw sharpens. “Why not?”
I laugh like that was funny. “Because no one ever cared,” I snap.
He gets up and walks over to me. Bending over, he grabs my hand and lifts it gently. I have no other
choice but to climb out of the pool as he pulls me up. He cups my face and pulls my body flush to his,
the water soaking his clothes instantly. “I care.”
“Why?” I ask nervously. “You’ve hurt me. I’m not gonna tell you something just for you to play
some sick game with me.”
“It’s not like that,” he growls.
“Then what’s it like, Cole? Because I’m getting a headache trying to figure it out,” I snap.
He takes a step back, running his hand through his spiked hair. His white t-shirt and jeans cling to
his body. “Just tell me one thing.”
“What?” I ask, rubbing my temples. Not lying about getting a headache.
“Your mother sent you here to protect you, right? So he couldn’t touch you?” His soft eyes meet
mine, and I can’t make myself hurt him. Not after what he told me about the friend he couldn’t help.
He didn’t have to say her name, but I know he was talking about Eli’s older sister.
“Yeah,” I say.
“Austin.” He grabs my arm and pulls me back into him. “You just lied to me.” His eyes narrow on
mine.
Teeth clenching, I argue. “No, I didn’t—”
“Stop lying!” he interrupts me. “And tell me the truth, Austin!”
My anger rises that he can read me so well. And now that he knows, he’s never going to give up.
Cole is relentless. He does whatever he needs to get what he wants. “The truth? The truth is that she
thought I dressed too provocatively around him. She didn’t like that I wore shorts in hundred-degree
weather, and that he would stare at me when I walked through a room. She didn’t like that my jeans
weren’t two sizes too big. She blamed me every time he touched me.” Angry tears sting my eyes. “She
blamed me when she found me cornered in the kitchen and his hand up my shirt,” I scream, shoving
him away. “She blamed me when she found him passed out drunk lying in my bed while I was out
with my friends.” He stares down at me, his blue eyes dark and jaw sharp. “Is that what you want?” I
shout and shove him again. “You wanna know that no matter what I did to stop him, it was never
enough for her?” I gasp for a breath. “She didn’t care that I didn’t come home. She didn’t want me
there anyway. That’s just what she wanted my father to believe. She didn’t care that I did drugs. She
was the one who gave them to me. And she didn’t fucking care one thing about me.” The first tear
falls down my cheek, and his blue eyes follow it.
He swallows. “Austin …”
“She didn’t care, Cole.” My voice cracks. “You were right. Is that what you want to hear?” I’m
shaking, hating to admit that to him. “She chose him over me.”
He steps into me and wraps his arms around my waist. I bury my head into his soaked chest and
bite my bottom lip to hold in a sob. To keep my emotions in check.
His arms tighten around me. “I’m sorry.” He breathes, kissing my hair.
The sincerity in his words makes me fail miserably. Fifteen years of silence rushes out like a dam
breaking. And of all people to tell, I tell the one guy who can use it against me. He didn’t deserve the
truth, but a part of me wanted someone to care for so long. Someone to tell me she was in the wrong.
And that I mattered.
 CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
COLE

SHE SOBS INTO my shirt, and I just stand here, holding her. Not knowing what the fuck to do for
her.
I’m at a loss for words. And I’ve never felt this way before. Just yesterday, I wanted to rip this girl
to pieces. But what I didn’t realize was that she is already ruined. She just hides it much better than I
ever could.
I bend down and slide an arm under her legs and pick her up. I sit down on the lounge chair, and
she curls up against my chest.
I look up at the cloudy sky, and my teeth clench. I don’t like situations I can’t control. And her
mother and boyfriend back in California is something I can’t do anything about. Same with Bruce.
What if he decides to say fuck our deal and send her back? What the hell do I do then? I can’t let her
go. Not back to those worthless pieces of shit.
She calms her breathing and shifts in my lap, sitting up. I reach up and wipe the tears away from
her face. And I feel guilty that I still find her gorgeous when she cries.
“You can go,” she says, standing up and dismissing me.
I grab her arm and stand as well. Cupping her face, I stare down into her watery eyes. I hold her
cheek, but she looks away from me, biting her bottom lip. You can see the shame written in her eyes.
She hates that she made herself look so weak in front of me. That I got her to break so easily.
I love it. Finally something that I can use to get close to her. To make her trust me more. Need me
more. No more of this back and forth shit. Even though I liked her fight, I like this more. Holding her.
No one has ever needed me before other than Lilly. And that’s a different kind of need.
But as her eyes come back up to mine, I realize that Becky was right. If she asked me to, I would
burn this town to the ground for her. No matter who is standing in my way.
I press my lips to hers, needing her as much as she needs someone to protect her from her mother
and the boyfriend.
And you.
I’m no better. I hurt her in other ways, and no matter how much I know it’s wrong, I can’t seem to
stop.
She parts her soft lips and I kiss her gently, tasting her tears once again and they make me hard. I
ignore my want to throw her to the lounge chair and rip off her bikini. Instead, I want to show her that
I can be better. That I can be the one to save her. Even if it’s a false sense of security. Because I’m not
the one who saves. I destroy.
She pulls away from me first. My hands drop to my sides, and she wraps her arms around her waist
as if she’s protecting herself from me. Her instincts tell her I’m no good. That I would be no different
from any other bastard who has hurt her. “Please go,” she says, averting her eyes.
For once, I do as she asks.

_______________
NOT GOING TO lie. Wednesday sucked not having her here at school with me. I like that I can kiss her
and touch her whenever I want, but I haven’t spoken to her. I still don’t know what to say. I know
better than anyone that words don’t change the past or heal the scars any faster. And I’ve never been
one for chitchat.
Thursday hasn’t been any different. The day has gone by agonizingly slow. It feels like six in the
evening, but it’s only lunchtime.
Deke is cramming food in his mouth like usual. Becky is scrolling through her phone, and I’m just
sitting here thinking about Austin. About how I could be taking advantage of her three-day suspension.
I could be in bed with her right now. Naked. My hands in her hair, her lips on mine. And the thought
makes me hard.
“Hey, Cole.” Kaitlin Milton plops down beside me. Head cheerleader. Also a pain in my ass.
“Excuse me?” Becky says, placing her phone down.
Kaitlin ignores her. “I was wondering if you’re free tonight,” she asks, running her fingers down
my arm.
“Excuse me!” Becky slaps her hands on the table and leans over it. “Just what the hell do you think
you’re doing?” she snaps.
Kaitlin throws her a hard look, tossing her red hair over her shoulder. “I wasn’t talking to you,
bitch.”
“Oh, that’s it …” She goes to crawl across the table, but Deke finally looks up from his food and
grabs her arm, pulling her back to her seat.
“Not interested,” I tell her, pulling away from her touch.
She looks back at me and giggles as if I just told a joke. “Come on, everyone knows that what’s
going on between you and that Ashley girl …”
“Austin!” Becky interrupts her.
“Whatever. Anyway, everyone knows it isn’t serious.” She rolls her brown eyes. “It’s just a dare.”
I stiffen, and Deke’s eyes narrow on her. We don’t make our dares public knowledge. If we wanted
them to know what we did, we would spray-paint our names after we completed each one. They
know we do them, but they think it’s some little bullshit we do to pass the time.
“Austin is not a dare!” Becky snaps.
Kaitlin rolls her eyes. “That’s not the word in the halls.”
“What are they saying?” Deke asks before I can.
“That one of you guys dared Cole to seduce her.” She smiles at me. “Of course, she fell for it. But
you get an entire month to play with her, so you might as well take advantage of it, right? Use her all
you can.” She rubs her hand on my thigh.
I wrap my hand around her wrist and yank it off. Her smile never falters.
“Who said that?” Becky growls.
“Bryan.”
Fucking Bryan!
“Well, it’s a lie,” she snaps.
“You, of all people, shouldn’t believe everything you hear. Oh, by the way, congratulations on the
baby,” I add, looking away from her.
Becky throws her head back, laughing. “I thought you had gained some weight.” She smirks, and
Kaitlin throws her a heated look. Then she gets up and storms away.

AUSTIN
IT WAS FINALLY Friday and time for me to go back to school. I woke up an hour earlier, got ready, and
drove myself to school. Cole had sent me a message last night that he had practice this afternoon and
wanted to know if I could pick up Lilly after school. Of course, I told him yes.
I didn’t see his car in the parking lot when I pulled up, so I figured he was running late getting Lilly
to school. I walk into first period and see Becky in the back in our usual seats.
I plop down beside her and take a deep breath. “Did you know that Deke was the one who
recorded Cole and me in the bathroom at the party?” I haven’t spoken to her since all that shit went
down at the clubhouse. One, because I haven’t really had the time. And two, because she’s so
wrapped up in Deke, it’s hard to get alone time with her, and I didn’t want to do this through text.
Her eyes widen. “What?”
I watch her features to see if I can tell if she’s surprised or faking it. “Deke admitted to it. And I
know you were standing there with us when Cole carried me away.”
She shakes her head quickly. “I swear I had no idea. When you guys left the kitchen, I went
outside.”
“But you spent the night with him that night.” When we got to school the next morning, she had
ridden with him.
She nods. “He found me right before we left. Came up and asked me if what he had heard was
true.”
“Which was?”
“If David and I had broken up.”
“David?”
She nods. “My ex. We were together for two years. He graduated last year, then dumped me over
Christmas break. No surprise there.” She rolls her eyes. “But no, I had no idea. I saw a video online,
and I tried to show it to you that next morning, but you didn’t want to see it.”
“But you knew Deke had posted it.”
She shakes her head quickly. “No. It wasn’t on Deke’s page. He must have sent it to someone else
to post. I’m sorry, Austin.”
I sit back in my seat. Of course not. Then I would know he was the one responsible. “It’s fine.”
Nothing I can do about it now.
“But there is something that you need to know.”
“What?” I ask with a sigh.
“Kaitlin sat down with us at lunch yesterday.”
“Who is Kaitlin?” I have no idea who anyone is here. I stick to myself. I don’t talk to any of the
kids in my classes. Cole is always with me in the halls and lunch. Everyone stays clear of us.
“She’s a fucking bitch. And she kept coming onto Cole.” My fists clench in my lap at the thought of
another girl throwing herself at him. I’ve never really thought about him and other girls, but she had
told me that he’s a manwhore. “But he totally blew her off.” I relax a little. “I was about to crawl
across the table and snap her neck. She’s thrown herself at every Great White Shark.” She shakes her
head. “And believe me, they’ve all had their turns, but each one threw her back when they were done
with her. That’s what you do with used-up garbage.”
I laugh.
“Anyway, she said that Bryan has started a rumor.”
I frown. “What kind of rumor?”
“That you were a dare.”
My heart starts to pound at those words. “What do you mean?” I never hear others at school talk
about the guys and their dares. I don’t know if they tell everyone about them or if they keep them
secret, but I don’t want others to think I do them too. People can’t keep their mouths shut, and if that is
the case, then I’ll be caught in no time.
“Bryan is saying that one of the guys dared Cole to seduce you and that he has a month to …”
My eyes narrow on her. “A month to what?”
“Play with you. Were her words.”

_______________

SECOND PERIOD, I walk in earlier than usual. I grabbed my books before first period so I wouldn’t have
to make the extra trip to my locker.
I’m pissed at Cole for what Bryan is saying. A part of me doesn’t want to believe I’m a dare, but
the other part says that is why he is so adamant about not leaving me alone.
I choose the chair in the back by the corner and sit down. The chairs to my right and in front of me
are both occupied. I smile, knowing he won’t be able to sit near me. It drops off the moment he walks
in. Dressed in a pair of blue jeans and his black zip-up hoodie, he demands attention. His dark hair is
looking freshly fucked, and I hate that my first thought is that Kaitlin did it. His blue eyes land on mine
like he knows where I am, and he walks toward me.
“Get up,” he orders the kid next to me. He grabs his books and scrambles away. “Hello,
sweetheart,” he says, sitting down.
I ignore him and look straight ahead.
He leans over his desk. “What’s wrong?”
I turn to face him, and my eyes narrow. “A month, huh?”
His dark brows pull together as if he’s confused. I don’t elaborate. He can figure it out himself.
He goes to open his mouth, but the teacher gets our attention. She writes an assignment on the board
before she excuses herself from the classroom. I pull out my pencil, a piece of paper, and the
textbook. I start to read when the book is snatched off my desk. I look up to see Cole slamming it to
the floor. All the kids turn around to look over at us as the sound bounces off the walls. I ignore them.
His hard blue eyes are glaring at me.
He figured it out. Good for him.
“Mature,” I snap, leaning down to grab it, but he kicks it out of the way. “Cole ...”
“You don’t really believe that shit, do you?” he snaps.
“Why wouldn’t I?” I demand. “It makes perfect sense all of a sudden. I don’t know why I didn’t
think of it before.”
He gives a rough laugh. “Maybe because it’s not true.”
I snort. “Like I believe you.”
“Austin,” he growls my name.
The kids are all still turned around facing us as we argue in the corner. Their eyes going back and
forth between us. A few even have their phones out, and you can hear their fingers typing away.
“Cole,” I challenge.
He leans over, his face inches from mine. “We haven’t done a dare without you being present since
I caught you that night in the cemetery.”
I glare at him. “Bullshit.”
He smiles, and it’s wicked. “Do you not remember what just went down the other night at the
clubhouse? They didn’t even know how I knew you. Let alone dare me to fuck you, sweetheart.” And
with that, he sits back in his seat and opens his book.
I continue glaring, hating that he is right. I hadn’t thought of that. They had no clue he had
blackmailed me. Well, Deke did. But as far as I’m aware, one can’t dare another without the others
present. They have to draw for them.
I look at the guy sitting in front of Cole. His wide brown eyes are on me. “Will you hand me my
book?” I ask. His eyes dart to Cole who still stares down at his. “Please,” I growl. Cole had kicked it
over under that boy’s desk.
His eyes go back to mine, and then he spins around, facing forward, giving me his back. Ignoring
me. All because he’s afraid to help me out due to Cole. “Good grief,” I growl as I shove out of my
desk and go over to his. Bending down, I pick it up, and Cole slaps me on the ass.
I spin around to glare down at him, and he’s giving me a smirk. “Bastard,” I hiss.
 CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
COLE

COME LUNCHTIME, SHE’S still mad at me. And I love that she doesn’t even try to hide it. It turns
me on.
I sit across from her, next to Deke, and she seemed surprised. I had a reason for it.
“So how were your three days off school?” Deke asks her.
“Awesome. I didn’t do shit,” she says, dipping the fry into ketchup and smiling. Becky laughs.
Deke looks at me, and I give him a simple nod.
He smiles and dusts off his hands then grabs his phone. “Hey, girls. Smile.” He holds up his phone,
and like the girls they are, they lean into one another and smile as he snaps their picture. “Perfect,” he
says and then starts typing away on it.
“What are you doing, babe?” Becky asks him.
He waits until after he’s done before he answers. “Just posted your guys’ picture.”
Her phone buzzes on the table.
“We’re throwing you a party,” I tell Austin.
She was picking up her drink but stops at my words. Her eyes narrow on me with suspicion, then
dart to Deke. “Why?”
“Because you earned it,” he says simply.
“What did I do to earn a party?” she asks slowly.
“Who the hell cares?” Becky asks excitedly.
The bell rings, and they get up to throw away their trash, and I turn to Deke. “Who did you invite?”
He smiles. “Everyone.”
I walk out into the hall, and I find her and Becky by their locker. “I’ll pick you up at ten,” I tell her.
“It’s tonight?”
I nod.
She blows a long breath out. “Where is it?”
“The beach,” Becky answers, already checking her Facebook.
“It’ll be cold.” Austin frowns.
Becky just laughs and walks off to class. Austin looks up at me. “You’re up to something.”
I lean down and kiss her neck. “Aren’t I always?”
“Cole,” she whispers and pushes me away. I go willingly and look down at her. “Please don’t
embarrass me.”
I frown. “What? Why would you think …?”
“You have a tendency to prove you’re right, and I …” She looks away from me and lets out a long
breath. “Never mind.”
She turns to walk away, but I grab her arm and pull her to a stop. “What?”
“After the other day … what I told you …” She sighs heavily. “I get it,” she says softly. “You guys
run this school. This town.” Her eyes meet mine. “But you …” She pauses again, and I search her
eyes, waiting to see angry tears, but instead, I see nothing but sadness. And I don’t like it. I hate Bruce
Lowes even more for allowing her mother and boyfriend to treat her the way they did. “That night in
my bedroom, you told me that you could make me nothing. But what you didn’t know is that I’ve
always been nothing. But here”—she holds her hands out wide—“you’re something, and no matter
how hard I try to hide in the dark, you pull me into the spotlight. And that’s not where I belong.” With
that, she walks off down the hall, holding her books to her chest.
I walk into fifth period and sit down next to Deke. “Are you friends with Austin on social media?”
He snorts. “She won’t add me. I know she saw my request.”
“Shit!” I hiss sitting back in my seat.
“Why?” he asks.
“I wanna see her page.”
He laughs. “Well, I can make that happen. Hang on.” He leans forward and grips Becky’s shoulder.
“Let me see your phone, babe.”
“Why?” she asks.
He rolls his eyes. “It doesn’t fucking matter why. Just give it to me,” Deke orders.
She huffs but passes it back to him. He presses some buttons and then hands it to me.
“How do I look at pictures?” I ask.
She says she was nothing. Somehow, I don’t believe that. Her mother and boyfriend probably just
made her feel that way.
“Here you go. Just scroll to the side,” he instructs me.
I come to a picture of her and a guy. He’s about her height and tattoos come up from underneath his
shirt and stop at his jawline. He’s got big black gauges in his ears. His right arm is over her
shoulders, and she’s looking at him like she loves him. I’ve never seen that look on her face before.
“Who the hell is that?” Deke asks.
“I don’t know,” I growl.
“Oh, that’s Martin,” Becky says, looking down at it now.
“Who the hell is Martin?” Deke growls.
“Her ex,” she answers.
I never thought that she may not be available. The thought never crossed my mind. Just like Celeste
said, I always get what I want. Boyfriend be damned. But it’s nice to know that I don’t have to take
her from him. Makes this easier for me.
“Were they serious?” Deke asks Becky.
“She doesn’t talk about California much, so I don’t think so. I just know they were together because
of the pics she has of him on there.”
Deke yanks the phone from my hands, and I lean over in my desk as he brings another picture up.
It’s of her standing in a living room. She wears a black leather mini-skirt and black fitted top. Another
brunette her age stands to her left. A man behind her. He looks a lot older. He has a cigarette between
his lips, and his eyes are right on her ass. I know exactly who it is. Her mom’s boyfriend.
“Next,” I order.
Deke moves on to another one of her, and it looks to be inside a club. There’s neon lights, and she
has her head thrown back, that guy with the tats has his head buried in her neck, his hands gripping her
ass.
“Next,” I growl.
This one is of her on the beach. She has her brown hair up and big glasses on her face. She is
wearing a white bikini, and that guy is there with her again. But only this time he is holding her up.
Her legs are wrapped around his waist, his arms around hers, and her head is bent down as she kisses
him. You can see the tattoo on her side.
 “Fuck, man. She has a tat? That’s hot,” Deke says with a nod. I glare at him.
Becky’s phone vibrates in his hands, and he exits out of her pictures.
“Wait …” I reach for it, but he pulls it away.
“Hang on, I’ll go back.” He presses some more buttons then holds it up to me, but I don’t know
what I’m looking at. I don’t do this social media shit. “Look at this shit,” he says.
“What?” I ask, needing him to point it out to me.
“I posted that pic of the girls and tagged Becky. She then tagged Austin in it,” Deke explains.
I still don’t get it. “Meaning …?”
“Meaning that their friends see the post I made. And look who commented.” He holds Becky’s
phone closer to my face.
Hey Austin. Looking better than ever. I sure miss hitting that ass.
My anger rises, and I fist my hands. “Who is that?” I demand.
“It’s him,” he answers. “The guy in the pictures with her.”
I sit back in my seat. I sure miss hitting that ass? I’ll be sure to tell her that tonight when I’m
buried between those sweet legs.
“I deleted the comment,” Deke announces, but I ignore him. “She needs to delete those pictures of
him and her kissing now that she’s with you, man.” He hands Becky her phone back and growls. “Text
Austin and tell her to delete those pics of her ex off social media.”
Becky lets out a sigh but starts to type away on her phone. It dings immediately with a response.
“She said she will when Cole gets a social media page.” Then she gives us her back, laughing at the
thought of me ever doing that.
Deke looks at me. “You know what you gotta do.”
I smile. She’s calling my bluff. Just wait and see, Austin.
I’ve never wanted a woman to myself. Didn’t want to deal with the drama and bullshit. Looks like I
don’t do well with competition either.
I was already nothing.
Well, Austin Lowes, I’m about to make you something. Completely fucking mine! And the world is
going to know it.

AUSTIN

I PACE INSIDE my closet while Becky stands in front of me, staring at my clothes.
“I don’t know what to wear,” I tell her for the third time.
I called her in a panic. I may have lived in California, but the only time I went to the beach was to
swim in the ocean. Not party on it.
“Do I wear boots?” I ask. “Like you can’t wear heels unless you plan on carrying them. And then
what’s the point in that? I could wear tennis shoes but those aren’t sexy for a party.”
She laughs. “You can wear boots. The beach will be sandy and rocky but since it rains so much, it
will be packed down somewhat.” Looking down at her phone, she starts typing out a message. “Deke
and Cole are on their way over.”
“Both of them? Why?”
“I called Deke on my way here, and he said they would just come pick us up.” She looks up from
her phone. “And by the way, my parents think I’m staying with you tonight.” Her eyebrows wiggle,
and I laugh.
“Now let’s get you dressed. The guys will be here soon.”
 Twenty minutes later, I’m in my bathroom just finishing up my lipstick when I hear my bedroom
door open. “I don’t know what time I’ll be home. But I don’t expect to be out too late,” I holler,
knowing it’s Celeste.
“You’re not coming home at all.”
I spin around to see Cole leaning up against the doorframe to my bathroom. “What are you doing up
here?” I ask.
He crosses his arms over his chest as his eyes scan over my black sweater and red skinny jeans
with my black knee-high boots. When they meet mine, he pushes off the doorframe and walks toward
me.
I take a step back, but the countertop stops me. He looks angry. His usual mask is in place, and his
eyes are dark. His right hand slides into my hair, tilting my head back. “Cole …” His lips are on mine
before I can say anything else.
I melt into him just like all the other times. My knees buckle when he deepens the kiss, demanding
my breath. His tongue dances with mine, and I moan into his mouth. He presses his hips against mine,
and I can feel he’s already hard.
“Screw the party,” I whisper when he pulls away.
He runs his hand through my hair. “As much as I’d like to do that, we can’t let Deke down.”
“Deke?”
Cole nods once. “He wanted to throw you this party.”
“Now, I’m really nervous.” I laugh.
“Don’t be.” He kisses my lips softly as if he can’t get enough. Or it’s all part of his game. At this
point, I can’t tell the difference anymore. And that’s not good. “Don’t tell Deke this, but he’s
harmless.”
“I watched him help you kill someone,” I remind him.
“Yeah.” He smiles as if he’s remembering that night fondly. “But he would never hurt you.” I raise
an eyebrow. He chuckles, that anger in his eyes fading a little. “If he didn’t have me to beat his ass,
Becky would do it. I didn’t realize she was so feisty until yesterday at lunch.”
I laugh. “Come on. Let’s go. If we don’t hurry, Becky and Deke may already be naked in the car.”
“Pack a bag real quick.”
I stop and turn back to face him. “That’s not a good idea, Cole.”
His eyes narrow, that anger returning so easily at my denial. “Pack. A. Bag.” He orders this time.
I place my hands on my hips, refusing to back down to him. “I’m not staying at your father’s
house.”
A smile spreads across his face. It’s not friendly. “Who said we were staying at my father’s
house?”

_______________

“WHAT THE HELL?” I ask as Deke pulls up to the beach. Cars are on the sand, well those who drive
lifted trucks and Jeeps. There’s a bonfire. Kegs line the shore, and white folding tables hold liquor
bottles and Solo cups. Kids of all ages litter the sand. Some I recognize from school, but others I
don’t. “How did you pull this off?” I ask.
“Magic,” Cole answers.
Deke scoffs. “Please. This isn’t magic. This is all me, baby.” I roll my eyes, but Becky laughs at
him while we get out.
“Stay close to me,” Cole orders.
“Where would I go?” I ask.
He grabs my hand and pulls me along with him. A Jeep missing its top and doors is parked on the
sand, and it has speakers all inside it blasting out “Feel Invincible” by Skillet.
We make our way over to a white table, and Cole lets go of my hand to start making us drinks.
“Isn’t this awesome?” Becky squeals, grabbing my arm.
I nod. “Deke outdid himself,” I say, eyeing him. He sees me staring and winks at me. I narrow my
eyes, and he laughs.
They’re up to something. What the hell is it?
“Here,” Cole says, turning back to face me and handing me a Solo cup. I take a sip and frown,
looking up at him. “There’s hardly any alcohol in this.”
“There’s enough.”
“Where’s yours?” I ask, noticing his hands are empty now.
“I’m fine,” he says; his answer clipped.
I open my mouth to argue but shut it when I see Shane approach us. His eyes meet mine, and then he
looks away quickly. I want to throw my drink on him for ratting me out. But what did I expect? Once
again, it was my fault to trust him. To trust any of them.
Deke and Cole walk over to Shane and turn their backs to us. I spin around and grab a bottle of
vodka and pour it into my cup. “Want some more?” I ask, holding it up to Becky.
She shakes her head. “Deke made mine strong.”
I set it down and take a drink. “Much better.” Leaning up against the table, I look over at Cole. He
has his hair spiked and looking like every bit a disheveled mess. He wears a pair of blue jeans, tennis
shoes, and his black zip-up hoodie.
“He doesn’t drink.”
“What?” I ask, turning to look over at Becky.
“You had asked him where his drink was.” She nods to Cole as he stands with his friends. His
arms are crossed over his chest. Shane and Deke both drink from Solo cups. “Well, he does but only
when he has parties at his house,” she says, before taking a drink of hers. “If he goes to a party that
isn’t at his dad’s, then he doesn’t drink.”
“He had a shot that one night we were at that party they showed up at.”
She nods. “One shot. You won’t see him have more than that.”
That surprises me. “Why not?” I ask.
“The night Maddox, Landen, and Eli died, they had all been drinking at a party. Cole was driving
them when he wrecked.”
My brows shoot up. No one ever talks about what happened to his friends. It’s like the ghost
everyone can’t see, but you know it’s there. Jeff said he killed his friends, and Shelby told me it was a
car wreck, but that’s as much as I know.
“What happened?” I ask, looking to see that he and Shane are still talking to Deke, but now Bennett
has joined them.
“The brakes went out, and the car rolled. They were all thrown out.”
I take a sip. “Did Cole get in trouble?”
She shakes her head. “His dad has money. He’d just paid for the police academy’s new training
facility before the accident. He got a slap on the wrist.” She lowers her voice. “It caused a lot of
tension between him and Kellan.”
 I frown. “Why Kellan?”
“The other guys understood what happened was an accident and could have happened to any of
them. They were all out of control, but Kellan blamed him. Still does. Maddox was Kellan’s cousin.”
“Oh,” I say.
She nods quickly before taking another drink. “But I feel sorry for Cole.” She looks over at him
and sighs. “What happened was an accident. Hell, I’ve gone to parties and drove home drunk before.
Not responsible, but I get it. He blames himself, and anyone who knows him can see it eats him alive.
He and Eli were the closest, and he died in his arms.”
“What?” I breathe.
“Lauren James, a sophomore, her dad is a paramedic, and she said that he told her when they
pulled up to the scene, Cole was sitting in the ditch with Eli in his arms. Dead.”
I look over at him and see he has turned and now faces our direction. His eyes are on the sand,
hands now in the front pockets of his jeans, and he nods his head as Shane speaks to them. And I
remember what he said to Jeff that night in the cemetery.

Give me what I deserve! Why don’t you get your sorry ass up and hit me? Why don’t you be a
fucking man and fight me.

He wanted a fight. Needed it. I didn’t understand then, but I do now. He lifts his head, and his eyes
land on mine. I stare back without blinking, just taking in the color of his dark blue eyes. They’re just
like the sky—always clouded. And I can’t imagine what he went through losing three friends and
living with that guilt. It would destroy a weak person.
 CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
COLE

“COLE?”
I look away from Austin first to glare at Shane. “What?”
“Did you hear anything I just said?’
“Yes.”
“Then what did I say?” he questions with an arch of his brow.
“That you didn’t find much on the laptop.”
Deke shakes his head. “I thought for sure we could use something on there.”
“Well, there is some stuff. He’s got accounts we can drain.”
“He’s still looking for him,” Bennett chimes in.
I snort. “He won’t give up because without Jeff, the business will plummet.”
“Do you think he suspects us?” Shane asks.
I shake my head. “We made sure to cover our tracks. Why would he?”
He runs a hand through his hair. “Because we are the only ones who knew what he really did to
Aimee.”
“He has no proof that we knew,” I argue.
“What if he found the cameras?” Shane continues.
“You’re reaching,” I growl, tired of talking about this shit.
“I’m trying to think of every angle so if something comes back to bite us in the ass, I can cover it,”
he snaps.
I turn and step up to him, my chest bumping his. “Drop it, Shane. You’re making a problem where
there’s not one.”
His brown eyes narrow on mine. “No, you made a problem when you decided to continue what Eli
had started.”
“We all moved forward,” Deke corrects him.
“I owed him that.” My hands clench. “I …” A hand lands on my arm, and I jump back in surprise.
Looking over, I see Austin standing beside me, her green eyes full of worry as they search mine. Her
hand runs down my arm, and she unclenches my fist, then laces her fingers with mine.
“Hey, babe,” Deke says, lightening the mood by pulling Becky in for a kiss.
“Everything okay?” Austin asks softly, still searching my eyes.
I put that mask over my face that I learned to do so long ago. Who knew it would become useful the
older I got. “Fine.” I release her hand and drape my arm over her shoulders, pulling her close to me.
“So …” She looks at Deke. “Why a party?’
He smiles at her warmly, and she eyes him skeptically. She doesn’t trust him. I told her earlier at
her house that he was harmless, and he is. As long as you stay out of his way. He never doubted me
for a second when I told him what I wanted to do to Jeff. I’ve never questioned his loyalty and the
need for revenge. He was best friends with Eli, too, along with Maddox and Landen. But with Austin
—he would have killed her without thought that night in the cemetery had I not stopped him. He may
fuck with her here and there now, but he would never put his hands on her because he knows she
belongs to me. I decide her fate. If I told him to kill her, he would. If I told him to protect her with his
life, he would. And I would do the same for him. That’s what a brother does. They have your back.
No matter what.
“Because you completed your first dare. And I’m not gonna lie; you impressed me. Just like I knew
you would.” He takes Becky’s cup and places it in his empty one, tilting it to me. “He doubted your
potential.” Then he takes a drink. “I did not.”
She scoffs. “I’m insulted.”
Everyone laughs, including me. I lean down and kiss her hair, letting everyone out here know she’s
still mine. For those who are here and don’t already know. “I was impressed. Pissed, but impressed
nonetheless.”
“Yeah, pulling that fire alarm was not the smartest move.” Bennett laughs.
She shrugs awkwardly with my arm over her shoulders. “My only option was to do it during the
day while he was at work.”
“And you took my car. I’m keeping my keys on me at all times from now on.”
“If you would let me drive myself, I wouldn’t have had to take yours.”
“Not gonna happen, sweetheart.”

_______________

WE’VE BEEN OUT here on the beach for two hours now. The guys and I stand by the bonfire. People
litter the beach—some stumbling and some already passed out up by the tree line. No one talks to me
because they know unless they’re my friends, I have nothing to say to them. Deke is a social butterfly
online, but he, too, keeps to himself at school. Bennett and Shane are friends with everyone. Kellan
stays to himself. He’s only been this way for the past six months. I think some of that had to do with
the wreck. The other, with Celeste.
I look over my shoulder to see Austin and Becky standing by one of the folding tables, and Austin’s
pouring herself another drink. It’s her fourth. I’ve kept count. And I also know that she keeps adding
alcohol to the ones I’ve made her.
“I thought Kellan would come out tonight,” Shane says, getting my attention.
I knew he wouldn’t show up. I bet my ass he’s at Bruce’s house fucking Celeste. Bruce is out of
town, and Austin is here. That’s what I would do, if I was him. “Maybe he didn’t feel like getting his
ass kicked tonight,” I offer.
Shane sighs but doesn’t say anything. He knows I’m not in the mood to be tested.
“I said stop!”
I spin around at the sound of Austin’s voice. Their backs are to us as they face a guy. A guy who I
fucking hate—Bryan!
“Go away, Bryan,” Becky snaps, and then she shoves him.
The girls spin around and start to walk toward us, and I don’t miss the way they link their arms
together and stumble. They’re drunk.
All four of us reach them before they can even take another step.
He and his friend Christopher laugh.
“What the fuck was that about?” Deke demands, looking down at Becky.
Before she can answer, Bryan and Christopher join us. “Hey, Austin?” he looks at her, and her
green, glassy eyes are narrowed on him. “Bryan dared me to fuck you.” He looks her up and down,
smiling like the drunk he is. “Where do you want it …?”
My fist connecting with his face interrupts whatever he was about to say.
“Dude!” Bryan calls out, jumping back while Chris falls to the sand.
“You dared him to fuck her?” I shout at him.
He places his hands up in front of him and flinches. I wrap my hands around his wrists and yank
him forward. Once his chest bumps mine, I head-butt him. He falls next to Christopher, and they both
roll around moaning.
“Get your ass up,” I order, already feeling that adrenaline that comes with a fight. My head pounds,
and I clench and unclench my throbbing fist.
“Cole?” Austin calls from behind me. I spin around to face her. Those green eyes are now wide
with fear. She looks at the guys on the ground for a second and then at me. “Let’s just go.”
“Not yet.” I look at Shane. “Take the girls to Deke’s SUV.”
“No. Cole …” Bennett grabs Austin’s arm and pulls her away as Becky clings to Deke. He shoves
her off to Shane, and she fights him as he takes her to Deke’s Range Rover.
Kids start to circle us, and I remove my black zip-up hoodie but leave my shirt on. Deke comes up
beside me, and we turn around to look down at the bastards. “I’ll take Christopher,” he says.
“I got Bryan.” At the mention of his name, Bryan gets up on his hands and knees, trying to crawl
away. I grab his ankle and yank, flipping him onto his back. I stand over him, reminding myself that I
can’t kill him here with all the witnesses, and of course, they all have their phones out recording us.
“It was just a joke,” Bryan says as blood runs down his face. He jumps to his feet, lifting his hands.
Deke is already on top of Christopher, beating the hell out of him. I’m going to take my time with
Bryan. He deserves that.
“Fucking with what is mine is no joke,” I tell him.
“Cole …” He growls my name as if his tone is going to get me to back down. I’ve beat his ass
before, so you would think the bastard would have learned his lesson.
I lift my fisted hands and smile at him. “I’m gonna kick your ass, Bryan.” He swallows nervously.
“I dare you to fight back.”

AUSTIN

BECKY AND I sit in the back seat of Deke’s Range Rover when we see the guys walking toward us. She
opens the door and runs to him. I get out a little slower, knowing Cole and I aren’t like her and Deke.
“Baby,” she cries out, placing her hand on his face. He has a cut across his cheek, and his shirt is
stretched out at the collar, but that’s all.
“I’m fine,” he assures her.
Cole’s eyes meet mine, and I glare at him. He ignores me as he climbs into the driver’s seat. I jump
into the passenger side as Deke and Becky climb in behind us. They start panting as she crawls into
his lap and straddles him while they make out.
I look straight ahead, trying to sober up. I drank too much. I added extra alcohol to every drink he
made me plus took a few shots when he wasn’t looking. Now I’m regretting it.
I look at Cole’s hands as they grip the steering wheel. The skin broken and blood smeared on them.
His black hoodie sits in his lap so I can see his toned forearms are also covered in blood.
“Did you kill him?” I can’t help but ask.
“What do you care?” he replies; his answer clipped.
“Why are you mad at me?” I demand.
 He takes a quick look over at me. His eyes run over me before they go back to the dark road.
“It’s not my fault.” His hands fist the wheel, tightening his bloody knuckles. “I didn’t do anything
…”
“I know,” he snaps. “I didn’t say you fucking did!”
“Then why the hell are you acting like it?”
Becky moans, and I don’t dare look in the back seat, afraid her jeans may be off.
“Just stop it,” he snaps.
“No. I won’t.” I turn in my seat, the seat belt making it hard, but I yank on it, giving me some slack.
“Why did you hit him?” He ignores me as he drives down the dark, two-lane road. “Because you
needed the fight?”
“Don’t,” he growls.
“I may be a little drunk—”
“That’s an understatement.”
“But I saw you. You were pissed off before we ever got there. You were looking for a fight.”
“Shut up, Austin.”
“No, I wanna know why—”
“Because I’m not gonna let some punk-ass bitch speak to you like that,” he shouts, interrupting me
once again.
“Like you speak to me any better?” I snap. “I may not be a dare, but I am just a fucking game.”
“What you are doesn’t matter,” he says simply.
I hear Becky gasp. “Cole …”
Her words are cut off, and I take a quick look to see Deke has his hand over her mouth and his lips
by her ear. She still straddles him, but they’re both clothed. He pulls his hands away, and her
narrowed eyes go to Cole.
I look back at him as well. “If I don’t fucking matter, then why didn’t you just let him fuck me?”
He pulls the car over to the side of the road and slams on the brakes. My hand goes to the dash
while my seat belt locks up.
He turns to face me. Those clouds rolling in his blue eyes. “If that’s what you want, then go ahead.”
He shrugs carelessly. “Walk back to him and kiss his wounds, Austin. ’Cause I fucked him up good.”
Then he gets out, slamming the door behind him.
 CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
COLE

I WALK AWAY from the SUV, not really knowing what I’m doing but needing a moment. Needing a
fucking minute to think without her voice in my head. Her words choke me. She’s still there. Ever
since Monday night when I pinned her down in the cemetery and told her to fight me. Her words did
more damage than her body could have ever done to me.
And what she told me about her mom and her boyfriend? Those words play over and over. Her
words make me angry. Remembering those tears makes me hard.
It’s no secret I love a fight. But to fight over a girl? Never happened before except when we threw
her that party at my house. I fought Bryan because he put his hands on her. And then he went and dared
his friend to fuck her.
I beat his ass. Just as Deke beat Christopher’s. But everyone knows why Deke did what he did.
He’s falling for Becky. It’s getting serious. He is completely fucking obsessed with her. I’m just
fucking Austin because I can. I’m just using her because it’s convenient and pisses her father off. I’m
going to make that motherfucker pay in every way I can think of. And Austin ups the ante. Mine to
control. Mine to fuck. And mine to use.
You say that, but she is in your head.
I’m starting to care. Even I can’t lie to myself about that. Because if I didn’t, I would have already
called Bruce and told him to fuck our deal. But I can’t send her back. I won’t send her back. She’s
mine. She belongs here with me.
I hear the door open to the Range Rover behind me, but I ignore it. The road starts to curve, and as
I round it, I come to a stop once I realize where I’m at.
Skid marks cut through the double yellow lines and three, white wooden crosses stand over in the
ditch. Each name written vertically—Maddox, Landen, and Eli.
And just like that, I’m pulled back to that night six months ago.

“Please … Cole. Aimee needs you …”

“She has you,” I say, falling beside him in the ditch once again. They’re dead. Maddox still lies
in the street, and I found Landen over behind the car. They’re both dead! I can’t lose him too.
His hands grip my bloody shirt. “You have to help her. Save her.” Tears roll down his face, and I
can’t hold mine back.
There’s a knot in my throat, and I nod my head quickly.
“Promise … me.”
“I promise.”

I stare at the three crosses, my breath caught in my throat. And my chest is tight. I imagine mine
being next to his. Where it deserves to be. I couldn’t save him. I couldn’t save Aimee. And I sure as
hell couldn’t save my mother.
I’m fucking useless!
“Cole?”
 I close my eyes when I hear her call my name.
Fuck! I fist my cracked knuckles. She’s another reminder that I fuck up everything I touch. I once
told her that I love to destroy pretty, innocent things. And that was the truth. To me, things are more
beautiful broken. Anyone can love something that is pure and whole—perfect. But destroy something,
then stand back and see how many people give it the time of day. Or how many will take the time to
help it heal. No one will. I know from experience. I’ve seen it. I’ve lived it. I want to do that to her. I
don’t want anyone to want her when I’m finished with her. I want to ruin Austin Lowes. More than she
already is.
“What are you …?” Her voice trails off, and I feel her come to stand next to me. Her arm brushing
mine.
I don’t open my eyes. I don’t dare look at her.
“Let’s go,” I manage to grind out and spin around, once again keeping my back to her. I make my
way to the SUV and climb in. I look in the back seat and see Deke sitting up against the window with
Becky’s head in his lap. She’s passed out asleep. His eyes go from mine to the windshield, and he
swallows. He knows where we are. He helped me place those crosses there. The door opens, and
Austin gets in without saying a word. I put the SUV in drive and pull back onto the road.

AUSTIN

IF YOU HAD asked me three weeks ago what I thought of Cole Reynolds, I would have told you that I
thought he was the devil himself! I hated him with every part of me.
If you asked me now, I would say that from what I have seen, he was dealt a shitty hand. His
mother died. He raises his little sister. And he lost three best friends from a mistake he made.
I could feel his sadness when I stood beside him and stared at the three crosses. It took me a
second for my drunk eyes to understand what I was looking at, but when it hit me, it took my breath
away. He stood there and stared at the road like it was happening all over again. I felt his pain, and it
was crippling.
I wanted to ask him about it. To know what happened. What he saw. Is that what made him so angry
with the world? Did he try to save them and just not succeed? Becky said that the EMT found Cole
sitting in the ditch with Eli in his arms. What were their last words? Did they get any? Did he die on
impact? How did the other three die but Cole not? I’m sure that’s a question he asks himself all the
time. I know I would.
Cole gets my attention as he pulls up to a gated community. He presses a device on the visor, and
the gate opens. He pulls in and passes house after house that looks bigger than my father’s mansion.
They sit back off the two-lane road, hidden behind rows of trees. He slows down and pulls into a
driveway.
“Just stop here,” Deke says from the back seat.
Cole doesn’t question him. He brings the SUV to a stop, and Deke speaks. “Just bring me the car
tomorrow.”
I turn around to watch him pull a sleeping Becky in his arms, and then he gets out and starts to walk
down the long driveway with her in his arms.
Cole places his hand on my seat and looks back over his shoulder, ignoring the backup camera as
he backs out. And then takes off down the street.
I bury my face in my hands and cover up a yawn. I’m tired. I’m drunk, and I’m so pissed at myself
because a part of me feels like I shouldn’t be mad at Cole. That was the second time he’s taken up for
me and beat someone’s ass when they disrespected me. But another part of me wants to say It’s your
fucking fault. You put me in those positions.
But that wouldn’t do us any good.
I lean my head back against the head rest and close my eyes. I feel his eyes on me, but I refuse to
open them. He hasn’t spoken to me, and I have so much to say to him that if I even open my mouth to
try, I’ll probably regret it. But then again, I’ve never been one to bite my tongue.
 CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
COLE

WE ENTER THE clubhouse, and I walk past her over to the stairs. I take them two at a time and
turn on the light once I hit the landing. A big wooden log bed sits in the middle of the area. And that’s
it. No TV, no dressers, no nightstands. There’s a door to my right leading to the full bath.
She comes to the top of the stairs and looks around as I drop her bag. She hasn’t spoken since we
stood in the middle of the road, but I know she wants to.
And now that my anger has died down, I hate that I told her to go fuck Bryan. The words tasted like
shit. The thought of him sleeping with her makes my stomach knot.
“Cole—”
“Stop,” I interrupt her.
Her eyes narrow on me. I step to her. “Just stop talking,” I say, placing my hand in her hair. Her
heavy eyes close, and she lets out a sigh. She’s drunk. And probably still pissed at me. Possibly tired.
But I don’t fucking care.
I want her!
I lean down and press my lips to hers. She opens without thought, tilting her head back. I push my
hips into hers, and she moans in my mouth. I’m so hard for her all the fucking time. It’s pathetic.
I reach for her sweater and pull it up over her head. “Can we take a shower?” she asks.
I’m about to say fuck a shower, but her eyes go to the blood on my hands, and I realize I just got it
in her hair. “Sure.” I don’t want any part of Bryan on her. Even though I would love to paint her body
red.
We walk into the bathroom, and she looks around as I start the shower. I remove my shirt and then
kick off my tennis shoes. I’m removing my jeans and boxers when she comes up to me. I pause as she
places her hands on my bare chest.
My heart starts to pound at the softness in her touch. No one has ever touched me like she does.
Like it means something. As if she could save me from myself. I’ve always been the guy who got in
and got out. The girls I brought home, didn’t stay the night, and the older women I fucked, I left their
house as soon as I was done. But I can’t seem to leave her. I reach up and push her hair behind her
ear, exposing all the piercings. I run my thumb over them.
She releases a long breath. “I don’t wanna fight.”
Her words surprise me. “I don’t either,” I say, and I’m just as surprised with myself that they are
the truth. I love a fight. Doesn’t matter if they are physical or mental. I love fucking with someone.
“Can we just forget about what happened?” she asks, biting on her bottom lip nervously.
I can’t just forget that Bryan dared his friend to fuck her. What if someone else does that? What if
someone else tries to take what belongs to me? Or worse? Forces her? I know I’m a sick bastard. I
know that I prefer a fight over a civil conversation, but there are others in this city just like me. Some
older and some younger. “Yeah,” I tell her because I don’t want to worry her. I’ll continue to protect
her no matter what the cost. Because I’m the only one who can destroy Austin Lowes.
Right.
She pulls away from me and goes to finish getting undressed. I turn and get into the shower, and she
follows me. I stand under the sprayer, and she watches the blood run into the drain.
I grab her arm and pull her to me. “Don’t think about it,” I tell her.
She wraps her arms around my neck. “Then take my mind off it.”
I capture her lips with mine and spin us around, her back hitting the wall. She gasps into my mouth
at the coldness, and I deepen the kiss.
My right hand goes to her thigh, and I grip it in my hand and lift it up, wrapping it around my hip.
She pulls her lips away and tilts her head back. Her eyes are closed, and her wet lips are parted. I
take my hard cock in my hand and slide it into her without wasting another second, and she whimpers.
Fuck, I love hearing that sound when I’m inside her.
She’s already wet for me. Just like I’m hard for her.
She opens her heavy eyes, and she moans as I begin to move in and out of her. Slowly teasing her.
I grab her other leg and pull it off the shower floor and push her more into the wall. She clings to
me.
“Cole,” she pants, and I pick up my pace. “Oh, God! Cole …”
I lower my head and capture her lips with mine again, knowing that she’s mine. I get to have her.
However I want, whenever I want.

_______________

I OPEN MY eyes to see Austin sleeping beside me. The sun shines through the one window up here and I
roll over, picking my phone up off the floor to check the time. It reads a quarter past nine.
Lying back down, I run a hand down my face. We didn’t get much sleep. We didn’t get back to the
clubhouse until after two a.m. and then we spent almost an hour in the shower. And then another two
awake in bed.
Like always, I couldn’t get enough. She couldn’t seem to either, and I’m not complaining.
“You okay?”
I look over to my left and find a set of dark green eyes on me. I smile at her, pushing her hair back
from her face. I yank the covers back and grab her arm, yanking her up to straddle me. “I am now.”
She throws her head back laughing, and I soak it in. I’ve never heard her laugh like that. I’ve only
ever seen anger from her. Or sadness. I’ve never tried to make her laugh or smile.
I should make her do it more often.
She straddles me, naked and beautiful. Her dark hair is down over her shoulder lying on my chest.
It’s finally dry from the shower we had hours ago, and the alcohol she consumed seems to have worn
off.
Her eyes scan my chest, and her fingers graze my scar. She’s never asked about it before. “What
happened?”
“Broke my collarbone.”
She tilts her head to the side. “How?”
My eyes look into hers while she stares at it. “Car wreck. Seat belt tightened and snapped it on
impact.”
Her hand freezes on the scar, and her eyes meet mine. She stares at me so intently that my pulse
quickens.
“You lied.”
My eyes narrow at the accusation in her voice. “Excuse me?”
 “You lied,” she repeats.
“About what?” I demand.
“You weren’t driving.”
I tense at her words. She searches my eyes and sighs heavily, her breath brushing her hair from my
chest. “Who were you covering for?”
“Enough!”
“No, Cole. Why did you lie?” she demands.
I grip her hips, my fingertips digging into her skin, and shove her off me. I stand, running a hand
through my hair and walking toward the bathroom.
“You couldn’t have been driving,” she whispers. “It’s your right shoulder. Not your left. You lied
…”
I close my eyes. It took her two seconds to realize what no one else ever did. I was in a sling for
months. My right arm was. Not my left. No one ever questioned it.
“Why would you lie, Cole?”
“Don’t, Austin.”
“No!” she shouts. “Fucking tell me why you would lie about something like that,” she demands.
“People think you killed three of your friends.”
“I fucking know what they think!” I shout, turning to face her. “Who the hell do you think told them
that?” I snap.
“Why?” She’s on her knees in the middle of my bed. Her long dark hair over one shoulder,
covering one of her breasts from me, and she’s breathing heavy. Her eyes soft and my chest tightens.
“Get out!”
“It was Eli … That’s why you …”
“I said get the fuck out, Austin,” I snap, interrupting her.
“No.”
I fist my hands, and her eyes drop to them.
“Becky said everyone was ejected. But you had your seat belt on …” She shakes her head
confused. “I don’t understand …”
I storm over to the bed and shove her onto her back, pinning her small wrists to the mattress. “You
don’t need to understand what I did, or why I did it. It’s no one’s Goddamn business, Austin.”
She looks up at me, eyes soft. I’m fucking panting, and my heart races. I hate being exposed. So
open. Guarded people are safe. But she keeps stabbing me. Making me bleed. Her eyes search my
face, and I see tears in them. My jaw clenches.
“Cole,” she whispers. “I’m sorry.”
My chest tightens to the point I can’t breathe.
“I’m sorry that no one sees you like I do. I’m sorry that no one understands your rage. Or your
hate.”
“Stop …” I choke on the word. She’s twisting the knife. Cutting me more.
She wraps her legs around my hips. “I’m sorry that you lost three friends. And that you are left with
a burden that is not yours to bear.” Her tears spill out and down the sides of her face.

AUSTIN

HE LIED!
He let this town believe he killed three teenage boys who were all his friends when he wasn’t at
fault.
“Were you even drinking?” I ask.
I can feel his body physically shaking against mine. He’s angry with me. Angry I figured out a
secret.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he says instead. “You weren’t there.”
“I didn’t have to be there to know that you weren’t responsible for their deaths.”
“Stop, Austin!” he yells in my face.
“Do the guys know?” I ask as another tear runs down the side of my face.
He doesn’t answer.
“Becky also told me that Kellan blames you. Why didn’t you tell him the truth?”
My heart breaks for him. Not only did he lose his friends, but he also took responsibility when it
wasn’t his.
He lets go of my wrists and crawls off me, forcing my legs apart. He sits on the side of the bed, his
back toward me and bows his head.
I swallow and sit up. “I know that you felt you did the right thing, but Cole …”
He jumps up and spins around to face me. My words cut off at the look on his face. I’ve never seen
it so murderous. “Don’t you dare sit there and pretend like you know why I did what I did,” he snaps
as he leans over and picks his jeans up off the floor. He yanks them up and buttons them. Then he
takes off down the stairs.
I sit here, waiting to hear the door open and close, but it doesn’t come. I get off the bed and take the
sheet with me, wrapping it around my shoulders. I walk down the stairs to find him standing in the
middle of the room. His hands fisted in front of him as he punches the punching bag that hangs from
the rafters.
“Tell me,” I say softly. “Help me understand.”
He ignores me. His breathing grows louder as he pounds away on it. His cuts from last night have
already busted open from the force.
I drop my head to look at my hands knotted in the sheet, holding it in place. I lick my wet lips and
taste my tears. “I was ten the first time my mom’s boyfriend touched me.” He stops at my words. Like
I wanted him to. “At the time, I didn’t understand what he was doing.” I swallow the knot in my
throat. “I was sitting on the couch. He sat down next to me and placed his hand on my inner thigh.” I
look up at him through my lashes. His back is toward me, and his head is down. “I didn’t know what
to do. It felt uncomfortable. Wrong. But he was telling me that I was pretty. No one had ever told me
that before.” The muscles in his back tighten. “Then his fingers started digging into my skin painfully.
I told him he was hurting me. I tried to push him away, but his grip kept tightening. He said that I’d
learn to love pain. It was a way he would show me that he cared about me.” He slowly turns around
to face me, and I look him in the eyes. Not backing down like I wanted to when we stood by the pool.
“Loved me.” He swallows, and his Adam’s apple bobs.
“That’s when my mother walked in. She saw us, and she ran over to me, grabbed my arm, and
yanked me from the couch. She sent me to my room for the rest of the day.” His chest rises and falls
from breathing heavy. His jaw is sharp, and nostrils flared. “She said that he belonged to her. That my
father had already left her because of me. She wouldn’t let her bitch of a daughter take another one
from her.” A tear silently falls down my cheek, but it’s for him, not for me. I came to terms with my
life a long time ago.
“I might not understand why you did it, but I know what it’s like to have a secret. You told me that
you knew what it was like to be powerless. To have no control. We are the same, Cole. You blame
yourself for losing your friends, and I blamed myself for a man wanting me. It took me years to realize
he was the one in the wrong. And I had to figure that out on my own. I didn’t have anyone to explain it
to me. To help me.” He releases a long breath, looking away from me. “So I’m gonna tell you what
someone should have told me.” His eyes come back to mine, and I walk over to him. I reach out to
cup his face, and the sheet falls to the floor at my feet. Another tear runs down my face, and he gently
wipes it away. “It wasn’t your fault, Cole.”
He lowers his forehead down to mine and closes his eyes. “We’re not the same, Austin. Because
unlike you, I wasn’t innocent.” He pulls away and stares down at me. “I knew what we were doing.
We went to a party like we always did. Got drunk like we always did. And then left. I took the blame
because I should have been the one driving. In a matter of minutes, they were … just gone.” His voice
is rough as if he had been holding those words in for a long time. My tears start to fall faster.
“I’m sorry, Cole. I’m so sorry.”
He wraps his arms around me and pulls me to him. “I’m sorry too, sweetheart.” He kisses my hair.
 CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
COLE

I REACH OUT and push a piece of hair behind her ear. Her eyes stare into mine, and I can see the
fresh tears she hasn’t allowed to fall yet. This is when she’s the most gorgeous, when they make her
green eyes look like they’re swimming in a pool of water. A tear finally escapes, and I wipe it away.
But I hate why they’re there. I hate that someone else can make her cry. I want to do that. I want to
take from her.
I’m a fucking bastard.
Her mother and her fucking boyfriend will pay for what they have done to her. I’ll make sure of it.
Just as I did with Jeff.
Her hands go to my jeans, and she undoes them. I grab her wrists. “Austin.”
“I need you, Cole,” she whispers, pushing her hips into mine.
And warmth spreads through me at those words.
She needs me.
Releasing her wrists, I slide my hands into her hair and kiss her. Desperately. Because I need her
too. We’ve both been ripped open and are bleeding. Something needs to cover the pain.
She kisses me back just as aggressively. My pants hit my ankles, and I step out of them. Then we’re
walking backward. I fall onto the couch, my lips breaking from hers. She straddles me, her hand going
between our bodies, and she grabs my hard dick. My head falls back to rest on the cushion, and I
moan as she strokes me. Slow but firm. Teasing. I close my eyes and feel her lips on my neck.
Sucking, licking, and biting.
“Fuck, Austin …” I trail off when she slides onto my hard cock. My breath instantly taken away.
My hands go to her narrow hips, and she begins to move. My fingers dig into her skin as our bodies
slap. She sucks on my neck, and all I can do is sit here and pant as she rides me. Has her way with
me.
She’s incredible.
And all fucking mine.
My hands let go of her hips, and I slide them in her hair. Yanking her lips from my neck, I lift my
head and slam them to mine. I kiss her with need. She pants in my mouth while her hips continue to
work with mine.
Her pussy tightens around me, and she pulls her lips away, sucking in a long breath. I lean forward,
pulling her hard nipple between my teeth. She cries out when I bite down on it, before sucking it
gently.
“Cole.” She whimpers my name, and I yank her head back, exposing her neck to me, and I do the
same thing to her. I kiss, lick, bite, and suck every inch of her like it belongs to me. Because she does.
She needs me.
I need her.
We’re like the devil is to sin. Without one, we wouldn’t have the other.
 _______________

I STAND IN the middle of the loft, listening to the shower turn on when my cell rings. I pick up my
phone to see Deke flash across my screen.
“Hello?” I ask, looking over at the bathroom door, hoping he doesn’t have much to say. She said
she needed a shower after she was done with me, and I want to join her.
“Hey, man.” He sighs. “Becky made me call you.” I frown. “She won’t stop bugging me. But she
wants to know if you guys wanna go to lunch.”
“I’m craving Italian,” I hear her yell in the background.
“I tried to tell her you would say no. That it’s not like that—”
“We can go,” I interrupt him.
He’s silent for a long second. “Come again?”
“We’ll go. What time?” It’s just another way for me to show her off. To prove to the world that
she’s mine.
Nothing else.
“Uh, an hour?” he asks slowly.
“Okay. See you then.” I hang up.
Walking into the bathroom, I see her inside the shower. I open it up and enter. “We’re going to
lunch with Becky and Deke in an hour.”
She stops shampooing her hair and looks at me. Her brows pull together. “Why?”
“Because Deke called and asked.” I place my hands on her hips and press her back into the wall.
“Again, why would he call and ask?”
I smirk. “Because Becky made him.”
She laughs. “He’s so whipped.”
“You are correct. But he’s been in love with her since sophomore year. So it’s not like I didn’t see
that coming.”
Her eyes widen. “What?”
I nod. “He never tried to get with her, though. Knew that she was the type of girl who deserved
more than what he was willing to give.”
She frowns. “But you just said he loved her. Why wouldn’t he want to be with her? Doesn’t make
sense.”
“He knew he’d break her heart. Too many options out there to stay with just one.”
Her eyes narrow on mine. We haven’t had the talk if I’m sleeping with other girls even though I
think she suspects it. I don’t know if she’s afraid I’ll say yes if she asks, or if she just doesn’t care.
She slides out from between me and the wall, moving back under the spray to rinse out her
shampoo. “So why now? Thought he would play with her since senior year is almost over?”
She uses the same word Bryan said I’m doing with her. “No. When he was ready to settle down
with her last year, she was already in a serious relationship.”
“David,” she says. I nod. “She told me that Deke asked her if what he had heard was true about
their breakup that night you guys showed up at the party.” Leaning her head back, she runs her hands
over her hair, making sure all the suds are gone. I watch the way her back arches and her tits push out,
and lick my lips. “So now what? He’s changed his old ways?” She looks at me skeptically. “Because
I watched him swallow a girl’s tongue that night you threw a party at your house. That was just five
days before they hooked up.”
 “What did you expect? Him to live his life pining for her?” I shake my head. “That’s not how Deke
works. Not how any guy with a set of balls works.”
She rolls her eyes. “God forbid a man show a woman he actually has a heart.”
I ignore that statement. “What about you?”
“What about me?” She pours some conditioner in her hand and runs it through her long dark hair.
“You and Martin.”
Her hands freeze midway, and her eyes narrow on me. But she doesn’t answer.
I take a step toward her. “I want you to delete any picture that you have of him off your social
media page.”
She tries to shove me away, but her hands are covered in conditioner, so they slide right off. “And I
told you when you get a social media page, I’ll do that.” She gives me a big fuck you smile. Like she
just asked me to give her the fucking moon. As if it’s impossible.
“I do have one.”
She throws her head back, laughing. “You’re so full of shit.”
I arch a brow. “Wanna bet.”
Her laughter dies down, and her eyes search mine, looking for any indication that I’m pulling her
chain. I’m not.
She shakes her head in acceptance. “You’re such a dick.”
“Did you love him?” The words are out of my mouth before I can even stop them. I try not to flinch
at the question.
Her eyes narrow on me. “Why do you care, Cole?” she snaps, her patience with this conversation
running short. I don’t blame her. I’m not one to talk about pointless shit. But this is important.
Since I first laid eyes on Austin Lowes, I’ve wanted to control her. Own her. Hurt her. What more
can a guy take from a woman than their love? Their soul?
She won’t turn on someone she loves, was what Shane had said when we were all standing in the
middle of the clubhouse the night I had Deke take her home after I stole her father’s car. I didn’t
understand what he meant until now.
Now it makes perfect fucking sense!
I want Austin Lowes to fall in love with me.

AUSTIN

HE’S UP TO something.
Of course, he is. If Cole Reynolds is breathing, then he is up to no good. He doesn’t understand
how well I can read him. Or that I’ve been fed bullshit lines all my life. I’m not the girl who believes
in fairy tales and happily ever afters.
“Yes,” I say, playing along with his game.
His eyes narrow on me, but I ignore it. Instead, I go back to running conditioner through my hair. At
this rate, the water is going to be cold soon.
“How long were you guys together?” he asks.
“Almost four years.” Not a total lie.
“You’re seventeen,” he argues as if I can’t do the math.
“Yes. Thanks for the reminder,” I say and turn around, giving him my back. I run the water over my
face and tilt my head down to rinse out the conditioner. I could have stayed facing him but didn’t feel
like it.
 Once done, I turn back around, and he stands there staring at me. His impatience evident in his
narrowed eyes and sharp jaw. “We got together my freshman year. He was a senior.”
“And?”
“And what?” I ask, not knowing what all he wants to know.
“What else?” he demands.
I place my hands on my hips and tilt my head. If he wants to know, then I’ll tell him. Because it’s
just going to piss him off anyway. And I love to piss this guy off. “At the time, I was fourteen, and he
was seventeen. He asked me out, and I said yes. We dated for a few weeks, then I gave it up.” His
jaw sharpens. “After that, we were together. His uncle owned a tattoo and body piercing shop. After
Martin graduated high school, he went to work with him.”
His eyes go to my side, and he demands, “He gave you that tattoo?”
“Yep.”
His eyes snap back up to mine, and I can see the rage behind them. He hates that another man
marked me. Too bad. It’s not like I let Martin write his name across my ass. “And then I had to move
here. End of story.”
“Do you still talk to him?” he asks, pressing.
I hate that the truth is no. That what I thought meant something was really nothing to Martin. He was
there for me in a lot of ways. He never asked what went on in my house, but he knew. He kept me
busy. Always wanted to hang out. He was a major pot head, and we spent most of our time high or
drunk, but he still always made sure to come and get me to do things. He even taught me how to drive.
He did the things that my mother and father should have shown me.
“Yes,” I lie, looking down at the drain. Because I’m not going to tell a man who wants to break me
that a guy I thought I loved no longer speaks to me.
He grabs my chin and lifts my head to where I have to look up at him. “Delete the pictures, Austin.
You’re mine now. Not his.” Then he lets go of me and steps out of the shower.

_______________

AFTER THE SHOWER, I walk out to find Cole on his cell, already dressed in a fresh pair of jeans and a
clean black t-shirt. I’m not sure where they came from because I never saw him with a bag last night. I
dig through my overnight bag and put on a new pair of jean shorts and t-shirt that says CALI across it
in red letters. After I throw on my tennis shoes, I dry my hair.
I didn’t bring any makeup or a straightener, so I throw my hair up in a messy bun once dry and call
it good. This’ll have to do for lunch.
I’m coming down the stairs when I spot him sitting on the couch. He’s got his legs crossed at the
ankles and his head down staring at his phone as he types away.
He looks up at me and stands. We haven’t spoken since he told me to delete those pictures and that
I belonged to him now.
I really didn’t have much to say on that matter. He thinks he’s got me where he wants me. I’m not
going to say otherwise.
He takes my bag from my hand and opens the door for me. I mumble a thank you and fall into the
passenger seat while he places my bag in the trunk. I look around for Deke’s Range Rover but don’t
see where Cole parked it last night. He must have already come and got it.
“Where is your phone?” he asks.
 “Why?”
He blows out a long breath, hating when I don’t just answer his questions. “Because Celeste called
me saying she’s been trying to get a hold of you. But it goes straight to voicemail.”
“It died last night while at the beach, and I forgot my charger.”
“I’ll plug it in,” he says, opening his center console to grab his charger. I see his gun and knife in
there before he shuts it.
I remove it from my back pocket and hand it to him. “What did she want?” I ask after he plugs it in.
“She wanted to know if you were going to be home tonight.”
I nod my head. “Of course—”
“I told her no,” he interrupts me.
“What?” I demand.
“You’ll be with me.”
I laugh like he’s lost his mind. “And where will we be?”
He doesn’t answer, just like always, and I fall back into my seat, crossing my arms over my chest.
I hate that he brings out every emotion in me. I hate how I told him secrets about me to get him to
open up, but it didn’t work. He didn’t tell me anything that I hadn’t already figured out about his
friends dying. I stood there and told him things that no one else knows. And although he looked
pissed, like he cared about what Phillip had done, he didn’t give me what I really wanted. His story.
His hate. His secrets. It’s not fair.
Life isn’t fair, my mother always says. But it’s seemed pretty fucking fair to her if you ask me.
She fucked a man once and got knocked up. I was here nine months later. The only reason she had
me was because she met a wealthy, good-looking man who only wanted a one-night stand. She saw
me as her meal ticket. Even now that I’m living with him, my father still sends her monthly checks.
But those will stop soon. I’ll be eighteen and graduated. I don’t know the law exactly, but I had a
friend whose father stopped paying for her after she graduated high school last year.
Then what will my mother do? Will she beg me for money? Have me ask him? It won’t happen. I
won’t get her a dime.
“Take it out on Me” by Thousand Foot Krutch starts to play through the speakers. I reach over and
turn it up to try to drown out my own thoughts.
It doesn’t.
I look over at him, and his left hand is on the steering wheel while his right is on the shifter. He
wears his normal mask that hides his true thoughts and feelings from the world, but I see it. I thought it
was anger, but after our talk earlier, I realize it’s pain. He’s hurting. He just refuses to let anyone see
it. To see the real him.
He reaches out and turns off the radio. We sit in silence, and I wonder what he’s thinking. If his
mind is screaming as loud as mine is.
I look down at my hands knotted in my lap. “You know I would never tell anyone about what
happened.” He has to know by now that, no matter what, he can trust me. He’s blackmailed me to
keep my mouth shut, but I would never tell a soul that he wasn’t the one driving. He took that blame
on his own for a reason, and I would never out him. No matter how much I disagree with it.
“Why did you take Jerrold’s laptop?” he asks, ignoring my statement.
My brows rise, surprised by that question. “You know why,” I say, not going back down that road.
He doesn’t want to share, then I won’t either.
“I know why you are on our side when it comes to him. But I want to know why that dare? Why not
something else?”
 “It was the only dare I could think of,” I answer honestly. “I tried to think of things that you had told
me about, and I wanted to help Eli’s sister. I thought maybe there was some info on there that you
could use. You could get him arrested …”
His soft laugh interrupts me. “His ass isn’t going to jail, sweetheart.”
“Then what …?” My words trail off as I understand. “You’re gonna kill him too?” I ask wide-eyed.
“Of course.” He snorts.
Death too must be earned. He had said that to me that day in his car as we watched Jerrold in his
office. “You’re gonna get caught,” I say, fisting my hands.
“No, we won’t.”
“You didn’t even do a good job with Jeff.” I roll my eyes at his confidence.
He looks over at me for a quick second. “What are you talking about?”
“It took me twenty minutes to dig him up. It would take a full-grown man half that. You didn’t bury
him very deep. And you weren’t very smart.” He opens his mouth, but I continue. “You left him
dressed in the clothes that had your blood on them. You should be thanking me that I burned his body.”
He shuts his mouth. “Plus, you buried him right next to where Eli’s sister is. Very poetic. But anyone
who would consider someone close to her as a suspect, would go there first.”
I sit back in my seat and cross my arms over my chest as I look out the window, watching all the
cars he passes.
“What would you have done?” he finally asks.
I turn back to look at him. He stares straight ahead. “Given the situation I was in, exactly what I
did.”
He nods his head once.
“And if I wouldn’t have had the resources to set him on fire, I would have tied him to a couple of
full dive tanks and dumped his body into the ocean.” His brows lift in surprise. “Sharks and other fish
would have smelled the blood. He would had been eaten to nothing in a matter of days.” He nods to
himself again. Slower this time. “But if I would have been part of it, I would have done it differently.”
I’ve never killed someone but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t crossed my mind. The older I got, the more I
despised Phillip. Every time he cornered me, I thought of killing him. Or at the very least chopping
his hands off in a freak accident.
“Like what?”
“I know you’re into the fight.” He stiffens. “But if you didn’t wanna get your hands dirty, you could
have poisoned him and tossed his body into an abandoned well and thrown sulfuric acid down there
with him to dissolve the body. It takes a little longer than lye, but it liquefies the bones and teeth as
well as the soft tissue.”
He whips his head over to look at me.
I give him a big smile. “I know how to cover my tracks.” I say the same thing I told him the night he
tried to blackmail me. The first time.
And for the first time in the three weeks I’ve known Cole Reynolds, he looks utterly impressed and
speechless. It’s awesome.
 CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
COLE

SHE’S SICK.
She’s twisted.
She’s fucking perfect.
I sit next to her in a booth as she speaks across the table to Becky, and all I can think about is what
she said to me in the car. How she would kill someone. How she would cover her tracks. And how
she saved our asses by burning Jeff’s body. Had we been that sloppy? Had we not covered our tracks
well enough? I would hate to think that Jerrold went to where he buried Aimee’s body and thought to
look next to her. That he would have found him and seen him covered in our blood. Would he have
suspected us right off the bat? If Eli were still alive, then I would say yes without thought, but he’s
not.
But to suspect us? That’s not possible. We were careful. Deke and I had picked him up outside his
favorite bar that night. Threw him in my trunk and met the guys on the Lowes estate to carry him up to
the cemetery. He had taken a cab to the bar, so we didn’t need to mess with his car. As far as the
police know, he got lost or mugged on his way home. Even this city has streets that you don’t go down
alone after the sun sets.
“Cole?” Deke snaps my name.
I look up at him. “What?”
“You okay?” he asks softly so the girls can’t hear him. They’re in their own world talking about
some shit girls talk about.
I run a hand through my hair. “We’ll be back,” I say to Austin and Becky before sliding out. Deke
follows me without thought.
“What is it, man?” he asks when we walk outside.
I stop in front of my car and turn to face him on the sidewalk. “Do you think we covered our tracks
well enough with Jeff?” I ask.
He snorts. “Don’t let Shane get to you, man. All that shit he was saying last night didn’t make any
sense. He’s just scared …”
“This has nothing to do with Shane.”
He frowns. “Then what does it have to do with?”
“I was talking to Austin—”
“Austin?” he interrupts me. “What does she have to do with this? You think she’s gonna go to the
police?” he asks.
I shake my head and take a step back from him, running a hand through my hair again nervously.
Then I start pacing the sidewalk.
“Cole.”
I stop and look up at him.
He has a sly smile on his face. “She’s getting to you.”
“No, she’s not,” I say like he asked me a question.
He snorts and crosses his arms over his chest. “Becky was right.”
 My teeth clench. “No …”
“She said that it’s more than you’re letting on.”
I roll my eyes. “Deke, come on.”
He steps into me. “It’s okay not to want to use her.”
I shake my head. “She is nothing more than part of the game.”
“You’re not in the game,” he says matter-of-factly. “You have your eyes on Austin a hundred
percent of the time, and although I don’t have a problem with it, it’s blinding you.”
“What the hell does that mean?” I growl.
“It means you’re not seeing the big picture, Cole.” He sighs heavily. “Kellan is up to something.
That night at the clubhouse, I baited him to see what he would do, knowing you would test him. And
you did. Even though he didn’t fuck her right then and there, he still failed.”
My body tenses at the thought of Kellan wanting her in any way. “I know!”
“He may want to fuck her, but he wants her gone more. And when he realizes what I’ve figured
out.” He smiles, and I want to slap it off his face. “That she means more to you. He’s gonna take you
up on your offer to fuck her, and when you tell him no … He’s gonna make a move.” My hands fist.
“Shane can’t decide what side of the fence he wants to be on when it comes to her. And Bennett … is
just, well, Bennett. In his own world. He’s not a threat to her. Yet. But we both know that he would
take her out without a thought if he felt she jeopardized—”
“I know all this,” I snap, interrupting him.
He glares at me. “Then you need to decide what she means to you. Because I see it all fucking
coming to a head. Not soon but eventually, and you’re gonna have to pick a side. Save her. Or kill her
before the others do.”
“And you?” I demand. “Where does she stand with you?”
He uncrosses his arms and places his hands in his pockets. “She’s my girlfriend’s best friend and
my brother’s girl.” He looks me in the eyes. “I do what you say. Whether that means protect her or kill
her, so her blood isn’t on your hands, it’s up to you.” And with that, he turns and walks back into the
restaurant.

AUSTIN

“SO WHAT ARE you guys doing tonight?” Becky asks me.
“Nothing—”
“We’re going to a movie,” Cole interrupts me as he slides in next to me.
“Really?” she asks excitedly.
I eye him skeptically.
He places his arm over my shoulders and pulls me to his side. I hate that my body instantly softens.
“Really,” he says, looking at her.
I’m about to open my mouth and say no when he continues. “We are taking Lilly to see the new
Disney movie. She won’t leave me alone about it.” My heart melts a little bit at the mention of Lilly.
“You guys wanna go?” he asks.
Becky looks at Deke. He shrugs. “If that’s what you want—”
“Yes. We’ll go,” she interrupts him.
Deke looks at Cole and smiles. “I can drive if you want,” he offers.
Lunch went well although I was tense for most of it. Cole is acting differently, and I can’t figure it
out. And Deke kept staring at me with a smirk on his face like he knew a secret. It put me on alert.
 “What’s wrong?” Cole asks while he drives me home.
“Nothing,” I lie.
He looks over at me and snorts. “Your knees haven’t stopped bouncing since we left the
restaurant.”
I slap my hands on my thighs to help tame them. “Why am I going to the movies with you?” I blurt
out.
He frowns. “Why wouldn’t you?”
“We don’t do that.” When his frown deepens, I add. “Date.” This isn’t even a real relationship. He
told me I was his, and no one else will date me. I kinda have no other options.
“I promised Lilly yesterday I would take her to the movies tonight, and I figured you’d want to
come. Is there a problem?”
I open my mouth but then close it. Not sure what to say. “No,” I say when I come up with nothing.
“I like spending time with Lilly.”
He smiles. “But not with me.”
Is he being playful?
I don’t say anything to that because I’m not sure what I like at this moment. He’s got my mind
twisted. He’s a killer. He’s been nothing but a dick to me. But then I find out he has this heart that is so
big he would rather the entire city hate him than soil his friend’s reputation. Then, of course, Lilly. He
thinks the world of her. Raises her. And then there’s the sex. Fuck me! The sex. It’s amazing. Sex with
Martin was slow and soft. He was always high, and I was always on top while he played some slow
blues music. Sex with Cole is crazy and animalistic. Makes me want to play some hardcore metal and
have his hand wrapped around my neck.
“Your phone is done charging,” he says, unplugging and handing it to me. I go to reach for it, but he
pulls it away. “Why do you have the retina scanner on it?”
“It came with the phone.”
He comes to a stop at a red light and looks over at me. “The real reason, sweetheart.”
“Just give it to me,” I bark.
He places it in the side of his door. “When you can be truthful, I’ll give it back.”
“Cole,” I growl.
“Austin.” He smiles.
I don’t like this new playful Cole. It’s annoying. “You don’t get to do this,” I snap.
“Do what?”
“Not tell me anything but want me to tell you everything.”
“So there is a reason you use the retina.”
I sit back in my seat and the light turns green. He doesn’t go. The car behind us honks its horn. I
turn around to look as the guy swerves around us. “Cole, the light is green.”
“I know,” he says simply.
Another car honks its horn. “Well, why are we just sitting here?”
He yanks the emergency brake up and crosses his arms over his chest. “We’re not moving until you
tell me why you have a retina scanner on your phone.”
Another car honks and flies by us. My teeth clench. “You are such a dick.”
“Call me whatever you want, sweetheart. I always get what I want.”
A car passes by, and the passenger sticks his right hand out, flipping us off. Thankfully, Cole’s
windows are blacked out so no one can see us. Finally, the light turns red, and I just stare straight
ahead. I remain silent as does he. I pray that he goes through the stoplight the moment it turns green
again. But he stays put.
Fucking bastard.
I let out a long breath while cars pass us once again. “I walked into my bedroom one day and found
Phillip going through my photos. Photos that I had taken of myself and sent to Martin. After that, I
knew I needed to put a lock on it that he wouldn’t be able to guess. Retina scanner was the best bet.”
He tosses my phone to me, and it hits the door. Then he releases the emergency brake and throws
the car in gear and squeals the tires as he takes off, barely making it before the light turns red again.
I look over at him as he drives like a maniac now through traffic. Cutting cars off and tailgating.
“What is your problem?” I demand.
He slams on the brakes at another red light. I can see his jaw tighten.
“Why do you make me tell you things and then get mad at me? If you don’t want to know the
answer, then don’t make me tell you. It’s not that hard of a concept,” I snap.
He remains silent, and I look down to turn my phone on. It starts to ding instantly with notifications.
I open my Facebook page and see I have over a hundred new friend requests, which is a surprise. But
only one stands out. Cole Reynolds. His profile pic is of us. I’m sitting on the counter at his father’s
house, and he’s standing between my legs, kissing me.
I ignore it and go to my pictures. I scroll through them, looking at the ones I have with Martin. Each
one makes me angrier and angrier that I haven’t heard from him.
I click on his page. His profile is still the same picture it has been for two years now. Him standing
with his surfboard on the ocean. I scroll down through his posts and see that he is still addicted to the
games. He likes to smoke weed, sit back, and play on his phone. I see he was tagged in a picture just
a few days ago. The person doing the tagging is a girl. She has short brown hair and light brown eyes.
His lips are on her cheek and her hand is on his chest. But there’s no caption.
I swallow, hating the feeling that he is with someone else so fast. I’m not going to say I thought we
would get married, but he was a big part of my life. And then, boom. Nothing. It hurts.
It’s not like Cole and I are anything important. Like I wanted this relationship with him.
I unfriend Martin, exit his page, and go back to mine, deleting every picture he was in.
Cole pulls up to my house, and I open the passenger door to get out. “Austin …” He grabs my
upper arm.
I swing my head around to glare at him. “I didn’t delete them for you.” Then I yank my arm free and
get out.

_______________

SUNDAY EVENING, I find myself back at the clubhouse with the guys to do another dare.
I sit on the couch with Cole to my left and Deke to my right. We haven’t spoken much since
yesterday afternoon. We went to see a movie last night, but the best thing about movies is that you
can’t talk during them. Then afterward I told him to take me home. He didn’t argue even though earlier
in the day he had told Celeste I would be staying the night with him. I think he knew I was pissed and
didn’t want to fight with me over it.
“So who’s up?” I ask.
“Cole,” Deke answers.
“Don’t make your dare illegal,” Cole warns me without looking my way. And I know it’s for my
sake, not his.
 I ignore him.
Like last time, Shane passes out pieces of paper and pens. I write down a dare and put it in the
bowl.
I peek over at Kellan standing by the table, and he’s staring at me. I look away.
Cole gets up and goes over to the bowl. He draws out a piece of paper and silently reads it to
himself at first. His jaw sharpens and nostrils flare. His eyes instantly go to Kellan who smiles back
at Cole, then looks back at me.
“I dare you,” Kellan says to Cole with a sinister smile on his face.
I swallow nervously.
 CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
COLE

MY EYES GO to Austin, and her face is white, eyes wide. She looks nervous. Looking back down
at the paper, I read it out loud. “You must fuck Kaitlin. Consequence. If you do not complete your dare
in one month, you must pull out of the group.”
Deke snorts and mutters, “You can’t be serious.”
“Oh, I’m very serious,” Kellan says, looking at Austin.
Her face has turned red, and I’m not sure if it’s from anger or embarrassment.
Deke stands and looks at Kellan. “What the fuck, man?”
He shrugs carelessly. “Not sure what the problem is. We all know that he’s just playing with Austin
for the month, and he’s fucked Kaitlin before. Not like she’s a bad lay. We’ve all had a piece of that.”
“You know why,” he snaps.
Shane runs a hand through his hair nervously while Bennett looks at Kellan with a tight jaw. We all
know what he’s doing. But there’s nothing we can do—rules are rules.
I smile. Kellan is just asking for me to fuck him over. He still doesn’t know that I’m aware he’s
fucking Celeste. I know she hasn’t said a word to him because he would have confronted me.
I could tell him. But what good would that do? It won’t change anything now. Plus, I want him to
continue fucking her. I need insurance. And I won’t get it if he stops.
Kellan looks at me. That smirk still on his face. “You’ve got a month, Cole,” he says, then looks to
Austin and winks before he walks out.
Her eyes meet mine, and she looks absolutely pissed. And I find I like another side of her. One I’ve
never seen before—jealousy.

_______________

EVERYONE BUT ME, Austin, and Deke have left the clubhouse. She still sits on the couch. She hasn’t said
a word since I read my dare out loud over thirty minutes ago.
Deke sighs heavily as he approaches me. “What are you gonna do, man?” he asks, lowering his
voice.
“What I have to do,” I say simply.
He shakes his head. “I told you shit was gonna come to a head. And it’s gonna happen within a
month.”
“It’ll be fine.”
He growls. “Kellan was out of line.”
“He’s playing the game.” Not very well, I might add.
“Fuck the game,” he snaps.
I slap his shoulder. “I’ve got it under control.”
“You can’t pull out of the group.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” I assure him.
 “So you’re gonna fuck Kaitlin?” He gives Austin a quick look over his shoulder. She is typing
away on her cell. “You can’t come back from that, Cole.”
“Quit worrying so much, Deke,” I decide to say.
He lets out another long breath, shaking his head. Then, without another word, he turns and walks
out.
“Let’s go,” I say to her.
She stands from the couch and walks out to my car. I follow her and close up the clubhouse. When I
get in the car, she looks straight ahead. I turn the car on and take her home.
As I pull up to her driveway, she’s already reaching for the door. “Wait,” I say, grabbing her arm.
She finally looks over at me, and her green eyes are simmering with rage and her lips thinned.
“Trust me.”
She says nothing. Doesn’t even blink.
I hold in a sigh. I’m going to fucking kill Kellan. I haven’t worked this hard to get her where I want
for him to come along and fuck it all up. “I know I haven’t given you a reason to, but I need you to
trust me on this.” Deke was right; I could never come back from this. And if I want Austin Lowes to
fall in love with me, fucking another woman isn’t going to do it.
“You’re right. You haven’t given me a reason to trust you, and I’m not gonna start now.” Then she
gets out, slamming the door behind her.

_______________

THE NEXT WEEK went by quicker than I would have liked. And I hated it. This was the last free week I
would have before I was going to be spending all my time in a pool. My weekends full of swim
meets. It was the last time before I graduated. And Kellan fucked it up by giving me that ridiculous
dare.
I still picked up Austin and took her to and from school. She didn’t say anything to me when we
were alone. She spoke to me here and there in class and while at lunch, but I could still tell that she
was mad. And I’m not sure what to do about it.
I have a little over three weeks left to complete my dare, and I’m going to take up every single day
of that. Because once I fulfill it, shit will hit the fan. And I’m not ready to clean up that mess yet.
Friday afternoon, we are all sitting at the lunch table with the exception of Kellan. He’s been MIA
since last Sunday. I see him in practice, but we ignore one another. So does Deke and Bennett. Shane
seems to be the only one speaking to him at the moment.
“Austin, I need a favor,” I say, turning to face her. She sits beside me eating Chick-fil-A nuggets.
“What is it?” she asks, not bothering to look at me.
“Can you take Lilly to school and pick her up for me next week? Blanche is busy, and Bruce is
going to be back in town …” She drops her nugget in the barbecue sauce at the mention of her father.
“So Celeste will be too busy—”
“Yeah,” she says, interrupting me and digging it out.
Becky gives me a glare, and I ignore her. She’s been cold since last Sunday, but that’s to be
expected. I’m sure Austin filled her in on my dare.
“Thank you,” I say, but she’s gone back to ignoring me.
“Hey, babe, I made our reservations for tomorrow,” Deke tells Becky.
She looks at him but doesn’t say anything. Their relationship is on the rocks as well. Not sure what
happened there, but it’s not good.
Deke throws me a glare.
“Okay, how about we go out to eat together?” I offer, trying to fix this since I’m the reason both
girls are pissed.
“I’m busy,” Austin states and then stands to throw her trash away.
I grip her arm and pull her back down into her seat. “Doing what?”
Her eyes narrow on me. And they look like she did that first night I met her in the cemetery. When
she hated me. That seems so long ago. “None of your business,” she snaps.
The bell rings, and she tries to get up again, but I don’t release her. “Austin—” Becky starts, but
Deke grabs her arm too and pulls her away from the table.
“Stop,” I tell her.
“Stop what?”
She’s playing my game. Where I act oblivious. I don’t like it. “Stop acting like I’ve already fucked
her.” Her nostrils flare. “I was going to give you some time, but you’ve had enough.”
“Enough time for what, Cole?” she demands.
“To get over this. To understand that Kellan is trying to play both of us. And you’re letting him
win.”
“No.” She leans in, her face inches from mine. I swallow the urge to kiss her. “What you don’t
understand, Cole, is that I don’t fucking care.”
She yanks her arm from my hold, gets up, and walks out of the cafeteria.

AUSTIN

I DON’T CARE!
I don’t fucking care!
I’ve been repeating that in my head for the past five days. Five long fucking days. My mind has
been a mess. And my chest tight. I don’t love him. Hell, half the time I don’t even like him. Then why
am I so mad that he has to sleep with someone else? Especially someone he has slept with before?
I snort. Hell, for all I know, he’s been sleeping with other women over the past month. I still swear
he has a thing going on with Shelby, and I never gave much thought to that, but this is eating at me.
Though I’m not sure what bothers me more. The fact he has to do it or the fact he wants to do it.
I saw the way he smiled at Kellan after he read the dare out loud. Like it was a fucking pass to
screw around on me. For all I fucking know, Cole told Kellan to give him that dare. And I can’t do a
single thing about it.
I storm out of the cafeteria and down the quiet hallway. The second bell has already rang, and now
I’m late. That’s been my week. Turning the corner, I come to a quick stop when I collide with another
body. “I’m sor …” My words cut off when I look up into a set of brown eyes.
Kellan! I straighten my shoulders and go to walk around him. He grabs my arm and yanks me back.
“Don’t touch me!” I snap.
Slamming my back into a locker, he places his hands on either side of my head and cages me in.
Just like Cole used to do. I swear they are so much alike, it’s scary. “I would ask how your week is
going, but I can tell it’s shitty.”
I clamp my mouth shut, refusing to speak to him.
He smiles down at me. “He’s gonna fuck her, Austin.”
I say nothing but my hands fist, knowing he’s right.
 “He’ll pick the group over anything. Even you.”
I know. “I don’t care what he does.”
He chuckles. “Yes, you do. Or you wouldn’t be walking around this school with a scowl on your
face. Everyone is talking about it. They see the way you ignore him. How when he touches you, you
pull away. And when the school finds out he fucked Kaitlin … because they will, Austin, I’ll make
sure of it. No one will feel sorry for you. They’ll all say you sent him right into her arms.”
I narrow my eyes on him. “I’m having a hard time putting two and two together. Why don’t you help
me out? Is it me you hate the most or Cole?” I come right out and ask. I’ve never backed down to
Cole, so I’m sure as hell not going to with Kellan.
“I hate you both equally,” he says as his eyes drop to my chest.
My breathing picks up as he pushes himself into me, pressing my back into the lockers. “Kellan,” I
warn.
“There is a way that can keep him from having to fuck her,” he says as his hips press into mine.
He’s hard. My hands shoot out to his chest, and I try to push him away, but he doesn’t budge. He
presses his face into my neck, and I swallow the bile that wants to rise. “I’ll retract my dare if you
pull out of the group.”
Could it be that easy? Could I just call a meeting and tell them that I’m done? That I won’t tell a
soul what I know, and they’ll let me leave.
He chuckles, and I grind my teeth. It’s a trick. “Then that will show that I actually care. Which I
don’t.”
“But we all know that you do, Austin. End it with some dignity and pull out of the group. Or let him
cheat on you and make you more of a joke than you already are.” He kisses my neck, and I pull it
away from him the best I can with his body pinning me to the lockers. “You’ve got until Sunday,” he
whispers and then he licks up my neck to my ear, before pulling away.
I suck in breath after breath while my heart races as I watch him walk down the hallway. He places
his hands in the pockets of his jeans, whistling a merry tune.
I fist my hands down by my side, trying to calm my racing heart. This bastard is not going to play
me. I’m so tired of them thinking that they can push me around. Bully me. Fucking blackmail me.
I pull my cell out of my back pocket and send a quick text to Cole.

Me: Dinner tomorrow night @ 6. My house.

Then I put it away and storm off to class. I know exactly what I need to do. It’s a simple answer. It
just took Kellan in my face to realize it.

_______________

I’M JUST PUTTING the dessert in the fridge when I hear the doorbell ring. I open it up to see Becky and
Deke standing before me. She looks unhappy, and he looks pissed.
I feel bad for them. She’s been mad at him since Sunday. After Cole dropped me off at my house,
she had called me. To my surprise, Deke told her what was going on. She was mad at him for even
doing these stupid dares. But when she spoke to me, she cried. She told me that she couldn’t imagine
her life without him and what if someone had dared him to sleep with someone else. She wasn’t sure
if he would pick her over the boys’ stupid group. That was when I realized if Deke was questionable,
then there was no doubt about what side Cole would choose.
He’ll fuck Kaitlin!
I’m just some girl Cole blackmailed. Deke loves Becky.
“You look gorgeous,” I say, pulling her in for a hug.
“So do you.” She hugs me and then pulls away, giving me a fake smile.
“Deke.” I greet him.
He nods.
I loop my arm in hers, and we make our way into the kitchen. “You cooked all of this?” Becky asks
wide-eyed, looking over the table.
I cooked my favorite meal, Italian stuffed shells with garlic parmesan cheese bombs, along with
tiramisu cupcakes for dessert. “Yep. I hope you’re hungry. There’s dessert in the fridge.”
She goes to open her mouth, but the doorbell rings again. “Deke, will you get that?” I ask and turn
my back to him.
 CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
COLE

I SQUARE MY shoulders as the door opens, and I’m not surprised to see Deke opening it. His SUV
is outside, after all. Yesterday, while in fifth period, I read Austin’s text out loud to him and Becky.
She immediately told me to reply that they would come too. Deke wasn’t happy, but he didn’t argue.
I go to enter, but he steps outside, making me take a step back. “You better have a plan to fix this
shit.”
“Deke …”
“This is getting in my way now, Cole. And if you don’t do something, I’m going to kill Kellan
myself.” Then he spins around and walks inside, slamming the door shut behind him.
I shove it open and storm inside. But I come to a stop when I enter the kitchen. Deke and Becky
aren’t present, but Austin stands over at the counter. Her back facing me. Her hair is down in big
curls, and she has a black dress on that stops mid-thigh. It makes me instantly hard.
I walk over to her, and she stiffens when I pull her hair off her shoulder. I lean down, kissing her
delicate neck. “Hello, sweetheart,” I say softly.
I’ve got to kiss ass! There’s no way around it.
She turns around in my arms and looks up at me. She’s not smiling, but she doesn’t look like she
wants to tear my head off. So things are getting better already. Then she leans up and gently kisses my
lips. I can’t stop myself; I slide my hands in her soft hair and demand more from her. And she gives it.
Her arms wrap around my neck, and her mouth opens for me. I press her back into the counter and
moan into her mouth. Fuck Kellan! He isn’t going to fuck up my plans with Austin. She is the one I
want to destroy.
But she’s already destroyed.
She pulls away and runs her hands down my button-up. She licks her wet lips and then turns back
around, giving me her back.
We all sit at the table, an awkward silence falling between everyone. It reminds me of dinner with
her dad last month. And just like then, I haven’t eaten much. I’ve just sat here and stared at her,
ignoring all the glares Deke has thrown me.
“Do you guys have plans afterward?” Austin looks at Becky.
“No.” Her answer is clipped.
Deke tightens his hold on his fork like he plans to stab me with it. “I thought you wanted to go see
that movie—”
“Not anymore,” she interrupts him.
He slams his fork onto the table. Deke never has had much patience. “Why am I being punished for
something Cole is doing?” he demands. “I’m not fucking Kaitlin.”
My teeth clench. Here we go.
“Because that could very easily be you,” she snaps back. “You guys play this stupid game as if your
life depends on it. And it’s ridiculous.”
He opens his mouth, but Austin stands from the table. The room falls silent when she looks at me.
“I spoke with Kellan yesterday.”
 Deke jumps to his feet. “About what?” he demands.
She looks toward him. “He helped remind me what kind of game this is. And although I don’t agree
with it either, I’m not a quitter.”
“What did he say to you?” I snap. I saw him at practice yesterday afternoon and not once did he tell
me he spoke to her. He actually avoided me like he has all week.
“He said that he would retract the dare if I pulled out.”
Deke frowns, and my jaw tightens. “That isn’t allowed. He lied to you,” I growl.
She nods to me. “I figured. That’s why I don’t plan on pulling out.”
“So what are you gonna do?” Becky asks, looking up at her.
She tilts her head to the side. “Have you guys thought about Kellan?” She ignores answering
Becky’s question. “Like really thought about him? ’Cause I have this week. And after our talk
yesterday, things started to make sense.”
“Like what?” Deke asks.
“First—who is Kaitlin to Bryan?”
I frown, not understanding where she’s going with this.
“She is his ex,” Becky answers. “They had a bad breakup last year. But no one really knows why.”
She brings her hand up to tap her finger on her chin in thought. “Don’t you find it odd that just
weeks ago, Kaitlin came up to you and said that I was a dare? That Bryan had told her Cole had a
month to play with me. Then she literally becomes his dare?” She looks at me. Deke frowns,
confused. But I get what she’s saying. “It could be a coincidence, but then she says the rumor came
from Bryan. Who I now know is her ex. And he’s also a guy who you already got in a fight with over
me once before then. Where would Bryan hear that from? It came to me. Last Sunday after you drew
your dare and Deke was questioning him about it, Kellan’s words were why not? We all know he’s
just playing with Austin.” Deke shakes his head with disgust. “And you guys both jumped Bryan and
his best friend Christopher at the beach party after he dared his friend to fuck me. The party Kellan
wasn’t at.”
“I don’t get it,” Becky says.
She looks at Becky. “Kellan is trying to fuck them at their own game.” Then her eyes meet mine. “I
can’t figure out where Deke fits in, but he’s trying to set you both up. He wanted you guys in trouble
for laying your hands on Chris and Bryan, but they didn’t rat you guys out ’cause they’re more afraid
of you than him.”
“Son of a bitch.” Deke hisses.
“How long ago did you sleep with her?” She looks at me.
“Freshman year.”
“See. And now he’s daring Cole to fuck Bryan’s ex.” She shakes her head. “He’s playing very
dirty.”
She walks out of the formal dining room, and my eyes fall to my plate. She’s right.
What are you gonna do about it, Cole?
There’s nothing I can do. My hands are tied. Literally.
She reenters with what looks like cupcakes on a tray. She sets them in the center of the table and
turns to face me. “You told me to trust you. And I’m going to give you one chance, Cole.” Her green
eyes hold my stare without an ounce of fear. “And don’t you dare try to fuck me over.” With that, she
pulls her seat back and sits down.
She’s trusting me.
A part of me hates to fail her. Like everyone else in her life. The other part reminds me this is what
I’ve wanted. But I’ve learned a lot about Austin Lowes since I met her. Whatever you dish out, she
can throw back in your face ten times over. She is karma wrapped in a gorgeous tan and an innocent
smile.
Deke and I slowly sit back in our seats.
“What time was that movie, babe?” Becky asks him.
“Eight thirty,” he answers her but smiles at me. They both reach in and devour the cupcakes, and I
watch Austin smile as she talks to Becky like nothing ever fucking happened. It makes me want to
know what else Kellan said to her. She’s obviously choosing my side, but why? Did he threaten her?
Blackmail her? Does she think I’m the easier one of the two? I’m going to find out.
“Yeah, I’d love to go.” Her voice gets my attention.
“Go where?” I ask.
Becky answers. “To your guys’ swim meet next weekend. It’s only an hour away.”
“If it’s okay, we could bring Lilly,” Austin adds. “I know she would love to watch you.”
Deke smiles through his cupcake, and I can see the chocolate in his teeth. I refrain from throwing
one at his face.
She’s getting to you.
Yes. She is. And I’m not sure what to do about that anymore.

_______________

I CLOSE THE door after telling Deke and Becky goodbye to find Austin in the kitchen washing dishes. I
lean back against the wall, watching her rinse them off before placing them in the dishwasher. “You
know your father pays people to do that, right?”
“When living with my mom, we didn’t pay anyone. If something needed to be done, I did it.”
“Stop,” I say, coming up behind her. I spin her around and grip her hip with my right hand. My left
hand pushes her hair from her face. “What did Kellan say to you to make you change your mind? Did
he blackmail you?”
She laughs at that. “No, but he is a lot like you in other ways.”
“How?” I ask, my hand pausing in her hair.
“He pinned me against the lockers.”
“He what?” I bark.
“Told me to end it with you and drop out of the group before you make an even bigger joke out of
me.”
“Austin …”
“If you’ve learned anything about me, it’s that I don’t like being cornered. I don’t like being told
what I can and can’t do.”
I smile softly down at her. Glad to see that fight back in her gorgeous green eyes. “Yeah.”
“He gave me until tomorrow to make my decision.”
My teeth clench at that. “And what if you don’t choose what he wants?’
She shrugs. “He didn’t say. But I remember hearing you say that you like to perform.” My brows
rise. “So …” She wraps her arms around my neck. “We are going to give them all a show, baby.”
I laugh at the way she calls me baby. It’s the first time she’s ever said it, and I hate how it makes
chills run up my spine. “What do you have in mind?”
She reaches up and gently kisses my lips. “Right now, I want you to take me upstairs and rip this
dress off my body. And fuck me like they’re watching.”

AUSTIN

SUNDAY EVENING, WE pull up to the barn at nine o’clock. We were supposed to be here thirty minutes
ago. We spent all day in my bed, then took our time getting ready. Cole walks around and opens the
passenger door for me. I smile up at him, and he has a smirk on his face.
He takes my hand in his and opens the barn door for me to enter. We come in, and all chatter comes
to a stop. Deke sits on the couch texting on his phone. Shane and Bennett lean up against the table to
the right, and Kellan stands facing them.
“Hello, everyone.” Cole says cheerfully.
I watch Kellan’s brown eyes narrow on him.
“Finally.” Deke jumps up. “Let’s get this over with. We shouldn’t even be meeting tonight. We
don’t have a dare to do.”
“That’s because Cole is taking his sweet ass time fucking Kaitlin,” Kellan says, looking at me.
“Not sure why. She’s a guaranteed lay.”
I tighten my hold on Cole’s hand. He ignores Kellan.
“I called the meeting,” Bennett says and turns around to dig into a black drawstring backpack.
Identical to the one that lies under my bed. He opens it up and pulls out five white envelopes. “Here
you guys go.” He hands one to Shane and Kellan. Then he walks over and hands Cole two. He tosses
Deke the last one, and he catches it midair.
“What is that?” I ask.
Cole hands me one of them. I take it and feel the thickness.
“This …” Deke holds his up and smiles at me. “Is payday.”
“Payday?” I ask confused. “I don’t—”
“That laptop you stole from Jerrold’s,” Bennett interrupts me, “had several accounts on it. I’m
draining them one at a time into an account I set up. This is the smallest one. And this is your cut. We
each got ten thousand.”
“What?” My mouth falls open in a gasp. I shove my envelope into Cole’s chest and let go of it. It
falls to his feet. “I can’t take that.”
Kellan snorts. “Surprise, surprise. The princess doesn’t want it.”
“That’s blood money,” I snap.
“It’s whatever you wanna call it.”
“It’s illegal,” I argue with him.
Cole reaches down and picks up my envelope.
“What you did to get the laptop was illegal too. Or did you forget that?” Kellan arches a brow in
challenge.
I look away from him.
“That’s what I thought,” he adds.
“Find anything else on the laptop?” Cole asks Bennett.
He shrugs. “Nothing useful. The guy is into some pretty sick shit when it comes to sex. But besides
bank accounts, there was nothing useful.”
“What about cell phone records?” I ask.
“What about them?” Kellan snaps.
Everyone’s eyes turn on me. “What about them?” Deke asks in a much nicer tone.
 “A lot of people don’t like to log in every time they go to a site they frequent often, so they keep
their passwords remembered. If you knew his carrier and typed it in, maybe it will still have him
logged in. You could go through his phone records. See who he has spoken to.” They all just stare at
me, and I shrug, feeling awkward. “It could be nothing …”
“No. It’s a good idea. I’ll check into it,” Bennett says.
I nod once.
Cole takes my hand and turns us to face Kellan. I square my shoulders, knowing what is about to
happen. “She’s not pulling out of the group,” he growls.
“Who said she was?” Bennett demands.
“Kellan.” Deke crosses his arms over his chest.
“What?” He and Shane both speak at once.
Kellan’s jaw sharpens, and he narrows his eyes on me. “Even if you could retract your dare, which
I knew you couldn’t, I still wouldn’t pull out.”
Cole surprises me and jerks me to face him. His hands go to my hair, and his lips crash down on
mine. My lips part on a gasp of surprise when his tongue slides into my mouth. His hands tighten in
my hair, and my eyes close on a moan. My hands grip his shirt as he kisses me like he’s desperate for
me. Needs me. He tilts my head to the side, and I allow him to take my breath away. The man could
kill me if he wanted as long as his hands were on me at the time. My pussy tightens, and my legs
threaten to buckle as he fucking takes what he wants.
Giving Kellan a show.
My eyes slowly open as he pulls away. His blue eyes look over my shoulder, and he smirks. “And
she’s mine. Stay away.”
The room falls silent as I regain myself and pull out of Cole’s hands. I turn around to face them.
Kellan glares at me, but his brown eyes start to burn brighter as a sinister smile spreads across his
face. He takes a step toward me, and Cole yanks me back by my shoulder, ready to jump between us.
His eyes go to Cole. “If this is how you guys wanna play it.” Then he walks past us and out the
door.

_______________

MONDAY MORNING, I walk into the Reynolds house and see Lilly already coming down the hallway
toward me. She wears a pair of jeans and a pink shirt that has a kitty on it, and her blond hair is in
pigtails. She opens her arms. “Austin,” she squeals and jumps into mine.
“Hey, princess. You ready to go to school?”
She nods excitedly.
“Do I need to pack you a lunch? Or do I need to give you lunch money?” I know Blanche is away
this week, and I’m not all sure what she eats for lunch. Cole didn’t give me any instructions.
“Cole made my lunch this morning before he left. It’s already in my backpack.”
“Awesome,” I say. “Let’s get going then.”
“Austin?”
I look up to see a man coming toward me, and my eyes widen at how much he resembles Cole. He
has his blue eyes, a straight nose, and high cheekbones. His broad shoulders fill his expensive looking
charcoal suit, and he’s smiling at me. “It’s been a long time.” He looks me up and down, and it makes
the hairs on the back of my neck stand at the way his eyes linger on my legs.
 “I’m sorry. Do I know you?” I ask. Even though I know who the man is. I’m not sure what he means
by a long time.
He reaches out his right hand. “Liam Reynolds. Cole’s father.”
I got that much. He looks just like him. I shake it. He tightens his grip to the point it’s painful, but I
don’t flinch.
“Good to see you again.”
“Again?” I ask, sliding Lilly to my left hip. She’s heavier than she looks.
He nods, placing his hands in the pockets of his dress slacks. “Yes. I believe the last time I saw
you, you and Cole were seven.”
I frown.
“Your father and I have been best friends since long before he … dated your mother.”
I almost snort at how he chose dated to describe their weekend hookup in a hotel room in Reno.
“Last time you stayed with him, he had a cookout, and you and Cole swam together. You actually
played together a couple of other times too.”
My frown deepens because this guy must have me confused with someone else. I’ve never met
Cole before.
“Anyway,” he continues at my silence. “I must be going into the office. And you must be getting to
school. Don’t wanna get in trouble.” His eyes rake over me again, and I take a step back toward the
door, tightening my hold on Lilly.
“It was nice meeting you,” I say, bending over to grab Lilly’s bag and then heading out the door.
 CHAPTER THIRTY
COLE

“WHERE THE FUCK is she?” I growl, looking down at the clock on my phone. Austin is late as
usual.
“She’ll be here soon. She got stuck in traffic,” Becky answers, pulling her books out of her locker.
She shuts her door and turns to face me. “Have you decided on what you’re gonna do?”
“Do about what?” I ask.
She places her hand on her hip. “Don’t play stupid, Cole. You know exactly what I’m talking
about.”
I look at Deke, who leans up against the lockers, hoping he will shut her up, but he just raises a
brow. He’s thinking the same thing she is.
I sigh. “There’s no way around it.”
She takes a step toward me, glaring. “You’re gonna fuck her over for a dare?” She spits with
disgust. “Fuck, Cole, I thought better of you than that.”
I run a hand through my hair. “It’s not about the dare anymore. It’s about Kellan—”
“Bullshit!” she interrupts me. “Forget about him and think about Austin.”
“What about her?” I demand, getting tired of this subject.
“She—”
“Whew,” Austin interrupts her as she comes running up to us. Becky takes a step back from me, and
Austin steps between us. Placing her left hand on her locker, she bows her head, breathing heavily.
“Made it.” She breathes.
“Did you just have sex in the parking lot?” Becky asks.
“You better not have,” I snap.
Becky throws me a fuck you smile as if the thought of Austin fucking someone else would piss me
off. And I fist my hands. I might be about to fuck someone else, but she better fucking not.
Austin pushes off her locker and rolls her eyes. “I … wish …” She pants. “I couldn’t find a parking
spot.” She swallows. “Had to park all the way in the back … and run.”
Becky laughs, and I ignore her.
I spin Austin around and she looks up at me, a soft smile on her face as she continues to pant. Her
eyes heavy and lips wet. I lean down and capture them with mine. She doesn’t hesitate. I push my hips
into hers, and she moans when she feels I’m already hard. Fuck, I always want her. Too fucking much.
I’ve become a fifteen-year-old boy again who can’t keep my dick in my pants. But I only want the
same woman over and over instead of something new. Different.
My right hand grabs her thigh and pulls it up to wrap around my hip. Someone whistles as they
walk by us, but I ignore them while my lips continue to devour hers.
Fuck me like they’re watching.
That’s what she had said to me and that thought has me being even more aggressive. I’ll give them a
show. I’ll show them that she is fucking mine.
Her fingers dig into my shirt as she pulls me toward her. I slam her back into the locker. She
whimpers into my mouth, and I swallow it.
 When I pull away, I’m panting too. She leans her head back, resting against the locker. I smile
down at her, loving that her eyes are closed and her chest heaving. I make her just as weak as she
makes me.
I take a quick look around the silent hallway and find we are alone now. The bell rang long ago.
“Come on,” I say, pulling her away from her locker.
She straightens her hair and pulls her shoulders back. Pulling herself together.
“How was Lilly for you this morning?” I ask, walking her to her first period. I hate that I need her
help, but right now, there is no one else. And she was right before. Lilly does like her.
“She was great,” she says. “I promised to take her for ice cream after school again.”
I chuckle. “That’s why she likes you so much.”

_______________

WHEN I FINALLY leave practice, it’s late. While I was swimming, Austin messaged me that they were
going to swim and then watch a movie at her place. I planned to join them but needed to run by my
father’s house on the way.
I put my car in park and leave it running in the driveway as I run into the house.
“Cole?” I hear his voice.
I sigh. “Yes?”
“My office.”
I walk down the long hallway and make the last right and walk into his office. He sits behind his
desk with his hands folded on the brown wood.
“What?” I ask, not entering.
“Sit,” he says, gesturing to the chair in front of his desk.
“I’ll stand,” I say, resting my shoulder against his doorframe.
He sighs heavily, showing me his disappointment.
“I saw Austin Lowes today.”
My brows rise at that. “She didn’t mention it.”
He leans back in his chair. “She’s pretty. Very pretty.” I fist my hands, knowing that he looked at
her that way. And I hate that he used the same word her mother’s boyfriend told her. “But of course,
she is; her mother was too before she became a worthless druggie.” He sighs. “Anyway, Bruce is
back in town.” I grunt. “He told me that you two are dating.”
“Something like that,” I say, not wanting him to know that she’s getting to me. He’ll use her against
me. That’s what he does.
He smirks. “He also told me that you denied fucking his wife.”
“That’s because I haven’t. You just assumed.”
“Well, he knows someone is.”
“No offense, Liam, but I couldn’t care less what his wife does behind his back. We all know he’s
not faithful.”
His nostrils flare at that. “Are you wearing protection with Austin?” he demands.
I refrain from chuckling at that. Now he wants to have the sex talk? Doesn’t he know I’ve been
fucking girls since I was fourteen? I have always used protection before, but things are different with
Austin. “That’s none of your business.”
He slams his hands down on his desk and stands. “It is when she tricks you into knocking her up
like her mother did Bruce. I don’t want another unwanted child running around this house.”
My anger rises at those words, and I push away from the doorframe, straightening my back. “Don’t
worry, Father, if I knock her up, I’ll take care of my child. I already take care of yours. What’s one
more?”
“Don’t you fucking dare, Cole!” he snaps.
“No, Dad. You fucking don’t,” I shout.
His blue eyes narrow on me before he slowly lowers himself back down into his seat. “Go ahead.
Knock her up and see where you’re at in five years. Your swimming career long gone. And a child
with a woman who can’t keep her legs closed for other men.”
“You know nothing about her.” She’s all mine.
“I know enough.”
“What Bruce has told you?” I snort. “Like he’s been there for her.” He doesn’t even know what her
mother’s boyfriend has done to her. Or he does and doesn’t fucking care.
His eyes meet mine. “I know that you’ve become obsessed with the whore, and that you made a
deal with Bruce.” I grind my teeth at him calling her a whore. She doesn’t spread her legs for anyone
but me. And it’s going to stay that way. “And the moment you give her up, he’s gonna nail you to the
fucking cross for taking something from him that didn’t belong to you.”
I’m not surprised Bruce told my father that I stole his car. They tell each other everything.
“Why do you care? I’m out of here after graduation no matter where I go.”
His lips thin. He hates that I have my own money and that he can’t control me. “Don’t start acting
like a father now, Liam. You never have before.” Then I turn around and walk out of his office.

_______________

WHEN I WALK into the Lowes house, the lights are off, and the grand foyer is covered in darkness. I
know that Bruce and Celeste aren’t here. Whenever he is home, they are either at the country club or
out on his yacht. He likes to entertain people in this city, and they love to bow at his feet like he’s a
fucking saint.
I walk up the stairs and open the door to her room, but it’s empty, so I continue down the hallway to
the media room. Beauty and the Beast plays on the screen, and I walk around to face the couch. My
chest tightens at what I see.
Austin lies on her left side with her back to the cushions, her arm hanging off the couch. Lilly is
also on her side facing her, cuddled up to her. They’re both passed out.
I go to the stack of blankets over in the corner and grab one, covering them up with it. I sit down,
my elbows on my knees and my head in my hands.
She’s in my head.
Fuck, even my cock is always hard for her. She’s everywhere. And consuming me.
You gotta fuck Kaitlin.
I wasn’t lying to Becky earlier today. This is no longer about Kaitlin or Austin. This is about the
game. The feud between Kellan and me. I’m not willingly going to walk away from this dare and
leave the group. I can’t. I have more dignity than that.
So what are you going to do?
I sigh, not having a fucking clue.
“Cole?”
 I look up to see Austin blinking. She slides her arm out from underneath Lilly’s sleeping body and
sits up, rubbing her eyes. “What time is it?” she whispers.
“Almost nine.”
She covers up a yawn. “Man, I didn’t realize I was so tired.”
I stand. “I’m gonna take Lilly home.”
“No.” She throws off the covers and gets up, making sure not to wake Lilly. “Let her stay here.”
“Austin …”
“She’s fine, Cole. She’s already asleep. And I’m taking her to school in the morning anyway. All
her stuff is already here from when I picked her up earlier. I will just put her in my room. She can
sleep with me.”
I go to protest more, but she picks her up and carries her out. I turn off the movie and fold the
blanket up before putting it back where I found it.
I shut the door and walk down the hall to her room. I enter and find them both already in her bed,
cuddled up and the covers to their neck.
My stomach knots up. Shit is going to hit the fan soon, but it’s not going to be because I fucked
Kaitlin. It’s going to be because more secrets are going to catch up with me, and they are going to
blow up in my face.

AUSTIN

BECKY AND I are walking down the quiet hallway, late to class as usual. The bell rang over fifteen
minutes ago. Lilly and I picked her up this morning, and they wanted donuts. I tried to tell them we
didn’t have time, but Becky turned on me and had Lilly chanting donuts along with her at the top of
their lungs.
Becky crams the last part of hers in her mouth. “We’re so dead,” she mumbles.
My phone dings as we stop at our lockers.

Shark: Where are you?

I roll my eyes. “It’s like he thinks I’m incapable of getting Lilly to school.”
Becky laughs and pieces of her donut fly from her mouth. I chuckle. “Well, you do get her there
late.”
“But she makes it.”

Me: At school. Was running late.

I open my locker and grab my book for first period.

“Shit!” Becky hisses.
“What?” I ask as my phone dings again. I ignore him this time. He’ll see me second period.
“I think I left my chemistry book in the lab.”
I slam my locker shut. “Let’s get it. It’s on the way.”
She throws her backpack over her shoulder, and we take our time walking to the lab room to
retrieve her book.
I open the door, and she walks in. I follow her but come to a stop when I run into her back. “Becky
…”
 “Oh, God.” A woman squeals.
I look over to the far corner where the teacher’s desk sits, and a girl is getting off it. A man stands,
straightening his tie. “Girls.” He clears his throat. “What can I do for you?”
The girl bows her head, allowing her hair to cover up her face, and she turns her back to us.
“I left my book in here yesterday,” Becky says.
He nods at her but makes no move to come out from behind the desk. I look and can see his slacks
are undone but pulled up. “There’s one on the back shelf.” He gestures with his chin.
Becky walks over there and grabs the book and then turns, shoving me out the door. “Thank you,”
she calls out and then bursts out laughing. The door shuts behind me.
“Who the hell was that?” I ask.
“That was Bryan’s twin sister fooling around with the student teacher.”
“What?” I ask with surprise. “I didn’t know he had a twin sister.”
She nods. “That’s another reason Bryan hates Cole so much.”
“He slept with her?” Why am I not surprised?
“Yep. Cole has fucked the love of his life and his twin sister.”
“Is there anyone in this school Cole hasn’t fucked?” I growl.
She comes to a stop at our first period. “Me.”
I laugh, shaking my head, and open the door. The teacher throws us a glare, but I just give her a
smile. I have a hard time getting myself to school on time, and this week, I gotta get a six-year-old
too. And my best friend since Deke is also busy with swimming. Who likes to spend too much time
deciding what to wear.
We sit down in our seats, and I look over at Becky.
“What?” she whispers when she sees me staring at her.
“Do you really think Cole will sleep with Kaitlin?” I ask the question that I haven’t had the courage
to ask. Because I know the answer.
Her eyes look down at my bag by my feet, avoiding eye contact with me.
“That’s what I thought.” I sit back in my seat.
I hate that I fucking care so much. That the thought of him with anyone else makes my stomach knot
and my chest hurt.
“Maybe not,” she says, surprising me. “I mean, something’s keeping him from doing it.”
“That’s true …” I trail off.
She leans over her desk toward me. “Deke told me that Cole always completes his dare the very
next day.” I frown. “I know he’s not the greatest guy, Austin, but he feels something for you. I didn’t
need to watch him put off a dare to know that, though.”
I tap my pencil on my desk. “So I have to stop it.”
She shakes her head. “They will kick you out of the group if you mess with a dare.”
I snort, and the girl who sits in front of me turns to glare at me. I give her a big smile, and she rolls
her eyes before turning back to face the front of the classroom. “I don’t wanna be in their boy group.
They would be doing me a favor.”
She smiles. “So do you have a plan?”
I nod. “Yes, I do.”
“Need my help?” she asks, wiggling her eyebrows.
“Absolutely.”

_______________
THE NEXT THREE weeks flew by faster than I wanted them to. Cole and Deke were busy with practice,
so I got to spend a lot of time with Becky. I even convinced Cole to let Blanche have her afternoons
free, and I continued to pick Lilly up from school. Becky and I would take her to get ice cream or go
to my house and swim. She loved having “girl time” as she called it. I don’t think she gets much of it
other than the time she spends with Celeste. And she has been up my father’s ass. He’s avoided me,
and I’ve stayed out of his way, praying he leaves town soon.
But I couldn’t help noticing the way Cole’s mood got worse as he neared the end of his deadline.
He was agitated. His attitude dark. His hands were always fisted, and he didn’t speak much. But that
hasn’t slowed down his affection toward me. He’s been over the top ever since I told him we were
going to put on a show. And that’s exactly what we have done.
It’s officially Friday. And tomorrow is the big day. He hasn’t said much to me today, but I haven’t
taken it personally.
“You guys don’t have a meet this weekend?” Becky asks Deke.
He shakes his head and pops a chip in his mouth. He too is on edge. I caught him and Cole arguing
earlier this morning, but they both shut up the moment they saw me walking toward them. I never did
catch what they were saying, and I know Cole wouldn’t tell me even if I asked.
I open my mouth to speak but close it when Kellan walks up to the table. “Afternoon, guys,” he
says with a sinister smile.
I glare up at him.
Cole ignores him as he looks down at his phone.
“Party at my house tomorrow night,” he says, looking straight at Cole. “And of course, you’re
invited, Austin. Wouldn’t want you to miss it.”
Cole looks up at him through his lashes, showing indifference. But I can feel the heat rolling off
him.
“Oh, she’ll be there,” Becky answers for me, and I refrain from laughing.
“See you then,” he says cheerfully and then places his hands in his pockets and walks away,
whistling like he did when he told me to walk away from Cole.
I smile at Becky, and she smiles back.
 CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
COLE

I WALK OUT of the cafeteria and stop at my locker. I yank the door open, grab what I need, and then
slam it shut.
“You can’t go,” Deke growls, coming up to me.
“I’m getting really fucking tired of arguing with you about this,” I snap.
“Then do the right thing.”
“Why do you fucking care?” I shout, making a kid jump who was walking by. “Huh, Deke? Why do
you fucking care what I do?”
He lowers his eyes to the floor and runs his hand through his hair. “Becky was right.”
“Fuck! Not this again …”
“I’ve seen a difference in you too, Cole.” His eyes meet mine. “Haven’t you felt the difference?” I
snort, rolling my eyes. “Ever since Eli died …”
“Don’t,” I snap, stopping whatever he was about to say.
“No, you’re gonna hear this.” He steps to me, and I fist my hands, ready to punch his ass. “Austin
was just someone you wanted to destroy. You wanted someone as fucked up as you, Cole. So bad that
you couldn’t stand it. Even I could see that.”
“Deke,” I warn.
“But no matter what you throw at her, she dishes it back. You like the fight better than if she was to
lie down and cry. Beg you to stop.” I hate how right he is. “If you fuck Kaitlin tomorrow night, are
you prepared for what she’s gonna do to retaliate?”
“What does that mean?” I demand, not liking where he’s going. This thought had never crossed my
mind.
He lowers his voice. “It means she’s gonna run right to Bryan and fuck him. That’s what she does.
She fucks you back twice as hard. And he’s gonna jump all over that. Finally getting his chance with
her and be able to fuck you over at the same time.”
I see red and punch him at the thought of Austin and Bryan together. He stumbles back into another
kid, knocking him to his ass. Deke stays standing and chuckles like I softly slapped him. “When was
the last time you hit someone, Cole?” I lower my hands. “When was the last time you needed to
release that anger since she came into your life that night?”
“What …?” I trail off confused by his words.
“She has changed you. You may not see it, but we all have. You only hit someone when she is the
reason. When you’re protecting her. When someone threatens to take her from you. And that is exactly
why Kellan is doing this to you.”
“Deke,” Becky calls out from down the hall with Austin, hearing the commotion. Austin spins
around, her hair slapping her in the face, and her eyes land on mine. They start heading for us.
I fist my hand, and my shoulder throbs. I look at Deke. “You’re wrong.”
He shakes his head with a chuckle. “Go ahead. Fuck Kaitlin and see what happens. Austin will
hate you, and you’ll hate yourself more than you already do.” I flinch at his words. “Because this is
something you can’t control, Cole. She will be your living nightmare. Not one you only see when you
close your eyes. But every minute of every day.”
“Are you okay, babe?” Becky asks him, coming up to us.
“I’m fine.”
She spins around to face me. Her crystal blue eyes hard and she fists her hands like she plans on
hitting me. “What the hell is wrong with you?” she demands.
“Stop,” Austin says, coming to stand between us. Becky turns back around to face Deke, and Austin
turns toward me. Her green eyes are void of any emotion. “Do what you need to do,” she says.
Deke’s head snaps up to look at the back of her head.
“What do you mean?” I ask, my heart pounding in my chest from Deke’s words.
Let’s give them a show.
He’s right once again. She would go to Bryan and do just that. And it would drive me mad. More
than I already am. “Austin …”
“Exactly what I said,” she interrupts me. “Tomorrow night at the party. Do what you need to do,
Cole.” She leans up and softly kisses me on the lips. I don’t move or kiss her back. Then she walks
off with Becky right behind her. Deke and I turn to watch them walk down the hall.
He comes to stand beside me and sighs. “She’s gonna eat you alive, man.”
“FUCK!” I turn and punch my locker.

_______________

I STAND IN the kitchen of Kellan’s parents’ house with my back against the countertop. My arms
crossed over my chest and a pissed-off look on my face.
Austin’s words have continued to swim in my mind since yesterday.
Do what you need to do.
What kind of bullshit is that?
She’s fucking with my head. She does it so well.
Was that her way of telling me to fuck Kaitlin? If so, it’s a trap. No woman willingly tells a man to
fuck another woman. No matter what the circumstances are. Or was that her way of telling me to
choose her and withdraw from the group?
“Here. You’re gonna need it,” Deke says, handing me his Solo cup.
“No.” I don’t drink at parties unless it’s at my house. That was a rule I made after I lost three
friends. I’m not going to let Kellan force me to go against that. He’s already forcing me to do enough.
“Hello, boys,” Kellan says, joining us.
Bennett ignores him as he drinks from a Solo cup.
Deke throws him a glare. I watch the entrance to the kitchen, waiting for either Kaitlin or Austin to
walk in. At this point, I’m not sure who I want to see less.
“I’d choose Becky.”
“What?” I snap, looking over at Deke.
He ignores my harsh tone. But no one can miss the cut on his bottom lip from my fist yesterday.
“Becky was so mad when I told her about your dare. She was afraid the same thing would happen
to me. And I never made her think that I would choose her. But that’s why I was so pissed at Kellan.”
He takes a quick sip of his drink. “Because the moment I heard you read the dare, I knew I’d pick her
over the group.” He looks me in the eyes. “It’s okay to choose her, Cole. This group will come to an
end soon. After graduation, they’ll go their separate ways, but where will Austin go? Will you
willingly leave her?” He shakes his head as if he already knows my answer.
“You make it sound like I love her,” I growl.
“Don’t you?”
“No,” I snap. She’s supposed to fall in love with me. I’m the one who is supposed to have all the
control and ruin her. Not the other way around. I’ve seen what loving someone can do to another
person. And it’s pathetic.
He just smiles.
“Fuck you, Deke.”
“Showtime,” Kellan says, getting our attention. He rubs his hands together excitedly, and my eyes
follow where his are. Kaitlin just walked into the kitchen. She has her red hair down. She’s wearing a
tight pair of blue jeans and a black top. A big smile on her face.
She does absolutely nothing for me.
She turns around and holds out her right hand, and my eyes widen when I see Bryan take it in his.
“What the fuck?” Kellan snaps.
They walk toward us, and he picks up a Solo cup and pours her a drink. He lifts his eyes to mine.
“Boys.” He nods and then pulls her out of the kitchen.
Deke tries to hide his chuckle but fails. “Well, that changes things,” he says happily.
“Absolutely not,” Kellan snaps. “He still has to fuck her.”
“That’s not gonna happen. She’s obviously back with Bryan,” Bennett says, shaking his head.
“That was his dare.” Kellan growls. “He fucks her or he’s out.”
“What is he supposed to do?” Bennett asks. “Rape her?”
“If that’s what he has to do,” Kellan says with a nod.
“Absolutely not!” I snap.
“What the fuck, man?” Shane demands. “What is wrong with you?”
He lets out a growl of frustration. “Then you’re out.” He looks at me.
I raise my hands. “Then I’m out.”
Deke smiles at me, and he knows why I just stepped away. It had nothing to do with Kaitlin. And
everything to do with Austin.
Fuck! She’s gotten to me.
“No,” Bennett says, pushing off the opposite counter. “You’re not going anywhere, Cole.”
Kellan opens his mouth to argue, but something behind me gets his attention. I turn around to see
Austin and Becky walking toward us. She looks like she just walked off a runway in Milan. Her hair
curled and down. Her green eyes lined with black. Her lips painted red. And she wears a red fucking
dress that makes me weak in the knees. It’s low cut in the front, showcasing her perfect tits. She
smiles at me, and everyone parts for them as if they’re fucking royalty.
“Desire” by Meg Myers begins to play over the speakers of the house, and her smile widens like
she knows a secret.
“Fuck this shit.” I hear Kellan hiss, but I ignore him.
She comes up to me, and I reach out for her. My hand wraps around her thin waist and I pull her to
me.
“I didn’t do it,” I tell her, needing her to know. I wouldn’t have done it anyway. I was just trying to
buy time to get out of it, but I couldn’t figure it out. I couldn’t do it because I couldn’t picture her
being with anyone else. And I don’t want anyone else.
This woman is as twisted as I am. She is as broken as me. Together, we are two fucked-up people
living in a world where you’re supposed to be perfect. She’s not up to pretending, and I’m not up for
faking.
“I know,” she whispers against my lips.
I search her eyes, and they sparkle. Just like every other time she has gone toe to toe with me. I
love that look on her.
“You’re up to something,” I say.
Her eyes drop to my chest as her hands run down it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she
says, licking her red lips. I want them wrapped around my cock.
I grip her chin and lift it, so she has to look up at me. “You had something to do with Kaitlin and
Bryan.” I’m reaching, but what else can explain what just happened. And the look in her eyes. I’ve
underestimated her too much. But I don’t anymore.
She smiles. “I dare you to prove it.”

AUSTIN

HE STARES DOWN at me. Those gorgeous blue eyes searching mine. He pulls away, takes my hand, and
drags me out of the kitchen. I bite my lip to keep from laughing at his urgency. He pulls me into a room
and slams the door shut.
“What did you do?” he demands, spinning to face me.
I cross my arms over my chest.
“Austin,” he growls, coming up to me. “Tell me.”
I love when he’s like this. When the roles are reversed, and he can’t stand to not know what I did.
What I’m capable of. “I wasn’t gonna let you fuck her, Cole. If that’s what you want, then fine, let me
walk right now. No more you and me. No more game.” He said he didn’t do it, but was that because I
stepped in?
He steps to me, his hand coming up to cup my face. “I couldn’t do it because of you.” I swallow
nervously at his words. “I was never going to do it.” He pushes his body into mine. “You’re not going
anywhere, Austin. I’ve been so dead set on making everyone see you as mine, but I didn’t realize until
tonight that all along I’ve been yours.”
“Mine?” I question, and my heart starts to pound faster.
He nods once. His eyes searching mine. “I’m all yours.”
“You’re giving me a choice?” I can’t help but ask.
He chuckles. “No, sweetheart. I’m not.” Then his lips are on mine.
His hands go to the hem of my dress, and I lift my arms above my head and pull away from his lips
as he lifts my dress. “Fuck.” He growls when he sees I’m not wearing a bra.
I smile as “A Little Wicked” by Valerie Broussard plays through the speakers.
He takes a step back from me, and I slowly push my red thong down my legs. He watches in
complete fascination as I toss it to the side. “I’ll leave my heels on for you.”
His eyes meet mine as his hands go to the belt on his jeans. “You won’t need them while on your
knees.”

_______________

I’M SLIDING MY dress on as he pulls his jeans up. “What did you do?” he asks.
“I’d rather not tell you,” I say truthfully.
 He looks up and glares at me. He hates being in the dark. Sighing, I say, “I blackmailed Bryan.”
His eyes widen. “You what? How?”
“I caught his sister fucking someone she shouldn’t have been. I went to him and told him that if he
didn’t get back with Kaitlin I’d turn his sister in.”
“And he bought it?”
“I wasn’t joking,” I say simply. “He had a few choice words and said I was bluffing. When I pulled
out my phone to show him the pictures, he threw his hands up in defeat.”
“You took pictures of her fucking someone?”
“No.” I smile.
He stares at me. His jeans pulled up but still unbuttoned, showcasing his black boxers. He’s still
shirtless, allowing me to enjoy the gorgeous view of his body.
“I refused to let Kellan win.” I shake my head. “If you wanted her, that was a different story—”
“I didn’t want her,” he interrupts me flatly, walking over to me, and I don’t back down. The hard
look on his face makes me think he’s mad at me, but I don’t care. I had more than this stupid game at
stake. I wasn’t going to let this school see me as anything but strong. I’m not the girl who gets played.
And I’m certainly not the girl who lets men like Kellan walk all over me.
He cups my cheek. “You’re such a fucking shark,” he says, and a smile spreads across his face.
“Well, around here, if you’re not one, you’re dead.”
“I’d never let anyone touch you, sweetheart.”
“No one but you?” I ask, my arms coming up and wrapping around his neck.
“No one but me,” he promises, and then my dress is on the floor again.

_______________

MONDAY MORNING, I walk into second period and sit down next to Cole. He’s looking down at his
phone like always. “Can you take Lilly to dance tonight? I have somewhere I have to be,” he says
without looking my way.
“Of course. What do you have to do? Practice?” I ask, but he doesn’t respond. “Cole?” I snap,
getting his attention.
“What?” he growls, looking up at me.
I arch a brow at his shitty attitude. I’m not sure what the hell is going on in his head now. It’s been
two weeks since the party at Kellan’s house, and things have been extremely tense. No one has called
a meeting at the clubhouse, and I’m not sure what we all do now that Cole didn’t complete his dare. I
heard Shane say something about doing a redraw, but Bennett quickly shut that down.
Once again, Kellan hasn’t been around. But I know they see him at practice, and they had a meet
over the weekend. It was here in Collins, so thankfully they didn’t have to be on a bus with him. But
it’s bound to happen.
“I said, what do you have to do?”
He looks away from me. “It’s personal.”
I open my mouth to argue further, but the teacher stands from her desk and starts the class.
I sit back as he puts his phone away. I watch him out of the corner of my eye. His jaw is sharp like
usual, and his eyes clouded. He’s in his own little twisted world where blood and anger control him.
I hate that I can’t pull him out of it. He’ll come over later and fuck me. Then afterward it’s like all his
power and anger just fade to nothing. And then he’s smiling and laughing with me like nothing ever
happened.
It’s confusing and gives me whiplash.

_______________

I SENT COLE a text that I had dropped Lilly off over an hour ago. He read it immediately but never
responded. I didn’t let it bother me. Even though we are officially a couple now, not much has
changed.
I make my way into the kitchen and grab a bottle of water before I go up to my room. When a noise
has me pausing.
“Cole!”
I frown. Is Cole here? I didn’t see his car outside. I place my bottle of water on the countertop and
make my way down the hall to the back terrace. I go outside and look in the pool. But no one’s out
here.
“Cole.”
I hear it softly this time. “What the hell?” I whisper, making my way down the hall to my father and
Celeste’s bedroom.
I go to open the door, but my hand freezes on the door handle. “Oh, God, Cole!” I hear Celeste cry
out.
My heart beats faster in my chest. “Fuck, yeah. Oh, that’s it … Cole!” She cries out his name again
and again.
I go to twist the knob, to barge in on them, but it’s locked. I hear a banging sound and realize that
it’s the bed hitting the wall.
She screams his name this time. The thought of running to the garage, grabbing a hammer and
beating my way through this door crosses my mind. But what will that prove? The thought alone is too
much to bear—I sure as hell don’t want to see them in the act.
I take a step back and run up to my room. After shutting my door, I let the first tear fall. I could put
up with a lot of shit, but this was the last straw.

_______________

COLE WASN’T IN class second period the following morning. I never sent him a text asking where he
was, and he never texted me to offer any information. I figured he was still at my father’s house
sleeping off his long night. I ignored everyone, even Becky. She noticed but didn’t push me for an
explanation.
It’s not until after last period that I see him in the hallway, placing his keys in his locker. He was
able to skip school but unable to miss practice. They have a meet this weekend after all. Deke walks
right up to him. “How did it go, man?” he asks.
“Good,” he says with a nod.
Kids fill the hallways, throwing books in their lockers and getting ready to leave for the day.
“Awesome. So you finished the deal?” he asks like they’re talking about buying a car. Not screwing
a woman.
“All done.”
I snort as I walk by him.
 “Hey, sweetheart,” Cole says, reaching out and wrapping his arm around my waist. He pulls my
back to his front and leans his head down to my ear. “Miss me?”
I spin around in his arms, reach up, and slap him across the face. The sound echoes off the walls. I
stare up into his blue eyes as they harden. My heart starts to pound, festering at my rage. His betrayal.
My stupidity. He may have not fucked Kaitlin, but he’s been screwing my stepmom behind my back.
I’m so stupid.
Deke takes a step back from us.
“What the hell was that for?” Cole demands, glaring down at me.
I throw Deke a look of disgust, and his brows rise. Then I look back at Cole. “I’m sure you can
figure it out.” I turn and walk toward the door, not bothering to give them another second of my time.
He grabs my arm and yanks me back. “Cole!” I snap.
“What the fuck was that for, Austin?” he demands. “Because I didn’t tell you where I went? It was
none of your fucking business!”
My anger rises and tears spring to my eyes. I try to yank my arm from his hold, but he won’t let me
go. “Just forget it.” My voice cracks, and I hate myself for caring so much. For thinking he actually
cared. His agenda from the get-go was to break me. And I willingly let him.
“No. I’m not going to forget it.” He steps into me, his blue eyes softening. “What’s wrong?” he
asks, cupping my face.
My first tear falls, and I fist my hands. “I know where you went.”
Deke’s eyes widen, and Cole’s jaw sharpens. “How do you …?”
“I heard it,” I say, interrupting him.
He looks at Deke, and he throws his hands up, shaking his head. “I haven’t said anything.”
“What do you mean? You heard it? Who did you hear it from?”
“I’m not gonna spell it out for you, Cole.”
 CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
COLE

MY JAW TIGHTENS as I lose my patience. “I don’t have time for this, Austin. Tell me what the
fuck you’re talking about!” I demand.
“I don’t want to talk to you,” she says.
“Too bad.” She tries to take a step back. “Why are you so pissed at me?”
Another tear falls down her face. And I try to figure out why my quick trip to Texas could have hurt
her so much.
“God, you have some nerve.” I frown. “You think I’m an idiot. You think I’m stupid and wouldn’t
find out? Wouldn’t hear her?”
“What are you …?”
“I know you’re sleeping with Celeste!” she screams.
“What?” Deke whispers.
“Fuck!” I couldn’t stop the word from leaving my mouth.
Her eyes narrow on me to little slits, taking the single word as confirmation I got caught doing
something I shouldn’t have been doing. “No, fuck you, Cole!”
She starts to turn, to run down the hallway to the exit, but I grab her arm again and yank her to a
stop. “I’m not sleeping with her.”
“Yes, you are!” she yells. “Stop lying to me.”
I release her and take a step back. “I’m not. I promise.”
She huffs and crosses her arms over her chest. “Where did you have to go yesterday and today,
Cole?”
My jaw tightens. “I can’t tell you that.”
“You can; you just choose not to.”
“It’s none of your Goddamn business, Austin!” I snap.
“It is when you’re sleeping with my stepmother,” she yells back.
I run a hand through my hair. “What makes you think I slept with her?” I ask, trying to settle my
rage. It’s going to get us nowhere.
“I told you. I heard her.”
“Heard her what?”
She rolls her watery eyes but indulges me. “When I got home yesterday after taking Lilly to ballet, I
walked into the kitchen to get a bottle of water, and I heard her yelling your name from my father’s
and her bedroom.”
My eyes widen.
“Shit.” Deke hisses.
“But you should know that since you were there with her.”
I reach out for her. “Austin …” But she pulls away and starts to walk down the hallway once again.
“I’ve never slept with Celeste,” I say, watching her come to a stop, and I swallow. “And I haven’t
slept with anyone else since …” I trail off.
She spins around. “Since you started sleeping with me? How original, Cole.”
 “No.” My eyes meet hers. “Since the accident,” I say, not caring that Deke is here. She deserves to
know.
She’s breathing heavy, and her eyes still narrow in suspicion. “That was almost nine months ago.”
I nod. She doesn’t take a step toward me, but she also doesn’t make a move to turn and leave. I run
my hand through my hair nervously. “After the accident, people steered clear of me. I had so much
hate, so much rage, that the Sharks were the only ones not afraid to talk to me. Be around me. If I
wasn’t with them, I was at physical therapy or in a pool.” Her eyes drop to her hands, inspecting her
nails. “But when I showed up with you at school, everyone thought I was back to my old self. The old
Cole who partied every night of the week and slept around …” I walk over to her, needing to close
the distance. I place my finger under her chin and lift it to where she has to look up at me. “I know
I’ve hurt you.” My free hand runs over her scar on her forearm. “And I’ve forced you to do things that
you didn’t want to do.”
“Blackmail,” she corrects me.
I smile down at her. “But I’ve never cheated on you.” Pushing her hair behind her ear, I say.
“You’re all I want.”
She sighs. “Cole …”
“Please,” I beg. “Believe me.” She bites her bottom lip nervously. “I need you to believe me.”
“It doesn’t make sense.”
“I know.” My teeth clench. “But I’m gonna figure out what went on and why.”
She finally nods her head once, and I lower my lips softly, kissing her forehead. “I’ll come over
after practice, okay?”
She looks over at Deke, who watches us like a nosy little bitch. “Okay,” she says and turns around,
walking out the door.
I spin around, get what I need out of my locker, slam it shut and head toward the guys’ locker room.
“Are you really fucking Celeste?” Deke asks.
I come to a stop and glare at him. “No. Kellan is.”
His eyes widen. “How long have you known this?”
“Couple of months,” I say truthfully.
“Why haven’t you said anything?” he asks, his brows pulling together.
“Because it wasn’t important.”
“And now?” he asks.
“Now, it’s become a problem I’m gonna fucking fix.”

_______________

I GET OUT from underneath Austin’s arms—she passed out about an hour ago—and pull my jeans on
and nothing else. I make my way out of her room and down the stairs. The rain pours on the house and
lightning fills the dark halls. It’s late. Has to be past midnight.
I walk into the formal dining room to find Celeste sitting at the table. Her back to me. She’s on her
phone. “Yeah,” she whispers. “Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow. I love you,” she says and then hangs up.
When she stands and turns around, she startles, placing her hands on her chest. “Cole!” she squeals.
“What are you doing here?”
My eyes go to her phone in her hand and then back to hers. “I’m gonna take a guess and say that
was Kellan.” She glares at me. “Love already, huh?” I run my fingers along the wood of the china
cabinet. “That was fast.”
Her eyes narrow. “Like you’re one to talk. Everyone can see how obsessed you are with Austin.”
“Funny you should mention her.” I take a step forward. “You’re trying to fuck up what’s mine.”
“She told you?”
“No,” I lie, and she snorts in disbelief. I close the small space and cup her cheek. She stiffens. “I
have a way of making people talk, Celeste. Am I gonna have to make you talk?”
Her bottom lip trembles. “It was his idea …”
“She heard your voice. Not his.”
She lets out a long breath. “He said you’re falling for her. That you won’t let her go. That she needs
to go, and since you won’t step away, she needs to.”
“She’s not going anywhere,” I say firmly.
“Cole …” she whispers. “Please … he made me …”
I bring my hand and wrap it around her throat but don’t take away her air. She inhales sharply. I can
feel her pulse race, and I smile. “Am I the one you think of when he fucks you?”
She shudders.
I pull away. “’Cause if that’s what you want …” I run my fingers across her collarbone.
“Cole … please …” she begs, and her body shakes with nervousness.
She should be afraid of me. “I’ve got insurance, Celeste.”
Her eyes widen in surprise. “Last week when you met him at the hotel. Last month when you met
him outside of town at that log cabin. We had a deal. Are you going back on it?” She shakes her head
quickly.
“Good. Now leave what’s mine alone or …” I lean down to whisper in her ear. “You will be
screaming my name. But it won’t be from pleasure.” I pull back. “Understand?”
She nods.
“Say I understand, Cole.”
“I understand, Cole.” She swallows.
“Good girl.” Then I turn around and walk back up the stairs.
I enter Austin’s room, shutting the door and locking it behind me. Removing my jeans, I crawl onto
the bed and straddle her hips. She lies on her back with her head turned to the side. She’s completely
naked.
I lean down, kissing her neck. She still smells like sex. Like me. And I love it. “Sweetheart.”
“Hmm?” She moans, turning her head more to allow me better access.
“Wake up, baby.” I slide a hand between our bodies and run it over her shaved pussy.
“No …” She breathes. “I’m too sore.”
I chuckle. “Want me to kiss it?”
“God.” She sighs.
I trail kisses down her bare chest as I slide a finger into her. She whimpers.
Sitting up, I position myself between her legs. I lift her right leg and place it over my shoulder and
then lean into it, softly kissing it. She lifts her hips up off the bed. Needing more. “Tell me you want
me.”
“I want you, Cole.” Her hips buck again. “Please.”
I smile and then bite her inner thigh. She screams out my name as my teeth sink into her flawless
skin.
When I set her leg down, she’s panting. I run my finger over the bruise that’s already forming. “I’m
gonna mark you from head to toe, sweetheart.” And she’s going to be the only one screaming my name
in this house from now on.

AUSTIN

THE NEXT WEEK went by faster than ever. Things were going well between Cole and me. People still
stared at us in the hall as if they were waiting for me to slap him or for him to shove me up against his
locker and make out with me. He didn’t disappoint them. There was talk around the school as to why I
slapped him. The rumors were far from the truth, and I didn’t have the heart to tell them that their
imaginations were weak.
Friday after school, the guys had to stay later for practice because they had a swim meet coming
up. I helped Cole out and took Lilly to dance and then back to his house before returning home. I had
just walked up the stairs to my room when I hear his voice.
“Files?”
I stop and turn to look over the banister but don’t see anyone. But that was definitely my father.
What is he doing here? I thought he was out of town for a few weeks?
“My laptop got stolen …”
My stomach drops.
“Jesus!” my father hisses. “But what about the emails?”
“They’ve been deleted. They wouldn’t be able to find them unless they searched the hard drive and
knew what they were looking for.”
“Are you sure?” he asks nervously. “No one steals a laptop for no reason,” he snaps.
“I’m positive.”
I make my way quietly back down the stairs and out the front door. I jump into my car and dial
Cole’s number. He doesn’t answer. I call Deke’s. Nothing.
“Shit! Come on, guys,” I say, my knees bouncing. This is not good.
 CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
COLE

I’M SHOWERING IN the locker room, washing my hair when I hear Deke. “Cole?”
“What?”
“Get your ass out of the shower. We gotta go.”
I take my time. “Where we going?”
“Austin has called me twenty times …”
“What?” I ask, spinning around, the water causing shampoo to run into my eyes.
“I checked your phone, and she’s called you fifteen. Something’s wrong, man.”
I turn off the water, rip the towel from the wall, and quickly dry off, making my way to the lockers.
Shoving guys out of my way. “She sent a text too.”

Austin: Have everyone meet me at the clubhouse. Now!

“Shane! Bennett!” Deke calls out. “Let’s go!”

“Why is her phone going straight to voicemail?” I snap, trying to call her for the twentieth time as
Deke flies down the highway.
“We’re almost there,” he says.
He pulls up outside the clubhouse, and I’m out of his SUV before he can even bring it to a stop.
I barge in the door to find her pacing back and forth with her head down. “What the fuck is going
on?” I demand. “I’ve been calling you.”
She comes to a stop. “I’ve been calling you too.”
Deke and the rest of the guys enter, and she runs a hand through her hair nervously. I look her over
for any blood or bruises. I don’t see anything, but I can tell that she’s shaken.
“What’s wrong, Austin?” I ask.
“I got home from dropping Lilly off at your dad’s, and I heard my father talking in the kitchen.” I
frown. “I thought it was odd because he was supposed to be gone. I was just going to ignore him
when I heard another voice. And he sounded familiar.” Her eyes shoot to Shane, and he sits down on
the couch. “But the other man started talking about emails.”
“Why kind of emails?” Bennett asks.
“He swore he had deleted them. He said that the only way anyone would be able to find them was
if someone looked on the hard drive. That they would have to know what they are looking for.”
“Who was this guy?” Bennett asks.
Her eyes meet mine, and she swallows nervously. “It was Jerrold.”

AUSTIN

SHANE JUMPS TO his feet. “Are you sure?”

I nod. “Positive. He told my dad that his laptop was stolen. And he got pissed. Said that you don’t
steal a laptop for nothing.”
“Did he see you?” Cole demands. I shake my head. “Are you sure, Austin?” he snaps.
“Yes. I ran back down the stairs and came straight here.”
“Fuck!” he growls, running a hand through his hair in frustration.
“Did you check the hard drive?” Deke asks Bennett.
“Yes. But I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.”
“Then you obviously missed something,” Cole snaps.
“I’ll look again, but even now, I still don’t know what I’m looking for exactly.”
“Why the fuck would Jerrold be talking to Bruce in the first place? Let alone about emails?” Deke
wonders out loud. No one has an answer for him.
Cole looks at me. “You’re staying here.”
“I can’t …”
“This isn’t up for discussion, Austin!” he shouts.
“Cole—”
“No!” he interrupts me.
I glare at him. “You don’t even know what I was going to say.”
“I know you were going to argue, and that’s enough.”
I place my hands on my hips.
He turns his attention to Bennett. “I want that laptop here tomorrow. And I wanna go through it with
you.”
Bennett nods. “Of course.”
“Everyone leave,” he orders.
I turn around and walk up the stairs, making sure to step extra hard to let him know that I’m mad at
him. Once I get up to the loft, I rip my shirt up and over my head and push my shorts down my legs. I
yank back the covers and crawl into the bed. I hear the door open and close as everyone leaves. Then
the lights turn off one by one.
I close my eyes as I hear him coming up the stairs—louder than I was.
He undresses and crawls in next to me. I can barely make out his outline through the light streaming
in the small window. He lies on his back, his right hand under his head as he stares up at the ceiling.
I turn over, giving him my back. “Austin …”
“I’m really tired of you bossing me around, Cole,” I growl.
He sighs heavily. Moments later, his hand grasps my shoulder. “You don’t understand what he is
capable of. Jerrold is a very dangerous man, and I don’t want him anywhere near you.” He kisses my
bare shoulder.

_______________

I WALK OUT of second period and storm over to Deke. “Where is Cole?” I ask.
He just stares at me. I stayed the night with Cole at the clubhouse two nights ago, but last night, I
stayed at Becky’s. As far as we know, my father is still in town, and Jerrold could pop over at any
time. Last night after practice, Cole had sent me a text saying he was spending his evening with the
guys going through the emails. Today, he didn’t show up. And that’s not like him to miss class.
“Deke …” Becky growls in warning.
His jaw tightens. “At the clubhouse.”
 I turn to leave, but he grabs my arm, stopping me. “Don’t go.”
I jerk my hand free and storm out of the exit. I squint, the sun actually out today, and run to my car.
I’ve been calling him since last night, and although he doesn’t rush to call me back, he usually at
least reads my messages. I’ve sent him ten. Not one has been read. Something is wrong. And Deke
not wanting me to go confirms that.
I walk into the clubhouse and come to a stop. The punching bag that hangs from the rafter is on the
ground, ripped open. The table knocked over. Papers scatter the floor. The couch up against the far
wall. A couple of the chairs are knocked over onto their sides.
I take the stairs two at a time, and stop at the top. Liquor bottles and beer cans litter the floor and
bed. He’s lying on it, dressed in the same clothes from yesterday. Passed out on his stomach, he has
his hands above his head. The pillows cover the floor along with the sheet and comforter.
“Cole?” I ask, placing my hand on his arm.
He doesn’t budge.
“Cole?” I say a little louder.
He growls.
“Cole!” I snap, shoving his arm.
He rolls over onto his back and opens his eyes. They’re bloodshot and land on mine. I tense. I’ve
never seen them look so cold. So void. “Are you okay?” I ask softly.
He blinks a couple of times as if he’s seeing two of me. Then he slowly sits up.
“Leave,” he orders roughly.
“Cole, what’s going on?”
“Leave, Austin,” he snaps.
“No, Cole! What the fuck are you doing here? Drunk of all things?”
He grabs my arm and yanks me down onto the bed. He buries his head into my neck. “Cole …”
I try to shove him off, but his hands grip my wrists and he pins them down effortlessly. I start
panting.
“Fuck, sweetheart.” He straddles my hips. “You smell so Goddamn good. Did you come to cheer
me up?” he whispers.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, ignoring him.
“Did you come for me to break you?” His nose traces my jawline. “Because that’s what I need,
Austin. I need to break. Destroy. God, I want to wrap my hand around your delicate throat and
squeeze while I fuck you.” His body pins me to the bed, and I feel how hard he is.
I take a calming breath, trying to slow my racing heart.
He kisses up my neck gently to my ear, and my skin breaks out in goosebumps. “I wanna see tears
run down your gorgeous face with your mouth open in a silent scream. Begging me to stop. Begging
me for air. So I’m gonna ask you again. Did you come to cheer me up?”
He pulls back and looks down at me, and I swallow at the look of nothingness in his eyes. I have
no clue what happened or why he needs to break me once again, but I want to give it to him. I hate
how much I want to give him what he wants. But I can’t deny that it sounds like exactly what I need
too. “Yeah, Cole,” I say softly. “I came to cheer you up. Now, I dare you to do your worst.”
 CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
COLE

I SIT UP in bed while Austin lies passed out next to me. It’s a little after eight at night, and she fell
asleep hours ago. I used her. I fucking took and took from her like she was a lifeline.
I had reverted to my old self. How I was before I ran into her in that cemetery. Deke was right—
she had changed me—but I found my way back to the real Cole.
The heartless bastard who feeds off violence. I choked her. I ripped hair out. I fucking marked her
with my hands and my mouth. She cried big, beautiful tears as she stared up at me while my hand was
wrapped around her throat. And her body shook from the orgasms I gave her. She never broke like I
wanted her to. She didn’t beg when I held her wrists above her head. Or when I flipped her over and
buried her face into the bed. At one point, I had her bent over the railing with my hand fisting her hair.
She let me use her however I wanted.
And I fucking loved that she was so strong. That she can take my demons.
I get out of bed and pull on my jeans before walking into the bathroom. I splash cold water on my
face. Looking up at myself in the mirror, I watch as the water runs down my face and splashes on the
countertop. Gripping the edge, I bow my head. I have a fucking migraine, but I know that’s from the
alcohol I’ve consumed over the past twenty-four hours.
I hear the door open to the clubhouse downstairs, and I grind my teeth. I’m in no mood to put up
with bullshit. All I want to do is crawl back into bed with Austin and wake her up with my hand
around her throat again.
“No, Deke.” I hear Becky’s voice.
I walk out of the bathroom and go to the stairs.
Becky stands downstairs, her hands out wide. “What the hell happened?” she demands.
He says nothing even though he knows. He was here along with the rest of the guys to witness my
destruction last night.
I start to walk down to them. “Why are you here?” I demand.
Becky spins around to face me, and her eyes narrow on me as I come to the bottom step.
Deke sighs. “Sorry, man. She wanted …”
“I’ve been calling Austin. Where the hell is she?”
I say nothing. Her eyes take in my lack of shirt and look over the scratches that Austin gave me. She
broke skin when she clawed at my chest while I choked her. It was the best sex I’ve ever had.
“If you hurt her—”
“She’s asleep,” I say, interrupting her.
She runs over to the stairs and shoves me out of the way before she charges up to the loft.
“I’m sorry, Cole,” Deke says softly. “She was worried that …” He trails off.
“That what?” I snap.
He swallows and looks around the mess that I have made of the clubhouse. “That you killed her.”
I snort. Why would I kill her? She’s exactly what I’ve needed all along—something to use.
“You need to tell her,” he says.
I shake my head. “The less she knows, the better.”
 “You’re wrong, man. She needs to know what is going on.”
“No.”
“This involves her,” he snaps. “Do you want her to get hurt?”
“I’m her biggest threat.” We both know that’s a lie. Jerrold could be looking for her right now, but I
don’t want to admit that. That would mean I’m the one who put her in harm’s way by bringing her into
this fucking mess.
He laughs darkly. “Are we back to that now?” My eyes narrow on him. “Jesus, Cole. You’re not
the same guy who found her in the cemetery.”
“Yes, I am.” I never went away. She just smothered him. She just made me think I was a better
person. I was wrong.
He steps into me. “Her life is in jeopardy. If you don’t step up and do something, then I will.”
“What does that mean?” I snap.
“It means that her life is no longer in your hands,” he growls. “I promised the woman I love twenty
minutes ago while she was crying in my arms because her best friend wouldn’t answer her phone that
I would do whatever I needed to make sure Austin is okay.”
“That wasn’t your call to make,” I snap.
“I’m making it my call because you refuse to tell the poor girl the fucking truth.”
“What happened to her being whatever I tell you she is?” I demand.
“Things have changed,” he says softly.
“No. You have changed,” I growl, and he fists his hands down by his sides. “Becky has made you
fucking soft.”
“Cole?”
I spin around to see Austin standing at the bottom of the stairs. Her hair a knotted mess around her
face. Her green eyes heavy, she has mascara lines down her cheeks from when she cried while I
fucked her. She wears one of my t-shirts that falls off her shoulder and that’s it. Thankfully, it’s long
enough to cover her pussy. She has bruises around her neck and on her arms. And teeth marks on her
inner thighs. There’s more, but the shirt hides them.
“Jesus,” Deke mutters, looking over her.
“What’s going on?” she asks, ignoring him.
“Nothing,” I answer.
“Cole,” Deke growls my name in warning.
“Shut up, Deke,” I snap.
“Cole, tell me what is going on,” Austin demands.
“It doesn’t concern you.”
“Stop lying, Cole,” Deke says.
“No …”
“What is going on?” Austin shouts.
The room falls silent, and I rub my temples. That migraine getting to the point my vision is blurry.
“We went through the emails,” Deke finally says. “The ones on the hard drive.”
My teeth clench, and I fist my hands. I could punch him, but that would take too much energy. And I
already feel too weak from the drinking binge and rough sex. If I hit him, he’d hit me back, and he’d
probably knock my ass out.
“And?” she asks.
“And we found emails that indicated the car wreck was not an accident.”
“What do you mean?”
 “The emails proved that Jeff was paid to tamper with the brake lines that night …” He stops, and I
fall onto the couch.
Placing my elbows on my knees, I lean forward and cup my head. My heart races at hearing his
words.
“I don’t understand,” she says softly.
“They prove that he had been talking to your dad. They had a set amount and a plan.” He pauses,
and I close my eyes. “Bennett checked the funds and confirmed that your father paid Jeff fifteen
thousand dollars to ensure that the brakes would fail on Cole’s car the night Eli, Maddox, and Landen
died.”
My muscles tense at his words, and my chest tightens. Bruce fucking tried to kill me, and he
succeeded in killing my friends. He paid the scumbag Jeff to do it. When I was about to kill that
fucker, he kept bringing up the fact that I killed my friends, but it had been him all along.
“I don’t …” She trails off. “Why would my dad want to hurt Cole?”
I look up at her but remain silent. She stands there next to Becky who silently cries because Deke
has already filled her in. Austin has no fucking clue, and I wish he would just shut up. I don’t want her
to know. Not this. Not now.
“We don’t know for sure, but we have a guess.” Deke sighs.
“Which is?” she asks.
“Lilly,” Deke answers.
Her frowns deepens, and my heart pounds at the mention of my little sister.
She looks at me. “Why would he want to hurt you because of Lilly?”
Deke runs a hand through his hair and answers. “Because Lilly is Bruce’s daughter.”

AUSTIN

I STARE AT Deke utterly confused. Lilly is Bruce’s daughter? My father is Lilly’s father? My eyes go to
Cole. He sits there on the couch, blue eyes still bloodshot, skin pale. He looks like he’s half dead.
I swallow the knot that forms in my throat. “Your mom and my dad had an affair?” Lilly is six. My
dad and Celeste have been married for ten years now.
He fists his hands and his jaw sharpens. “No.”
“Then how do you explain …?”
“Bruce fucking raped her,” he interrupts me.
“What?” I breathe.
Becky sniffs beside me, but I can’t look away from Cole. His eyes look at me with disgust. My
father, being the bastard that he is, fucking raped his mother? She had a baby. A baby his dad didn’t
want. And Cole takes care of her. He’s raising her.
Tears start to burn my eyes.
“Austin?” Deke gets my attention.
His blue eyes are the softest I’ve ever seen them. It makes me more nervous than I’ve ever been
around Deke because he actually looks worried about something. “We now know that Bruce, Jeff, and
Jerrold were working together. You need to get out of that house. It’s not safe there.”
“I have nowhere to go—”
“You’ll stay with me,” Becky interrupts me.
“I’m not eighteen yet. I can’t just leave. They’ll know something is up …”
“You don’t have an option,” Deke growls. “We can’t chance Jerrold coming over and seeing you
there. If he does, it will only take him seconds to put two and two together, and then once he tells
Bruce …”
His voice trails off, and I understand completely. My father would kill me if he found out that I
know he paid another man to try to kill Cole.
Becky reaches out and rubs my back gently. I avoid looking at Cole due to the shame. This whole
time, he knew that Lilly was my half-sister, and he never once told me. But why would he? Why tell
the girl who he only wanted to use?
“I’ll get my stuff,” I say and spin around, running up the stairs.
Tears run down my face as I change into my clothes from earlier and shove my shit back in my
backpack. I cry for what happened to Cole’s mom. For my half-sister’s mom. Did my father have
something to do with her death? The thought makes me sick to my stomach.
I pick up my bag, throwing it over my shoulder, and turn around. I come to a stop when I see Cole
standing at the top of the stairs with his hands tucked in the pockets of his jeans. His face has that
usual mask. God forbid the man show any emotion.
His eyes trace the marks around my neck, and I swallow the lump in my throat but say nothing.
There’s nothing to say to him.
Then, without a word, I walk around him, down the steps, and out the front door.
 CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
COLE

I WAKE HEARING loud voices. I make my way down to the office and crack the door open. My
father stands behind his desk.
My mom sits in one of his black leather chairs. Tears run down her cheeks.
“I’m pregnant,” she whispers.
He runs a hand down his face. “Is it even mine?”
She sniffs. “I don’t know …”
“How long have you been fucking him?” he growls.
“I didn’t ….”
He slams his fists down on the table. “You’re fucking pregnant, Betty!”
“He raped me,” she cries.
“Because you let him.” He slaps her across the face.
I go running in. “Mom!”
“Get the fuck out of here, Cole!” my father growls.
“Go, Cole.” She shoves me out of the room and shuts the door. I place my ear against it and
listen.
“Fuck! How could you let this happen?” he demands. “Now, you’re just another broken bitch.
Like all the rest.”
“I’m leaving, and I’m taking Cole with me,” she says, ignoring his words.
“You’re not going anywhere. And you sure as hell aren’t taking my son with you.”
“You’re not gonna put your hands on me,” she snaps.
“I’ll do whatever I damn well please.” I hear him slap her again, and I try to open the door, but
it’s locked. She cries out.
“Mom!” I say, pounding my fist on the door. “Mom, open the door.”
“You think I’m gonna let you leave me? You think I’m gonna let this town think you fucked
another man who didn’t fucking want you or his child?” His voice rises. “You and Cole will stay
where you belong. Under my roof. Under my fucking control.”
“I don’t need you,” she shouts angrily. “We don’t need you.”
I hear books crashing to the floor and her strangled cry. “You’re right,” he growls. “You don’t.
But if you walk out that door, I will take Cole from you and this baby as well. I will dump you out
in the mud with nothing but the clothes on your back. You may have come from money, but I hold
all the power in this house.”

I stand in the loft, facing the bed. The front door slamming pulls me out of my memory. The sound
of Austin leaving me. She deserves better. Someone who isn’t so fucked up. A man who treats her
better than every other fucking bastard in her family.
I run a hand through my hair. My head pounding.
I hurt her. And the worst part is that I liked it. My body physically craved her to a point it was
unhealthy. Her cries. Her tears. I fucking took and took. And she didn’t stop me. Why would she? I
told her what I wanted to do to her, and she willingly challenged me. She was testing me. And I failed
her.
I’ve become my father. The man I despise.
He destroyed my mother. He quit loving her and gave up on her, but I never did. I loved her so
much. It didn’t matter that he thought she was broken. To me, that made her special. She was a fighter.
Just like Austin is.
Reaching down, I grab the empty bottle of Jack and throw it at the far wall with a shout. It shatters
into a million fucking pieces.
My heart pounds in my chest, and I’m gasping for air. The pounding in my head intensifies, making
my ears ring. I charge into the bathroom and open the cabinet. Grabbing a couple of Advil, I turn the
sink on, cup my hand, and swallow some water to take them. Hoping they will dull the pain enough
for me to think straight. To figure out what to do.
Deke was right, once again. Bastard! She’s not safe at her dad’s house. She’s not safe with me
either. And she can’t go back to her mom’s.
What are you gonna do about it?
I should protect her. I can protect her. That’s what a man does.
She looked at me as if I planned all of this. My sick game. That I had a vendetta against her from
day one due to what her father did to my mother. It wasn’t about that. It wasn’t her fault. Just like it
was never Lilly’s fault.
My phone rings in the other room, and I make my way to it. Deke lights up my screen.
“What?” I bark. I’m pissed at him even if he was right. She deserved to know her life is in danger.
“She went home, Cole!” My jaw tightens. “I tried to stop her—”
“You should have fucking forced her,” I snap, interrupting him.
He sighs. “The thought crossed my mind, but Becky was right there. I couldn’t …”
“Couldn’t what?” I question when he trails off.
“Hurt her.”

AUSTIN

“I’M GOING HOME,” I tell Deke as we stand outside the clubhouse.

“No, you can’t …”
“I need answers.” And we both know that Cole isn’t going to give them.
“I won’t let you.” Deke comes to stand in front of me. He’s crossed his arms over his broad chest
and glares down at me.
At one time, I feared Deke, but that time has passed. “I’m not going to stay with Becky because I’m
not going to risk her life. And you’re not going to either.” With that, I yank open my door and get into
my car. And take off.
I storm into my father’s house. “Dad? Dad?” I shout.
“What the hell …?” Celeste comes running down the hall. “What happened to you?” she asks
wide-eyed, looking over my neck at the bruises and hickeys Cole gave me.
“Where’s my father?” I ask, ignoring her concern.
“He left for Florida earlier this morning. Why? Is something wrong?”
“I know.” I cut to the chase. I’m not in the mood for small talk. I’m fucking pissed.
Her already big eyes grow bigger, and her face pales. “Austin ...”
“I fucking know,” I shout. “You think you could keep that from me?” I shake my head. Would they
have ever told me that I had a sister? “That I wouldn’t find out?” I dig into my pocket and rip my
phone out.
“What are you doing?” she asks in a panic.
“Calling him …”
The phone is ripped from my hand.
“Give me my phone,” I demand.
“You can’t,” she says as tears start to well in her brown eyes. “Please. It was supposed to be a
one-time thing, but then it happened again. And again.” Her first tear falls. “I’m so lonely,” she
admits, and I stand confused for the second time tonight. She sniffs. “Cole came to me and told me to
get him off your back. And I’ve tried, Austin.” She drops my phone and places her hands on my
shoulders. “Please understand I’m trying. But Kellan won’t let it go.” She pulls me into her and buries
her head into my chest and sobs. “I’m so sorry. I called out Cole’s name while I was with Kellan.
Please forgive me.”
What. The. Fuck.
“I didn’t mean to hurt you. Kellan wanted me to do it, so you would leave Cole. He wants to hurt
him.” She sobs.
I pry her hands from my shoulders and take a step back from her.
“Kellan wants you out of the group. He knows you had something to do with Cole not doing his
dare,” she rattles off, “but he can’t prove it. He was so mad that you outsmarted him.” She reaches up
and wipes the tears from her face. “I told him you’re smarter than they are.”
Damn right I am.
But I’ve underestimated all of them, though. Even Cole.
“Austin, I …”
“I’m done with this conversation,” I say, interrupting her.
She swallows nervously. “Please. Please don’t tell Bruce.”
I look her in the eyes and smile. The terror on her face makes me want to laugh. “Your secret is
safe with me.” Then I reach down, pick up my phone, and walk down the hallway and out the back
door, wanting some fresh air.

_______________

I SPENT ALL day Saturday and Sunday relaxing in the pool. Celeste steered clear of me. If she wasn’t in
her room, she was out. Probably fucking Kellan somewhere. At this point, I don’t care who she
screws. My father raped a woman, got her pregnant, and then tried to kill her son. My father deserves
to pay for that. And his trophy wife fucking a senior in high school isn’t enough if you ask me.
Cole blew up my phone Saturday night like he finally had something to say to me. I ignored them
all. But I made sure to read his messages just so he would see that I saw them. He was on the top of
my shit list. And it seemed to be growing by the second.
I spoke to Becky and told her that my father was out of town. His calls stopped after that. I only did
it because I knew she would tell Deke, and he would pass the message on to Cole.
Monday finally rolled around, and I got up, got ready, and drove myself to school. I sat down in
first period and spoke to Becky like nothing ever happened. She stared at me like I needed to be
admitted to a psych ward. I just smiled. Because in a way she was right. I officially no longer care
about anything but revenge. I’m going to do what they all did. Turn off my emotions and play the
fucking game. Like I should have done from the beginning.
 CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
COLE

SHE’S AVOIDED ME completely this week while at school. Five whole days of not a single word.
Not even a glance my way. And it’s not like I haven’t tried. She just acts like I don’t even exist. It’s
taken all I have not to pin her up against a locker and choke her until she’s clawing at my arms and
chest, silently begging me to let her breathe. But I know Austin Lowes. She would willingly pass out
before she begged me for anything.
And I no longer want to hurt her.
“You okay, man?” Deke asks as we walk to our cars in the parking lot of the school after practice.
“Fine.”
He sighs. “Becky’s worried about Austin.”
I come to a stop and turn to face him. “Why? Did Austin say something to her?”
He shakes his head. “Just that she isn’t herself.”
I snort. “Of course not. She’s been blackmailed and lied to.”
“Hey, guys. Wait up.”
We look over at the door to see Shane and Bennett approaching. “What do you think it’s about?”
Shane asks.
“Think what is about?” Deke asks him.
“The text Austin just sent us,” Bennett answers.
I dig in my pocket as Kellan joins us. Deke and I no longer speak to him either.

Austin: Clubhouse ten tonight.

Kellan smiles. “Maybe she’s finally pulling out.”

She wouldn’t do that. Not now. I’m not sure what she’s thinking but running isn’t something she
does. He’s stupid to even think that.
“Guess we’ll find out at ten,” Bennett says.

_______________

I PULL UP to the clubhouse at ten on the dot. Her car is already parked outside along with Deke’s Range
Rover and Bennett’s white Mercedes. I had every intention to be here early and try to talk to her, but I
had a phone call that ran longer than planned.
I walk inside to see her sitting on the couch with her eyes looking down at her phone. She wears a
pair of black shorts and a black top. Her hair is down and straight, and she looks absolutely amazing.
My chest tightens when I think about how I’ve hurt her. Lied to her.
Ever since she walked out of this door a week ago, she has consumed my thoughts. Fuck her dad
for trying to kill me. He’ll pay for that in time. Right now, I gotta do whatever I can to get her back.
“Why are we here?” Kellan demands, walking in and not wasting a second of his time.
 She places her phone on her lap and then stretches her arms out on the back of the couch, looking
up. She smiles. “As you all know, Cole and I are no longer”—she pauses, thinking of the right word
—“anything. But I’m not dropping out.” She looks at Kellan. “Thought I would get that out of the way
since you were hoping for that.” His mouth sets in a hard line. Her smile widens. “And I know you
are fucking Celeste, so you can stop having her scream out Cole’s name.” Shane starts to choke, and
Deke chuckles. Her eyes meet mine for the first time in a week. And they look as cold as ice. “Plus, I
no longer care who Cole fucks,” she says, voice flat.
“Austin …”
“How did you find out?” Deke asks, interrupting me.
“I went home and demanded to speak to Bruce, but Celeste told me he had already left for Florida.
I then told her that I knew. I was referring to Lilly being my sister, but she thought I meant her fucking
Cole. Or Kellan. Or who-fucking-ever.” Kellan’s eyes narrow. He opens his mouth, but she continues.
“But that is not why I called this meeting. There is something we need to take care of.”
“What?” Deke asks her.
“Jerrold.” Her eyes meet mine. “I think he’s earned his death.” Then she looks at all the guys.
Kellan walks over to the couch, and I take a step closer but both ignore me. He stops and looks
down at her. “If we do this, you’re involved. One hundred percent.”
“Absolutely not—”
“I’m in,” she says, interrupting me.
“Austin!” I snap.
She continues to stare up at Kellan with a look of indifference. But he could be setting her up. Now
that she knows he’s screwing Celeste, he could want her dead so she can’t tell Bruce.
“She’s not doing anything,” I add when no one else objects.
“I have a say, Cole. I’m part of this group.” She fucking smiles at me. “Isn’t that what you wanted?’
“She’s playing him.” We all hear Shane whisper to Deke.
Austin directs her attention to Shane. “The only thing I’m playing is the game,” she corrects him.
“It’s too risky,” I say, shaking my head.
“Since when do you care about my life?” she asks.
I run a hand through my hair. “Since I found out that your dad tried to kill me, and he is working
with a guy who you stole that information from.”
“That didn’t stop you from putting your hands around my neck,” she says, crossing her arms over
her chest.
My teeth grind. I want to say I would never hurt her, but that would be a lie. That’s all I’ve done to
her.
“Right!” She looks back up at Kellan at my silence. “So what’s it gonna be?” she asks him.
He looks down at her. “Tonight.”
She nods.
“Home invasion,” he tells her.
I go to open my mouth, but she snorts. “No.”
He raises a brow at her.
“The six of us are not doing a home invasion unless you want us to get caught. And I don’t know
about you, but I’d rather not go to jail.”
He crosses his arms over his chest. “Then what do you suggest?”
She gives him a big smile. “You guys are sharks. Time to act like it.”
I turn to Deke, and he’s already staring at me with a look of concern in his features. I walk outside
for some fresh air, and he gets the hint, following me.
“What do you want me to do?” he asks the moment he gets outside.
“Austin and I will ride with you.” My jaw tightens. “But she never gets out of the car.”
“She’s gonna be pissed.”
“I don’t give a fuck,” I snap. At this point, her safety means more to me than her being mad at me. I
can deal with her anger. Kellan setting her up or her getting hurt is a different story.
He nods once. “She never gets out of the car,” he agrees.
I spin around to see the door open to the clubhouse, and she walks out followed by Shane and
Bennett. Kellan walks out with a smile on his face. And I fist my hands. There’s no way he should be
happy right now. Not after she called him out about sleeping with Celeste.
“Austin, we’re riding with Deke.”
“No. I’m driving. I don’t wanna come back here …” I grab her upper arm. “Cole!” she snaps.
“Stop!”
I ignore her and drag her over to Deke’s SUV and toss her in the back seat. She curses me as I slam
the door shut.
“You don’t know the plan,” Kellan says.
I ignore him. I go over to my car and retrieve my black bag out of the trunk, grab what I need out of
my console, and then jump in the passenger seat of Deke’s Range Rover. I look in the back, and she
sits by the door, looking out the window. Her eyes narrowed on nothing.
Deke gets in and looks at me.
“What’s the plan, Austin?” I ask.
She says nothing.
“I’m not gonna ask you again,” I growl.
Her head snaps over to look at me. Her green eyes burn with rage, and I smile at her. She’s so
gorgeous. “Bennett said he likes to take late-night swims, so I suggested we drown him in his own
pool,” she huffs.
I nod and turn back to face the front. “Head to his house.”
Deke starts the car and “With Me Now” by Blacklite District blares through the speakers.
I smile. Good plan, sweetheart.

_______________

WE PULL UP to the house a block away. I remove my seat belt and turn to face her. “You’re staying in
the car.”
“Cole …”
“This is not up for discussion, Austin!” I pick up my bag at my feet and unzip it. I pull out my gun
and place it in the back waistband of my jeans. Just in case. Then I place my rope and set of handcuffs
on the center console.
“What do you need those for?” she growls. “You have to make this look like a freak accident. If he
has marks around his wrists and ankles, then they will know he was murdered.”
“Those are for you,” Deke tells her as he eyes her in the rearview mirror.
“What?” she snaps. She’s no longer scared of him, and that has me worried. A part of me knows
that if he puts her in a situation that she needs to get out of, she would do anything to get free. That’s
why I’m glad Deke is stronger than she is.
 He nods. “You try to leave, and I have permission to do whatever is necessary to keep you in the
car.” He gives her a big threatening smile.
She looks at me, her eyes narrowed. “He’s bullshitting me, right?”
I shake my head. “No.”
Her jaw tightens, and she looks over at the door. She lunges for it. “Fuck this …”
Deke reaches out and grabs her hair, yanking her back into the seat while he leans over into the
back. She doesn’t cry out. Instead, she lets out a growl of frustration.
“Your ass is staying in this car,” I snap, grabbing my hoodie out of my bag. “And that is all there is
to it.” I get out, slamming the door shut.
I pull on my hoodie and zip it up, before putting the hood over my head.
“Where’s Austin?” Kellan asks as we meet up.
“Not coming,” I state without looking over at him.
He snorts. “Knew she’d back out.”
I say nothing. Kellan underestimates her way too much. And that is what will get him in trouble
with her.
We come up to Jerrold’s back gate. “What are we gonna do?” Shane asks.
“I’m gonna kill the bastard,” I state.
“We could just shoot him,” Kellan offers.
“No!” I snap. Austin is right. This can’t look like a murder. His wife is dead, and his brother is
missing. If he is murdered, then this will look too suspicious. I turn to Bennett. “Are the cameras still
in the house?”
He nods. “I never removed them.”
“Where is his laptop?” I ask.
“At my house. Want me to go get it and plant it here?”
I shake my head. It will have Austin’s fingerprints on it. And cameras from his work may place her
there. Even if she wasn’t the one who actually took it from his office. Too risky. “No. We stick with
the plan. I’ll drown him in his pool.”
“What if he’s not in it?” Kellan offers.
“He’s there,” Bennett says. “Or I wouldn’t have mentioned it as an option.”
“How do we plan on getting in?” Shane asks.
I used to spend a lot of time at this house. Eli and Aimee’s parents died when he was young, so
when Aimee got married, he moved in with them. “There’s a side gate that Eli used to sneak out of to
do his dares. It’s on the north side,” I say and start walking in that direction. They follow me.
I check my phone to see if I’ve got anything from Deke, and there’s nothing. It worries me. I know
he would never hurt her on purpose, but I told him to do whatever it takes to keep her in the car. And
I’m not sure how much fight she has in her. At what point will she back down from him? At what
point will he stop hurting her and just let her go? Guess I’ll find out when I get back.
“Something wrong?” Kellan asks.
I don’t answer him and put my phone away. Not like he cares anyway.
We get through the gate and into the backyard. We round the pool house and come to a stop when
we see the bastard in his pool just like Bennett had predicted. Doing laps.
“How we doing this exactly?” Shane asks.
“I’m doing it.” I turn to face them. “Alone.”
They all nod. All but Kellan. He eyes me skeptically. “Why you?”
“Because I said so,” I growl. He didn’t want to be involved with Jeff, yet now he wants to be part
of Jerrold’s death? He isn’t making sense.
He crosses his arms over his chest and nods once. “Fine. We’ll stay back unless you need us.”
I snort. “I won’t need you.”
Turning back around, I readjust my hood and make my way over to the rectangular swimming pool.
I come to a stop, watching him swim away from me. I place my hands in my pockets and wait. He
comes up for a breath and then goes under, pushing off the far wall, and shoots toward me.
As I watch him swim underwater, I think of every reason this fucker is going to die.

“Please, Cole,” Eli cries as we sit in the ditch.

“You’re gonna be okay,” I reassure him, knowing that I’m lying. There’s nothing I can do for
him.
“No.” He swallows “You have to save Aimee …”
He won’t let this go. “She’ll be fine.”
He shakes his head quickly and coughs. “He beats her.”
“Who?”
“Jerrold.” I tighten my hold on him. “I hear him … her cries … He won’t stop.”
“Eli …”
“I have cameras in the house …” His eyes plead with mine. “They go to my computer … You
have to help her …”
I nod. “I will. Promise.” My voice cracks as his fists loosen on my shirt.
“Thank you,” he whispers.
“Eli?” I ask as panic bubbles up inside me.
His eyes meet mine, a calmness brushing over his face. “I love you, brother,” he whispers.
“I love you …” His eyes gloss over, and his body falls limp on the ground. “Eli?” I shout. “No
…” I grab his shirt and yank his lifeless body into my lap. “Eli?” I shout. “Please … no.!”

I failed him. I broke into their house and stole his computer, but it wasn’t enough. We didn’t move
fast enough. Eli’s death had put Aimee into a deep depression. The cameras showed her crying, and I
couldn’t watch it anymore. I couldn’t take the pain. The reminder. I shut those cameras out for four
months. Then when I was ready, it was too late. She was already dead. The bastard had killed her. We
sat and watched Jerrold tell Jeff what he did to Aimee and where he hid her body.
That’s why it’s time for this bastard to die. One, for killing Aimee. Two, for working with Bruce to
try to kill me. Successfully killing my friends. And three, what he would do to Austin if he knew she
was the one to take his laptop. I feel a calmness fall over me. Not my usual anger and need to break
something. Instead, it’s the need to protect something—Austin. She’s my last chance at saving
someone, and I won’t fail this time. I’ll die trying.
He’s getting closer. I remove my hands from my pockets and kneel. I smile as he comes up for air.
“Hello, Jerrold. It’s been a while.”
“What …?”
I grab his head and slam it down on the edge of the pool. Blood covers the concrete instantly, and
his body goes limp. I pull him away from the ledge and see I’ve knocked him out. Blood pours from
the side of his head into the pool. “You deserved far worse,” I say before pushing him underwater.

AUSTIN
DEKE STARTS THE SUV, headlights off, and I cross my arms over my chest as I look out the back
passenger window. I can make out a dark object coming toward the Range Rover.
It’s Cole.
He jumps in the front passenger seat and immediately looks back at me. I refuse to acknowledge
him or give him any sign that I care he made me stay in the car. That he allowed Deke to do whatever
was necessary to stop me.
I didn’t want to fight Deke because I understand that he is not my problem. Cole is.
And I’m not sure what to do about it at the moment. I went from something he can torture and lie to,
to something he has to protect.
Fuck that! I don’t need protecting.
“Is it done?” Deke asks him as he pulls away.
“Yes,” he says simply.
“How did you do it?” he asks.
“I slammed his head down on the concrete …”
“It was supposed to be an accidental drowning,” I snap.
He turns around in his seat. “I made it look like he slipped and fell into the pool,” he states, eyes
narrowed on mine. “Then I held him underwater.” He turns back to face the front. “It’s done. He’s
dead. The end.”

_______________

WE PULL BACK up to the clubhouse, and the guys pull up behind us. I go to my car, but Kellan hollers
that we need to have a meeting. So I turn and march my way inside. I stand by the door with my back
against the wall. Ready to get the hell out of here and away from Cole.
“What is this about?” Deke asks, checking his phone. It’s after midnight on a Friday. I’m sure he’s
going to go meet up with Becky if she’s not already waiting for him at his house.
Kellan looks at me. “Cole’s dare. I say we move on.”
Deke raises a brow, and Cole stiffens as he stands by the table. “I can redraw—”
“No,” Kellan interrupts him. “We can move on to the next person.” He shrugs carelessly. “I don’t
mind. Does anyone else have a problem with that?”
No one says a thing. The room falls silent, and even I can tell Kellan is setting someone up for
something. I get my answer a moment later.
He rubs his hands together. “Okay, so we’ll move on, and come Sunday, Austin will draw.”
Cole spins around to face me. “Absolutely not. She’s out of the group.”
“What?” I snap.
Kellan looks at me. “If you don’t leave willingly, then we all have to vote you out. Do you choose
to leave willingly?”
“No,” I say without looking at Cole. He brought me into this; I’m not going to let him throw me out.
Not after all I’ve done. All he’s put me through.
“Then we will vote you out.” Cole growls. “Who says she’s gone?”
Deke is the first one to say I’m out. I ignore him. He made it very clear tonight when he yanked hair
out of my head that he will do whatever the fuck Cole says.
Shane comes next. Bennett sighs as if he doesn’t want to but folds anyway.
Everyone looks at Kellan, and he smiles. “I say she stays.”
 The air in the room changes, and Cole takes a step toward him. “What the fuck?” he barks. “You’ve
wanted her gone since day one, and now all of a sudden you want her to stay?”
I could argue that Kellan may think if he votes me out, that I’ll tell my dad he’s fucking my
stepmom, but I’m not sure that is the reason.
He shrugs. “She wants to stay.”
“I don’t give a fuck what she wants,” Cole shouts.
“That’s obvious,” I say.
Cole spins around to face me. His eyes blazing with fury, and I square my shoulders. “Everyone,
get the fuck out!” he barks.
Kellan smirks at me as he walks by. Shane and Bennett hang their heads as they walk to the door.
Deke is the last one, and his eyes shoot from me to Cole as if he’s waiting for one of us to tell him to
stay. We don’t.
The moment the door closes, Cole turns on me. “You’re not doing this.”
“You no longer control me, Cole,” I reply flatly.
“Cut the shit, Austin!” he snaps.
“No! You should have cut the shit, Cole!” I shout. “Long ago. You should have told me about Lilly.
About Kellan and Celeste.” His eyes narrow on me. “Fuck!” I shout frustrated. “I did so much. I let
you take so much.” I shake my head. “But not anymore. You brought me into this.”
His jaw sharpens.
“I let you use me,” I growl. “I let you fucking take and take because you needed something.
Someone. But not again, Cole. Find someone else to fuck with. Because I’m done.”
I turn and go to walk out the door, but he grabs my arm and yanks me back. “Don’t touch me,” I
shout. Spinning around, I go to slap him, but he was ready for it. He grabs my hands and pushes me
onto the couch, pinning my hands above my head.
“Cole,” I say, my heart pounding.
“Guess not much has changed since that night in the cemetery, huh, sweetheart?” he asks with an
arch of his brow and a cocky smirk on his face, referring to how easily he was able to pin me down.
“What? Gonna stab me this time?” I ask, fisting my hands. “Gonna let Deke just kill me?”
His cockiness fades, and he loosens his grip on my wrists but doesn’t let go. “I don’t want to hurt
you, Austin.”
I narrow my eyes. “Quit trying to mind fuck me. It’s not gonna work.”
“I’m not …”
“Bullshit!” I shout.
I want to break you. His agenda hasn’t changed.
He lets go of my wrists, and I shove him off me. He falls onto the couch, and I scramble to get up. I
straighten my top that rode up, grab my phone that fell onto the floor, and head to the door. This time,
he doesn’t stop me.
 CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
COLE

“YOU KNOW HE’S setting her up, right?” Deke asks me as we both sit on the couch in the
clubhouse.
It’s Sunday, and we have all gathered back here for Austin to draw her dare. I’ve been in a pissy
mood ever since she walked out of here on Friday night.
“Yes.”
“What are we gonna do about it?”
I look over at him. “Be there when he does.”
He nods and goes back to texting on his phone.
The door opens, and she walks in with a look of indifference. She’s as good as I am at giving a
blank expression. I fucking hate it.
I sit back and watch Kellan look over her tight skinny jeans and black high heels. She wears a
black top to match that is low cut, showing off her tits. She looks like she’s getting ready to go have
drinks with her girlfriends at a bar, not draw a dare.
Shane passes out a piece of paper to each of us. I lean over and whisper into Deke’s ear. “Leave it
blank.”
He nods and folds it up.
One at a time, we each get up and drop them into the bowl. When we’re all done, she draws.
Her eyes instantly go to mine. I refrain from smiling.
“What does it say?” Kellan demands.
“Nothing,” she replies and tosses it the ground. She draws again.
“You can’t draw more than once,” I say as I stand.
“What the hell?” she demands when she opens the folded piece of paper and looks at Deke. He
says nothing.
“You guys can’t do that,” Kellan snaps at us.
“Actually, they can,” Bennett says with a smile. And I wonder if he had the same idea as we did.
She reaches in and draws again. I go to rip it out of her hand, but she opens it up and reads it out
loud. “As dark as night, as red as light. Let’s take a match and make it shine bright. Consequence- you
must show the world your darkest secret.”
“What the fuck does that mean?” I snap.
“It’s a riddle,” Kellan says with a smile.
“I fucking know that!” I growl. “What the fuck does it mean?”
“I don’t know. It’s not my dare. Shane?” He looks at him.
My eyes narrow on Shane. “What does it mean?” I demand.
“I don’t have to answer that.” He crosses his arms over his chest. “She will find out soon enough.”

_______________
MONDAY AFTERNOON, WE all sit at the lunch table. Becky and Austin talk about a test we had today
while Deke speaks to me. I completely tune him out.
“So I spoke to Celeste when I got home last night, and she’s throwing me a birthday party.”
Becky frowns. “Is that what you want?”
She shrugs. “Not really but she is kissing my ass. And she feels a birthday party will help it.”
“When is your birthday?” I ask her, wanting her to tell me. But I already know. Turns out that
Facebook page I made came in handy.
She ignores me and takes a bite of her cheeseburger.
“When’s your birthday?” Deke asks her.
Of course, she answers him. “March seventeenth.”
His eyes widen. “St. Paddy’s day?” She nods. “Holy shit! What a day to have a birthday. Plus,
that’s this Saturday.” She nods. “And it’s the start of spring break.”
“It’s not a big deal.” She brushes it off.
“You’re gonna be eighteen. Of course, it’s a big deal,” Becky says. “I’ll come over and help you
decorate.”
“I’ll post it on social media. It’ll be fun,” he says with a smile.
She sighs but takes another bite of her cheeseburger.
The bell rings, and everyone gets up. “Austin? Can I have a minute?” I ask.
She looks over at me. “No.”
I grab her hand when she goes to pull away. “I need to talk to you …”
“Well, I have nothing to say,” she says before turning and walking away from me.
I fist my hand and slam it on the table. I’m not sure how much longer I can take her ignoring me. It’s
eating at me. Driving me crazy. I don’t like it. She can’t avoid me forever. I’ll get to her one way or
another.

AUSTIN

“WAKE UP! WAKE up!”

I groan at Becky’s annoying, chipper voice. “What are you doing?”
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” she yells, jumping on my bed. Her blond hair going everywhere. “Now it’s
time for you to wake up. I made breakfast.”
“You can cook?” I ask, pulling the covers up over my head.
“Of course, silly.” She laughs. “Come on. It’s downstairs.”
“I think the birthday girl is supposed to get breakfast in bed,” I say, yawning.
She just laughs and yanks the covers off me.
I groan as I sit up. I reach over to my nightstand and check my phone. “It’s not even nine yet,” I call
out.
“We have a busy day,” she yells from the stairs.
Becky stayed the night with me last night for us to ring in my birthday. We stayed up watching scary
movies and talking about boys. Well, I’m still not talking to Cole, so I just listened to her talk about
how much she loves Deke. It was exhausting, to say the least.
I make my way downstairs and into the formal dining room. Becky sits at the table with two plates.
Both have pancakes on them, but the one in front of my seat is stacked six high with eighteen
individual candles on them.
“You couldn’t find a one and an eight?” I ask with a laugh.
 “This way is more fun.” She winks at me, then grabs the can of whipped cream that sits in the
middle. She shakes it up before leaning over the table and spraying the top of the pancakes. Then she
lights the candles. “Make a wish and get to blowing.”
I laugh, lean over, and blow them out. It takes me two tries, and by the time I get them out, the wax
has dripped onto the whipped cream.
I wipe it off and place it on the side of my plate. “What are the plans today?” she asks, digging into
hers.
My fork pauses over my stack. “I wanna spend some time with Lilly,” I say.
She stops chewing and looks up at me. “Okay,” she says through a mouthful of pancakes. “Then
let’s do it.”
“I haven’t spoken to Cole …”
“So.” She swallows her bite. “Who cares? You have every right to spend time with her.”
I nod. “I hate that I haven’t gotten to see her.”
She gives me a soft smile. “You can spend the day with her alone if you want. I can go home—”
“No,” I interrupt her. “We can have a girls’ day. We can take her to a movie and then go for ice
cream.”
She nods. “Sounds good.”
I pick up my phone and go to Shark and send a text.

Me: Is Lilly free for the afternoon? I would like to spend the day with her. Wanna take her to
a movie and to get ice cream.

I set my phone down and take a bite of my pancakes. “Mmm,” I mumble my approval.
I look up when Celeste walks in. “Happy Birthday,” she says with a soft smile. We’re still not
talking much either.
“Thanks,” I say with a head nod.
She sits down next to me, and I stuff another bite into my mouth. “I spoke to your dad this morning.
He won’t be able to make it for tonight.”
Thank God. I don’t want to see that bastard.
“For your birthday, we decided to give you a trip.”
I swallow my bite. “Trip?”
She nods. “For you and a friend to go anywhere you want for a week.”
I look at Becky, and she smiles.
“Thanks,” I say, although I won’t use it. I want nothing from my father or her. One is a rapist. The
other a cheating, lying bitch.
My phone rings, and I look down to see Shark written across my screen. I let out a deep breath.
I’ve avoided speaking to him, but since I messaged him wanting to see Lilly, I answer. “Hello?”
“Hey.” Cole’s raspy voice comes over the line. He’s just waking up. And my legs tighten, knowing
he’s still in bed.
I hate how much my body still wants him. That’s why I’ve avoided him. I can’t afford to let him
back in. To make me look like an idiot once again. “Hey,” I reply.
“Happy Birthday, sweetheart.”
My chest tightens at the softness in his voice. He is a lie. It’s all a lie. “What do you want, Cole?”
He sighs heavily, and I imagine him running his hand through his disheveled morning hair. “I just
wanted to call you and tell you happy birthday. Instead of texting.” I remain silent. “And of course,
you can spend the day with Lilly.”
I smile at that. “Thanks. I’ll be over to get her in about an hour?” I ask.
“I can bring her to you,” he offers.
“No,” I say, shaking my head at myself. I want to pick her up so I can leave afterward. If he brings
her over here, he may try to stay and visit.
“Okay,” he says slowly. “I will get her ready.”
I hate how much I’ve missed of her life, but I can’t deny that Cole has been there for her. That he
stepped up and did what neither my father nor Cole’s would do.
“Thank you,” I say.
“No need to thank me, Austin.”
I say goodbye and hang up before he can say anything else. Placing my phone on the table, I go
back to eating my pancakes and ignore the looks I can feel Celeste giving me. I still haven’t told her
that I know Lilly is my sister. Not like it would matter. Plus, I’m sure Kellan has already told her. At
one point, I thought I could trust Celeste, but now I know I can’t. Nor can I believe anything she says.
Becky is my only true friend. I can trust her with anything.

_______________

BECKY AND I did exactly what we had planned to do. We picked Lilly up from Cole’s, and he didn’t
mention anything due to her being present. He kissed and hugged her goodbye. She jumped into my
arms, and we left. I took her to the newest Disney movie, and I couldn’t even tell you the name of it. I
spent the entire time looking over at her. I watched her laugh and smile. I cried, and when she asked
what was wrong, I told her I thought the movie was sad. My chest hurt at what my little sister has
been through. I still don’t know how their mother died. Does Lilly remember her? She never talks
about her.
The time with her went by too quickly, and afterward, we took her back and dropped her off. Once
again, Cole didn’t try to speak to me.
As soon as we got back home, we started decorating the house. I had finally accepted Deke’s
friend request weeks ago, and I saw his invite to my party. More people than I could count said they
were coming. Deke loaded Becky’s car with alcohol the day before, so we set up everything in the
kitchen and then went upstairs to start getting ready.
Just as I was putting on my heels, my mother called me. I stared at it for a few rings and then sent
her to voicemail. She immediately sent me a text.

Mom: Have your father call me.

That was all it said.

 CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
COLE

I PULL UP to Bruce’s house. The party isn’t supposed to start for another hour, but the driveway is
already packed full of cars. I’m not surprised.
Kids litter the front yard and porch. They nod their head to me and call out my name. Like always, I
ignore them.
The past couple of weeks have had me on edge. I’ve been in a pissy mood because Austin has been
ignoring me. And because I’ve been too busy with swim meets to try to spend extra time with her. But
yesterday was Friday, officially kicking off spring break. I have no obligations this weekend and no
school next week. So tonight I plan to corner her and talk to her. Make her talk to me. She can cuss,
she can yell, and hell, she can even slap me. We are getting to the bottom of this shit tonight.
I don’t care if it’s her birthday. I have waited long enough.
I enter the house and make my way down the hallway. People move out of my way. I enter the
kitchen, expecting her to be in here, but she’s not.
“You looking for Austin?”
I turn around at a male’s voice and come face to face with Bryan. I fist my hands.
He takes a step back, raising his, not wanting me to beat his ass like I did at the beach. “I don’t
want trouble. It was just a question.”
I unclench them. “Where is she?” I ask, cutting to the chase.
“Last I saw her, she was in the game room playing beer pong.”
I shoulder past him and move farther down the hallway. I keep an eye out for Deke because I saw
his SUV parked in the driveway.
I round the back corner and open the door that I know is their game room. “Bite Your Kiss” by
Diamante blares through the speakers. I spot her immediately. She’s standing at the end of the ping
pong table. The guy opposite of her makes his shot, and everyone cheers as she throws back whatever
was in the cup.
She smashes the now empty cup on the table, and her eyes meet mine. “Cole,” she shouts excitedly,
and my jaw tightens.
She’s fucking trashed. Her party hasn’t even started yet, which tells me that she’s been drinking for
a while.
Everyone turns to look at me, and the guy across from her steps back from the table. “Here you go,
man,” he says, offering up his spot.
She waves him off. “He doesn’t drink, Myers.” She hiccups and then laughs at herself.
“You obviously have had enough for the both of us,” I state.
“It’s my birthday.” She holds her hands out wide before they fall to her sides, slapping her bare
thighs. “I can do whatever the fuck I want.”
I don’t like the way she says it. As if she could kiss any guy in here. Fuck any guy in here. “Austin,”
I growl.
She narrows her eyes on me, then looks around at everyone in the room like she is sizing them up. I
notice the way a girl by the name of Amanda looks me up and down before giving me a big smile.
Austin sees it, and she rolls her eyes before they come back to me. “I’m curious … how many girls in
here have fucked Cole Reynolds?” she asks as if reading my mind. Deke stands off to her right with
Becky, and his brows rise. Everyone stares at her, wondering what the hell is going on. “Come on.
This is just for fun,” she says, encouraging them.
One by one, the girls slowly start to raise their hands. Including Amanda. All but a few, Becky
included, keep their hands down. I never slept with her. I would have, but she was always Deke’s. We
all knew that.
Austin spins around, looking at all of them, and then smiles at me. “Pick someone else, Cole.
Because I’m done being yours.”
My hands fist down by my sides.
“Okay, I think we should—”
“Play strip beer pong,” she interrupts Deke. “For every one you miss, I’ll take something off.” She
tosses the ball to me. I catch it midair. “What do you say?”
“Don’t,” I growl in warning.
She tilts her head to the side. “Don’t wanna play my game, Cole?”
“Austin!”
“How about …” She leans over the table. “I dare you.”
“Not gonna work, sweetheart.” I give her a threatening smile.
She looks at the guy she called Myers and smiles at him. “You’ll play with me, right?” she asks,
placing her hands on her hips.
She looks like a fucking doll dressed in a short, black tulle skirt and black t-shirt that reads
BIRTHDAY across her chest in gold letters with her favorite pair of black heels. She’s worn them
before while I fucked her. Her long hair is down and straight, and her eyes are lined with black. And
red fucking lipstick.
I promise, there’s not a guy in this house who doesn’t want to play with her—my toy.
He takes a step back up to the table. I grip his shoulder and yank him back. “Everybody out!” I
shout.
They all turn toward the door and run out. All but Deke and Becky.
Austin pushes her right hip out and picks up another red Solo cup. She drinks it.
“Just what the fuck do you think you’re doing?” I snap.
“Why are you even here, Cole?” she asks, ignoring my question.
I step to her, and she tilts her head back to look up at me. “Was I not invited?” I ask, arching a
brow.
Her green eyes hold mine for a long second before a drunken smile grows across her face. “I
already told you once, Cole. I no longer care what you do.”
The door opens, and I spin around to yell at them to leave, but Bennett and Shane walk in. Then
Kellan.
She picks up another Solo cup and begins to drink it as well.
“You’ve had enough,” I snap and yank it from her hand.
Her green eyes narrow on me. “That’s it,” she snaps. “I’ve tried to be nice …”
Kellan’s laughter cuts her off.
She glares at him and then returns her attention to me. “I’m done. Done letting you all boss me
around like I don’t have a say. Being told what to do and how things are going to be. And all these
secrets. Well, guess what? I have secrets of my own.” She smiles at me. It’s not soft or inviting. “I’ve
got insurance too, Cole.”
 “What are you talking about?” Kellan asks nervously.
“Every time we’ve been sitting at the clubhouse and you all thought I was playing around on my
phone, I was really recording you.”
“Shit.” Deke chuckles impressed.
“So go ahead, push me a little more and see what I do with all that information.” She shoves me out
of the way and goes to storm out, but I grab her upper arm.
“You’re bluffing,” I say. She has to be.
“I am?” She tilts her head to the side. “Wanna take that chance, Cole?”
My eyes narrow on her as “Go to War” by Nothing More starts to play in the room.
She jerks her arm out of my hold. “I didn’t think so.” With that, she walks out.
Shane runs a hand through his hair. “She has to be joking.”
“Doubtful,” I say. She’s a shark just like us, after all.
“What the fuck?” Kellan shouts. “This is all your fault.” He points at me. “You wanted to bring her
in. You wanted to fuck her. And you kept secrets from her.”
“Me?” I demand. “You gave me a dare to fuck another girl when you knew we were together.”
He snorts. “You were never together. You have forced her along this entire time.” He reaches for
the closed door. “And now she’s gonna fuck us! Just like I told you she would!”
Bennett and Shane both turn and follow him out.
“What do you want me to do?” Deke asks as Becky runs out after her.
“Nothing you can do. I fucked up.” I should have just come out and told her the truth in the
beginning.
He sighs heavily. “You could tell her about—”
“She doesn’t wanna hear about that right now,” I interrupt him.
“Why did you come, man?”
I turn around and face him. “Why wouldn’t I?” I snap.
He runs a hand through his hair. “Are you trying to piss her off?”
“No!”
“Then maybe just give her some time to cool off,” he offers.
“It’s been two weeks. How long does she fucking need?” I demand.
“I don’t know what you want me to say.” He throws his hands up in the air. “Or what you want me
to do. Fuck! You two are going round and round in circles and not getting anywhere,” he growls. “You
hated her. Now she hates you …”
“I never hated her.” I wanted to destroy her. There’s a difference.
He sighs heavily. “I … don’t know why you can’t just tell her.”
My heart starts to pound in my chest. “Tell her what?”
“Come on, Cole? Playing dumb with her may work, but it’s not going to work with me. I’ve known
you all my life.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “And?”
He steps into me, eyes narrowed. “And I don’t know why it’s so fucking hard for you to be a man
and tell the girl you love her.”
“I don’t!” I snap.
He throws his head back, laughing. “So you don’t plan on her moving to Texas with you after
graduation?”
“That is for her to be close to Lilly,” I growl. I should have never told him my plans.
He stares at me, and I arch a brow. Throw something else at me, Deke. I’ll block it.
 “You know.” He uncrosses his arms over his chest. “Everyone always talks about how fucked up
you are.” My hands clench. “But I never believed them. Until now. You can kill someone without a
second thought, but you can’t admit you love someone?” He shakes his head. “Never thought I’d see
the day when you actually surprise me.” Then he turns and exits the room.

AUSTIN

I WALK INTO the kitchen and grab the Fireball and take a sip from the bottle.
“What the hell was that?” Becky demands, running up to me.
“Me putting them in their place,” I say and tip it back again.
She sighs. “What do you have on them?”
“Enough.”
She rolls her eyes. “That’s not what I asked, Austin.”
I take another drink as Deke walks into the kitchen. I don’t expect to be invited back to the
clubhouse anytime soon. But too bad. Because my ass isn’t walking away. Not this far into the game.
He comes over to us, his eyes on Becky. “We’re leaving, babe,” he says, and my eyes catch Cole
storming past the kitchen and out the front door.
I take another drink.
“I’m staying again tonight,” she tells him.
He nods, already knowing that. Then he looks at me. He opens his mouth to speak and then closes
it.
“What?” I snap.
He just shakes his head. “Nothing.” Then gives Becky a kiss before he turns and walks out.
“You can go with him if you want,” I offer.
She shakes her head. “Absolutely not. I’m your only friend, remember?” She gives me a smile
before taking the bottle from my hand. “Someone has to watch over you.”
I roll my eyes but sigh in disappointment. I’ve never had a good birthday. I’ve never spent it with
family or real friends. Since I left California, I’ve learned a lot. And one thing is that those friends
were as fake as a blow-up doll. I hate that I’m fighting with Cole. I hate that he put me in this position.
That he lied to me about something so important it could change my life.
Where do we go from here? Will I ever get to see Lilly after we graduate? My chest tightens with
that thought.
Becky places her hand on mine and gives me a soft smile. “You should give him a chance.”
“Some people don’t deserve a chance,” I say simply.
“Austin—”
“I don’t wanna talk about it,” I interrupt her. “Can we just get drunk?”
She chuckles, handing me back the bottle. “Drink up, birthday girl.”

_______________

I OPEN MY eyes at the sound of thunder and groan.

My head pounds, and my mouth is dry. Lightning strikes, lighting up my room, and I run my hand
along my bed, looking for my phone. I find it face down and press the button to light up the screen. I
squint and it reads 4:25 a.m. I’ve only been asleep for an hour. The party ended hours ago, but Becky
and I weren’t ready to call it quits just yet.
My hand grips my cell, and I sit up slowly, letting my body adjust to being awake. Everything
aches.
Becky is passed out in bed, her back toward me. Throwing the covers off, I make my way into the
bathroom. I come to a stop in front of the sink and turn on the water. Lightning lights up the room
through my large oval window and then thunder booms, rattling the walls.
I place my phone on the countertop and open the medicine cabinet. I pick up the Advil and shut the
glass cabinet just as the lights go out.
“Shit.” I sigh.
The lightning strikes, lighting up the bathroom once again, and I see a dark form in the mirror.
“What the …?”
A hand fists my hair, and when my head is yanked back, I drop the pill bottle to grab at them. But
before I can get a hold of anything, my head is slammed forward.
 CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
COLE

I WAKE UP to my phone ringing.

“Hello?” I mumble, without looking to see who it is.
“Get your ass up!” Deke says in greeting.
I run a hand down my face. “What do you want? What time is it?”
“Eight. Get up and get your ass over to Shelby’s.”
“Why?” I yawn.
“Because Becky just called me, and the girls are there.”
I sit up in a rush. “Why are they at Shelby’s?”
“Don’t know. She called me and said Austin is there needing medical attention. I’m on my way …”
“I’ll meet you there.”
I’m dressed and walking into Shelby’s house in less than fifteen minutes. I’ve called Austin’s
phone over twenty times and all have gone straight to her voicemail.
“What’s going on?” I demand, entering her kitchen.
Shelby jumps up from the chair, her hands out in front of her. Austin sits at the head of the table, her
elbows on the dark surface and face in her hands, her hair is down and blocking my view of her.
“Get the hell out of here, Cole!” Shelby growls.
“What happened to her?” I demand, ignoring her order. She looks fine. Maybe she is just really
hungover.
“Don’t act stupid,” Shelby snaps. “We all know you did this to her.”
“He didn’t do it,” Austin replies in a tired voice.
“Me? I didn’t do shit …”
“You expect us to believe that?” Shelby snaps. “Last time she was here, she needed fifteen stitches
because you took a knife to her arm.”
“You what?” Becky demands from the other side of the table.
My teeth clench. “I’ve hurt her, yes, but I didn’t do this. Hell, I don’t even know what this is. Why
the fuck is she here?”
“I’m calling the cops,” Shelby says, turning to the kitchen counter where her cell phone lays.
Deke grabs her shoulder, pulling her back. “No, you’re not.”
“Why, Deke?” she snaps. “Did you help him? Will you go to jail too?”
“What is going on? What are you guys talking about?” Becky asks, her blue eyes going back and
forth between us. “Deke, what have you done?”
“He didn’t do it,” Deke says, ignoring Becky’s questions.
Shelby narrows her eyes on him. “You’d take his side …”
“He didn’t do it!” Austin snaps. She drops her hands from her face, and they slap down onto the
table. She looks up at us. Becky closes her eyes and turns away.
“Fuck.” Deke hisses.
My heart stops when I see her. She has three cuts on her face that Shelby has stitched up along her
right eye. Her skin bruised and swollen. Her right eye purple.
 “You don’t know that,” Shelby argues. “You said the guy was wearing a black hood. It was dark.
And Becky was asleep. It could have been Cole—”
“No,” she interrupts her. Then she looks me in the eyes. “Cole is a lot of things, but he’s not a
coward. If he wanted to hurt me, he would have done it with the lights on, and his eyes on mine. He
wouldn’t hide.”
I hold her stare, but my stomach knots at her words.
“Who did this?” Becky asks as tears well in her eyes.
Austin looks at Deke, then back at me. “I don’t know.”
“Bullshit! You know. Who the fuck hurt you?” I demand. The shock wearing off. The anger seeping
into my veins.
“Cole …”
“Who did this to you?” I snap.
She just stares at me. Her eyes are bloodshot, and they look glazed over, and I wonder if Shelby
was able to give her anything for pain since she probably still has alcohol in her system.
I walk over to the table, kneel, and cup her cheek. “Who, sweetheart?”
She sighs. “It was Kellan.”
My jaw tightens.
“Why would Kellan want to hurt you?” Shelby asks skeptically.
I stand and start to pace. He’s gonna fucking die.
“It’s not that I don’t believe you, Austin,” Deke begins. “But can you prove it?”
She nods. “My phone.”
“What about it?” I snap, that need for blood growing stronger and stronger. The feel of it on my
fingers. The smell of it in the air. It’s been too long since I’ve beat a man with my bare hands.
“He took it.”
“Why would he want your phone?” Shelby asks.
“Last night, I told the guys I had insurance in case they tried to fuck me over. Then this morning
when I woke up, I took my phone with me to the bathroom. He grabbed my hair and slammed my head
into the mirror. I passed out from the hit. When I woke up, my phone was missing.”
“He’s fucking dead …” I growl.
“Positive?” Deke demands, interrupting me.
She nods.
“That doesn’t mean it wasn’t Cole …” Shelby points at me.
“Deke and Cole are the only two who know that I have a retina scanner on my phone. They know
that they can’t get into it. Kellan does not.”
I come to a stop and look down at her.
“Whatever he wanted he’s not gonna get.” She sits back in her chair. “Plus, I’m not dumb enough to
keep that shit on my phone.”
She stands from the table, and I walk over to help her out, but she pushes me away. “I’m going
home to go back to bed.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Deke urges.
She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. “I’m tired … hungover … and a bit bitchy.” They
open and narrow on his. “I wanna go …”
“Come with me,” I offer.
She looks up at me. “No.”
She’s still mad at me.
 I cup her face, and her eyes search mine, but I still see the hesitation in them. I’m not sure what I
can do or say to get her back. If words are even good enough. But I have to try. Especially now. I
don’t want to hurt her. I have to protect her. I’m all she has.
“Please?” I ask.
She looks away from me, running her hand through her hair.
“Just a place to sleep. I will take you home afterward.” Lie.
She finally nods. “Okay.”

AUSTIN

“AUSTIN?”
I hear my name through the pounding in my head.
“Austin? Oh God, Austin. Wake up.”
Hands grab my shoulders, and I feel like I’m in an earthquake.
“Austin? Please …”
“I’m up,” I say roughly, wanting the noise to stop. It’s too loud.
“You need to go to the hospital.”
I open my heavy eyes to see Becky kneeling by me on the bathroom floor. “What …?” The
memories come back to me as I stood before the sink and my face being slammed into the mirror.
I lift my hand to my head and hiss in a breath.
“Be careful,” she says, grabbing my hand to help me sit up. “There’s glass on your face.”
Sitting up, I bow my head. “What the hell happened?” she demands.
“I’m fine,” I say as my head pounds.
“No, you’re not. God, Austin, we need to get you to the hospital.”
I shake my head. “No.”
“Yes,” she snaps. “I just found you passed out on the bathroom floor. And you need stitches. You
probably have a concussion.”
“Shelby,” I say. She’s the only one I want to see right now. I go to the hospital, and they’ll know
I’ve been drinking and am underage. They get the police involved, and I refuse to tell them
anything. That’s what the fucker wants. He thinks he can play me. I refuse to let him win.
“Hand me my phone.”
“Where is it?” she asks, standing.
“On the countertop.” I lift my hand to my head again, and it comes back bloody. I rub it
between my fingers.
She looks around then shakes her head. “No, it’s not.”
I release a long breath, closing my eyes and trying not to vomit. My head pounds like a drum,
and I feel dizzy. “It’s too early to just show up at her house. I’ll give it a couple of hours.”

I wake up to voices coming from downstairs in the clubhouse. When I sit up, my head still pounds,
and my eye is swelling shut.
I should have kept my mouth shut. I thought telling them that I had proof on them would make them
back off, but I should have known it wouldn’t work with Kellan. The bastard.
I get out of Cole’s bed and stand. A wave of dizziness hits me, but I manage to wait it out.
“Why are we here, man?” I hear Bennett ask.
“I’ll let you know why when everyone has arrived,” Cole tells him.
 I pick up his black zip-up hoodie from the end of the bed and put it on because I’m cold. Then I
make my way down the stairs, needing a drink.
I notice Cole sitting in one of the lounge chairs talking to Deke who sits in the one next to him.
Shane sits on the couch, and Bennett stands by the table. Cole looks up as I hit the last stair, and he
stands when his eyes meet mine. “Hey, sweetheart,” he says softly.
I swallow nervously as he walks over to me.
“How do you feel?” he asks, pushing hair behind my ear.
“Fine,” I lie, taking a step back from him. I’m still mad at him. I’m still so confused about what I
do now. There are so many questions I want to ask him, but I know I’ll never get the answers.
He sighs. “You’re lying.”
“I’m thirsty,” I admit.
He nods and pulls away from me to go over to the little bar area.
“What the fuck, Austin?” Bennett snaps. “What the hell happened to you?”
“I’m fine,” I say, waving him off. Maybe I should have stayed upstairs.
“Here.” Cole hands me a bottle of water.
He cups my face as he leans down to kiss my forehead gently, and my chest tightens. I’ve held in so
much anger for the past two weeks that it’s emotionally and physically exhausted me. My eyes start to
fill with tears, making his figure blurry, and I hear him sigh.
I refuse to let them fall. To show him that I feel anything for what he has done to me. What he has
kept from me.
“What’s up, fuckers?” I hear Kellan’s voice as the door opens, and my body stiffens, remembering
what he did to me this morning. What he could have done to Becky. The commotion woke her up, but
Kellan was able to escape before she noticed him. I’m thankful for that. I’d hate myself if he hurt her
too.
Cole spins around. “I’m calling it off,” he says.
“Calling what off?” Shane asks slowly.
“All of it,” he says.
Kellan snorts. “So your ex-plaything informs us that she has insurance on us, and you call it off? I
say she’s bluffing.”
That’s because the bastard thinks he has the proof. He doesn’t. I made sure to delete that shit off my
phone for good reasons. He’ll never find where I backed it up.
Cole steps to the right, and Kellan comes into view. His eyes meet mine, and a slow smile spreads
across his face when he sees my face.
“You know … there’s a battered woman’s shelter at the edge of town who will take you in.” He
smirks. “Unless you’re into that kind of thing. Then by all means, let him beat you.”
The room falls silent, and I swallow nervously as I see Cole’s body tense. He glares at Kellan who
sits down on the couch. Kellan lifts his chin to me. “I still call bullshit. But if you wanna turn us in,
then go ahead.” Kellan shrugs. “I dare you to.”
I go to open my mouth to tell him that I know what he did, but Cole speaks.
“Fuck it.” Then he storms out of the clubhouse.
Deke is the first one to jump up and follow him. I don’t want to be left alone with Kellan, even if
Bennett and Shane are in here, so I follow them too.
I shove open the door and walk outside. The sun is starting to set. I must have slept the day away. I
needed it.
The door opens behind me, and the guys walk out as well. Cole pops open his trunk and reaches in.
I take a step back when he pulls out a black and white baseball bat.
“What are you doing, Cole?” Bennett asks him.
I look over at Deke as he comes to stand next to me. Normally, I would take a step back, but I feel
like he’s getting close to protect me from Kellan. Not harm me.
Cole doesn’t answer. Instead, he walks over to Kellan’s blue Corvette and lifts the bat over his
shoulder, his grip tightening. Then he swings. It hits the driver’s side window, and it shatters into a
million pieces.
“What the fuck?” Kellan roars, running over to him.
Deke goes after him and pulls him back.
“What the fuck are you doing, Cole?” Bennett demands.
Cole reaches in through the now busted window and opens the car door. He leans inside it and
starts opening and closing compartments. Seconds later, he stands and faces us with my cell in his
right hand.
“This your cell phone, sweetheart?” he asks me, but he’s staring at Kellan. The bat hangs down by
his side.
Kellan breathes heavily as he glares at Cole.
“Yes,” I answer.
“Why is her cell in your car?” Shane asks in confusion. “And why is it busted?”
Cole places my crushed cell in the pocket of his jeans and walks over to Kellan and Deke. “You
went into her home after the party this morning. Put your hands on her and stole her phone.” He arches
a brow. “You wanted to delete what she had on you. But you couldn’t get the phone unlocked, could
you? So you busted it.”
“Is this true?” Bennett demands.
Kellan takes a step toward Cole. He raises his hand, stretching out his arm. Kellan comes to a stop
when the end of the bat presses against his throat. Kellan fists his hands down by his side as his eyes
shoot daggers at Cole. “Go ahead. Beat me with the bat.”
Cole smiles, and it’s not friendly. “I don’t need a bat to hurt you, Kellan.” He lowers it and takes a
step toward him. “I’m gonna kill you with my bare hands.”
Kellan swallows. “She is gonna turn on you.”
“I deserve that,” he says without hesitation. “And you, you will get what you deserve for touching
what is mine.”
“You did that to her, Kellan?” Shane asks, pointing at me as if there’s another girl here with a black
eye.
He smiles. “I did what you all were too afraid to do.”
“Jesus!” Bennett hisses, grabbing his hair. “What the fuck were you thinking? You could have
killed her.”
Kellan laughs darkly. “All of a sudden we care who lives and who dies?” He shakes his head. “We
knew going in that we all weren’t going to make it out. We started with eight, and already, we’re
down to five.”
“That wasn’t Cole’s fault.” Deke snaps.
He smirks and looks over at me. “Right. It was Bruce’s. The man who raped his mother.”
Cole’s body stiffens. His grip on the bat tightening. And I know he wants nothing more than to
knock Kellan’s head off right now.
“Kellan …”
“The guy who gave you the two most important women in your life.” He pushes his chest into
Cole’s, cutting off Bennett. “But what you don’t see is he has the power to take them both from you.”
Kellan smiles at him. “I’m not the enemy here, Cole. Bruce Lowes is. And he is going to fuck up your
world more than you can ever imagine.” He looks over at me and winks. “Enjoy it while you can.”
Then he walks around Cole and gets into his car before taking off.
Once again, we all stand in silence. Cole stares straight ahead, staring at nothing. Deke runs a hand
through his hair. Shane’s head falls back, and he closes his eyes as if he’s praying to God for
something. Bennett stares at me. I look away from him.
“I’m out.” Cole finally speaks.
“What? Cole, you can’t …” Bennett starts.
“It’s over,” he says, walking over toward me.
“Kellan’s gone,” Shane adds. “We’ll vote him out.”
Cole comes to a stop and turns to face them. “Are you guys not listening? I said I’m out. And that’s
final.” He turns back around and comes up to me. I flinch when he lifts his hand, and his eyes cloud
over. “Austin—”
“You can’t just quit,” Shane interrupts him.
“I can do whatever the fuck I want,” he snaps. “Now drop it!” He grabs my right hand and pulls me
back into the clubhouse.
I stand awkwardly by the table as he paces back and forth.
The door opens, and Deke walks in. He doesn’t acknowledge me. “You know I’ll back you a
hundred percent.”
Cole nods.
“But are you sure this is what you want to do?”
He comes to a stop and looks up at Deke, then at me. “It’s over.”
I swallow the lump in my throat at his words. As if he’s talking about us. But that’s crazy because
we were never anything. It was all a lie.
I take a step toward them. “Don’t do this for me.” My voice is rough, and I clear my throat.
“This has nothing to do with you,” he snaps.
Deke lets out a growl. “Stop lying.” He looks at me. “This has everything to do with you.”
“Deke!” Cole warns.
He slaps Cole on the back. “It’s about time, man.” Then he turns and walks out, leaving us alone.
 CHAPTER FORTY
COLE

FUCK!
She was right! Not like I doubted her. But finding her phone in Kellan’s car made me want to knock
his head off his shoulders with that fucking bat.
“Cole?”
I pulled out! That was the right thing to do. It’s over. No more dares. No more group. And it means
she is safe. Well, for now. Kellan was right that Bruce can take her from me. He can destroy me in a
completely different way now. And I know that he wouldn’t think twice.
Fuck, I’m so tired of people being right.
“Cole?”
“What?” I snap.
She takes a step back. “Will you take me home?”
I shake my head. “You can stay the night here.”
“I can’t …”
“We’re on spring break.” I walk over to her. “And you’re safe here. Plus, we need to talk.” It’s
time.
“About what?” She asks nervously.
“Everything,” I say simply. “You’ve earned the truth.” Her eyes search mine for any indication I’m
lying, but she won’t find it this time.

AUSTIN

AT MY SILENCE, he pulls me over to the couch, and I sit down next to him. “I wanna know about Lilly.”
There’s so much more I want to know, but she is the most important right now.
He nods and takes a deep breath. “I found out Bruce raped my mom when I heard her talking to my
father in his office. He blamed my mom. Said that it was her fault. She should have been stronger.” He
fists his hands in his lap. “I didn’t understand what they were talking about exactly because I was only
eleven at the time. She tried to leave him, but he wouldn’t let her go. He never loved her. He was just
sick and twisted and loved the idea of making her stay.
“Anyway, fast forward nine months, and my mom was a week past her due date when Celeste came
to my school and pulled me out of class. She told me that my father had called and told her my mother
had fallen down at home and was rushed to the hospital. It sent her into labor, and although the baby
was okay, there were complications. Blood loss …” He pauses, and my throat starts to tighten. “She
didn’t make it through surgery. My father didn’t want a baby. But his wife had died, and no one knew
what Bruce had done. To put the baby up for adoption would make him look bad, so he decided to
keep her. I hated my father from then on. For not protecting my mother. For not loving Lilly. To me,
she was his daughter. She was the baby of the woman he was supposed to love.” He shakes his head.
“And I hated Bruce.” He looks up at me.
 “Then why do you let Lilly go to my father’s house so much?” This question has been on my mind.
“Knowing what he is capable of,” I grind out. I’ve always known my father to be a sick bastard.
“Celeste was around a lot and helped me more than anyone else was willing to.”
“Did she know what Bruce did to your mom?” I ask softly.
He nods. “Yes. She never came out and said it, but she didn’t have to.” I look down at my hands. “I
let Celeste keep her at times, but Bruce was never home when I allowed that. Except with you.”
“What?” I frown, looking back up at him.
He cups my cheek. “I didn’t tell you about her. And at first, I didn’t want you to spend time with
her. Afraid Lilly would get attached and it would hurt her when you left.” I swallow at that. “But as
time passed, I wanted you to spend as much time with Lilly as possible, so I let her go home with you
even when Bruce was there because I knew without a doubt that you would protect her, Austin. You
didn’t need to know she was your sister to keep her safe.”
“With my life,” I say without thought. I may not have known Lilly was my sister, but I love that
little girl. And even when my dad was home, and I had Lilly, he never came around us. Never even
looked at her in passing. He acted as if she didn’t exist.
He leans in and kisses my forehead. “I know.”
Tears start to well in my eyes. “I’m so sorry, Cole. For what Bruce did to your mother.” My chest
tightens. “I’m so sorry that I didn’t know about Lilly sooner. I could have helped …” My voice
cracks. “I could have come back here. I should have …” I choke on the words.
He reaches out and pulls me to him. I bury my face into his shirt and inhale that scent that I’ve
missed the past two weeks. “It’s not your fault, Austin.” He kisses my hair. “You didn’t know.” He
sighs. “I was afraid of losing her. To you. To Bruce. Even Celeste held her over my head. She helped
me raise her the first few years. I was twelve when she was born and knew nothing about babies. My
dad didn’t want her and neither did Bruce. But I wanted her. She was part of me.” He smiles softly at
me. “Part of my mom.”
The first tear falls down my cheek. He wipes it away with a small smile. “But you’re here now,
Austin. And I don’t plan on you going anywhere.”
“I …” I pause, not knowing what to say.
“What is it, sweetheart?” he asks softly.
I shake my head and pull away from him. “What is your end game?’
“What?” he asks, standing.
I wipe the tears from my face and look up at him. “What do you want from me?” My heart pounds
at those words. That his answer isn’t going to be what I want to hear.
He frowns.
I stand. “No more games, Cole. No more secrets. And no more lies. Just tell me …” I let out a long
breath. “What is it that you want from me?” He’s going to break my heart, and I deserve it because I
allowed it. You don’t fall in love with a man like him and expect him to feel the same about you. It
doesn’t work that way.
He cups my face with both of his hands. “I want you, Austin. That is not a lie.”
“You want to break me—”
“Not anymore,” he interrupts me. “I did want that, yes. But it’s no longer enough.”
“What does that mean?” I whisper.
He pushes his body into me. He tilts my head back, and he lowers his lips to mine. A simple kiss
that takes my breath away. This man has taken so much from me already. I’m not sure I have anything
else to give.
 “I want you to want me. I want you to need me.” His eyes search mine. “Because that’s how I feel
about you. I’m not the same since I met you. You have bled for me, but I’m starving for you. People
say when you meet the one you love, that person can calm you down. Make you better.” He shakes his
head. “You fucking fan my flames. You make me feel invincible.” He sighs heavily. “You deserve
better than me,” he whispers, placing his head against mine, “but I’m too selfish to let you go.”
I give him a soft smile. “I want you just the way you are.” He pulls away. I cup his cheek. This man
is the devil himself, but I’ve never been afraid of hell. “And I’m not going anywhere.”
He gently kisses my lips. “What about Kellan?” I ask, knowing we have a long way to go. And that
he is pissed at me.
“Everything is gonna be all right, Austin. Trust me.”
As my eyes search his, I realize just how much I want him to be right. “I trust you, Cole,” I say,
licking my wet lips, tasting my tears.
He watches the motion and leans forward, but comes to a stop with his lips inches from mine. I
lean in, closing the distance and pressing mine to his. His fingers slide into my hair, and I moan into
his mouth as his tongue meets mine. That familiar feeling that only he can give me starts to build, and I
wrap my arms around his neck.
Two weeks of not even looking at him has me worked up.
He pulls away. “Austin, we shouldn’t.”
God, I’ve missed him. My body craves him in an unhealthy way.
“I want you,” I say breathlessly.
His eyes search mine and then land on my stitches. He gives me a small smile and takes my hand,
pulling me up to the loft.
Then his lips are on mine. The next thing I know, he is undressing me.
“Fuck! I’ve missed you,” he growls before nibbling on my lip.
“Me too …” I trail off, sucking in a deep breath. “I want you.” I pant as my hands go to his jeans.
 CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
COLE

I LIE NEXT to her. My heart pounding, and her breathing is still ragged. I turn onto my side and push
her hair from her damp face. Her eyes are closed and a soft smile on her lips.
She opens her eyes, and her smile widens. “Who owns this place?” she asks.
I frown.
“You guys spend a lot of time here. Does someone’s dad own it?”
“I own it.”
Her eyes widen in surprise. “You own it?”
I nod. “When my mother passed, she left Lilly and me each a trust fund. I got access to mine when I
turned eighteen and bought this that day. It was abandoned and cheap. The guys and I wanted a place
to get away, so it just made sense.”
She nods. “When you told me what my dad tried to do to you, I thought that he had something to do
with your mother passing.”
“The thought crossed my mind for many years,” I admit.
“But not anymore?”
I shake my head. “Although I miss her and wish she could have been here to see Lilly grow up, I
think it was just something that happened. I was angry about it for a very long time, but it was no
one’s fault.”
She lies down and runs her hand over my chest. “Why did you quit the group?”
“Because it wasn’t safe for you, and I knew you wouldn’t drop out unless there was no longer a
group at all.”
“So, it’s just over?” she asks.
“Yeah,” I say with a smile. “It’s just over.”
“What do we do now?” she wonders.
“We enjoy what’s left of our senior year as a real couple.”
She gets up and straddles my hips. I place my hands on her bare thighs as she smiles down at me.
Even with a bruised eye and stitches in her face, she is still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.
“Does this mean you’re gonna go to prom with me?” she asks.
I laugh. “Yes. That’s exactly what it means.”
“Guess I better start looking for a red dress then.” She wiggles her eyebrows.
I groan. “I love when you wear red.”
She gives me her wicked smile that makes my cock hard. “I know.” She leans down, giving me a
soft kiss.
I pull back. “What are your plans after graduation?”
“Haven’t really thought about it. Why?”
I take a deep breath and let it out. “You know when I had you take Lilly to ballet and I was gone the
following day? I told you I had something personal to do?”
“How can I forget? That’s when Celeste pretended to be sleeping with you.”
I ignore that. “I was in Texas.”
 Her eyes widen. “You flew to Texas?” I nod. “Why?”
“Deke and I have scholarships to the University of Texas. And I needed to see my counselor about
housing because I’m taking Lilly with me, and kids can’t live in the dorms.”
Her eyes fall to my chest. “Oh. I didn’t think about Lilly leaving with you.”
I place my hand in her hair and force her to look back up at me. “While I was there, I bought a
house for Lilly and me.” Texas is where I’m going to call home for the rest of my life. I’m going to go
to college there and swim while I get my degree. Then Deke and I are going to open our own business
together. We’ve had it planned for years.
Her eyes widen once again, but she says nothing.
“And I want you to come with us. I want you to live with me and Lilly.”
“Cole … that’s …” She licks her lips. “Too much.”
“No, it’s not.” I sit up. “Tell me you’ll come with us. Tell me you’ll live with us.”
“If you want, I can help you with her …”
“No, Austin. You’re not understanding me. I want you there to be part of Lilly’s life, but I want you
there for my life too.” I run my hand through her hair. “Move in with me, Austin.” I can’t imagine my
life without her. This amazing woman is everything I never knew I wanted. And in case I had any
doubt, the past two weeks without her made me realize just how true that is.
Her dark green eyes start to well up with tears. “I don’t know …”
“You dared me to show you a side of me that no one sees. And I have, Austin. Now I’m daring you
to give me a chance to be more than the guy who hurt you.” I give her a soft smile. “Move in with me
and let me show you that I can be what you need.”

AUSTIN

COLE AND I walk into my father’s house. “What do you wanna do today?” he asks me with a smile on
his face. It’s been two weeks since my birthday, and things have been going great. Too great if you ask
me. I’ve never considered my life to be normal, but things have been just that. Cole and I spent all of
spring break together hanging out with Becky and Deke or just chilling at my house with Lilly. My
bruised face had healed some by the time we went back to school. Shelby removed the stitches, but
the bruises are still visible without makeup. But no one questioned it. Shane and Bennett have been
calling Cole, but he keeps their conversations short when he does answer. I think he’s mad at them for
not throwing Kellan out of the group when he and Deke first suggested it. And as for Kellan—he’s
been everywhere this last week. Over spring break, it was easy to avoid him, but now that school is
back in session, not so much. He’s everywhere I look and always smiling at me. It gives me the
creeps and pisses Cole off. And I hate that I’m always looking over my shoulder. When I’m not in
school, I always have the Taser on me, prepared to use it at any given second.
“Let’s take Lilly to the zoo,” I offer.
He nods. “Sounds good to me.”
“Austin? Is that you?” I hear Celeste call out.
Instead of answering, I walk down the hall, Cole’s hand in mine, and enter the living room. I come
to a halt when I see she’s not alone.
Cole’s hand tightens on mine. “Mom?” I shriek. “What the hell are you doing here?”
I never did respond to her text that she sent me on my birthday. And she never sent me another one.
She smiles brightly at me. Her green eyes go to my hand in Cole’s, then she looks him up and down
before her eyes return to me. They trace over my face, and I square my shoulders, knowing she can
see the faint bruise. We just got back from spending the night at the clubhouse, and I didn’t put any
makeup on. She allowed Phillip to hit me, but he also hit her. I’m sure she thinks Cole did this to me.
Celeste clears her throat and pushes her blond hair behind her ear nervously. “Your mother wanted
to come and give you the good news in person,” she says.
“Good news?” I ask, arching a brow.
My mother smiles brightly and holds out her left hand. “We got married.”
My eyes go to Phillip for the first time as he sits on the couch next to my mother. He doesn’t smile
at me; instead, his eyes take in my face. My freshly fucked hair and lack of clothing. I’m wearing
Cole’s black zip-up hoodie and a pair of cotton shorts and tennis shoes. That’s it. No shirt underneath
and no bra, which is why it is zipped all the way up to my neck. Cole ripped both off me last night.
Cole takes a step forward, jerking on my hand, reminding me he is here. I pull him to a stop.
“When did this happen?” I ask, trying to figure out why she’s here. Why she thought I would need to
know this. I couldn’t care less what they do. You would think she already knew that.
“Two weeks ago.” She claps her hands. “On St. Paddy’s day.”
I’m not surprised.
“You married this piece of shit on your daughter’s birthday?” Cole growls, finally speaking.
My mother narrows her eyes on him, and Phillip stands, bowing out his chest, thinking he’s the
superior man in this room. He’s not. “I don’t know who you are, son, but I’d suggest you not talk to
her mother that way.”
Cole snorts. “I’m not your son, and she sure as hell is not a mother to her.”
My mother shoots to her feet. “Who the hell is this, Celeste?” she demands.
“His name is Cole, and he’s my boyfriend,” I snap.
Celeste runs a hand through her hair. “I think it’s time you and Phillip go.” She clears her throat.
“You got what you were promised.”
“Promised?” Cole questions.
I don’t care what they are talking about. I just want them gone.
Phillip chuckles, throwing his arm over my mother’s shoulders. “It’s adult business, son. You
wouldn’t understand.” Phillip looks at me. He stares at my eye again and smirks. “Guess I trained you
right.” Then he looks at Cole and winks.
“Out!” Celeste snaps.
I stand frozen to my spot as they walk past us and down the hall. Celeste follows them out and shuts
the door behind them.
“What the fuck was that?” Cole demands, letting go of my hand.
Celeste joins us once again and sighs. “It’s nothing—”
“Bullshit!” he interrupts her, making me jump. “Why the hell were they here and what were they
promised?”
She looks at me and then down at the floor.
“I don’t want to know,” I say softly.
Cole looks at me, and his features soften. “Austin …”
“I don’t care, Cole. Don’t you see? She got what she wanted. She got rid of me, and she got him to
marry her.” Then I turn, walk out of the room, and head up the stairs to my bedroom. I sit down on the
end of the bed and pull my cell out of my pocket, going to my mom’s number. I hover over it for a few
seconds, trying to remember a time when she was actually a mother to me. When she hugged me.
Kissed me. Tucked me in. Any time that she actually acted like she cared about my well-being. And I
come up with nothing.
 I delete her number as the door opens. Cole walks in and kneels in front of me. “I gotta go,” he
says, pushing some hair from my face.
“Where are you going?” I ask. “I thought we were gonna take Lilly to the zoo?”
He nods. “Later. I got something I have to go do.” Standing up to his full height, he leans over and
kisses me on the forehead. His phone starts to ring in the pocket of his jeans, and he pulls it out. I see
Deke flash across it. He silences it. “Why don’t you go and get Lilly and then meet me at the
clubhouse,” he offers, and I nod.
“Here.” I stand and remove his hoodie. His eyes go to my naked chest, and his hands grab my hips.
“Are you trying to distract me?” he asks roughly.
“No,” I say honestly. “Just thought you would want it back.”
He leans down and kisses my cheek. Then his eyes meet mine. I wait for him to give me something
—some indication of where he is going or why Deke is calling him—but he doesn’t. Some things
about Cole will never change.
He turns and walks out, and I sit back down, knowing that deleting my mother’s phone number was
pointless. She won’t be calling me anymore anyway, but I’m okay with that. Like Cole said, she was
never my mother.
I’m pulling a shirt over my head when there’s a knock on the door. “Come in,” I call out.
The door opens, and Celeste peeks her head in. “May I speak to you?” she asks.
“Do I have a choice?” I reply.
She sighs heavily. “I wanna explain myself,” she says, entering. “I haven’t really had the
chance …”
“You’ve been avoiding me,” I argue.
She nods once. “I have, and I’m sorry.” She swallows. “I wanna explain about Kellan too …”
“I don’t care about Kellan,” I growl, interrupting her.
“He’s just worried!”
“Worried?” I snort. “About what?”
“About you and Cole.”
I don’t respond to that because she has no idea what is going on between us. And she doesn’t need
to know.
Running a hand through her hair, she takes a step farther into my room. “I’m sorry that Cole hurt
you.”
“He didn’t do it.”
“Austin, I know you think he loves you, but he doesn’t.” She shakes her head as she looks me up
and down as if I’m not good enough for him.
“This has nothing to do with love,” I grind out.
Her brown eyes soften, and her look turns to pity. “You were lucky this time. But next time …”
“Kellan did this to me,” I say, pointing at my face, unable to listen to this anymore.
She shakes her head. “No. He wouldn’t do that.”
Unbelievable. “Cole found my phone in Kellan’s car.”
Her hands fist. “If Cole found your phone in his car, then it was because Cole planted it there.”
“Jesus.” I hiss. “He has you brainwashed.”
“Kellan is trying to help you. Cole wants to hurt you,” she shouts, finding her anger. “That’s why
Kellan wants you out of the group. He’s mad at you, but he’s trying to protect you in the long run.”
I shake my head at her words. She says Kellan wants me out of the group. But when Cole tried to
get me thrown out, Kellan was the only one who wanted me to stay. So, either Kellan hasn’t filled her
in on what’s going on or he’s lying to her. “You have no clue what you are talking about,” I say, not
wanting to argue with her.
“You don’t know what Cole is capable of.”
Oh, I do! “Apparently, I don’t know what any of you are capable of because I would have never
thought you’d call out my boyfriend’s name while you fucked his friend,” I snap.
Her eyes darken, and her lips thin. She takes a step toward me. “Don’t push me, Austin.”
“What are you gonna do, Celeste? Ship me back to my mom’s? I’m eighteen now. You can kick me
out, but then you’d have to explain to my father why I no longer live in his house.” I smile. “And I
don’t think you want him to know about Kellan, do you?”
“You little bitch!” she snaps.
“Why did you bring me here?” I ask, ignoring her anger. “You guys are all full of secrets and lies.
So why bring in someone who has the power to expose you all?”
She gives a dark laugh. “You don’t hold that kind of power.”
I take a step toward her. “I’ve got more than you.”
She lets out a growl and spins around. Storming out, she slams my door behind her, not giving me
an answer.

_______________

“LILLY?” I CALL out, entering Cole’s father’s house an hour later. After he left and I had my not so
productive talk with Celeste, I relaxed in a long shower and took my time getting ready.
“She’s in her room,” a woman with jet black hair and just as dark eyes says. Blanche is always
smiling.
“How is Sophia doing?” I ask about her daughter.
Blanche and I have become close the past couple of weeks. I found out that she has been with the
family since before Lilly was born. She used to help take care of Cole as well.
“She’s doing well. She made the choir at church,” she answers with pride.
“That’s awesome. Tell her congratulations.”
She nods, and I make my way upstairs. I open her door and step into her pink room. “Lilly?” I call
out.
“In here.” I hear her across the hall.
I walk into Cole’s room. “Where at?” I ask with a chuckle, wondering if we are playing hide and
seek.
“Here,” her little voice calls out.
I find her in his large walk-in closet, sitting on the floor. “What are you doing in here?” I ask,
sitting down next to her.
“I can’t find Hippo.”
Her favorite stuffed bunny. “Where did you have him last?” Doubt it was in Cole’s closet.
“I gave it to Cole to wash.” She pouts. “I spilled milk on him.”
“Maybe he’s down in the laundry room,” I offer.
“Maybe,” she says as tears spring to her brown eyes.
I get up on my hands and knees. “Here, I’ll help you look in here first. Okay? Then we will go
downstairs and look.” I pat her knee as a tear runs down her face. “We’ll find him.”
I look around the closet, not really knowing where it could be. It’s pretty clean. Not like a lot of
things are lying on the floor that it could be hiding under.
My eyes catch sight of a brown box sitting back in the corner. It doesn’t have anything written on it,
but it looks out of place. I reach out for it and then pull my hand back, biting my lip. Shouldn’t snoop.
As far as I know, there’s some little black book in there with all the girls he’s ever slept with. That’s
one thing I don’t want to find.
“I tried calling him,” she says, her voice still soft.
“How about I try?” Leaving the box alone, I pull out my new phone and press call on Shark.
It begins to ring, and after the fifth time, it goes to voicemail. “You’ve reached Cole …” I hang up
and look at her. “He’ll call us back.”
She hangs her head and stands up. “I’m gonna check my room again.”
I stand too and go to follow her, but the box gets my attention again. Looking back over my
shoulder, I make sure Lilly is gone and bend down, removing the lid.
It’s full of pictures. I pull a stack out and look through them. They’re of Cole when he was younger.
He looks around Lilly’s age. He’s swimming in an indoor pool. There are some of him sitting at a
kitchen table with boys his age all around him. I linger on the other kids to see if I recognize them as
the guys in the group. I’m not sure how long they have all been friends. In the next one, he is leaning
over, blowing out a number seven candle. I shuffle through a few more but stop when I come to one
with him and an older blonde. She’s pretty. Dark blue eyes and a kind smile. She stands next to him
with a proud smile on her face, and he holds a gold medal around his neck. A swimming pool in the
background. This must be his mother. And for some reason, she looks familiar. I go through a couple
of more and come to a stop at a picture of Cole, along with three other boys and one girl. The boys
are smiling, one mid laugh, but the girl is not happy. She has her arms crossed over her chest and a
scowl on her face. Her right hip is pushed out, and her green eyes are narrowed as she glares at the
camera.

“Don’t let her play,” the boy says to the other one.
“I don’t wanna play with you anyway,” I say, reaching out and shoving the boy with the blue
eyes.
He growls and shoves me back, pushing me down onto my butt. They laugh at me before they
turn around and walk off.

It’s me! The girl in the picture is me! I remember now. My father had a get-together with his
friends, and I was the only girl there, and the boys wouldn’t let me play their stupid game.

“I don’t wanna play with her,” the little boy says with his lips pulled back.
“Cole, that’s not very nice,” the pretty blonde says, bending down to our level.
“So, she poured my juice out, Momma,” he whines.
“That’s because you threw dirt at me,” I say.
“Cole Ethan Reynolds,” she scolds. “You tell her you’re sorry right now.”
He crosses his arms over his chest. “Sorry,” he growls.
She pats his back and nods her head at him. “Now you play nice.”
He watches her walk off, and then he turns back to face me. “I’m not sorry.”
“You will be,” I tell him.
His blue eyes narrow on me. “No, I won’t.” He yanks the Barbie out of my hand and rips her
head off and then throws her head down into the dirt, stepping on it. Then he tosses her body out to
the grass. “Have fun playing with that now.”

I place the picture in my back pocket with a smile on my face. Even back then, Cole Reynolds was
a pain in my ass.
“I found Hippo!” Lilly says excitedly, bouncing back into the closet. She hugs him tightly to her
chest, wearing a big smile on her face.
“Ready to go?” I ask.
She nods happily and reaches out for me. I pick her up in my arms and kiss her soft cheek. “Let’s
get going then, princess.”
I pull up to the clubhouse and see Cole’s car is parked outside. Lilly and I walk in hand in hand,
and he stands from the couch. “Hello, girls,” he says, holding his arms out. Lilly runs to him, and he
picks her up, giving him a hug.
“I thought I lost Hippo,” she tells him.
“What? I had put him on your bed,” he tells her with a frown.
She nods. “I found him on the floor.”
“He must have fallen off.”
Lilly hugs him as I look him over. Earlier, he was dressed in blue jeans and a white long-sleeve t-
shirt. Now he’s dressed in a short sleeve black t-shirt and his black jeans. His hair is damp as if he
just got out of the shower.
He sets her down, and his eyes meet mine. “Ready to go?” he asks, stepping into me.
My eyes search him for a hint of where he went or what he did. But his stare gives nothing away.
He never does. “If you are,” I answer.
He nods. “I am.”
Then he takes my hand, and I look down at them to see his knuckles busted and dried blood. “Cole
…”
“Shh,” he whispers against my lips. His eyes go back and forth between mine. “What did I tell you,
sweetheart?”
I frown. What did he tell me? “When?”
He smiles softly at me. “That time I came and saw you and you were swimming in the pool.”
“That no one would ever touch me again,” I say, remembering it.
He nods, sliding a hand in my hair. “That was a promise I’ll never break, Austin.” Then he kisses
me gently.
When he pulls away, I pull the picture out of my back pocket. I hold it against my chest so he can’t
see it just yet. “I went through the box in your closet.”
His eyes meet mine, and he tilts his head in confusion. “Box …?”
“The one hiding in the corner. And I found something.”
“What is it?”
 CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
COLE

SHE TURNS THE picture around, and I look down at it to see Deke, Eli, Bennett, and me. We were
young. No older than seven. Maybe eight. There’s a girl in the picture. We’re all smiling, and Deke is
laughing. The little girl looks pissed. She has her brown hair up in a ponytail, and her green eyes are
narrowed in anger at the camera.
I look up at her and then back down at the picture. “Who …?” My eyes shoot back to hers, and she
smiles at me.

I turn around, walking away from the girl that my mommy is making me play with.
We don’t want her here.
I had to play with her yesterday too without my friends, and we swam. She wouldn’t stop talking
about dolls.
I fist my hands. My mommy made me apologize. But I’m not sorry. She wasted my juice. And she
ripped Deke’s shirt when she yanked on it earlier while we played tag. Celeste made us play with
her.
“Cole?” Deke calls out to me from the swing set.
I go to walk over to him, but I’m shoved to the ground. “Hey!” I turn over onto my back to look
up at the girl.
She points her finger down at me. “You ruined my doll!” she screams.
“Austin?” my daddy’s best friend, Bruce, hollers at her as he comes over to us. “Did you just
shove him?”
She crosses her arms over her chest. “He ruined my Barbie.” She huffs.
He lets out a growl and then grabs her by her arm. She cries out, and he lowers his face down to
hers. He says something to her and then yanks her away. She softly cries as he drags her back into
the house.

“That was you.” I say, looking at her wide-eyed.

She nods once, smiling. “That was me. You owe me a Barbie, by the way.”
I step into her and cup her cheek. The smile drops off her face. She was there in my closet all those
years. I never looked at those pictures. My mother had them in her and my father’s closet. After she
died, he threw all her stuff out so his whores wouldn’t see it, but I kept that box. I never got into it
because it was too painful to see them. There are some of my mom and me, and I hated that I would
never have any to show to Lilly of them together. I almost burned them so many times. “I owe you a
lot of things.” I say honestly, and she frowns. Bruce had yanked her into the house that day, and I never
saw her again. He had shipped her back to her mom’s. Back then, I was thankful. We hated her. She
was a girl. We thought they had cooties and couldn’t play with us. But what if I hadn’t gotten her in
trouble? Would she have stayed with Bruce and Celeste? If so, her mother’s sick boyfriend would
have never touched her. Hit her. She would have found out about Lilly eventually, and I would have
had her all along.
 “Cole?” She gets my attention. I blink. “I’m sorry if you’re mad that I went through your box …”
“I’m not mad.” Far from it. I lean in and kiss her.

_______________

THINGS WERE DIFFERENT after I quit the group. Austin and I seemed to be in our own little world all the
time. We spent every moment we could together and with Lilly. She and Becky brought Lilly to our
meets. Blanche cut back, and Austin took her to school and picked her up.
We hung all over each other at school, but that was nothing new. It was just no longer for show. It
was because we just wanted to touch one another. Kiss one another. She spent nights at my father’s
house. He never said a word about it and neither did Celeste. I think she’s going through some midlife
crisis. Even at her young age. Kellan’s drinking a lot and fucking his way through the high school. So
my guess is that whatever they had is on the rocks.
“So, you girls ready for tomorrow night?” Deke asks them as we sit at our table in the cafeteria.
Austin nods, and Becky smiles. “What are we gonna do afterward?” she asks.
I place my arm over Austin’s shoulders. “I don’t know about you guys, but we are going back to the
clubhouse.” We’ve spent a lot of time there lately, and I have never been happier that I bought that
run-down barn.
Becky frowns. “You can’t not party on prom night.”
“Oh, we’re gonna party,” I say, leaning over and burying my face into Austin’s neck.
Austin chuckles and pushes me away. “I agree with Becky. There are a ton of parties going on. We
should go to one.”
“Why would I go to a party with people I don’t even like when I can spend the evening alone with
you?” I am completely obsessed with Austin Lowes. Pathetic, right? But I wasn’t all that surprised
when I was finally able to admit it to myself. The whole damn school knows it too. Good thing I don’t
give a fuck what anyone thinks.
“Because it’s our senior prom, and that’s what we do,” Becky answers.
I look at Deke. “Help me out.”
“I already told Becky we can do whatever she wants to do,” he says, leaning back in his chair.
I sigh. “Pathetic.”
Austin hits me in the ribs, and I grunt like it hurt. “I think it’s sweet that he puts her wants first.”
I smile. “We both know that I always give you what you want first.”
“Cole!” she snaps, making us all laugh.
“Fine,” I say, throwing up my hands. “We can go to a party.” Becky claps excitedly. “But you’re
staying the night with me.”
She leans over, kissing my lips softly. “I guess. Since you asked nicely and all.”
I grip the back of her neck. “You love that I don’t ask.” Then I kiss her how I want. Possessively.
“Cole?”
I pull away and look up to see Bennett and Shane sitting down at the table. I guess you can say we
made up, but we’re still not how we were. “What’s up?” I ask.
“I was just doing some research, and it seems that Bruce has bought out Jerrold and Jeff’s
company.”
“How is that possible?” Austin asks. “They’re dead.”
He nods. “Yes, but it seems that Jerrold had sold Bruce Jeff’s shares after he went missing.”
 “How are we just finding this out?” Deke asks. “Jeff has been dead for three months. Jerrold a
little over a month.”
“I’m not sure why it took him so long to take over but …” He pauses.
“But what?” I ask.
“I liquidated all of his accounts. Bruce has to know that the money is gone. When I was done with
it, there was nothing left.”
“Can he trace it back to you?” Austin asks, worried.
He shakes his head. “I covered my tracks, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be suspicious. Especially
given how Jerrold died.”
Jerrold’s death was ruled a tragic accident. Tragic, my ass! But Austin’s father was still
suspicious. Too many things were happening to people who he was doing business with. I have no
doubt that he will eventually start to connect the dots. But we will be long gone by then.
“So what do we do?” she asks him.
“I’m still doing my homework. At the moment, there is nothing we can do. I just wanted to let you
all know.” He nods. I look over at Austin and open my mouth when he speaks again. “Can I talk to
you, Cole?” He gets up, not even waiting for my reply.
“I’ll be right back.” I sigh and get up, following him out of the cafeteria and into the empty hall.
“What is it?” I ask when I see him leaning against a locker.
“The final dare.”
“What about it?”
“We need to do it.”
“No—”
“Just hear me out,” he interrupts me.
“Austin is no longer a pawn in this game,” I growl. “I won’t use her to get back at Bruce.” Then I
turn my back to him and start to walk back into the cafeteria.
“He’s gonna kill her.”
I come to a stop and spin back around to face him. “Bennett …”
“We both know what he is capable of. And how much he hates you.” He runs a hand through his
hair. “Everyone in this city knows that you love Austin.”
I swallow at that. I no longer deny it, but we still haven’t said it. We’ve only got less than a month
of school left, and then she is moving with me to Texas. Her agreeing to that was better than hearing
the words I love you. After all, they’re just words. Her actions say more than they could ever mean.
“What are you getting at, Bennett?” I snap.
“I’m trying to tell you that even he knows you’re not faking it anymore. He already tried to kill you
once and failed. This time, he won’t go for you. He’ll go for her. And he’ll succeed.”
“What do you suggest I do?” I growl.
“Let her go.”
I shake my head. “That risks putting her in danger.”
“She’s already a target, Cole.”
“I said no, Bennett.”
He sighs as if disappointed in me.
“But we can do the final dare,” I say, taking in a deep breath. “We’ll just change it up.”
“And Kellan?”
“What about him?” I snap at the sound of his name.
“Do we bring him back in, or do we leave him out?”
 The final dare was decided before Austin ever entered my life, but even now, having her doesn’t
change the plan. Bruce must die. Especially since he tried to kill me. He can’t get away with that, and
I can’t let him touch Austin. I’d die protecting her.
This dare was the one dare that was the exception. Just like I told her Jeff was. We didn’t need to
draw this one. We knew what we were going to do before senior year even started.
“I don’t trust him,” I decide to say.
He nods. “It’s your call.”
I walk back into the cafeteria and sit down next to Austin. She looks over at me. “Everything
okay?” she asks.
I nod and lie. “Yeah.”

AUSTIN

“YOUR DRESS IS gorgeous,” I say, looking over at Becky as we stand in my bedroom. She chose a
strapless champagne mermaid dress. It shows off her thin frame and flares out at the bottom. She
loves to watch it flare out when she twirls.
“Thank you.” She smiles. “When are you gonna get dressed?” she asks, looking at Cole’s zip-up
hoodie that I still wear and yoga pants.
“As soon as I finish my makeup.” I lean over and line my lips with the deep red liner and then fill
them in to match.
A hard knock sounds on my door, and I look over at it frowning. Cole never knocks, and Celeste
stays clear of me. “Come in,” I say.
My father enters, and I straighten to my full height. His dark brown eyes have their usual look of
impatience in them. “Becky, I need to speak to Austin,” he tells her.
“Sure, sir.” She nods once and then shuffles out of the room.
I turn to face him, giving him my full attention. We don’t speak much, and I prefer it that way. I still
haven’t told Celeste that the thing I had been told was that Lilly was my half-sister. And after the
secret she told me, I decided to keep my mouth shout about it. My father already tried to hurt Cole
once. But no one knows the exact reason. We could guess all day long, but that’s not enough. There
was a time I wouldn’t have cared what happened to Cole, but things change. People change. He and
Lilly have become the most important people to me, and I refuse to give him any more power than the
bastard already has over people in my life.
“I wanna talk to you about your future,” he states.
“Can’t it wait until another time?” I ask, turning my back to him and toward the mirror.
“No,” he growls. “I leave tomorrow for New York and will be gone for a few weeks. I would like
to get this out of the way before I leave. It will almost be graduation when I return.”
I refrain from smiling, knowing how close we are to graduation. How close I am to getting the hell
out of here.
He doesn’t wait for me to give him the green light. “What are your plans after graduation?”
“I’m not sure,” I lie.
He sighs. “College?”
“Most likely.” Honestly, I have no clue what I want to do with my life besides be with Cole and
Lilly. I’ve never been one to plan because plans never seem to work out. Life happens, and things get
in the way.
“Well … where would you like to go?” he asks.
 I slowly spin back around to face him. My eyes narrowed in suspicion. “I haven’t decided.”
Another lie.
He nods as if he believes me, but his dark eyes say otherwise. “What about the University of
Texas?” he asks.
My heart starts to pound in my chest, and I swallow nervously.
“It’s a great school,” he continues at my silence. “They’re ranked very high in swimming.”
How does he know? Cole and I haven’t told anyone except for Deke and Becky, and that’s only
because we trust them. They would never tell another soul.
“Anyway.” He reaches into the pocket of his suit jacket and pulls out a folded-up piece of paper.
It’s a check. “I decided since I didn’t get you anything for your birthday that I would help you out with
college.”
I thought Celeste had said they got me a trip for my birthday? Doesn’t matter, I won’t be using it.
He reaches out his right hand. I just stare at the check in it. He shakes it a little. “Go ahead.”
I don’t move because I don’t know what he’s up to. The guys aren’t the only sharks in this town.
They grew up in an ocean full of them.
“I’ll just leave it here.” He lays it on my bed and straightens his tie, then turns around and walks
out.

_______________

IT’S BEEN TWO hours since my father gave me the check in my bedroom. I shoved it in a drawer without
even looking at it. Afraid to see what he wrote on it. As far as I know, it could say anything from ten
dollars to a hundred thousand dollars. Reading it would make him think I am actually considering his
offer. I’m not.
“You okay?” Becky asks for the fifth time.
“Yes.” I continue to lie, running my hands down my dress.
“Red is your color,” she says, and I smile, knowing that’s how Cole feels.
“Thank you,” I say.
The doorbell rings, and Becky smiles. “I’ll go and get it.” She runs out of my room.
Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath. I need to clear my head. Forget about my father and this
game he is suddenly playing with me. He hasn’t said more than ten words to me in three months, and
now he is giving me money to go to college? The same college my boyfriend just happens to be going
to? He knows. He has to. But how? Does he know that Lilly is going too? Would Liam try to stop her
from going with Cole? I don’t see why he would.
I open my eyes to see Cole standing in my room. Those blue eyes running up and down my dress.
Like before, they are still clouded, but I know what’s inside him. His heart. His soul. Cole and I may
not have a traditional relationship, but I wouldn’t trade him for anything. He’s mine. And I’m his. It’s
the only thing I’ve ever been sure of in my life.
“Hey, sweetheart,” he says, coming up to me. His hand cups my cheek.
“Hey, baby,” I say, and he smiles.
“You look gorgeous.” He lowers his lips to mine. “Just like I knew you would.”
“You too,” I say, running my hands up his black tux with a red tie to match my dress. The man could
wear anything and bring me to my knees.
His eyes search mine, and he frowns. “What’s wrong?”
 “Nothing,” I answer.
He lets out a long breath. “You know I hate it when you lie to me.”
I roll my eyes. “It’s nothing …”
“Austin.”
“I spoke to my father earlier,” I say, giving up.
“And?”
“And it was weird.”
“How?” he urges.
“He asked me about my future. If I was planning to go to college. I lied, but he seemed to know
that.”
He chuckles. “Well, you are an awful liar.”
My eyes narrow. “He then went on to tell me that the University of Texas was a good school. Had
high rankings for swimming.” His laughter dies. “Then he tried to hand me this check.” I storm over to
my dresser and yank the drawer open. I hold it up.
He walks over to me and snatches it out of my hand. Opening it, he glares down at it. “He gave you
this?” I nod. “Tonight?”
“About two hours ago.” He pulls his cell out of his tux and places it to his ear. “Who are you
calling?” I ask.
“Bennett.”
“Why?”
He hands me the check, and I read over it. It’s made out to me for fifty thousand dollars. But it’s
Celeste’s handwriting.
“Hey, man, I need a favor,” he says, turning his back to me. “Those accounts for JJ’s Properties. I
need you to check them again,” he orders.
“What is that?”
He doesn’t answer me.
“You sure?” he questions and then nods to himself. “Okay. Thanks.” He hangs up his phone just as
my bedroom door swings open.
Deke and Becky walk in. “What’s taking so long?” he asks.
Cole holds up the check. “Bruce gave this check to Austin. Fifty grand to go to college.”
“That was nice of the bastard.” Deke snorts.
“To the University of Texas,” Cole adds, and Deke’s eyes narrow. “And the best part. It is a check
from JJ’s Properties.”
Deke’s eyes widen. “Are you serious?”
“Why does that matter?” I ask, my eyes going back and forth between them.
“Because …” Cole turns to face me. “JJ’s Properties is the company that Jerrold and Jeff owned.
And Bennett just checked and informed me that only twenty-three cents remain in the accounts.
Combined.”
 CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
COLE

WHY WOULD HE give her a check that isn’t good? Why give her a check at all? He’s fucking with
her, but why? She’s lived here for four months now, and he’s ignored her ninety percent of the time.
What’s changed?
I know the answer to that question—me. Just like Bennett said, the whole city knows how I feel
about her. And the whole city knows that Bruce hates me.
I take the check back from her and fold it up before placing it in the pocket of my tux. “Let’s go.” I
take her hand.
“What does that mean?” she asks, worry in her voice. “Why would he give me a check that
wouldn’t clear?”
“I don’t know,” I answer.
“Because he’s a fucking bastard,” Deke growls.
We start down the stairs. “Cole …”
I stop and turn to face her. “Don’t worry about it, sweetheart. I’m gonna find out.”
She nods, but I see the hesitation in her green eyes. She doesn’t believe me, but what Austin Lowes
doesn’t know is that I’m not going to give up.
Austin was quiet during dinner. The girls chose a seafood restaurant that recently opened. I thought
it would help cheer her up, but it didn’t. I can see her mind working by the way she stares off into
space. And I hate not knowing what the hell Bruce is up to.
By the time we get to the school, she’s a little better. Her smiles seem to be real, and she is actually
making eye contact with me.
“Wow,” Becky says as we walk into the gymnasium. “They went all out.” She tilts her head back
and looks up at the decorations.
“Yeah. Pretty,” Austin agrees.
They usher us into a line, and one by one, each couple goes and stands in front of a backdrop to
have their picture taken.
Once done, I look up to see Bennett and Shane walking over toward us. Both solo. “Where are
your dates?” I ask.
“In the bathroom,” Shane answers.
Deke and Becky join us, just finishing up with their picture. “Can we speak to you guys for a
second?” Bennett asks.
My jaw tightens. I know why he wants me alone. He wants to talk about the check Bruce gave to
Austin. I’m not in the mood. “No,” I say.
I grab Austin’s hand in mine and take a step away from them, but it’s Deke’s hand that lands on my
chest. “It’ll just be for a second.”
My eyes narrow on his. He planned this. He was texting away on his phone while in the limo to the
restaurant, and Becky asked him several times who he was talking to, but he never answered her.
Now, I know why. “Deke—”
“Go ahead, babe,” Austin interrupts me. “Becky and I will wait right here.” She pulls away from
me and turns, talking to Becky.
The guys all walk back toward the door we all just came through, and I follow them with fisted
hands.
“What?” I demand as we enter the silent hallway. “This better not be about Austin and me.”
“It is.” Bennett starts. “You need to step back.”
“I’ve already told you no.”
“Cole,” Deke starts, “trust me, out of the four of us, I know the most how hard it would be to step
away from someone you love, but this is the only thing left to do at this point.”
“It’s not!” I snap.
“It is,” he argues. “Bruce is playing a game with her that we don’t know. Kellan has gone off the
deep end. He’s drinking all the time, missing school, and he no longer gives a fuck about swimming.
He never comes to practice. If he doesn’t wake the fuck up, he’s gonna end up losing his scholarship.”
“I don’t give a fuck what he loses.”
“He has to be working with Bruce.” Shane finally speaks. “No one else would tell Bruce that you
guys plan on going to the University of Texas together.”
“How do you fucking know what we’re gonna do?” I demand, turning to him. “We only told Deke
and Becky.” I spin back around to face Deke. “You been telling everyone?” I shout.
“Cole!” Bennett raises his voice, and I look at him. “I put two and two together when you called
me about the check her father wrote her.”
“Well …”
“Everyone knows where you got your scholarship from. I’m sure everyone just assumes she would
be going with you.”
“I didn’t think of that,” I admit with a grunt.
“That’s because you’re too close. Take a step back,” Bennett goes on.
“And what if he hurts her?” I shake my head. “I can’t take that chance.”
“Bruce is about to leave for New York for a few weeks. He can’t do anything to her while he’s
gone. But Kellan … we think that’s when he’ll make his move.”
“Cole …” Shane swallows nervously.
“What?” I snap.
“That dare that she drew … It wasn’t mine.” I open my mouth to ask what the fuck he’s talking
about, but he continues. “Kellan had me write that dare down. That’s how he knew it belonged to me
when you asked him what it meant.”
I step into him, but Deke yanks me back. “You fucking …”
“I wasn’t gonna let him hurt her,” he says quickly.
I shrug Deke off me and run a hand through my hair. The dare doesn’t matter. She isn’t doing it.
She’s out of the group. “So what do you expect him to do?” I ask at a loss.
Deke shrugs. “It’s hard to tell. At this point, I think he still wants to hurt you, and he will go through
Austin to accomplish that. We all know he’s not gonna harm Celeste. But …”
“But what?” I demand.
He looks at me. “But if you step back, he might not touch Austin at all.”
“That’s a big gamble,” I snap.
“I agree, but what other choice do we have?” Deke places his hand on my shoulder. “You need to
decide right now, Cole. What’s more important? Spending the next month with her or the rest of your
life. Because we all have the same feeling that you won’t get both.”
 AUSTIN

“WELL, THAT DIDN’T last long,” Becky says as she stares over at Bryan and his prom date. It’s not
Kaitlin.
“I told him he only had to date her for a couple of weeks. I figured by then the dare would have
blown over.”
She shakes her head with a laugh. “Those two weeks were a fake relationship, and she still
managed to cheat on the guy. No wonder he dumped her before.”
Yep. I blackmailed him to go back out with her, and she still managed to fuck him over. I think
they’re made for one another.
“Hey, babe,” Becky says as the guys come back to join us.
I give Cole a smile, but he doesn’t return it.
“You okay?” I ask, rubbing his upper arm.
He doesn’t respond.
“Who wants to have a little fun?” Deke asks, pulling a silver flask out of his pocket.
Becky laughs. “What is in there?”
“Fireball.” He winks at me. “I know how much you two like this shit.” He nods over at the table.
“Go get a glass of punch.”
I pull away from Cole and walk over to the table with the white tablecloth over it. “What’s going
on with Cole?” Becky asks, filling a cup three-quarters full of punch.
“Who knows?” I sigh. I didn’t think he was all that upset about what my father did, but maybe I was
wrong.
I fill myself a cup, and we make our way back over to them. Deke takes a quick look around to see
if any teachers are around before he unscrews the lid and pours some into my cup. Prom started over
an hour ago, but we were in no hurry to be the first ones here. We don’t plan on staying long anyway.
We all decided last night just to make an appearance and then bail. The best thing about prom are the
after parties anyway. If we wanted to dance, we could all use our fake IDs and hit the clubs in
surrounding towns.
I twirl my cup around to mix up the drink and take a sip. I hiss in a breath at the taste. Fruit punch
and cinnamon isn’t the best combination, but it’s all we’ve got at the moment. “Want a drink?” I offer
Cole. Not like he is driving tonight. The guys got us a limo.
He doesn’t even look at me, just shakes his head.
I turn to fully face him. “Are you mad at me?”
He looks down at me. “No.” His reply comes out flat.
“I haven’t said anything,” I say, just in case he thinks I have.
He sighs heavily. “I didn’t say that you did.”
“Then why are you giving me the cold shoulder?” I take another drink.
His eyes narrow on me. “I’m not.”
“You are,” I argue, taking another drink.
He reaches out and takes the cup from my hand. I protest as he hands it off to Bennett. He looks at it
for a long second before he takes a drink of it. The look he makes afterward lets me know he won’t be
drinking any more of it.
“Here with You” by Sick Puppies starts to play, and Cole grabs my now free hand and starts
dragging me toward the dance floor.
“Cole?” I whisper harshly, trying to dig my heels into the gym floor. They just slide. “Cole.” He
comes to a stop and spins me around to face him. “No one else is dancing, babe.” I look around
nervously as everyone starts to stare at us. The gym is packed full of students, but most of them huddle
against the walls or are in line for their picture to be taken.
“I don’t give a fuck what they are doing,” he says flatly. Then he cups my cheek. “I wanna dance
with you.”
A soft smile spreads across my face. “I’m surprised you know how to dance,” I say truthfully.
His wraps his right arm around my side, pulling me closer to him with his hand on my back. His
left hand takes my right. “My mother taught me,” he says, making the smile fall off my face.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper.
“Don’t be.” He lowers his head to nuzzle my neck. “You’re the only woman I’ve ever danced with
besides her.”
I smile as I pull my hand away from his and wrap them both around his neck. Other couples join us
on the dance floor, and I catch sight of Deke and Becky coming to dance next to us. She laughs at
something he says before he pulls her into him.
Cole pulls his face away from my neck and looks down at me. I give him a soft smile. He brings us
to a stop and cups my cheek. My smile slowly drops off my face and turns into a frown. “Tell me
what’s wrong.” I look over at Deke quickly, but he has his tongue down Becky’s throat. “What did the
guys want to talk about?”
“Nothing important.”
“Cole …”
“Don’t, Austin.” He slides his hand into my hair. I wore it down for this reason—so he can run his
fingers through it. He tips my head back. “Let’s just enjoy this night. Okay?”
My eyes search his, and I don’t like what I see, but I say, “Okay.”
He lowers his face to mine and kisses me.

_______________

I WAKE UP with a pounding headache and sore body. I moan, rolling over and digging my head into the
pillow.
“You okay?” I hear Cole ask, and then I feel his hand on my bare back.
“I drank too much last night,” I mumble.
He laughs, then I feel him get out of bed.
After prom, we ended up hitting two different parties before we came to the clubhouse. Cole didn’t
have a sip, but Deke got as drunk as Becky and I did.
“Here.”
I roll over and look up to see him standing by the bed, dressed in a pair of his black boxers. And
that’s it. A cup of water in one hand and two Advil in the other. Sitting up, I take them both from his
hands.
I watch him turn his back to me, running his hand through his hair. He’s been on edge ever since his
talk with the guys last night when we arrived at the prom. Even the parties didn’t cheer him up like I
thought they would. He stayed by my side the entire time and quiet. He even ignored Deke’s drunk ass
when he got loud.
Swallowing the pills, I lower the glass to my lap. “What’s wrong, Cole?”
“Nothing,” he answers. His back still toward me, he walks to the bathroom.
 “You’re just as bad of a liar as I am.” I know him now. “Please?” I beg. “Just tell me. Whatever it
is. I want to know.”
He comes to a stop and sighs heavily. “The guys want me to pull back.”
“Pull back from what?” I ask confused.
He turns back to face me. “You.”
I narrow my eyes. “They want you to dump me?” I clarify.
He runs a hand through his hair. “They think that’s the only way that you will be safe.”
“From who?” I demand.
“Kellan. Your dad.”
“I’m not afraid of them.” I snort.
He comes over to the bed and sits down beside me. He runs his hand through my hair. Well, the
best he can. It’s tangled from his hands being in it last night. “I’m not afraid of them either, but I want
to keep you safe.”
“And you think breaking up with me is the only way?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest.
“I think they have a point.”
“What about my point?” I snap.
“Austin … don’t.”
“No. You don’t, Cole.” He opens his mouth, but I continue. “When am I gonna get a say? When am I
gonna get to decide what happens in my life?”
“When it makes sense,” he growls, his eyes narrowing on me.
I snort. “You cutting my arm didn’t make sense. You stealing a car didn’t make sense.”
He stands. “I stole that car for insurance. It made perfect fucking sense.”
“Insurance on what?” I demand, picking up the water and standing. The room sways, but I manage
not to fall over like a hungover idiot.
“It doesn’t matter anymore.” He brushes it off.
“It does!” I shout, getting pissy. “Everything fucking matters now. There are so many lies and
secrets that I can’t seem to keep up with them. Deke was the only one on our side, and all of a sudden,
he wants you to walk away from me?” I shake my head. “He has to have a reason. And you’re gonna
tell me why. I’ve put up with enough shit to know what I’m up against.”
His eyes narrow on mine, and I arch a brow, not backing down. He looks away from me, and I
know I’ve won when his jaw sharpens. “That car belongs to Bruce.”
“What?” I gasp. “Why would you steal my father’s car?” I demand.
His eyes come back to mine. “He keeps it at a warehouse that my father owns. I stole it to
guarantee he wouldn’t send you back.”
“You’re not making any sense, Cole,” I growl.
He takes a step toward me. “That night at dinner while you and Celeste were washing dishes, he
had told me that he was shipping you back to your mother’s with twenty thousand dollars. I asked him
to give you to me. That if he gave you to me, I would keep you out of trouble.”
“I’m not some fucking toy,” I snap.
“You were at the time,” he growls back.
I fist my hands.
“He told me no. That’s when I informed him that I had something he wanted. I pulled out the key to
his car and told him he could have it back after graduation if he let you stay here.” He smiles at me.
“And he accepted it.”
“That’s why he wouldn’t send me back after I got suspended,” I whisper. He nods. “You dick.”
 “You don’t understand …”
“No. I guess I don’t!” I snap, walking over to the railing that looks over and down to the first floor.
I grab my black bag and unzip it.
“It’s not like you didn’t know my intentions,” he says from behind me. “I never once pretended to
care about you.”
I flinch at his words and yank my shirt out of my bag. “That was obvious when you cut my arm.”
“Austin …”
“Or when you had your best friend video tape me crawling all over you.” I pull the shirt up over
my head not even bothering with a bra. “Let’s not forget the recording of you fucking me in the
bathroom.”
“Things have changed.”
I spin around to face him. “What the hell has changed, Cole?” I demand. “Because it sounds to me
like it’s still the same.” His eyes are narrowed on me. “We’re still playing a game. Just a different
level. And you’re gonna do whatever your friends suggest.”
“I don’t take orders from them,” he growls.
I laugh as I grab my shorts out of my bag. Pulling them up my legs, I say, “They tell you to walk
away from me, and you actually want to do it. Sounds like they’re giving you orders.”
“It makes sense,” he argues. “They made a point. Your dad is onto us.”
“I don’t care!” I shout, throwing my hands out to my side. “What is he gonna do? Give me a fake
check? So what? It didn’t matter if it was real, I still wasn’t gonna take it. I don’t need it.” Between
the three accounts that Jerrold and Jeff had, we’ve each made enough to live comfortably. Well, I
have. I don’t need much to survive. “You’ve been feeding me these lines of bullshit of how you want
me to go to Texas with you, and all of a sudden, you want to get rid of me.”
“I still want you to go to Texas with me.” He runs his hand through his hair nervously. “We’ve got
one final dare to do. I don’t want you anywhere near me when we do it. It’s too risky.”
I push my right hip out and cross my arms over my chest. “You drew without me present? Because
the last memory I have was of you all breaking up the group.”
He shakes his head softly. “We didn’t draw for this one. It was decided long before you ever came
along.”
I don’t like the sound of that. “And what is it?’
“I can’t tell you …”
“Cole!” I snap.
He stares at me. His eyes clouded and jaw tight.
“What is it?” I demand, taking a step toward him.
He lets out along breath. “To kill your dad.”
I just stare up at him.
“He deserves to die for what he did to my mother. For taking advantage of her. For trying to kill me
and successfully killing three of my best friends. But he also deserves to die because of what he did
to you.” I swallow. “For making you stay with your mother.” He shakes his head. “You deserved
better than that, Austin. Better than me. And I can’t have you anywhere near me when I complete it. I
don’t want you getting involved. Or getting hurt. That would defeat the purpose.” His eyes search
mine. Still I say nothing. “This is just temporary. Give them a different kind of show.”
I take a deep breath, turn around, grab my bag, and walk down the stairs. This time, he doesn’t
follow me, and I have a feeling he doesn’t plan on it either.
It’s officially over.
 The game ending.
I hate that tears sting my eyes. That Cole Reynolds made me feel something for him that I never
thought I’d feel. He took from me, but I also willingly gave him things I can never get back. One of
those is my heart. He just shattered it.
And it has nothing to do with the dare he plans on doing to my father. He was right—that bastard
deserves to die for what he’s done.
 CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
COLE

IT’S BEEN TWO weeks since she walked out of the clubhouse for the last time. I see her in the halls
and in class, but she doesn’t look my way. And I try not to look at her. It’s harder than I thought it
would be. She doesn’t sit with me at lunch anymore, and I know she has completely shut me out. And
I hate that things will never be the same with her.
I’ve lost her.
I knew it the moment I saw her talking to that guy from her birthday party. I can’t remember his
name, but I recognized him by her locker. He had been playing beer pong with her that night I walked
into Bruce’s game room. He had looked at her like he was dreaming of her naked. That look hasn’t
changed.
“I don’t know how you do it, man,” Deke says as he sits down at the table in the cafeteria across
from me.
“Do what?” I ask, not bothering to look at him. Instead, I scan the door waiting for her to enter.
“Not talk to her.”
I say nothing.
“I mean, I would go crazy if I knew Becky was dating someone else.”
“What?” My head snaps to his.
“Myers,” he says, looking down at his phone. “They’re dating.”
“No, they’re not.”
He looks up at me. “Yes, they are. He took her to a movie last night. And they’re going to some
play this weekend.”
“How the fuck do you know that?”
“Becky told me.”
I fist my hands on the table. “I’ll break his neck …”
“You can’t do that. You broke up with her.”
“Because you guys convinced me that was my only option,” I growl.
He nods. “And I still stand by that.”
“Maybe I should call the whole thing off—”
“No!” he interrupts me. “Kellan sees you two are no longer together. We need him for the final
dare. And if he thinks you two are together, he won’t do it.”
At this point, I don’t care what happens to Bruce. “We don’t need him.”
“We don’t, but he knows the plan. We can’t have him turning on us.”
I look up to see Austin walking into the cafeteria with that fucking idiot by her side. He laughs, and
she smiles. I want to knock him the fuck out.
“You said Becky was worth the group,” I say to him. He nods once. “You said you would pick her
over us.”
“Yes. And I still would, but she is not in danger.”
“I can protect Austin.” I slam my fist down on the table.
He sighs. “You’ve only got two weeks left, Cole. And then she’s all yours.”
 I want to believe what he says, but what if he’s wrong? What if she never comes back to me? What
if she realizes that I wasn’t enough for her? She was always out of my league. I’m just the guy with
anger issues and an obsession for blood. She is more than that. She deserves more than that. What
will she do when she realizes that?

AUSTIN

GRADUATION IS FOUR days away, and I hate that it’s so close. For as long as I can remember, all I
thought about was freedom. Now, I dread it.
I’ve got no mother. I never did hear from her after she and Phillip left my father’s that night. But I
never expected to. Cole is good at one thing. And that’s making things disappear.
I’ve got no Cole. I catch sight of him at school in the halls and classroom, and he looks angrier than
ever. Mad at the world. Mad at me. Like I did something wrong.
I still have Becky, so that is a plus. But I don’t see her very much. She spends all her time with
Deke, and he is always with Cole, which leaves me alone.
Celeste is always crying. I found her last night in the kitchen sobbing over a bowl of ice cream. I
ignored her because I don’t care what is wrong with her. My father hasn’t said anything else to me
since he gave me the check almost a month ago. But I think he got the hint that I wasn’t going to take
his money when he found it ripped to pieces on the kitchen island.
I don’t want anything from anyone. I just want out of this town. Out of this nightmare and out of
everyone’s life.
A fresh start. A new beginning.
I want to go where no one knows me. Where I can be someone different.
I pull up to my father’s house and put my car in park. It’s late. The clock on my dash reads a little
after ten. I went to another movie with Myers tonight. He wanted to come over afterward, but I shut
that down. I’m not ready to jump in bed with anyone just yet. I hate to burst his bubble, but I’m not
looking for what he is interested in. I’m using him to get to Cole. I hope all that anger I see means it’s
working.
The worst part is that, once again, I haven’t gotten to see Lilly. We talk on the phone, but that’s it.
And the conversations don’t last long. I think another thing that sucks is that I know Cole is going to
be a part of my life forever. Because I’m not going to push Lilly out of my life. I’m going to talk to
her. See her. Watch her grow up.
I get out of my car and make my way up the stairs to the front door. The wind blows my hair
around, making it stick to my lip-gloss. Opening the door, I come to a stop when I hear Celeste crying
down the hall. I sigh. What the hell is wrong with her?
“Please?” she begs. “Don’t do this.”
I head for the stairs but stop when I hear a male’s voice.
“It’s over,” Kellan growls. “It’s been over. But you refuse to believe it.” Just then, Kellan walks
into the foyer. He comes to a stop, noticing me.
Celeste follows behind him. “You can’t do this …” Her voice trails off when she sees me.
“Austin,” she says in surprise, reaching up to wipe her wet cheeks. “I didn’t expect you to be home so
soon.”
I look at her. “I’m going to bed.”
“Have you told her?” he demands.
She shakes her head quickly.
 “Tell me what?” I ask. He narrows his eyes on me, and I roll mine. “I’m tired, and it’s too late to
play games with you, Kellan. What has she not told me?” Is she divorcing my father? Is that why he
has been gone so much? Maybe he’s got some ass on the side as well? I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s
ten years younger than Celeste.
“All her secrets,” he says simply.
“Kellan, don’t—”
“I don’t have time for this,” I say, running a hand through my hair, interrupting her. I’m exhausted.
I take the first step on the stairs when he speaks. “Why do you think you’re here?”
I pause. My eyes meet his. “Excuse me?”
He smiles, proud of himself. All of a sudden, I’m interested. “It’s ’cause I wanted you here.”
“What?” I ask confused.
“I was with Celeste when your mother called her and said that you were too much for her. That it
would make Celeste look like a saint in this city to take in Bruce’s troubled teen. But she didn’t want
you. She wanted Lilly.”
I look at her, and her eyes are narrowed on him. “What?” I ask, because that’s all I can say.
“So you still haven’t figured it out yet.” He smirks. “What she did. What she is capable of.”
“Don’t,” she growls at him.
His smirk just grows. “She can keep a secret, babe,” he tells her.
My brows rise. What could she have possibly done? It can’t be worse than what the guys have
done.
“Celeste here”—he looks at her over his shoulder—“killed Betty, Cole and Lilly’s mother.”
My heart starts to pound at his words.
“It was an accident,” she says defensively.
“Don’t lie,” he growls.
“You what?” I ask wide-eyed. “Why would you …”
“At first, everyone suspected Liam or Bruce, but no one could figure out why they would kill her at
nine months along. If they were going to do it, they would have done it the moment they found out she
was pregnant. But when Celeste found out she was pregnant, she was pissed. She wanted a baby. She
wanted to have Bruce’s child.” He looks me up and down with disgust. “But Bruce didn’t want kids.
So, Celeste went over to her house and confronted her. Said that she wanted joint custody of Lilly,
and when Betty said no, she pushed her down the stairs.”
All this time, Cole thought it was an accident.
“I told you all of this in confidence,” she barks at him.
He ignores her, staring right at me. “Then she called 911 and said she heard her fall down the
stairs. As if she cared about her pathetic life.” He shakes his head.
“No!” I say slowly. “Cole said she fell and died in surgery due to complications.”
He laughs. “Cole only knows what Celeste told him.”
She had gone to his school and pulled him out of class. Told Cole that his father had called her and
said his mother passed …
She grabs his sleeve and starts to yank on it. He doesn’t budge, and his brown eyes don’t leave
mine. “She waited thirty minutes before she called for help. Lilly was delivered in the ambulance on
the way to the hospital. Betty was dead by the time they arrived at the hospital.”
I look at her with wide eyes, hoping for her to give me some sign that he is lying. That he’s being
the Kellan I know and trying to mind fuck me. But she starts pounding her fists into his arm. “You son
of a bitch!” she shouts at him.
 He reaches out and grabs her arm. “And now you’re gonna see history repeat itself.” He pulls her
across the grand foyer, and I stay planted where I’m at, trying to wrap my head around all of this. He
starts dragging her up the stairs, and when she cries out, it pulls me out of my trance.
I run up after them and grab her free arm. Kellan spins around at the top of the stairs and pulls a gun
out of the back of his jeans and points it at me. My stomach drops as I stare into the barrel. I throw my
hands up in the air, my breathing picking up.
“Back up!” he orders.
I take one step at a time, slowly descending the stairs backward and swallow. What the hell is he
doing? I feel my phone in my back pocket and go to grab it, planning to call 911.
“Keep them up!” he snaps, and I flinch at his tone.
“Okay, okay, okay,” I say, and my voice shakes.
“See …” He goes on. “Celeste is pregnant.” She starts to sob. “With my child.” He rolls his eyes.
“After getting Betty pregnant, Bruce had that situation fixed so it would never happen again. That
rules him out. And I’m the only other guy you’ve fucked, right, baby?” he asks, pressing the gun to her
temple.
She sobs but nods her head.
He goes on, satisfied with her answer. “And just like Bruce and Liam, I don’t want a child. But
unlike them, I plan on doing something about it.”
“Please, Kellan,” she begs. “I love you.” She sobs.
He smiles. “You were nothing to me.” Then he shoves her forward. And she falls down the long
staircase like a ragdoll. I run over to her as she hits the marble floor and slide on my knees to her
side. Her head is tilted to the side and blood pours from her nose and mouth. I feel for a pulse, but
there’s nothing.
“You killed her.” I begin chest compressions. I’ve never done it before, but I’ve seen enough
medical shows to have an idea.
He comes down the stairs slowly, looking at me strangely.
“You killed her,” I cry out, stopping to pull my cell out to call the police.
“You are trying to save her? She killed the love of your life’s mother. Who just happened to be your
half-sister’s mother as well.”
“She’s pregnant,” I say frantically. My hands shake uncontrollably. “The baby didn’t do anything to
you.”
“Oh, but it will. That’s why it’s got to go.” He grabs my hair and yanks me back from her. My cell
falls to the floor. I twist and turn in his grip as he drags me across the marble floor in the grand foyer.
He yanks me to my feet, and I’m gasping for a breath when he slams my back into the wall. He
wraps his hands around my throat and leans in. “You’ve been playing a game all along, Austin, but it’s
been my game. My rules. And now it’s over.” He shoves me away, and I slide on my knees, hitting the
floor once again. When I turn around, he has a knife in his hand. He twirls it around. “Cole has
always been fascinated with blood. And I gotta say, I didn’t understand it until I watched him smear it
with his hands all over your skin.”
What? Smear it over my skin? The night in the cemetery. “How did you …?” I trail off at his laugh.
“Celeste called me when you arrived. I had Shane and Bennett take me back to my car. By the time
I got back up there, Cole and Deke were already playing with you. I stood back and watched you all
night. I knew you were perfect for me the moment I saw you light Jeff on fire.”
Someone had been watching me after all.
He takes a step toward me, and I crawl back until I hit the side of the staircase. Celeste’s body
lying only feet from me. Her eyes still open as more blood covers the floor. “Then, when you stole the
car with Cole, I tipped the cops off. I have them all in my pocket, after all. My uncle is the chief. I
wanted you to get caught.”
“Why?” I demand.
“Because if you were locked up, he couldn’t have you.”
“But you hated me … you tried to kick me out of the group …”
“All part of my plan. Every time I pushed you away, Cole pulled you closer.” He smiles. “And
Celeste played along so well. See, I told her the final dare. Killing Bruce. She wanted the guys and
me to kill him, and then she wanted me to kill you and Cole and run off into the sunset with her and
Lilly.” He snorts. “All the lies she told Cole.” He chuckles. “You. It was so fucking perfect.”
“You sick bastard,” I spit out.
He chuckles. “He and I are the same, Austin. We both used you however we wanted.”
I shake my head. “Cole would never hurt me. Not now.” Lie. He’s hurting me right now. He left me.
All because he thought my father was a threat. But he wasn’t. Kellan was the one all along.
“You’re right,” he agrees with a sigh. “He wouldn’t harm a hair on your head. But I’m gonna paint
these walls with your blood.” He gives me a sinister smile. “After all, his favorite color is red.” He
lunges for me, and I crawl away before jumping to my feet. But he’s faster. “Little bitch!” he snaps,
reaching out and grabbing my ankle, causing me to trip. I cry out when my face hits the marble floor.
Pain explodes behind my eyes. I’m flipped over onto my back, and he straddles me. He drops his
knife, and it hits the floor with a clank and then his hands go around my neck. He cuts off my air.
“I wanted Bruce to take care of you,” he growls. “Just like I wanted him to kill Cole when I drove
his car to fuck his wife.” He laughs at that. “But I’ll just have to do it myself. In case you just
recorded me killing Celeste.”
I try to push him off, tear his hands free, but he’s too strong. I try arching my neck to get in a breath,
but it gives him better access to tighten his grip.
“My only regret is that I won’t get to fuck you.” He sighs as I try to buck him off. “Because I
listened to the recording of Cole fucking you inside that bathroom, Austin.” I try to claw at his face,
but his reach is longer. Making my hands only touch air. “I got off on it so many times, imagining it
was you and me.”
Dots form in my vision as my body grows heavy. My arms fall to my side, and something cold
touches my fingers.
It’s the knife.
I wrap my hand around the rough handle and shove it into his side. He immediately releases my
throat as he screams out.
I suck in a ragged breath, my throat burning. He falls back onto his ass as he looks at the knife
sticking out of his side in horror. I begin to cough.
“FUCK!” he screams, throwing his head back.
I get up to my feet and run to the kitchen where there is a landline. I pick it up with bloody, shaking
hands and dial Cole’s number.
He answers on the first ring. “Hello?”
“Cole!” I choke out his name. My voice is now rough and my entire body is shaking uncontrollably.
“Austin! What’s wrong?” he demands. I hear Deke’s voice in the background.
I burst into tears and begin to tell him Kellan is here. Any other girl would call the cops. But since
I know Kellan has them in his pocket, they’re out.
“Slow down, sweetheart. I can’t understand a thing you’re saying.”
 “He’s here!” I scream out. “Kellan’s at my father’s house. He killed Celeste!”
“I’m on my way …” The line goes dead.
I turn to see Kellan leaning up against the countertop, the cord from the wall in his hand. The knife
still in his side.
I should have yanked it out.
Made him bleed out faster. Even now, his face is pale, and he’s hunched over. Blood covers his
clothes and there’s a puddle where he stands.
He gives me a bloody smile. “He’s not gonna make it.” Lifting the gun, he fires.
 EPILOGUE
COLE

Twelve years later

IT’S THE USUAL cloudy day in Collins, Oregon. Any second, the clouds are going to open up and
pour down rain. I miss it here. This town had a lot of demons, but it was quiet at times. You never get
that in Texas. There are always people no matter where you go. And the traffic—it drives me mad
sometimes.
I kneel and place the bouquet of yellow flowers on the grave. They’re the only ones at this
cemetery. Not much has changed. The dead are still forgotten at the top of this hill. I come back to
visit twice a year. Every Christmas and on her birthday. I wish I could come more, but work isn’t
slow by any means. Running a law firm isn’t an easy feat. Even if you have Deke Biggs as your
partner. But I make sure to come and tell her that I miss her. How much I loved her. How I wish she
could see Lilly grow up. She’s going to turn eighteen this year, and I just can’t wrap my head around
it.
I turn around, giving the grave my back and look down the hill at the house that was torn down
years ago. The Lowes estate was demolished after Bruce was arrested on three counts of
manslaughter. We were supposed to kill him, but like I once told Austin—plans change. And that’s
exactly what happened when Deke and I showed up to the house after she called me that night.

My phone rings, and I look down to see it’s the Lowes residence. I answer, expecting it to be
Celeste. “Hello?”
“Cole!” Austin’s strangled voice calls out my name.
I jump up from the couch in the clubhouse. “Austin! What’s wrong?” I demand.
“What’s going on?” Deke asks, also standing.
She starts to cry uncontrollably, and I can’t understand a thing she is trying to say. “Slow down,
sweetheart. I can’t understand a thing you’re saying.”
“He’s here!” she screams. “Kellan’s at my father’s house. He killed Celeste!”
“I’m on my way …” The line goes dead.
Deke and I pull into the driveway in record time and jump out of my car. He’s already called 911
on our way. I burst through the front door and don’t even bother giving Celeste’s lifeless body a
second of attention, knowing she’s already dead.
“Austin?” I yell out, pulling my gun out of the back of my jeans. “Austin?” I shout, running
down the hallway.
I follow a blood trail into the kitchen and come to a stop when I see Kellan leaning against the
countertop. He chuckles when he sees me, but it causes him to cough. A knife sticks out of his side.
My eyes look at the wall ahead of me, and it’s also covered in blood. Austin’s blood. She lies on
the floor on her side. I run to her.
“Austin?” I choke on her name, brushing her hair from her face. The smell of the blood so
strong it causes bile to rise, but I swallow it down.
 “What the fuck?” Deke gasps, entering the kitchen.
“Take him!” I call out.
“She needs help,” he says, looking down at her body with narrowed eyes. There’s so much blood
I don’t know where it’s coming from.
“Take him!” I bark. “Help is on their way.” I turn my attention back to her, and I hear Kellan
grunt as Deke drags him out to the car. Taking him where the cops will never find him. He’s not
dead yet, but once I’m done with him, he’ll wish he was.
Austin’s eyes are closed, and her body lies limp. “Please, baby,” I beg. “I can’t lose you.” My
throat tightens. I feel her neck for a pulse, and I feel nothing.
My heart stops, and I drag her away from the wall to the center of the kitchen floor. I begin
CPR.

The guys and I called off the last dare. Bruce didn’t need to die. We had enough evidence on the
laptop that Austin had Shane steal to prove Bruce had three people killed. I never did find out why he
tried to kill me. Deke thinks he wanted me dead so Celeste could have Lilly. I always knew she
wished Lilly was hers, but that didn’t make sense to me. Bruce never wanted kids. Why would he
want Lilly then? I reminded Deke that some people are just evil. They do things just because of the
simple fact that they can. I should know. Look at what I put Austin through.
Bruce was arrested three days after I found Austin dead on his kitchen floor, and his conviction
gives him no chance of parole. He’ll spend the rest of his miserable life in a cell wondering how in
the hell he got caught. Trying to figure out how four teenage boys and his teenage daughter managed to
fuck him. It wasn’t the original plan, but it was good enough for me.
Kellan, on the other hand, begged for his life. I told him outside the clubhouse the night that I found
Austin’s cell in his car that I was going to kill him with my bare hands, and I did just that. I hated that
he was already almost dead when we found him, but a part of me, a very big part, was proud of what
Austin did. She fought. She did what I knew she was capable of.
And as for her mom and stepdad? Austin never came out and asked me, but I didn’t have to tell her
—I took care of them. Deke helped me. We made it quick for her mother, but her stepdad suffered. He
also cried like the little bitch he was. Their bodies will never be found. Or missed.
After I found Austin lying there in her own blood with no pulse, I just wanted to move on. Put all
the dares and deaths behind me. After I killed Kellan, I no longer had a need for blood. To kill. Once
again, she had changed me.
I twirl the wedding ring on my left hand as I turn back to face the grave. I look over it with a sad
smile and let out a long breath. “I’ll be back to visit soon. I love and miss you,” I say and then give it
my back.
I walk down the hill, passing the spot where it all began. Where I found the gorgeous brunette
spying on my friends and me, and I smile. That was so long ago, but I remember it like it was
yesterday.
I come to the bottom of the hill and see the black lifted Chevy come into view. The passenger door
opens, and a little boy jumps out—my five-year-old son. “Daddy!” he says, running to me.
I open my arms and pick him up. “Hey, buddy. Ready to go home?” I ask him.
He nods. “Mommy is hungry.”
I laugh at that. “Mommy is always hungry.” Setting him back down on his feet, I look up to see my
wife slowly getting out of the truck.
“We should have driven my car,” she whines, rubbing her growing belly and aching back. “You
can’t expect me to get up and out of this monster at six months pregnant. She’s really active today.”
I chuckle, stepping to her. My hand sliding into her hair. “Have I told you that you look gorgeous
today and that I love you?”
“I’m a whale,” she whines.
I kiss her red painted lips. “You’re a shark, sweetheart.”
She pulls away, and her green eyes search mine. “Are you okay?” she asks, and her eyes go to the
top of the hill.
I nod. “I said what I needed to.”
“I wish Lilly could have made it,” she says, and tears start to form in her eyes. I still find her
beautiful when she cries. And she does that a lot with this pregnancy.
“Me too. Maybe next time.”
She nods and looks over at our son who is digging in the dirt. “Come on, Eli,” she calls out, and he
dusts off his hands and runs over to her.
I turn and look back over the hill where my mother was buried long ago. I used to ask myself why I
survived that car crash. And then one night, I found a girl in a cemetery and all my questions were
answered.
I’ve never been a religious man, but I prayed that night I found her on the kitchen floor, and for
some reason, God answered them and gave her back to me. Gave me another chance at living.
Because without her, I wouldn’t have survived.

It’s been two months since she was released from the hospital, and we’ve officially moved into
the place we call home in Texas. She sits with Becky at our kitchen table. Her morning hair a mess
and no makeup on her face. I’ve never seen her more beautiful.
Becky looks up at me, and her words trail off.
Austin looks over her shoulder at me, and a smile spreads across her face when her eyes meet
mine. But it drops when I don’t return it. “You’re up to something.”
“Aren’t I always?” I ask with a straight face.
Her eyes narrow on me. “Cole …”
When I kneel on one knee, her words cut off and those dark green eyes widen in surprise.
“Cole,” she whispers my name.
“Austin Anne Lowes,” I begin and tears well up in her eyes. I open the box, and she gasps when
she sees the princess cut red ruby sitting on a platinum band. I take it from the black velvet box
and hold it up to her. There’s nothing for me to say. The ring says it all.
She takes it from my hand and reads the three words I had engraved on the inside of the band—I
dare you.

I used to think that I was going to go to hell. And that thought hasn’t changed. One day, I’ll have to
pay for my sins, but as I watch my pregnant wife hug and kiss our son, I realize I’m okay with that.
Because my life right now is heaven on earth.
 PLAYLIST
Three Days Grace – “Right Left Wrong”
Urbanstep, Micah Martin – “Throne”
Project Vela – “Everything You Hate”
Zayde Wolf – “Born Ready”
Boy Epic – “Scars”
Chase Atlantic – “DEVILISH”
Tommee Profitt, Jung Youth – “Only One King”
Hollywood Undead – “Riot”
No Reserve – “What You Deserve”
Bohnes – “12 Rounds”
Dark Signal – “Build You Back”
Chase Atlantic – “Into It”
 PROLOGUE
COLE

I’M COLE FUCKING Reynolds.

Dark.
Evil.
Fucked up.
A part of me has always been this way. And that part of me will never change. Some would call
that too much damage. Others would just say I’m an asshole. I’m not sure which one I really am
anymore. But does it matter?
Not one fucking bit.
Have you ever heard someone say that one moment defines a person’s life? If you say no, I’ll know
you’re a fucking liar, like so many others out there.
Well, let me tell you this, the people who say there is “one” defining moment are fucking morons. If
you believe there is just one, you are a dumbass too. I’ve had two such defining moments in my life.
And I’m only eighteen.
I was twelve the first time.

Tears roll down my face while I stand inside the cold and silent room. It’s got a couch on either
side that sits three people and a round table in the right corner with a phone on it. That’s it. No
bed and no mother. They said they were taking me to the hospital to see her.
“Where is she?” I demand. “I wanna see my mother.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Cole,” Celeste, my mother’s friend suggests, rubbing my back.
I pull away from her. “That isn’t for you to decide.”
“Cole—”
“She’s right.” A man in a white coat interrupts her, entering the room. He shuts the door and
comes to a stop before us. “Seeing your mother won’t bring her back.” My heart pounds at his
words. “And I don’t think this is how she wants you to remember her.”
“I don’t care what you think.” I spin around, giving him my back to face Celeste again. She
can’t be gone. This isn’t happening. I don’t believe it! I don’t believe them! Celeste said she didn’t
make it through surgery. “Where is my father?”
“On his way.” She sniffs.
“I want to talk to him. Now!”
She nods quickly. “I’ll call him.” Stepping out of the room, Celeste leaves me and the doctor
alone.
I start to pace the small room. My hands fist down by my sides. This isn’t happening. She’s not
dead. I shake my head. I just saw her this morning. When she dropped me off at school, she told me
she had some errands to run and would pick me up after swim practice. At no point did she say she
wouldn’t return. Nor did she say that she would leave me alone with my father. I can’t … I need
her.
A hand on my shoulder makes me jump back. Angrily, I lift my hands and wipe the tears from my
cheeks when I look up at him. “Don’t touch me!”
He doesn’t seem to be affected by my anger. He probably deals with people like me all the time.
“Would you like to see your sister?”
And just like that, my mind races. I thought the baby was dead too. I remember Celeste
mentioned something about blood loss. She said there had been an accident … “Is she okay?” My
voice shakes. I can’t take any more bad news.
He nods once. “I can show her to you.”
Following him out of the room, I take a quick look around the cold and quiet hospital hall for
Celeste but don’t see her anywhere. As we travel farther down the hallway, the soft voices grow
louder. We come up to a nurses’ station and then turn right down a new hall. He comes to a stop in
front of a window, and I see rows of babies wrapped in blankets lying in little beds.
“Second row. Third from the right,” he informs me as he places his finger to the glass, pointing
her out.
She’s screaming. Her little mouth opens, body shaking and face flushed. She’s angry. Just like
me. “What’s wrong with her?” I demand.
“Nothing. She’s perfectly fine. Babies cry.”
“She wants Mom,” I choke out. “She needs Mom.” Tears sting my eyes, and I fist my hands on
the glass.
“I’m sorry, Cole,” he whispers, placing his hands on my shoulders. “I know it hurts, and it will
for a while, but your sister needs you to be strong. For both of you.”
He’s right. Does he know what kind of man my father is? Most know in this town, but none do
anything about it. I’m all she has. “What’s her name?” I swallow the lump in my throat.
“She doesn’t have one.”
I turn to look up at him. “Lilly.” The name comes out of my mouth without thought. I know my
father won’t care enough to take the time to give her a name. Everything regarding her is up to me
now. And I don’t remember my mother ever talking about what she wanted to name her.
“What?” he asks, frowning at me.
I look back over at my baby sister who continues to cry at the top of her lungs. My chest is tight,
and my hands are balled into fists. I want to hold her. Take care of her. “Lilly. Our mother’s
favorite flowers were lilies.”

I’ll never forget the way our lives changed that day. My mother was dead. A little sister in a world
that no child should have to be in. I wanted to be stronger. I wanted to grow up and rule the world that
my father thought he owned. Even the devil can fall. All he needs is someone willing to push him.
And I was that man.

I walk into the house with my baby sister in my arms. She has her little eyes closed because she
sleeps a lot. My father hasn’t even looked at her once. He arrived at the hospital, spoke to my
mother’s doctor, and then left. I refused to leave until Lilly could. Celeste brought me clothes and
blankets. I slept in two chairs out in the waiting room. School and swimming be damned. Nothing
else matters anymore except for Lilly. She is now the most important thing in my life.
“Blanche?” my father calls out.
My nanny comes running down the hall into the grand foyer. “Yes, sir?”
“Take the baby. I need to speak with Cole,” he orders. I’m surprised he didn’t change her name
just because he can. Lilly Grace Reynolds is what they wrote on her birth certificate because I told
them to, and he signed it without a second glance.
She nods and holds her hands out for her. I don’t let her go.
“Cole,” he growls.
“I’m just going to change her,” she assures me with a nod.
My eyes go from hers to my father’s, and he sighs heavily. I gently hand Lilly over to her, and
my arms instantly grow cold at the loss of this little girl I need to protect. If I don’t, she’ll end up
dead like our mother.
“We need to have a conversation man to man,” my father states, giving me his back. “My
office.”
I straighten my shoulders and follow him down the hallway and into his office. The same one
where I saw my mother tell him that Bruce Lowes had raped her and she was pregnant. That was
months ago, but it seems like ages. He should have protected her, but instead, he called her broken
and put his hands on her. I’ve wanted him to suffer ever since then.
“Shut the door,” he orders, sitting down in his chair.
I do as he says and walk to the front of his desk. “I have nothing to say to you,” I state.
“Watch your tone, boy,” he growls.
“Fu—”
I don’t even get the word out before he’s reaching over his desk and dragging me across it. I
knock off his computer and papers and scream out in surprise. He slams my back into the wall with
his hands on my shirt, pinning me in place. His face is red with anger as he lowers it to mine.
“Do you want me to send your ungrateful ass off to boarding school?” he shouts. “Like Deke’s
father did to him? Huh?” He shakes me, and I try to fight him off, but he’s too strong. “Do you
want me to send you away and never let you come back? Because I can fucking do that, Cole! I can
do whatever the fuck I damn well want! No one’s here to stop me.”
Without thought, I punch him in the side of the head. He lets go of me long enough to backhand
me across the face, sending me sprawling onto his office floor. I taste blood as I make my way up
to all fours on the hardwood. I’ve never hit him before, but it’s not the first time he’s hit me.
He chuckles, standing over me. “You think you can beat me, son?” I don’t answer. “You may
have the boys at school afraid of you, but don’t forget who runs this house,” he growls, “and who
owns you. I can take everything away from you in a matter of seconds.” It’s almost the exact same
thing he said to my mother.
I look up to see him standing before me breathing heavily. “Are you gonna kill me?” I ask,
tasting the blood in my mouth. I want to make him bleed. I want him to know what it feels like to
have nothing left. “Like you did Mom?”
He throws his head back and laughs out loud. “I didn’t kill your mother.”
I get up onto my knees and wipe the blood from my chin with the back of my hand. “You gonna
try and tell me that you loved her?”
“No,” he answers simply and kneels down before me. “You’re not a stupid kid, Cole. You’re a lot
smarter than the others give you credit for.”
“I know you killed her!” I scream as tears sting my eyes. He did it! He had to. There is no other
explanation as to why she’s not here. With me. With my sister.
“Why would I do that?” He tilts his head. “You think I wanna raise you and your bastard sister
on my own?” He chuckles.
“Then Bruce did it,” I growl. Someone killed her. She didn’t just fall and die. I don’t believe it. I
won’t believe it.
 He stands and straightens his black tie. “Bruce may have not wanted the child either, but he
wouldn’t murder her for it.”
My nostrils flare at that statement. “I’ll find out the truth.”
He smiles. “Go ahead and prove me wrong, Cole.”
 CHAPTER ONE
DEKE

Sixteen years old

I SIT IN the basement of Bennett’s parents’ house. His father is out of town on a business trip and
took his mother with him. So, as usual, we decided to throw a party.
I take a hit from my cigarette and lean back into the couch, blowing it out. Bennett’s parents don’t
ever come down here, so we’ve made it our hangout. At the Reynolds’ house, we hang in the game
room. At my parents’, we party in the pool house. We have a designated room no matter where we go.
The couch sits back against the wall with a glass coffee table in the center and a large TV on the
wall in front of us. The mini bar over to the right is fully stocked. It’s got soft gray carpet and white
walls with matching wooden beams.
Bennett’s parents are the coolest out of all my friends. When my father kicked me out of the house
last year, they let me stay here. I crashed at Cole’s for a few days until Liam found me and called my
father.
Fucker!
He’s never cared much for me. Actually, Liam Reynolds doesn’t care much for anyone. Never once
did Bennett’s mother ask me what I did to deserve it. She did my laundry. Fixed me breakfast, lunch,
and dinner. She’s the kind of mother every kid dreams of. I could have stayed at my sister’s, but she
was in nursing school and dating some punk I hated, so crashing at her place would have been like
living with my father.
“Where’s Cole?” Eli asks as he comes down the stairs to my left and plops down on the couch.
I nod toward the only door down here, silently answering Eli’s question while “Right Left Wrong”
by Three Days Grace filters down into the room from above.
“He’s been in there for a while,” Kellan growls, glaring at the closed door. “Wonder what the fuck
he’s doing.”
“Well, he didn’t go in there alone, so of course, he’s gonna take his time.” I take another drag from
my cigarette.
Eli smiles. “Who is he in there with?”
“I don’t know,” I lie.
I know exactly who he’s with, but I’m going to wait and let them all see for themselves. Especially
since the chick he took in there was the same girl Kellan fucked last night. Natasha Grey. The new girl
at our school this year. She’s had her eye on Cole since day one, but he’s never given her much
attention until tonight. Three beers and a Jack and Coke loosened him up enough to take her to the
closet, I guess. Especially when she came down here pulling her dress up and practically throwing
herself at him. I think he was more bored than anything. And she was just … there.
“Yeah, well …” Kellan checks the time on his phone. “He needs to hurry up if we’re gonna draw
tonight.”
I snort. “Where do you have to be?” We never draw on Saturday anyway. It’s always on a Sunday.
And we can’t leave the party because this is Bennett’s house, and like a hundred people are in this
mansion right now. Not counting the kids already passed out on the lawn.
“I almost got suspended for my dare last month. I’m not even allowed to be here. My mom will shit
if she finds out I snuck out,” Kellan growls before taking a sip of his beer.
Eli throws his head back, laughing. “Can’t believe you got caught breaking into the school. That
was stupid as fuck, man. What were you trying to do?”
I take another drag, and Kellan’s jaw tightens. “Seriously?” His dark eyes grow big as he glares at
Eli. “You dared me to change my grades. I needed into Mr. Wilson’s computer to do that.”
“I could have done that without having to break in,” Bennett informs him, finally speaking. He’s
been typing away on his phone for the past five minutes over in the recliner. Every now and then, I
watch him adjust his hard dick. He’s enjoying whatever pussy shots some girl is sending him.
Eli knew that Bennett could change them when he gave Kellan the dare.
But it didn’t matter. Kellan has been bitching for weeks about his grades, and Coach has even been
hounding him to get them up, or he was going to be in deep shit, so Eli dared him to change them. He
drew the dare and had to do it on his own. That’s just how the rules are. I won’t lie and say we
weren’t surprised by the dare because we were. Normally, anything school related is off limits. But
Eli has had this fuck-you-world attitude lately. I think Cole’s need to push the limits in everything he
does is starting to rub off on him.
The song changes to “Throne” by Urbanstep, Micah Martin as the door swings open to the storage
closet.
Cole steps out. He’s zipping up his jeans, still dressed in his white T-shirt, when Natasha darts out
from behind him. Her short blond hair has that freshly fucked look to it from his hands gripping it.
She’s panting as her chest rises and falls quickly under her black dress. But other than that, she looks
like she didn’t even take it off.
“You’re slacking, Cole,” Eli muses, looking over the girl and noticing the lack of evidence that he
fucked her.
I’ve been in the same room with him while he fucked a girl—her clothes were ripped, and she
couldn’t even walk afterward.
Cole snorts, and my eyes fall to her knees to see the carpet burns on them before she darts up the
stairs, avoiding eye contact with any of us. When she went in there with him, I was the only one sitting
down here with Cole. Now there are an extra four sets of eyes.
Plopping down beside me, he leans over, picks up the pack of cigarettes from the round table, and
lights one up. Then he sits back and closes his eyes, taking a long drag, the end of the cigarette
burning red.
“How was she?” Eli asks him with a smirk.
Cole pulls the cigarette away and blows out a puff of smoke. “The fact that I was in there for more
than twenty minutes should say enough,” he answers dryly.
We all chuckle.
Kellan stands. “You know I fucked her just last night, right?” he asks, his voice hardening.
The room falls silent. Cole turns toward him with a look of boredom on his face. “Yes. And that’s
why the only thing my dick touched was her mouth.”
Eli snorts while taking a drink of his beer. His hand quickly wipes off the liquid that runs down his
chin.
Kellan fists his hands down by his side but doesn’t say anything else about the girl. Instead, he
changes the subject because he knows it’s pointless. She means nothing to Cole.
“Are we gonna draw tonight or what? Not all of us have parents who don’t give a shit where we
are.”
Cole’s blue eyes narrow on him, and I think he’s about to tell Kellan to piss off. Instead, he brings
the cigarette to his lips and takes another long drag. Blowing it out as though he has all the time in the
world, he remains quiet.
Kellan has a problem with Cole. I’m not sure when it started or why, but I know he’s jealous.
There are eight of us on the swim team who are what our school calls sharks. We dominate the pool
and this town. Even though we’re only sixteen, the upperclassmen fear us because we’ve beat up our
fair share of juniors and seniors. That’s one thing about us—when we decide to do something, we
make sure we win.
“If you need to leave, then leave,” Cole finally tells him, looking away, clearly dismissing him.
Kellan’s jaw tightens.
“Come on, man?” Eli pats the seat next to him. “Sit down. Tell your mother that you stayed with me
tonight. Aimee will cover for you.” He holds up his full drink in offering.
Kellan lets out a sigh and falls down onto the seat beside him. He throws it back.
Cole takes another drag from the cigarette and then pulls his cell out of his pocket.
Bennett jumps up from the recliner and runs up the stairs. Probably to go jack off or something.
Either that or the girl he’s been texting just arrived.
“Where are Landen and Maddox?” Shane asks.
He’s been extremely quiet tonight. He and Kellan are tight. When one is pouting, so is the other
one. I always joke that they share the same menstrual cycle.
“They are in a bedroom upstairs somewhere fucking the twins,” Eli answers.
“Do you think they trade?” Shane wonders curiously. “Like fuck each other’s girlfriends? I wonder
if everything is the same?”
“I know I would.” Eli laughs.
“You can’t even keep one bitch happy, so how would you manage two?” Cole asks before taking a
drink of his beer.
We all laugh.
“Speak for yourself.” He shoves Cole in the shoulder. “Little Miss Priss didn’t look too satisfied
when she ran out of the closet.”
Cole smirks. “That’s ’cause I didn’t care if she was.”
Kellan glares at Cole for his statement, but the rest of us laugh once again.
“I need some more. Anyone else need something to drink?” Eli asks since he gave his to Kellan.
Shane gets up to follow him up the stairs, ignoring the bar down here and leaving the three of us
alone. Kellan still glares openly at Cole, but he ignores him. Either Cole’s oblivious or he doesn’t
care.
“What’s your problem?” I ask Kellan, leaning forward and placing my elbows on my knees. Might
as well get this out in the open so we can fix this shit. Even if that means dishing it out right here with
our fists. Wouldn’t be the first time we knocked each other around. That’s what brothers do after all.
He looks at Cole, but he continues to ignore us as he types away on his phone. Probably looking for
his next fuck for the night.
“Nothing,” Kellan mutters and gets up, also running up the stairs.
“He’s pissed at you,” I tell Cole, leaning back into the couch.
“I don’t give a fuck,” he replies.
“I think he knows that you fucked Kaitlin. And then the fact that you were just in the closet with
Natasha doesn’t look good …”
 His eyes meet mine. “Again, I don’t care.”
Kellan brags about every girl he fucks, but Cole doesn’t. Whereas Kellan will show them off at
school or have them come to our swim meets, Cole refuses. He won’t give you the time of day until he
decides he’s ready to take you to bed. Then he’s done with you. I’m not saying he’s picky; I’m just
saying women are only good to be used by him and nothing more.
“I heard Maggie bragging about you guys fucking in the back seat of your Porsche. Bryan is pissed
that you fucked not only his girlfriend, Kaitlin, but also his twin sister …”
He snorts. “Bryan is a fucking pussy. If either one of them knew how to use their dicks, Kaitlin
wouldn’t have come to me. And I screwed his sister just ’cause I could.”
I smile. That’s Cole for you. Bryan hates that his twin sister is just as big of a slut as his girlfriend
is. Eli and I tapped Kaitlin at the same time. Collins isn’t small by any means, but your options are
kind of limited at our age. Not quite old enough to fuck the older women in the town so you gotta keep
your dick to the school.
“Kellan said you like his sloppy seconds.” I watch him closely to see how he reacts to that. It
doesn’t take much to get Cole wound up. He’s always ready for a fight. To throw his fist into
something—and whether that be a face or a wall, it doesn’t matter. They’ve been scarred for years.
He takes a drag of his cigarette and then leans forward, stubbing it out in the ashtray as he blows
the smoke out. He looks at me and smirks. “Kellan would never say that.” I smile at him. “Plus, the
first time I fucked her was in the boy’s locker room last year. Long before he stuck his dick in that.”
I chuckle. “You got me.”
He takes a sip of his drink but pauses when his eyes go over to the stairs. “Did you hear that?” he
asks.
Thump … thump …
“Sounds like they’re moving furniture around,” I answer when we hear the pounding on the ceiling
again.
Thump … thump …
“What the fuck …?” someone barks. Sounds like Eli.
We both jump to our feet and run up the stairs. Coming up to the landing, Cole shoves the door
open, and we enter the large family room and see Kellan’s back pushed into a floor-to-ceiling
window that overlooks the tennis courts in the backyard. A guy by the name of Trenten holds him in
place. He’s a senior this year and on the football team.
Eli is on the dark hardwood floor, blood running from his nose, half dazed. Where the fuck are the
rest of the guys?
We both storm over, and I yank Trenten off Kellan and shove him away just as Cole’s fist connects
with Trenten’s face. He stumbles back.
“What the fuck is going on here?” Cole demands, looking around. No doubt searching for Bennett,
Maddox, and Landen. I don’t even see Shane anywhere. Kids of all ages in our high school stand
around with drinks in their hands staring.
“He fucked my girl.” The guy points at Kellan, who wipes his face with the back of his hand.
The blonde who was just on her knees for Cole buries her face in her hands in shame while
standing behind the cream leather couch.
Cole notices and points at her. “Is that your girl?” He doesn’t even know her name.
I didn’t know she belonged to Trenten.
“Yes …”
Cole grabs him by the collar of his polo shirt and yanks him to his chest. Trenten has probably a
few inches on him, but that won’t stop Cole. He’ll take on anyone. And he always wins. People
whisper that he’s crazy. When most would back down, he eggs others on. If he picks a fight with you,
he’ll even let you get a few hits in because that’s what he likes. Pain. Blood. It’s all like a fucking
drug to him.
“I just fucked her mouth downstairs. Wanna fight me?” he growls.
Trenten’s eyes narrow down on Cole’s. His hands fisted, ready to strike. Cole just glares up at him.
“Come on, man.” Kellan slaps Cole’s shoulder. “She’s not worth it.”
The girl cries into her hands, turns, and runs out of the room. There’s gotta be fifteen people just
standing around watching the exchange, and another twenty littering the backyard, gawking through the
floor-to-ceiling windows. The music has stopped, and no one says a fucking word. No one even
breathes. They’re all waiting to see what is going to happen next.
I help Eli up off the floor, not sure how the hell he got involved. He stumbles once on his feet.
“No,” Cole agrees with Kellan but keeps his eyes on Trenten. “She’s not. But you are.”
A flash of regret crosses Kellan’s face, and I wonder if he set this up. If he planned for Cole to get
in a fight with Trenten. Cole may not brag about who he sleeps with, but he also doesn’t hide them.
Kellan knew that Cole would own up to it, but he probably didn’t expect Cole to stand up for him like
he is. As I said before, we may fight, but we are brothers. And brothers have each other’s backs.
“What’s it gonna be, Trenten?” Cole asks with an arch of his brow. Then he leans in closer to the
guy and smiles.
Oh, shit! I know that look.
I’m already pushing a dazed Eli onto the couch and out of the way when my friend speaks again.
“You should thank me.” Cole lowers his voice, but you could hear a pin drop in this house. “I
taught her a few things. It’s amazing how much dick she sucks, yet she couldn’t get me off …”
Trenten shoves him back and swings his right fist, hitting Cole in the jaw. People gasp as Cole
takes a stumbling step back. But he just gives a bloody smile and then runs at him. Wrapping his arms
around his waist, Cole picks Trenten up and body-slams him to the floor.
And then all hell breaks loose. Girls run screaming out of the room. One of Trenten’s teammates
jumps on my back. Kellan pulls him off just in time as another one runs toward me as though I’m the
quarterback on the opposing team he wants to sack. I get a few punches in before I’m hit in the back of
the head. I feel the skin split, and an instant headache takes over. Falling to my knees, I try to blink
away the pain.
I spot Cole on the floor across the room. Trenten’s still underneath him as Cole pounds on his face
with his fists.
Eli yanks on my arm, trying to get me to stand, but I push him away.
“What the fuck is going on?” I hear Bennett’s voice ring out through the madness followed by a
half-dressed Maddox and Landen skidding into the room.
Breathing heavily, I hang my head and shake it, thinking that will clear the fog, but it makes it
worse. The room begins to fade in and out.
“Deke?” I hear Eli call out. “Deke, are you okay?” His voice fades as the ringing grows louder in
my ears. I feel something running down the side of my face. Blood. What the …?
I don’t know how much time has passed, but I look up and no longer see Cole on the floor.
“Deke?” Instead, he kneels in front of me, snapping his fingers in front of my face. He has blood
dripping from his busted knuckles and a cut on his upper lip. His right eye already turning purple.
“Can you hear me?” he asks, breathing heavy. A thin layer of sweat covers his forehead, and blue
eyes are hard on mine. “Deke?” he snaps.
 I nod. “Fine.” But even as I say it, I flinch. “Fuck. What happened?” I ask as Cole grabs one of my
arms while Eli grabs the other. They get me to stand and place my arms over their shoulders. I blink
several times, but the pounding won’t stop. I notice we’re now alone. Even the backyard is clear.
“Denny hit you on the back of the head with my mother’s glass cross,” Bennett growls.
My head hangs, and blood drips from the side of my face to our feet.
“Come on,” Cole orders. “I’ve already messaged Shelby. She’s expecting us.”
“No …” I argue.
My sister just graduated from nursing school. I don’t worry about her telling our parents, but I don’t
want to listen to her bitch at me this evening. She hates what me and the guys do. Our “stupid games”
as she calls them. And this wasn’t even a dare.
“You’re going,” Cole growls. “You fucking blacked out.”
“You and Eli take him.” Bennett sighs. “The rest of us will stay here and clean up.”
Maddox huffs. “That’s what you have hired help for, Bennett.”
Everyone ignores him. We all know he just wants to get back up to the bedroom where his nightly
fuck is waiting.
“I’ll be back to help,” Cole assures Bennett.
No one else says anything, but I catch sight of Kellan by the windows. He has his lips pressed in a
hard line, and his brown eyes are narrowed at Cole, but he doesn’t have a touch of blood or any
bruises on him anywhere. And I’m not sure if he’s mad that Cole stood up for him, or that Cole isn’t
the one who needs stitches.

Present - Eighteen years old

I stand in the warm night, breathing heavy. It’s gotta be almost eleven, but thankfully, the sky is
clear, so the moon gives off some light.
I just dragged Kellan up this hill to the abandoned cemetery behind the Lowes’ Estate. And the
bastard is heavier than he looks.
Dead fucking weight.
“What are you gonna do … kill me?” he grinds out in pain. Then he begins to cough.
I pull my gun out of the waistband of my jeans and cock it. “Yes,” I reply simply, pointing it down
at his head. “You really think you could kill Austin, and Cole would allow you to live?” She called
Cole about thirty minutes ago screaming at the top of her lungs that Kellan was at her house and had
killed Celeste. Then the phone went dead. We had no idea what kind of scene we were going to arrive
at, but we found Celeste dead just like she had told us, and Austin was lying in a pool of blood in the
kitchen.
He gets up on his hands and knees and begins to crawl away from me. “God, I’m having Déjà vu.
Remember when we killed Jeff up here?” I ask him with a smile.
This cemetery behind the Lowes’ Estate has come in handy for many things. Murder being one. It
was just four months ago that we killed Jeff and found Austin spying on us.
Kellan falls to his stomach and cries out. A knife still sticks out of his side. His shaky hands go to
grab it, but he thinks twice at the last minute. I’m not sure if Austin or Celeste did it, but that bitch is
in there good.
I bend down, lowering myself to his level, and place my forearms on my knees. I tap the top of his
head with the end of my barrel, and he whimpers. “I’ve been wanting to kill your sorry ass for a
while now. Thanks for giving us a reason.” I shove his face into the ground with my free hand, and he
cries out again when it hits a rock. No one maintains this cemetery. What little grass it has is dead,
and most of it is covered in rocks and dirt.
My phone vibrates, and I pull it out of my pocket to see Cole light up my screen. “Hello?” I
answer, my gun still trained on Kellan.
I can hear his heavy breathing through the phone. “Where the fuck are you?” he demands.
“Cemetery …” He hangs up before I can say anything else. I place my cell back in my pocket.
“He’s coming,” I sing.
Kellan moans as he tries to sit up.
“Might as well just stay on the ground,” I suggest.
“Fuck … you … Deke,” he grinds out.
I smile. “Remember that time I broke your nose?” He doesn’t answer. “Last year. We had just
finished a swim meet, and you were being mouthy ’cause I beat your ass in the water. I took your head
and slammed it into your locker. You cried like a little bitch then. And I have a feeling that tonight is
gonna be like that for you too.”
After a couple of minutes, Cole appears at the top of the hill, and I swallow nervously. My chest
tightens at the sight of him. He’s covered in blood. His clothes are drenched. It’s smeared across his
hands, arms, and in his hair. He stops before us with his fists clenched, staring down at Kellan. He
breathes so hard he’s panting, and his body physically shakes.
“I didn’t think you wanted him in your car,” I say, but he doesn’t hear me. I’m not even sure he
knows I’m present.
I called the cops on our way to Bruce’s from the clubhouse. But I didn’t disclose that Kellan was
involved. I gave an anonymous tip that there was a homicide at the Lowes’ residence, then hung up.
When we arrived, Austin was lying in a pool of blood in the kitchen, and Kellan was leaning against
the countertop. Cole told me to remove him from the scene because he didn’t want the cops getting to
him first. So I brought him up here, making sure I didn’t leave a trail of blood. Kellan doesn’t deserve
to be behind bars. What little life he has left is up to Cole.
Cole reaches down and grabs Kellan’s ankle, dragging him across the uneven ground. Even though
we are too far from the Lowes’ residence and no one can hear him, Cole drops his ankle and then
straddles him, placing his hand over Kellan’s mouth to quiet him.
“I’m not even going to ask you why.” His bloodied chest rises and falls quickly as he sucks in
breaths through clenched teeth. “Because it doesn’t fucking matter.” Then he punches him in the face.
Kellan opens his mouth to cry, but Cole does it again. And again.
I don’t stop him. Or offer him any help. When Cole is in this kind of mood, you just stand back and
thank God you’re not the guy he plans on destroying. He used to do this for sport, but ever since Jeff,
things have escalated to murder. And I don’t hold him back. If anything, I encourage him.
He comes to a stop and falls off Kellan as though he was functioning solely on adrenaline, and it
just ran out. Cole sits on a patch of dead grass next to him, breathing heavily with his eyes closed.
Pulling his knees up, he places his elbows on them and drops his forehead into his open, bloody
hands. They’re shaking. His entire body is.
I take a step toward him to make sure he’s okay but then stop myself. This isn’t like all the other
times. No matter how much Kellan has betrayed us, he was still one of our best friends at one time.
But now he has tried to kill the love of Cole’s life. And by the amount of Austin’s blood covering him,
I would say Kellan succeeded, causing my chest to tighten for him. For Becky. I’m going to have to
break my girlfriend’s heart and tell her that her best friend is dead.
“She was …” Cough. “Always going to die,” Kellan chokes out. “The game …”
 Cole lifts his head slowly, blood now covering his face, and he opens his eyes. He stares at Kellan
for a long moment, and I see the fire raging in them. I’ve seen it so many times, and I know how
explosive they can get. Then he kicks him in the face.
“Fuck the game!” he roars.
Kellan’s head snaps back, and I hear bones breaking. For a moment, I think Cole broke his neck.
But then Kellan releases a strangled moan, and I realize it was just his jaw. His bloody hands come
up to cover his busted face. He sobs into them like the little bitch he is.
“You’re the only one who is dying tonight,” Cole snaps. “She’s alive. And she’s gonna stay that
way.”
“Naaa … Pwe … ase …”
It’s hard to understand his words with a broken jaw.
Cole finally looks up at me. His chest rising and falling fast. “Call Shelby.”
I scramble to remove my phone from my pocket. When she answers, I place it on speaker. “Are you
at the hospital?” I ask in greeting.
“Deke? What are you …?”
“Are you at the fucking hospital?” I bark out. Austin’s alive for now. But how long will she stay
that way?
“Yes,” she snaps.
“Austin is on her way. She’s been shot.”
“What?” She gasps. “What the hell, Deke? Cole shot her?”
“I don’t have time to go through this with you again!” She always thinks the worst when it comes to
him. “I’m calling you ’cause Cole isn’t family, and he’s gonna need updates. So fucking update me!”
Then I hang up before she can say anything else.
Kellan coughs before turning onto his left side. Blood runs from his mouth and nose. His face is
busted. “I’m … sowwwy,” he cries out.
“You will be,” Cole tells him. Then he looks at me. “Call Bennett. Tell him to get his ass here.”
“No … no … no,” Kellan cries frantically.
I dial Bennett’s number. He answers on the third ring. “Hey, Deke ….”
“I don’t have time to explain. Get your ass up to the cemetery behind the Lowes’ Estate.”
“Everything okay?” he asks quickly.
I look down at Cole as he straddles Kellan again. He wraps his hand around the butt of the knife
that sticks out of his side. “Fuck you, Kellan.” He yanks the knife from his side, tosses it away, and
then begins to punch Kellan in the face again with fists still covered in Austin’s blood. Kellan tries to
fight him, but it’s no use. He’s lost too much blood, and Cole is a killer. When you become his target,
he doesn’t stop until the job is complete.
Kellan knew this would only end one way. Even if Cole had to track him down, the outcome would
have been the same.
Death.
And I was going to help my best friend achieve that goal. No matter what I had to do to make it
happen. Because we’re sharks. And what do sharks do? They kill.
“Deke …?”
“No, Bennett, it’s not.”
 CHAPTER TWO
COLE

I STAND IN my bathroom at the clubhouse, clenching the edge of the porcelain sink with my head
hanging down. My heart pounds, and my breathing is labored as I rock back and forth silently. My jaw
is clenched so tight that my teeth ache. My shoulder throbs and my muscles scream in agony.
“Cole?” I hear Deke call out for me.
I ignore him. The darkness is too thick. The evil too strong. But my mind is silent. Like the calm
before the storm. So much rage, it’s clouding my vision. And the fear has seeped into my bones,
weighing me down. I lost her. Once again, I couldn’t save someone that I love.

“Please … no …” My words are broken. My chest constricting.

Red.
It’s the only color I see.
So much blood.
Everywhere.
She’s drowning in it.
“Austin!” I demand desperately as if she’s going to hear me. As if she hasn’t already given up
and left me alone in this hell people call life.
The heels of my palms push into her chest. Too hard. I’m hurting her. I’m always hurting her. But
I can’t stop. Not now. The damage is done, and I’m committed to bringing her back. “Come on,
sweetheart. Please …” I beg her.
Her arms lie out to her side, palms facing the ceiling. Her head is tilted to the left, eyes shut,
while her body lies in a pool of blood that continues to get larger by the second on Bruce’s marble
kitchen floor.
“You can’t do this to me!” I push harder and hear a cracking sound, but I don’t stop. “You’re
mine!” I remind her. Her body jerks from my harsh movements. “Austin!” I scream her name so
loud that my dry throat burns. “Baby … please …”

“Cole? Man, they’re gonna be here any second,” Deke calls out from downstairs. “We need to get
ready …”
I push off the sink and punch my black framed bathroom mirror. It shatters, resembling a
spiderweb. Blood instantly runs down the back of my already busted knuckles. I grit my teeth and
punch it again. The already broken glass cuts me even more, but I don’t feel it. I could walk through
fire right now and not feel the fucking burn.
I reach out and shove all my shit and hers off the countertop next to me, making it crash to the floor.
Tired of looking at it. She left shit here before our breakup the morning after prom, and I’ve kept it
all. Like she was going to come back to me. Now they’re just reminders that she may leave me for
good.
“Cole!”
“WHAT?” I roar, spinning around to the open bathroom door where Deke stands glaring at me,
ignoring the mess I’ve made. He’s used to it.
“They’re on their way.”
At the mention of the police, I hear the faint sound of their sirens.
He looks me up and down. “You need to put a shirt on.” Then he walks out of the bathroom and
goes to my bag stuffed under the bed.
After we left Kellan’s body with Bennett, we came back here and showered. We had to. His blood
covered both of us. And I also had Austin’s on me from trying to revive her. Deke burned what we
had on earlier in a barrel out back, and then I washed and put some fresh jeans on. That’s as far as
I’ve made it.
Deke pops back into the bathroom and tosses me a plain black T-shirt.
“Austin …?” A knot gets lodged in my throat just saying her name. “Is she …?”
“Still in surgery,” he answers, looking down at his phone before I can even finish my question.
I shove on my shirt, ignoring my throbbing shoulder as the sirens grow louder. His eyes meet mine,
and he sighs. “She’s gonna be okay.”
He didn’t see her. He didn’t sit there and beg her to survive like I did. She was nothing but a
beautiful shell that I once wanted to break. Destroy. If she will just fight for me, I’ll love her more
than any man ever could. Broken and all. Because I’m not sure she can come back from this. Even if
she survives, she may never be the Austin I fell in love with. “Bennett?” I ask, changing the subject.
“It’s done. And he’ll probably beat you there,” he answers as the sirens grow louder, letting us
know they have arrived.
I fist my throbbing hands down by my side, and Deke notices. “You can’t fight the police, Cole.”
I’m not done. My body craves more, vibrating with anger. Revenge. Killing Kellan wasn’t enough.
“I need …”
“Cole?” he snaps and walks up to me. “If you need a fight, fucking hit me right here and now. Get it
over with. Because I cannot have you fight the police and go down for resisting arrest. Or assault and
battery against a police officer. That’s not the plan. And I can’t get you out of that.”
“Plans change.”
He punches me in the face, knocking me back into the shower door. Blood instantly pours from my
nose, and my face begins to throb. I right myself and fist my hands, ready to punch him back.
“If you go to jail and she dies, what will you do then, Cole?” he yells at me, running out of
patience. “Huh?” He lowers his voice and arches a brow at me. “What will you do if you don’t get to
say goodbye?”
His words throw me back into my memory from just hours ago. When I thought goodbye was all
she left me with.

“AUSTIN!” I shout, shaking her. How long have I been here? How long have I been trying to
bring her back to me? I can’t give up. Every muscle I have is tight. My throat burns.
I’m yanked back and shoved to the side. My back hits the bloodstained wall, and I look to see
the paramedics surround her. They fall to their knees, dropping their bags. Digging into them, they
grab their supplies.
“Cole?”
I look up and see a set of brown eyes belonging to Derek James. The same ones from the night of
the car wreck when he found me sitting in a ditch with my best friend dead in my arms.
“Cole, what happened? Did you shoot this woman?” His eyes fall to my gun that sits in a pool
of her blood.
 I had planned on shooting Kellan, but I learned a long time ago that plans don’t mean shit. She
was dead on Bruce’s kitchen floor. Killing Kellan didn’t fucking matter at that second.
I stare at him in a daze. Shoot her? Why would I …? Because I’m Cole Reynolds. I destroy. I
fucking take light from life and replace it with darkness. At first, I wanted to destroy her! Then I
just wanted to save her!
You killed her! You didn’t pull the trigger, but you left her. All alone and unprotected, my head
screams.
It’s my fault.
They cut her shirt off, and my breath gets caught in my lungs. What little skin isn’t covered in
blood is turning blue. One paramedic begins compressions while another holds pressure on the
wound.
My chest tightens, and a tear runs down my face. I reach out to her. “Please …”
“Cole!” Derek growls my name, grabbing my shoulders and pulling me back.
This time when my eyes meet his, they narrow. “I love her. I was trying to save her.”

“What’s it gonna be?” Deke holds his fists up and smiles at me.
“Police.” They pound on the clubhouse door. “Open up, Cole!” We hear them call out from
downstairs. “Don’t make us come in and get you!”
I lower my hands, and he does the same, the smile no longer on his face. “Stick to the plan, Cole.
And you’ll be with her soon enough.”
 CHAPTER THREE
DEKE

I STAND BACK and watch as Cole exits the clubhouse. We normally avoid the police, but given our
current situation, it isn’t an option.
This wasn’t some dare we had planned down to the second, so we improvised. And it will work
out. I just have to pray he doesn’t fuck it up. Cole can be a loose cannon, and now is not the time for
him to blow the fuck up.
I turn and begin to run up the stairs to clean his bathroom and grab a few things before I meet him at
the police station, but my phone rings. Coming to a stop halfway up the stairs, I pull it out, hoping it’s
my sister to give me some good news about Austin. But I see it’s Becky.
I answer, “Hey, babe, I can’t talk right now—”
“Is it true?” she interrupts me in a panic.
“What?”
“Is it true?” she shouts in my ear, and then she begins to sob.
“Baby, what are you …?”
“It’s all over the news,” she cries. “Did Cole shoot Austin?”
“No.” I run a hand through my hair. Fuck! We thought we would have more time. “Of course not.”
“They said they have him in custody.”
Shit! Did the police come with reporters? I didn’t step outside, so I didn’t see what all was going
on out there. As far as the police are concerned, I’m not involved, and I’m also not here. Cole’s car is
the only one parked outside. We stashed mine back in the woods behind the clubhouse. The odds of
them entering with a warrant were high, but I didn’t think they were going to go that far this soon.
They think they have this case in the bag. Boy, are they going to be disappointed. “They do, but it’s not
true.”
She sniffs. “What?”
I sigh. “I can’t explain it right now. I’m in the middle of something.”
“Deke …”
“Head to the hospital, okay? There’s something I gotta do, and then I’ll meet you there.”
I hear some commotion and then her car beeping, letting me know she’s getting into it. “Okay,” she
says in a small voice.
“Shelby is working. If you speak to her, call me.”
“I will …”
I hang up. Just as I go to put it away, it rings again. “Hello?” I snap.
“Deke, man. It’s already all over the news,” Bennett informs me.
“I know. Becky just called and told me.”
“Shane called me, but I ignored it. I gotta tell him something. What if he just shows up at the
hospital? I don’t want Cole kicking his ass and getting arrested twice tonight.”
I turn and jog back down the steps. “Ignore him.”
Cole and Shane were never the closest, but the tension grew between them once Austin entered our
group four months ago. Shane was really close with Kellan, so I’m not sure which side Shane would
pick right now. Even if he knew Kellan shot Austin, he’d be pissed at Cole for killing Kellan. And
Bennett has already disposed of one body tonight; I don’t want him to have to do another one.
“What about Cole?” he asks. “Even with the evidence, they may still hold him. Especially with
Kellan missing.”
I pick up Cole’s car keys off the table and run out the front door. Jumping into his car, I start it. “I’m
headed to the precinct now. I called Jacob while Cole was in the shower, and he’s going to meet us
there.” My father and Cole’s dad use the same attorney, and this isn’t the first time I’ve called him in
the middle of the night.
“Okay. I’m almost there, so I will see you in a minute.”
I hang up, shift the car into gear, and throw gravel as I spin it around and speed down the long
driveway. “Everything You Hate,” by Project Vela plays through the speakers.
When the phone rings again, cutting the song short, I growl, “This better be my sister.” But when I
look down to see the number lighting up on my phone, I slam on the brakes, bringing the car to a stop
in the middle of the driveway. Dust billows out from under the tires from the gravel. I let it ring a few
more times and take a deep breath before answering.
Fuck!
“Hello?”
“Why in the fuck was my son just arrested for murder? And how in the hell are you involved?”
Liam Reynolds snaps in my ear.
 CHAPTER FOUR
COLE

I SIT IN a hard chair in a cold and silent room. They brought me in for questioning and want to pin
me for murder. But for the wrong person. My hands are still cuffed behind my back. I barely made it
out the front door of the clubhouse before they had me face down in the gravel with their knees in my
back while cuffing me. They threw me into the back of a squad car. I don’t expect special treatment,
but I don’t think keeping my wrists cuffed for questioning is protocol. Then they brought me in here
and left me. To sit. All alone. There’s no clock on the walls, but I can hear every second slowly tick
by in my mind like nails on a chalkboard. They think leaving me alone with my thoughts will make me
nervous and I’ll want to confess to them. They can go to hell.
I look around for any cameras but don’t see any. And there’s also no two-way mirrors, letting me
know that no one is looking in on me. We’ll be completely alone.
They think I killed Celeste and shot Austin, and I can see how they came to that conclusion. But
things aren’t always what they seem. And they’re about to find that out.
The door opens, and Detective Monroe enters with a file in his hand and a bag in his other. “Cole
Reynolds. It’s been a while.”
I show indifference although I want to knock his head off. I should be at the hospital waiting to see
Austin, not here with this dipshit.
He pulls the only other chair out and sits down in it across from me, slapping the file on the metal
table along with the clear bag marked evidence with red tape. It’s my gun. It’s covered in her blood as
well. The one I left behind in Bruce’s house after the paramedics took Austin. I wasn’t thinking
clearly.
Obviously.
When they loaded her into the ambulance, I noticed my car was still in her father’s driveway, so I
called Deke to find out where in the hell he took Kellan. When he told me the cemetery, I just turned
and ran around the house to the back and up the hill.
Monroe crosses his arms over his chest and sits back, staring at me. Waiting for me to speak. He’s
trying to intimidate me into a confession he’ll never get. I have something better to give him, and it
will be here shortly.
“Why were you at the Lowes’ residence to begin with?” he asks. “Were you there to fuck your
girlfriend or her stepmom?”
My eyes narrow on him at the mention of fucking Austin. I pull on the cuffs and feel my skin scrape
more than it already has.
He glares at me in return, waiting for an answer. When he doesn’t get one, he continues. “I called
Bruce Lowes to inform him of his wife’s death and daughter’s condition. He proceeded to tell me that
he caught you fucking his wife months ago.”
That motherfucker! I clamp my mouth shut so I don’t tell this guy to go to fucking hell! It doesn’t
matter if he thinks I’ve slept with Celeste or not. I have proof of my innocence coming. And nothing
else matters.
He picks up the clear evidence bag and looks at the gun in it. “Word is Austin isn’t doing well.
Spoke to the hospital about ten minutes ago and got an update on her condition. She’s coded twice
while in surgery.”
My breathing picks up at his words, and my heart pounds. A lump forms in my throat that I can’t
seem to swallow. I can’t lose her. Not now. Not after all I put her through. She will survive. She has
to. For me!
He smirks as his gray eyes look over at the bag in his hand. “I always thought I’d get you for
murder. Just never thought it’d be a woman who you offed.”
I jump to my feet at his words. Not sure why. There’s nowhere for me to go. He jumps to his as
well. I open my mouth to speak, but the door flies open. We both turn our heads to look at the young
rent-a-cop who enters. He graduated a couple of years before me from Collins High. He was on the
varsity football team. He hated me. I fucked his girlfriend. Well, her mouth anyway. Not sure if he
still feels that way, though. It’s not like he married her.
He had big dreams to play college ball, but he blew his knee out, then never left this good-for-
nothing town. His father is also Liam’s friend. My father has all the law in his pocket, but all wealthy
criminals do.
“This was just delivered, sir.” He holds out the laptop.
Right on time. Just like Bennett promised.
Monroe ignores it. “Bag it for evidence, Daniels. I’ll look at it later. I’m in the middle of an
investigation!”
“This is part of the investigation,” he grinds out.
The detective yanks it from his grasp, places it on the table, and opens it up. “What am I looking
for?” he orders.
Trenten silently pushes a few buttons on the computer, and they both read over the information on
Jerrold’s laptop. Bennett wiped it clean. Well, he wiped anything that could get any of us in trouble.
“Is this … is this true?” Monroe whispers while his eyes scan it quickly.
“Yes, sir.” Trenten nods and then presses a few more buttons. “Here are the bank statements …” he
trails off.
I remain standing, my hands still cuffed and fisted. When I really want to jump across this table and
headbutt him. But Deke was right, that fucking bastard. I need to be with her. And I can’t do that from
prison.
“Son of a bitch.” Monroe hisses and looks at me. “How long have you known this?” he demands.
I remain silent. That’s all the information right there that he needs to prove that Bruce paid Jeff to
tamper with the brakes on my car, causing the wreck that killed three of my friends. And I’ve got
copies just in case something happens to these. And if I have to, I’ll go to the press with my
information.
Obviously, when this shit shows up the moment I’m wanted for murdering the wife of the man who
murdered my best friends, it isn’t a coincidence.
“So this was about revenge on Bruce?” he fishes. “This had nothing to do with his wife or
daughter.”
We figured they would think this. That’s why the laptop isn’t the only thing that Bennett handed
over to the police. Well, he planted it. Can’t make it look too obvious. If only he knew how little
Bruce loved his wife and daughter, they wouldn’t come to that conclusion. He probably has a big life
insurance policy on Celeste. And he would have paid someone to take Austin off his hands.
“And I have this.” Trenten hands him a phone in a bag.
“What is it?” Monroe asks.
 “This is Kellan Grove’s cell phone. We found it outside the house when doing our final sweep.”
Monroe looks up at me. “You couldn’t kill them both yourself?” he snaps, thinking I called in the
sharks for help. That Austin really meant that little to me. “Put an APB out on Mr. Grove’s car. Find
him!”
“It’s already been issued, sir. But I think you need to hear this first,” he says with a nod.
Monroe presses a few buttons on the phone. He takes his seat and looks up at me. “Sit down.”
I do as he orders and try to roll my shoulders, but I can’t. My right one aches. I need these cuffs off.
Trenten looks down at me and then at the phone. “Maybe we should listen to it in private.”
“No,” Monroe snaps.
So Trenten’s already listened to it. That’s obvious. But he doesn’t think I know what’s on it. I smile
on the inside. I’m the motherfucker who found it. I did your job. You’re fucking welcome!

Hours earlier

I stand over Kellan’s dead body as Bennett joins us on top of the hill. He has his flashlight,
which makes it easier for us to see.
“What the fuck?” Bennett asks, looking down at Kellan wide-eyed. Then his eyes run over me,
taking in my bloodstained clothes, busted knuckles, and sweaty skin. It’s a hot and muggy May
night. “What the hell happened?”
Austin’s blood is starting to dry, causing my clothes to stick to my skin. And the overwhelming
smell is making me lightheaded. I want to rip it off. Claw at my own skin. Just to get her off me.
But I refrain because I gotta finish this first.
“Kellan killed Celeste and shot Austin,” Deke answers.
Bennett runs his hand through his hair, his eyes running over me again as he asks, “Fuck! Is she
okay?”
Deke shrugs. “We’re waiting for an update from Shelby.”
Bennett shakes his head and clears his throat, clearly shaken up.
I tilt my head and watch the way he swallows. How he shuffles from foot to foot. Did he know
what Kellan was going to do? Was this their plan all along? To fucking play Deke and me? Kellan
said that Austin was always meant to die for the game … Just how many were playing against me?
“What do you want me to do?” he asks Deke, but his eyes stay on Kellan’s dead body.
“Cole and I need to get back to the clubhouse and shower. The cops are gonna come looking for
him. They know he was there. We need you to dispose of the body.”
He nods. “I’ll call Shane—”
“No!” I interrupt him, finally speaking. “No one else gets involved. Can you take care of it or
not?” I don’t trust Shane. He was always defending Kellan. If he had any involvement in hurting
Austin, he will be the next one I take care of.
“I got it,” he answers without hesitation.
I bend down, satisfied with his answer because I don’t have time to stand around at the moment.
The clock is already ticking. I begin to pat down Kellan’s pockets and find both of his cell phones.
All of us have two. Just like when we forced Austin into the group, we gave her a backpack, and it
also had a new phone in it.
I pull them out and throw one to Bennett but keep the other one. I slide my finger across the
screen to unlock it and frown when I see that he has a recording app open. I go to the last thing
recorded and press play.
 “I don’t think …” Trenten whispers to Monroe.
“I don’t care what you think,” he growls. Then he looks at me and presses play. He thinks it has
incriminating evidence of me on there. And he wants to see my face while he plays it.
Fuck him!
“Please, baby?” Celeste’s whiny voice comes through the speaker and then sniffs. “Let’s just take
the money and go.”
“No,” Kellan says in a clipped tone. “That’s not what we agreed on.”
“What do you expect me to do? I’m gonna start showing soon.”
“I don’t want a fucking kid,” he growls.
She begins to sob. “I can’t play it off as Bruce’s.”
“Then you should have taken your birth control correctly.”
“We need to act sooner,” she whispers. “We can pull it off—”
“I’ll do what I want when I want,” he snaps, interrupting her.
“Please?” Celeste begs. “Don’t do this.”
“It’s over,” Kellan growls. “It’s been over. But you refuse to believe it.”
“You can’t do this …” Celeste’s voice trails off. “Austin.” She sounds surprised. “I didn’t expect
you to be home so soon.”
“I’m going to bed,” Austin answers, and my chest tightens.
I’ve already heard this once, but that doesn’t make this time any easier. She had just arrived home,
not knowing what she walked into. In less than ten minutes, she’s going to be dead lying on her
father’s kitchen floor.
“Have you told her?” Kellan demands.
“Tell me what?” Austin asks. No one answers her. “I’m tired, and it’s too late to play games with
you, Kellan. What has she not told me?”
“All her secrets,” he says simply.
“Kellan, don’t—” Comes Celeste’s panicked voice.
“I don’t have time for this,” Austin says.
“Why do you think you’re here?”
“Excuse me?” Austin asks Kellan.
“It’s ’cause I wanted you here,” he answers.
And my jaw tightens. That motherfucker was playing us from the beginning. I should have done
more than just break his fucking jaw before I killed him.
“What?”
“I was with Celeste when your mother called her and said that you were too much for her. That it
would make Celeste look like a saint in this city to take in Bruce’s troubled teen. But she didn’t want
you. She wanted Lilly.”
“What?” Austin asks again. You can hear the panic starting to rise.
“So you still haven’t figured it out yet.” He sounds proud of himself. “What she did. What she is
capable of.”
“Don’t,” Celeste growls at him.
“She can keep a secret, babe,” he tells her. “Celeste, here, killed Betty, Cole and Lilly’s mother.”
Monroe’s brows pull together in confusion. They don’t understand it. Why would he? No one
would understand why Celeste would kill my mother. They don’t know that Lilly’s father is Bruce.
“It was an accident,” Celeste says defensively.
 “Don’t lie,” he growls.
“You what?” Austin asks shocked. “Why would you …”
“At first, everyone suspected Liam or Bruce, but no one could figure out why they would kill her at
nine months along. If they were going to do it, they would have done it the moment they found out she
was pregnant. But when Celeste found out she was pregnant, she was pissed. She wanted a baby. She
wanted to have Bruce’s child. But Bruce didn’t want kids. So, Celeste went over to her house and
confronted her. Said that she wanted joint custody of Lilly, and when Betty said no, she pushed her
down the stairs.”
That fucking bitch killed my mom, and I never knew it! Never even suspected it. I let her take care
of Lilly and never knew what she was capable of.
“I told you all of this in confidence,” Celeste barks at Kellan.
He continues. “Then she called 911 and said she heard her fall down the stairs. As if she cared
about her pathetic life.”
“No!” Austin says slowly, still refusing to believe it. “Cole said she fell and died in surgery due to
complications.”
He laughs. “Cole only knows what Celeste told him. She waited thirty minutes before she called
for help. Lilly was delivered in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. Betty was dead by the time
they arrived at the hospital.”
“You son of a bitch!” Celeste shouts at Kellan.
“And now you’re gonna see history repeat itself,” he calls out.
You hear some commotion, and Celeste cry out. “Back up!” he orders.
And I can only guess that he’s speaking to Austin.
“Keep them up!” he snaps, and I imagine he is pointing his gun at her.
The same make and model of my gun. But all they gotta do is open my magazine, and they’ll see all
but one bullet, which is chambered. I’m sure they already have. It’s probably sitting there, chamber
cleared and magazine empty.
“Okay, okay, okay,” Austin says, and her voice shakes.
“See …” He goes on. “Celeste is pregnant.” She starts to sob. “With my child. After getting Betty
pregnant, Bruce had that situation fixed so it would never happen again. That rules him out. And I’m
the only other guy you’ve fucked, right, baby?” he asks.
Celeste continues to sob but doesn’t answer out loud.
He goes on. “And just like Bruce and Liam, I don’t want a child. But unlike them, I plan on doing
something about it.”
“Please, Kellan,” Celeste begs. “I love you.” She sobs.
“You were nothing to me.” You hear Celeste falling down the stairs from him pushing her. Then
silence.
“You killed her.” Comes Austin’s voice. “You killed her,” she cries out this time.
“You are trying to save her? She killed the love of your life’s mother. Who just happened to be your
half-sister’s mother as well.”
“She’s pregnant,” Comes her frantic voice. “The baby didn’t do anything to you.”
“Oh, but it will. That’s why it’s got to go.” You hear more commotion and the sound of skin being
dragged across the marble floor, followed by her gasping for air. Then nothing. Whatever position he
has her in, he’s choking her. My breathing picks up. “You’ve been playing a game all along, Austin,
but it’s been my game. My rules. And now it’s over.” Then you hear her body hitting the floor once
again.
 We knew exactly what to do with his cell. Bennett doctored it, though, because Kellan had said too
much on the tape. He spoke about how much watching her burn Jeff’s body turned him on. And we
couldn’t let the cops hear that part. It wasn’t to save my ass. At this point, I couldn’t care less about
what happens to me. But her? I would spend the rest of my life in prison if it meant saving hers.
And he had also mentioned her stealing a car with me. That had to go too. He ran his mouth too
much. We should have killed him years ago.
“But you hated me … you tried to kick me out of the group …”
Monroe looks up at me for the first time since the recording started. He knows something isn’t
right. That something is missing. But he must prove it. And as far as Austin mentioning the group?
Everyone knows we’re the GWS. Have been since we were young. This isn’t the first time he’s ever
had one of us in an interrogation room.
“All part of my plan. Every time I pushed you away, Cole pulled you closer.” And Bennett had to
doctor this part as well where he told Austin our final plan of killing Bruce. “She wanted me to kill
you and Cole and run off into the sunset with her and Lilly.” He snorts. “All the lies she told Cole.”
He chuckles. “You. It was so fucking perfect.”
“I’m not like her, Cole. You can’t blackmail me.” Celeste had said that to me when I told her I
knew she was sleeping with Kellan. I didn’t think about it at the time, but how did she know what I
was doing to Austin? I was too consumed with finding a way to get Kellan off her back that I wasn’t
thinking about her words.
Listening to this tape makes me wish I would have asked him some questions before I killed him.
Like why did he want her to come here in the first place? What were his plans for her and how much
did they change? Now that he and Celeste are both dead, I will never get those answers.
“You sick bastard,” Austin spits out.
He chuckles. “He and I are the same, Austin. We both used you however we wanted.”
“Cole would never hurt me. Not now.”
I swallow the knot that forms in my throat at her words. She and I both know she was lying.
Because I was hurting her. Or he wouldn’t have been alone with her. The guys and I thought if I pulled
back, he wouldn’t have a reason to go after her. But that was before we knew Celeste had plans too. If
Austin dies, her blood will be on my hands. And I can’t live with that.
“You’re right,” he agrees with a sigh. “He wouldn’t harm a hair on your head. But I’m gonna paint
these walls with your blood. After all, his favorite color is red.” Then more commotion.
You hear skin skid across the marble floor, like she’s trying to get away from him. Then she cries
out and the sound bounces off the walls in the interrogation room, followed by something hitting the
floor with a clank.
“I wanted Bruce to take care of you,” he growls. “Just like I wanted him to kill Cole when I drove
his car to fuck his wife.” He laughs at that. “But I’ll just have to do it myself. In case you just
recorded me killing Celeste.”
I don’t understand why he said that, because he was recording it. But Bennett pointed out that
Kellan sending me this tape is different than her sending it to the police.
You hear her struggle, gasping for air.
“My only regret is that I won’t get to fuck you.” He sighs and my body tenses at his words.
“Because I listened to the recording of Cole fucking you inside that bathroom, Austin.”
The detective and officer both look at me with raised brows. Fuck, that video has got to go.
“I got off on it so many times, imagining it was you and me.”
My jaw tightens, and you hear her stop struggling followed by a long silence. Monroe goes to turn
off the recording, but then you hear Kellan scream and her coughing. “FUCK!” he screams.
Seconds go by of her strangled breathing.
“Cole!” Austin chokes out my name in the distance. As if she was able to get away from him.
Maybe to another room.
It was when she had called me.
You can’t hear what I say to her. But she bursts into tears and I bow my head. I should have fucking
been there for her!
“He’s here!” she screams. “Kellan’s at my father’s house. He killed Celeste!”
I shake my head. I couldn’t get to her fast enough. Always failing those I love.
You hear Kellan’s voice. “He’s not gonna make it.” Followed by gunfire. “Fucking bitch!” he
hisses before the recording goes dead.
I keep my head down. My body aches. My fists still bleed, and the cuffs dig into my wrists. They
put them on extra tight on purpose. But killing Kellan was worth it. That bastard deserved to die. Just
like the rest of them.
Silence fills the room, but you can hear Monroe’s heavy breathing. He’s pissed because I just
solved his case. He thought he would finally get to put me away for good. He’s wanted to put all the
GWS away for years because we’ve pulled so many pranks. And this was his last chance before I
leave this godforsaken town.
“Sir, you can’t …” We hear a commotion outside the room right before the door bursts open.
I look up to see my father’s attorney, Jacob Lasser, enter the room. “Cole, don’t say a word,” he
orders, then turns to the officer and detective.
I wonder why he’s even here because I doubt my father sent him. He must have seen it on the news
and just assumed I needed help and he’d get a big fat paycheck. Too bad for him, I helped myself.
Like I always do.
To my surprise, my father then barges in the room. What the fuck is he doing here?
He takes one look at the cut on my face that Deke gave me and his murdering eyes land on his
friend who sits across from me. “I will have your fucking job!” he roars. “You have no fucking right
to arrest my son for murder!”
I refrain from sighing. It must have hit the news already. Or Bruce called my father. Either way, he
is only here for his image, not mine.
Monroe stands. “We are just questioning him …”
“In fucking cuffs?” he snaps, interrupting him. “Remove them. Now!”
Trenten runs around the table, not even bothering to wait for an okay from his superior officer.
Yanking me to my feet by my upper arm, he undoes them, and I refrain from rubbing my wrists. I will
not show weakness in front of these men, especially my father.
“Liam …”
“You will call me Mr. Reynolds!” He walks around and grabs my arm, digging his nails into my
skin. “And anything you have to say to my son or me will go through my attorney!” Then he drags me
out of the room.
I rip my arm from his hold as we make our way down the long hallway. He stays quiet as we come
to a room where Deke is sitting. He jumps out of his seat, and we silently exit together. It’s dark out.
Once outside, my father turns to face me. “I don’t give a fuck what you did. You keep your fucking
mouth shut and let me handle it.”
“I already have,” I grind out and walk past him.
His fingers dig into my shirt, and he yanks me to a stop. “What the fuck does that mean, and where
the hell do you think you’re going?”
I get in his face. And his nostrils flare as his blue eyes narrow on me. I hate how much I look like
him. “It means I took care of it myself! And I’m going to the hospital to—”
“No, you’re not!” He interrupts me. “You’re staying as far away from that girl as possible!”
“Gonna stop me?” I arch a brow.
“I’ll let them throw your ass in jail, Cole!” he threatens. “I’ll let them take whatever evidence they
have on you and lock you up forever if that’s what it takes to prove to you that I fucking own you!”
Deke turns away and runs down the stairs. My father smirks, thinking Deke has left me, but he’s
really just going to pull the car around because I’m ready to get the fuck out of here.
I place my hand on his shoulder and return his snide smile. “Go ahead.” Then I jog down the stairs
myself just as my car comes to a quick stop at the curb. I jump in, and Deke hits the gas.
 CHAPTER FIVE
COLE

DEKE AND I run through the sliding hospital doors in a hurry. As we enter the waiting room, Becky
jumps to her feet in a pair of cotton shorts and a T-shirt. She must have been in bed when she heard
the news and headed straight here. Bennett occupies the seat beside her. He went home and changed
as well since we were all at the cemetery.
“Deke?” Becky calls out when she sees him.
“Have you heard anything?” I ask her. I was at the police station for over two hours. And she was
shot over four hours ago.
“No,” she chokes out and shakes her head. Deke pulls her in for a hug. “They haven’t said anything
yet.”
We sit down in the waiting area, and my legs bounce. I run my hands through my hair, and I can’t
seem to think straight. Now that Deke’s and my plan worked, I’m restless. Now what? What if she
doesn’t make it? What if the last time I saw her was when I failed to save her?
I can’t fail again. Not her. Not this time.
I jump to my feet and head to the bathroom. Shoving the door open, I turn on the water and splash
some on my face. My skin is on fire. My muscles tight.
Leaning up against the wall, I cover my face with my hands. They shake, and I can’t seem to catch
my breath.
I was so blind. I missed so much. I didn’t even remember her from when we were kids. But now I
do. How could I have forgotten the first time I ever saw her?

Seven years old

“Boys?” my mother calls out from the other side of our backyard. “Come here.”
Kellan, Deke, and I run over to her. She smiles at us and then looks down to her side at a little
girl. She has a mustard-colored shirt on and dirty jeans. Her brown hair is a mess, and it looks like
her mommy hasn’t brushed it. My mom runs her hands over it as if to try and flatten the tangles.
“Who is she?” I ask.
“This …” She smiles proudly. “Is Austin. She’s gonna be living with Bruce for the summer.” My
mom gives me a pointed look. One I know well. “So play nice with her.” She pats the girl on the
back and walks away.
The green-eyed girl smiles at me, and I pull my lip back. “Austin’s a boy’s name,” I say.
Her smile disappears, and her eyes narrow on me.
“I think it’s pretty,” Kellan says, taking a step toward her.
“No one asked you.” Deke grabs him by the collar and yanks him back.
“Your mom said to be nice to me.” She places her hands on her hips.
“Yeah, well my mom’s not here anymore, is she?” I step forward and shove her backward. She
trips over a rock and falls to her butt. “We don’t play with girls,” I spit out before we walk away.
 If only I could go back, I would change so many things.
“Cole?” Deke calls out, popping his head in.
“What?”
“Shelby is out here …”
I shove past him and into the waiting area. Shelby stands with her back to me, talking to Becky and
Bennett in a pair of light blue scrubs with her blond hair up in a ponytail. “Is she out?” I ask in a rush
as I approach them.
She spins around and gives me a pointed look. “Cole—”
“I didn’t hurt her,” I interrupt Shelby, knowing where she is going with that look. “I promise. I was
trying to save her.”
Her eyes soften, and she sighs. “No.”
I run a hand through my hair nervously. “What the hell is taking so long? Why are you out here?”
Shouldn’t she be helping? I’m not exactly sure what she does here. I never cared until now.
Her lips thin at my question. “Listen, Cole. We both already know that you are not my favorite
person. But I’m also the only way you’ll get any information.” I open my mouth, but she continues.
“You are not family, so I’m breaking the law by telling you anything.”
I take a step back from her and nod. “You’re right. Thank you. I just need to know. Please?”
Her brows rise at my words as if she’s surprised. I’ve never said thank you before or told someone
that they were right. Even if they were. But things are different now.
She takes in a deep breath. “I have to get back to work, but I just wanted to let you know that Dr.
Roberts has removed the bullet. But she has lost a lot of blood and is not out of the woods yet.”
“Oh, dear God.” Becky gasps, placing a hand over her mouth.
“But she’s gonna be okay?” I ask, swallowing hard.
She looks at Deke and then back at me. “I can’t tell you that, Cole.”
“But you just said—”
“She has sustained very serious injuries,” she interrupts me. “Austin was lucky it missed her aorta
’cause she wouldn’t have had a chance. She would have bled to death within minutes.”
Becky spins around and buries herself into Deke’s shirt as she continues to sob. I feel numb.
She lowers her voice. “Austin went a very long time without oxygen to her brain.”
Becky sobs harder as Deke closes his eyes, releasing a long breath, and Bennett’s head drops to
look at the floor. Me? My heart stops, and my eyes begin to sting. I feel like someone is sitting on my
chest. So much pressure …
Shelby begins to pull away from us at our silence. “But everyone is doing everything they can. I
need to get back to work. But I will keep you all updated when I get the chance.” Then she’s gone.
I find my way over to the chairs and fall into one. Bennett sits across from me and keeps his head
bowed. Deke sits beside me and pulls a sobbing Becky onto his lap.
My face falls into my hands, and I try to swallow the lump in my throat. Come on, sweetheart. Just
get through this …
“Has anyone called her mother?” Bennett asks, interrupting my thoughts.
He doesn’t know her past with her mother and her piece of shit boyfriend. “No need to,” I answer,
clearing my throat and dropping my hands. His eyes meet mine, and then he nods once in
understanding. He drops it.
Deke looks over at me and gives me a soft smile. He’s always helping me cover my tracks. That’s
what brothers do.
 Two months ago
Austin and I walk into Bruce’s house hand in hand after a night at the clubhouse. We’ve been on
spring break, so we’ve been able to spend more time together than usual. “Austin? Is that you?”
Celeste asks from the living room.
Austin doesn’t answer. We walk down the hall and into the living room. She comes to halt when
we see two other people on the couch.
My hand tightens on hers immediately because I know exactly who it is. Austin has her dark
green eyes and dark hair. The woman looks older than she should be. Dark circles under her eyes
and face full of wrinkles. You can tell she’s done drugs. Hell, by the way her eyes are dilated right
now, she may be fucking high.
“Mom?” she shrieks. “What the hell are you doing here?”
I’m not sure when she spoke to her last. I haven’t asked. I never do. Just that one time I pushed
her enough to tell me when I went to see her during lunch while she was suspended. She opened up
to me a little bit the morning after her beach party, but that’s it. It wasn’t because I didn’t want to
know. I just saw how painful it was for her to talk about it, so I quit prying. I understand that your
past needs to be buried and forgotten.
Her mother smiles at her. Then she looks at my hand holding hers before she looks me up and
down. Then she looks back at Austin.
Celeste clears her throat and pushes her blond hair behind her ear nervously. “Your mother
wanted to come and give you the good news in person,” she announces.
“Good news?” Austin asks.
Her mother’s smile grows, and she holds out her left hand. “We got married.”
No one says anything. I watch the man who sits next to her mother. Phillip is his name. I
remember it from the morning after her beach party. When she told me about him going through
the photos in her phone. His eyes rake over her in a way that makes my blood boil. Her hair looks
freshly fucked from my hands being in it last night and again this morning. She’s wearing my black
zip-up hoodie and a pair of cotton shorts with her tennis shoes. That’s it. I ripped her shirt and bra
off her last night. At the time, I enjoyed it. Now I want to wrap her up in a blanket. A slow smile
spreads across his face as his eyes land between her legs.
I take a step forward, jerking on her hand. She pulls me to a stop.
“When did this happen?” Austin asks.
Why would her mother come here to tell her this? There’s another reason why she is here, and
it’s not for her daughter.
“Two weeks ago.” She claps her hands. “On St. Paddy’s Day.”
What the fuck? “You married this piece of shit on your daughter’s birthday?” I growl, unable to
keep my mouth shut any longer.
Her mother narrows her eyes on me, and the piece of shit husband stands. “I don’t know who
you are, son, but I’d suggest you not talk to her mother that way.”
I snort. “I’m not your son, and she sure as hell is not a mother to her.”
The woman shoots to her feet. “Who the hell is this, Celeste?” she demands.
“His name is Cole, and he’s my boyfriend,” Austin snaps.
And I smile to myself. Yes, I am, and I will fucking kill both of you!
Celeste runs a hand through her hair. “I think it’s time you and Phillip go.” She clears her
throat. “You got what you were promised.”
“Promised?” I question. There is their motive. Of course, her mother wouldn’t just come to see
her. Even if it was to rub her marriage in her face. All she cares about is what Austin can get her.
Money. And Bruce has plenty of that, but now that Austin is eighteen and about to graduate, that
means no more money for her, so she’s going to cash in before she no longer can.
The man chuckles, throwing his arm over the woman’s shoulders. “It’s adult business, son. You
wouldn’t understand.” Then he looks at Austin. He stares at her eye again. She still has the faint
bruise from Kellan knocking her face into the mirror the night of her birthday party. “Guess I
trained you right.” Then he looks at me and winks.
I fist my hand that’s not holding Austin’s. You’re dead!
“Out!” Celeste snaps.
Austin stands frozen next to me while they exit the room. Celeste follows them out, and Austin’s
heavy breathing fills the large room.
“What the fuck was that?” I demand, releasing her hand.
Celeste joins us once again and sighs. “It’s nothing—”
“Bullshit!” I interrupt her, making Austin jump. “Why the hell were they here and what were
they promised?” I know it has to be money. The question is why? Did Bruce plan on sending her
back? He can’t. She’s eighteen now.
Celeste looks at Austin and then down at the floor.
She can move out of here. Stay with me. They can’t stop her now …
“I don’t want to know,” Austin says softly.
I look at her, and I hate the look of sadness on her face. How her mother, once again, showed
her that she didn’t matter. It was all about the sorry bastard of a husband. “Austin …”
“I don’t care, Cole. Don’t you see? She got what she wanted. She got rid of me, and she got him
to marry her.” She turns and walks out of the room, leaving me alone with Celeste.
“What did you do?” I growl, turning to her.
She places her hands up. “Nothing.”
“Bullshit!” I snap and advance on her. “What the fuck did you do, Celeste?”
She swallows nervously. “Her mother called me the other day …”
“And?” I demand when she trails off.
“And she said that Bruce promised her twenty thousand dollars.”
“That was if he sent her back!” I bark. “And that isn’t happening.” Bruce better not go back on
our deal or I’ll do more than just steal his precious car. I’ll break both of his fucking legs. It didn’t
look like her mother even wanted her back. Hell, she didn’t want her in the first place.
I yank my phone out of my pocket and send a quick text.

Me: You busy?

Deke reads it and responds right away.

Deke: I’m with Becky. What’s up?

Me: I have something that needs to be taken care of.
Deke: I can be ready whenever.
Me: Give me five.

I turn and go to exit the living room when Celeste grabs my arm and pulls me to a stop. “What
are you gonna do?” she asks wide-eyed.
 Something Bruce should have done a long fucking time ago. But I growl, “Nothing.” I’m not
going to tell her anything about what I have planned.
I open Austin’s bedroom door to find her sitting on the end of her bed. I kneel in front of her. “I
gotta go,” I tell her, pushing some hair from her face.
“Where are you going?” she asks softly. “I thought we were gonna take Lilly to the zoo?”
I nod. “Later. I got something I have to go do.” Standing up to my full height, I lean over and
kiss her on the forehead. My phone starts to ring, and I pull it out of my pocket. Deke flashes
across it, but I silence the call. “Why don’t you go and get Lilly and then meet me at the
clubhouse,” I offer, and she nods.
“Here.” She stands and unzips my hoodie, exposing her naked chest to me.
My eyes fall to her tits, and my hands grab her hips. “Are you trying to distract me?” My voice
is rough and my cock now hard. It’s working.
“No,” she answers. “Just thought you would want it back.”
I lean down and kiss her cheek. Then my eyes meet hers. She’s waiting for me to tell her where
I’m going, but she’s not going to get it. Some things are better left unknown. And as much as I hate
to leave her, I have something that needs to be done. I turn and walk out of her room. As I exit the
front door, I call Deke back.
“Hey, man. What’s up?” He answers on the second ring.
I throw my car into gear and squeal the tires, driving around the five-tier fountain. “Austin’s
mother is in town. With her new husband.”
“Okay,” he says slowly.
I take in a deep breath. I haven’t told Deke what I know about Austin and her now stepdad. Only
Shane knows, and as far as I’m concerned, he’s kept his mouth shut. “They were waiting for Austin
when we walked into Bruce’s house.”
“And?”
“And they need to be taken care of,” I answer. It’s that simple.
“Where do you want me to meet you?” he asks without hesitation.
And just like that, he offers his help. That is why Deke is my best friend. He’s down for anything
at any time.
It wasn’t hard for us to find them. We went to the cheapest hotel Collins offers, which was right
outside of town, closest to the airport, and there they were. Deke and I watched them enter their
room at the very end of the property. There weren’t many cars in the parking lot, which works in
our favor, but we couldn’t do anything about it at the time. I wasn’t going to risk getting caught.
We came up with a solid plan, and I rushed back to the clubhouse to shower and get ready to go
out with Austin and Lilly to the zoo. I ended up punching the wall while in the shower, busting my
knuckles open. When Austin showed up, she looked down at them. I knew what she was thinking,
but I didn’t admit anything, and she didn’t come out and ask. I would have lied anyway.
Later that evening after Austin went home, Deke came over and picked me up, and we went and
sat outside of the hotel room, waiting for the right time.
We had our duffle bags with us. I knocked on the door like anyone else would, and Phillip
opened it. Shoving the door into his face, I knocked him back into the room. Deke slammed the
door shut. He had her face down on the bed before she could even scream. He placed duct tape
over her mouth and then used the tape to tie her hands behind her back along with her ankles. I
did the same with the husband. And then we threw hoods over their heads and shoved them into the
back of Deke’s SUV. We took them to the docks where our fathers kept their yachts. There is an
abandoned warehouse back there that they used to load and unload the shipping containers. They
built a new one on the other side of town but haven’t demolished this one yet. No one ever goes
there.
We drag them out of the back of the SUV and bring them into a small room that was once an
office. A blue tarp covers the concrete floor. Deke was already here earlier while I was at the zoo
with Austin and Lilly.
We sit them each in a chair and yank the hood off the woman. She kicks and thrashes in her
chair while Deke pulls the rope out of his duffle bag and wraps it around her chest, stomach, and
then her legs to tie her to the chair, making sure she can’t kick us or get up.
We turn to face her husband. He still has his hood on.
I rip it off, and he looks up at me with tears running down his face. He looks at his wife. She
screams behind her taped mouth. Tears run down her face.
He jumps to his feet. We didn’t tie him to the chair because where’s the fun in that?
I toss the bastard into his arms. Deke pulls the man’s back to his front. One arm wraps around
his waist, the other goes to clamp his nose, planning on suffocating him. He fights him, shaking his
head.
“No.” I stop him. “That would be too easy.”
Deke chuckles and leans down to whisper in the guy’s ear. “I don’t know what you did to piss
him off, but thanks.”
I start digging through his pockets. I smile when I come to a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. I
remove one and let the rest fall to the tarp-covered floor.
“You know, smoking will kill you,” I say, placing it between my lips.
I take the Zippo lighter, flip it open, and light the end of the cigarette, then take a long drag.
Fuck, it’s been almost a year since I’ve had one. I forgot how potent nicotine can be. I’m surprised
I don’t miss it. “I used to smoke when I drank.” He starts rambling nonsense behind his gag. Blood
runs down his busted nose from where I hit it with the hotel door. “Then Deke here dared me to
smoke an entire pack one night.” I smile at that memory. “Well, let’s just say I never touched them
after that.”
I frown when I take another drag. “It’s not the same anymore.” Nodding to Deke, I order, “Hold
his head back.”
Deke grips his chin with his free hand, yanking his head back, and he laughs when Phillip
struggles. The guy still has his hands tied behind his back and his ankles bound together. He’s not
going anywhere.
Stepping up to him, I glare down at the man who is about to die. “You touched what’s mine.
Know what I do to men who fuck with my toy?” His brown eyes widen as tears run down his face
and over the tape that covers his mouth.
“You’re about to learn,” Deke singsongs with a wicked smile on his face.
“I fuck them up twice as hard.” I press the lit cigarette to his neck, right over his racing pulse,
and hold it there.
He struggles in Deke’s grasp and screams out behind the tape, but Deke’s hold doesn’t loosen. I
remove the cigarette and let it fall to my feet. “Let him go,” I growl, taking a step back from them.
He drops to his knees on the tarp, head bowed, and his shoulders shake from his sobs.
“Fucking pathetic.” Deke spits on him.
I reach up and remove my shirt, tossing it to the floor. I hunch down and grip his chin, making
him look up at me. “I’ve always been the kind of guy who prefers the fight and likes the sting from
a punch. But you’re gonna be the exception.” Then I swing and hit him on the side of the face. His
head snaps to the left, and his body falls flat to the tarp.
“Turn him over,” I order.
Deke grabs his hip and rolls him over onto his back, his tied wrists now underneath his weight. I
walk over to my black bag and unzip it. Pulling out the knife, I hold it up to inspect it. It’s the same
one I used to cut Austin’s forearm when I tried to blackmail her. He thrashes on the tarp, his wide
eyes looking up at me. “Sit on him.”
Deke drops to straddle his chest, facing his legs. I bend down and undo the belt and zipper of
his pants, then yank them down his shaking legs as he mumbles against his gag. He wears a pair of
white boxer briefs, and it gives me an idea. There’s no telling how many times he jacked off to the
thought of Austin.
I remember what she once told me. “I walked into my bedroom one day and found Phillip going
through my photos in my phone. Photos that I had taken of myself and sent to Martin. After that, I knew
I needed to put a lock on it that he wouldn’t be able to guess. Retina scanner was the best bet.”
Yeah, the bastard had definitely jacked off to her. I sit on his legs to keep them from moving. He
struggles underneath our weight, but it’s useless. “Does this turn you on?” I ask. Blood pours from
the wound, and he screams out into the duct tape.
One time, Maddox dared Shane to swim in the ocean late at night. He cut himself on something,
and we had to take him to Shelby. I remember her cussing at how stupid we were and how close the
cut was to his femoral artery. She told us he would have bled out in three to five minutes had it
been a little to the left and hit his femoral artery.
I cut this sorry bastard in the same exact spot. Who knew our dares would teach us so much. Not
sure which one will cause death at this point.
Then I trail the knife a little higher, hovering over his limp dick. Deke chuckles darkly as he
reaches down and wraps his hand around the head and stretches it out. “You won’t be needing this
anymore,” he says.
Phillip begins to thrash underneath us. I smile before placing the blade at the base of his dick
and slicing through the flesh.
A muffled howl comes out of him. The woman screams while she watches in horror, waiting her
turn.
Deke tosses the dick to the side. I signal for Deke to get off him, and I toss the knife away as
well. I’ll let him bleed a little before I finish him off with my bare hands.
He sobs behind his gag, and his body shakes uncontrollably. Tears run down his face mixed with
snot. I smile down at him as the smell of his blood fills the room.
“I wish Austin were here to see this.” I smile. Then I order, “Stand him up.”
Deke pulls him to his feet, no problem, and the guy shakes his head quickly. I raise my fists and
smile with excitement. This is exactly what I needed—a fight.
“You should have kept your hands to yourself.” Then I punch him, and I don’t stop. I punch him
in the face over and over as I picture his hands on a younger Austin. I see her begging him to stop.
I see no one there to help her. To care for her.
When I finally get to the point that my shoulder screams and I’m out of breath, the fucker is
dead. His face no longer recognizable. I’m panting, and my body is covered in sweat and blood.
I’m physically exhausted.
When his body lies limp in Deke’s arms, he tosses him to the tarp. I lower my bloody hands and
sway on my feet.
 Deke now stands off to the right, his legs wide and arms crossed over his chest. His blue eyes
are narrowed on my latest victim. “He touched Austin?” It’s the first time he’s asked why I wanted
him to help me kill two people he didn’t even know.
I swallow the lump in my throat. My answer is breathless. “Yes.”
“For how long?”
I haven’t questioned her much on it because I know it’s a sensitive subject, but I would say once
he started, he never stopped. “First time, she was ten.”
“Fuck!” he snaps, taking a step back. “If I had known, I would have never—”
“I know,” I interrupt him, knowing he is referring to that first night in the cemetery when he
undid her jeans. Deke might be a lot of things, but a rapist isn’t one of them. That was just to scare
her.
I turn to her mother. “Your turn.”
“What do we have in here?” Deke asks, opening the bathroom bag we found in their hotel.
We cleared out everything; that way, when housekeeping comes by in the morning, they will
think they bailed. Deke pulls out a syringe, a red rubber band, a spoon, aluminum foil, the inside
of what looks like a makeup compact that’s been washed out, a Q-tip, and lastly, rubbing alcohol.
Then he pulls out a small round container and opens it to find a ball of heroin.
“Fuck! You guys are hardcore.” Deke whistles. “I like it.” He looks at all of it and nods a few
times. “You know, I’ve never done heroin, but I’ve seen kids use it at parties before.” He takes the
Q-tip and tosses it to the side. “You won’t be needing this.”
He places the ball of heroin on the spoon and then takes a lighter to heat it up. Once it’s
liquefied, he draws the heroin into the syringe.
“Where do you want it?” he asks, turning to her in the chair.
She struggles, eyes wide and tears running down her face. I run my hands over her arms tied
behind her back and to the chair. Her body shakes as she stares at her husband’s dead body. She
has track marks all over her skin.
“I don’t think she’s picky. Most junkies aren’t.”
“Well, lucky for her, I’ve watched the kids at school do it enough.” He drops to his knees before
her and rips off a shoe and sock. “Hold this,” he orders, holding up the syringe.
I take it from him while he wraps the band around her ankle to tie it off. He holds out his hand
once he’s satisfied, and I hand it back to him. He pulls her toes apart and inserts the needle
between them, slowly injecting it into her. He then puts everything back in the bag and zips it up.
We stand and watch her body go limp. Within seconds, her head is bowed, her dark hair
covering her face. Deke grips it and yanks her head back so we can see her. Her eyes are half
open, and sweat covers her forehead. Her body jerks involuntarily.
“Think she’s vomiting?” he asks.
“Possibly,” I offer. Fuck if I know. I’ve never done drugs before.
“She’s pissed herself.” He observes her wet pants. “Hey?” He taps the side of her face, but she
doesn’t show any response, and he frowns. “Well, this didn’t take as long as I thought it would.”
I sit in the chair that the bastard occupied and watch her mother die. It’s pretty quick if you ask
me. And too easy. She died by something that she loved.
“Come on. We’ve got to get rid of them.”
 CHAPTER SIX
COLE

SITTING IN THE waiting room, we’re all restless at this point. Becky cries, and Deke tries to
console her. Bennett sits with his head down and his arms crossed over his chest. I’m pretty sure he’s
passed out. I just got off the phone with Blanche and told her that I didn’t know when I would be
home and to take Lilly to her house later on today. I don’t want my sister alone with my father during
this time.
I look up from my phone when I see Shane entering the double sliding glass doors. Shooting to my
feet causes Deke to look up. He does the same.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” I snap.
Bennett does a little snort, waking himself up. His head pops up, and he wipes some drool off his
chin with the back of his hand before he too stands. “What’s going on?” he asks roughly before
clearing his throat and trying to focus his eyes on his surroundings.
I look at him. “I don’t know. You tell me.” What all did he say to Shane?
He holds his hands up when he sees Shane standing there. “I haven’t said anything—”
“I saw the news,” Shane interrupts him and then looks at me. “Hours ago. I’ve been calling you
guys. Why aren’t you answering?”
I don’t respond. He should know how to take a fucking hint. Also, I didn’t have my phone while I
was being interrogated. I left it with Deke on purpose, knowing they would take it from me while I
was in custody. He didn’t give it back until a few minutes ago for me to call Blanche.
His jaw clenches at my silence, knowing he’s not going to get shit from me. He takes a quick look
around the waiting area, and then asks, “Where’s Kellan?”
Silence follows again. Shane steps up to me, his eyes narrowing. “Where. Is. Kellan?”
I take a step toward him, closing the small distance. “Why don’t you ask—”
“Cole!” Deke interrupts me and yanks me back by my upper arm. “I’ll talk to him.”
“It’s none of his business,” I snap.
Shane lets out a rough laugh. “Did you make him disappear, Cole? Is that why his phones are off,
and he’s nowhere to be found?”
“He fucking shot her!” I yell.
Bennett walks over to Shane, grabs his shirt, and all but drags him out the double doors.
Deke comes to stand before me. “You need to calm down, man,” he whispers harshly. His eyes
search the room, probably looking to see how many people are watching us. “Cole?” I stare past him
to the doors. He reaches up and slaps my face. Not hard enough to hurt but enough to get my attention.
“Listen to me! If you make a scene and get kicked out of here, then that’s it. You’re done.” He places
his hands on my upper arms. “The police are just looking for a reason to lock you up, so keep your
shit together just a little longer.”
“What is going on?” Becky asks, confused about what just happened.
I shove Deke out of the way and storm out the sliding glass doors to see Shane and Bennett walking
down the sidewalk to the side parking lot. “Did you fucking know what he was gonna do?” I demand.
They come to a stop, and Shane spins around to face me.
 “Shit!” Bennett hisses under his breath.
I storm over to them, coming face to face with Shane, and shove at his chest. “Did you fucking
know?”
He stumbles backward but gets his footing before he falls to his ass. Bummer.
I hear the doors slide open behind me. “Cole, don’t—”
“No,” I interrupt Deke. “If he wants to be a part of this group, then he’s going to fucking tell me.”
“Group? What group?” Shane demands, throwing his arms out wide. “You guys have completely
lost your fucking minds.”
I fist my busted knuckles. They sting, but I’m ready for more. “No! Kellan lost his mind the moment
he decided to want what was mine!”
He throws his head back, letting out a loud laugh that makes my brows rise. He knows something.
When his eyes meet mine again, his laughter dies. “She was never yours. His plan all along was to
make her his.”
I go to jump him, but an arm wraps around me, and I’m hauled backward. “Cut it out!” Deke
growls in my ear. “You’re causing a scene!” Then he whispers, “He could be lying just to get you
wound up.”
I shake him off but make no move to kick the shit out of Shane. I don’t want to make a scene. I just
want answers, and I’m used to getting them with my fists.
Bennett stands beside Shane. “He remembered her,” Shane spits out. “He wanted her! He was only
fucking Celeste for his own revenge on Bruce!”
“What did Bruce do to him?” Deke asks.
He laughs, shaking his head. “It doesn’t fucking matter. None of it fucking matters anymore.” Then
he turns and walks away, and I allow it. Because my biggest battle is waiting behind me, lying in a
hospital bed. And although I’ve never had to pick my battles before, I know that she is the one I want
to win.

_______________

IT’S BEEN SIX hours since she called me, and the clock on the wall reads a little after five a.m. Shelby
notified us when she was out of surgery, but I haven’t been able to see her yet. All I can do is sit here
in the waiting room and pray that Shelby can pull some strings to get me back there to her room. If not,
I’ll have to sneak my way in. I’m not above breaking a few rules to see her.
Becky lies passed out in a seat across from me with Deke’s jacket over her like a blanket. Bennett
sips on his third cup of coffee. He reappeared alone after shit went down outside and never
mentioned Shane after that. And I haven’t cared enough to ask. Deke is to my right on his phone when
a familiar voice comes through the silent waiting room.
“Cole! Oh God, Cole …” Austin’s voice cries out.
“What the fuck?” I demand as my head snaps over to look at him.
Deke silences his phone and shifts uncomfortably in his seat.
“What the fuck was that?” I question stupidly. I know exactly what it was. And I want to kick
myself in the ass for forgetting about it until just now.
He sighs. “It was the recording of you guys in the bathroom the night we went to the party to get
Austin. The video popped up on my Facebook.”
 Four months ago

Deke and I come up to Nate Wax’s parents’ house. I sit shotgun in his Range Rover as “Born
Ready” by Zayde Wolf plays. This party I’ve heard about for the last two weeks looks to be in full
swing. Deke got over a hundred invites to it on his Facebook. The GWS are invited to every party,
but that doesn’t mean we go. When we decide to show up, they consider themselves fucking lucky
that we grace them with our presence.
“What’s the plan?” Deke asks. He came over to my house while I was doing some laps to show
me a pic of the girls out at a party. “We gonna drag her out kicking and screaming?”
Good question. And I don’t really have an answer at the moment. I told her not to go to this
fucking party! And what does she do? Whatever she wants! She’s going to learn real quick that this
shit doesn’t fly with me. “No, that would defeat the purpose of proving to everyone that she
belongs to me.” She has to come willingly.
“True.”
“Here.” Getting an idea, I dig my phone out of my pocket and hand it to him.
“What am I gonna do with this?” he asks, looking down at it.
“Just be ready to record.” I’ll figure something out. Everyone needs to know that she’s mine,
and nobody better fucking touch her! What better way than to blast it to the ones who always have
their faces in their phones?
“Okay. What exactly?”
I look back over at the mansion and find myself smiling. I’m gonna teach you a lesson,
sweetheart. One that you won’t forget. “I’m about to up the game.”
“Meaning?”
“She’ll challenge me.” I know her well enough to know she’ll push me, especially if she’s drunk.
And not like it’ll be hard for her to want me. She begged me to fuck her just last week at my party.
That video is still getting hits from what Deke showed me yesterday. “Record whatever you can
get, then send it to yourself. Depending on what she does, you can upload it tomorrow.”
He nods. “And Becky?”
“What about her?” I ask. She’s not my problem. In fact, she’s my help. I climb out of his SUV but
smile to myself. “Actually, you should make your move.”
“What? She’s with David.” He shakes his head.
“I heard he dumped her over winter break.” I may not talk to people, but that doesn’t mean I
don’t listen when they’re running their fucking mouths.
“Really?” he asks excitedly.
I just nod. Not like it mattered. She wasn’t faithful, but only me and a few others know that. One
more loose end I can tie up between Austin and me. Her best friend dating a GWS? She’ll still feel
outnumbered. It won’t take long for Deke to convince Becky to love him. I know Deke Biggs. He’ll
pull out all the stops. And Austin will have no one to help her escape me.

Present

“Delete it,” I snap.

When I had him record us together, it was to prove to the school that she belonged to me. I wanted
to degrade her as part of my plan to destroy her. But now? Everyone knows she’s mine. And after
Kellan mentioned how he had gotten off so many times listening to it, I want it gone. I didn’t really
know she was going to let me fuck her in the bathroom when I walked into that party that night. Shove
her up against a wall and make out with her? Yes! But fuck her? She surprised me when she allowed
me to go that far, but of course, like the jackass I am, I didn’t stop it. I wanted her. There was no
reason to deny it at that point.
Becky sits up and rubs her eyes. “What are you guys talking about?” she asks through a yawn.
We all ignore her. “Delete it right fucking now!” I order.
“I am,” Deke informs me, his fingers rushing over his iPhone.
“What?” she asks, looking back and forth between us. “You didn’t … you didn’t upload that
video.” Guess she wasn’t in that deep of a sleep.
He doesn’t look up at her.
“Deke?” she growls. “Tell me you didn’t upload that video!”
He stops typing and finally looks up from his phone. “I did.”
“No.” She shakes her head. “I saw it posted on Evan Scott’s page.”
He says nothing. Bennett pretends to be more interested in the ceiling suddenly. I hold in a sigh.
This isn’t going to end well, and we don’t have time for this shit.
“Deke!” She stands, getting aggravated and tosses his jacket to the hospital floor. “Austin asked me
if I knew you had posted it, and I said you didn’t. When she argued that you confessed to recording it,
I said you must have sent it to someone else to upload. So how can you delete it?”
His jaw sharpens.
She takes in a deep breath. “Deke …”
“I’m Evan Scott.” He drops the bomb.
She just stares at him. Her wide blue eyes are in shock at first, but you can see the anger take over
her features. She bites down on her bottom lip, probably to keep from yelling at him inside the quiet
waiting area. She may be in love with Deke Biggs, but Becky doesn’t know the real him. No one
knows the real GWS.
I wonder what he would think of her if he knew her secret. The only thing is that I’m a part of that
secret too.
He stands, pocketing his phone. “Becky …”
She spins around and storms out the double doors, and he goes running after her.
I look at Bennett. “Make sure that video is nowhere to be found.” Deke didn’t get it done.
He nods once and pulls his phone out. “And the other one? The first one of you two when we threw
that party …?”
“Make it disappear too.” I want no trace of her on social media. “Hack into her account and delete
it.” She may hate me for it when she wakes up, but it is what’s best for her.
Word has gotten out about Kellan being the one who shot her, not me. It’s been all over the news.
They have a manhunt out to find him. I turned the TV in the waiting room off hours ago because I
couldn’t watch it anymore. They had taken a picture from her Facebook and plastered it along with
the story all over Collins.
Teenage boy sleeping with best friend’s girlfriend and her stepmom. One woman dead and the
other in critical condition. No suspects currently in custody.
I almost threw my chair at the TV when I saw that headline. News spreads fast in a town like this,
and they always twist the story, no matter how much they have to lie to do it.
I know firsthand what they will do.
I had laid in the hospital bed hooked up to machines with my left wrist handcuffed to the railing.
They acted like I was going to get up and run out of there after the car wreck. I couldn’t even if I
wanted to. I didn’t understand just how badly I was injured until I went to stand. The paramedics had
ripped Eli from my arms and helped me to my feet only for me to collapse. I couldn’t breathe. My
legs no longer worked, my vision was blurry, and my head began to pound.
They called the headache I got after my car crash a post-traumatic headache, and it was crippling.
They said that the adrenaline rush caused it to delay. That was just one of the things wrong with me.
They said I had a collapsed lung as well. I woke up hours later in the hospital to the TV playing in my
room.

“Three teenage boys dead after allegedly drunk driving.” The reporter stands in the middle of
the street, my car still upside down. The flashing lights from all the police vehicles, fire trucks, and
paramedics light up the night around her.
“One witness stated that she saw them leave the party where they had been previously drinking
all evening. It’s not clear if they were road racing …”
I close my eyes and try to take a deep breath, but it hurts. Everything hurts.
“Cole?”
I open my heavy eyes to see my father burst into my room. His eyes narrow on me, and an officer
enters behind him. It may be the middle of the night, but he’s dressed like he just closed a
multimillion-dollar deal. “Release him.”
“Mr. Reynolds, I don’t think …”
“Release him right now!” he barks.
The officer unlocks my left wrist. I’m pretty sure they would have cuffed my right wrist if my
arm wasn’t in a sling from surgery. They said surgery isn’t usually needed for a broken collarbone,
but the way it broke required screws. My now free hand falls to my side. I don’t even have the
strength to hold it up. The meds make me sluggish but don’t mask the pain.
“Sir, your son is under arrest. Once he’s discharged, I will transport him to the police station
for booking.”
My father steps up to him, and the officer swallows nervously. “Make this go away, or you
will.”
The officer narrows his eyes on my father and goes to open his mouth, but the door opens, and
my father’s longtime best friend, Detective Monroe, enters my room. My eyes begin to get heavy.
“Officer Lawrence, you may leave.”
“But …”
“You’re done here,” Detective Monroe barks.
I blink, watching the young guy stomp out of my room like a child not getting his way. I try to
keep my eyes open, but my heavy lids won’t stay up. The drugs they give me knock me out for hours
at a time, which is fine. All the TV channels are reporting on my dead friends, and how there
should have been four bodies, not three. I can’t help but agree with them.
“You know this isn’t what it seems,” my father snaps.
My eyes close, unable to remain open anymore.
“Liam, Cole gave a statement …”
I try to open them, but they refuse to cooperate.
“I don’t give a fuck what he said. Fucking fix it, or you will find yourself without a fucking
job!”
Then everything goes black.
 “Cole?”
I blink, jumping to my feet when I see Shelby standing before me. “Can I see her?” I ask in a rush.
She nods and looks at Bennett. “Austin has been moved up to ICU, which is on the fifth floor.”
Then she looks back at me. “I can get you in her room, but just you for now. There is a waiting area up
there, though, so your friends can wait there if they want.”
Bennett and I follow her up to the ICU. I send Deke a quick message because he never returned
after chasing Becky out of the waiting room.
We drop Bennett off in the waiting area, and then I follow her through a new set of doors. A nurses’
station sits in the middle of the circular room with individual rooms surrounding it. Shelby and I come
to a stop, and she turns to face me.
“I just want you to be prepared.”
“For what?” My stomach drops.
Her blue eyes search my face. “She will have a tube down her throat. One in her chest and an IV in
her arm.” She places a hand on my shoulder. “She doesn’t look like the Austin you know.”
Anything is better than her lying on her father’s kitchen floor dead. As long as she’s fighting, that’s
all I care about.
She opens the door, and I step into the cold room. It’s small. The sound of the beeping coming from
her machines bounces off the sterile walls. Seeing her lying there in the bed, I realize Shelby was
right. I don’t recognize her. She looks pale. Bruises cover her once flawless skin from when Kellan
slammed her head into the marble floor and choked her. I didn’t see them earlier, but she was covered
in so much blood. Now that they have cleaned her, everything is visible.
I walk over and sit down in the chair beside her bed. “When will she wake up?” I ask roughly.
“We have her in a drug-induced coma.”
“Why?” I swallow over the lump in my throat.
“She has cerebral edema or swelling of the brain. She’s receiving medication in her IV to reduce
it. We will monitor her, and once it goes down, we will wean her off the sedation.”
My chest tightens, and my words come out as a whisper. “And if it doesn’t?”
She doesn’t answer. Instead, she pats my shoulder and then walks out, leaving me alone with her.
I grab Austin’s cold hand. It’s so small in mine. I lift it and kiss her knuckles, and it reminds me of
that morning on the steps of the church. How much I hated her then. How much I wanted to see her
broken. And look at her now. I almost killed her. I want her to open her eyes and tell me to go to hell,
but I’m already there. I’ve been there for a month now while she paraded around with Myers. He
didn’t deserve her, but neither did I. That doesn’t stop me from loving her, though. I’m still being a
selfish prick. I want her. I need her. She must live. For me.
The worst part about it is that she saw this coming. She knew all along that I was going to hurt her
that night in my father’s game room when I threw her that party. When I blackmailed her into joining
the group.

She straightens her red sweater, and I love that she wore it for me. “But you don’t have a choice
about joining us,” I tell her.
She stomps her foot. “Why does it matter so much to you?”
Because we need you. “You’ll have fun.”
“I’ll get arrested. Possibly die.”

“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” I whisper, blinking a couple of times. “I just need you to wake up.” I run
my free hand over her forehead. It’s the only place that I can really touch on her face because there’s
tape over her cheeks to keep the ventilator in place. “Just wake …” A knot forms in my throat, and I
try to swallow it. “And I’ll take care of you.”
 CHAPTER SEVEN
COLE

IT’S BEEN THREE days since the shooting, and I haven’t left the hospital. Shelby kicks me out of
Austin’s room during the night, but I never make it past the waiting area. I brush my teeth in the
bathroom and splash some water on my face and call it good. I’m starting to smell and am exhausted,
but I’m not going home. Blanche takes care of Lilly, and I talk to her on FaceTime several times a day.
Even Becky goes over and sees her for me. Last night, she took Lilly out for ice cream.
I sit in her small window with my feet propped up on the windowsill, looking over Collins. You
can’t see much from here. The hospital sits on the back side of town on a cliff, facing the ocean. I’ve
never really stopped to appreciate how pretty the landscape is or how it goes as far as the eye can
see. It reminds me of Austin. Gorgeous to the view, but you don’t know just how dark it can get. How
deep it can go. She surprised me with every turn, fought me with everything she had, and I loved it. I
had thought I could take this scared little girl and turn her into my own personal game, but she ended
up turning the tables on me and made me fall in love with her. She made me need her more than she
ever needed me, and I hate that I couldn’t admit that to her sooner.
“It’s done,” Bennett announces, entering her room and my thoughts. Shelby started letting our
friends come back into her room yesterday. As long as we stay quiet and don’t cause any problems,
we won’t get kicked out during the day.
I look over at him. “All of them?”
He nods. “The original recordings have been erased, but you know if some pervert saved them to
his phone and uploads them later, I can’t help that.” My eyes narrow on him. “But I’ll keep my eyes
open. Have you watched the news?” He changes the subject.
I shake my head. I refuse to turn the TV on.
He walks over, picks up the remote to the bed, and hits the button for the TV that hangs on the wall.
“The news broke an hour ago.”
I look up at it to see multiple officers leading Bruce out of his office downtown with his wrists
cuffed behind his back. He’s dressed in one of his ten thousand-dollar suits and walking with his head
down. I’d like to see him buy his way out of this one. Officers and cop cars swarm the streets along
with the media.
“Why did you kill those kids?” one reporter asks, shoving a microphone into his face. “Did you
know that Cole Reynolds was in that car?” another asks.
Of course, he did. It was my car we were in.
“Did you know that your wife was having an affair with the underage boy?” another asks. “He still
hasn’t been found. Did you kill him too?”
The reporters have run with this story in all different directions. It’s worked more in our favor than
we had hoped.
“And what about your business partners? Jeff and Jerrold?”
The town knows Jerrold is dead. They said his death was accidental. But they’ll never find Jeff’s
body. Austin took care of that for us. The town just speculates that Jeff’s embezzlement of JJ’s
Properties has caused him to run off.
 Still sitting in the windowsill, I bow my head and run my hands through my hair. I’m exhausted.
You don’t get any sleep in hospitals. Austin still hasn’t woken up, and Shelby quit giving me updates.
They come and wheel her out for tests periodically, but no matter how many questions I ask, she just
responds with, “These things take time.”
“Have you been to see your daughter?” one reporter asks Bruce as the officer places a hand on his
head and puts him in the back of a police car. “I hear the cops want to question her …”
“Turn it off,” I order roughly, and then silence comes over the room.
I look up when the door opens, and I shoot to my feet when my father enters her room. His
shoulders are pulled back, and his nose is in the air. Shelby follows behind him.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” I demand. He hasn’t tried to contact me once since he pulled
me out of the interrogation room. And neither have the police.
He straightens his tie. He wears his usual expensive Armani suit and a scowl on his face. They go
hand in hand.
“Cole, I’m sorry—”
“For what?” I interrupt Shelby and ask again. “What the fuck are you doing?” Why is he here? He
doesn’t care about Austin. Hell, he doesn’t even care about me.
He looks over at Austin lying in her bed still hooked up to the machines that help her stay alive. “I
just wanted to check on her …”
“Bullshit!” I snap, making my way over to the end of her bed and blocking his view of her.
He reaches into his suit jacket and pulls out a folded piece of paper and hands it to Shelby. She
swallows nervously. My heart begins to beat rapidly.
“Since Bruce Lowes has been arrested, he has made me power of attorney over Austin.”
My heart stops completely at his words. “That’s illegal.” It has to be. “She’s over eighteen and not
a relative of yours.” I’m not an attorney, but I know enough to know he’s a lying piece of shit. “And
he’s in jail, not dead.” If anything, the doctors would decide her care. Not her father’s best friend.
He smirks and rips the paper from her hands. “Leave us,” he orders, and Shelby all but runs out of
the room. Bennett stays, waiting for my instructions. I nod to him, and he follows, leaving us alone.
“What are you doing?” I demand.
He calmly walks over to the only chair that was once by her bed but has been moved up against the
wall. He sits down in it and places his right ankle on his left knee. “I spoke to Bruce earlier before he
was arrested. He informed me that she may not make it.”
“You expect me to believe that he cares enough about her health to call up here and check on her
status?” I don’t let him answer. “And he’s wrong. She’s going to be fine.” I lie because I need it to be
true. More than anything in this world.
He smiles. “His friends aren’t limited to the police force of Collins, son.”
I hate when he calls me son. Who the hell does Bruce know in this hospital? Are they a threat to
her? Will he pay them to hurt her further? To fuck up her care and make it look like an accident?
“Just like you. You’re very lucky you have Shelby here, or you wouldn’t know shit about her care.
Or be allowed in this room.”
I grind my teeth, hating to hear the truth. “What is it that you want? Did Bruce send you?”
Who knows what that bastard is up to now. He must know that the laptop came from me. I was
arrested, and then three days later, Bruce was arrested due to evidence on a laptop that he knew was
stolen. I think he was onto us all along. Writing Austin a check from one of the accounts we had
drained wasn’t a subtle hint. The question is why didn’t he act faster? Or maybe this was his plan.
Hell, for all we know, the bastard was paying Kellan to take out his wife and daughter.
 Liam looks back at her lying in bed. “For a while, I thought she was mine.”
“What are you talking about?” I ask, rubbing my temples. I need some fucking sleep. Or some laps
in a pool. They always help me relax.
“Austin.”
My eyes snap to his, and I snort, not surprised to hear he slept with that druggie. I always knew he
was never faithful to my mother.
When he smiles up at me, it’s full of appreciation. And it makes me tense. “You are so much like
me, Cole.”
“I’m nothing like you,” I growl.
He stands and adjusts his suit jacket. “I used your mother too. Just like you used Austin.” My heart
begins to pound, and my breathing picks up. “I must admit it took her longer to fall in love with you,
though.”
“You don’t know anything about Austin and me,” I decide to say. I don’t even know how she feels
about me. I never told her I loved her. I never even treated her like I loved her. All I did was control
her and then push her away. She should hate me. I deserve that.
He gives a soft laugh. “You can’t possibly think that I don’t know what you and your friends were
doing? You weren’t secretive about your plans for her. Hell, even Bruce saw it.”
My chest tightens. No one even tried to stop me. No one tried to intervene and save her.
He sighs. “But then you went and fell in love with her too. Disappointing me once again.”
I smile at that. “Like father, like son.”
Instead of showing his anger, he looks over my swollen and busted knuckles. Shelby has tried to
care for them several times, saying I need stitches, but I keep blowing her off. They’ll heal over time.
They always do.
He leans in to whisper, “I imagine her mother will never be found. Like Kellan. And Jeff.” My jaw
clenches, and he laughs. “You guys think you own this town? That you were the only sharks in these
waters?” He shakes his head. “Who do you think taught you how to kill? How to hunt?” He gives me a
threatening smile, and it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. “Don’t get me wrong. I am
proud of you, son. You’ve done well for yourself. And you did me a favor by getting rid of Bruce.”
I bet I did. “I’m sure he knows all your secrets.”
He nods. “He knew enough.”
I take a step forward, closing the small space between us. We both stand eye to eye at six feet two.
“And what about his secrets, Dad? Did you know this whole time that he paid to have me killed?” I
have to ask. “See, I thought that you fought to keep me out of prison because you were afraid that
having a son in jail would lose you multimillion-dollar deals. But maybe it was because you didn’t
want them to investigate and get your best friend in trouble.”
He knew I wasn’t at fault, but he never tried to get me to confess. Or even bothered to ask who was
really driving.

“What were you thinking?” my father snaps at me while we stand in his office.
I say nothing.
“You could have ruined your life! You’re lucky that I have pull in this town, or you would be
spending your life in prison.”
“Lucky?” I can’t help but ask. “Three of my friends are dead!”
“But you’re not!!” He slaps his checkbook down on his desk. “Fuck, you know what this town
thinks of you now? I mean, they already knew that you were a fuckup. Now they know you as a
murderer.”
“Because I am!” I shout. “I killed them!”
“Don’t you fucking say that!” he barks, pointing his finger at me. “You keep that shit to
yourself!” He falls into his seat and sighs. Then he looks at my right arm that is in a sling. His
eyes narrow on it. He knows I wasn’t driving. I lied to the cops. The paramedics. Everyone. And no
one questioned it. But he knows. Nothing gets past him. “Eli’s funeral is tomorrow.”
I swallow around the knot in my throat. I’ve already missed the others. Landen was cremated,
and Maddox’s was held while I was still in the hospital. “What time?”
“Doesn’t matter. You’re not going.”
My jaw tightens. “Yes, I am—”
“This is not up for discussion.” He interrupts me. “You are not going to his funeral. The entire
town is going to be there, and you think they want to see the boy they all think killed him?”
I look away from him, hoping he doesn’t see the tears that sting my eyes. “I made him a
promise.” I have to check on Aimee. Eli was so sure that something was wrong with her, and I can’t
let him down. Not now. I just got released and haven’t had the chance to get over to his house to
grab his computer and see what he was talking about, her not being safe. What Jerrold does to her
when no one is looking.
My eyes find his again when he doesn’t speak right away. He watches a tear roll down my cheek
with disgust. I hate that for once I look so weak in front of him.
“You should have thought about that before you took the fall.” He stands from his desk and
crosses his arms over his chest. “You made a decision, and now you must face the consequences.”

The next day while the whole town was at Eli’s funeral, Deke and I set three crosses at the scene of
the accident. We silently cried and said our own goodbyes to our brothers.
Liam places his hands on my shoulders, and I stiffen. “It doesn’t matter why I did it,” he finally
answers.
I shove his hands off me. He’ll never tell me. Even if he were to answer, it would be a lie. “Did
you know Celeste killed Mom?”
The corners of his lips turn up before he looks me up and down. “You look like shit, son.” Then his
eyes slide to Austin. “Get some rest. You’re gonna need it.” He pulls away and smiles at me as though
I just told him a joke. “When she is released, I want you to come by the house …”
I snort. “That won’t be happening.”
“Yes, it will,” he says matter-of-factly. “I have something to show you. And we will be releasing a
statement to the press together.”
He’s lost his fucking mind! “I’m not doing a press release.”
“You are. My best friend paid to have my son killed. And you were a prime suspect in the murder
of your girlfriend’s stepmom. We will speak to the media. Together. Jacob will be there as well. Then
you are free to go. And after that, I don’t care if you come back.” He pats my cheek. Hard. To
onlookers, it may have seemed like a love tap, but we both know it was a warning. He turns to walk
out of the room.
“I’m taking Lilly with me,” I call out.
He comes to a stop and turns to face me. That smile still in place. “I’ll make sure Blanche packs
her things.” Then he exits without another word.
I stand, breathing heavy with my limbs shaking. Running my hands through my hair, I begin to pace
the small room. He fucking knew everything! All this time! That’s why he challenged me to prove he
had killed my mother because he knew who it was. Over time, I convinced myself that it was just an
accident. Nothing more. “Motherfucker!”
“Cole?”
“What?” I bark, coming to a stop.
Shelby enters and licks her lips nervously. “He can’t do that …”
I wave her off. “He was just fucking with me.” I make my way over to the chair my father had
occupied and fall into it.
He knows he has no control over Austin and just wanted to piss me off. See what I had in me. He’s
always pushed me for as long as I can remember. But the question remains—how long can she go on
like this before someone steps up and takes control of her care? How long will they wait for her to
get better?
“Cole?”
How much power does Bruce still have over her?
“Cole?”
I look up at Shelby, trying to calm my breathing and not to lose my shit. There aren’t very many
things in this room I can destroy to help calm myself. I feel caged. I need a pool or my punching bag.
Hell, even Deke will go toe to toe with me when I need it.
“She’s improving.” Shelby speaks softly. “We are going to wean her off sedation tomorrow.”
“What?” I sit up straighter.
She nods, giving me a soft smile. “You look tired. You need to rest.”
“I’m sleeping just fine,” I lie.
“Go home tonight, Cole. Get a good night’s sleep.” She pats my shoulder. “And come back
tomorrow because the hard part isn’t over. She’s gonna need you now more than ever.” Then she exits
the room, leaving Austin and me alone.
I get up, walk over to the side of her bed, and grab her cold hand. I lean over and run my busted
knuckles down her bruised cheek, avoiding the tape that holds her breathing tube in place. “I’m not
leaving, sweetheart.” Then I lean down and kiss her forehead.
 CHAPTER EIGHT
DEKE

COLE: THEY’RE WEANING her off sedation tomorrow.

I read the text from my best friend while I stand on the porch of Becky’s parents’ house. And smile.
Finally, some good news.
Me: That’s great news!
Becky has been ignoring my texts for three days. She even ignores me when we’re up at the
hospital, so I decided to show up here where she can’t run from me. I ring the doorbell again after a
few seconds and put my cell away.
I see a small figure walking up to it through the stained-glass double doors, and I smile, expecting
to see Gretta, their housekeeper. But when it opens, it’s Becky’s younger sister. “Hey, Demi.”
She stares up at me. She has the same ice blue eyes that Becky has, and just like hers have been the
past few days, they are narrowed on me. The kid hates me. Not sure why. When I asked Becky about
it, she said just to ignore her and that she hates everyone.
“What do you want, Deke?” she asks, crossing her arms over her chest. She wears a white tank top
and dark gray yoga pants with her blond hair up in a messy ponytail. She looks like she just walked
out of a gym.
“I’m here to see Becky.” I cross my arms over my chest as well.
Demi doesn’t look intimidated in the least. She lifts a brow, her lips thinning.
“May I come in?” I ask when she just glares at me like if she does it long enough, I’ll go up in
flames.
She spins around, and mumbles, “Whatever.”
I lick my lips and enter the house, making sure to close the door behind me. “Will you let her know
I’m here?” I call out.
She continues walking away from the grand foyer, lifting her right hand to throw me the finger.
“Okay then.” I take the stairs two at a time and knock on her bedroom door. “I said not right now,
Demi …” She yanks the door open but stops when she sees it’s me.
“Hey,” I say gently.
She has her blond hair up in a high ponytail, and my Hollywood Undead T-shirt on that I got at the
concert the guys and I went to last summer with a pair of skinny jeans and pink high heels. My cock
instantly hardens. She knows what it does to me when she wears my clothes.
“What do you want, Deke?” she demands, before looking out in the hallway to see if we are alone.
Her arms cross over her chest, and those big blue eyes narrow on me—just like her sister. Both Holt
women seem to hate me today. This house is like a motherfucking ice castle—cold. “Or should I call
you Evan Scott?”
My jaw tightens at her sarcasm. “You know my name is Deke.”
“I’m not sure what I know anymore.” She shrugs.
“Becky …”
A noise to my left has us both turning to look, and we see Demi coming up the stairs carrying a
bottle of water. She looks at her sister and then at me before she walks right past us with her nose up
in the air.
Becky grabs my arm and yanks me into her room, slamming the door shut behind us. I take that as
an invitation and step into her. She stiffens. Placing my hands on her hips, I pull her to me. My hard
cock straining against my jeans.
“Deke,” she warns, feeling it.
I lower my head to her neck and inhale. Her scent of strawberries hits my nose, and I bite my
tongue to keep from moaning. I love it when my clothes smell like her. My bed. My car. I love
knowing she was there. With me. All mine.
“Well, let me remind you it’s me, baby.” My voice is rough, and my cock throbs. I wish we were
alone. I’ve fucked her in this room so many times before, but since I know Demi is in the room right
next door, I won’t.
“No.” She shoves me away, and I go willingly. I honestly didn’t come here to get between her legs.
Although that would be a bonus. Or her mouth. “Who the fuck is Evan Scott?”
I run a hand through my hair. “I had to create a fake profile for a dare.”
She rolls her eyes. “Why am I not surprised?” I just stare at her. And she glares at me. “And?”
“Shane dared me to record myself setting his dad’s boat on fire in a live video. I couldn’t upload it
to my real profile because then they would know it was me. So I invented Evan Scott.”
“That is the dumbest shit I have ever heard.” She sighs. “When was this?”
“Remember when the police were investigating the man burning in a boat a few years back?” Think
it was sophomore year.
“Yeah,” she answers slowly.
I point at myself, and her eyes widen.
“That was you? They had divers searching the water for hours. They were pissed when they found
out it was some stupid prank.”
I nod. “Shane and I made a scarecrow and dressed him in black jeans and a black hoodie. And we
put him in his dad’s boat. We drove it out into the middle of the water and set the straw on fire. Then
we took a Sea-Doo back. We stood at the shore recording it as it burned. It was in the middle of the
night, so all you could see was this figure burning. Bennett took care of it, making sure to hide the IP
address so it couldn’t be traced back to us.”
She hangs her head and sighs. “I can’t believe this.” Then her eyes are back on mine. “That doesn’t
excuse you for what you did to Austin,” she snaps.
“Becky …”
“No, Deke!” She shoves her finger into my chest, and her eyes begin to well with tears. I’m not like
Cole. I hate it when Becky cries. “What made you share them kissing on your page but not them
having sex in the bathroom?”
The answer is simple. “Cole told me what he wanted to be posted and what page to post it on. And
Austin knew it was me! Kellan was the one who claimed I did it in front of all the guys one night at
the clubhouse.”
“She accused me of knowing about it!” She points at her chest, shouting.
“Becky, baby … that was months ago. And Austin got over it.”
“Got over it?” She gasps.
“Maybe that wasn’t the best choice of words,” I mumble.
“You think?” she snaps.
I run a hand down my face and sigh. “Why are we fighting about something that doesn’t even
concern us?” Like when she was pissed at me for Cole’s dare to fuck Kaitlin.
“What will keep you from doing that to me?” I watch as a single tear runs down her cheek.
I close the distance between us and wrap my arm around her waist. “I would never hurt you like
that. I love you.”
“I love you too, but the stupid group always comes first. No matter what,” she whispers.
“The group is over with.”
“Cole!” She corrects herself. “Cole comes first!”
I don’t say anything to that because she is right. My brother comes before anyone else. If he called
me right now needing something, I would run to help him. That’s just how it is.
“You lied to me, Deke,” she snaps, breaking my silence. “I asked that day after school if you posted
that video of Austin and Cole, and you lied to me.”
Oh, good, we’re back to that now. I can handle this. “If I wouldn’t have done it, Cole would have
had someone else do it.”
She snorts. “What about me?”
“What about you?”
“Was I a bet that night at the party? Did Cole bet you to take me home?”
What the fuck? “You can’t be serious?” She knows that she was never a fucking dare. “That night
was not our first night together, or have you forgotten?” I growl.
She jabs her finger into my chest, and I let go of her to take a step back. “So? And I’m dead
serious. Did you record us that night too?”
“Fuck, no!” I snap. She’s lost her fucking mind! “I would never do that to us.”
“How am I supposed to know that?” she shouts, her gorgeous face turning red with anger. She
bows her head and sighs. When her eyes meet mine again, I feel my chest tighten. “The bottom line,
Deke, is I don’t trust you. And I can’t be with someone I don’t trust. I’ve done it before, and I won’t
do it again.”
“You can trust me. I would never cheat on you. Or film you. Fuck, I love you.” Becky may not know
who I really am, but I’m loyal.
“But you hurt my best friend. Humiliated her. All because Cole Reynolds told you to. How many
other secrets do you have?”
I open my mouth to say none but shut it. I have many.
“Right.” She walks over to her bedroom door and opens it. A clear sign she wants me to get the
fuck out.
I wasn’t lying when I said I love her. I’ve been obsessed with her for years now. Here she is,
breaking it off with me when I haven’t done shit to her. Not personally. Did I play my role when it
came to Austin? Fuck yes, I did. Do I understand she’s mad because Austin is her friend? Yes. But I
was telling her the truth. Austin got over it, and they moved on. Hell, she and Cole fell in love. Even
if they haven’t said it yet, everyone knows.
She stands there by the open door with her eyes narrowed on me and her hands on her hips. This is
it. There will be no going back if I leave here without making it right.
“What about Kellan?” she asks with an arch of her brow.
Fuck! I run my hand through my hair. “What about him?” I try to play stupid.
She’s not buying it. “What did Shane mean when he said disappear?”
There’s a lot I haven’t told Becky. She knows we do stupid dares, but she’s not like Austin. She has
no idea that I’ve recently become a murderer. And if she knew, she’d walk away from me without a
glance back. I can’t lose her over this. Over them. They all deserved to die.
 “I spoke to him earlier today,” I lie.
She tilts her head to the side and eyes me with suspicion. I hate when she does this, acting like she
can see through me. She can’t. She can pretend all she wants, but we both know the truth. She’ll never
know the real me because I won’t allow it. “Becky …”
“Leave, Deke,” she says with a heavy sigh.
I walk out into the hallway and turn to face the door, trying one last time. “Becky …” She slams it
in my face.
A door opens to my right, and I see Demi walk out of her room. She looks at me with disgust.
“Never tell someone how you feel twice. That bitch heard you the first time.” Then she walks past me
before walking down the stairs.
I slowly make my way out of the house and to my Range Rover. I sit there for a few minutes,
wondering if I can do anything to make it better and what the fuck Demi meant.
 CHAPTER NINE
COLE

DEKE, BENNETT, BECKY, and I all occupy Austin’s small room. Shelby told them they could visit
for an hour since she’s doing so well. She’s been awake for most of the day now. Shelby allowed me
to stay in the room earlier this morning while she brought Austin out of sedation. Then after Shelby
did her assessment, she gave us a few minutes alone.

“Sweetheart?” I ask softly.

Her eyes close, and she whispers, “Cole.”
I swallow the knot in my throat. Now is not the time to be a little bitch. She’s been so strong. I
need to be too. “It’s me, sweetheart.”
“Where …? What …?”
“Shh,” I tell her when she opens her eyes again. “You’re okay, baby.”
Her eyes meet mine, and they instantly fill with tears. “Cole …” She chokes on my name.
“I’m … so sorry.”
“Hey.” I drop her hand and take her face in both of mine. “Don’t apologize, Austin! Do you
hear me? This was not your fault. None of it was your fault.” I place my forehead against hers.
“It’s all mine. And I’m so sorry,” I whisper. “Please forgive me.”
She begins to sob.
I pull back and rub the tears from her pale and bruised face with my thumbs. “Tell me you
forgive me, sweetheart. I need to hear you say it.”
She shakes her head, and my chest tightens. “You didn’t … do this.”
“But I did—”
“It was Kellan.” She interrupts me, then looks around the room quickly as if she feels his
presence. Like his ghost is here to haunt her. He won’t. That fucker is burning in hell. “Cole.” Her
wide and watery eyes meet mine again. “Cole, he told me—”
“I know.” I interrupt, giving her a soft smile to calm her fears. I don’t want her to be afraid of
anything anymore.
“But he …”
“Shh,” I tell her. “It’s okay, Austin. I know.”
She licks her wet lips and takes in a shaky breath. “Where is he?”
“Never coming back,” I answer, and she closes her eyes as fresh tears run down her face.

She’s doing great. She did eat too many ice chips this morning and ended up getting sick, but
Shelby said that was normal. She was able to have soup for lunch and kept that down. Progress. I’ll
take it.
“What day is it?” she asks no one in particular.
“The twentieth,” Becky answers, sitting next to her bed.
Austin’s face falls. “What is it?” I ask, pushing off the wall by the window.
Her eyes meet mine. “Why are you here?”
 I frown. It’s like her birthday all over again. Maybe she has memory loss. I need to ask Shelby
about that. “Why wouldn’t I be here?”
She looks up at the clock on the wall. “It’s almost six. Graduation started three hours ago.”
The room falls silent. I go to open my mouth, to tell her some bullshit lie like the school burned
down, but Becky beats me to it. Only she tells the truth. “We didn’t go.”
“What?” Austin gasps. “You can’t miss graduation.”
Deke shakes his head. “It was already decided, babe.”
She glares at Deke for calling her babe, and he just smirks at her. Then she looks at me. “Cole, you
can’t be serious.”
I nod, crossing my arms over my chest. “Of course, we are.” I don’t think the school expected us to
show anyway, considering I was accused of murder just four days ago. And the fact that Austin is in
the hospital recovering from a gunshot wound and Kellan is still missing. Pretty sure they would
escort us out if we even stepped foot on school property.
Her green eyes well up with tears, and she sniffs. Shelby told us this would happen. That the drugs
they have been giving her would make her extremely emotional. She was not joking. She cried earlier
when she applied some Chapstick to her lips while thanking me. You would have thought I was God
bringing her lips back to life.
“Hey, it’s okay,” Deke tells her.
“Why would you guys skip graduation?” she asks as if she isn’t important to us. Like we would just
leave her. I haven’t left this hospital since I got here, so why would I leave now that she’s awake?
“Because …” Deke answers. “You’re our little sister. Plus, we already put in all the work. We’re
getting that diploma whether we show up or not.”
Fresh tears roll down her face.
There’s a knock on the door, and Shelby walks in. “Hey? How are you feeling?”
“A little sore,” Austin answers, wiping the wetness from her face.
Shelby walks to the end of her bed. “I’ll bring you something for the pain. I just wanted to let you
know that a couple of officers were just here wanting to talk to you.” Austin’s eyes go big. “But I told
them you need your rest and to give you until at least tomorrow.”
“What do they want?” she asks.
“They want to go over what happened and see if you have any information on Kellan’s
whereabouts.”
The room falls silent because even though the guys and I haven’t spoken it out loud, the girls
suspect we killed him.
She just nods once. Shelby leaves, letting her know she’ll be back soon with those meds. Austin
lays her head back and sighs heavily. She’s tired. She made a lot of progress today and needs some
rest.
“Not that I care, but has anyone heard from my father?” she asks. “Does he know that Celeste is
dead?”
Silence fills the room once again.
She slowly sits back up, and her eyes go to mine. “Cole?”
The final dare. She thinks we already killed him. “He’s been arrested,” I answer.
Her brows lift. “For what?”
“We turned him in for trying to kill Cole.” Bennett finally speaks. “I wiped out everything on
Jerrold’s laptop except the evidence and turned it over.”
“Yeah.” Deke nods. “They had him on the news. The police went to his office and removed him in
handcuffs. Guess he’s in trouble for some other shit too. They’re looking into his emails and got a
warrant to search the house …”
She gasps, and I tilt my head. Why would she be so worried about him?
“Cole, you have to go to my house,” she says in a rush.
I shake my head. “No—”
“Cole.” She interrupts me. “You have to go to my house. I have all the recordings hidden there.
What if the cops find what I have on you guys?”
“Recordings?” Becky stiffens.
Deke raises his brows, looking at me. Hmm. I had forgotten about those.
“Right now,” she adds, her green eyes big.
“Babe, calm down.” I walk over to her. “It’s okay …”
“What if they find them?” She repeats herself, and she begins to cry again. “I can’t … I’d never
forgive myself if you guys get in trouble …” She begins to sob.
“Okay. I’ll go.” I don’t want her upset. I want her better and out of this fucking place so we can
move on with our lives.
“Right now?” she asks, sniffling. I nod my head. Then she looks over at Becky. “Will you go with
him?”
Becky looks like she is about to refuse when Austin looks at all of us. “Will you give Becky and
me a moment?”
“Sure.” I lean down to kiss her forehead and then follow the guys out.
“What do you think she wants to talk about?” Deke asks.
“I don’t know.” I sigh. “She was pretty shaken up about it, though. You can ask Becky when she
comes out here.”
He shakes his head. “We’re not speaking.”
“I got that.” It was awkward sitting with the two of them in Austin’s room.
“Still mad at you over Evan Scott?” Bennett asks.
“Among other things.” He sighs, then adds, “It’s over.”
Bennett’s eyebrows rise to his hairline, and I frown. “What do you mean it’s over?”
He looks down at his phone and begins to type. “I wasn’t being cryptic, Cole. I said it’s over.”
The door behind us opens, and Becky exits. She looks at me, then Bennett before looking down at
the floor. “I’m ready when you are.”
“I’m gonna head out too. Have a few things to take care of. I’ll be back,” Bennett says, slapping me
on the back. “Let me know if you need anything.”
“Thanks, man.” I look over at Becky and grab the keys out of my pocket. “Give me a minute with
Deke.”
She takes the keys and then walks out after Bennett, knowing I was dismissing her. I turn to Deke,
and he’s still typing away on his phone. “Writing a novel?” I joke.
His hands pause over the keys, and his blue eyes narrow on me.
Deke is a jokester. That’s who he is. I have a feeling now that he and Becky are over, he won’t be
that way for a while. “Wanna talk about it?”
“Nope,” he answers in a clipped tone, then he goes back to typing.
Okay. “Will you stay here with her?” I ask. “I don’t wanna leave her alone—”
“I’m not going anywhere.” He interrupts me before walking back into her room.
 CHAPTER TEN
COLE

BECKY SLIPS INTO the passenger seat, and I get into the driver’s seat. As she pulls on her seat
belt, I notice her body is rigid. And it doesn’t escape me that we haven’t been in the same car together
since …
“Are we just gonna sit here?” she asks, interrupting my thoughts but not bothering to look over at
me.
I start the car and shift it into gear, jaw clenching. “Scars” by Boy Epic begins to filter through the
speakers, and I turn it up to drown out any conversation we could possibly have.
Twenty minutes later, I pull up to the house and stop in front of the five-tier water fountain and turn
off my car. The music cuts off, and silence follows. She just sits there, staring down at her hands in
her lap. Becky and I avoid this kind of situation—being alone together. She wanted to deny Austin’s
request, but whatever she said to her had her agreeing to it.
I take a deep breath. “You sure you wanna go in?”
She finally looks up at me, annoyance on her face. “Why wouldn’t I?”
“I’m not sure how much they have cleaned up since … it happened.”
Her face falls. She hadn’t thought of that, but I did. I sure as hell don’t want to be here, but if it
makes Austin happy, then I’ll do it.
She finally nods and gets out of the car. I follow her after grabbing my hoodie out of the back seat.
Yellow crime scene tape blocks the entrance to the house, so we make our way to the back terrace,
and I wrap my hoodie around my right hand.
“What are you doing?” she asks, sounding apprehensive.
I tighten my hand around the fabric and throw it into the glass of the back door, shattering it. She
gasps, and I look at her over my shoulder. “How else were we gonna get in?” Austin didn’t have a
key on her.
She lets out a huff and looks away from me.
I reach into the broken glass and unlock it from the inside, then shove it open. We make our way
through the silent house, and sure enough, we see blood on the marble floor at the bottom of the stairs
in the grand foyer. Becky covers her mouth and coughs. The stench of blood is overwhelming because
it’s sat here for four days now. You can make out where Kellan was straddling Austin when she
stabbed him due to the pool of blood there. You can see her handprints where she pushed herself up to
run from him. Then there’s another trail where he followed her into the kitchen where she called me.
“Jesus.” Becky gasps, taking a step back and pressing her back against the front door. Her hand
comes up to cover her mouth, and it shakes.
I take the stairs two at a time and enter Austin’s room. I’m surprised when Becky enters behind me.
She slams the door shut as if that will keep the smell out. It won’t.
My breathing begins to pick up. It’s been a month since I’ve been in here. Last time was the night of
prom when Deke and I came to pick her and Becky up. When her father gave her the check. Her
bedspread and top sheets are wadded at the foot of her bed. A pair of shorts and her white Chucks
litter her floor. Her backpack sits over by her nightstand. Her curtains are pulled closed, and I try not
to think of everything that has happened in this room, from me threatening to hurt her to spending all
night with her between the sheets. My chest tightens at some of the things I did to her.

“What do you want from me?” she yells, her anger rising as easily as mine does.
“Isn’t it obvious?”
“No,” she snaps.
“Everything.”
She lifts her right arm. “You want me to bleed for you? You want me to go to jail for you? You
want me to fucking kill for you? Jesus, Cole.”
“I want all of those things. And more,” I say with a nod, and her eyes narrow on me like I’m
playing some sick game. She’s not wrong. “Don’t you see, Austin? I’m that guy who wants to take
everything from you. I want to destroy you. I want to hurt you.”
“You already have,” she says through gritted teeth.
I smile. She’s referring to her stitches from where I cut her. I could make her bleed to death for
me without a fucking knife. “You have no idea what I can do to you. You have no idea what I’m
capable of. I could make you nothing.”

I flinch at that memory, and my hands fist down by my sides. Fuck, I gotta get out of here!
I enter her walk-in closet and go to the back. On our way here, Deke had sent me a text to let me
know Austin had hidden her recordings in a knee-high boot. Not sure what would make her think the
cops would go through her shoes, but here I am, doing as she asked. I pick it up and tip it upside
down. The USB drive falls into my hand, and I wrap my fingers around it.
I stand and grab her laptop off a shelf above where her jeans hang and then walk over to her bed.
Sitting down, I push the power button.
“She doesn’t have any luggage.” Becky sighs, coming out of the closet.
“Her suitcase is at the clubhouse.” Before we broke up the morning after prom, she was spending a
lot of time with me there. She left it, and I never offered to give it back to her.
She huffs and runs a hand through her blond hair. “I’m gonna go downstairs and grab some trash
bags then.” She bites her bottom lip nervously before she leaves the room. I also notice that she
doesn’t shut the bedroom door when she leaves.
I look back down at the laptop and notice it’s not on. I press the button again. Nothing!
The fucker is dead.
“Hmm,” I mumble to myself. Where would her charger be? I look over to my right and open her
nightstand. I don’t see a charging cable, but I do find something else I want. It’s a black and white
notebook with two words written on the cover in Austin’s pretty handwriting. Fuck off!
I pick it up, forgetting about the laptop for a second, and open it.
I lied to Cole today.
Those are the first words I see written on the random page I turn to, and my brows shoot up. It’s a
diary? A journal of some sort.
Not like it matters. He’s never been truthful to me. Or anyone else. He asked me if I still spoke
to Martin. I said yes. The truth is I haven’t heard a single word from him. I shouldn’t care. I didn’t
love him. He was more of a distraction. He would come pick me up, take me to a party somewhere,
and we’d get high, and … I’m not sure what you would call it. We didn’t make love, and we sure as
hell didn’t fuck like Cole and me.
I smile at that, then it drops off my face when I read the next line.
 I hate Cole! Hated him! I don’t know anymore. I’m confused. He has blackmailed me! Used me!
Made me bleed. But I can’t help but want him. Maybe it’s not him per se. Maybe it’s the way he
makes me feel. If that even makes sense.
When I was with Martin, I never felt butterflies in my stomach or giddy. I never had that oh my
God, I’m head-over-heels in love feeling. I don’t have it with Cole either. Thank God. Instead, I
feel like I’m on fire. I know it sounds crazy, but it’s the only way I can think to describe it. He
touches me, and I can’t breathe. He takes all my air away. When he places his lips on my skin, I
swear they burn me. I’m screaming for help, for someone to throw me in a lake and put out the
flames, but no one can hear me. No one even sees me. He says he wants everyone to know that I’m
his. But maybe that too is a lie because no one is listening to my cries for help
And I hate how much I like it. Crave it. My ex treated me like glass. Cole treats me like I’m
unbreakable. Always pushing me and waiting for me to call mercy. It won’t happen. I’ll let the fire
burn me alive before I admit defeat. And that’s what scares me the most. I’d rather burn in hell
with the devil than freeze to death.
And I’m learning more about him every day. He hides from everybody, but I see him. He’s
hurting. I’m not saying his anger and hatred aren’t real, but I just know it’s more than that.
I swallow, realizing just how much of the real me she knew, and turn the page.
He lied too. To everyone. He took the fall for something he didn’t do. And I don’t understand. He
covered for Eli, but the question is why?
I thought he was the devil, but he’s so much more than that. And that terrifies me more. I can
fight demons, but Cole? Well, he’s a whole new game that I’m not sure if I want to win or lose.
“What are you doing?”
I look up to see Becky standing in the bedroom. With her right hip pushed out, she’s holding a box
of trash bags. Her eyes drop to the open journal in my hand, and then they meet mine again. She drops
the box and crosses her arms over her chest. “You really have no boundaries, do you?”
“No,” I answer honestly.
She sighs. “I was on your side, Cole. I was rooting for you to finally change. To love her. I thought
if anyone could change you, it would be her.”
“I do love her.” She’s the second person I’ve admitted that to. And neither one has been Austin.
Becky tilts her head to the side. “I’m not sure you know how to love, Cole. Not anymore.”
“What the fuck does that mean?” I demand.
“You don’t hurt the people you love.”
My teeth clench. “I thought I was protecting her by walking away. How was I supposed to know
Kellan would step in?” You did know it. You just don’t want to admit that.
She shakes her head as if that’s not what she was referring to. “You walking away was probably
the best thing to ever happen to her, Cole.”
I slam the notebook shut.
“Deke told me what you had him do. How you had him post the two videos of her online.”
“That’s none of your business,” I growl.
“What will you do to her next?” she demands. “Huh, Cole? How much longer are you gonna make
her suffer?”
“I made a mistake!” I shout. “You can’t stand there and tell me you’ve never made one.”
She looks me up and down with disgust. “I’m nothing like you.”
I arch a brow. “Really? Wanna compare secrets? ’Cause we both have plenty.”
Her blue eyes narrow. “Fuck you, Cole!” She storms into Austin’s walk-in closet.
 I follow her and lean up against the doorframe, blocking her in so she has nowhere to run. “What
do you think Deke would say if he knew—”
“Don’t you dare!” She interrupts me, throwing down a pair of Austin’s shoes, not even letting me
finish my sentence. “Deke doesn’t need to know anything.”
“Maybe he does.”
She walks over to me and places her hands on her hips. Her blue eyes glare up at me. “What?
Suddenly, you have a come to Jesus moment?”
I laugh at that statement. There’s nothing religious about me.
“If I go down, you’ll go with me. And he’ll have nothing to do with you.” She smiles like she won.
No one ever does when they go up against me. Hasn’t she learned that?
I return her smile, but mine is much more threatening. Hers disappears, and her breathing picks up.
“That’s where you’re wrong, Becky. I’m not the one who fucked his best friend. You are.”
She gives me the sweetest smile, trying to act like I’m not getting to her. It’s the same one I’ve seen
men drop to their knees for, including my best friend. Pathetic bastards. “You didn’t stop me.”
“I didn’t,” I admit and take a step toward her, closing the little space between us. “Ever wonder
why?” All the color drains from her face. I refrain from smiling. Instead, I lean down, her face inches
from mine, and whisper, “Who said I didn’t record you?” Becky should know not to fuck with me!
I straighten my back.
“You didn’t.” Her voice barely over a whisper. Her eyes are wide with fear.
I say nothing.
“We had a deal,” she argues. “You kept your mouth shut, and I’d do the same. I even covered for
you to Austin.”
I snort. “I didn’t need you to lie for me.” I had that covered all on my own.
“She’s not like all those whores you’ve been with, Cole,” she snaps.
“Watch it, Becky!”
She sighs and runs a hand through her bleach blond hair. “Austin is my best friend. I should have
never helped you. I thought …” She looks up at me. “I was gonna come clean to her so many times,
but I thought I saw you falling in love with her.” She looks down at the carpet. “That day in the
cafeteria when I told you that I saw a change in you …” She sniffs and shakes her head. “I should
have realized she was just another game to you.”
“Things have changed,” I say through gritted teeth.
“I don’t see it that way,” Becky argues. “Austin asked me about why you didn’t drink at the beach
party, and I explained what happened. I took up for you,” she growls through gritted teeth, looking
back up at me. “Told her that they blamed you, but it was an accident.”
“Oh, please.” I laugh. “We both know the truth.”
“I lied to her for you.” She shoves me backward, but I don’t budge.
“You lied, but it wasn’t for me.” Does she think I’ve forgotten what happened that night?
She ignores my comment. “I continued to cover for you even though I had no clue what was going
on. I saw you falling for her, so I wanted to help you out. I didn’t want her to see you as a murderer
like everyone else in this town. The things people had said about you …” She trails off, unable to get
the words out.
I stiffen. Austin already knew I was a murderer long before she knew I killed three of my friends.
“Austin knows I wasn’t driving.”
“You told her?” she asks wide-eyed.
I shake my head. “She realized I was in the passenger seat. She thinks I’m covering for Eli.”
 She swallows nervously. “Did you …?”
“I let her believe whatever she wanted.” My jaw tightens at those words, knowing I’m still keeping
quite a few secrets from her. At some point, I’ll need to come clean, but that means telling the others
as well.
She nods her head quickly and then runs her hand through her hair. “But I also told her the truth,
Cole. It was an accident.”
I fist my hands. “God, quit fucking saying that.”
“It’s true.” She sighs heavily. “We both know none of us could have seen that happening.”
“We were reckless.” No one should have been in that car other than me.
I should have left their asses at that party and left on my own. Jeff must have followed me that night
and set it up. We were out of control. Partying every night of the week and never thinking twice when
we got in the car to leave. He knew I’d be out drinking that Saturday night, and he knew what the town
would say about me once I was dead. But he didn’t count on me not driving. And surviving. I’ve just
wondered why he never came back for me once he realized I didn’t die. Why didn’t Bruce try again?
“Bruce paid to kill you,” she snaps.
“Which is what makes it my fault!” I shout back.
She places her hands on my upper arms, but I pull away from her, and they fall to her sides. I’m
confused about how we got here. This conversation. At what point did it take a turn? A very bad turn.
We don’t discuss that night.
“The only ones who blamed you didn’t know the truth.”
I don’t have anything to say to that because that was my plan all along. No one needed to know the
truth. I’ve lived with secrets all my life, so what’s one more?
“You’re right.” Her eyes meet mine. “We both have secrets. And I’ll keep yours if you keep mine.”
I won’t point out that I hold two secrets of hers. If she told mine, then she would be telling on
herself.
Her head falls, and she looks at Austin’s closet floor. “Deke would never forgive me if he knew the
truth.”
The truth is Bruce paid to kill all of us in that car. Why would he hate her so much for that? He
would be mad that she hid it, but never forgive her? I’d forgive Austin. I decide to change the subject.
“He told Bennett and me that you guys are over.”
“When?” Her blue eyes go wide.
“Does it matter?” I ask. She lets out a long sigh. “If you wanna work it out, Becky, you need to tell
him. It’s out. Bruce paid …”
“No!” She shakes her head and tears start to well in her eyes. “I love him, Cole.”
“Then why did you break up with him?” I’ve always known how Deke felt about Becky but how
she feels about him …?
“Maybe he broke up with me,” she offers.
I laugh. “I know him.”
She looks around the closet as if searching for an answer. “Bruce won’t matter. He’ll blame me.
I’m in too deep. Too many lies. And Austin …”
My jaw clenches. “I think she deserves to know.”
“No!”
“So you want to continue to lie to her too?”
“What is going on between me and my best friend is not a lie. I’ve never once fabricated a story to
her, but Deke I have.”
 “It’s still a secret,” I offer.
“It was a deal!” she snaps. “And she won’t forgive you.”
She would. I’m not saying it wouldn’t take time, but I’ve done far worse to her than lie. “You make
it sound like we had a contract written in blood.” Which, in a way, I guess it was. Both of us had
blood on our hands.
Her eyes narrow on me. “You’re right. It was more like an understanding. You took the fall for me,
making me owe you. And then, one day, you came to collect.”

Four months ago

I sit in my father’s darkly lit game room on the chaise lounge. Deke, Bennett, and Shane are all
over by the pool table. Each with a girl under their arm. Kellan sits over on the couch watching
the basketball game playing on the big screen, but there’s no sound. Instead, “Devilish” by Chase
Atlantic plays through the speakers.
Looking down at my phone, I go to my contacts. I sent Austin a text, giving her my address, but I
did it from Deke’s phone instead of mine. I wanted to remind her she was outnumbered. And alone.
Celeste is forcing my hand. Not that I didn’t want to play with the feisty brunette with striking
green eyes, but I wanted to do it my way. Now I need reinforcements. Of the female kind. I don’t
have any friends who are girls. Hell, I barely have any guy friends. If they’re not a shark, I don’t
pay them any mind. And even the women I fuck, I stay clear of. No need for conversation
afterward.
Scrolling through the contacts on my phone, I go to the one name I know who owes me a favor. I
just didn’t think I’d get to cash in this soon.
Becky Holt—the girl that my best friend Deke is in love with—just happens to owe me a lot. We
never speak. Never hang out. Not anymore. We keep our distance and for a good reason. One of the
last times I saw her, she had tears running down her face, smearing her flawless makeup. Her shirt
was torn, and she had blood on her hands. I told her to run. And she did just that.
I quickly send her a text, knowing she’s here tonight. I saw her downstairs earlier. And that’s
why Deke has decided to fuck Sara Logan tonight—to try and make Becky jealous.

Me: Ready?

It shows read immediately. I see the three dots bounce around and then disappear. My smile
widens.
They bounce around again before my phone vibrates in my hands.

B: ?
Me: A friend of mine is coming tonight. You would make a great friend for her too.

Her response is instant.

B: You don’t have any girls who are friends.

Touché.

Me: Her name is Austin. Brunette. Green eyes. Probably wearing something red. Text me
when she gets here.
B: And why do you want to know that?
Me: It’s time to pay up! Then I send the devil emoji.

I lay my phone on my leg. I told my new toy ten, and it’s thirty minutes past that now. Kids
actually started arriving at nine, but I wanted to make sure the house was full of people before she
showed. I knew she’d arrive late. She wants to prove she’s not afraid of me and that she still holds
all the cards. I like that.
“Bennett?” I call over to him.
He unwraps himself from his nightly fuck and comes over to me. I look up at him from my
lounge. “Do you have the video from my father’s warehouse?” I made her steal a car with me last
night. Her daddy’s car. Just more insurance. And she has no idea I’m going to use it against her.
Fuck, it’s going to be so easy to break this girl. She’ll be in tears and begging me from her knees in
no time. My cock is hard just thinking about it.
He nods. “Yes. And I sent it to Deke’s phone. It’s good to go.”
Perfect!
Kellan jumps to his feet. “I don’t understand why you want her so badly.”
“You don’t have to understand,” I say.
His jaw tightens. I feel my phone vibrate. I look down to see it’s from Becky.

B: She’s here. Kitchen.

I don’t respond.
Showtime.
“Only One King,” by Tommee Profitt, Jung Yong begins to play, and a smile spreads across my
face. Game on, sweetheart.
I look at Kellan. “Our guest has arrived. Go get her. She’s in the kitchen. And Kellan? Don’t
touch her,” I warn. She’s all mine.
He just stands there for a few seconds and then marches out the door, slamming it behind him. I
lean back, crossing my ankles, and prop my head up with my hand behind it and wait.
Austin Lowes wants me. I saw the way she looked at me. And it’s unfortunate for her that I want
her too. Just in a completely different way. And the thing about the GWS is that they always get
what they want. No matter who they have to hurt, blackmail, or kill. They win.

“The moment she walked back into the kitchen with you, I about had a heart attack.” Becky shakes
her head, interrupting my thoughts. “I thought maybe you guys knew each other. But when you walked
away, I asked her how she knew you, and she said you had just met.” She lets out a long breath. “I
should have told you no. Then you kissed her …” She begins to pace. “I should have never helped
you use her.”
She has no idea about half the shit I’ve done to Austin. “I fell in love with her.” I sigh. “I know,
Becky. I’m a horrible human being, and I’ve done some really shady shit in my life.”
She stops pacing and looks up at me. “And what? Austin is how you redeem yourself? You think if
she sticks around that you can make it better over time?”
“No. I—”
“Did you kill Kellan?” She interrupts me.
 Fuck! This is starting to sound like the conversation I had with Shelby over Jeff. “Yes,” I admit.
What’s she going to do? She can’t prove it. No one ever will.
She begins to pace again. “Were all of you involved?” she asks me, biting the tips of her nails.
“I can’t answer for the others—”
“I’m asking if Deke helped you kill him,” she shouts, interrupting me.
“No,” I answer.
She looks me in the eyes, and I will her to believe me. I’m not lying to save Deke’s ass. I didn’t tell
her the truth to keep her in the lie she’s been in since she started dating him. He’ll never show her the
real him. He showed her what he wants her to see, and I’m not going to take that away from her.
Not knowing is bliss. The truth would be crippling.
She falls to her ass in the middle of the closet and pulls her knees to her chest. Obviously, my lie
wasn’t believable enough. “I know why you did it.” She sobs. “I know why he would help you do it.”
She starts rocking back and forth.
I lean my shoulder up against the door and cross my arms over my chest. Fuck, this day started out
great, but it sure has taken a turn for the worst.
She pulls her face from her knees and looks up at me, blue eyes full of tears. “I was so afraid for
Austin. I thought she was …dead.” She sobs.
Me too. “She’s gonna be okay. She’s strong.”
Becky nods once. “She is.” Then she gives a weird hiccupping laugh. “She managed to tie you
down.”
I smile and agree. “She did.” My phone begins to ring in my pocket. I answer and place it on
speakerphone when I see it’s Shelby, allowing Becky to hear whatever update she has to give us on
Austin.
“Hello?”
“Cole?” she whispers. “Where are you? Get back here! Austin is freaking out.”
I snatch the laptop off the bed. Becky and I are already walking out of the room by the time she
stops speaking. “Why? She okay?”
“The police are back here to talk to her. I tried to tell them no, but she said it was okay. Well, once
they mentioned something about a recording of what happened at the Lowes’ residence, she started
bawling, so I told them to give her a few minutes to calm down.”
“Do they expect her to listen to it?” I demand. That’s the last thing she needs to hear. She’s already
lived it once.
“They haven’t got that far. Deke is in there with her right now—”
“Take him your phone.” I interrupt her.
Becky and I are running out the back door. We’re in my car before his voice snaps through my
speakers. “Cole.”
“What the fuck is going on?” Now I’m glad I left him there with her. “Do they expect her to listen
to that fucking tape?”
“I think so.” He sighs, and my Bluetooth picks up the conversation. “They mentioned that she
stabbed him. And by the amount of blood loss they found in the house, they said he would either be
dead or in an ER.”
“So?” I snap, flying down the road. Becky remains silent in the passenger seat.
“So they’ve called all surrounding hospitals, and he’s not a patient anywhere.”
I glance in my rear-view mirror, making sure I’m not about to get pulled over since I’m doing
twenty over the limit. “They think he’s dead.”
 “Pretty much. Austin’s eyes went wide with fear when they said that was their conclusion. You
could tell the cops know what we did, and they think she knows what we did. So he told her they
knew it was self-defense because they heard the tape … and she just lost it. I mean, hell, the bastard
has been dead for four days now! They have to know they aren’t gonna fucking find him!” he whispers
harshly.
I look over at Becky, and she’s looking straight ahead out the windshield and a tear runs down her
cheek. Deke just told on himself. She knows I lied to her, and that I didn’t kill Kellan on my own.
“I’m almost there. Let me talk to her.”
“Cole?” Austin’s broken voice comes on seconds later.
My chest tightens. “Hey, sweetheart. I’m on my way back. Don’t say anything else until I get there.
I’m gonna call my father’s attorney.” I kick myself for not already doing it, but I didn’t think they
would go to her. The recording should have been enough for them to wrap up the damn investigation.
“What? Why?”
“It was self-defense, Austin. They can’t—”
“No, Cole.” She interrupts me. “I don’t care about that. They have it on tape.” She begins to cry
again. “Kellan told me that he watched me burn Jeff’s body.” Becky’s head whips over to look at me.
“The car we stole …”
“Austin …”
“And that your final dare was to kill Bruce.” She sobs. “They know everything. You can’t come
back up here. They’re gonna … arrest you.”
I ignore Becky, knowing she’s thinking what the fuck? “Babe, listen. It’s all okay. The one we gave
to the police isn’t the original copy.”
“It’s not?” She sniffs, trying to calm her sobs.
“No. Bennett altered it. They know nothing.”
After a long moment of silence, she whispers, “Okay.”
“Let me talk to Deke for a second.”
“Yeah?” he asks, coming on the line.
“Don’t let them in her room. I’m on my way.” I hang up and look over at Becky. She arches a brow
at me. I just shrug. Motherfucker! “Well, you wanted to know.”
She turns to look back out the windshield. “When Deke came to my house yesterday, I asked him
about Kellan. I had a feeling you had killed him because it was strange he wasn’t around and then
how things went down with Shane at the hospital. Deke informed me he had spoken to him that
morning.” She sucks in a long breath. “Which would have been hard to do, considering the two of you
killed him three days before that.”
Fuck!
 CHAPTER ELEVEN
DEKE

THE DOOR FLIES open to Austin’s room, and Cole enters followed by his attorney. “Where are
they?” Cole demands.
“They were right outside her door.” The cops may have allowed her a few minutes to gather
herself, but they didn’t go far.
“They’re not now.”
“What all did you say to them?” Jacob asks her, not even bothering with introducing himself.
She sits on her bed, her eyes narrowed. She cried at first, but now, she’s pissed. I’m not sure if it’s
the fact that Cole told her he was safe or the fact that she didn’t already know he would have covered
his ass. I gotta give it to the girl. When push comes to shove, she will knock your ass down.
“They asked me to start from the beginning. I told them I had just gotten home from a movie date.” I
watch Cole’s shoulders stiffen at her words because he was not the guy she was out with. And it’s my
fault. I blame myself because I told him to push her away. “I walked in, and they were already
arguing. They brought me into it, and I said I just wanted to go to bed, and that’s when Kellan started
telling me all this stuff. He pushed her down the stairs, and when I tried to save her, he threw me to
the ground.” Cole’s hands fist. “Choked me. He had dropped a knife next to my head, so I grabbed it
and stabbed him.” Her narrowed eyes move to Cole’s. “And that’s when they told me they had a tape.
A recording with evidence on it that what I did was in self-defense but not the cause of death. He was
murdered.”
“Bullshit!” Cole snaps. “They lied to you.”
Jacob gestures for him to quiet with his hand. “Go on.”
“Deke told them to get the fuck out. I started crying. Shelby made them leave.” She sighs.
Jacob pats her leg softly over the blanket. “Don’t say another word to them. I will take care of it.
They have all the evidence they need.” He looks at us. “What did you guys do with his car?”
We both frown. “What do you mean?” I ask.
“He was at the Lowes’ residence, so he must have driven there.”
“We never saw his car,” Cole admits.
The old man’s brows crease. “Then how did he get there?”
Cole and I look at one another. “The fuck if we know,” I answer.
“I didn’t see it either,” Austin adds. “When I pulled up, there was no other car in the driveway. Just
mine.” Cole looks at me, and I can tell what he’s thinking just by his fisted hands—we’ve missed
something. “Maybe Celeste picked him up and brought him back to my father’s,” she offers.
“Maybe.” Jacob agrees, but he doesn’t sound convinced.
Cole jerks his head toward the door, and I get up to follow him out. “I didn’t think about it,” he
growls.
I sigh. “There was so much going on. It’s not like how he arrived there was our first thought.”
He runs a hand down his face. “We missed something. Goddammit.”
I place my hand on his shoulder. “I’ll look into it.”
He nods, then his eyes meet mine. He looks exhausted. Cole has never been someone to get a lot of
sleep, but it’s catching up with him. Once he finally crashes, he’s going to be out for days.
“I have to tell you something.” Cole sighs.
“Okay.”
“Becky knows that you helped me kill Kellan.”
I shake my head. “I lied to her.”
He rubs the back of his neck. “Yeah, she knows that too.”
“How?”
He lets out a long breath. “I told her I killed him, and then when she asked if you were involved, I
lied and said no. Well, then when I was talking to you on my way here, I had the Bluetooth on in the
car.”
“But why would that make her think …?” You could tell the cops know what we did, and they
think she knows what we did. Fuck!
“I’m sorry, Deke.” He sighs.
I wave him off. “Don’t worry about it. Not your fault.” Just another thing for me to take care of.
He runs a hand through his hair nervously. I frown. Cole doesn’t get nervous often. “What is it?” I
ask. Whatever it is, I’ll make sure it goes away.
“There’s something else I need to tell you …”
The door to Austin’s room opens, and Jacob walks out. “She wants to see you,” he tells Cole.
He nods.
“It can wait,” I tell him. He looks like he wants to argue, but I give him my back and walk away.
Austin needs to be his main priority right now.
Entering the waiting area, I see Becky and Bennett sitting by one another, neither one of them
speaking. He had run to do a few things but was back before Cole and Becky arrived. He’s looking
down at his phone, and she is staring straight ahead at nothing.
“Becky?” I get her attention, coming up to stand in front of her.
She looks up at me through her eyelashes but says nothing.
“May I speak to you for a moment?”
She stays seated, and Bennett ignores us.
Finally, she speaks. “I think I heard all I need to know.”
I refrain from yanking her out of her seat and dragging her ass outside and into my SUV so we can
talk. She knows. One of my secrets is out there, but I need to know she can keep her mouth shut about
it. I can’t help Cole and Austin if she goes and gets my ass in trouble.
The GWS aren’t stupid. We know what we are up against every time we fight. The adults in this
town think we’re just stupid kids who do stupid shit, but they’re so wrong. Their heads would spin if
they knew half the shit we’re capable of. And it would scare Becky to death if she knew just how
much I could hurt her. I could ruin her, just like Cole wanted to destroy Austin. But our story would be
different because I wouldn’t stop like Cole did. I have very few limits when you cross me.
“Why are you still standing here, Deke?” she snaps, getting my attention.
I smile down at her, and her eyes widen in fear. Then, without another word, I walk away. I take
the elevator down to the first floor. As I walk out of the hospital, I pull out my cell and dial up a
number to a friend of mine. I need to find Kellan’s car. My plan to crush my ex can wait.
 CHAPTER TWELVE
BENNETT

I SIT BACK onto my couch and prop my right foot on my left knee. I take a long drag off the joint
before passing it off. School and swim are officially over, so I can smoke as much as I want since I’m
not going to be drug tested. Well, for a couple of weeks until I start college anyway.
“You covered their tracks?” Shane asks, sitting in the recliner across from me. He looks like shit!
I’m not even sure when he showered last. And he showed up with a bottle of vodka.
I nod. “They were sloppy, but it wouldn’t have mattered. Kellan was going to die no matter what.
Austin had stabbed him.”
I’m surprised the bitch put up such a good fight. Her size compared to Kellan’s—I figured he’d win
without any trouble. But who knows, the guy could have been wasted. He’d done nothing but drink for
the past couple of months. He was always on edge, especially since finding out Celeste was pregnant
with his baby. When she told him, he called me freaking the fuck out. Of course, I didn’t help by
telling him he was a fucking idiot.
“You shouldn’t have altered the tape. Nothing about us was on there. Not like we would have
gotten into trouble. Cole and Austin would have been locked up behind Bruce.”
I shake my head. “Austin has recordings.” Or she did at the time Deke and Cole killed Kellan.
Now Cole has them. “If I hadn’t altered it, she would have had enough to take us all down.”
Shane’s head falls back, and he looks up at the crystal chandelier that hangs from the ceiling. “This
can’t be happening.”
“There’s nothing we can do about it now. It’s done. He’s dead.”
“Because he fucked up!” he snaps.
“Again. Nothing we could have done with that.”
He fists his hands. “How the fuck did it get this bad?”
“Well, we all underestimated Austin, for one,” I offer. “You should have known she was gonna be
more trouble than we bargained for when she pulled the fire alarm so you could go do your dare. And
two, who would have guessed Cole was gonna fall for her?”
He snorts. “That’s what we wanted.”
“No.” I shake my head. “If I remember that first night in the clubhouse correctly, when she showed
up in his car, you said she won’t turn on someone she loves. We wanted her to fall for him, so she
would take the fall. Cole was never supposed to be on her side. He was supposed to use her. We
needed him too much to get caught for Bruce’s death. We needed him ’cause he knew too much about
us.”
“Whatever.” He stands and begins to pace in my parents’ family room. “I should have known he
was gonna fall for her the moment he found out she had been abused.” He snorts. “Cole started feeling
sorry for her … and then shit went downhill from there.”
My brows pull together in confusion. “Austin was abused?” He nods. “Like sexually?” He doesn’t
respond. No one has mentioned this. Was that why Cole kept her so close? Maybe he knew Kellan’s
true intentions from the beginning. Cole can be ruthless, but no one knows how dark Kellan could go.
How dark his thoughts went. “By who?” I dig.
 “Doesn’t matter. Now it’s all fucked.” He waves me off.
I let it go because Austin’s past doesn’t concern me. “I disagree. The plan still worked. Bruce may
not be dead, but he’s in jail.”
“But Kellan is dead!”
“Because he jumped the gun,” I remind him with a sigh. “I listened to the recording, and he was
planning on doing something to Celeste that night. Maybe not Austin, but he went there with a plan. He
paid the price for being so foolish, and I can’t feel sorry for him over that.” Shane throws me a glare
before he continues wearing out the carpet in front of the fireplace. “He shouldn’t have fallen for her
too. He got greedy.”
He throws his head back laughing. “He liked her back when we were kids. That’s why he wanted
her here in the first place. To piss off Celeste. Hell, he had been following Austin for the past few
months on Facebook before she even moved to Collins. Ever since her mother called. She just never
knew it ’cause it was under a different name.”
We all have spam accounts except for Cole. It took Austin challenging him for him to even make
one Facebook account. But I don’t think the fucker has ever used it.
I roll my eyes. “He was out of control. And careless. Two things that in no way were gonna get him
what he wanted. We saw the red flag when he gave Cole the dare to fuck Kaitlin. Then when she
showed up at the party with Bryan, and he told Cole he still had to fuck her, even if that meant rape,
Kellan was out of his fucking mind,” I remind him. At that point, Kellan was desperate to get Cole out
of the picture. Even if that meant getting his ass throw in jail.
“And you …” He stops pacing and points down at me. “You were supposed to get Cole away from
her. We agreed to slow it down when Kellan attacked her the night of her birthday party. She was no
use to us if he killed her too soon.”
“I did,” I argue. “But by then, he was in too deep with her. I had to go behind his back to Deke.
When he was on our side prom night, Cole backed off. Or pissed her off. Either way, she walked
away from him.” The sorry bastard walked around school and practice like a lost little puppy without
her. I actually felt sorry for him. He had finally found a woman he could tolerate while dressed, and
we took her from him. “I’m not sure how he and Deke got involved the night Kellan shot her.” Well,
that’s not true. After listening to the recording, I know she called him. But I’ll keep that to myself. The
less Shane knows, the better.
“At least Cole won’t go to the police. Not now.”
“He wasn’t ever going to.” Cole isn’t that kind of guy. He takes care of shit himself. “You are
panicking over nothing. He just wanted revenge on Bruce for raping his mother. Austin was just a
bonus.”
“So now what?” he asks.
I sit up. “We drop this. The group is done. School’s over. They will move to Texas as soon as
Austin is well enough. Cole will want her long gone from here. We all take our money that we
collected from JJ’s Properties and never look back. They’ll never know what we had planned.”
He nods his head quickly before running a hand through his hair nervously. “If that’s what you think
we should do.”
“It’s exactly what we should do.” I stand. “Go home, Shane. And let it go.”
I walk out of the family room and down the long hallway to the back of my parents’ house and enter
my bedroom, not even bothering to see him out. He knows his way around the house. I remove my
shirt and undo my jeans. I kick them off and remove my boxers before I crawl into my bed. It’s late,
almost two a.m., but my window to the right allows light from the outside to filter in, giving the room
a soft glow.
I wrap my arm around the naked body asleep in my bed. She snuck in about an hour ago. I should
let her sleep. She’s had a long day, but no man could deny themselves with her naked in their bed.
I kiss her bare shoulder while my left hand snakes around her side to her stomach. I slide it down
between her thighs and find that sweet spot I’m addicted to. “Wake up, baby,” I whisper into her ear.
She moans and shifts, rolling to her back. I rub her clit, and her legs fall open for me. “Bennett.”
She sighs.
“Yeah, baby. Wake up for me.”
I crawl to where I’m between her legs, and I slide my arms underneath her ass and prop it up in the
air to get her pussy closer to my mouth.
“Please,” she begs. Her hips buck as her hands run down over her flat stomach, letting me know
exactly what she wants.
I lower my face to her pussy and lick my lips before licking her smooth cunt. She begins to pant.
My arms stretch up and over to grab her large tits. Fuck, she is incredible. I’ve always had a crush on
her, and I’ve dreamed about fucking her for years. I can’t count how many times I’ve jacked off
thinking about her. Finally, my dream came true last year, and I wasn’t disappointed.
She cries out as my tongue fucks her pussy while my hands massage her breasts. Her legs tighten
around my head, locking it in place.
Seconds later, she comes all over my tongue with my name on her lips. I hover above her, placing
my hands on either side of her head. She opens her heavy eyes and looks up at me.
I smile down at the blue-eyed blonde. I wonder what Deke would think if he knew I was fucking
her. Would he kill me? Most definitely. He’d torture me first, though—possibly cut off my fucking
dick and make me eat it—but it would be worth it because I’m in love with her. And I think she loves
me, too.
She wraps her still shaking legs around my hips and pulls me into her. “I want you.”
I lean down and run my tongue along her parted lips, and she moans into my mouth when she tastes
herself on me. “Fuck me, Ben.”
“I’m going to, baby.” Then I kiss her.
 CHAPTER THIRTEEN
COLE

“HERE.” I GRAB Austin’s hand and help her out of my car.

She gives a little laugh. “Cole, I know how to walk.”
“I just wanna help you,” I offer, shutting the passenger door. The doctor finally discharged her after
two weeks in the hospital, but he told her to take it easy. However, her definition of easy is not the
same as mine.
When I turn around, she’s facing me with a big smile on her face. Fuck, I never thought I’d see that
again. “Thanks, but you don’t have to treat me like glass.”
My face falls at the mention of glass. That was what her journal said about how Martin treated her.
And although I no longer want to break her, I also don’t want to treat her like her piece of shit ex did.
I’m nothing like him. He tried to feed her full of bullshit and make her think he was there for her. If he
were any kind of a man, he wouldn’t have tried to feed her drugs and forget the sick bastard she had
to live with. Instead, he would have killed that motherfucker.
“Everything okay?” she asks with worry, noticing my change of mood.
I nod. “Fine. Come on, let’s get you inside.” Taking her hand in mine, I help her to the door of the
clubhouse. Once inside, I drop her bag on the table in the corner while she takes a seat on the couch.
And it reminds me of the last time she was here—prom. The night before I allowed her to walk out
on me.

I turn the lock, and then I’m spun around. My back hits the door, and I look down into a set of
very heavy, very gorgeous green eyes. “Are you okay?” she asks.
“Of course,” I lie, running the back of my scarred knuckles down her soft cheek.
“You don’t seem like it. You’ve been giving me the cold shoulder ever since the guys pulled you
to the side at prom tonight.”
That’s because they want me to give you up. And although I know they’re right, I’m not sure I can
do it. I’m gonna have to force you to leave. And it’s gonna kill me ’cause I’ve fallen in love with you.
That’s the first time I’ve allowed myself to think that, and I hope she’s too drunk to notice the
way my knees shake as I finally admit it to myself.
“Was tonight as bad as you thought it was gonna be?” she questions at my silence, and I frown
at her words. She giggles, assuring me that she’s so drunk her thoughts are all over the place. “You
don’t have to lie. I know you didn’t want to go tonight.” She flattens her hands on my chest and
runs them down my tux.
I want her nails digging into my skin. Her breath on my neck. I want to bury my face between
her legs and eat her all fucking night. “That’s not true …”
“And you hated that I wanted to go to the after parties.” She bites her painted red lip, and my
cock begins to harden. I’ve been looking forward to this part of the night since this morning.
I straighten my back, pushing my hand into her dark hair. I know she wore it down just for me. I
spin us around, pinning her back to the door now. I push my body into hers, caging her in.
Her heavy eyes close, and her lips part. A soft moan escapes them when she leans the back of
her head against the door as well, exposing her neck to me. I lower my head and run my lips
across her jawline.
She’s right.
I didn’t want to go to those lame ass parties. I wanted her here. Alone. But I’ll never admit that.
Never let her know that all she had to do was bat her fucking eyelashes and I’d give her what she
wanted. That I’m so weak for her, I’d cave that easily.
I lie. “If I didn’t want to go, then I wouldn’t have gone.” My free hand runs up her rib cage, and
I wish I had a knife on me to cut this dress off her. I want to unwrap her like a fucking present on
Christmas morning. Rip it to shreds and discard it to the floor.
She smiles. “You don’t have to lie to me, Cole. You’re getting laid either way.”
I chuckle softly. When I get to her neck, my teeth sink into her delicate flesh. And she cries out,
her hands fisting in my jacket. “Ffucckkk …”
I draw her skin into my mouth and taste the perfume. Fuck, I could eat her alive. And at this
point, I don’t think she’d stop me. She hasn’t yet. “Yes. We are.”
She shrieks as I slide my hand behind her knees and pick her feet up off the floor. “Pull your
dress up,” I order. The length is so long, I’m stepping on it.
She gathers the red material in her hands, and I carry her up the stairs to the loft. Once we
reach the landing, I put her down on her feet, and she sways a little bit.
“Lift your arms,” I order, and she obeys.
I reach up and unzip the dress down her side. The zipper comes to a stop at her hip, and in
record time, it’s falling to the floor. A pile of red lies at our feet—like a pool of blood. She isn’t
wearing a bra, but she has on a black lace thong. I place both of my hands on her hips, sliding my
fingers between the fabric and skin. I fall to my knees before her and slowly slide the fabric down
her smooth, toned legs, softly kissing the inside of her thighs. They shudder from the contact.
Her flawless skin breaks out in goosebumps, and I smile before I sink my teeth into it.
“Cole.” She gasps as they shake.
“Sweetheart?” I kiss higher. She pants from above me. I can feel the heat from her pussy. She’s
so ready for me. But not yet…
My hands glide up to cup her ass—fingers digging into her flesh. I look forward to leaving my
handprint on it later. Her hands dig into my hair as my lips trail back over to her thigh. She
whimpers in protest. I smile and bite her skin again. Harder this time. She jerks my head back. I
look up to see her staring down at me, red lips parted while she breathes heavily. Her nipples hard
and ready for my mouth. Standing to my full height, I grip both her thighs, picking her up and
throwing her onto the bed.
She squeals in surprise, and her hair covers half of her face. She blows it out of the way as I
crawl between her legs. “My heels …”
“Leave them on.” I plan on wrapping my fists around them.
Her hands grip my tux, and she yanks on it, trying to pull me to her. “Take it off,” she moans,
and I laugh at her lack of patience. “Cole,” she growls.
“What?” I grab her wrists and pin them above her head.
She squirms underneath me. Arching her back, she clenches her teeth and her chest heaves.
She’s getting pissed. And I’m hard as a fucking rock.
I cross her wrists and wrap one hand around them, holding them down. My now free hand goes
between her legs. She spreads them the best she can for me. “So fucking wet, baby.”
“Please,” she begs.
 I slide a finger into her. “Is this what you want?”
“No.” Her response is breathless, and she bucks her hips, wanting more.
“What is it that you want?” I ask, pulling out my finger and thrusting two in this time. My
thumb runs over her clit, teasing her.
Her hips buck again, and her heels dig into the comforter. “You. I want you.”
“You want me to what, sweetheart?” I love fucking with her. Ever since the night I met her in the
cemetery, I’ve wanted her like this. And I take full advantage of it.
“Fuck me. Please? Cole, just fuck me!” she cries out to me.
I still don’t want to give her what she wants. I want to make her wait. Because I know come
tomorrow morning, things will be different. I’m going to have to push her away no matter how
much it kills me. This is for her safety. From me. From the group. From everyone. I’m willingly
going to give her up and pray that she comes back to me.
Just the thought makes me sick.
“Cole?” she snaps, trying to free her hands from my grip. It doesn’t work. “What are you …
Please?” she begs again, wiggling her hips under me.
Her perfect tits are right there. I could easily bend down and take a hard nipple into my mouth,
but I’m not going to. Not yet.
I lower my head and nuzzle her neck, breathing her in. She already has a thin layer of sweat
covering her skin. “I’m gonna fuck you, sweetheart. I just wanna hear you beg for it first.”
“I am,” she whimpers.
“Beg for my cock, Austin. Beg for me to be inside you. Owning you. Fucking you. Destroying
you.” I want to hear the desperation in her voice. The need for me. Because I know it will be a
long time before I hear it again. Come tomorrow, she’s going to hate me. More than she ever has.
She struggles underneath me. Her green eyes narrow up at me, and I smile down at her. “So
beautiful.”
“I need you,” she chokes out, body shaking. “Please, God …” She arches her back. “I need you
to fuck me …” she all but cries out.
I just watch her. She’s getting herself worked up, and she looks fucking gorgeous like this. “So
needy.”
“Cole!” she growls. Her heels continue to dig in the bed, and I hear the sheets rip. I smile. Her
muscles tense in her wrists that I continue to hold down. “You fucking own me,” she says,
squeezing her eyes shut. “Is that what you want?” She sucks in a long breath. “You own me. I need
you … please …”
But do you love me?
I shake my head at that thought. She could never feel that for me. Not after what I’ve done to
her. But I’ll prove that I can do better. Be better. You’re going to love me, Austin Lowes, no matter
what I have to do to get you back after I hurt you for the last time.
“See, was that so hard?” I tease.
Her eyes spring open and narrow up at me. I release her wrists, and she reaches up, yanking my
shirt open, and the buttons go flying. She grips the back of my neck and yanks my head down to
hers. I kiss her desperately. My tongue dances with hers as I reach my free hand down, unzip my
slacks, and take my hard dick in my hand. I rub it against her pussy. Using my thighs, I pry hers
apart and slide into her. Painfully slowly. Feeling her stretch for me. My cock. She feels so fucking
good.
She rips her mouth from mine and lets out a moan before biting her bottom lip. Her eyes close,
and she arches her back.
“This what you want?” I want to fuck her so hard that tomorrow she won’t be able to walk away
from me. She’ll have to crawl. “See what happens when you’re a good girl?”
“Yes. God … yes.” Her breath catches, and I pull out of her just as slowly as I entered her.
After I’m done with her tonight, I want her to feel me for days, weeks even because I don’t know
when I’ll have my next chance to have her like this.

“I need to go to my dad’s.”
I shake my head. “Huh?” I ask, pulling myself out of the past and into the present. Reaching down, I
adjust my pants because, of course, I’m fucking hard.
“I need to go to my dad’s,” she repeats.
“Why?”
She looks up at me. “I need to get my stuff. Pack everything up—”
“It’s already been done.” I interrupt her and grab her a water out of the fridge.
“What?” she asks surprised. “When?”
I sit down beside her, very aware of my hard-on but trying to hide it from her. Sex should be the
last thing on her mind. “Last week. I had Blanche get everything together for us. It’s all packed up to
go and already loaded in a U-Haul.” I didn’t want her to have to go back to the house for anything. I
was afraid the memories would resurface. And they still haven’t cleaned it. Not sure what they plan
on doing with that house now.
She stares at me with wide eyes. Reaching out, I push a piece of hair behind her ear, running my
finger over all her piercings. I haven’t really gotten to touch her much in the past couple of weeks.
Well, more like the last month. Not since prom night. I’ve had to hold back, and it’s one of the hardest
things I’ve ever had to do. Like right now as her green eyes search mine, I just want to pick her up in
my arms and carry her up to the loft, lay her down, and bury myself between her legs. But I know it
will be a while before that can happen.
So instead, I ask, “What, sweetheart?”
“Nothing,” she lies, looking away from me.
The door opens, and I turn around to see Deke enter. He has a go fuck you look on his face, and his
jaw is set in a hard line. I still haven’t had the chance to talk to him.
“Where is Bennett?” Deke asks, plopping down in one of the gaming chairs.
“On his way,” I answer.
He nods and pulls his cell out of his jeans pocket.
“I’m gonna go take a shower,” Austin announces and stands.
“I’ll help you.” I jump to my feet.
“No.” She places her hands on my chest. “I can do it, Cole.” Then she leans up on her tiptoes and
kisses my cheek. “I’ll be all right. Promise.”
I stay standing as I watch her take the steps. She’s getting around well, to be honest. And I don’t
think I’ve ever been more proud of anyone. Sitting back down, I catch Deke staring at me. “What?” I
ask.
“I never did get to clean up the bathroom. Did you …?”
“Oh, shit!” I jump up and take the stairs two at a time. I come to a stop at the open door to see her
standing in the middle of it.
“What happened?” she breathes with her arms out wide. Her eyes go to the shattered mirror and
then they go to my hands. Hair and makeup products lie scattered on the floor along with glass from
the mirror. It crunches under her Chucks. “When did you do this?”
I sigh. “It doesn’t matter. Give me ten minutes, and I’ll have it cleaned up.”
“It does matter,” she says matter-of-factly. “When?”
I run a hand through my hair. “Austin …”
“No, Cole.” Her eyes narrow on me, and I can’t help but smile. This is the Austin I love. The
fighter in her who doesn’t back down. She’ll stare the devil in the eyes with a smile. “We are not
doing this. You are going to tell me what I want to know.” She crosses her arms over her chest.
“Or what?” I ask, my smirk growing.
She huffs. “Or I will withhold sex.”
I laugh for the first time in six weeks. And I forgot how good it felt to find something funny. “We
won’t be having sex for a very long time anyway. So go ahead and withhold your pussy, sweetheart.”
Her face falls as if she expected me to fuck her tonight. “Then … just …” She sighs. “When did
you do this? Was it because of what I did?”
“What you did?” I take a step into the bathroom and wrap my arm around her waist, carefully
pulling her chest into mine. “You didn’t do anything, Austin.”
“That’s not true.” She swallows nervously. “Before Kellan … I pretended to like Myers to make
you jealous.” My brows rise. “I used him to get to you. I wanted you to hurt like you hurt me.”
“I was hurting,” I admit. I have no problem telling this woman I’m obsessed with her and that she
has the potential to ruin me more than I already am. “I need to know—”
“Nothing happened between us.” She interrupts me, already knowing where I was headed.
“It’s okay if something did,” I lie. It would kill me, but I would live with the pain. “I deserve that.”
“Cole.” She places both of her soft hands on my face, and her eyes search mine. “I’m not lying.
Nothing happened,” she repeats. “Is that why you did this? ’Cause you thought I was sleeping with
him?”
I take a deep breath and cup her cheek. “I did this the night Kellan shot you.”
“Oh,” she says.
“After I found you lying on your dad’s kitchen floor. Dead. We took care of Kellan, then we came
back here to shower before I turned myself in.”
“You what?” She gasps, her hands dropping to her sides.
We haven’t really had the opportunity to discuss how things went down. Once she woke up in the
hospital, things became hectic. Nurses and doctors in and out of her room. If Becky wasn’t visiting,
Deke was. Then Bennett was there often. The police questioning her. They never did ask to speak to
her again once Jacob and I showed back up. When he told them they were not allowed to speak to her
without him being present, they said they had enough information. Which was bullshit. The only
question is why? Did my father get to them? I’m not sure why he would do anything to save her unless
he thinks she’ll roll on me. And we all know that he’ll do whatever he can to keep my ass out of
prison. As far as Kellan, all she knows is that we killed him.
“Turn yourself in for what?” she demands.
“It’s a long story.”
“Cole—”
“I have plenty of time to tell you.” I interrupt her. “Just give me ten minutes, and I will have this
cleaned up for you. Then later, I’ll fill you in, okay?”
Her eyes search mine for a long time before she finally nods. “Okay.”
I come out of the bathroom fifteen minutes later to find her sitting at the end of the bed. Her head’s
down, and she’s inspecting her fingernails, but I can see her mind working. I can almost smell her
fear. Like when I took her to watch Jerrold with me. But this time, it’s different. It’s not what will
happen to her; it’s what will happen to us. Where do we go from here? The threat may be over, but
what does that mean for us now? Can we move on so easily? Can I keep her and Lilly safe?
I know this because I’ve asked myself these same questions over and over.
I come to the end of the bed and kneel before her. She lifts her eyes from her hands to look at me. I
see unshed tears fill her green eyes, and she looks away. She obviously doesn’t want to talk about
whatever it is she’s thinking. That’s one thing about Austin; if she wants to know something, she’ll
ask. So I won’t push her right now. When she’s ready, she’ll let me know.
She stands and walks to the bathroom without saying a word. I go to walk past it to head
downstairs when I hear her hiss in a breath. I peek in to see her trying to get out of my T-shirt she’s
wearing. Becky brought it for her. Shelby suggested she wear something that opens up in the front for
her to get in and out of easily, but she ignored her and chose one of my shirts. The girls had helped her
dress at the hospital.
“Let me help you,” I suggest, entering the bathroom.
Her arms fall to her sides, and she sniffs. I reach into my front pocket and grab my knife. Flipping
the blade open, I hold it up. Her eyes go to it and then to mine. Those green eyes that I first saw in the
middle of the night in a cemetery stare back at me. They look different now. Less lost yet more
terrified than I’ve ever seen them. I reach up and grab the collar and then slowly cut down the front,
making sure to stay away from her skin.
“I liked that shirt,” she says in a soft voice once it’s cut in half, exposing her bare chest and
stomach. I can see the bandage that covers up her scar, and my fist tightens on the knife. I wish I could
stab Kellan with it. “It smelled like you.”
I smile at her, ignoring the rage that wants a release. I have to change for her. I can change for her.
“I have plenty more where it came from.” Putting the knife away, I reach out and place my hand in the
waistband of her black yoga pants and slowly push them down her legs. It reminds me of prom; only I
won’t be tossing her onto the bed once they’re off. After she steps out of them, I straighten to my full
height. I lean in and kiss her on the forehead. “Take a shower, sweetheart. I’ll be downstairs when
you’re done.”

_______________

AN HOUR LATER, I’m sitting on the couch talking to Deke and Bennett when she comes down the stairs.
Her hair is down and still a little damp from the shower. Her perfect face free of makeup and smiling
at me. She looks stunning. Her bruises from Kellan’s hands have finally healed. She wears another T-
shirt of mine, and I frown, wondering why she didn’t holler at me to help her get it on. And a pair of
my sweatpants. Both swallow her.
“How are you feeling?” Bennett asks her as she sits down next to me.
I pull her into my side and kiss her hair. I inhale that familiar smell that I missed so fucking much.
“Much better.” She gives him a smile. “It’s amazing what being home will do for you.”
Home? Does she see this place as her home? I sure hope so. I could totally see her, Lilly, and me
living here if we didn’t have a house waiting for us in Texas. As much as I’ve loved this place, I can’t
wait to get out of this town and away from this life. Maybe Becky was right, and Austin always has
been my fresh start.
He nods as if understanding, and then the room falls silent. The guys know how much I’ve told her
and what I don’t want her to know. Some things are just better kept between us.
“Is something wrong?” she asks when the silence lingers.
Bennett runs a hand through his hair nervously. And Deke looks up at the ceiling.
“Austin?”
She turns to face me completely, and I can see the fear in her eyes. “What did you do, Cole?” I hate
how panicked she sounds. “Please tell me that whatever you did, you covered your tracks?”
“Of course, we did.” Deke snorts. “We’re sharks, after all. Not fucking stupid.”
“We?” Her voice squeaks. “You all took part in killing Kellan?”
He nods at her. “Well, I let Cole do the job. I just made sure Kellan didn’t get away while he took
care of him.”
She flinches in my arms at the way Deke speaks so carelessly of someone we once considered a
brother.
“Once it was over, we called Bennett. He got rid of the body.”
She sits up straighter. “How did you do it?” All she cares about is protecting me and making sure I
didn’t fuck up. It makes me smile. “Did you make sure no one will find him? Please tell me that you
guys didn’t bury him. You did a shitty job with Jeff.”
Bennett chuckles.
Deke snorts as if she insulted him. “Dive tanks. Bennett tied what was left of his lifeless body to a
couple of dive tanks. Took his father’s speed boat out for a night swim in the ocean and threw his ass
into the water.”
“Doubt there’s much left of his body now,” Bennett adds.
“What …?” She trails off as her eyes meet mine.
I had used her plan. She had told me that very thing when I asked her how she would get rid of a
body if she ever killed someone. And I must say, I felt much better that sharks were eating his rotting
corpse at the bottom of the ocean. It was very poetic.
“Did you guys ever find his car?” she asks.
Deke nods. “It was at his house.”
She frowns. “So how did he get there?”
He shrugs. “Sounds like your idea that maybe Celeste picked him up was the only possibility.”
“I don’t know …” she says slowly, her voice trailing off. “Why would he not drive? They were
fighting. I don’t think he planned for me to show up, but I think he planned to hurt her. He wouldn’t
have had a way home once he killed her. It doesn’t make sense.”
We all agree with her.
Bennett’s phone goes off, signaling a message. After he reads it, he stands. “Well, I will let you all
get some rest. Boys, I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“I’m gonna leave too,” Deke says, following him.
“Oh, wait.” I unwrap her from underneath my arm and stand. Pulling out a key, I hand one over to
Bennett. “I changed the locks.”
He nods and places it in his pocket. “Thanks.”
I close up the door after they walk out and then go back to the couch. “Let’s go to bed.” We make
our way upstairs.
“Why did you change the locks?” she asks.
“Deke suggested it.” Lie. I changed them because all the sharks have a key to this place, and I no
longer trust Shane.
She nods, believing me. “What about Deke? You didn’t give him one.”
 “I did the other day. Plus, he will be in Texas with us. Bennett is staying here for school.”
She’s pushing the sweatpants down her legs when she changes the subject. “Where is Lilly?”
“She is staying with Blanche tonight,” I answer, pulling the covers back.
She nods. “Have you spoken to your dad about Texas?”
I walk around the bed and over to her. “Yes.”
“And?” she urges.
“It’s fine, Austin. Stop worrying.” I grab the hem of my shirt she’s wearing.
She takes a step back, but I don’t let go. “Don’t cut this one.”
“I’m not,” I tell her with a smile. “I’m gonna help you out of it.”
I roll it up in my hands and then help her get one arm out at a time. This one is a bigger size, so it’s
easier for her to get on and off. Once it’s on the ground, I look over her body as she stands in a pair of
little baby blue underwear. You can see her ribs. More than before. Her hips bones are more
noticeable too. I run my thumbs over them. She still has bruises from her chest tube and IV. And one
peeks out under a fresh bandage.
“Cole.” She takes my hands in hers and pulls them away from her. “Your dad—”
“He’s not gonna stop us.” I interrupt her. Might as well give her peace of mind when it comes to
that bastard. All of Lilly’s stuff is already packed and in the U-Haul as well.
She seems pacified with that answer and nods once. I help her into bed and then lie down beside
her. Pulling her to me, I inhale her scent again. Fuck, I’ve missed her so much.
“What about Shane?” she asks softly.
“Someone else you don’t need to worry about.”
“But he has to know what you guys did?” She draws little circles on my bare chest. Her fingers
softly touching me. “Have you seen him?”
“No,” I lie.
I don’t want to worry her because the truth is I don’t know what to do about Shane just yet.
She believes me, and asks, “What’s wrong with Deke?”
I hold in a sigh. Her mind is filled with so many questions, and I hate how much she sees. How
much she worries. “If I had to guess, I would say he’s upset over Becky breaking up with him.” But
I’m not sure that’s what it is. He’s more pissed than upset.
“They broke up?” Her fingers pause on my skin.
Guess Becky hasn’t spoken much to her about her personal life lately. “Yes.”
She buries her face into my chest and sighs heavily. I tighten my arms around her, and she flinches.
“I’m sorry.” I immediately loosen my hold.
“They’ll figure it out.” She ignores my apology.
“Maybe.” I’m not so sure, though. If Deke knew what I knew, he’d be so pissed at her. And me.
“You told me that he loves her.” She yawns.
“I did.” I run my hand over her soft hair. “He does.” I’m not sure now.
“Then they will figure out a way to make it work.”
I pull away from her enough to look down at her face. Her eyes are closed and her lips slightly
parted. When I run my knuckles down her cheek, she opens her eyes and looks up at me. “Are you
okay?” she asks.
I don’t answer her. I’m not sure how. Saying yes would be another lie, and answering no would
worry her. I already had problems sleeping before she came into my life, but now it’s pretty much
nonexistent. I’ve been running on fumes for too long.
She sighs. “I can tell something is bothering you. Please tell me.”
 This time, I decide to lie again. What’s one more? “Nothing is bothering me.”
“Cole”—she pulls away and slowly sits up— “I want you to talk to me.”
I sit up too. She has the sheet pulled up to her chin, shielding her body, and I wonder why she
chooses now to hide from me. But I don’t pull it away. I cup her cheek, unable to keep my hands to
myself. Not like I ever have since I met her.
“Cole, please …? Whatever it is. We will get through it together.”
She thinks I’m hiding more from her. I am, of course, but it’s all to protect her.
“Did you …?”
“I love you.” It’s the only words I can think to say to her.
The only thing that I know with a hundred percent certainty at this very moment. I’ve known it for a
while now. Everything else is out of my control. I don’t know if Shane will come for me. I don’t know
if my father will one day want Lilly. And I don’t know if Austin will one day wake up and realize I’m
not good enough for her and leave me.
Her lips part, and her eyes widen.
“I love you, Austin Lowes. And I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you sooner.” Those beautiful green eyes
begin to well with tears. God, she’s so gorgeous. “You’ve changed me, sweetheart. And I’m gonna do
everything in my power to protect you and take care of you.”
My hand slides into her soft hair, and she closes her eyes, sucking in a shaky breath. When they
open, the first tear rolls down her cheek. Then the second tear falls. And the third as we sit in silence.
My heart pounds in my chest, waiting for her to say something to me. Anything. Even if it’s that she
hates me. I can work on that. I can show her how much I love her …
She licks her wet lips and whispers. “I love you, Cole.”
I never thought words could mean so much—all I’ve ever known were hate and rage—but this
woman brings a whole new meaning to my life. And that feeling is stronger than anything else I’ve
ever felt. I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding and kiss her softly with just our lips touching,
but when she tries to deepen it, I pull away. “We can’t.” I hate saying those words to her. I never want
to turn her down or make her feel unwanted.
“I want you,” she whispers, her watery eyes running over my chest.
“I want you too.” I run my hand through her soft hair. “But I don’t want to hurt you.” She smiles up
at me, and I return it. Kissing her forehead, I say, “Come on. Let’s get some rest.”
We lie back down, and she buries her face in my chest once again. I stay awake, watching her fall
asleep in my arms, and eventually, her breathing evens out. I kiss her forehead and whisper, “I love
you, sweetheart.” Then I close my eyes, hoping tonight will be the first night in a long time I’ll
actually get some rest, knowing she’s in my arms.
 CHAPTER FOURTEEN
COLE

I OPEN THE clubhouse door and step outside. The air has a slight chill, and the wind has picked up,
making the trees surrounding the clubhouse howl. The sun is just starting to rise. Crossing my arms
over my chest, I watch the detective get out of his unmarked police car. “Monroe.” I nod in greeting.
“Cole.” He comes to a stop before me, dressed in a black button-down and jeans. “How is she
doing?”
“Great,” I answer.
Austin’s been out of the hospital for three weeks now. She, Lilly, and I have been living here.
We’ve already made one trip with Deke to Texas and moved all of our stuff into our house but came
back for Austin’s checkup. The doctor gave her the green light yesterday.
“I spoke to your father, and he said you guys are leaving town tomorrow morning.”
Why is he talking to Liam? “Am I not allowed?”
“No. No, you are,” he assures me.
I’m no longer a suspect. Haven’t been since I was questioned, but my father’s attorney called me
last week to tell me it was official. Like I didn’t already know. “So what was so important that you
couldn’t talk to me over the phone?”
He had called me last night while Austin was giving Lilly a bath and asked if he could come by. I
offered to meet him at the station, but he insisted on making a house call.
“I was wondering if you had heard from Kellan?” he asks, placing his hands in his pockets.
“No.” I shake my head.
He looks over my shoulder to the clubhouse for a long second and then back at me. “Funny how he
just … disappeared.”
He knows I did something, but he just can’t prove it. “Wouldn’t be the first time that’s happened
here in Collins,” I say, and his eyes narrow.
Mr. Biggs’ business partner went missing a couple of years back, and nothing was ever done about
it. Monroe was the detective on the case. Funny how he makes fifty grand a year but lives in the same
neighborhood as Deke’s parents. He gets paid under the table to overlook shit, and the whole town
knows it. His time will come, and he’ll have to answer for his mistakes in blood.
“You wouldn’t know something about that, would you?”
He’s referring to Jeff. I couldn’t thank Austin enough for what she did to his body. “Are you
accusing me of something?” I arch a brow. “Because this time you’re gonna need a warrant.” I won’t
willingly lie down on the gravel and allow them to take me again. And sure as hell not for Kellan.
What I did was for Austin.
He smirks. “This case also wasn’t the first one your daddy paid to go away.” Taking a step
forward, he closes the small space.
“Yes, but we both know if you had done your job the first time, then you would have realized my
car was tampered with, and it wasn’t really an accident, right?” I tilt my head to the side.
He removes his hands from his pockets and fists them down by his sides, ignoring that. “I know
your girlfriend stabbed him in self-defense. But I also know that you and your group finished him
off.”
I smile. “I dare you to prove it.”
His face tightens. Then he looks over my shoulder at the clubhouse once again. I refuse to turn
around and see what he’s looking at. I won’t be caught off guard. When his eyes meet mine again, he
gives me a curt nod. “Have a safe trip, Cole.”
“Is that a threat?” I ask and try to hide my smirk. You can try to fuck with me all you want, but you
will lose!
He doesn’t answer. Instead, he gets back in his car and drives off, ending our pointless
conversation.
I walk back inside, and Lilly sits on the couch watching videos on her phone. Her blond hair is a
mess from moving around in her sleep, and she still wears her Frozen nightgown. I make my way up
the stairs to find Austin making the bed. “You’re up early.”
“Yeah, Lilly and I are meeting Becky for breakfast.” She tucks the end of the top sheet under the
bed and turns to face me. “What were you doing outside?”
“I had to call and talk to Deke about something,” I lie. It used to be so easy lying to her, but now it
chips a piece of me away every time she looks up at me, knowing she loves me. How easily she
believes anything I say. It makes me sick to my stomach.
She nods and then begins to bite her bottom lip nervously.
“What?” I ask her.
“I need to talk to you about something.”
“Okay.” I sit on the side of the bed, and she comes to stand between my legs. “What is it?” I place
my hands on her hips. She wears a little pair of cotton shorts and another one of my T-shirts. I can’t
wait to get to our house in Texas where we have our own bedroom with a door that locks. So she can
sleep naked for me again.
“I’ve been thinking about Texas.”
“And?” I ask.
“And we have four bedrooms.” I nod. “I spoke to Becky the other day …” Shit, I know where she’s
headed with this now. “And she’s having trouble finding a place to live. I thought maybe she could
move in with us.”
“Austin …”
“I heard Deke say he was going to be in the dorms. And they’re still not a hundred percent on
speaking terms right now.”
I release her and run a hand through my hair. They’re not speaking at all actually. Deke told me the
other day that she won’t return any of his texts or phone calls. I haven’t spoken to her once since we
got into it while standing in Austin’s closet, and I’m fine with that. Becky and I don’t need to have any
kind of conversation or interaction. That’s how things work between her and me.
“Come on.” She places both of her hands on my face, and I melt for her. “It will only be for a little
while.”
I look up at her soft smile, and my shoulders fall. I’m going to be in classes and busy with
swimming. Austin hasn’t decided what she’s going to do regarding school yet. She said she just wants
to make sure Lilly is taken care of and adjusting to the new living situation and school. I guess having
Becky around won’t hurt. It’s not like I’m going to see her much. “Sure,” I relent.
She squeals and leans down, giving me a kiss on the lips. “I love you,” she mumbles against them.
When I don’t say it back, she pushes me away so she can look me in the eye. “You okay?”
I run my hand over her hair. “Of course.” Lie.
 All I’ve done is lie to her. Over and over again. Is this how I want our relationship to go? I plan on
marrying this girl, and if I’ve learned anything, it’s that life is unpredictable. I don’t want to lie to her.
Austin is strong—physically and mentally—so I need to tell her what she deserves to know.
“I love you too,” I finally say, picking her up we fall onto the bed. She laughs and wraps her arms
around my neck. I bury my face in hers. I don’t know how much longer I can last with these blue balls.
It’s been almost three months. Two weeks ago, I couldn’t keep my hands off her anymore, and she
begged me so sweetly that I brought her to orgasm with my fingers between her legs. Then the next
day it was with my mouth. And every day since then. She’s tried to return the favor, but I refuse her
every time.
Austin giggles. “Just gotta wait one more day,” she says, knowing exactly where my mind is going.
Once we’re in our new house in our own bed, I’m going to spend all night between her legs.
I nod. “Just one more day.” Giving her one more kiss, I push off her and help her stand. “I’m gonna
call Blanche and see if she can keep Lilly today.”
She eyes me skeptically. “Why?”
“She called me yesterday wanting to take her to the aquarium before we leave for Texas.” Not a
total lie. “I told her she could have her for a few hours today.”
“Okay.” She nods once and then kisses my cheek before making her way to the bathroom.
I look over my shoulder and watch her close the door. I pull my cell out and send a text. I have
plans for us, and I don’t want Lilly around when we do what must be done.

_______________

I STAND INSIDE Liam’s office in his house because he insisted that I come over before I leave town
tomorrow. Austin doesn’t know I’m here. She thinks I’m out having lunch with Deke. I didn’t want her
worried about anything else. Whatever he is about to throw at me, I can handle.
“What do you want?” I ask when he finally enters. He left me in here for the past fifteen minutes
while he did who knows what with who knows who. Typical. Any way he can show he is in control,
he will.
He shuts his door, walks around his desk, his shoes slapping on the hardwood, and sits down. “To
show you something.”
I lean my shoulder against the bookshelf and refrain from sighing. I need to get home. After Austin
and Lilly left for breakfast with Becky, I jumped in the shower, and afterward, I decided to give him a
call. He’s been blowing me up for weeks, reminding me that he needed to talk to me and that we
needed to do a press release. I told him it won’t fucking happen, and nothing would change my mind!
There was nothing to release. I took the fault of the car wreck, and nothing was going to change that.
Even if it meant that people now know Bruce paid to cause the accident, it wasn’t going to change
anything.
“Come over here. You need to see the computer,” he orders.
“Liam—”
“Cole!” he snaps, interrupting me. “Get your ass over here. It’ll only take two fucking minutes.”
I push myself off the bookshelf and walk over behind his desk. He begins to press buttons on his
keyboard, and I see him bring up his Skype on the screen.
“What the hell are you doing?” I ask. Who could he possibly be calling?
He doesn’t answer. Seconds later, a picture pops up. It’s of a small room that consists of concrete
walls and floor. It’s bare with no tables or chairs. “What the hell is this?” It reminds me of the
interrogation room they threw me in when I was taken in for questioning.
“Just watch.”
I hear a door creak open, but the camera doesn’t show it. Then a man is shoved into the middle of
the room. He trips, falling flat on his face. He lets out a growl of frustration as he makes his way up to
his knees. He wears an orange jumpsuit and faces the camera, but his head is down, and his hands are
cuffed in front of him.
“What the …?” My voice trails off when another man enters. He’s dressed in a pair of jeans and a
black T-shirt with black boots. His head is shaved, and he looks like he belongs in the middle of a
WWE ring.
“I know he sent you,” the guy snaps from his knees. “Fuck you, Liam! Fuuucckkk yyyyoouuu!” he
screams.
My heart starts to beat faster. I recognize that voice.
The other man doesn’t say anything. Instead, he punches the guy in the face, knocking him back. He
kicks him in the stomach, making him ball up in the fetal position. Then he kicks him in his back
before hitting him on the side of the head. I stand motionless as I watch some random guy beat the shit
out of Bruce Lowes until he’s unconscious. He never once asks him to stop or tries to fight back. He
takes each hit, each kick, knowing that my father placed the order.
Bruce lies there, hands cuffed, face bloodied, and barely breathing when the man pulls away. He
looks at the camera, nods once, and then walks out of the room. The camera goes black, losing its
connection.
My father stands from his chair and turns to face me. I straighten my back as I swallow. “Why
would you do that?” I ask.
“It’s out in the public now. Everyone knows that Bruce hired a man to kill you. You think I’d stand
back and not do something about that?”
“You did when he did it!” I snap. I’m done pretending he didn’t fucking know.
His jaw clenches. “I did this for—”
“Not for my sake,” I respond flatly, interrupting him. Bruce deserved it for not only killing three of
my friends but also for what he did to Austin. What he put her through when he shipped her off to her
mother and her boyfriend who he knew touched her, hit her.
“Best friends or not, he had to be taught a lesson,” he growls.
I snort. “You think he cares that you beat him up?” I shake my head. “He’ll be sore for a few days,
sure. A little pissed that you betrayed him, maybe. But I put him in jail for life. You wanted me to see
that, why? This isn’t a competition.”
He shakes his head with a laugh. “I agree. It’s not. Because if it were, you would lose.”
I turn to walk out.
“You know that game you played where you held something over Bruce’s head in order for him to
let you have Austin?”
I stop and turn to face him. “We’ve already had this discussion,” I say. In fact, it was in this very
room. When he called Austin a whore and threatened that Bruce was going to nail me to the fucking
cross for taking something from him that didn’t belong to me—his precious fucking car. “What about
it?” He can’t possibly expect me to give the car back. It’s not like Bruce can drive it.
“He could have ended you then. You actually thought you had leverage with that car.” He shakes his
head. “You didn’t have shit.” He chuckles, and my anger turns to confusion. “See, that’s the thing,
Cole, you think you’re all grown up and badass, but you still have so much to learn.”
 “Enlighten me,” I snap.
“Sex,” he says.
I snort. “Gonna give me the sex talk? You’re four years too late.” I hope this isn’t leading up to him
asking if we’re using protection like last time.
He laughs and shakes his head. “She was underage. And you were sleeping with her.”
I roll my eyes when I understand where he’s heading with this. “She was seventeen”—the first
couple of months—“not thirteen. And I was only eighteen, not forty. I don’t see how that’s a
problem.”
“The problem is, Oregon’s legal consent is eighteen, and there is no close in age clause to cover
people seventeen and eighteen. All Bruce had to do was report you to the police once …”
“It was consensual. Every time,” I grind out. “And Austin would have never gone along with that.”
“Doesn’t matter.” He shrugs carelessly. “She wouldn’t have even had a say. She was underage.
Bruce could have had you arrested for statutory rape. It’s that simple.” He stands. “The only reason he
didn’t is because I told him I would bury his ass if he said one fucking word.”
It doesn’t matter what he could have done; it’s too late now. She’s been of age for almost four
months, and he’s in prison. “Doubt it was for my benefit.”
His jaw sharpens. “I told you she was trouble. I told you to stay away from her.”
“I’ve never listened to you before, so I wasn’t about to start.” No one was going to keep me from
her. Not even when all I wanted to do was destroy her.
“Goddammit!” he yells, throwing his empty glass across the room. It hits the far wall and shatters.
“Don’t you see I was saving you? While you were out running around with her and your friends,
pulling stupid pranks, I was here”—he pounds his fists onto his desk—“having to cover your tracks.”
“Sorry I’m not more appreciative.” I didn’t need him to do shit for me.
“You little shit—”
“Enough bullshit!” I interrupt him, tired of running in circles. “You did that for you!” I shout. “Not
me!” Shaking my head, I take a deep breath. “Everything you do is for you. Always has been. Always
will be. No one else fucking matters to you!”
He places his knuckles on his desk and bows his head. We stand in silence while I try to calm my
breathing. My heart races. After a few minutes, when I’m about to turn and leave, he shakes his head
and laughs.
He looks up at me and straightens. “You’re right. I did that for me.” His face grows angry. “’Cause
you were out fucking some whore! Ruining your future! She’s just like her mother …”
I’m across the room and punching him in the face before he can finish his sentence. His head snaps
back, and he stumbles. I grab his crisp white button-down and slam his back into the nearest wall.
“Listen to me very carefully,” I say evenly even though my body shakes with rage. I’ve had enough!
His wide eyes are staring back at me in shock. Blood trickles down his busted nose. That’s the
second time I’ve ever hit him. The first time was after my mother died when I was twelve, but I’m
stronger now.
“Don’t talk about her like that, or I will bury your body next to all the others. Do you understand
me?” I shake him when he just stares at me. “Answer me!” I scream in his face.
They’ll never find him. I may even be able to pin it on Bruce, or, hell, Kellan would be better. All I
would need is a day to figure out a plan.
“You think you got me?” The shock wears off, and his eyes narrow on mine. “Because you used
your fist? I’ll take her …”
“You’ll never touch Austin.” Over my dead body! Kellan taught me a lesson. Never let your guard
down no matter what.
“You can have that piece of trash.” He spits out, and my teeth grind. “I can keep you from Lilly.
Both of you!” he shouts in my face. “I’ll ship her off to an all-girls school in Switzerland, and you’ll
never see her again.”
I laugh at that, and it just makes him even more furious.
“I fucking raised you! I taught you everything you know! You will show me some respect!” His face
is red with anger, and his blue eyes so big they look like they are about to pop out.
I give him a smile and take a step back from him.
He squares his shoulders and runs his hands over his now wrinkled button-down.
“You’re right, Dad.”
He smiles like he just won. As if he expects me to kneel in front of him and thank him for
everything he ever gave me, including Austin. I’ll burn in hell before that happens.
“You did raise me,” I say, and he grunts. “I only came over here today to give you something before
I leave town with Austin and Lilly.” Reaching into my jeans pocket, I pull out the USB drive and toss
it on his desk. His smile falls. “You taught me that without insurance, you have nothing.” Austin
wasn’t the only one who made sure to record things that could come in handy.
“What?” he snaps, looking down at it and then back at me. Swallowing nervously, he picks it up
and wraps his fingers around it. “What is on this, Cole?” he demands. “You have nothing on me!”
“Don’t worry about trying to destroy it. I’ve got copies.”
“You ungrateful little shit …”
The door opens behind me, and I spin around to see the last man I expected to walk into Liam’s
office. I stay away from him as much as I do my own father.
His graying hair is slicked back, and his face cleanly shaved. He wears a midnight blue button-
down and black slacks with a matching suit jacket, sans tie.
He doesn’t acknowledge me in any way. To him, you are insignificant unless you have a pussy or a
wad of cash in your pocket he can take.
Langston walks over to the mini bar and takes the cap off the bourbon my father keeps and pours
himself a glass.
“Cole …” My father growls my name.
“We’re done here.” I give Liam one last look, and his jaw sharpens while he glares at me. I walk
over to the door and yank it open.
“Cole?”
I look over my shoulder to Langston when he calls out my name this time.
He stares down at his glass as he swirls it around, not caring to meet my eyes. “Tell my son it
would be in his best interest to return my phone calls.”
I snort and walk out, shaking my head at the fucking bastard.
 CHAPTER FIFTEEN
DEKE

I PULL UP to the clubhouse and turn my SUV off. I see Cole parked out front but still sitting in his
car. I exit mine, and ask, “What’s up?”
“I need to talk to you,” he says as he climbs out of the driver’s side.
“That’s what your text said.” I frown. “Is this about what you wanted to tell me at the hospital?”
“Yes.” He turns toward the door to enter but stops and faces me. “If Austin asks, I just had lunch
with you.”
“Okay.” Simple as that. No questions at all.
“Hey, babe!” Austin calls out from the top of the steps. “How was lunch with Deke?”
“It was great,” I answer, entering behind him and rubbing my stomach. “Gotta love sushi.”
Cole glares at me over his shoulder, and I wink back at him. I’ve got your back, buddy. I hope he
wasn’t specific about where we were going to eat.
“Austin, will you come down here for a second?” he asks.
The smile drops off her face, and she straightens her shoulders. “Everything okay?”
He doesn’t answer. “Just come down here.”
I sit on the couch. My eyes going back and forth between Austin and Cole. I’m confused. I thought
this was something he wanted to tell me. Honestly, I didn’t think she would even be here.
“What’s going on?” she asks, concern taking over her features.
“Sit next to Deke.”
She looks over at me, and I just shrug. When she sits down, we both look up at him. He sits down
on the gaming chair and leans over, placing his elbows on his knees. “There are some things you need
to know.”
“We see that,” I say, nodding.
“Did the police find something?” Austin asks. “Are they gonna take you guys to jail?” Panic
evident in her voice.
He shakes his head. “Nothing like that.”
“Then what is it?” she demands.
He takes in a long breath. “It’s about the car wreck.”
She frowns, and I tilt my head to the side. “What about it?” Austin asks.
“I wasn’t driving.”
“We know that.” I nod and clarify. “Well, I did.”
“You did?” Austin asks, looking over at me. She looks as surprised as Cole is at my confession.
“We had our suspicions that he was lying. I was the first one to know about the accident. Shelby
called me from the hospital and told me what happened. She said that Cole was brought into the
hospital.” I shift in my seat. “She informed me that he was the only survivor. That everyone had been
thrown out of the car.” I nod toward him. “She snuck me back there to see him in ICU. You were in the
hospital bed and didn’t have a shirt on. The bruise was still fresh across your chest. I knew then it
was the seat belt and you were covering for the driver.”
Austin fists her hands in her lap. “Why didn’t you say anything?” she snaps at me. “You guys let the
entire town believe he killed three friends!”
“Austin—”
“No, Cole!” she interrupts him. “Why wouldn’t you stand up for him?” she demands.
I look at my best friend when I answer her. “Because I know Cole, and if he didn’t want anyone to
know the truth, then I wasn’t going to out him.”
Cole sighs and sits back in his seat.
“I don’t understand why all of you would cover for Eli like that,” she growls.
“I didn’t cover for Eli,” Cole tells her.
Interesting. That’s also who I thought he was covering for.
“Yes, you did. You told me that day up in the loft that you took the fall for him.”
He shakes his head. “You assumed, and I never corrected you.”
A long silence fills the clubhouse. She opens and closes her mouth a few times.
I frown. “Then who was it?”
He takes in a deep breath and lets it out. I stiffen, knowing I’m not going to like whatever his
answer is.
“It was Becky.”
Austin stares at him wide-eyed while I shift in my seat. “What …?” I shake my head. I must have
heard him wrong. “Becky? My Becky was driving?”
“Yes.”
He doesn’t correct me that she wasn’t mine then or now. “I don’t understand. Why was she with
you?” They didn’t hang out. As far as I know, they didn’t even talk. He knew how I felt about her. All
the guys knew. Why would he keep this a secret from me? Why not just tell me? Unless he … My eyes
narrow on him. “Were you sleeping with her?” I demand, and my heart begins to pound in my chest.
“No,” he answers immediately.
I stand and so does he. My hands are already fisted, ready for a fight. “Why was she with you?”
“I wasn’t sleeping with her, but she was sleeping with someone.”
“Who the fuck was it?” I shout.
“Eli.”
Austin remains on the couch, looking back and forth between us. I run a hand through my hair. Why
hasn’t she told me this? It’s not that I don’t believe Cole. I do. One hundred percent. He has never lied
to me. Well, maybe he has. He’s kept this secret from me for a year now.
I’m breathing heavy, and I fist my hands by my side. I want to punch his fucking face in. I don’t care
if he wasn’t sleeping with her or not. “Why would you not tell me this?” I demand.
 CHAPTER SIXTEEN
COLE

DEKE HAS ALWAYS had my back no matter what. That’s why I hate what I’m about to tell him.
It’s going to hurt him, and he’s going to kill me, but he deserves to know. Austin deserves to know.
I’m going into our new life leaving every fucking secret here in this fucking town. And at the time, it
was the only rational thought I had. I realize now it wasn’t the best one.

We stumble out of the house party, kids littering the yard. Some passed out. Some rolling around
in the manicured grass because they are high on Mollys. Cars parked all along the circular and
long driveway.
“Fuck, those shots are hitting me,” Maddox calls out as he almost trips over his own feet, but
he manages to keep a hold of his beer. “What about you, Eli?”
“Not yet,” he answers, chuckling.
“Give it another five minutes.” Maddox hiccups, making me laugh.
We make our way down the driveway, heading to my car. We got here late because we had a
swim meet in another town. Pressing the key fob to unlock my white Porsche Cayenne, it lights up,
and I see a figure leaning up against my hood.
“Who the fuck is that?” I ask.
Eli looks up from his phone. “Babe.” And then he runs over to my car. Babe stands up straight
and jumps into his arms once he reaches her. He spins her around and kisses her.
I look at Landen and Maddox. They just shrug and take a drink of their beers. I didn’t know he
was seeing anyone. Well, he sees several girls a week, but I didn’t know any of them were serious
enough to meet us out tonight. We come up to the car, and I come to a quick stop. “Abso-fucking-
lutely not!” I snap when I see the girl’s face.
I blink a few times. I had way more alcohol than I should have, but I want to make sure I’m
really seeing what I think I’m seeing.
The girl giggles, and Eli drops her to her feet. “Come on, man …”
I grab his shirt and yank him over to another car parked on the opposite side of the street. “You
can’t be serious?” I hiss.
“What?”
“You know damn well what!” I snap. “That is Becky Holt! There are two things wrong with
that.” He rolls his bloodshot eyes. “One, she’s dating David. And two, your best friend Deke is in
love with her!”
He pulls away from me. “They’ve been on a break.”
“Is that what she told you?” I snap. What the fuck? I’m so glad Deke didn’t make it out with us
tonight. I wouldn’t even be having this conversation with Eli right now. He’d be passed out cold
with Deke’s fist print in the side of his face. “You know she’s off-limits.”
He places his hands on my shoulders. I don’t know if it’s to help stabilize his drunk ass or mine.
“Listen, Cole.” His heavy eyes close and then open again. “If Deke wanted her, all he had to do
was make his move.” He goes to walk back over to her, but I yank him back.
 “End it now!” I’m about to punch him myself.
“No!” He pulls away from me.
“End it right fucking now, Eli!”
We have a code.
We don’t fuck or date the girls who one of us likes. I mean, sure we’ve shared girls, but they
didn’t mean anything. Off-limits means you don’t even fucking look at them.
He ignores me as he walks over to her and kisses her again. Landen and Maddox look at me like
I’m supposed to do something about it, but what the fuck can I do?
“Let’s go!” I snap and walk over to the car.
“Let Becky drive,” Eli offers.
“Fuck that!” She’s not even getting in my car!
I go to open the driver’s door, and he comes to stand between the door and me. “Let Becky
drive,” he repeats. “She’s the only one sober.”
I look over at her. I wouldn’t say Becky Holt is a slut, but she is quickly making the cut. She
wears a white crop top with sparkly pink writing on it and a pair of short shorts that shows off her
ass. “How did you get here?” I demand.
“A friend dropped me off.”
My phone beeps, and I pull it out of my back pocket to see a text from the girl I plan on hooking
up with tonight.

Where are you?

I run a hand through my hair but don’t respond and narrow my eyes on Eli. “Tomorrow, you are
telling him.” I will not be in the middle of this shit! If he doesn’t tell him, then I will. This is his
only chance to make it right.
“Tell who what?” Becky asks, flipping her hair to her side.
“Eli?” I growl when he ignores me.
He nods. “Tomorrow.”
I toss Becky the keys. “All of you fuckers are riding in the back.” Then I walk around the car
and climb into the passenger seat and put on my seat belt, cursing them all.
She gets in, hands the guys the thirty pack she brought them, and starts the car up. “Riot” by
Hollywood Undead blares through my speakers. The guys climb into the back, laughing and
shoving each other around. I pull out my cell to text the girl back that I’ll be at her place soon.

“He was going to tell you the next day,” I say, my chest tightening at that memory. Minutes later, my
best friends were gone, and everything changed. Who and what Eli was doing no longer mattered
because he was dead. And after all we had been through as brothers, I didn’t want Deke to remember
Eli as the friend who betrayed him and fucked the girl he loved.
Deke begins to pace the clubhouse.
“It doesn’t make sense,” Austin says. “Why wouldn’t she take the blame? You said she was sober,
so why run?”
“It was … complicated.” I sigh. My eyes go to Deke really quick, and he’s still pacing. His
shoulders pulled back, and his entire body rigid. He’s going to snap any second.
“Why?” she urges.
I look back at her and run a hand through my hair. Why? “Because I told her to.”
 I blink, trying to see, but a cloud of dust covers the car. My ears ring, and I’m upside down. My
head pounds from all the blood rushing to it. “Eli?” Cough. “Mad … dox?” Glass covers the
inside of the car along with beer cans. Some full. Others empty. My skin stings from the impact of
the airbag. The front windshield is completely missing, and I smell blood.
I hear someone cry out in pain, and I look around to see Becky beside me. She too is upside
down because she was wearing her seat belt. “You okay?” I ask, coughing again. It makes me
flinch.
Her blond hair touches the roof of the car, and her nose is bleeding. Her crop top is ripped and
also has blood on it. “I don’t know … what happened,” she cries.
“We gotta get out of the car,” I say as my bearings begin to come back. “Eli? Landen?” I
scream. My throat burns, and I try to swallow, but it’s painful.
She sobs.
I place my right hand on the roof and hiss in a breath when a pain shoots down my side and
upper chest. So I place my left hand on the ceiling while I undo my seat belt. I try to hold myself
up, but I fall flat on my face. Right into the broken glass. “FFFUUCCCKKK!” I growl between
clenched teeth. I manage to get my body out of the broken passenger side window and stumble over
to the driver’s side of the car. I get down on my knees and see her window is also missing, but
pieces of shattered glass are still in around the edges. “Cover your face,” I order and kick the big
shards out of the way. “I’m gonna have to undo your seat belt,” I tell her. “Put your hands on the
ceiling.”
I get her out through the window, and we both stumble. She falls to her knees, holding her
stomach.
“Eli? Maddox? Landen?” I call out, placing my hands on my knees. Nothing. “I gotta call 911.”
I pat down my pockets, but I don’t have my phone. I was texting on it when we crashed. Who knows
where the fuck it’s at. “Fuck!”
She continues to sob, and I drop to my knees before her. “Are you okay? What hurts?”
She looks up at me and tears run down her face, smearing her once flawless makeup. “I … I …”
“What is it?” I ask, needing her to tell me so I can find my friends.
She wraps her arms around her stomach.

“That’s not enough, Cole!” Deke shouts, interrupting my story. “Why did you tell her to run?”
I look at my best friend and my chest tightens. “Becky was pregnant.”
Austin gasps. Deke just stares at me like he’s not really seeing me. “I …”
He punches me in the face, knocking me back. I trip over my own feet and fall to my ass. I should
have seen it coming. He comes for me, his body landing on top of mine, and his fist connects with my
jaw. My face starts throbbing, and I taste blood. Usually, I would enjoy this but not like this. Not now.
I hate to see him hurting. And the worst part is I did it to him.
“Stop!” Austin cries out. “Deke!”
“I was trying to protect her,” I growl between his punches.
He hits me again, and this time, I land a fist to his side. He grunts, and I do it again. He pulls back,
and I kick him off me.
We’re both breathing heavily as we sit on the floor. I stand slowly, and he jumps to his feet as if
I’m going to attack him.
He raises his fists, and I do the same. “I don’t want to fight you.” He snorts like he can’t believe
me. I lick my busted lip and try to catch my breath. “I told her to run. Do you know what that would
have done to her? The baby? She would have been held responsible for something that we now know
was never even her fault.” Becky’s parents have money, but I wasn’t sure they would bail her out like
my father would me. I couldn’t let that happen to her. Couldn’t put her through that.
“And you did it for Deke,” Austin says. We both look at her, and she’s crying. Tears run down her
face, and she licks her wet lips. “You didn’t want Deke to know she was involved at all. Let alone
pregnant with his best friend’s baby.”
My chest tightens, and my stomach drops.
“Is that true?” he demands.
I drop my fists. “I’m sorry, Deke.” My voice shakes, and he swallows “I wanted to tell you. But—”
“But you saved her.” Austin interrupts me.
“Stop,” I say when I see the look in her eyes. It’s the same one she gave me up in the loft when she
realized I wasn’t driving. Like I’m a fucking saint. I’m not.
“You protected her, Cole. That’s not something very many people would do.”
My jaw tightens. “I used her.”
Deke leans his head back, looking up at the vaulted ceiling and rafters, sighing like he’s counting to
ten trying not to kill me.
“How?” Austin asks. “I don’t understand what you mean by use.”
“Cole did her a favor, so she owed him,” Deke growls, knowing how this works.
How I work.
“What did you have her do?” she asks confused.
I look at the woman I’ve come to love in the eyes and hope this doesn’t break her heart. I could
lose them both tonight, but I’ve always been a fighter. I’ll do whatever I have to do to get them back.
“I forced her to be your friend.”

I swim laps. It’s all I ever do now since the car wreck. If I’m not in a pool, I’m at therapy trying
to get my body back to normal because I refuse to lose my spot on the swim team. I’m not sure it
will ever be, though, because it hurts all the fucking time. It’s been six weeks since the accident,
and I quit taking my pain pills the day I came home from the hospital. I like the reminder. The pain.
I deserve it.
“What You Deserve” by No Resolve plays through the outside speakers while I do my laps.
Popping out of the water, I realize I’m not alone. Someone is behind me, but it’s not my father.
He’s gone for the week. Running both hands through my hair, I step out of the pool and hold in a
sigh. It’s Becky Holt. I can’t get rid of her. She’s just another reminder.
“Isn’t it too soon to swim?” she asks, sitting on one of the chaise lounge chairs under the
awning.
I don’t answer. I take the towel off the table and wipe off my face.
She hangs her head. “I’ve been texting you. I came up to the hospital.”
“I didn’t want to see you then, and I don’t want to see you now,” I snap in a clipped tone. I roll
my shoulders, trying to loosen the tension. Nothing fucking works!
Tears spring to her blue eyes. “I lost someone too, Cole. Eli was my friend too …”
Friend? We didn’t even know he was sleeping with her. “No, you were just another girl he was
fucking.”
She jumps to her feet. “You don’t know …”
I wrap my hand around her throat and push her back against the wall of the pool house. I’m in
her face, growling, “You have no fucking clue what I lost! What I did for you!” I did what needed
to be done, but it cost me so much. I couldn’t care less what people fucking call me! A murderer.
They’re not wrong. I killed three people.
She takes in a shaky breath since I’m not cutting off her air. Yet. She needs to take my hint and
leave me the fuck alone!
“I’m so sorry.” Tears spill over her eyes and run down her cheeks.
Usually, tears would turn me on, but hers disgust me. I should have never let Eli leave with her.
I should have been driving. Maybe if I had, Eli would have been in the passenger seat. And maybe
he would have survived? Maybe not taking her would have saved all of them.
I should have left her there on the side of the street at that party—where she belonged.
“You shouldn’t have taken the fall.” She sniffs.
Too late. “You shouldn’t have been there at all!”
Her watery eyes narrow on me. “I was responsible—”
“You wanna owe me, Becky? Huh? Is that why you came here? To tell me that you’re fucking
sorry that my friends are dead?” I interrupt her. I don’t care to hear what kind of relationship she
had with Eli. It doesn’t fucking matter anymore. Nothing does!
They’re all fucking dead!
She swallows nervously against my hand that holds her hostage. Owing me is like owing the
devil. And when I come to collect, nothing less than your soul will suffice.
“I owe you, Cole,” she whispers after a long second.
“When I need you for something, you will do what I say?” I ask, arching a brow.
Think long and hard before you agree to that, Becky!
She gives me a slow nod, and whispers, “Whatever you need.”
“I don’t wanna talk to you or fucking see you until then, do you understand?”
“Yes.” Her response is soft. Her shoulders physically shake, and tears run down her face.
“Good. Now leave.” I let go of her neck and take a step back from her. Then I turn and dismiss
her before diving back into the pool.

“I blackmailed her to be your friend so I could keep you close,” I growl at Austin. “Does that
sound like someone who is good?”
“You took the fall for her,” she says.
“For a price!” I snap.
She wraps her arms around her stomach as though she’s trying to protect herself from me. I take a
step toward her. “Austin—”
“She’s right.” Deke interrupts me. He sighs. “You were in a very bad place for a long time, Cole.
Months.” He looks over at Austin, and his eyes soften. “Until she came along, things were …
different. I understand why you did what you did. But you should have come to me.”
The room falls silent. These people should be mad at me. I was evil. Nothing I did was good. I
couldn’t save my friends. I couldn’t save myself from the hole I got buried under. Hell, I couldn’t
even save Austin. She did it herself.
“What happened to the baby?” Austin asks softly.
I run a hand through my hair. “You have to understand after that, Becky and I didn’t talk. We didn’t
even look at one another until that night I threw you a party to force you into the group, and I told her
it was time to pay up. That was like eight months.” I can’t do the math at the moment. “And even after
then, our conversations were limited.”
 “What happened to the baby?” It’s Deke who asks this time.
They’re not going to give up. “I don’t know—”
“Bullshit!” he snaps, interrupting me.
I lift my hands, hating to see him hurting over this. Over something I did. “I’m being a hundred
percent truthful with you, Deke. I’ve never asked, okay? I was a bastard and never cared to ask what
happened to her or the baby. And she never offered any info. Hell, for all we know, it was David’s. I
never got to ask how long she … and Eli had been fucking.” He flinches. “Sorry,” I mutter.
Austin sniffs, looking down at the floor. Her watery eyes unable to meet mine.
I hate that look on her face. Too many people have made her feel that way—hurt. Betrayed. I love it
when she raises her chin. When she gets in my face and challenges me.
She lets out a long breath, and Deke just stands there. Without a word, she turns and walks up the
stairs to the loft.
“Austin—” I call after her, but Deke interrupts me again.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
How was I supposed to explain to my best friend that our other best friend was fucking the girl he
was in love with and she was pregnant? Possibly with his best friend’s kid? “Because I knew you
loved her. Her being with Eli and involved in the wreck … it was just too much. I didn’t tell her to
run for nothing just to get caught up in it months down the road.”
“That’s why she was so upset.” He sighs. “That day you skipped school after reading the emails
we found on Jerrold’s laptop. Austin stopped me in the hall at school and demanded to know where
you were. Later that day, Becky kept calling her. When she didn’t answer, she asked me what I knew. I
told her that we had found evidence that you weren’t at fault for the accident. Bruce had paid to kill
you.” He shakes his head. “She started bawling. I thought … I just thought that she felt bad for
blaming you like the rest of this town did.” His blue eyes meet mine. “She shouldn’t have let you take
the fall.”
“She was scared. Terrified. I may have been a fucking heartless bastard, but the poor thing couldn’t
take that kind of pressure. She wasn’t a shark. And I wasn’t gonna let this town drag her to the deep
end and drown her.”
After the wreck, kids feared me. Parents hated me. They all wanted me in jail. I never once
disagreed with them. My father chose to get me off. I never asked for his help. I would have taken
whatever punishment the courts thought I deserved at the time. Just because it wasn’t really an
accident doesn’t mean I wasn’t at fault. They’re all dead because of me.
“Now you’re defending her?” he asks with an arch of his brow.
I throw my hands out to my sides. “What do you want from me, Deke? I didn’t know what was
going to happen to us. I just told her to go, and she went. I had three friends who were missing. They
weren’t in the car. We were both bloody. She was in pain and sobbing while sitting in the middle of
the road.” He flinches at my words. “I could handle whatever they were gonna throw at me. She
wouldn’t have.” I take a breath. “I told her when we went to Bruce’s to get the recordings Austin had
that we needed to come clean. It was time. She panicked all over again. Saying you could never
forgive her.”
He stands and turns for the door.
“Deke …?”
He ignores me as well, leaving and slamming the door shut on his way out.
I make my way up to the loft. It’s the middle of the fucking day, and I find Austin lying in bed,
staring up at the ceiling. Her clothes on the floor. I sit down on the edge with my back to her.
 “How long are you gonna be mad at me?” I hate it! We finally got to a good place, and now here
we are, back to square fucking one. Cole Reynolds being the fucking bastard he is.
I turn to see her face.
She sits up, her green eyes soften. “I’m not mad at you, Cole. I’m mad at everyone else in this town
who turned their back on you.”
“It wasn’t their fault.”
She places her hand on my shoulder. “It wasn’t yours either.”
“Austin …”
“No, Cole. Whatever you have to say, you can save it.” She reaches up and cups my face. “I don’t
think any less of you.”
My jaw tightens. “I blackmailed her to be your friend. Your only friend in this town.” I didn’t let
anyone else get too close to her. I kept her on a very short leash. “We’re both frauds!”
She gives me a small smile. “I’m not mad at you or at Becky. I feel sorry for both of you.”
I pull away from her. “You shouldn’t feel sorry for me. You should hate me!”
Tears spring to her green eyes. “Why do you do this to yourself?” she asks. I don’t answer. “When
are you going to forgive yourself and move on?”
“Move on?” I ask breathlessly. “My friends are dead—”
“They’re not gonna come back, Cole.” She interrupts me softly. “I’m so sorry that you lost them.
But how do you expect anyone to forgive you when you can’t even forgive yourself?”
“I don’t want their forgiveness,” I growl, rising to my feet.
She gets up on her knees. It’s like the time she found out I wasn’t driving all over again. Naked on
my bed, she looks at me like she pities me. When I told her to get the fuck out! But she didn’t. She had
stayed. She had opened up to me about what her mom’s boyfriend had done to her. Instead of turning
away from me, she’s standing her ground. Prepared to fight me. It’s something I love and hate about
her. I hate being cornered. Or pushed.
“Then what do you want?”
I run a hand through my hair.
I want my friends back.
I want Becky to have never been involved.
I want Kellan to have never hurt you.
But I say none of those things. “I … I don’t know …”
“How should I feel?”
That’s an easy one. My hands fist. “You should fucking hate me.”
Her eyes hold mine, and she lets out a long sigh. “I hated you before, Cole.” I flinch at her words,
remembering that’s what she had written in her journal. I hate Cole! “And now I love you. There may
be things you do that I don’t agree with, but I’ll never go back to hating you.” She pulls the covers
back. “Come here and lie down with me.”
“It’s the middle of the day,” I growl.
She shrugs. “Do you have something to do? Somewhere to be?”
Honestly, I’m still surprised she’s here and didn’t leave like Deke did. Fuck … Deke. “I need to go
find Deke …”
“He’s where he needs to be, Cole,” she says softly. “Give him time.”
He’s with Becky.
I know that’s where he went. Deke isn’t usually the one to blow up. He can hold on to things for
months. Years even. I should know, but this is Becky we’re talking about. The girl he loved. She’s
right. He’s going to need some time. And this is what I’ve wanted—uninterrupted time with her.
Alone.
I kick off my shoes and remove my jeans along with my shirt and crawl in bed next to her. She curls
up to my side.
“Can Becky still live with us?”
My brows raise. “You still want to be her friend?”
She nods. “It sounds like she needs one now more than ever. She’s lost a lot too, Cole. And who
knows how much she liked or loved Eli. Do you think a part of her loves Deke?”
I run my fingers down her bare side, trying to calm my racing heart. “She told me the other day
while we were at your father’s house that she did.”
She sighs heavily.
I lean down and kiss her bare shoulder. “I’m sorry.”
She pulls me to her and closes her eyes. “Don’t be sorry, Cole. You did what you thought was right
in an impossible situation.” She looks up at me. “I’m proud of you, Cole.”
My throat tightens. “Don’t be …”
“No matter what you say or what you do, I’m proud of what you did.” She gives me a soft smile
and cups my face. “I always saw more of you than you let people see. And I was right.”
“About what?” I clear my throat, hoping she doesn’t hear how rough my voice is.
“You were just hurting. All you needed was someone to show you that you’re not alone.”
 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
DEKE

“12 ROUNDS” BY Bohnes blares in my car as it squeals to a stop in Becky’s father’s driveway. I
make my way up their front porch and don’t even bother knocking this time. I shove the front doors
open, and the sound of them hitting the interior walls bounces off the grand foyer and travels up to the
high ceilings.
I take the steps two at a time, gripping the banister to pull me up and barge into her room.
“I said no. I’m not having this conversation with you again!” Becky stands at the foot of her bed,
and she’s arguing with her sister. “Deke?” She jumps in surprise when she spots me. “When did you
—”
“Get out, Demi!” I order, interrupting Becky. Normally, I don’t mind an audience, but right now, I’d
rather not have one.
Without even looking at me, she just lifts her chin and walks out, slamming the door shut behind
her. The kid is always angry. She reminds me of a female version of Cole.
“What are you doing here, Deke?” Becky asks, taking a step back and looking down at my fisted
hands. My entire body is tight. My teeth clenched. Too bad putting distance between us isn’t going to
help her.
“You have something to tell me?” I take another step closer to her.
She frowns, shaking her head, but it stops midway, and then she swallows, her eyes growing larger.
“He told you,” she whispers.
I chuckle at the look of terror in her eyes. I’m just as much of an evil bastard as Cole is. All the
GWS are, or the group wouldn’t exist. But Becky has never seen this side of me. She’s about to
though. I never wanted to hurt her or scare her, but now, all bets are off.
“Deke …” She takes a step toward me. “Let me explain …”
“Yes, please explain how you were fucking my best friend!” I grind out. I should have seen it. I
should have known. There were signs, but I ignored them.
Her bottom lip begins to tremble, and she pulls it between her teeth. “Cole made me …”
“What? Made you what? Fuck Eli?” I throw my head back laughing, and my chest vibrates.
“Please, the next thing you’ll be telling me is that Eli raped you.”
Her eyes narrow on me and burn with hatred. She goes to open her mouth, but I step into her, and
she shuts it immediately.
“See?” I lift my right hand and run my knuckles down her neck and feel her pulse race. She doesn’t
have all of her makeup caked on today. I always told her she never needed it. “Cole thinks he saved
you.” I lower my lips to her ear and whisper, “But all he did was bury you.” She whimpers. My free
hand grips her hip, and my fingers dig into the material of her jean shorts. “Because I know where you
were supposed to be that night.”
She begins to tremble. “It’s not what you think …”
I pull my face from hers. “So you weren’t pregnant?” I ask with an arch of my brow.
Her face pales while her blue eyes stare up into mine. There’s no doubt that Becky is beautiful. The
only problem is that she knows it, and she uses it to her advantage. I just never realized how much she
played with people until now. I may have secrets, but I don’t pretend to be something that I’m not.
I can be your fucking god—merciful.
Or I can be the fucking devil—ruthless.
Who I am depends on the person’s actions.
She’s frozen in place, her eyes wide and lips parted. I remove my hand from her jean shorts, and it
slides underneath her T-shirt, lifting it up to expose her bare stomach. I run the tips of my fingers over
her scar ever so gently. “Guess this was a lie, too.”
My eyes meet hers, and they’re full of tears. “Pl …ease.” Her voice shakes.
How easy the tables can turn. I give her a cruel smile. “You know I love it when you beg me,
baby.” My hand starts to slide upward, but she shoves it away and takes a step back from me. Not in
the mood to fuck around.
The first tear runs down her face. I watch it in complete fascination, thinking it’s a good look on
her. That I should have made her fear me more than try to make her love me.
“Was it mine?”
No one knows how far back Becky and I go. Cole believes I’m in love with her, and a part of me
was, but we started fucking long before he told me she had broken up with David. I had to pretend I
didn’t fucking know. That just gave us the green light to go public. And the fact that Cole went all
alpha for Austin, making the entire school aware he was claiming her, took the attention off what
Becky and I were doing. The few whispers I did hear were shut down quickly for her sake. But we
had been fucking for months prior to that. David be damned.
“So keeping us a secret had nothing to do with you and David. It had to do with you and Eli.” Until
he died. I get it now. Fuck, I was stupid for her. “Was the child …?” I begin to ask again, but my voice
trails off. I chuckle. This bitch! “You weren’t even pregnant.”
“Yes …”
“No.” I shake my head. Of course. How could I have forgotten? “You weren’t.” She swallows
nervously. “I remember us hooking up the weekend before that in my parents’ pool house, and you
were on your period.” Her face falls. “Don’t you remember, baby?” I ask, reaching out for her. I pull
her to me, and her body shakes. “You told me that I couldn’t fuck you ’cause it was that time of the
month”—I lower my lips to her ear—“and I told you blood didn’t bother me.” Fuck, this bitch has
told so many lies. “I can’t believe you let him take the fall for you.” I understand why Cole did what
he did. I would have done the same thing, but this is why she never wanted me to find out. Because
she knows that I can prove she lied to him. And no one wants to be on Cole’s bad side.
“He blackmailed me.” She swallows as new tears run down her face. “Cole …”
“To be friends with Austin.” I nod. “He told us that too.”
“Us?” Her eyes widen.
I smile down at her. “See what I mean by bury you?”
She places her hands over her mouth and sobs into them. “I’m sorry …” she cries out.
“You will be,” I say and give her my back, ready to leave, but her hands grip my upper arm, and I
stop, willing to give her a few extra seconds to grovel. I want her to feel weak. Alone. She shouldn’t
have fucked me over.
“Please, Deke,” she begs. “It’s not like you haven’t kept secrets from me.”
“What I did was none of your business.” Simple as that.
Her watery eyes narrow on me. “You lied to me!” she screams. “You killed Kellan!”
“I have.” Then I turn and step back into her. “Want to know the truth, Becky?” I grab her blond hair
and yank her head back, making her cry out. Lowering my lips to her ear, I growl, “I’m a murderer.”
Her body trembles against mine, and she breathes heavily. “I’ve killed a total of five people.” Cole
was the only one who physically put his hands on Jerrold when we went to his house and he drowned
him in his pool that night, but we all played our parts. I take full responsibility for my actions. I wrap
my free hand around her throat and give it a little squeeze. “Do you wanna be my sixth?”
She gasps.
I let go of her and take a step back. “You … What …? Why, Deke?” she rambles.
I’d never kill her. But the fact that I can scare her excites me. My dick is already hard. Now I
understand how Cole got off on this shit. “It doesn’t concern you.” I turn to leave.
“Wait! Please?” she begs. “I can fix this.”
“No. You can’t.” Things have gone too far. There’s no going back now.
“Deke? Please? I can’t lose you,” she cries.
“You already have.” I reach for the door handle, but she places her hands on my back, gripping my
T-shirt and causing the collar to choke me.
“I’m sorry. Is that what you want me to say?” she grinds out. “I lied. And I’ve felt terrible about it.
Austin is my best friend. And I love you. You love me.”
“Not anymore.” I shake my head.
“I don’t believe you,” she argues. “There has to be something I can do. Please … tell me.” The
desperation in her voice makes me smile.
I turn around and cup her tear-streaked face. She sucks in a long breath, and her body presses into
mine, now interested. Funny how women turn to sex when they’re desperate for forgiveness. “Unless
you plan on falling to your knees and opening that mouth of yours so I can fuck it, I have no use for
you.”
 EPILOGUE ONE
COLE

AUSTIN, LILLY, AND I have been living in our house in Texas for a month now. Deke and I are
about to start our first year in college. Lilly will be in first grade.
I thought over time that I would begin to forget what happened to Austin. That maybe putting
distance between us and Collins would make it better.
I was wrong.
I thought over time I would begin to understand she was okay. That Kellan could no longer hurt her
or take her from me.
Again, I was wrong.
Moving hasn’t helped the nightmares or the memories that flood back. I’ve learned that loving
someone comes with a price. Your sanity. And if they thought I was fucked up before, now they’ll
think I’ve gone mad. Now I understand what I have to lose. It happens at night when I try to sleep.
I’ve never been one to get much sleep to begin with, but now it’s worse than ever. Maybe it’s because
things are going so well. Our plan worked, but I feel like I’m just waiting for the other shoe to drop.
So my worst fears come to life when I close my eyes.

He’s dead.
I continue to sit in the ditch. The lights from my wrecked car allow me to see everything clearly.
I silently rock back and forth with Eli in my arms. I cling to him as tears run down my face. It’s
hard to breathe, and my head pounds. My entire body hurts, but I ignore it.
“Cole?”
I look up to a familiar female voice.
“Becky?” I ask in disbelief. “What are you doing here? I told you to go …”
“I can’t just leave you here,” she cries. Her arms are crossed over her stomach to hold her
bloody, ripped crop top in place. “I did this …” She swallows and looks around the street with
wide eyes. “They’re all dead.”
“Fucking go!” I dismiss her.
Her eyes fall to Eli. “I don’t know what happened …” She sobs.
I close my eyes. “Just go, Becky! I’ll handle it.”
“You’ve been drinking,” she reminds me.
My jaw tightens. “Becky …”
“They’ll arrest you, Cole. They’ll think you killed them all…”
“I did!” I scream at her. “I fucking did this!” I hang onto my friend’s lifeless body. “I did this.”
I can’t hold the tears back as they run down my face. “Just go, Becky.” I choke out the words.
Tonight was my decision. I wanted to go out, and I dared them to drink. It doesn’t matter who the
fuck was driving. It was my car! They were my responsibility.
I hear her run from the scene for the second time.
“Please …?” I beg to no one.
I drop my forehead down to Eli’s and close my eyes. “I’m so … sorry …” I choke on the words.
They’re pointless. “I promise. I promise I’ll take care of Aimee.”
I hear the sirens in the distance. They’re too late.
I pull back and look down at him; his short dark hair grows like vines, transforming into long,
thick, and dark strands. His face thins, his sharp jaw and high cheekbones changing to a petite
face with a button nose. Short dark lashes replaced with full, long ones. His large body turns small
and fragile.
“No!” I shout, shaking the body in my arms.
“No, no, no.” It’s Austin.
Her green eyes are open and stare up me, but they don’t see me. Nothing but cold and death.
Then she blinks. Her eyes find mine, and she speaks, making my heart stop. “You succeeded, Cole.
You broke me.”

I sit straight up, gasping for air. My bare chest covered in a thin layer of sweat, and my heart
pounds so hard it hurts. I lean over and turn on the lamp that sits on the nightstand, bathing our master
bedroom in light. Looking to my right, I see Austin next to me. She lies on her side, facing the window
that leads out onto our balcony, her dark hair fanning the white pillow.
I take a deep breath and place my hand on her bare back. Leaning over, I kiss her soft skin. She
shifts but doesn’t wake. My anger rises when I think about how fucking close I was to losing her.
How close I was to having to spend a life without her because someone who was supposed to be my
friend got too close to her.
I shove my hands through my hair and get out of bed. I throw on a pair of board shorts, turn off the
lamp, and grab my phone before heading out of our room. I head downstairs, walk down the hall, and
look into the cracked door to see Lilly fast asleep in her princess bed. Then I make my way out the
back door and onto the patio into the hot summer Austin night. When I was here looking for a house, I
only had one requirement—a pool.
I connect my Bluetooth to the outside speakers and turn it down so it doesn’t wake the girls. After
picking a random Spotify station, I dive into the pool, enjoying the cold water on my warm body and
begin to do a lap. Even now that I’m awake, the memories still creep up. Take over. There’s never an
escape from them.

“We’ve got a pulse,” a man yells. “It’s weak but there.” They place Austin on a stretcher. Strap
her down, and then they’re pushing her out of the kitchen.
I stand in the now silent room covered in her blood. Dazed. Completely and utterly lost. I walk
into the hallway and see the officer and a medical examiner standing over a dead body at the
bottom of the stairs. Celeste.
They call out my name, but I ignore them and walk right out the front door. I have work to finish.
I’ll find them later once I’m done. I see my car still parked in the driveway, and I fish my phone
out of my pocket and dial Deke’s number. “Hello …?”
“Where the fuck are you?”
“Cemetery …”

I pop up out of the water, eyes closed, and take in a breath. The air burning my lungs. When I open
my eyes, I see Austin sitting on the edge of the shallow end wearing nothing but one of my white T-
shirts. Her legs dangle over the edge and into the water, making soft waves as she moves them back
and forth. Her dark hair down and over her right shoulder.
 “Build You Back” by Dark Signal plays softly from the speakers, and my chest tightens. No words
could be truer than the ones in this song.
I swim over to her. She opens her legs, allowing me to stand between them. My hands go to her
bare thighs, and I squeeze her like she’s going to disappear into thin air before my eyes.
“Wanna talk about it?” she asks softly.
I just stare at her. How do I tell this woman that I see her lying dead in a pool of blood every time I
close my eyes? I’ve never been good at expressing any emotion other than anger. And time hasn’t
changed that. I tell her I love her every chance I get, but even she knows that the darkness lingers.
I told her the other night that I was done with blood. Seeing her bleeding out cured me of that sick
disease. After killing Kellan, my need for revenge was over. But that doesn’t stop my need to protect
her. That doesn’t stop my fear of losing her.
“I’m okay,” she assures me as if she can read my mind.
Another power she has. It’s a fucking curse and a blessing.
Reaching up, she runs her hand through my wet hair, her nails gently scraping my scalp, and just
like that, she smothers all anger and makes a shudder run through me. I lean forward, pressing my
forehead to her chest and soaking her shirt. My hands loosen from her thighs and wrap around her thin
waist. She’s started putting weight on since Kellan shot her. But she’s still too small. Too far from
where she was the night I found her in the cemetery. Even then, she was little, but now she teeters on
breakable. Too fragile. I hate it!
“I’m right here, baby,” she assures me, kissing my wet hair. “And Kellan can’t touch us anymore.”
Tightening her fingers in my hair, she rips my face from her chest and makes me look up at her.
“Because of you, I’m safe now.”
I just stare at her. The porch lights are off, but the pool light casts a glow around us, making her
green eyes shine. They hold concern. She thinks I’m going crazy, and she’s not wrong. I reach up and
push the few strands of dark hair behind her ear, and the pad of my finger runs over all her piercings.
“Talk to me,” she says softly, cupping my face.
I hate when she does this—coddles me like a fucking child. And I hate it even more that I need it.
Her hands on me. Her lips on mine. Any time I start to feel that fire brewing, she smothers it with a
single touch. Reminding me that I’m only human. A human can’t protect her. I need to be invincible.
The song finishes and changes to “Into It” by Chase Atlantic. I pull back, grab her wrists, and yank
her into the pool. She gasps from the cool water. Grabbing the hem of her shirt, I yank it up and over
her head. After I toss the soaked fabric to the side, my lips are on hers, and my hands are in her hair.
Her body shivers against mine, and I press my now hard cock into her lower stomach.
“I need you,” I pant, pulling away from her lips. Pride is no longer a concern when it comes to my
love for this woman.
Her eyes search my face before they land on mine. “Whatever you want, Cole. I’m yours.”
I hate how willingly she gives herself to me. I’ve made this gorgeous woman bleed for me, and she
forgives me. Just like that. See, I told you love equals madness. Because she is just as mad as I am.
I grab her right arm and slowly kiss the scar from where I took a knife to her flawless skin. She
yanks it back from me and cups my face with both of her hands, forcing me to look at her. “Stop!” she
demands. “Every love story demands a sacrifice.”
“Don’t say that.” My voice is pained.
She gives me a soft smile, trying to reassure me, but it’s not working. “Then let it go, Cole. I have.”
I wish it were that easy. She’ll forever have a reminder that I hurt her. That I thought of her as
nothing other than a toy. Something to fuck with and destroy.
 “I can’t.” My hands grip her narrow hips, and I dig my fingers into her skin. She doesn’t flinch.
She’s always been able to take what I dish out. That’s one of the things I love about her.
“Kiss me.”
“Austin, I …”
“Fucking kiss me, Cole!” she growls as her hand falls beneath the water and finds its way into my
shorts, seeking out my hard cock.
We’ve only made love since Kellan tried to kill her. I’ve tried to be slow and gentle with her, but I
can tell she’s bored with it. She wants more. She’s been an outlet for my rage ever since I met her,
and she knows it. But I’ve held back from giving it to her, wanting her to heal.
“I can take it, Cole.” She presses her lips to mine and gently kisses me. I don’t respond. “I dare you
to fuck me, Cole, like I know you can.” Smiling up at me, she strokes me with her hand, but still, I do
nothing. “Show me that I belong to you.” She stops stroking me long enough to push my board shorts
down my legs. Then she leans in, running her tongue along my upper lip. My cock jerks in her hand,
and she moans against my lips. “Like you fucking own me.”
“I can’t …”
She slaps me across the face. Hard. It surprises me and turns me on even more.
My breathing picks up, and her eyes glare into mine.
“You like a little pain, Cole. I do too,” she says as she drags her nails down my chest, breaking the
skin. The chlorine from the water makes it sting. “Stop treating me like I’m gonna break and give me
what I want.” Her lips slowly lift at the corners, giving me an evil smile that makes my heart beat
faster. I love when her mind goes to a dark place. “You once told me that you wanted to make me a
beautiful broken doll, Cole. All yours to play with. All yours to fuck. All yours to destroy.” She licks
her lips. “Don’t go soft on me now.” She leans forward and runs her tongue along my lower lip, and I
shudder. “Cole Reynolds is a fucking shark. You …”
My hands tighten in her hair, and she whimpers. “Is this what you want?” I growl, hating how right
she is. That this is what we need. I hold her head in place and lower mine to where our lips almost
touch. “I might hurt you.” Austin Lowes challenges my sanity and my patience. But fuck, I can’t deny
that she was made for me. And I for her.
She gives me a sadistic smile as her arms wrap around my waist. “I dare you to do your best.”
“You know what those words mean to me,” I growl.
She closes her eyes. “I do.”
“You’re gonna regret that.”
Her lips part, and she begins to pant. “I hope so.”
I press my lips to hers. Within a second, I’m inside her, fucking her up against the wall of the pool
as I swallow her moans and cries. Her back is up against the side of the pool, so I’m sure she’ll have
marks. I can’t wait to see them while I fuck her from behind when we wake up in the morning.
I pull my lips from hers, and her head falls back, exposing her delicate neck to me as she cries out.
Water splashes around us, and I hold her to me like she’s going to vanish any second.
This may be the last time you ever see her. My mind thinks of this shit every second of every day.
It’s fucking exhausting.
“Cole …” She pants.
I pick up the pace. This may be the last time she says your name. Or can touch you. I wrap my
hand in her hair again and lift her head so she has to look up at me. Her eyes are now heavy, and her
lips parted. She’s so close. I bury my face in her neck and nip at her skin, tasting the chlorine on her.
“Fuck, you feel so goddamn good, sweetheart,” I growl, never wanting to be without this. Without
her.
Her nails dig into my sides as she pulls me into her, wanting more. Needing more. Her pussy
tightens around me, and she cries out into the darkness. I follow right after her.
“I love you,” I tell her breathlessly.
“I love you too, Cole Reynolds,” she says in a soft voice.
I take her left hand in mine and look at her engagement ring. I proposed the other day here in the
kitchen. Becky had come over to have breakfast with her before she went shopping with her mother
and sister for the day. It wasn’t a big fancy show of affection, but that doesn’t matter to Austin. She’s
not that kind of girl, and we’ve never had that type of relationship. She knows I’d kill for her, so me
spouting some stupid fucking words about forever isn’t what she wants to hear.
I kiss her ring and then her lips again. When she pulls away, she gives me that smile. The one that
makes me feel like the luckiest guy in the world.
“Let’s go to bed, baby. I’m tired.”
I carry her over to the steps. “Go on in. I’ll be right there.”
I watch her get out, water dripping off her body like a downpour. I’d willingly drown in it.
Grabbing the towel I had for myself, she looks over her shoulder and winks at me. I smile at her.
Once she is inside, the smile drops off my face, and I let out a long breath. I tilt my head back and
lower myself into the water, sinking to the bottom. I sit there for as long as I can. My lungs burning for
air. This isn’t the first time I’ve done this, and it won’t be the last. The need to kill is gone, but the
rage is still there. When Austin looks at my fisted hands or narrowed eyes, and she hugs me or kisses
me, she makes it better for the time being. But the moment she walks out of my sight, it’s back.
I get out of the pool and wring out my shorts before putting them back on. Then I do the same with
my shirt I took off her and grab my phone. Walking into the house, I make my way to the kitchen for a
bottle of water. I find Deke in the kitchen with a girl he brought over from the club. He hasn’t
mentioned anything about the car wreck or Becky since that night before we left Collins. And for
once, I can’t tell if he’s putting on a front like everything is okay, or if he has truly forgiven me and
moved on. I hate it. I want to ask him, but Deke’s like me. He’ll come to me when he wants to discuss
it. And it’s not like he’ll have to go far. He ended up moving in with us when Becky decided not to.
“Late night swim?” he asks, looking over my wet shorts with a chuckle. My wet shirt hangs from
my right hand.
I nod. “Like every night.”
He slaps the ass of the redhead who stands next to him while they both snack on cookies that Austin
and Lilly made yesterday.
“Have fun tonight?” I ask.
He nods. “There’s this club downtown. You need to go with me next weekend. It’s badass.”
I’m not really into clubs. I was never really even into parties after the death of our three friends. I
would throw them at Liam’s house, but I mostly stayed locked up in the game room. But I say, “Sure.”
I feel like I need to spend as much time as I can with him now. He needs me. Just like Becky needs
Austin. They’re both hurting for different reasons.
“Bennett is coming down next weekend. He already said he would go.”
“Sounds like a plan.” I slap him on the shoulder and head back upstairs. I enter our bedroom to find
it empty. “Austin?” I call out, closing the door behind me.
No response. My fear that something has happened to her rises. The covers are pulled back, but I
don’t see my towel anywhere. My heart begins to pound. “Austin?”
I enter our master bath and see her through the stained-glass shower door. Letting out the breath I
was holding, I run a hand through my wet hair, then strip out of my shorts and join her. She has her
head back, the water falling down over her face before rolling down over her perfect fucking tits and
flat stomach. Any sign that Kellan ever laid his hands on her has disappeared except for the scar from
her surgery, but even that’s fading.
“Cole …”
Her voice pulls me out of my thoughts, and I wrap my arms around her, pushing her into the wall.
She laughs, opening her beautiful eyes, and looks up at me. I cup her warm cheek, and she blinks.
Waterdrops fall off her long, dark lashes and run down her face. She licks her wet lips.
“I hope you didn’t think I was done with you tonight.” My voice comes out rough, letting her know
what’s on my mind. I hope she thinks it’s lust and not the memory of her death.
I lower my head into her neck, and my right hand grips her thigh and brings it up to wrap around my
waist.
“No,” she breathes, her hands digging into my hair. She leans her head to the side, giving me better
access to her neck. “I expected more from you.”
I pull back and look down at her. I expected you to fight for me. She didn’t disappoint. I didn’t
save her. She saved herself. She did exactly what I told her to do that day I chased her out of her
father’s house and up to the cemetery. When I challenged her to fight.
She gives me a playful smile. “After all, I’m still standing.”
I lift my left hand and wrap it around her neck, holding her to the wall. She arches up on her
tiptoes. The warm water rains down from the shower head, splashing the sides of our bodies. “You’ll
be crawling when I’m done with you.”
There’s a glint in her green eyes when she whispers, “Promise?”
“Oh, I promise you, sweetheart.”
 EPILOGUE TWO
BENNETT

I UNLOCK THE door to the clubhouse and step inside. First thing I do is take my shirt off. It smells
like her. Then I undo my pants and kick my shoes off followed by my jeans. They, too, smell like her.
It’s too much.
After we made love tonight, she dumped me. It’s better this way, she had cried. I didn’t want to
look pathetic, but I begged her to reconsider. To give me a chance to fix whatever she thought was
wrong. But I have no fucking clue what that could be.
It fell on deaf ears. She had made up her mind, and that was that. After all this time, the woman I
fell in love with no longer wanted me. After all the lies and sneaking around, she just ended it like I
was some fling. But I know the truth. I was more than that, and it scared her.
I go to walk up the stairs to the loft so I can go to bed but come to a stop when I see the glass bowl
that we have always drawn our dares from sitting on the table to the right. Why is it out? We only get
it out of the cabinet when we meet up.
My heart starts to beat faster. It has a folded piece of paper in it.
I look around the silent clubhouse, and an eerie feeling creeps up my spine.
Swallowing, I walk over to the table and pick it up with shaking hands. I unfold the note, and my
breath gets stuck in my throat when I read the words typed out on it.
This glass bowl can break just as easily as your promise. What would you do to keep them both
intact?

To be continued …
 PLAYLIST
Deadset Society – “Like A Nightmare”
Starset – “My Demons”
No Resolve – “What You Deserve”
My Darkest Day – “Nature of The Beast”
Valerie Broussand – “Trouble”
Seven Day Sleep – “Down”
Memory of A Melody – “Things That Make You Scream”
Adelitas Way – “Invincible”
Sin Shake Sin – “Can’t Go to Hell”
Memory of A Melody – “Darkest Hour”
TheUnder – “Ready to Die”
Zero – “Left Alone”
MISSIOS – “I Don’t Even Care About You”
Halsey – “Nightmare”
Nina Nesbitt – “The Best you Had”
Redlight King – “Boneshaker”
The Score – “Legend”
Yungblud & Halsey – “I Will Follow You into the Dark”
 PROLOGUE
DEKE

DEATH IS A debt we are all born owing.

It’s something that money can’t buy nor can it be traded.
You can’t bargain for more time. When it’s up, you accept it like a fucking man.
I’ve never been afraid to die. Or to love, for that matter.
Aren’t they the same?
You surrender to a fate you have no control over. You don’t get to choose when or how you die,
just as you can’t choose when and who you fall in love with.
Some couples get a happily ever after while others are toxic for one another.
My love was like that.
She lied; I believed every word.
I hurt her; she forgave too easily.
It was a vicious circle of deceit and sex wrapped in a pretty black bow. Neither one of us could
quit.
I wrapped my hand around her throat, and she begged me to breathe.
She stabbed me in the heart and demanded I bleed.
She might as well have been fucking poison, but I would have drunk her anyway.
That was the kind of obsession I had for her.
I knew how it would end—total devastation.
A war zone of broken bones and bleeding souls.
I should have hated her, but that’s the funny thing about love—it’s out of your control. And even
when it leaves you with two black eyes, you beg for more.
People are afraid of the unknown, but I never feared death, and love was no different.
She was going to destroy me, and I was going to let her.
It was a game that could only end one way—a slow and torturous death.
 CHAPTER ONE
DEKE

I dare you

A LITTLE GAME my friends and I have played since we were kids. Every Sunday, we get together
and write a dare, and the lucky son of a bitch whose turn it is gets to pluck one from the glass bowl
and fulfill it. You have a month to complete it; once your time is up, you must face the consequence if
you haven’t. Each dare has one, but none of us has ever refused the dare. Some are harmless. Others
illegal. Just depends on whose dare you get and what their mood is at the time.
My best friend Eli dared our friend Cole to ride a skateboard down a hill. He did it, of course, but
ended up with bruised elbows, scraped knees, and bloody hands. After we all ran down the hill to
help him stand, we found him sitting on the ground with a smile on his face. It was as though he
enjoyed the pain and the sight of the blood. And from then on, we found ourselves daring one another
to do something that could either get us killed or thrown in jail. We didn’t care. Nothing scared any of
us, for that matter. But as we got older, the dares got more dangerous and then turned illegal. Girls got
involved and … well, let’s just say the game went from eight boys fucking around to five friends
trying to figure out how we ended up haunted by our past.
We fucked up along the way. Some of us fell in love with the wrong girl. And some of us would die
at the hands of others. It was a sick game we were going to end. And finish it is exactly what we had
to do. Even if that meant killing one of our own. We were sharks and not all sharks can swim with
others.
Sixteen years old
For the second night in a row, I find myself standing in Bennett’s parents’ basement. We threw a
party here last night that ended in several fights. My best friend Cole got his dick sucked by Trenten’s
girlfriend in the closet, and Kellan somehow started a fight between Cole and Trenten. It ended in
Cole throwing some punches and me getting jumped from behind. Some fucker hit me in the back of
the head with a glass cross. Once shit settled down, Cole took me to my sister’s to get it stitched up
even though I assured him I’d be fine.
Now here we are. It’s Sunday, and we’re back to draw a dare. It’s my turn.
“Kiss Becky Holt.” I read the three words written on a folded-up piece of paper out loud. “Or you
have to record yourself dancing naked.” I snort. I’m sure videos of me in my birthday suit are out
there somewhere and didn’t even involve a dare.
Someone snickers, and I look up at my seven friends. Each and every one of us known as the Great
White Sharks. The small, rich town known as Collins, Oregon, has been calling us sharks since we
were little kids. Some say it started because we are all on the high school swim team and dominate in
the water, but others say it’s because we’re ruthless. Just like some of our fathers. Some believe
killers are born that way, but few will argue they are made. I’m not sure which one is correct
anymore. I just do it for fucking fun. But a couple of my friends do it ’cause they crave it—the blood,
the rush, and the flat-out terror in someone’s eyes when they get too close. They thrive off it. And I
don’t blame them because it can be quite a rush.
“Really?” Cole looks over at Eli, wearing a look of boredom on his face. He’s holding a beer in
one hand and his cell in the other. “Since when do we do dares that involve chicks?” he asks, then
looks at me. “Not like Deke can’t get his dick wet on his own.” Cole craves the blood. The fight. He
always has. His darkness is a hole that will one day swallow him whole if he allows it.
Eli lights his blunt and takes a long drag, his cheeks caving in as he lounges on the couch before his
eyes meet mine. “What? We all know he has a crush on her.” He winks at me, a grin now playing on
his lips. “This just gives you a reason to make your move. And nowhere did the dare mention him
shoving his dick into her. Just a harmless kiss.” Eli does it for fun. Both of his parents are dead, so he
lives with his older sister and her piece of shit husband. He does whatever the fuck he wants, and no
one tries to stop him.
“Who says I haven’t already?” I ask.
He throws his head back, laughing. “Come on, Deke. You’re no Casanova. I’m doing you a favor.
Now go get that taken care of.”
I rip up the piece of paper and throw what’s left of it into the glass bowl.
Kellan sits in the recliner. I can feel his eyes boring into me, but I ignore him. He hasn’t said much
since last night. I used to think he did this for the hell of it, but it seems he has an agenda. I just can’t
figure out what it is yet.
Maddox and Landen quietly talk to each other as they lounge on a futon up against the wall, and
Cole finishes off his beer before lighting up a cigarette.
Walking over to the couch, I take the joint from Eli and bring it to my lips. Pulling in a long drag,
the taste of citrus fills my mouth. I lean my head back and blow it out, feeling the burn in my chest.
“Shit, your sister has some good weed,” I say, handing it back to him.
He grunts. “Yeah, Jerrold only buys the good shit.” Eli can’t stand her piece of shit husband.
“Quit stalling,” Bennett finally chimes in while he sits cross-legged on his parents’ basement floor
with an open laptop in front of him. The guy lives on that thing. He’s obsessed with hacking shit. He’s
not much for getting his hands dirty, but the guy does pretty well behind the scenes. “She’s up at the
school.”
“Know her schedule, do you?” Is my friend into the girl I like? They all know how I feel about her.
And they also know to stay the fuck away.
He shrugs. “My mother is on the PTA. Says she sees her up there with the cheerleaders.”
I frown. “Becky doesn’t cheer.” She doesn’t play any sports. She’s too good for that. Wouldn’t
wanna sweat her makeup off or mess up her perfect hair.
“No. But Demi does,” Eli informs me.
I never pay her little sister any attention. “And how do you know that?”
“I like staring at her ass in the short skirts they wear.” He smirks.
Cole chuckles, looking over at Eli, but he doesn’t say anything. He seems to know something the
rest of us don’t.
I ignore it and snap my fingers at Eli. “Let’s go.”

_______________

I PULL UP to Collins High and park my SUV. I look across the almost empty lot and spot Becky’s car, a
white Mercedes E400.
 Eli points at the football stadium. “There she is. All by herself.”
I follow his line of sight and see a blonde sitting on the bleachers. She leans forward with her
elbows resting on her knees while she looks out at the squad on the football field. “Wait here,” I
order, getting out.
“Aww, man I wanted to hold your hand …”
I slam my door, cutting him off, but I give him the bird when I see his body shaking with laughter
through the windshield.
As I walk across the parking lot, she rises to her feet and starts to descend the stairs. I slow my
steps but don’t stop. She keeps her head down, typing away on her phone totally oblivious to what is
going on around her. Stupid girl. Don’t their fathers warn them of guys like me and my friends? The
ones who see a situation where they can take advantage and seize it. We’re all the same. If a guy tells
you otherwise, he’s lying. We all stare at your tits while we imagine fucking them. We all look at your
ass. And we’re all thinking about you on your knees while sucking our cocks. It’s all about what we
can do to get you undressed and underneath us.
Becky Holt is a mystery. She doesn’t have many friends, if any, yet she’s popular, if that makes
sense. All the girls hate her, and the boys wanna fuck her.
I pick up my pace when I see she’s headed straight for me. I should say her name or place my hands
out—anything to prevent what I know is coming—but I don’t. Instead, I let her run right into me,
knocking herself down.
“Are you okay?” I ask, looking down at her sitting on her ass now covered in dirt.
The dust fills the air around her, and she coughs. “What …?” She looks up at me, blinking from the
sun shining in her face. She lifts her hand to her forehead to shade her ocean blue eyes.
“I didn’t see you there,” I lie, giving her a kind smile.
“It’s okay.” She sighs heavily.
“Here. Let me help you up.” I offer her a hand for assistance.
She takes it, and I yank her to her feet. I use more force than I meant to, causing her chest to hit
mine. Her breathing picks up when her blue eyes meet mine.
I’ve had a crush on Becky for a while now. I’ve known her all my life, and we’ve grown up
together. My parents always invite hers to their Christmas parties and birthday celebrations on their
yachts. Collins, Oregon, isn’t a big town, but the wealthy only party with the wealthy. No matter how
much I’ve wanted her, I have never touched her. Never pursued her.
The ass in our school is too easily given, so why chase a bitch down for it?
“Thanks,” she mumbles and pushes away from me.
“What are you doing out here?” I ask, placing my hands in my jeans pockets as my eyes drop to her
tits. They look bigger today than usual. I’ve undressed enough girls to know they either stuff their shit
or they spend too much money on bras to make what little they have look three times bigger. As if
we’re not gonna notice the difference once you’re naked.
We do.
“Waiting on my sister to be done with practice.” She dusts off her skinny jeans.
“Want some company?”
She tilts her head to the side, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth as she contemplates my
question. Since a pair of black Aviators shades my eyes, she can’t see the way I’m looking her up and
down. I linger on her thighs and wonder just how hard it will be to get her to spread them for me.
“Yeah …”
“Becky!”
 She spins around at the sound of her name. Demi Holt, her little sister, comes up to join us dressed
in a pair of black spandex shorts that barely covers her pussy, a bright pink sports bra, and tennis
shoes. That’s it. If I was their father, I wouldn’t let her leave the house looking like that, let alone
parade around the school. Even if it is Sunday. She has her long, bleach blond hair up in a high
ponytail with a black ribbon tied into a big bow around it. She’s a walking Barbie doll. A total high
school cheerleader cliché.
Demi places her hands on her narrow hips, her already flat stomach sucking in, making her ribs
even more pronounced as she takes a deep breath. She glares up at her sister, and I don’t miss the thin
layer of sweat that covers her chest and face because the sun makes her glisten. “I’m done and ready
to go.” Then without another word, she stomps off toward the parking lot.
Becky looks at me. “Sorry, I’ve got to go.”
Not yet, baby.
Stepping forward, I smile down at her. “Shame,” I say, and her breathing picks up at my closeness.
Becky isn’t a virgin, by any means. Boys talk in the locker rooms. On campus. At parties. And
she’s already had quite a few of them. They all said she wasn’t that good of a fuck, but what her cunt
lacks, she makes up with her mouth. I’m up for testing that rumor.
She doesn’t say anything, but her blue eyes stay on mine as if I hold her in a trance. “I wanted to
spend some time with you.” I reach up and take a strand of her blond hair and twirl it around my
finger. “Alone.”
Her breath hitches, and I know I have her right where I want her. It’s sad, really, how easily these
girls believe our bullshit. Leaning down, I trail my lips along her jawline, just letting them graze her
delicate skin. I slowly give her a chance to push me away, but she won’t. No one turns down Deke
Biggs. The ones I fuck consider themselves lucky to catch my attention. They just never keep it long.
When I reach her lips, my free hand slides into her soft hair, and I tilt her head back, pulling away
just enough to look down at her. “Guess a kiss will have to be enough for now.” Then I press my lips
to her.
She opens up for me like all the others do and then moans. I wrap my other hand around her waist
and pull her into me, gently grinding my hardening cock into her lower stomach, letting her know that
we can go as far as she wants. Right here and now. The fact that we’re on school property hasn’t
stopped me before.
Her hands wrap around my neck while her tongue dances with mine. Her kiss tastes like
strawberries, and I know it’s her lip-gloss. The same one that all the girls wear. I swear they pass that
shit around to one another. It’s step one in how to be a slut.
Her fingers dig into my hair, and she moans loudly. I groan in response, holding her tighter against
my achingly hard cock. I go to pull away, to look down at her, but she won’t release me. And I can’t
push her away. My feet work on their own, and I’m pushing her backward. She whimpers into my
mouth when her back hits what I’m guessing is a wall, stopping our movement.
I pull away quickly. We both stand breathing heavily, and I look over her heavy eyes and parted,
wet lips. I run my thumb over them while my eyes drop to the blue shirt she wears. It matches the
color of her eyes. Her tits rise and fall fast as she continues to pant from our kiss.
I cup her face, then run my fingers down over her chin and to her neck. Her pulse races under my
touch, and I lick my wet lips, wishing I could carry her off to my SUV and fuck her in the back seat
because I want more. What can I say? I’m a greedy motherfucker. I don’t like to wait for something
when I know I can have it. And I can have her. Now. But instead, I take a step back, then turn and
walk away from her. Always leave them wanting more.
 Making my way back across the parking lot to my Range Rover, I ignore my hard fucking dick
straining against my jeans and catch sight of Eli leaning up against the passenger door talking to Demi.
She has her head thrown back in laughter when I approach them.
“What did I miss?” I ask.
Her laughter cuts off, and her blue eyes settle on me. I watch them turn hard as stone. She ignores
me and looks at Eli. “I’ll see you around.” She slaps his chest playfully and then walks off.
I make my way around the front of my car. “She’s too young for you, man.”
He laughs at that, but his eyes stay on her bubble ass as she sashays across the parking lot with her
long blond ponytail bouncing across her back. “The best ones always are.” Then he turns, gets into the
passenger seat, and winks over at me. “That’s what makes them so much fun.”
 CHAPTER TWO
DEKE

Present- Eighteen years old

I PULL MY Range Rover into the driveway and look down at my phone ringing in the passenger seat.
Fucker lights up my screen, but I press ignore just as I have the other hundred times he’s called me. I
have nothing to say to my father. And I know he has nothing to say to me either. He just hates that I
won’t answer him—my lack of respect for him knows no bounds.
Grabbing my phone, I get out of my SUV and walk into my best friend’s house. I live with him, his
little sister, and his fiancée. We all moved to Austin, Texas, three months ago after high school
graduation. Cole and I attend the University of Texas on swimming scholarships. Austin, his fiancée,
is still trying to decide what she wants to do with her life.
I throw my gym bag down at the front door, and call out, “Cole?”
That stupid Halloween decoration Austin put out makes a noise when you activate its motion
sensor. The fucker gets me every time I come in late drunk off my ass. Pretty sure I threw it away last
weekend, but she found it and put it back. Its red eyes glare up at me with its ugly mouth open,
showing off its vampire looking teeth and growling at me again. The first time I saw it, I thought the
damn thing was a ghost, but I’m not even sure what the hell it’s supposed to be. Austin seems quite
attached to it, but I’m hoping to get rid of the thing before Halloween next year.
“Kitchen,” he answers.
Walking down the hallway, I take the first right, entering the kitchen to see him bent over at the
stainless fridge looking for something to eat. “I’ve got plans for us tonight.”
He groans. “I don’t feel like going to a party.”
“Even better.”
Straightening, he shuts the door and turns around to face me. His blue eyes give me a pointed look
as he tears open a container. My best friend hasn’t been himself lately. His temper is shorter, and his
mood darker. Worse than usual. Cole Reynolds has always been a ticking time bomb, but there’s more
to it now. And I hate that he hasn’t come to me about it. Things just haven’t been the same since we
left Collins.
“I’m not going to a strip club,” he deadpans.
I smile at him. Tits and some ass in my face are exactly what I need, but I shake my head. I’m trying
to get him out of the house, and I knew he would never go for that. Plus, I don’t wanna be on Austin’s
shit list. And taking Cole to a place like that will get my name at the motherfucking top of hers. I’m
quite found of my balls, and they would be the first thing she’d go for. “Although that is a fantastic
idea, it’s not what I have in mind.”
He sets the container on the countertop next to him and crosses his arms over his chest, arching a
dark brow. “I’m waiting.”
I open my mouth to fill him in, but it closes the moment Austin, his fiancée, enters the kitchen, and
she’s not alone. Becky is with her. My ex.
 The girl who I fell in love with. What started as a dare and ended up much more than that. I wish I
would have known then what a lying whore she was. I guess a part of me knew. I just thought I’d be
the exception. Fuck, when did I turn into a chick?
Junior year
“Dude, let her go,” Eli all but growls as he sees what I’m drooling over.
“She’s with David now.” I say it like it fucking matters. It doesn’t.
“Let him have her ass. You can do better.”
I frown at his tone. Since when does Eli hate Becky?
When I say nothing, he turns his attention to Cole and Maddox as they walk up after leaving the
cafeteria.
I lean up against my locker and watch the blonde come down the hallway. I kissed Becky last
year by the football field because Eli dared me to. And now I can’t get her out of my mind. It didn’t
happen suddenly. No, it was more like a sickness. She slowly took over my mind and body with no
cure in sight. Maybe it’s because I know she’s unavailable now. Three months after that kiss, she
started seeing David, and now that he has her, I want her. I watch her in class and at parties. And I
catch her watching me too. She comes to swim meets but doesn’t speak to me. Instead, she ignores
me completely. Just like we agreed.
Her boyfriend, David, comes up behind her and places his hand in hers. She looks up at him but
doesn’t smile. He’s too busy talking to Maxwell, his friend walking beside him. I feel my heart
begin to beat faster as she approaches me, but he brings her to a stop and then says a few more
words to his friend. Once Maxwell walks away, David turns to face her. He leans down and kisses
her, pulling her body into his, and her arms come up and wrap around his neck. Just as they did
when I kissed her last year. Then just as quickly, he lets go of her hand and walks away, leaving
her all alone in the middle of the hallway.
As if she feels my eyes on hers, she looks up at me. I remain leaning against the locker, trying to
play it cool as though I couldn’t care less what she does, but it’s all for show.
I care, and she knows it.
I’m jealous that he gets to kiss her, touch her, and fuck her for all to see.
I want a piece of Becky. More than what she already gives me. I want her to be completely mine,
but for now, I’ll settle.
Fucking pathetic.
“Deke, there’s a party at Luck’s this weekend. Cole, Maddox, Landen, and I are thinking about
going after the meet. You wanna go?” Eli asks me.
I just nod at him, not taking my eyes off hers. “Of course.” I’m always down to get drunk and
pretend I’m not obsessed with the blue-eyed blonde.
She walks past, looking me up and down before her tongue darts out and runs along her pink-
painted lips. They still glisten from his kiss. “Hey, Deke,” she purrs, then watches me over her
shoulder before turning the corner and walking out of my sight.
I slap Eli on the chest, cutting off whatever nonsense he was telling Cole. “I’ll see you all at
practice later.” I push off my locker before they can stop me.
I turn the same corner she took and open the first door on the left. Mr. Tomson always leaves his
door unlocked. Stupid fucker.
A hand grabs me from behind, and I spin around to see Becky leaning up against the now closed
door. “Hey, baby.” I smirk, stepping into her.
She reaches behind her and locks it. “I don’t have much time—”
 “Then what are you waiting for?” I cut her off.
Grabbing my shoulders, she spins me around and shoves my back into a wall. Then she falls to
her knees before me.
As I place my hands in her blond hair, she goes to work on my jeans to free my already
hardening cock. I grip her hair and prepare to fuck that mouth he just kissed. I’m gonna come all
over her lips and watch her lick them clean.
I should have known then that she didn’t have a loyal bone in her body. But I never had the chance
to think about it. After that, things changed. They all went to that party Eli mentioned. There was a car
wreck, and three of my best friends—Eli, Maddox, and Landen—died. Cole was the only one who
survived. Or so I thought. Cole had taken full responsibility for that accident at the time but just
recently confessed he was not the one driving. It was Becky. And she was with them that night ’cause
she was fucking Eli. I still can’t decide if I’m more pissed at her or my dead friend who knew how I
felt about her. Too bad I didn’t know she was fucking him sooner. I would have never given her the
time of day, much less allow myself to fall in love with her. That’s why he tried to tell me to stop
wanting her—so he could have her.
Her blue eyes widen the moment she notices I’m in the kitchen with Cole, and she comes to a stop.
I didn’t see her car outside, which means Austin must have brought her over here earlier. I don’t see
her all that often, thank God. But her best friend is my best friend’s fiancée, and I live with them, so
it’s bound to happen. Whenever the situation presents itself, I completely ignore her. It’s as if she
doesn’t exist. Because she no longer does to me. She’s as dead as my best friend buried six feet deep
in a wooden box.
“Thought you were going back home for the weekend?” Austin asks me as she goes over to Cole.
He uncrosses his arms and wraps them around her shoulders, pulling her back to his chest and resting
his chin on top of her head.
Shelby, my older sister who still lives in Collins, called me yesterday and said that she had picked
up a weekend shift at the hospital. As a trauma nurse, she always works crazy hours, so I decided to
stay here. She was the only reason I was going to spend two days in Collins. Any chance I have to
stay away from my father, I take it. “Plans changed,” I answer.
The room falls to an awkward silence. Austin’s green eyes drift from me to Becky. Then to Cole.
Almost as if she’s secretly asking us to go have our conversation in another room—preferably
outside.
I jump up and plant my ass on the kitchen island, smiling at her. Austin’s disappointment shows
when she lets out a heavy sigh.
“What do you have planned for us tonight?” Cole asks me. He knows I’m not going anywhere, no
matter what his soon-to-be wife wants. He’s the one who has to kiss her ass, not me.
I may like to avoid Becky, but I also like to make her feel uncomfortable. I hold all the cards here.
She has no clue who I have told her secrets to, and I wanna watch her sweat for a while.
“I got us tickets to Silence,” I answer.
Austin’s brows pull together. “What is Silence? And can Lilly go?”
“Only the scariest haunted house in Texas.” Becky answers her, and Austin’s face lights up like
fucking Christmas. “No, Lilly can’t go. It’s not a place for children,” she adds.
Austin looks up at Cole with a big smile on her face, silently begging him. He shrugs, telling her,
“It’s up to you, sweetheart.”
She turns her attention back to me. “I’ll call and see if Misty can watch Lilly for a few hours. If she
can, then we’ll go.” Looking at Becky, she asks, “You can go, right?”
 I refrain from growling because I wanted Becky to be the babysitter. I can’t stand to be around her
for five minutes, let alone spend an evening with her. We keep our distance for a reason.
“Sure,” she answers. “When are we going?”
“Tonight,” I say, and everyone’s heads turn toward me when the word comes out a little too snappy.
“Okay.” Austin spins around in Cole’s arms so she can face him. “I’ll call Misty …”
He doesn’t even let her finish before he leans down and presses his lips to hers. His hands go to
her hair, and she lets out a moan when he pulls her head back to give himself better access to her
mouth. Becky exits the kitchen, rolling her eyes.
I stay where I’m at, being the pervert that I am. Plus, it’s not like I haven’t ever seen them kiss.
Hell, I once recorded them fucking in a bathroom while at a high school party and then posted that shit
online for all to see. All because he told me to do it. That was before he fell in love with her, though.
And also ’cause I can be an asshole.
“Austin?”
She pushes Cole away, breathing heavily when Lilly enters the kitchen. “Yes, Lilly?” she asks,
breathlessly.
The cute little six-year-old smiles up at her. She is Cole’s little sister, and he’s raised her since the
day she was born. Celeste, Austin’s stepmother, killed Cole’s mother by shoving her down a flight of
stairs when she was pregnant with Lilly. Lilly survived, but their mother did not. “I don’t know where
my phone went.”
Austin takes her hand and pulls her own cell out of the back pocket of her jeans. “I’ll call it.”
“I think it’s dead.” She frowns.
“We’ll find it,” Austin assures her before they walk out of the kitchen.
“Need a moment?” I ask Cole, jokingly.
“More like an hour,” he answers.
I turn to face him, and he has his hands in the pockets of his jeans. Things have been awkward
around us since the night he told me all his secrets in Collins. He thinks I’m mad at him, but I’m not.
He did exactly what I would have done, so I can’t fault him for being like me. But I hate that I’m still
keeping my own. Maybe he’s pulling away from me ’cause he knows I’m not being honest with him.
And it makes me think of Eli. How close we all once were, but how many secrets we had among us.
Were we all ever really friends? I think that’s the hardest part about all of this. I was loyal to the
sharks. I may have been an ass to most, but I would have laid my life down for any of them. Even
Kellan. But in the end, I helped Cole kill him. Would Cole have helped me kill Eli if he hadn’t died
that night in the car accident? Would Cole have dug with me to get the answers I needed? Still want?
I’m not sure. And I hate that I’ll never know. You can’t kill someone who is already dead. But the
unanswered questions still eat at me.
He finally looks away from where Austin exited the kitchen with Lilly, and his eyes meet mine.
“You gonna be okay with Becky tonight? I can tell Austin I don’t want to go—”
“No,” I interrupt and wave him off. “It’ll be fine. How bad can it be?”
His dark brows rise at my question as if to say really? You gonna ask that? Because we both know
just how bad shit can get.
Austin pops her head back into the kitchen. “Found the phone and Misty is gonna come stay with
Lilly.”
Neither one of us says anything to her.
Her green eyes narrow, and she walks over to me. “Please be nice.” I open my mouth, but she
continues, “It’s just one night.”
 I grind my teeth but nod once ’cause that’s the first time Austin has ever asked me for anything. And
I love that girl like my own sister. Even if I did once aim a gun at her, planning on ending her life in
the middle of a cemetery. But now that’s water under the bridge and all that. “One night.” I’ve put up
with worse in my life.
She smiles and looks over at Cole. “I’m going to take a shower and start getting ready.” Then she
turns and walks out of the kitchen once again.
And no surprise, Cole all but runs out of the kitchen to follow her up to their room for a little
shower time of his own. He’s been on her ass more than usual and doesn’t let her out of his sight. If it
were anyone else, I would say their relationship has gone from extremely toxic to a tad unhealthy, but
I know the loss that he has suffered and the scare he had with her five months ago. Hell, even I’m
protective of her now.
I walk over to the fridge and grab a bottle of water, and when I turn around, Becky is standing
there. I bump into her on accident, and it pushes her backward. Instinct has me reaching out and
grabbing her upper arm to keep her standing. I should shove her ass to the floor, but I don’t.
Her blue eyes look up at me wide, and I realize the last time I was this close to her was three
months ago. When I stormed into her bedroom back at her father’s house in Collins and told her I
knew all her secrets. That she had been fucking my best friend, Eli, and that she had lied to Cole and
wasn’t really pregnant. She begged me to love her, to want her, but it didn’t work.
“Wait! Please?” she begs. “I can fix this.”
“No. You can’t.” Things have gone too far, and there’s no going back now.
“Deke? Please? I can’t lose you,” she cries.
“You already have.” I reach for the door handle, but she places her hands on my back, gripping
my T-shirt and causing the collar to choke me.
“I’m sorry. Is that what you want me to say?” she grinds out. “I lied. And I’ve felt terrible
about it. Austin is my best friend. And I love you. You love me.”
“Not anymore.” I shake my head.
“I don’t believe you,” she argues. “There has to be something I can do. Please … tell me.” The
desperation in her voice makes me smile.
I turn around and cup her tear-streaked face. She sucks in a long breath, and her body presses
into mine, now interested. Funny how women turn to sex when they’re desperate for forgiveness.
“Unless you plan on falling to your knees and opening that mouth of yours so I can fuck it, I have
no use for you.”
“I don’t believe you,” she whispers again as new tears run down her face.
“That’s your problem. Not mine.” Her eyes stare up at mine, silently begging me to forgive her
and tell her that it’s all gonna be okay. That I love her. I’ll die before I ever say that to her again.
When she licks her wet lips and falls to her knees like an obedient slave, I look at her with
disgust. I’d always held Becky to a higher standard ’cause she continually held her head high and
didn’t care what others said or felt about her. Cole was not driving the car when it wrecked and
killed three of our friends—she was—and she allowed him to take the fall for it. Though I can’t
blame her for that part. I understand firsthand that when Cole makes up his mind, you can’t
change it. I’m just like him in that aspect. But she lied to him when she told him she was pregnant.
She wanted him to feel sorry for her and tell her to run, and it worked. She played him, and then
she kept it from me because she knew I could tell him the truth.
I’m a killer. But I’ve never lied without a reason, and that purpose is rarely just to save my own
ass.
 She looks up at me, tears running down her face, and she pulls her shoulders back as though she
has a backbone. “I’ll prove it to you.” Her voice doesn’t waver with her renewed determination. As
if sucking my cock is gonna make me fall in love with her all over again.
She’s not the first girl to suck my dick who I didn’t fall in love with. And she won’t be the last.
“Deke?” Her shaky voice pulls me out of that memory. Her hands are on my chest, and she breathes
heavily.
I love that I still have this effect on her. After three months of nothing, I can still turn her into a
fucking puddle of water that I can stomp through. I once loved Becky, but now I hate her with a
passion.
My fingers dig into her arms. “Yeah, baby?”
She bites her bottom lip at my words. I avoid her like the plague, but maybe I shouldn’t. Maybe she
could be more useful than I thought. If I told her to drop to her knees right now and suck my dick,
would she do it? Only one way to find out.
I let go and run my hands up her arms. Her breath hitches when I move them over her neck, being as
gentle as I can when I really wanna fucking break it. Watch her perfect fucking lips open as she tries
to breathe while the life drains out of her pretty blue eyes.
I can be a fucking heartless bastard.
Her blue eyes look up into mine, and I see it. That same desire she used to have for me. I wonder
how much she faked. Did it make her sick when I touched her? When I kissed her? How about when I
fucked her?
I’d love to make her hate herself as much as I hate her now. I can make her believe I love her again.
That I’ve forgiven her.
My hands slide into her hair, and she licks her painted pink lips. “I’ve missed you,” I lie.
A shiver runs through her body, but she says nothing.
“Have you missed me, baby?”
Her eyes close shut, and her lips part. The act reminds me of that last memory when I allowed her
to suck my cock. The hopefulness she had in her eyes as tears ran down her face from my force. Those
boys in high school were wrong—her mouth didn’t make up for what her cunt lacked. But when you
love someone, you’re blind to their every flaw. Now that I hate her, I see much clearer. The fog is
gone, and I see Becky for who she really is—a slut I can use to my advantage.
Sweet fucking revenge. I’m an expert at fucking someone over. No one plays that game better than I
do.
I lean down, pressing my lips gently to hers, and she opens up immediately, but I don’t take the
bait. Not yet. Why rush this, when I can have some fun and draw it out?
I pull back, and she opens her heavy eyes. “Deke—”
The doorbell rings, interrupting whatever she was about to say.
I let her go and walk out of the kitchen. I open the front door to see the neighbor kid Misty standing
there with her dark hair up in a ponytail. She reaches up and pushes her glasses to sit higher on her
nose. She’s a fourteen-year-old girl with three older brothers. I sometimes play basketball with them
out in the driveway.
She smiles at me. “Hi, Deke. Austin called and said she needed a sitter tonight.”
I step aside for her to enter. “She’s upstairs in the shower right now, but Lilly is in her room.”
“Thanks.” She walks inside, bouncing down the hallway to find Lilly.
When I return to the kitchen and find it empty, I take my ass up to my room to get ready for the night.
I’m gonna seduce Becky. And she’s gonna realize she’s weaker than she thought when it comes to me.
 CHAPTER THREE
DEKE

TWO HOURS LATER, “Like a Nightmare” by Deadset Society plays inside my SUV as I drive us
to Silence. The sun has officially set, and we decided to go earlier rather than later to beat the crowd
and traffic since it’s a Friday night.
Austin leans forward from the back seat and taps Cole on the shoulder. “Turn that down for a
second, please?” He does as she asks, and she begins to read something to us off her phone. “Did you
know they can touch you? I’m on their website, and it says that you should not wear open-toed shoes
or nice clothing. That you may have to crawl, jump, or run to get free. And that you may have blood
thrown on you.”
Cole stiffens in the passenger seat at the mention of blood. And I wonder if he has the same thought
as me.
Five months ago
Cole pulls up to the Lowes estate and doesn’t even bother turning his car off. He jumps out, and
I follow him up the stairs, and he barges into Bruce’s house. Celeste, Austin’s stepmother, lies dead
at the bottom of the stairs. Neither one of us gives her any thought.
“Austin?” Cole yells, pulling the gun out of the back of his jeans. I’m holding mine down by my
side, and it’s ready with a bullet in the chamber. “Austin?” He shouts again, running down the
hallway.
He follows the blood trail down the hall, and my throat tightens at what we’re going to find. It
won’t be good.
He takes a sharp right, entering the kitchen. “Austin?” I hear him choke on her name, and my
heart begins to pound. What did he find?
I enter behind him and gasp. “What the fuck?”
Austin lies in a pool of blood on her father’s marble floor. Fuck! She’s bleeding too much. Her
shirt and her jeans are soaked. Her once sun-kissed skin looks pale, and the pool of blood
underneath her slowly gets bigger. The smell alone almost knocks me off my feet. Kellan still holds
the gun in his hand. Why did he shoot his best friend’s girl? I don’t understand.
“Take him,” Cole calls out, not looking up from her body. He goes to touch her but then pulls
back.
She’s dead. I’ve helped him kill enough people to know what a lifeless body looks like. “She
needs help,” I argue. Looking over her with narrowed eyes, I know there’s not much we can do for
her at this point. Kellan killed the only thing Cole has ever loved. And Cole will make Kellan
suffer in ways he can’t even imagine.
“Take him!” Cole barks this time. “Help is on the way.” He turns his attention to Austin,
dismissing me.
I look over at Kellan leaning up against the countertop with a knife stuck into his side. He
smiles, looking over at Austin lying on the floor. Fucking prick. I grab him by the back of his neck
and rip the gun out of his hand, before yanking him away from the countertop.
 I’m not sure how Cole would handle seeing Austin covered in blood again. Even if he knew it was
fake.
“For the ones who think they are fearless, they have a ‘blackout’ attraction where you are given a
glow stick to navigate your way out.” She goes on to read about Silence.
“Pass,” Becky says.
I smile to myself. She’s avoided me since I played with her in the kitchen back at the house. She
stuck by Austin’s side while she got ready. It’s like she’s afraid to be left alone with me again because
she doesn’t trust herself with me. Silly girl. Space won’t save you from me.
“I think that sounds like the most fun,” Austin argues.
I watch Cole relax into his seat and smile at Austin’s words. She isn’t afraid of anything.
“You have to sign a waiver for that, though,” Austin adds.
“I’m not signing shit,” Becky mumbles to herself.
“Silence was once an insane asylum that was shut down back in 1984 due to a patient being killed.
She died by strangulation. She managed to get out of her straitjacket and hung herself by the straps.”
“God,” Becky whispers.
“Afterward, the place was bought by the Thompson family. Over the years, they have added new
attractions to Silence, but the part that makes it stand out from all the other haunted houses in Texas is
the fact that it is actually haunted.”
“I should have stayed home,” Becky whines.
Austin continues, “Silence sits on a hundred acres and has over 200,000 square feet of attractions.
That does not include the original underground tunnels that the staff used to transfer dead bodies from
one building to another …” She pauses for a second and then looks up at the back of Cole’s head. “I
wonder if we get to walk in the tunnels.”
“You can’t be serious?” Becky asks.
“I mean, wouldn’t that be awesome?” Austin goes on. “If the tunnels were the blackout attraction?”
Cole and I both chuckle.
“What?” Austin finally directs her attention to Becky. “Halloween is one of my favorite times of
the year. Bonfires and ghost stories. Some apple cider with a little rum. Scary movies and haunted
houses.”
“The only part I want to participate in is the one where we get drunk off that apple cider and rum.”
Becky smiles at her.
“We’re here,” Cole announces as I pull up to a wrought-iron gate.
We enter, and buses line the long driveway to an opening. Men in yellow vests holding flashlights
navigate the long line of cars. One guides me to a parking spot in the middle of a field that is quickly
becoming full. We exit and turn around to see what looks like an abandoned castle that’s been painted
black and has boarded-up windows. The tallest part stands at five stories high in the center with an
even taller clock tower. Red lights on each side of the building make it glow.
To the right is another gate and the ticket booth with a Ferris wheel and roller coaster in the
distance. You can hear people screaming from here as it takes a loop.
“It has a carnival?” Becky observes.
“It has a scarenival,” Austin corrects her. “I read it on the website as well. It has a maze, a
mirrored fun house, and …”
I tune her out and remove the tickets from my pocket before handing them to Cole. I had only
purchased three, so Becky is gonna have to buy her own once we get up there.
Austin has moved on in conversation and is now talking to Cole about what she wants to do on
Halloween in two weeks when Becky groans at her cell going off.
“What?” Austin asks her.
“My sister is here.”
Great!
She quickly types away. “With her boyfriend,” she adds, not pleased with the situation.
“Do they wanna join us?” Austin asks her.
Cole throws me a look of sympathy. This was supposed to be the three of us. With my newfound
idea to seek revenge, I don’t mind Becky tagging along, but now I’ve got her bitch of a sister to deal
with.
Fucking fantastic!
“Yeah.” She sighs heavily. “She’s gonna meet us over by the wristbands.” At least she sounds
about as thrilled as I am.
Cole takes Austin’s hand, and they lead us through the crowd to the ticket booth. We fall into line,
and Austin shivers. “It’s freezing.” Her teeth chatter as she wraps her arms around her chest. “The
news said it wasn’t gonna get below fifty-five tonight.”
“It’ll be warm inside,” he tells her.
“I hope.” She laughs, rubbing her hands up and down her long-sleeve shirt.
“Probably be cold as death,” Becky mumbles.
“Here.” Cole pushes Austin away so he can unzip his black hoodie.
“No. You’ll be cold,” she protests.
He wraps it around her shoulders and yanks the hood up over her head. She looks up at him with a
smile on her lips.
He snorts at her statement. “I’ll be fine, sweetheart.” Then he pulls her back into his side, and she
snuggles into him.
It’s sickening how cute they are together. But I can’t deny that I’ve seen my friend turn into a
different person since she came along. A better version of himself. But I can tell he’s been a little off
and in a funk lately, and Austin knows it too. She watches him closer and makes sure to give him more
one-on-one time when I take Lilly out to a movie or shopping for some new toys. I think she’s afraid
of losing him to the darkness that he was in when she entered his life. I’m not sure how far he is from
that at the moment, but I know it won’t take much to push him over the edge.
A scream has us all turning around to look. A guy lifts a girl dressed as a naughty nurse with fake
blood covering her costume and throws her over his shoulder. She screams out again playfully and
slaps his ass over his jeans while his hand slides up her short skirt to grip her ass.
When we all turn back to face the line, a blonde stands before us with big blue eyes and her hands
on her narrow hips. Demi Holt is the spitting image of her sister, and both girls look just like their
mother. I’m pretty sure all three use the same amount of bleach, shade of makeup, and brand of
perfume. Neither girl knows who they really are. All they know is who their mother has told them to
be.
Such a waste of a good piece of ass.
A guy by the name of Seth stands next to Demi. What are the odds?
“Hey, guys,” he greets us, shaking Cole’s hand and then mine. “Didn’t know you were gonna be
here.”
“You know them?” Demi asks with a look of disgust on her face.
If Becky can be a bitch, Demi can be a fucking mega bitch. They’re not close. They’ve always
disliked one another, and somewhere over the years, it’s turned to hate.
 She looks the same as when I saw her three months ago. Her bleach blond hair is down and in soft
waves. Where Becky wears a lot of makeup, Demi barely has any on tonight. Her blue eyes are
narrowed, and her usual plump lips are now thin and coated with a shiny gloss.
Seth nods, answering her question. “We attend the University of Texas together. English Lit.”
“Forgot you guys went there,” Demi mumbles.
Liar. She knows where we go to school. She just doesn’t care. About anyone. Another quality she
and her sister share.
“I want some popcorn,” Becky announces, looking over at the popcorn cart to the right of us. “It
smells amazing.”
“Then get some,” Demi tells her, tossing her hair over to one shoulder. Seth goes to place his arm
around her, but she pulls away from him. He doesn’t seem upset in the least.
I wonder if he’s ever tried to fuck that stick out of her ass?
Becky’s face falls. “I left my purse in the car.” She holds up a twenty-dollar bill. “All I have is
enough to get in.”
“Why?” Demi asks.
“I didn’t wanna carry it in here. Not after Austin said I may have to run or crawl for my life.” She
shivers at that thought, and Austin laughs.
“Just go and get your money,” Demi suggests, rolling her eyes.
“We parked too far away. I don’t wanna make you guys wait for me.” She sighs. “It’s fine.”
Gotta give a little to get, I tell myself. “I’ll get it for you.” Becky looks at me with wide eyes.
Austin gives me a soft smile, but Demi looks at me suspiciously as if she’s on to my plan. “Anyone
else want some?” I ask, not taking my eyes off Becky’s. I am trying to be nice tonight.
“I’ll get my own,” Demi announces while everyone else tells me, “No thanks.”
Walking over to the popcorn stand, I stand behind the only other two people in line. I’m not a fan of
the shit. It gets stuck in your teeth, and they never give me as much butter as I like. So I pull a piece of
gum out of my pocket and pop it in my mouth.
“Still her little bitch boy, I see.”
“Excuse me?” I turn around to Demi standing behind me in line with her arms crossed over her
chest. Her blue eyes glare up at me.
“Gotta say, I admired your lack of empathy. Until now.”
“What are you talking about?” I growl. Demi knows nothing about me.
She pops her right hip out. Her blue eyes drop to my tennis shoes and slowly run up over my jeans
and T-shirt before meeting mine again. “Men always think with their dicks,” she says.
I give her my back, dismissing her. She’s a child. And someone I don’t like, so I’m going to ignore
her the rest of the night.
I get the popcorn and return to my friends, not bothering to wait for Demi. Becky gives me a
mumbled thank you. I return it with a smile, and she looks up at me suspiciously. Yeah, baby. I’m
feeding you full of bullshit, and I’m gonna cram it down your throat until you choke on it.
We get our wristbands that allow us into the first attraction and make our way over to the black
building with a banner that reads Fright Night on it. As we walk through the entrance, Austin sneaks
up behind Becky, places her hands on her sides, and screams in her ear. Becky jumps so fucking high
she could have dunked a basketball had she been on a court.
“I think she pissed her pants.” Seth laughs, throwing Demi’s now empty bag of popcorn in the trash
can as we pass it.
Austin covers her mouth to muffle her laughter. “Sorry …”
 “No, you’re not.” Becky pulls away from her.
“I don’t even know why you came,” Demi growls. “You hate anything remotely scary.” Then her
blue eyes slide to mine before looking away.
What was that for?
“Watch what you say and where you look. For it may blind your sight and take your voice,” a
creepy man sings while he stands in a corner and gestures to a hallway on his left.
We enter a makeshift room no bigger than the entryway to Cole’s house with black walls and
ceiling. Creepy Halloween music plays softly through the hidden speakers. The girls are standing
there, waiting for us to pack ourselves inside. Cole walks up behind Austin and places his arms
around her chest. Seth pulls Demi into his side, and she looks like she wants to push him away but
won’t due to the cramped space. Becky stands next to me awkwardly, biting her lip nervously.
We all stare at a girl who sits in a white clawfoot tub against the opposite wall. Water black as
night, not allowing you to see through it, fills the bath, coming all the way up to the sides. She’s
wearing a dirty, cheaply made replica of a straitjacket, and the wet fabric clings to her small frame.
You can tell she isn’t wearing a bra ’cause you can see her hard nipples poking through the thin
fabric, showcasing a set of big tits.
A man who looks to be about our age kneels beside the tub. He gently runs his hand down the back
of her wet, dark hair. “Did you learn your lesson?” he asks her sternly.
Her body shakes uncontrollably, her lips are blue, and her eyes are red from crying. She has tears
running down her face, leaving black streaks in their wake. She turns to look at us; gray eyes meet
mine, and she whispers. “Help … me …”
He grips a fistful of her hair, and a scream erupts, cutting off her words. Rising to his feet, he bends
at the waist and shoves her face-first into the black water. It splashes us, and the girls jump back, but
Becky is the only one who screams in surprise.
He holds her under the black liquid surface as she thrashes around, water continuing to splash onto
the floor. He yanks her back up, and she gasps for breath. He lowers his face down to hers, pulling
her head back by her hair as she openly chokes and weeps. His other hand grips her chin tightly. “You
will either learn, or you will die,” he says simply.
“Please … don’t—”
“The choice is always yours.” He shoves her head into the water once again.
A door to the left opens, and Cole pushes Austin through it, entering a hallway. She’s trying to look
over his shoulder at the girl still submerged. Once we’re through the door, it slams shut behind us.
“I wanted to see how long she could hold her breath.” Austin pouts, disappointed.
“Long enough,” he tells her.
The hallway curves to the right, and we follow it. It’s narrow and only allows you enough space to
walk single file. Cole grabs Austin’s hand, taking the lead, so I take up the back. She rolls her eyes
and then bumps into his back when he takes another turn and comes to a stop.
We’ve reached an opening. A man stands before us in a white lab coat covered in blood. His arms
lie against his chest and cross at his wrists. He lifts his eyes to us, and a light that he has around his
forehead shines on us. “Separate,” he demands.
The main hallway splits, leading to the different doors. Cole drags Austin through the one closest
to them. Demi and her boyfriend go through the second one, leaving me and Becky alone. She bites
her bottom lip nervously, and I refrain from smiling.
I can do far worse things to you than anyone in this haunted house could possibly think of, baby.
I gesture for her to enter. “After you.”
 She sighs heavily and then enters. It’s dark, but the light that comes through the seams in the
makeshift wall is enough for me to see where the hallway leads us.
“Where do we go?” she asks, and her voice shakes with fear of what is to come.
She thinks something is gonna jump out at us, grab her, and drag her to hell. I laugh at that thought.
Honey, I’m the closest to hell you can get.
A scream erupts from the left, behind the wall, and she jumps, bringing her hands to her pounding
chest.
“Here, let me get in front of you.” Reaching out, I place my hands on her shoulders and push her
behind me. She grips my upper arms and doesn’t let go. Another sound to my right has my head
whipping in that direction. It’s a door, and a light shines from the room on the other side of it. A man
dressed in all black stands there. You can’t see his face through the black mesh mask over it.
Becky shrieks, pressing her body into mine. “Please don’t touch me,” she begs.
I nod to the guy and push open the door, leading us into a new room. A woman lies on what looks
like a hospital gurney. She wears a dingy gown that has been torn. Her wrists and ankles are strapped
to the bed with brown leather straps and blood drips from the restraints. She tries to sit up, but the
straps across her chest and stomach prevent any movement. A man stands next to her, his back toward
us as he faces a white table.
“Okay, Beatrice. Do you know why I have to do this to you?” he asks.
She stares up at the ceiling, no longer struggling. The only movement is her chest rising and falling
slowly. “Because I survived,” she whispers, and Becky stiffens against me.
“Very good,” he praises her. “But why did you do it?” he asks.
She swallows, and whispers, “Because the voices told me to.”
I look at the dirty floor and see a bloody razor blade by the bed. The blood running from her bound
wrists suddenly makes sense. She’s suicidal. She told him that voices told her to kill herself, and now
she’s being punished because she survived.
He walks to the head of the gurney and stands, wearing the same black costume as the man out in
the hall sans mask. She arches her back, looking up at him longingly as though they’re lovers. “Don’t
worry, I’m gonna make them go away.” He snaps a brown leather belt between his fists, and she
opens up her mouth for him. Her hips rise, and she moans as if it’s turning her on. He places it
between her teeth and runs his knuckles gently down the side of her cheek. She lets out a muffled
groan, and then he reaches over and grabs two paddles, pressing them to her temples. The lights
flicker on and off as her restrained body thrashes in the bed.
Becky buries her head into my chest. “Jesus, this place isn’t scary. It’s fucked up.”
I smile. Yeah, it is. I like it.
I grab her hand, and we exit the door to the right and come to a new room with two more doors.
Austin and Cole come through the one to the left. Demi and her boyfriend to the right. Austin is
smiling like a kid in a candy store. Demi looks bored.
A door opening to the right has Becky jumping back, causing Demi to laugh at her expense. We
follow each other into the next room. The floor and all four walls have tiles that once were white, but
now are brown and have been stained with blood on them.
A small woman stands with her nose to the far wall, her back to us. She’s completely naked.
Scratches run up and down her back and thighs. Blood trails down them and pools at her feet. Her
blond hair is tangled and dirty. A man stands behind her holding a hose. He turns it on and sprays her,
and she screams as the water hits her skin and splashes us. Smoke instantly fills the room so you think
it’s steam from the hot water. Becky grips my shirt as it quickly engulfs the space, making it hard to
see. I cover my mouth and push through a door just as Becky lets go of me. The lights shut off, leaving
us in complete darkness, and a small body runs into my back. “Shit.” I hear her hiss.
“Here.” I reach back and take her hand. Putting my free hand on the wall to the right of me, I slide it
across the area. It curves to the right, and I follow it, pulling Becky behind me. She doesn’t say
anything or try to pull away.
My hand comes to a new wall, and it’s right in front of me. “What the fuck …?” It’s a dead end. I
sigh. Silence meets me. No more music plays from above, and I don’t hear any screams off in the
distance. “Cole?” He doesn’t answer. “Austin?” Still nothing. “Guess it’s just us.” I turn around to
head back to where we came from and run right into her. We both trip over our tangled feet and her
back hits a wall. “Becky,” I breathe. My body is up against hers, pinning her in place. Her heavy
breathing fills the silent hallway. I have to remind myself why I hate her so much and how this is just
a game I intend to win.
My hands grip her wrists, pinning them down to her mattress. She arches her neck, and I kiss my
way up the soft skin to her ear. “I love you,” she whispers.
I pause and pull away to look down at her. Blue eyes fill with tears, and she sniffs. “I love you,
Deke—”
“I love you too, Becky,” I interrupt, then kiss her.
I make love to her, showing her just how much she means to me. Her face is flushed, her hair a
wild mess, and her lips swollen. She looks absolutely fucking perfect. “Tell me again,” I order,
pushing my hips forward. She no longer belongs to that fuckface David. He went off to college and
dumped her like the ass I knew him to be. Cole is busy playing with his new toy, Austin. Becky is
all mine, and she fills the hole left in my heart from my three dead friends. She makes it go away.
I’m never gonna let her go now that she’s all mine.
“I love you.” She gasps, licking her lips. “I love you …”
I slam my lips to hers again.
This fucking bitch never loved me. We slept with each other and with other people for a long time
to hide how we really felt for one another, so I’m not innocent in this situation. But I believed it
would be me and her in the long run, and then she played me. If I were an honest loser, I would bow
and tell her good fucking job. But I’m a sore loser. Especially at my own game.
Her hands come up to my chest, and I smile in the darkness. That’s right, baby, come to me. Let
yourself think I’ll save you from the darkness when I’m really gonna drown you in it. Mine go to
her hips, and I slide my fingers in the belt loops of her jeans.
“Deke, I’m …” She whispers so softly that I barely hear her, but the sound travels straight to my
dick, and it goes hard on its own. Fuck, I want to pin her down and fuck my hate out on her. She gasps
when I rub my hips into hers.
“I know, baby.” She can’t deny it anymore. She wants me, just not like I want her.
My hands leave her jeans and trail up her sides and then my knuckles skim over her breasts through
her shirt. Her heavy breathing fills the confined blackness we have found ourselves in alone. I run my
hand over the skin of her neck, and I can feel her pulse racing. And like before, she doesn’t stop me
and makes no move to push me away, so I push a little further. My hand fists her hair, and I gently pull
her head back. She’s panting when I skim my lips against hers. My other hand cups her face, and I can
feel the tremble in her body pushed up against mine.
I smile to myself.
“I’m gonna kiss you now.” I give her one warning. One chance to push me away or kick me in the
balls. If she doesn’t, who knows how far this will go right here and now. I’ve got three months of
pent-up aggression for this woman, and I’ll make her like every fucking moment of it.
Her hands fist my shirt, and I chuckle before pressing my lips to hers. Her body goes stiff against
mine. I move my hand on her face down to wrap around her waist and grip her ass over her jeans,
rubbing my hips into hers again. She begins to soften. Her hands come up to wrap around my neck,
and my kiss grows frantic when her tongue sweeps over mine. She tastes different. She used to remind
me of fresh air—the woman I loved. A woman I planned to spend the rest of my life with. Silly, right?
Now she tastes like betrayal and bitterness—the lying little slut I know her to be. And for some
reason, that turns me on even more. No more pretending. No more lies. I can fucking hate her while
making her love me.
My hand tightens in her hair, and she whimpers into my mouth. She pulls away from the kiss, and I
spin her around to face the wall I had her back pressed up against. She gasps as I press her chest into
the wall. I push my hips forward, letting her feel my hard dick rubbing on her ass. She never gave that
up to me, but she will this time. My right hand still holds her by her hair, and the other comes around
her waist to undo the button on her jeans. She sucks in breath after breath as I slide my fingers down
into her lace underwear. When I make it to her shaved pussy, she whimpers. I can’t help but chuckle
to myself because she’s so fucking wet.
That’s something no woman can fake.
I smirk in the darkness and lean down to kiss her neck when I pull her head back. She wears the
same perfume that reminds me of cherries, and it makes my mouth water. “Miss me, baby?” I nip at
the skin, pushing two fingers into her. Her breath hitches as she squirms under my touch. I pull them
out and then slide them in again. “I missed this fucking pussy wrapped around my cock … sitting on
my face …”
She tilts her head back farther, twisting in my grasp, and her lips find mine. She’s frantic, nipping
my lips with her teeth and sucking on my tongue. She twists in my arms, and her nails dig into my
neck. My fingers work in and out of her while she bucks her hips. Yanking her head back, she sucks in
a deep breath and one of her hands goes to my hard dick. She presses on it through my jeans. I expect
her to take it out and start stroking it, but she doesn’t. I add a third finger, and a strangled cry rips
though the darkness as her pussy tightens around my fingers. “Fuck, baby. Come for me,” I order,
panting myself. “Show me how much you’ve missed me.”
She pulls my lips to hers again, and I feel her body shudder against mine while my thumb massages
her clit, and then she’s coming all over my fingers. She whimpers into my mouth, her shaking body
clinging to mine, and her nails digging into my skin as I hold her to me. I knew it wouldn’t be hard to
make her weak.
I’m just about to undo my pants and fuck her right here inside this haunted house when her hands hit
my chest, and she shoves me back. When I reach out, all I feel is wall. “Becky?” I reach to my right.
Nothing.
I spin around as a light shines in my eyes, and I blink quickly at the invasion. “Hey, man. Sorry
about that. We’re having some electrical difficulties in this building. Everyone has to exit this part of
the tour.” It’s the guy from the first scene. The one who was giving the woman in a straitjacket
hydrotherapy. His jeans and shirt drip water onto the floor. He smiles at me and gestures to a door
behind me with his flashlight, that I hadn’t found earlier.
“Thanks,” I grumble, readjusting my hard dick.
I shove open the door and look across a courtyard to see Austin and Cole talking to Becky and Seth
while they stand next to a few vendors.
Cole looks up and spots me walking toward them. “Where the hell have you been?” he asks.
 “Got lost.” I look at Becky, and she doesn’t even acknowledge me. Just bows her head and takes a
drink of the Coke in her hand.
I smirk. She’s embarrassed. Cute.
“How did you get lost?” Austin asks. “They kicked us out the moment the lights went off.”
“Huh?” I question, looking away from Becky to her.
Austin pops some Sour Patch gummies in her mouth before answering. “The lights went out. I
thought it was the blackout attraction.” She frowns, clearly disappointed. “But a guy grabbed Cole
and ushered us all out here.”
I look at Becky. Her drink is almost gone. And I frown. How did she …? “How long have you been
out here?” My question is directed at her. She gives me her back, turning to face Austin, still ignoring
me.
I roll my eyes at her. So we’re gonna pretend I didn’t just get her off in a haunted house.
“Oh, there you are, babe,” Seth calls out.
We all spin around to see Demi coming toward us. Her blond hair is now up in a messy bun on top
of her head, but she has a smug smile on her face. Not her usual scowl. It makes me frown.
“Where did you go?” he asks her. “I’ve been worried.”
I look back at Becky, and she still faces away from me. My eyes scan over her jeans and tennis
shoes. Then I look over her shirt and notice she’s wearing a jacket. She didn’t have that on a minute
ago. Maybe she went to my SUV and got it. But then I realize I have the keys in my pocket.
I start to get a sickening feeling in my stomach. Oh, God no … I look back at Demi.
Her blue eyes meet mine before returning to her boyfriend. “Restroom.” Then she blows a bubble.
“Hey, I asked if you had gum earlier, and you said no.”
Her eyes find mine again. And my entire body goes rigid as fear creeps up my spine.
“I didn’t. Borrowed it from a friend.”
“Have any more?” he asks her.
“Nope. But you can have this one.” She puts her finger in her mouth, twirls it around and pulls it
out with the gum on the end. He places her finger in his mouth, and he sucks it off.
I think I’m going to vomit. Was that my gum? Did I kiss and finger Becky or was it fucking Demi?
Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! This can’t be happening … No! It was Becky. No doubt in my mind. It was
Becky! Wasn’t it?
“Mmm, cinnamon,” he says, nodding his head.
 CHAPTER FOUR
DEMI

THE LOOK ON Deke’s face is priceless. The bastard really had no idea who the fuck I was. How
did he not know I wasn’t Becky? I told him earlier that guys only think with their dicks, and I just
proved myself right. All he needed was a willing body, and he pounced. It didn’t fucking matter who I
was.
My eyes go to Cole who stands next to Austin with his hands in the front pockets of his jeans,
staring at me and Deke. I smile sweetly at him, but he doesn’t return it because he knows something is
up. That’s Cole Reynolds for you. Always fucking watching. Always aware of what is going on
around him. He has to be three steps ahead of everyone and ready to pounce if need be.
Everyone else is oblivious to Deke’s unease and my smug smile. All in their own little world
talking about pointless shit.
“Aww, man. I’m out.” Austin pouts, crumpling her empty bag of gummies.
“I’ll get you some more.” I take the opportunity to walk away and make my way over to the
somewhat long line while everyone decides if we’re gonna stay at this pathetic freak show or call it a
night. This place just doesn’t do it for me. I like to be scared. I like the thrill—heart racing,
paralyzing fear—and this place doesn’t give me that. Throw spiders on me or chase me down with a
knife. Hell, lock me in a tomb and make me think I was buried alive. If I wanted to watch a woman
being drowned in a bathtub, I would stay home and watch a Lifetime movie about a jealous boyfriend.
I just pull my cell out of my back pocket to check the time when I’m spun around. Deke stands
there, glaring down at me. His blue eyes shimmering with rage. Guess the shock has worn off.
“What the fuck was that?” he demands.
“That was an orgasm,” I answer. “Thanks, by the way.” My legs are still wobbly. I had to take a
minute for myself after I came. I ran to the bathroom and cleaned myself up the best I could, but my
underwear is still soaked.
He shoves his hands through his dark hair aggressively, making it look sexier than it already did.
The muscles in his arms stretch his white shirt to the point I think the seams may burst. His arms fall
to his sides, and he takes in a deep breath. “Why the fuck didn’t you stop me?” he growls.
That is the million-dollar question. I could have. But why would I? I can’t stand either one of them.
I wanted him to think he was getting a piece of his ex. And hell, he got me off. I’m not gonna lie, that
was a surprise. Who knew Deke wouldn’t have any problems in that area? I always saw him as just
one of the other self-absorbed GWS who only cared about what he got out of it. “I tried to tell you
who I was.”
“Bullshit,” he snaps, and the girl behind us narrows her eyes on him. “You took my gum … then
stuck it in your boyfriend’s mouth.” His dark blue eyes widen. “Fuck, your boyfriend …” he trails off.
“Eww,” the girl says in disgust.
I smile. “And?”
“And … and … and fuck, Demi! I thought you were your sister!” His pretty blue eyes look pained
as they stare down at me at a total loss.
“Gross,” the girl adds.
 I bite my bottom lip to keep from laughing but fail. My body shakes with it. I’ve never seen Deke
Biggs so furious and confused at the same time. It’s a good look on him. “You dumped her,” I remind
him.
“Yes, but …”
“If I remember correctly, back in Collins, you told her unless she planned on falling to her knees
and opening that mouth of hers so you could fuck it, you had no use for her.”
He opens his mouth, but the girl behind us gasps. “You’re such a pig.”
“Then get the fuck away from me,” he snaps at her, then turns back to me. She huffs but doesn’t
leave the line. “You were listening to us?” he demands.
I shrug. “Thin walls.” Lie. Of course, I was. My sister was finally getting what she deserved. She’s
a manipulative bitch who spreads her legs for anyone with a dick. She’s a male version of them. The
GWS. Well, Cole has seemed to change. And the huge rock on Austin’s finger proves that.
“I can’t believe this,” he growls, running a hand down his face.
Placing my hand on his chest, I feel his entire body stiffen. I’m pretty sure he quits breathing as he
towers over me. I step into him, pushing my hips into his on purpose to see if he’s still hard. He’s not,
and a part of me is disappointed at that. “You liked it,” I tell him, and he says nothing. “You were
hard,” I add.
“Demi …” He growls my name in warning, and his chest rises slowly as if he’s finally taking a
deep breath.
“And …” I lean in, standing up on my tiptoes, and I press my lips to his ear. The smell of his
cologne makes my pussy tighten. Deke may be a fucking ruthless dick, but he sure is mouthwateringly
delicious. “You would have fucked me if I had told you to.”
He pulls back from me as if I’ve slapped him. He grips my upper arm, his fingers digging into my
sensitive skin, and yanks me out of line to drag me behind the vendor trailer. People walk around with
their faces painted like skeletons, and girls flaunt their bodies in little costumes to show the sluts they
really are, but no one pays us any attention.
I giggle. A speaker on the back of the trailer plays “My Demons” by Starset. “Round two …?”
He shoves my back into the trailer so hard that it takes my air away for a second and cuts off my
words. Pressing his body into mine again, he places both hands flat against the truck on either side of
my head. His blue eyes cloud over like a storm moving in on a sunny day and darkening the world.
His lips thin, and his chest rumbles against mine with a growl.
A slow warmth runs up my spine and neck, making me hot even though the night air is cool. Deke
Biggs has a side I actually like. Who would have known? My eyes drop to the black belt around his
dark jeans, and my fingers itch to undo it just to see how far he’d let me go now that he knows I’m not
my sister. I have a feeling I wouldn’t have to push him much. My eyes find his again.
“Want me to please you this time?” I lick my lips.
“You will keep your mouth shut!” he orders, ignoring my question. “About what you heard me and
Becky talking about. And what we just did!”
I give him a slow and innocent smile and decide to push him. How much will it take before he
snaps? “How are you gonna keep me from running my mouth, Deke?” Lifting my right hand, I run my
finger down his shirt. He’s shaking with anger, and his muscles flex. Fuck, his body is as hard as a
rock. I bite my bottom lip and lower my hand to cup his limp dick over his jeans. He doesn’t budge
and just goes still as a statue like a minute ago when we were in line. “Gonna fuck it?”
“Jesus!” he hisses. Stepping away from me, he turns away, giving me his back, and grips his dark
hair.
 A girl dressed as a slutty Little Bo Peep walks by and eyes him up and down while she holds the
hand of a guy dressed as the Grim Reaper. Deke doesn’t even look at her. All of his attention is on
me, even if he isn’t looking my way. I’d bet anything he’s thinking about what we did when he thought
I was Becky. Would he do it again now that he knows it was me? Absolutely not. And that thought
disappoints me.
I smile at the look of him. So undone. Nothing like the pathetic boy who fell to his knees for my
sister. “Afraid I can’t keep a secret …”
He spins back around, and his hand wraps around my neck, cutting off my words before I can
finish. “You’ll keep your goddamn mouth shut ’cause I told you to,” he growls.
His face is so close to mine that if I puckered my lips, I’d kiss him. I can still smell the cinnamon
on his breath from his gum. My thighs tighten, remembering the way he kissed me back in the haunted
house. He was rough and unapologetic, and I liked it. He thought I was Becky, and he was angry with
her. He meant to hurt her, and that turned me on.
Hurt me, Deke.
“Demi!” He barks out my name when I don’t acknowledge his order.
Slowly, my eyes look over his sharp jaw and parted full lips. He’s so full of rage he’s panting. I
think the guy wants to snap me in half. I wonder what it would feel like to have him on top of me,
holding me down and fucking me. I’ve heard him fuck my sister, but I thought she was faking it. She’s
always been a good actress.
I could be better.
“Demi, I swear to fucking God …”
My eyes finally meet his, and his words cut off. My heart begins to pound as I stare into the most
beautiful blue eyes I’ve ever seen. But Deke Biggs is more than just a pretty boy. There’s a darkness
that covers him in madness and lust.
I feel it.
I see it.
I want it.
My silence pisses him off more, and his hand tightens around my throat, restricting my airway.
I don’t fight him. His anger just turns me on, making my already soaked thong even more so. I
always thought he was too soft for Becky. The kids in Collins feared the sharks, but that was because
of Cole. They were all capable of terrifying things, but Deke and Becky? He was a pussy when it
came to her. It was pathetic. Maybe she didn’t challenge him. Not like I can. She held him back when
I would set the monster free.
Chase me.
Hurt me.
Fuck me.
My tongue peeks out between my parted lips, and I run it along my lip. His eyes follow the
movement like a moth to a flame. Just as my lungs scream for breath, and tears begin to prick my eyes,
he releases me and steps back. I take a deep breath, swallowing roughly.
“Fuck! You’re underage,” he mutters to himself.
I laugh at that. “I’m not even a year younger than Becky.” Our mother couldn’t keep her legs closed
for long after she had my sister. Less than eleven months after Becky was born, I arrived. A month
early.
“That’s not the point,” he snaps and spins back to me. He points his finger in my face as though I’m
an unruly child.
 The thought pisses me off. He thinks he can treat me differently than her, but what makes her so
goddamn special and me nothing? I’ve never been close to my sister, but I’ve hated her the last couple
of years. Ever since she tried to take something from me, I vowed I was gonna make her pay. No
matter what I had to do, I was gonna break her fucking cold, dead heart. And this is it. The man
standing in front of me is what I’ve been looking for. He doesn’t know it yet, but I’m about to make
him exactly what I need. The last piece in my own personal game to destroy my sister. So, instead of
showing my anger, I give him a soft smile.
I open my mouth and lean forward. He stands before me; body stiff and eyes wide as I take his
pointed finger into my mouth all the way up to the knuckle. The same one that still tastes like me
because it was just inside me twenty minutes ago. My eyes stay trained on his, and I watch as his
pupils dilate when I wrap my lips around his finger, then run my tongue along the bottom and slowly
suck until it pops out. Then I lick my lips. “Wanna kiss me now, Deke?”
He doesn’t answer. He doesn’t even blink. Blue eyes burn into mine, and there’s a tic in his jaw.
My eyes drop down to his jeans and bingo! He’s fucking hard. Because of me.
“Deke?”
He jumps at the sound of his name before looking away from me. Cole stands to the right, behind
the trailer with us, holding Austin’s new bag of gummies in his hand. “Everything okay?” he asks. His
blue eyes narrow in suspicion as he studies us.
Deke doesn’t answer. Instead, he just storms off, leaving me against the truck without so much as
looking back.
Cole watches him leave, then his eyes come back to mine, void of any emotion. For as long as I’ve
known him, unless he’s angry, he looks bored. I always thought he and Deke could pass as brothers,
but where Cole is lean, Deke is bulkier. They’re the same height with blue eyes and brown hair, but
Deke’s is a little darker. They’ve worn the same cut for as long as I can remember—short on the
sides, long on top, and spiked to perfection. It was the GWS way. It’s as if all the guys on the swim
team at Collins High said let’s look the same and make the girls beg us for attention. It worked.
Fucking bastards.
I push off the trailer and wink at him as I walk by. “It was good seeing you, Cole.” Then I laugh.

BECKY

I LOOK UP from my phone just in time to watch Deke storm by us. I spin around to see Demi also
walking our way with Cole right behind her carrying Austin’s gummies.
What is she doing with him?
“What’s wrong with Deke?” Austin asks Cole with a frown as she looks over her shoulder and
watches him stomp away from us, headed toward the parking lot.
Yes. We’re leaving.
My sister was wrong earlier when she said I hate anything scary, but I didn’t correct her. She’s just
a bitch who likes to piss me off. I came tonight to get on Deke’s good side. He almost kissed me in the
kitchen back at Austin’s house, and I know he planned to seduce me.
Of course, I’m gonna lie down and give it to him. Deke and I have this love-hate kind of
relationship. Even back when we were fucking and I had a boyfriend, I knew I loved him. I just
couldn’t be with him and him alone. It was … complicated. Now things are in damage control. I
fucked up, and I’ve got to redeem myself.
It’s possible, but it’ll just take a lot of work. Possibly a lot of time on my knees. But a girl’s gotta
do what a girl’s gotta do.
“We’re leaving,” Cole snaps. He takes Austin’s hand and begins to drag her toward the parking lot.
I start to follow them.
“See you later, sis,” Demi calls out.
I turn and give my sister a tight smile. She stands with her arms crossed over her chest and a
fucking smile on her face. What the fuck is she up to? Ignoring her, I toss my hair over my shoulder,
then I turn and walk off after them.
By the time I make it to Deke’s Range Rover, he’s already got it started and shifted in reverse. I
jump into the back seat behind him. The tires grip the gravel, and he backs us out of the spot.
Austin pouts beside me. “I really wanted to do the blackout attraction.”
“We’ll come back,” Cole promises.
I’ll make sure to stay home for that one. Putting myself in a situation where I can’t see is not my
idea of fun. Especially with Deke.
Austin shoves some gummies in her mouth and then pulls her cell out of Cole’s hoodie pocket that
she’s still wearing. “Have I shown you Lilly’s Halloween costume?” she asks me.
I refrain from sighing. This is her life now. Lilly and Cole. Cole and Lilly.
I really like Austin, even if I was forced into a friendship with her. She was fun and always up for
a hit or a drink. But now that we’ve moved to Texas, she’s changed. Ever since she almost died, Cole
keeps her on a tight leash. As if someone still plans to hurt her. She waits on the guys and Lilly
nonstop. She makes them breakfast, lunch, and dinner. She takes Lilly to and from school. I popped by
yesterday when I knew the guys were in class to ask if she wanted to go to the mall, and she turned me
down. She said she had to finish laundry and then clean the kitchen. All before running Lilly to ballet.
She has become a fucking mom.
It’s a total disappointment.
I honestly don’t know how she ended up with Cole. Well, that’s not the truth. I’ve read her deepest,
darkest secrets. She doesn’t know that, but what’s that saying? What you don’t know can’t hurt you?
She’s so full of life, and Cole is just a black hole.
He’s hot. I’ve always had a thing for him but never went there. His loyalty to Deke is unwavering,
and I have a fear of being alone with him. The guy has death vibes, and I don’t wanna die.
I thought she could change him, but I think he ended up changing her more. But my question is why?
Is it because of money? She came from a poor druggie mother. Her father was wealthy, but she didn’t
have access to it until she came to live with him at the beginning of this year. I’m not sure what she
plans on doing with her life. Be his fucking housewife? Raise Lilly and whatever kids they plan on
having?
She could be a stay-at-home mom and live whatever kind of life she wants because he has money
too. His mom died when he was twelve, and she left him her millions when he turned eighteen. If I
was Austin, I’d have jumped on that too. Hell, her engagement ring is around fifty thousand. I know
’cause I googled that shit. It’s some kind of rare ruby. Talk about a reason to lie down and spread your
legs. The sad part is her expectations are so low that she would have been fine with a rubber band.
She has no idea how much it cost him, and she would never ask him because she couldn’t care less.
And he’d never tell her ’cause that’s just Cole.
“It’s a bee.” She beams, showing me the picture.
Lilly’s standing in a dressing room with a bumble bee costume on. Her blond curls up in pigtails
and her hands on her hips.
“Adorable.” I nod my head as if I fucking care.
 “Isn’t she?” She tilts the screen toward her and smiles down at it.
I roll my eyes and look out the window. I was supposed to move in with them but decided against it
after Deke told me Cole ratted me out. He disclosed to Deke and Austin that I was the one driving the
car the night their three friends died. He also snitched that I was fucking Eli. Well, that was only half
the truth. I hadn’t quite made it that far yet.
That fucker.
He only ever does shit in his best interest. After Deke told me he had enough information to bury
me, I decided against living under the same roof as a killer. I chose to move in with my mother and
stepdad. And of course, Deke moved in with them instead.
It’s not awkward when it’s just Austin and me, but whenever Cole is home, I tense, waiting for him
to get me alone and tell me he’s gonna make me pay for the lie I told him. When I lied that I was
pregnant.
Junior year
Cole’s car is upside down. Smoke makes it hard to see anything. My entire body aches, and I feel
dizzy.
“Eli?” Cole coughs. “Mad … dox?”
Pain slices through my stomach, and I cry out.
“You okay?” he asks, coughing again.
We’re both hanging upside down—our seat belts keeping us in place. The smoke has cleared,
and I can see that the entire windshield is gone. I feel blood running from my nose. “I don’t know
… what happened,” I cry. One minute, I was driving, then the next, the car was flipping.
“We gotta get out of the car,” he says. “Eli? Landen?” he screams, making me flinch.
I sob. What did I do? I’ve been drinking, but I don’t feel drunk. Had I had too much? I thought I
could drive.
I hear Cole feeling around, then he places his hand on the ceiling and releases his seat belt. He
falls on his face. “FFFUUCCCKKK!” he growls. He gets out of his broken passenger side window
and stumbles over to my side. He gets down on his knees and looks at me through where my
window once was. “Cover your face.” He stands, kicking what’s left of the big pieces off the edge.
“I’m gonna have to undo your seat belt. Put your hands on the ceiling.”
I continue to sob as he gets me out. I fall to my knees and grab my stomach. My crop top is
ripped, and I’m bleeding. My hands shake.
“Eli? Maddox? Landen?” He calls out, but no one answers. “I gotta call 911.” He pats down
his pockets. “Fuck!” he growls when he can’t find his phone.
I continue to sob, and he drops to his knees beside me. “Are you okay? What hurts?”
I look up at him. “I … I …” I don’t know what to say. I can’t get caught with them. Not like this.
My father will kill me, and my mother will make me move to Texas to live with her. And I refuse to
give up my life here.
“What is it?” he asks.
Cole is a fucking shark. A twisted soul. But I’ve never seen his blue eyes filled with so much
concern. The guys have to be dead. They weren’t in the car with us, and they’re not answering
when he calls out to them. And I can’t go down for that. I can’t go to jail.
So I take advantage of this rare side of Cole and wrap my arms around my stomach. “I’m
pregnant.”
Silence falls over us. An eerie calmness. Like the calm before a catastrophic storm that is going
to level everything in its wake. Fresh tears run down my cheeks, and he places his hand on my
back. I begin to shake.
“Go,” he says.
I look up at him. Could it be that easy? I pretend like I have a conscience. “But …”
“Go, Becky,” he orders. “I’ll take care of this. You need to get out of here.” Then without saying
another word, he stands and begins to walk along the street, looking for his dead friends.
I knew if I told him I was with child, then he would tell me to run. I didn’t wanna get caught up in
that bullshit. My parents would have killed me if they knew I was driving drunk and wrecked Cole’s
car. They all thought I was sober, and that’s why I drove. Big fucking mistake. But I wasn’t about to
take the fall for it.
But when Cole confessed that truth to Deke, he knew I had lied about being pregnant. Cole hasn’t
mentioned that to me yet, which can only mean one thing—Deke hasn’t told him the truth. That’s what
gives me hope that we can still have a future. That he doesn’t hate me completely yet. He’s keeping
my secret as if it’s his own.
He’s protecting me. A part of him still loves me, and that’s all I need to know to move forward
with my plan to win him back.
My phone vibrates, and I unlock the screen to see I have a new message.
You still coming tomorrow?
Me: Yes. My flight leaves at 6:45 in the morning.
I turn the brightness down on my phone, so it doesn’t draw attention.
Do they know you’re coming?
Me: Nope.
Good. I’ll see you then.
I lock my phone and smile as I look out the window. I’ve been back to Collins a few times since
we’ve moved to Texas. I hate that place, but I have unfinished business there.
Deke pulls up to Cole and Austin’s house and jumps out, still not saying a word. It’s obvious he’s
pissed. I need to try to smooth things over with him. I ignored him earlier when we were with the
others at Silence because I didn’t want them questioning me. Austin would be all over that. She still
thinks we can work through our problems, but my sister would just tell me I’m a stupid fucking bitch.
They both need to understand I don’t give a fuck what they think. I don’t want their opinions or
need their advice.
We enter the house, and Misty greets us.
Reaching into his jeans pocket, Cole grabs his wallet and pulls out some cash. “Here you go …”
The teenager waves him off. “Mr. Biggs already paid me earlier.”
“Deke,” he growls.
“It was my idea,” he mumbles before storming up the stairs and slamming his bedroom door.
“Thank you, Misty,” Austin tells her. “I’ll walk you over to your house.”
“I’ll do it,” Cole interjects, and she doesn’t argue.
Austin turns to face me. “Want me to take you home?”
I look up at the top of the stairs and then at her. “Yeah.” Tonight is not the night to try anything with
Deke. I’m not in the mood to kiss his ass or suck his dick. Plus, I’ve got an early flight out in the
morning.
“Wait until I get back and I’ll drive you guys,” Cole orders Austin.
“I can drive myself, Cole.” She sighs.
Just when I think he’s gonna argue with her, he bends down and kisses her forehead. “Hurry back,
sweetheart.”
 “Deke was being nice tonight.” Austin speaks once we’re alone in her car. “Until he wasn’t.”
“Yeah,” I mumble. “He can be like any other man. Hormonal.”
She laughs. “Things will work out.”
“I know.” ’Cause I’m gonna force them to. Just like Cole forced me into being friends with her.
I walk through the back door and step out onto the patio of the Reynolds’ house. I stop when I
see Cole swimming laps in their Olympic size swimming pool. I knew he’d be here. Even before the
car wreck, he lived in the water. It’s only been six weeks, but it hasn’t slowed him down. Now he
uses it for his physical therapy because he can’t afford to lose his position as captain on the swim
team.
“What You Deserve” by No Resolve plays through the outside speakers while he swims his laps.
He stops and pops his head out of the water. I know he feels me watching him. I shouldn’t have
come, but he’s been ignoring my phone calls. Running both hands through his hair, he steps out of
the pool and looks at me.
“Isn’t it too soon to swim?” I ask, sitting on one of the chaise lounge chairs under the awning.
He doesn’t answer. Taking the towel off the table, he wipes his face.
I hang my head. “I’ve been texting you. I came up to the hospital.”
“I didn’t want to see you then, and I don’t want to see you now,” he snaps and rolls his
shoulders.
Tears instantly spring to my eyes. “I lost someone too, Cole. Eli was my friend too …” I lie. He
wasn’t my friend. I barely knew him, but I’m too ashamed to say that out loud. And now I can’t let
anyone find out I was there or what I had planned that night.
“No, you were just another girl he was fucking.”
His words sting, even if they aren’t true. I jump to my feet. “You don’t know …”
He wraps his hand around my throat and pushes me back against the wall of the pool house.
He’s in my face, growling, “You have no fucking clue what I lost! What I did for you!”
I take in a shaky breath. “I’m so sorry.” Tears run down my cheeks. I’m not sorry for walking
away from the accident. I’m sorry for ever being there. “You shouldn’t have taken the fall.” I’ve
never known Cole to be a good guy. I don’t know why he took the responsibility for me that night,
but I know it will cost me in the long run.
“You shouldn’t have been there at all!”
My eyes narrow on him. Then why did he let me walk away? “I was responsible—”
“You wanna owe me, Becky? Huh? Is that why you came here? To tell me that you’re fucking
sorry that my friends are dead?” he interrupts me.
I swallow nervously against his hand that holds me hostage. I knew he’d make me pay in some
way. Cole Reynolds does nothing for free. Hell, maybe he saw this coming and knew he could use
me.
“I owe you, Cole,” I whisper after a long second, accepting my fate.
“When I need you for something, you will do what I say?” he asks, arching a brow.
I give him a slow nod, and whisper, “Whatever you need.”
“I don’t wanna talk to you or fucking see you until then, do you understand?”
I’ll gladly stay the hell away from him. “Yes.” My shoulders physically shake, and I can’t stop
the tears that run down my face.
“Good. Now leave.” He lets go of my neck and takes a step back from me. I rub my sore throat
as he turns and dives back into the pool.
“The three of us should get together soon.” She breaks through my thoughts.
 “Three of us?” I ask.
“You, me, and Demi.”
“Why?” I can’t help but wonder. “We never hung out with her back in Collins.”
She shrugs. “I don’t know. She just seems … sad. Maybe she didn’t want to move here.”
“She didn’t have a choice.” My mother decided that when I was moving to Texas so was Demi.
She hates me for that, but I don’t give a fuck.
“Then it’s settled. We’ll all get together. Maybe have a girls’ night.”
Like Cole would allow her to do that, but I nod. Hell will freeze over before I’ll have a girls’ night
with my sister.
Placing my head against the window, I think back to the day Cole decided it was time for me to pay
up. My payment could have been much worse than the woman sitting beside me.
I stand in the kitchen of the Reynolds’ house. Cole is throwing a party tonight during Christmas
break before we all go back to school in a few days. I was tired of being holed up in my father’s
house. I’ve avoided Cole since he wrapped his hand around my throat months ago, telling me I
owed him. I knew Deke was gonna be here tonight, and I need to talk to him. See him. I take a
drink and set my cup down when I hear my phone go off. I open it up to see I have a text from Cole,
and my stomach drops.
Cole: Ready?
I begin to type out what do you mean but delete it. Instead, I settle on just a question mark.
Me: ?
Cole: A friend of mine is coming tonight. You would make a great friend for her too.
Her?
Me: You don’t have any girls who are friends.
Who the fuck is he talking about? Cole isn’t like the rest of the GWS. He doesn’t hang all over
girls. He doesn’t even speak to them. He only shows interest once he decides he wants to fuck you.
And then after you spread your legs for him, he moves on. The girls always try to get more out of
him, but it never works.
Cole: Her name is Austin. Brunette. Green eyes. Probably wearing something red. Text me
when she gets here.
Austin? Who the hell is that? Collins isn’t a big town, but it’s also not tiny. Who the hell is she,
and why does he want to know when she arrives?
Me: And why do you want to know that?
Cole: It’s time to pay up!
Fuck!
I take another sip and then pour me a new one. Pay up? How the hell am I gonna pay up with a
girl named Austin? What could he possibly want me to do?
I’m downing it when I catch sight of a brunette entering the kitchen. She’s wearing a red
sweater that hangs off one shoulder, showcasing a black tank top underneath it with black skinny
jeans and matching heels. Her dark hair curls down her back. I’ve never seen her before, so it has
to be her. She picks up a red Solo cup and pours some Fireball into it before tossing it back. Then
she pours another one. No one seems to notice her, letting me know that no one else knows her
either.
I take out my phone and text him.
Me: She’s here. Kitchen.
He reads it but doesn’t respond. I take a deep breath and walk over to her, needing to know as
much as I can about her before he comes down here. “Hi.”
“Hello,” she says with a nod of her head. She’s pretty, but I can’t say she’s Cole’s type ’cause he
really doesn’t have one.
“I’ve never seen you here before.” I hold out my right hand. “I’m Becky.”
“Austin. And I just moved here.”
How the fuck does she know Cole? “Oh, how exciting,” I lie and grab a new Solo cup. “Are you
going to Collins High?” She looks about my age.
“Yep.”
This doesn’t make any sense. Maybe his dad is dating someone, and this is her daughter, but
even I know that’s reaching. His father doesn’t really date anyone around here. He just fucks them
all. “I’m a senior. How about you?” I pry.
“Same,” she answers and pours herself another shot.
“I wonder if we’ll have any classes together.” Even though I don’t know her, it would be nice to
have a clean slate. To make a new friend who doesn’t really know the real me.
“Who the hell throws a party on a Monday?” she asks, avoiding my previous statement.
“Cole Reynolds.” I roll my eyes when I answer, trying to feel her out. I pause to see if she says
anything about him, but she doesn’t. So I add, “He and the Great White Sharks do whatever they
want, whenever they want.” I give her a fake smile. Fuck the sharks. Well, all but Deke. “But they
do throw some awesome parties.”
“Where are their parents?” she asks.
“Never around. They are all socialites in this town with big careers. Always busy and not
enough time for their children.” I’m rambling and possibly telling her too much. She obviously
knows nothing about Cole and the guys, and she said she is new to town. I take a drink to try to
calm my nerves.
Where is Cole? He throws these parties all the time, but he stays up in the game room with the
rest of the sharks. They very rarely grace us with their presence, and if they do, he ignores
everyone. He thinks he’s fucking God.
“I see.” She nods once.
How does he know her? I’ve grown up with the GWS, and he’s never lived anywhere else.
“Where are you –?”
“Austin?”
I look up to see Kellan standing in the kitchen. His brown eyes are narrowed on her, and she
arches a brow at his tone.
Fuck …
“Cole is looking for you,” he snaps. “Let’s go.”
She turns back to look at me, rolling her eyes. Her eyes meet my surprised ones, and she asks,
“What?”
I just shake my head ’cause I’m not sure what to say to her. Whatever she’s done, it wasn’t good.
And they will make her pay for it. She ditches her cup and grabs the bottle of Fireball and walks
out behind him.
A phone ringing brings me out of that memory, and I look over to see Austin press answer for her
hands-free. “Yes?” she asks in greeting.
“Have you dropped her off yet?” Cole’s voice fills the SUV.
I roll my eyes and block out their conversation. While Cole told her and Deke that I was driving
when we wrecked, he also told them I was forced to befriend her. She might have easily forgiven me
for that, but if she knew the other things I did, she’d probably kill me. If Cole didn’t beat her to it.
“Thanks,” I mumble as she drops me off. I walk up the stairs to my mother’s house and walk inside.
I make my way up the left staircase to my room when I hear a man whispering.
“Yeah, I told you later.”
I come to a stop and look over the balcony to Demi’s room. Her bedroom door is cracked open. I
tiptoe over to it and peek in. Seth stands at the end of her bed, pacing with his cell to his ear. “I’m
only gonna be here for an hour. Then I’ll meet you there. Okay. See you then.” He pockets his phone
just as my sister exits her en suite bathroom. Looking over at her, he plasters a smile on his face.
I yank back so they don’t see me and run over to my room, softly shutting the door with a smile.
Well, isn’t this interesting?
 CHAPTER FIVE
DEKE

I SIT AT the kitchen table with my head down and the lights off. It’s gotta be almost two a.m. After
the incident at Silence, we all decided to go home. Well, I stormed off to my Range Rover and the
ones who rode with me followed. No one argued or asked what was wrong. I think they could feel the
tension and the change in my mood.
I didn’t say one word on the way home.
And thankfully, Becky didn’t linger. I didn’t want to be around her. My plans for the night had
backfired, and I had a hard time wrapping my mind around that.
I went straight to my bed, but when I couldn’t sleep, my ass came down here and sat. My mind’s
running circles around itself, getting me nowhere.
The lights come on, and I lift my head to see Cole walking to the fridge wearing his black board
shorts with a towel hanging around his neck. His shorts and hair are wet, letting me know he’s already
been in the pool.
Grabbing two bottles of water, he sets one in front of me before falling into the seat across from
me. I refrain from sighing. Usually when he’s up late like this, he heads straight back up to his room to
be with Austin as soon as he’s done with his laps.
But once again, tonight proves to not be on my side.
“What’s going on?” he asks.
“Nothing.”
He snorts and twists the lid open on his bottle. “Really? You think I’m gonna believe that bullshit?”
I don’t answer.
He takes a drink and then sets it back down. “You’re fucking Demi.”
Jesus! My teeth clench, and my eyes meet his, but I don’t say anything to that. It wasn’t a question.
He nods once, taking my silence as confirmation and then takes another drink. “Does Becky
know?”
If I wasn’t so pissed, I would laugh at that. Instead, I shove my chair back and jump to my feet. “It
was an accident.” Was it? Even that sounds like a lie to me. I knew something felt different, felt off,
but I kept going with a smug smile of satisfaction on my face, thinking I was really winning and had
got one over on her.
But instead, Demi Holt fucked me. Just not in a good way.
Leaning forward, he places his forearms on the table. “How do you accidentally sleep with
someone?” he asks curiously.
“I thought she was Becky.” She had acted so willing in this very room just hours before that, that I
didn’t question her decision to spread her legs for me after going three months without even speaking
a word.
Guys only think with their dicks.
Yeah, Demi, I did. But I was hard for your sister, not you, you little bitch.
His brows rise to his hairline. Then he sits back and pushes his wet hair off his forehead. “How
did you …?” He pauses, searching for the right words. “I didn’t know you and Becky were still
fucking.”
“We aren’t!” I begin to pace. “At Silence, right before the lights shut off, we got separated. I
thought I was with Becky. Long story short, I finger-fucked her right then and there while the power
was out in the hallway. Then after she came, she split.”
“That’s why you were so surprised when I told you that we had been outside for a while.”
I nod. “That’s when Demi showed up, and she had my gum. I started to panic. Then I followed her
over to get Austin’s gummies, and she confirmed it was her.”
“Shit,” he whispers.
I nod. “Yes. Shit is right.” I look at him. “I called her Becky. She had every chance to stop me, and
she didn’t. Why the fuck didn’t she?” I demand as if he has the answers.
I can’t figure out what her angle is. Demi doesn’t like me enough to talk to me, let alone allow me
to finger-fuck her in a public place. It doesn’t make any goddamn sense. Then she acted like I could
have fucked her while we stood behind the trailer. And the problem? I wanted to! Fuck, I thought
about it. That alone makes me want to throw fucking bleach in my eyes in hopes to erase the memory.
I’m still thinking about it.
“So what’s the issue?”
“It’s Demi!” My eyes bug out as if that’s enough reason to panic. He just stares at me. So I add,
“She’s underage.” That’s just one reason out of many why this is so fucked up.
“Legal age of consent in the state of Texas is seventeen.” He shrugs before taking another drink.
“She’s seventeen.”
She is but … “How do you know that?” I ask, coming to a stop. Since when does Cole know Texas
law?
A dark look clouds his eyes when he answers. “My dad brought it up back in Oregon regarding
Austin and me. And after what I saw between you and Demi earlier, I looked it up. Just to make sure
she couldn’t get you in trouble.”
Even he thinks she was setting me up for something. The sad part? I fell for it. Who knows what I
would have done if he hadn’t shown up when he did. I run a hand through my hair. “That fucking bitch
played me. Then she laughed. As if it was some kind of a game to her.”
“What are you gonna do about it?” he asks.
Placing my hands on the table, I lean over and look down at my best friend. “I want to show Demi
just what kind of game I like to play.”
A slow smile spreads across his face, the one that tells me he’s up for whatever I wanna do. It’s
been a long time since I’ve seen it. Whatever Cole is dealing with right now, this could be his
distraction. I’m always willing to help my friend out.
He nods. “Let’s play.”
That bitch doesn’t wanna fuck with me. I’ve got all kinds of tricks up my sleeves. I watched the
look of satisfaction in her eyes and her smug smile when she sucked on my finger. Fuck, it made me
hard. And I tried so goddamn hard not to think about it. Not to feel it. But in the end, she won that
round. She thinks she can push me to touch her, to fuck her? She’s about to realize she can push me, all
right, but it won’t get her the result she wants.

DEMI

I LIE IN my king-size bed, my back leaned against the padded white headboard while I watch the
documentary Serial Clown Killer on YouTube. A serial killer who lived in Illinois known as Pogo the
Clown. Hired to perform at birthday parties, he would sexually assault the boys, strangle them with
rope, and then bury their bodies under his house. He was put to death in 1994 after being found guilty
of thirty-three counts of murder.
Murderers and psychopaths have always fascinated me. I’ve always wondered how a mind of a
serial killer works. What makes them want to kill? And what makes them choose their victims? How
do they not get caught? I can see someone getting away with one or maybe two, but more than that?
Thirty-three fucking murders before finally being arrested. No way. That would never happen these
days. The technology we have now would make it difficult for anyone to slip through the system.
That’s what you think, my mind taunts. You know a killer, and he’s not locked up in prison or on
death row.
Deke told on himself. I overheard him confess what he did to my sister three months ago. I’ve
never cared for the bastard, but it made me respect him a little.
I lean up against my bedroom wall at my father’s house, listening to my sister and her boyfriend
fight. He looked pissed when he stormed into her room and ordered me to leave.
“I’m sorry …” she cries out.
“You will be,” Deke says, and I snort.
I quickly place my hand over my mouth, hoping they didn’t hear that. But honestly, come on?
What the hell would he do to her?
“Please, Deke,” she begs, and I roll my eyes at the desperation in her voice. “It’s not like you
haven’t kept secrets from me.”
“What I did was none of your business,” he replies simple as that.
It’s how all the sharks work—they can do whatever the fuck they want.
“You lied to me!” she screams. “You killed Kellan!”
Whoa! What the fuck? His friend Kellan has been missing for two months now. After the news
broke of him shooting Austin Lowes and killing her stepmom, the authorities have had a manhunt
out for him but haven’t had any luck finding him. Now I know why.
“I did.” He doesn’t deny the lies. “Want to know the truth, Becky?” I press my body more into
the wall to listen since he’s lowered his voice. “I’m a murderer,” he admits with no shame. “I’ve
killed five people.”
Holy shit! The town is afraid of the GWS, yet my sister always bitched about how harmless they
were. I knew they were untouchable. Evil. That’s what fascinated me about them the most. They
played a stupid game of dare that always went too far and landed them injured most of the time. Or
in trouble with the law. But a group of kids whose parents have endless pockets mean you never
have to pay for your actions.
“Do you wanna be my sixth?”
She gasps.
And I can just see her body trembling in fear right now.
“You … What …? Why, Deke?” she rambles.
“It doesn’t concern you,” he answers.
She was terrified for a few seconds. Then when she realized he was really going to leave her, she
dropped to her knees and sucked his dick like the pro she is.
Why isn’t the guy in jail? I know he had help from the GWS. How did they do it and not get caught?
And why hasn’t my sister turned them in? She has to know more than she is letting on. She must have
evidence to put Deke and his fucking pathetic sharks away, right? Maybe she’s keeping her mouth shut
for Austin since she is engaged to Cole. He was arrested for killing her stepmother and shooting her,
but I didn’t believe it. Cole isn’t that stupid or that careless. He’s a fucking time bomb, but he
wouldn’t do something to get caught. No, they’re all smarter and more calculated than that. So after
being questioned, he was released. And a body was never found to prove what the cops already
knew.
I turn off my TV and get out of bed. All I wear is an oversized T-shirt of Seth’s and a pair of boy
shorts. I walk down to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water and a banana. I notice the clock on the
wall reads 10:35. I’m home alone on a Saturday night. My mom and her husband are at some
fundraiser for his job in New York, and they won’t be back until Monday. Becky’s out doing who
knows who at the moment. She’s never here. I don’t know where she goes or what she does, but I
never ask and she never offers. The hired help my mother keeps on the property have been sent home
for the weekend. My only friend here in Texas is at some party tonight that I refused to go to ’cause
it’s at some bitch’s house that I don’t like. She tried that I’ll come visit you instead of going shit, and
I waved her off. I don’t need her to coddle me. Or pretend she’ll pass up free booze. And Seth is …
well, I know he’s busy.
I shut off the kitchen lights and make my way back to the foyer. My mother bought this house after
my parents divorced. I was twelve at the time. I managed to stay in Collins until just a few months
ago. I hate Texas! I loved Collins, Oregon. It was smaller, but that’s what I liked about it. It didn’t
take hours to get somewhere due to traffic. Even though she picked to live in Austin, she associates
with the same people: stuck-up billionaire snobs. My mother owns a lingerie line, and she’s in stores
all over the world. Some would say she’s a big deal, but I think it’s stupid. She makes slutty little
outfits so housewives can dress up to try to seduce their husbands who are already fucking someone
else on the side. The ironic part? I bet my life that their “secrets” are also dressed in the same
lingerie and look better.
I walk past the round glass table that sits in the middle of the grand foyer and take the right set of
stairs to my room on the second floor. I enter and notice that my windows are open. The soft wind
blows my violet curtains around, giving my room a cold chill from the outside air. “Hmm.” That’s
weird. They weren’t open a minute ago. My bedroom light is off how I left it, but since the window is
open, the lights on the side of the house give my room a soft glow.
I walk over to them and look out the open windows. The Victorian mansion sits on five acres in a
secluded neighborhood. You have to have a gate code to access the property, so it’s not like you can
just pull up to our house. If someone doesn’t have the code or clearance to get in, the guard shack will
phone us for approval. My mother thinks she’s some kind of celebrity and needs protection from the
outside world.
I look over the manicured lawn. Holly trees line the area below my windows—big shrubs that
have pointed leaves on them. I’ve cut myself on their sharp edges before, and they sting like a bitch.
I’m pretty sure my mother put me in this room so I can’t jump out and escape. Becky’s doesn’t have
anything outside her window, but she’s always been allowed free rein. She comes and goes as she
pleases. Plus, when we lived with our father, the parent who wants to be your friend more than a
parent, he allowed her to do whatever the hell she wanted. That’s why she begged our mother to stay
there when they announced their divorce. Thankfully, my father talked her into letting me stay too. But
he was just as strict on me as our mother is.
I place my knee on the white cushion of the alcove and pull both bay windows closed, then flip the
latch. I turn around, and a scream erupts from my mouth when I see a guy sitting on the opposite side
of my bed with his back to me. He has his head down, facing the floor. A black hood pulled up, so I
can’t see the back of his head. With matching black jeans. He sits with his hands in the pockets of his
hoodie.
I’ve fallen onto the bench, pressing my back up against the windows. My heart races in my chest.
He sits perfectly still—like a statue. Swallowing nervously, I try to remember any survival skills, but
I got none. The thought crosses my mind of the serial killer documentary I just watched and how I’m
about to be raped and hacked into a million fucking pieces before they’re buried under some psycho’s
house. I’ll never be found.
By the way his broad shoulders pull against the black fabric, I’m guessing the guy has at least a
hundred pounds on me. I’m five feet three and weigh a hundred and twelve pounds. I can’t fight off
someone that size.
I sit paralyzed, waiting for him to stand. To turn and show me his face. The fact he’s hiding from
me has to be a good sign, right? I’ve seen enough documentaries to know if they hide their face, they
don’t want you to be able to identify them. If they do show their face … well, then they’ve already
decided you’re gonna die.
I swallow nervously and push myself up when he just continues to sit there. I will my shaky legs to
tiptoe over to my bed and snatch my phone off the nightstand to call 911. But it’s not there.
My stomach drops. I know I didn’t take it downstairs with me. That only leaves one other
possibility—he has it.
“What … what do you want?” I ask and swallow the knot in my throat. I’m here all alone. Why
isn’t he doing anything? Did Becky send him? Is this some sick joke she’s playing on me? It wouldn’t
be the first time she’s tried to scare me. And since I made fun of her getting scared at Silence, I
wouldn’t put it past her to retaliate.
A thought hits me, and I release a long, shaky breath. Halloween is coming up. My hands come to
rest on my pounding chest. “Seth, knock it off.” The guy likes to scare me because he knows how
much I enjoy it. Last year on Halloween, I just happened to be visiting my mother in Texas, and he
dressed up as Jason and hid in the back seat of my car. When he popped up, I had just merged onto the
highway and almost killed us both, barely missing the center median. We laughed about it afterward.
He swears he’s gonna scare the shit out of me. My eyes narrow on the back of his hoodie when he
continues to just sit there. “Seth …”
The hallway and outside lights go out, cutting off my words and leaving us in complete darkness
and total silence. I blink and suck in a deep breath, trying to slow my racing heart. Blood rushes in my
ears, momentarily deafening me. What the hell is going on? Looking around, I notice that even the
green light to my DVR is off. He’s cut the power. But how? It isn’t storming outside. The stars were
out when I looked out my window a minute ago.
“This isn’t funny,” I snap, my chest aching from my heart beating so hard.
The silence swallows me, and I blink, trying to adjust myself to nothing. You know when you
imagine a spider crawling on your arm, and you scratch at it as though it’s really there? That’s how I
feel right now. I get that feeling creeping up my spine that has my fear rising again. It’s not Seth. He
messaged me earlier that he had plans tonight when I asked him if he wanted to come over and watch
a movie.
I don’t move. I don’t breathe. Seconds pass before I hear footsteps. But they’re outside my
bedroom door not inside. The banister creaks as they grip it with their hand, making their way slowly
up the stairs. Oh, God no. There’s more of them. That’s why he hasn’t moved. He’s waiting for help.
“Please …” I say as tears begin to sting my eyes, and my anger rises at how hopeless I am. “Just go
…”
“Can’t do that,” a voice whispers from my right.
 I jump and slap my hand over my mouth to keep from yelping in surprise. A hand gently touches my
side, and I begin to shake. “WHAT DO YOU WANT?” I scream this time.
Voices chuckle, and I try to catch my breath. I spin around in a circle. How many are in my room?
“To play a game,” a male voice says softly, right up against my ear. And I jerk away. My body heat
rises at the closeness of a stranger in my room, and my hip runs into the corner of my nightstand. Shit!
That’s gonna leave a bruise.
I reach over, wrap my fist around my lamp that I know sits on it, and throw it across the room.
Seconds later, you hear it shatter against a wall. Not wanting to stand here like a sitting duck, I run for
my bedroom door. If I can get downstairs or outside ... but just as my fingers wrap around the
doorknob, a hand twists in my hair, yanking me to a stop. I cry out, my hands flying to the one that
holds me. I claw at the hand as my scalp stings from them fisting my hair. “Please … don’t …”
My back is pulled into a hard body and another hand comes up and slaps over my mouth. I try to
catch my breath through my nose, but it’s not working.
My chest rises and falls fast, and I cuss myself for not wearing more clothes. I’m your typical
cliché in every horror movie. The one I laugh at when she ends up getting stabbed or dismembered in
a brutal fashion.
A warm breath hits my ear as the person who holds me leans down to whisper. A shiver of fear
runs through me at the same time my thighs tighten. “I thought you wanted this, Becky?”
My entire body stiffens at his words. And not because of how he called me by my sister’s name but
because of who said it.
Deke!
My fear is doused like fucking water thrown on a fire and replaced with anger. I start to squirm in
his hold and try to twist around to punch him, kick him, anything. When it gets me nowhere, I lean my
head forward the best I can and then slam it back. I smile when it makes contact with something, and
he growls.
He removes his hand from my mouth, and I suck in a deep breath. “You motherfucker …”
He lets go of my hair, and before I can run to the door again, he wraps an arm around my waist,
picks me up like a rag doll, and tosses me onto my bed, face down. My fists grip the already tangled
comforter, and I try to crawl away, but he jumps on top of me, straddling my ass, and his force makes
my headboard slam against the wall. His weight pushes my body down into my mattress. I try to push
myself up with my hands, but he grabs them and yanks them behind my back.
“Deke …”
He crosses my wrists and wraps something hard and rough around them, and then I hear the zipper
as he pulls it tight. Shit! The zip tie pinches my skin.
“Stop!” I fight him. He shifts, and then I’m rolled onto my back. I cry out as my hands get smashed
underneath our weight.
He slaps his hand over my mouth again. This time pressing the back of my head into the bed and
digging his fingers into my cheeks. I whimper just as my legs tighten, and my pussy begins to throb.
This can’t be happening …
His breath hits my face, and it smells like his gum that I had stolen from our kiss last night. His lips
run along my jawline, sending a jolt of electricity up my spine. “Last time, you didn’t tell me to stop.”
Deke’s voice skims over my skin like a warm blanket—one he’s going to smother me with.
He removes his hand from my mouth, and I suck in a long breath.
I hear a chuckle behind me, and I know it must be Cole. I pant and then snap at him. “Get off me,
Deke!”
 His body shakes against mine with his laughter.
This fucker!
“But I wanna play. Don’t you want me to play with you?” He places both of his hands on my hips
and slides them upward, pushing my shirt up a little in the process. Even though his fingers are as soft
as a feather, they set my skin on fire.
“Deke …” I pause, my heart pounding and stomach tensing. I close my eyes, and that familiar
burning sensation licks my skin.
“Yeah, Becky?” his soft voice says. Almost lovingly.
Again, calling me by her name is like he’s dunking me into ice-cold water. “Fuck you, Deke!” I
snap.
“I know you want me to fuck you, princess. I’m ready. Are you as wet for me this time, too?” He
moves his hips, grinding them into mine, and he’s hard. Motherfucker … Just like last night at
Silence.
My breath hitches, and my pussy begins to throb. They say that the reaction your body has to fear is
similar to what you feel when you’re sexually aroused like an increase in your heart rate, breathing,
and blood pressure. And I feel all of them right now. It makes my head spin. The fear of what he will
do to me, and the arousal of what I want him to do to me.
Heat runs up my spine, and suddenly, what little clothes I have on are too many. The dark room too
hot. “Oh God,” I whisper to myself. What is he doing to me? Will I stop him? I allowed him to touch
me at Silence ’cause I liked that he thought I was Becky. I wanted him to think she gave in to him and
that she actually still cared. I liked the look of surprise and confusion on his face. Now … now …
he’s come to play, and I don’t know this game.
He chuckles in the darkness. “I can be your God, princess. Wanna get down on your knees and
worship me?”
He grinds his hips into mine again, and I lift my hips to him. Needing more. Wanting more.
I’ve always been the girl who loved scary movies. The hunt. The kill. They fascinate me and turn
me on. My mother tells me I’m sick and need to watch more Disney movies, and I tell her I don’t want
to live in a fantasy world. I wanna live in a dark one. But maybe she’s right. Maybe I’m sick and need
help. Because Deke breaking into my house, pretending to hurt me and tie me up should not turn me
on, but fuck if it does. I’m so fucking wet for him right now. The way his hands grip my body like he
owns it. His weight on top of me, pinning me down. And fuck, the way his cock presses the roughness
of his jeans against my swollen clit. I could come right now.
A light flashes in the room, making me blink, but then it’s gone. “What …?”
He grinds his hips into mine again, and I forget it.
Is this how it was for him and Becky? Did they pretend to be someone else? Is that how he was
able to put up with her for as long as he did?
He slides my shirt up farther, and a strangled moan leaves my lips when I feel the pads of his
thumbs brush over my nipples. The cool air still lingers in my room, and the feel of his hands makes
them harden.
I shudder.
“Deke.” I pant, my boy shorts soaked. My arms are still pinned underneath me, and they’re starting
to go numb. He remains silent. The room is full of my heavy breathing, and I think I’m getting dizzy.
It’s hard to tell because I can’t focus on anything due to the lack of light.
Another flash of light. What the hell is that?
I bite my bottom lip to keep from moaning when his right hand comes up and wraps around my
throat. His free hand slides down my hip, his fingers setting my skin on fire before it dips between our
bodies and to my boy shorts. He pulls them to the side, and I gasp when he slides a finger into me.
No warning and no asking for permission. It’s like he thinks he fucking owns me.
You’re allowing it, my mind shouts. I can’t tell him to stop. I can’t … “Fuck …” I arch my back,
and my breath gets caught in my lungs when he adds a second one.
He’s so rough, it hurts, but in a way that makes me like it.
You’re sick, my mother would say.
I am. I’d have to agree.
“So fucking wet. Just like last time. Does this turn you on, babe? A stranger in your room? Taking
advantage of you? You didn’t put up much of a fight. Or is it just me? Is it the fact that I call you
Becky?” Someone laughs from behind me, and my face heats with embarrassment.
“Cole!” I growl, knowing who it is.
Deke chuckles. “He’s not gonna help you. He’s my soldier. And if you plan on going to war with
me, you’re gonna need an army. ’Cause you can’t fight me on your own.”
I try to wiggle my arms, but it just makes the zip tie dig into my skin, and I cry out. Deke ignores it.
“Tell me, princess. Do you want my mouth or my cock this time?”
He removes his fingers and then adds another, making me arch my back as I let out a strangled cry.
It’s painful in the best way. His free hand is still wrapped around my throat, but it’s not cutting off my
air. I’m panting and so fucking wet for this monster.
“Why do I have to choose one?” I mumble, my hips grinding against his fingers as they slow. I
pump my hips, not wanting him to stop. I don’t give a fuck that Cole is here. Or the fact that I hate
Deke Biggs. It feels too good. My body wants it. My mind is screaming for it. And it’s just one step
closer to pissing my sister off.
She’ll hate me when she finds out he’s touched me. More than she already does. Perfect.
His thumb brushes over my clit, and I whimper.
“Greedy.” He kisses my stomach, and my body begins to shake. “I like that.” His lips pull away at
the same time he removes his fingers. My body sags into the bed in disappointment. “Open,” he
orders, his voice hardening, and I blink up at the darkness confused by what he means. But then I feel
his fingers on my lips. Pushing my head back with his free hand, I open, and he shoves two fingers
into my mouth. I suck on them like the good girl he wants me to be and taste myself, hoping he’ll
reward me with another orgasm like last night. He lets out a growl as I lick them like they’re his cock.
That thought makes me moan. Then suddenly, he removes them, and I pant, licking my wet lips.
His laughter fills the cold and dark room. My face flushes with embarrassment, and I’m thankful
they can’t see me. He shifts his weight, and I feel his lips brush against mine. I suck in a nervous
breath and don’t move. “You get neither,” he tells me with satisfaction.
Then he pulls away from me, and I hear his footsteps along with another walk out of my room and
down the stairs, followed by the front door opening and shutting. Seconds later, I’m still lying on my
bed looking up at nothing when all the lights come back on.
I roll over onto my stomach, panting. Knowing that he damn well left me here with my arms still
tied behind my back on purpose. My underwear wet. My shirt shoved up to my neck and my hair feels
like a tangled mess. I catch sight of my phone lying next to me, and I realize what those flashes of light
were. Cole took pictures of me and Deke ’cause one of them is showcased on my screen.
“Fuuuuccckkk.” I think I just started a war with Deke Biggs. But what he doesn’t know about me is
that I’m not like Becky. She can’t play like I can. She can’t think like I can. And she sure as hell can’t
seduce him like I can.
Game on.
 CHAPTER SIX
DEKE

“HAVE A NICE night.” I nod to the guy who sits in the guard shack.
He looks up from his phone and smiles at us. “Have a good night, boys. Cole, tell Austin I said
hello.”
“Will do.” Cole pulls onto the road and hits the gas, shifting gears in his M4. I sit back in my seat
and readjust my hard cock inside my jeans.
“She’s gonna be pissed you left her wrists tied.” Cole breaks the silence, but I hear the amusement
in his voice.
“I know, but she’ll figure out how to get herself out of it.” I turn and throw my black bag into the
back seat that I had dropped by her front door when we entered her house. I thought about using my
handcuffs but then decided against it. I’d have to relieve her of those, and I had no desire to leave
Demi Holt how I found her—free.
If she wants to be a little bitch, then I’ll give her a reason to. It wasn’t hard to find out what I
needed to know. A look online showed me that her mother and stepdad were in New York for
business reasons. The pic that graced social media had them dining at an expensive hotel a few hours
ago. And a look at Becky’s Facebook assured me she was not at home—she was back in Collins. She
may have deleted me as a friend, but she keeps all her shit public. It’s like she wants me to get jealous
that she allows men to hang all over her. Like I fucking care who she spreads her legs for. That time
has passed.
“You know I’ve always got your back,” Cole starts, “but I’m curious. What exactly are you trying
to accomplish by playing with her?”
“I don’t know,” I say honestly, running a hand down my face. “Just wanna let her know where she
stands.” Demi needed to be thrown off her high horse she rides with a smug smile. I think leaving her
pussy wet and her wrists restrained in her bed is a good start.
I liked the way her voice shook when she thought I was there to hurt her. The fear I heard when she
asked what I wanted. It matched the same that Becky had when she found out I knew all her secrets. I
held all the cards and had all the power.
She needs to remember that I do.
She thought I was Seth at first, and that pissed me off. Knowing that she had allowed me to touch
her when she was clearly unavailable makes her just like her cheating, lying sister. But still, I can’t
help but wonder, is that how they do it? He dresses up as a burglar and sneaks into her room before
taking advantage of her? She plays the role of victim, fighting him off, but she eventually gives up and
lets him win?
I could totally get into that.
Fuck!
Don’t think that way. She is off-limits. Untouchable. I just wanted to scare her. I wasn’t going to
force myself on her because I’m not a rapist. But I wanted her to know that I was the one who made
that decision, not her. I had told myself it was nothing sexual. To get in, scare the shit out of her, and
get the fuck out. But shit, she got turned on. More so than when she was at Silence last night. I wasn’t
even planning on touching her in any way, but when she moaned, I went hard. Then she lifted her hips,
silently begging me for more. I fingered her again—as though she belonged to me—when I had no
right to touch her.
Why didn’t she stop me?
She’s messing with my mind more than Becky ever has. Why am I allowing her to do this? I’m
supposed to be the one in charge, but am I playing her game? Or is she playing mine?
Something tells me that Demi is a much better player than Becky could ever be. And that thought
turns me on even more.
“You okay?” Cole asks, giving me a glance before looking back at the road.
I grunt. “Yep.” She got my warning. She’ll stay away, and I’ll go back to my plan of seducing
Becky. She has to fall in love with me all over again so I can break her fucking black heart. Demi
can’t get in the way of that. I won’t let her.

_______________

“WHERE DID YOU guys go last night?” Austin asks, stepping out on the patio with Lilly. She sheds her
little towel with fairy wings on it to showcase a pink bathing suit.
I have come to find I like the Texas weather much more than Oregon. It’s the middle of October and
still nice enough to swim. Even though the pool is heated, it’s not needed yet. The temp doesn’t drop
until the sun goes down.
“Uncle Deke,” she screeches when she sees I’m already in the pool and runs, jumping in. I pull her
head up from under the water and put her on my shoulders. Her little feet kick water up in my face as
she splashes.
“We had to take care of something,” I answer Austin.
She pulls her shirt up and over her head, her green eyes glaring down at me. “What did you need to
take care of?”
My eyes fall to her scar from where Kellan shot her, but I don’t answer.
She looks at Cole who sits on the third step staring up at her. He’s leaned back, his elbows resting
on the second step. His blue eyes run up her body slowly as if he’d rather have her naked and alone at
the moment.
“Cole?” she urges.
His eyes make their way up to hers, but he says nothing.
She looks at me when she realizes he’s not saying shit. “What did you guys do?”
“We just had a little fun,” I decide to say in answer.
She looks back and forth between Cole and me for a second. “And?”
“We were just playing. Harmless fun,” I tell her.
She rolls her eyes. “Oh God, not this again.”
“What?” I feign innocence while Lilly pounds her little hands into my cheeks excitedly, her feet
still splashing me.
“You know what?” she snaps and then bends over to remove her shorts. “I know what your
definition of play is, and it’s not fun.”
Yeah, Austin was once something Cole played with. The moment he laid eyes on her, she became
his prey.
Nine months ago
 I stand in an abandoned cemetery over the bloody dead guy who my friends and I just killed. He
was our revenge. Cole wanted him to pay, and we all played our part in making sure he got it.
A phone ringing slices through the silent night. “Hello?” Kellan answers. “Yeah.” He nods to
himself. “Be there soon.” Hanging up, he pockets his cell. “I gotta go.”
What the fuck? Where in the hell does he have to go that is so important right now? He’s been
acting fishy for days. More than he usually does. He didn’t even want to be a part of this tonight.
But I think Bennett talked him into it at the last minute.
“Get out of here,” I tell him, trying not to show my frustration toward him at the moment. “Cole
and I will wrap this up.” Where did he go anyway? We heard a noise, and he went to check it out.
It was probably some wild animal. No one comes up here anymore.
“Let us know when it’s done,” Bennett tells me, turning on his flashlight to light the way back to
his car.
“Will do.” I nod, and they turn and begin to walk down the hill to where we parked our cars. I
wait a few seconds before I call out his name. “Cole?”
“Over here,” he answers. His voice doesn’t sound far away from me.
I pull out my flashlight, making my way down the hill so I don’t trip over any tree limbs. I see
him down on his knees, straddling someone dressed in a pair of jeans and a black hoodie.
“You sorry son of a …”
“What did you find?” I ask, cutting off the girl as I come up next to them. My light shines down
on her. A pretty brunette lies on the wet ground. Cole straddles her hips, pinning her arms under
his legs. “Oh, a toy. Where did she come from?” What the hell is she doing in this abandoned
cemetery this time of night?
“Not sure,” he answers.
“Are there more?” I ask, taking a quick look around but don’t see anything. He has one; I want
one too.
“Fuck you,” she spits out.
I laugh. “I like when they have a dirty mouth.”
She arches her back, letting out a scream of frustration that rings out in the dark, rainy night.
“No one can hear you out here,” he tells her, his free hand coming up and wrapping around her
throat. The blood from the guy we just killed on his hand covering her sun-kissed skin. “There’s no
one to come save you.”
She whimpers.
“I love it when they scream. Go ahead, sweetheart,” I say softly. “Scream for me.” I kneel next
to them. Reaching out, I wrap her brown hair around my bloody hand, and I jerk her head to the
side to face me. She bares her perfect teeth, sucking in a breath, but she doesn’t cry out from my
force. Both of our lights stay on her face, and she squints her pretty green eyes, trying to see.
In the distance, I hear an engine roar as Shane, Kellan, and Bennett leave. “What were you
doing out here all alone?” I ask her.
“Watching you murder someone,” she snaps.
I throw my head back, laughing at the fucking bitch. I find her truth refreshing. “Like to watch,
do you?”
She bucks her hips, trying to throw Cole off, but no such luck. He’s twice her size, so she’s not
going anywhere.
“What a coincidence. So do I,” I continue with a dark laugh.
She stiffens, and I look at my best friend. “Go ahead, Cole. Give me a show. I earned it. We gave
her one, after all.”
“Don’t,” she whispers as her lips part, and she sucks in a ragged breath.
Cole smiles down at her, his hand loosening around her neck to run along her collarbone,
pulling down her oversized hoodie in the process. His bloody hand leaves a trail. The sound of her
ragged breathing fills the cold night.
“You know how much I love to perform,” he tells me, fucking with her.
“Please,” she pleads while his finger runs over her shoulder, pushing her black bra strap off
and watching it disappear into the sleeve of her hoodie.
I slap Cole on the back. “She’s begging you already, Cole. Fuck! That’s some kind of record,
right?” I whistle. But not really. All the women beg to get in his pants. Every girl wants a piece of
a GWS.
The wind picks up and tosses her hair around her face, causing it to stick to the blood along her
neck and chest. “Red is your color,” he tells her.
“Orange is gonna be yours,” she growls, lifting her chin.
He smiles at her words.
I laugh it off, then have a thought. How much did she see? What the hell is she even doing here?
I’ve never seen this girl before. Does she know who we are? Is she related to Jeff, the guy we just
killed? As far as I know, he only had one relative—Jerrold. And that fucker is next on our list. “She
may have recorded it.”
Cole sighs. “That would be very stupid of you,” he tells her.
He drops the flashlight beside her head. Letting go of her shirt, he sits up, freeing her arms, and
she begins to fight him. Her hands slap at his body, and her nails dig into his naked chest before
he pins her hands above her head. “Check her pockets,” he orders me.
She screams as she tries to fight him. Her hips buck, and she kicks her legs out, but I pat her
pockets and find a cell phone. Fuck! “It’s locked.”
“What’s the passcode?” he demands.
She clamps her mouth shut, and her pretty green eyes narrow. “Either you give me the passcode,
or I take it from you. What’s it gonna be, sweetheart?” he threatens.
“I didn’t …”
This bitch isn’t gonna play this game with us. Not tonight. “That’s not the only thing we’re
gonna take,” I say, cutting her off. I bend down and unbutton her jeans, then lower her zipper.
Knowing her biggest fear and using it to my advantage.
“No!” she cries out. “It’s retina … it’s a retina scanner,” she says in a rush.
“Fucking technology,” I growl. “What happened to the good ole days where you just flipped the
phone open, and it fucking worked?” Why would this chick need a retina scanner? I highly doubt
she has anything important on her phone that she doesn’t want others to see.
I hold the damn phone up to her face, Cole’s flashlight lies on the ground next to them, shining
on her face. It unlocks the phone, and the first place I go to is her photos. They’re the typical girl
selfies with the duck face. I go to her videos, and she has none. Strange, but also smart for not
recording us.
But who the fuck is she? And why the hell is she hanging out in a cemetery in the middle of the
night? On New Year’s of all nights? She should be at a party. Drunk or high. I exit out of her
videos and go to her Facebook app. I stare at her name for a few seconds, then frown and squint.
This can’t be right … I exit out and then open it back, thinking it will change. It doesn’t.
Shit! I grunt.
 “What is it?” he asks, clearly hearing me.
“No videos or pictures, but there is something interesting.” I may not know this girl, but I know
my best friend. And she is about to become as fucking dead as Jeff is.
“I tried to tell you. I didn’t record it,” she says, panting.
“What did you find?” he asks, ignoring her.
I take in a long breath and say two words. “Austin Lowes.”
“As in Bruce Lowes?” he asks her.
Silence follows.
He chuckles. “Well, well, well, I didn’t know he had a daughter.”
“We don’t have time for this,” I growl. She’s useless to me at this point. We could have had some
fun with her but not anymore. She’s the daughter of the man who raped Cole’s mother and got her
pregnant. He’s wanted to make that bastard pay for years, so he’ll make her pay. Not only because
of who her dad is, but because of what she saw. I stand and pull my gun out of the back of my
pants. “Let’s just kill her.” She’s already dead anyway. He won’t let her walk away. Not after what
she saw.
“Put the gun away,” he orders.
He can’t be serious. “But …”
“Now.”
I tuck it back into my pants, biting back a growl. “Let’s take her with us. I don’t trust her not to
call the police afterward.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you,” she snaps.
“You’ll do whatever the fuck we say,” I reply flatly.
“She won’t call them,” he tells me as if he knows what this bitch will and won’t do. “Will you?”
She clamps her mouth shut.
I snort. “You don’t fucking know that.”
“No one will believe her,” he says. “She’s covered in his blood. It’s underneath her fingernails
from where she scratched my chest. It’s on her clothes. In her hair. As far as they’re concerned, she
will be an accessory to murder.”
“You fucking bastard—”
“What did you guys do with the body?” he interrupts her, asking me.
“Kellan got a call and had to leave; he rode with Bennett, so they all left. I told them we would
take care of it.”
“Perfect. Call my phone with hers.”
I all but roll my eyes. What is he up to? “What? Cole, we don’t have time …”
“Call my phone with hers, Deke,” he snaps.
I let out a huff but look down at her phone and see it’s still unlocked. I type in his number, and
seconds later, it starts ringing in his pocket, but he doesn’t answer it.
I don’t expect him to explain himself.
He stands up, and she takes the opportunity to try to scramble away, but he grips her hoodie
and yanks her to her feet. Wrapping his hand around the back of her neck, he starts shoving her
forward up the hill. She twists in his grip, and his hand slips, allowing her to get a few steps ahead
of him.
What the fuck is he doing?
He runs after her, fisting her hair to pull her back against his front. Wrapping his free hand
around her waist, he says, “We’re not done, sweetheart.”
 “Where are we going?” she demands.
He doesn’t answer her, and I don’t say shit ’cause I have no fucking clue what he’s doing. Maybe
he plans on burying her with Jeff ’s body. Anything is possible when it comes to Cole.
He walks her over to where he knows we had Jeff. And I shine my flashlight on the body. She
shows no sign of fear as she stares at the dead man. She saw everything we fucking did. How did
she know where we were? How long had she been following us? The Lowes estate is just down at
the bottom of the hill, but it’s over a hundred yards away. There’s no way she heard us.
“Hold her,” he demands, shoving her into my arms.
“Let me go, you son of a bitch!” she screams as she bumps into me.
Her small fist makes contact with my face. “Fuck,” I hiss. “She punched me,” I say, irritated
with this turn of events. She’s like a fly I want to flatten under my hand.
I grip her hair with one hand, dropping my flashlight, and wrap my now free hand around her
neck. I choke her, taking away her air. I’m not gonna go easy on this bitch. I don’t care what Cole
plans on doing with her. She tries to fight me, but just like when Cole held her, she has no chance.
I hear him digging into our black bag, and he pulls out the knife. “Pin her to the ground. Face
down.”
I smile and shove her to her knees with my hand in her hair. She grunts and cusses me as I force
her to her stomach with my knee in her lower back.
Cole grabs his flashlight and shines it down on her. I straddle her ass, her hands pinned in mine
against her back.
He kneels beside us and yanks her sleeve up. “What are you doing?” she asks in a rush.
“Insurance,” he replies and then drags the blade against her forearm.
She cries out in the cemetery as the skin gives and blood starts to pour from the wound. He then
takes the knife and stabs Jeff in the chest. “Now your DNA is in him with the murder weapon.”
I chuckle. This bastard …
“You go to the cops. They dig him up and investigate his murder, and you go down with us.”
“Fucking …”
“And you called me. More proof that we were communicating the night of the murder. Around
the time of death.”
Her body lies stiff under mine, and her breathing is labored.
“Return her phone and let her go so we can bury this body,” he tells me.
I release her, and then I stand up, hovering over her. She crawls away from me, and I toss her
phone to the wet ground. She stands up on shaky legs, holding her arm where he cut it. We both
shine our lights on her.
“Get the fuck out of here before I change my mind,” he growls.
She turns and runs.
“We should have killed her,” I say, not really knowing what the fuck he’s doing with her. She
could still talk.
“That wasn’t part of the plan,” he argues.
I fist my hands. “I don’t fucking care about the plan. What I care about is not going to prison.
We should, at the very least, have taken her with us.” Even I knew that wasn’t a possibility, but
what other choice did we have other than killing her? Bruce Lowes is a fucking evil bastard. How
do we know his daughter isn’t just like him?
“Did you want to take her home?” He arches a brow. “Keep her as a pet?” Then he shakes his
head. “She won’t say anything.”
 “She will …”
“She won’t. She’s Bruce Lowes’ daughter. We kill her, and they start looking for a missing girl.
Then that brings questions.”
“They’d never find her body, and you know it,” I add. It may be the first time we’ve ever
committed murder, but we know what we’re doing. Our fathers have trained us for times like this.
We were raised to be fucking sharks. Just like them.
“I wasn’t worried about them finding her body.”
“Then why not let me shoot her?” I growl, confused by what the hell he is doing. “Two birds
with one stone.”
“Not yet,” he responds.
I run a hand through my hair, finally understanding his intentions. “You want to fuck with her.”
I chuckle. He wants a toy. “This will be fun.”
He smiles.
Oh, Austin Lowes, he’s gonna make you wish he would have just killed you.
That night was the beginning of her torment and our fun. One thing after another, he put her through
hell. Who knew she would survive it? Or that Cole would fall in love with her? I sure as hell didn’t
see that coming, but even I can’t deny that they were made for one another.
“Ah, come on, baby.” She glares at me. She hates it when I call her baby, but I don’t care. “You had
fun. It’s okay to admit it.”
“Cole.” She growls his name.
He gets out of the water and walks over to her. Placing his hands on her hips, he remains silent.
“Did you hurt her?” she asks him, knowing exactly what I meant by had some fun.
He shakes his head. “I didn’t do anything. Just stood there.”
“You didn’t try to stop him?” Her mouth falls open.
He doesn’t respond ’cause he already answered her once.
She sighs. “Do I know her?”
“No.” We both lie in unison.
She pulls away from him. “You said you were done.”
“I am.” He nods.
“But now you’re playing some sick game with someone.”
“It’s not what you think,” he argues.
She places her hands on her hips. “Then explain it to me.”
“Not my place.”
She looks at me, and I give her a big smile. “I’m a rock, baby.” I’m not telling her anything. Can’t
take the chance she’ll run off and tell Becky. I don’t wanna have to deal with her more than I already
do. I wanna fuck her, not listen to her bitch. And I think my warning was very clear. Demi will keep
her mouth shut, and she’ll stay the hell away from me.
Austin leans over to pick up her clothes and then storms off into the house.
Cole turns and looks at me over his shoulder. “You got her?”
I nod. “We’ll be fine. Won’t we, Lilly?”
She giggles. “Let’s dive for rings.”
He turns back to the house and goes in after her. I have no doubt they’ll be fighting it out with her
on her back and him between her legs.

_______________
AN HOUR LATER, I’m in the shower washing away the chlorine water when I hear a knock on my
bathroom door. “What?” I ask.
Cole clears his throat, and I pop my head out of the frosted door to look at him. “You have a
visitor.”
My jaw tightens. It’d better not be my father. I’m still avoiding that fucker, but I don’t put it past
him to show up here in Texas to make me talk to him. “Who?”
He gives me that Cole Reynolds smile that I know all too well. His previous argument with Austin
forgotten, so I know he told her. He didn’t have to say it, and I didn’t ask. Austin can be relentless
when it comes to wanting to know what’s going on. It’s better for her to know than to bother me
twenty-four seven. “She’s downstairs in the living room waiting on you.” He slaps the bathroom door.
“We’re on our way out. You have the house to yourself for at least three hours. Make them count.”

DEMI

I SIT ON Cole and Austin’s couch scrolling through Facebook on my phone. I’ve been waiting for over
twenty minutes in silence. Cole and Austin left with Lilly. Austin looked at me strangely when she
answered the door and I asked if Deke was here, but she didn’t question me. At first, I thought it was
pity and then confusion. I didn’t want to get into it with her. I would prefer her to not tell my sister that
I was here. Maybe she thinks my visit involves Becky. That I’m here to save her from the big bad
wolf. Maybe I’m here to tell Deke to leave Becky alone.
If only.
“Well, well, well. I must say I’m surprised to see you here.” Deke enters the living room dressed
in nothing but a pair of gray sweatpants. I look away as my face heats. I hate that after he left me lying
on my bed horny last night, I finished what he had started. “Come to play some more?” He plops
down across from me in a white leather recliner.
I take a chance to look at him, and he has his muscular arms crossed over his smooth and defined
bare chest. His skin tan from spending so much time out in the pool over the summer. His dark hair is
wet and pushed back off his forehead. His baby blue eyes twinkle as they look me up and down. My
legs tighten, and my breathing hitches when he stops on my chest. I remember his lips … my eyes
drop lower, scanning over his defined abs. I’ve never seen a boy look so much like a man. It’s hard to
believe he’s only eighteen and a fucking bastard.
His eyes move to my bruised wrists. “I’m a little disappointed.” Then they return to mine. “I’d
hoped your hands were still tied behind your back.”
My heart begins to race at his words, and my body heat rises. God, it’s like I just walked into a
sauna. Sweat breaks out across my forehead, and I rub my hands against my jean-clad thighs. “I came
to call a truce.” The words burn my throat as if I just downed a shot of acid.
He tilts his head to the side. “Truce?”
“Don’t act stupid, Deke. We both know you’re not.” I roll my eyes, ignoring the throbbing between
my legs.
I’m testing him. And myself. I’ve always been a competitive person by nature. I have to win. And
that is exactly why I’m going to take Deke away from my sister. He doesn’t know it yet, but she wants
him back. They’re playing this little cat and mouse game right now, but she has no idea she’s got
competition. Neither one of them will ever see me coming. Not until it’s too late.
He smirks and stands. My head falls back to rest on the cushion in order to look up at him,
towering over me. His stomach muscles flex when he lifts his hands, running them through his wet
hair. A smirk plays on his lips while he watches me take him all in. My eyes drop to his sweatpants
and the fabric leaves nothing to the imagination—the outline of his impressive dick clearly visible—
and he’s not even hard. My mouth begins to salivate. He steps forward, placing his hands on both
armrests. Leaning into me, he lowers his face until it’s inches from mine. The smell of his masculine
body wash hits me, and I bite my inner cheek to keep from moaning.
“You’re right.” He lowers his voice and licks his lips. “I’m not stupid. And neither are you. I knew
you’d fold. I don’t call you Becky for nothing.”
“What the fuck does that mean?” I demand. My hands itch to slap him across his pretty, perfect face
to see what he’d do. Instead, I clasp them together. Don’t show all your crazy at once, Demi. You
gotta leave a little surprise.
His blue eyes drop to my chest. I suck in a breath when they linger. Is he thinking what I am? Did
he like what he felt last night as much as I did? My boobs aren’t small, but they’re not as big as my
sister’s. Did he like mine more or less?
He smirks to himself before pushing off the chair and walking out of the living room and down the
hall, ignoring me. His back muscles on full display. I stay transfixed on the way they ripple at his
movements. His gray sweatpants sit low on his hips, and my mouth waters at the way the fabric pulls
against his round ass. I know he came down here to see me only half-dressed on purpose. He knows
how to play the game. It’s also the same reason I dressed up for him. He dated Becky, after all. He
likes girls who look a certain way. Even if it’s not the real me, I can pretend.
“Deke?”
“I’m guessing you can see yourself out,” he calls over his shoulder before he turns and walks up
the stairs.
“Deke?” I growl, only to hear the door to his room slam, and my fists tighten. Don’t follow him.
That’s what he wants you to do.
That’s what Becky would do, and you’re not Becky.
But that’s why I’m doing this. That’s why I allowed him to touch me in the first place. To make him
look like a fool. Walking out the front door means he wins, and I’m not about to give in.
“Nature of The Beast” by My Darkest Days begins to play loudly from upstairs, and I grind my
teeth at his choice of song.
I take the stairs two at a time and open the first door to my left. A black wooden framed king-size
bed sits up against the wall with a deep red comforter. Black glittery pillows decorate the bed along
with a couple of others that match the bedding. A large picture hangs above the headboard of Cole
and Austin. She’s wearing a beautiful red dress, and he’s dressed in a black tux with a bow tie that
matches her. Nope. Definitely not Deke’s room. The moment I open the next door, I don’t even get a
chance to look around because I’m yanked inside, and my back is slammed into a wall.
“Curiosity killed the cat.” Deke chuckles.
He was expecting me. “Are you gonna kill me?” I almost smile.
He tilts his head to the side and bites his bottom lip as he contemplates that idea. My body heat
rises like it seems to do when I’m around him. “Is that what you want?” he asks, reaching out and
taking a lock of my hair. He rubs it between his fingers. “Want me to hurt you, Demi?” I swallow
nervously ’cause I know this man would do exactly that. I’d have to give him a reason, but once I
pushed him to that limit, he wouldn’t think twice. “Is that why you keep coming around me?” He
chuckles, and I don’t miss the innuendo.
“No.” My answer is nothing more than a whisper. Not true, but not totally wrong.
I come around you because I hate you. And I want my sister to smell my perfume on you. I want her
to know I’ve been near you. Touched you. I wanna watch her go crazy knowing I have taken something
from her. Something she was so sure would be there when she decided to quit being a fucking whore
and come back.
The corners of his lips turn up. “Liar.” My heart begins to pound, and he leans forward, his lips
now inches from mine. “You’re more fucked up than I originally thought,” he whispers.
“Excuse me?” This coming from a monster. We’re more alike than you could ever imagine, Deke.
“I stood outside your room while you watched that documentary. Into murder, are you?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about …”
“You lie as bad as your sister does.”
I hate that—the way he compares us—more than anything.
“Is that why I turn you on?” he asks, and his eyes leave mine to admire my lips.
“You don’t—”
He chuckles, cutting me off. “Another lie. I bet you’re wet right now, baby.” His knee pushes
between my legs, easily spreading them apart. I’m panting at his closeness. His free hand comes up
and cups the side of my face. His touch so soft, it has to be fake. There’s nothing tender about this
man. I know he’s fucking with me, but my body isn’t getting the memo. I lean into him, wanting more.
Wetness pools between my legs when he lowers his lips to my neck and kisses the sensitive skin
there, sending a shiver up my spine. But I feel it’s a threat. He’s pretending to be gentle just to get
close to me. He can strike easier from here. Rip my throat out with his teeth. Too bad I don’t care.
I reach out and grip the waistband of his sweatpants as his lips trail up my neck to my ear. He
laughs when I moan.
My hands fist the material. My knuckles skimming the smoothness of his defined V. I have a thought
of pulling them down just to see what he’ll do from there. I doubt he’ll be laughing then. “You are
such a fucking …”
My words are cut short when his lips slam on mine. He doesn’t ask for permission, and I don’t
push him away. His hands hold my face in place as his tongue enters my mouth. He tastes just as good
as the other night at Silence. Like sin and cinnamon. It stirs something in my stomach, and I pull him
closer to me. A moan escapes me as I open my lips, wanting him to take my breath away.
But he draws back and runs his knuckles over my cheek. His blue eyes hold a hint of amusement,
reminding me this is just a game to him. I’m panting and so goddamn wet. And losing.
“Go home, Becky.”
My teeth grind and I snap. “Quit fucking calling me that!”
He laughs. “That’s what you want, right? To be like her?” His hands grab mine, ripping them from
his sweatpants, and before I can stop him, he pins them above my head to the wall. He presses his
body into mine once again. Fuck, he’s hard. My body begins to shake with need, but he ignores it.
“You want me to want you like I wanted her.”
“Deke,” I warn, but my knees threaten to buckle. Every time I’m around him, he overpowers me in
some way.
I like it.
Throw me on the bed, rip off my clothes, and pin me down. I’ll be your good little whore.
That’s obviously what he’s into— a girl who’s easy and stupid.
“You want me to fuck you like I did her?” His brows pull together as if he can’t quite understand
the thought of that. Allowing himself to want me would be beneath him. He thinks she’s so much better
than me.
And fuck, I can’t understand it either. I hate him as much as I do her, yet here I am, panting and wet
all because he is touching me. Silently begging him to fuck me. “Stop,” I growl as though it’s his fault
I came here. What the hell did I expect? Deke Biggs is ready and willing to play. He made that crystal
clear when he showed up at my mother’s house last night. And I couldn’t stay away. I’m literally
using myself as bait. And men like him, the GWS, don’t ever pass up a chance to draw blood—to eat
you alive.
He lowers his head to the crook of my neck, and he kisses me softly just like before. The hairs on
the back of my neck stand up at his tenderness. It’s another trap. He has figured out that’s my spot—
my weakness—so why am I falling for it?
I moan loudly and then bite my lip to keep from begging for more.
“You want me to treat you how I do her?” he whispers.
I fight to free my hands from his hold, but it doesn’t work. I know he still sees her. He proved that
when he thought I was her at Silence.
“Tell me, baby. Did it turn you on when I ordered her to her knees to fuck her mouth?”
My breath hitches.
“Did you listen to her suck my cock like the desperate woman she was?” he asks amused.
“Yes,” I answer shamelessly.
I thought she was as weak and pathetic as he did. Now I understand why she so willingly fell to her
knees to try to convince him to stay. But unlike my sister, I know, no matter how much time you spend
staying on your knees, you don’t win Deke Biggs over. There are too many other girls out there
willing to do the same thing.
His lips trail over my collarbone, and he bites it through my shirt. I whimper as the feel of his teeth
makes my pussy throb.
“Do you want to be useful to me?” he asks. “Take her place?”
“Stop!” I growl, getting pissy. “I’m nothing like her.” I want you to want me for me. Fuck Becky
and what he felt for her!
He steps back and drops my arms. They fall to my sides like dead weight, and I hate the distance
he’s put between us now.
“You’re exactly like her.” He looks me up and down, his blue eyes full of hatred, his lips pulled
back with disgust.
For the first time, I see how much he truly hates her. How much I must remind him of her. We both
have blond hair and blue eyes, but I’m smaller than her in height and overall size. Becky has always
been runway ready with her long legs, but I prefer an oversized T-shirt, no makeup, and a pint of ice
cream in my lap while I stay home watching some frightening shit on Netflix. She likes to go out, get
drunk or high, and show off everything she has in a tiny skintight dress with heels.
We may look alike, but our similarities stop there. He’ll never believe me, though. And I’m not
about to try to make him understand.
But if he hates her so much, then why did he do what he did to me at Silence, thinking I was her?
My only guess is a power trip. He thought she wanted him, and he was gonna take advantage of the
situation. Then he realized it was me, and he was disgusted. He may hate my sister, but I’m nothing to
him. Insignificant. And that’s a hard pill for me to swallow.
The fact that I hate Deke is no longer an issue because my hatred for my sister is far greater. So I’m
gonna do what I watched her do all those years and use what God gave me.
“Get the hell out of here.” He nods to the closed bedroom door.
 CHAPTER SEVEN
DEKE

SHE STANDS THERE, back still against the wall, looking every bit of pissed and turned on all at
once. Ignoring her, I go to my walk-in closet and grab a shirt off the hanger. I feel like going out for
the evening, and there’s a party on campus that I can hit up. I need to get drunk and hook up with some
stranger ’cause all this pent-up aggression I have for Demi is giving me a headache. Not to mention
blue balls.
When I walk out, she’s still standing there, blue eyes glaring into mine and arms now crossed over
her chest.
“I’m better than her.”
The bitch is convincing. I’ll give her that. A part of me wants to believe her, but I know the truth.
She’s just another spoiled Holt who thinks she deserves every little fucking thing she wants.
I snort.
She lifts her chin. “At everything.”
I toss my shirt onto my unmade bed and smirk, looking her up and down. Wanting to really look at
her. Is there a difference? She wore a pair of skinny jeans, cuffed at the ankles with a plain black T-
shirt that’s just short enough to show me a little sliver of her tan stomach and a pair of black heels,
giving her every bit of an extra five inches. Just as Becky would. But it doesn’t suit her. I found her
much more attractive in the oversized shirt and underwear she had on last night. With Demi, less is
better. But her words don’t match her actions. She looks identical to Becky in every way.
Her eyes go to my shirt on my bed and then back to mine. I watch her anger toward me build in
them for every second I just stand here, letting the silence linger between us. She hates me so fucking
much. I wanna wrap my hand around her elegant neck and demand she tell me why she’s here in my
room. Is she trying to prove to me that she isn’t Becky?
What is it that she wants from me? Whatever it is, she isn’t going to get it.
I walk over to her, and she squares her shoulders, preparing herself for whatever I’m about to
throw at her. “How are you better?” I press my body into hers again, and of course, my cock is hard.
But it’s not her, it’s the game. I get off on fucking with people. The challenge.
Right.
I lower my lips to her ear. She stands perfectly still with her hands hanging down by her side. “Can
you lie on your back longer?” My right hand grips her hair and yanks her head back. It hits the wall
with a thud. Becky was made to be loved. She may have been a whore, but she needed to feel like she
meant something—cherished. She didn’t like a hand around her throat or to be spoken to like a cheap
fuck. Demi is gonna be the same way.
Little Miss Priss wants a prince to save her, but this monster will rip her apart. It’s hard to smile
when you no longer have a pretty face. Ever heard of the saying beauty is only skin deep? Rip Demi
of her expensive name-brand makeup and fake tan, and she’ll shatter every mirror she comes into
contact with because she won’t be able to stand the sight of herself.
Her eyes fall closed. Long, dark lashes fanning her cheeks. When they open, she looks up at me and
sighs my name. “Deke …”
 I hate how it makes my hard cock twitch with longing. Just as it does when her sister says it. “Can
you spread your fucking legs farther?” My left hand comes up, and I run a finger over her parted lips,
and I lick my own, still tasting our kiss. She tasted sweet like honey. I wonder if her pussy tastes as
good. Her breath quickens. “Can you suck my dick harder?”
Her eyes narrow on mine. “Yes.”
Fuck, I’d love to shove her to her knees right here and now and have her show me. But I don’t plan
on touching Demi. Ever.
I smirk and pull away from her. “Go home.” I reach over and open my bedroom door. “I don’t play
with little girls.” Her hands fist, and I don’t miss the marks that the zip tie left from me binding her
wrists behind her back. I wonder how long it took her to find a pair of scissors and get free. It
couldn’t have been easy. I should have stayed and watched the show.
“You had no problem playing at Silence,” she growls.
“That’s because I thought you were your sister. I would have never touched you otherwise.” I’ve
never thought of Demi sexually in any way. And even though my cock is hard, that doesn’t mean I’ll
do anything about it. I have some restraint.
“And last night?” she grinds out.
I give her a smug smile and lean up against the open door. “That was to teach you a lesson,
princess.”
Now she’s the one who smiles, and it makes her look like the evil fucking bitch I know she is. She
steps into me, and her bright blue eyes light up with excitement when they meet mine. When she
places her small, soft hands on my bare chest, I tense. “Want me to teach you something?” She leans
up on her tiptoes and places her lips by my ear. Her breath skims over my skin, and I bite the inside of
my fucking cheek to keep from growling.
I should push her away, but I’m afraid if I place my hands on her, I’ll be throwing her onto the bed
and not out the door where she belongs.
“I know all your secrets, Deke …” Her hands run down my chest and stomach. I think she’s gonna
pull down my sweatpants, but instead, she taps my hard dick, making me jump.
I grip both of her wrists in my hand, and she hisses in a breath at the sensitive skin. My eyes
narrow down at her. “Are you threatening me, Demi?” I call her by her first name ’cause I’m no
longer playing.
“Maybe.” She runs her tongue over her bottom lip seductively. “What would you do to keep my
mouth shut?”
It’s the same question she asked me at Silence. And my first thought is to tape that motherfucker
shut. I should throw her on my bed, tie her hands behind her back, and gag her. That’ll show her what
kind of guy I can be. But I have a feeling it’ll just turn her on. She’s pushing me to see just how far I’ll
go.
And it’s working.
My blood begins to boil. I don’t know what all Demi heard me say to Becky those two nights in her
room, but I’m not about to let this bitch think she can play me. Pretending to be Becky was fucked up,
but to threaten me is the dumbest thing she could do.
I lean down, and whisper, “You think you’re being cute, Demi, but believe me when I say I have no
fucking limits when it comes to protecting myself.” I pull back, and the smile has dropped off her
face. “Don’t fuck with me because you won’t survive it.” What the guys and I did to Kellan was not a
fucking game! And it no longer involves just me and what’s left of the GWS. Austin was a part of that
as well, and I’m not taking that chance. I will protect my sister just as I will protect my brothers. And
that’s all she could possibly know.
“Are you threatening me?” she asks, tensing.
“Absolutely!” I growl.
She rips her hands from my hold. “Don’t threaten me, Deke.” Her blue eyes glare up at mine. “I
keep telling you that I’m nothing like my fucking sister. I’m not going to fall to my knees to suck your
cock while begging you to love me. And I’m sure as hell not afraid of you.”

DEMI

I STORM OUT of his bedroom and down the stairs. I all but run out of the house and make my way over
to my black Audi R8. I yank the door open and fall into the driver’s seat. When I start it, “Trouble” by
Valerie Broussard blares through my speakers. I look up to see Deke standing at the front door. He has
his right hand in the front pocket of his sweatpants and his left clenching the doorframe. His
completely rigid body shows off his bulging biceps and six-pack. He’s too perfect for my sister.
I smile at him. This fucker thinks he can scare me, but he’s wrong. I look away, throw the car in
gear, and take off, squealing my tires.
I adjust myself in my seat and tighten my hand on the steering wheel as his words turn in my head.
Don’t fuck with me because you won’t survive it.
He thinks he’s fucking God and holds that much power. It makes me think that is why my sister
hasn’t done anything about it. Maybe he said something to her that I didn’t hear that night. Or since
then. I don’t know how often they speak. I know Becky’s only friend in this town is Austin, and Deke
lives with her and Cole, so they have to see each other on the regular.
I jump on the highway and head toward my mother’s house as the song changes to “Down” by
Seven Day Sleep. I cut into traffic and ignore the guy who blows his horn at me and hit the gas. I’ve
got shit to do.
Thirty minutes later, I’m pulling up to my mother’s gate, and it opens. I get out and enter the house. I
take the left staircase and barge into Becky’s room. Her walls are a beige color. Her peach comforter
and white sheets lie wadded at the end of her bed, unlike my room that I keep clean at all times. She
has clothes thrown on the floor and draped over her computer desk by the windows. I almost trip over
a shoe, making my way over to her walk-in closet. I start ripping the boxes open that she brought with
her from Collins. She left quite a bit back at our dad’s, so I know whatever she did bring is important
to her.
One is full of sweaters. I shove it to the side and pick another one. I rip it open to find a backpack
and school shit. “Goddammit.” I hiss and push it aside as well. Then I come to a third box. I rip it
open, and there’s a black and white notebook in it. I pick it up and flip through the pages. It’s a
journal.
Funny. My sister has never kept one before. That I know of.
I go back to the very front and look at the first page.
He hit me today.
Not the first time. But it hurt like all the others.
He tried to put his hand up my skirt. I pushed him away, and he slapped me across the face. My
mother saw the whole thing and all but shoved some weed in my hand and then pushed me out the
front door.
I can’t wait to get the fuck out of here. I’m going to go live with my father. I’m not sure how that
will be much better, but at least I know he’ll ignore me rather than touch me.
 I flip the pages and then stop on a new one that has HELL scribbled across the top. Whose is this?
My sister has horrible handwriting. I remember my dad used to make her erase her homework and
rewrite it until it was readable. Whoever wrote this has beautiful handwriting. The cursive is easy to
read. My sister’s looks like chicken scratch.
The devil doesn’t come to you as an ugly monster with fire breathing out of his ears. No. He is
sent wrapped in a breathtaking smile and pretty eyes that can see to your soul.
Cole Reynolds is what was sent to me.
He is ugly on the inside but pretty to look at. He just dropped me off from Shelby’s house. He
had her stitch up my arm. That he cut while in the cemetery last night. Where I watched him and
four of his friends kill a guy.
“Shit.” I hiss. This is Austin’s. Why the hell does Becky have it?
He caught me watching them. He cut my arm without a thought and then placed the bloody knife
in the body. Said if I turned him in, I’d go down with them. The fucker is too smart for his own
good, but what he doesn’t know is that I’m better.
I burned that motherfucking body and then took a hammer to what bones remained before
scattering the ashes into the ocean. They can try to pin it on me all they want. I won’t lie down and
let some punk ass kids take what little life I have away from me. I’m gonna record every little thing
I hear and see from now on. Consequences if I get caught, be damned.
“Holy fuck.” I like Austin more already. How did she end up being friends with my sister?
But my other problem is his friend Deke. He’s the only other one who knows I saw them. He
wanted to shoot me right then and there, but Cole stopped him. What will they do when they tell
the others? I’m not sure, but I know I won’t quit fighting them.
“Demi?”
“Shit!” I hiss when I hear Becky’s voice shout out my name, followed by the front door shutting.
I shove all the boxes closed and push them up against the wall. Then I cram the notebook into the
back of my jeans and run out of her closet. I get out into the hall and see she’s down in the grand foyer
placing her purse on the glass table and a small suitcase down by her feet. Where the hell has she
been?
“Demi?”
I duck and run across the walkway that overlooks the foyer and into my room. I yank the notebook
from my jeans and shove it into my backpack that sits next to my bed as my bedroom door flies opens.
“I’ve been hollering at you!” she barks.
I stand straight and spin to face her. “What?”
Her blue eyes look me up and down as I breathe heavily. Crossing her arms over her chest, she
takes in my skinny jeans, black top, and matching heels. I never dress like this. It’s just not my thing.
Not even for Seth. He doesn’t give a fuck what I wear, and I never have either. But Deke noticed. Just
as I wanted him to.
“What were you doing?”
“Nothing,” I lie. “What do you want, Becky?”
She pushes her right hip out in a typical Becky stance. “Austin and I are going to take Lilly to the
movies in about an hour. She told me to invite you.” She rolls her eyes.
“You’re inviting me?” I can’t hide my surprise. And why does Austin want me to go? She just saw
me at her house not even an hour ago. She could be setting me up. I don’t want Becky to know I was
there. Not yet. If Austin says something, I can play it off. Make up some bullshit about how I’m trying
to protect Becky from Deke. Austin would believe it. I can be convincing. But my sister? Since when
do I give a shit what she thinks?
She has nothing to say to my previous question.
I smile. Clearly, she didn’t think it was a good idea to ask me. That just made my mind up. “I’d
love to.”
She turns, exits my room, and slams the door shut. I plop down on my bed and look down at my
backpack. I have a feeling that Austin Lowes just gave me all the information that I need to scare the
shit out of Deke.
 CHAPTER EIGHT
BECKY

AUSTIN HAS DECIDED she wants to be friends with my little sister. Just fucking fantastic.
I can’t ignore it. It was on the tip of my tongue to lie and tell Austin that Demi had something to do.
Or make up something about how my sister doesn’t like her. But that would just cause more problems,
and as much as I can’t stand this new Mommy Austin, she is my only friend. And my only way to stay
close to Deke.
If I push Austin away, then my chances with Deke go from low to nonexistent. Cole isn’t gonna be
my friend or invite me over. So instead, I said I’d love to ask my sister to come hang out with us. It’s
a movie. Not like I gotta talk to her for hours.
We enter the theater, and I see Austin at the concessions with Lilly. And I think back to the day
Austin had that bomb dropped on her. The day she found out that Cole’s half-sister is also her half-
sister.
Seven months ago
“I don’t …” she trails off. “Why would my dad want to hurt Cole?”
Cole stares at her but remains silent as he sits on the couch in their clubhouse. She stands next
to me, and I silently cry. Deke filled me in on the way here about why Cole skipped school today.
He found out that the car accident was no accident. The brakes had been tampered with. I almost
fainted. Cole has kept my secret for so long. This was it. He’s going to out me right here and now
that I was with them. That I was driving.
It’s going to ruin everything!
“We don’t know for sure, but we have a guess.” Deke sighs.
“Which is?” she asks.
“Lilly,” Deke answers.
Her frown deepens, and even I have a moment of confusion. What are they talking about? What
does Cole’s little sister have to do with this?
She looks at Cole. “Why would he want to hurt you because of Lilly?”
But Deke is the one who answers her, running a hand through his hair. “Because Lilly is Bruce’s
daughter.”
Bruce as in Bruce Lowes? Austin’s father? Holy fucking shit! Cole’s sister is somehow Austin’s
sister too? I never knew this.
“Your mom and my dad had an affair?” Austin asks, trying to do the math in her head. Her dad
and her stepmom have been married for ten years now. Lilly is six.
He fists his hands, and his jaw sharpens. “No.”
“Then how do you explain …?”
“Bruce fucking raped her,” he interrupts Austin.
That’s when things changed. She took on a new role of mother, and the rest was history. It was as if
Lilly filled this hole that she didn’t even know she had. And her blackmailed relationship with Cole
took a jump off the deep end. She walked out of that clubhouse with her head held high even though
she had tears in her eyes. I was proud to call her my friend, even if she didn’t know my commitment
to her wasn’t real.
I would betray her more than once. And even now, she would push me away if she knew the truth.
What I’ve done. How much I’ve lied. Hell, I wouldn’t even be friends with me. But that doesn’t mean
I’m going to turn myself in willingly. You don’t see any of the GWS shouting from the rooftops about
all the illegal shit they’ve done. Why should I? They shouldn’t be the only ones who can cover their
own asses. And that’s why Deke and I belong to one another. We are one and the same.
I’ve just gotta remind him of that.
I pull my cell out of my pocket and send a quick text to him.
Me: Can I see you this weekend? We need to talk.
Sometimes you gotta swallow your pride, or a dick. And for Deke, I’ll do either.
It vibrates immediately. My heart begins to pound when I see it’s from him.
Deke: Sure.
Sure? What the hell kind of response is that? I take a quick look to see if my sister is watching me,
but her eyes are on Austin and Lilly standing at the concession stand.
Me: I miss you too.
I read over the text three times and then decide to delete it. He had told me he missed me while we
stood in the kitchen of Austin’s house. I didn’t tell him then, but now isn’t a good time. Instead, I
write:
Me: Can’t wait to see you.
I watch him read it, and my heart pounds in anticipation to see how he responds. But after several
seconds, I know he won’t when I don’t see those three dots jumping around. Then I look up at his
activity, and it shows he was active one minute ago.
And it does nothing for my already sour mood.
He used to be the first one to text me in the morning and the last one to message me good night. And
we’ll get back there. I just gotta do what I did before—show him what I want him to see. The good
girl who fell in love with him.

DEMI

“HOW ABOUT SKITTLES?” Austin asks Lilly as we come up behind them.

She shakes her head, blond curls bouncing.
“Hmm, okay, how about M&M’s?”
She shakes her head again.
“How about all of them?” Becky announces, and Austin turns around.
“Hey.” She smiles at us. “Demi, I’m glad you were able to come.”
I just nod at her.
“I thought you and Cole had plans tonight?” Becky asks her when she puts Lilly down.
“We did, but something came up,” she answers.
I look over her while she talks to my sister. Austin is pretty in that whole I-don’t-know-it way. Her
dark brown hair is down and a little wavy as though she let it air dry and didn’t bother to straighten or
curl it. It’s so long that it drapes over her chest, almost reaching her belly button. Her makeup isn’t
caked on like my sister’s, but she doesn’t seem to need much. She has dark green eyes and a diamond
stud in her nose. She reaches up to push some hair behind her ear and I run my eyes over her right
arm, looking for what she had mentioned in her journal. And I see it. It’s faint, but it’s there if you
know what you’re looking for. A cut about three inches long across her forearm. The very cut that
Cole gave her that first night in the cemetery.
“Demi?”
I blink and look up at her eyes. “Hmm?”
She gives me a soft smile. “Do you want something?”
“Yeah.” I look up at the menu.
“What would you like?” She turns, giving me her back to face the man who patiently waits for her
order.
“Oh, I can get it—”
“Nonsense,” she interrupts me. “I’ll get it. I owe you anyway. You got my gummies the other night
at Silence. What do you want?” She begins to order for her and Lilly.
I scan the menu, and say, “A large Coke ICEE. Please.”
Lilly grabs my hand and looks up at me. Her brown eyes wide in excitement. “That’s Austin’s and
my favorite.”
“So what did Cole have to do?” my sister asks, being a nosy bitch as she pops a piece of popcorn
in her mouth from the bucket the cashier just placed on the counter.
“He didn’t say, and I didn’t ask. Deke called him, and he said he had to go.”
I stiffen. Is she gonna rat me out that I was just there earlier tonight when her and Cole were
leaving?
“I’m sure it has to do with swimming. Or maybe their classes.” Austin shrugs.
And I try to slow my racing heart.
My sister looks at me, and I swallow nervously, looking away from her. Austin may not have told
on me, but did Deke? Did he call Cole the moment I left to tell him that I know his secrets? That I
threatened to out them? Fuck, Cole cut Austin’s arm, so I wonder what the hell he would do to me if
he knew I had the power to destroy them? Plus, Austin mentioned in her journal that Deke wanted to
shoot her. I wasn’t all that afraid of Deke until after I read that. Cole always had that I’ll kill you and
store your dead body in my basement kind of vibe. If they worked together, I’m sure my body would
never be found.
“Here, Lilly.” Austin hands her a small ICEE. “Don’t drop it, okay?”
She nods. “I won’t.” Then she takes a drink of it.
I feel eyes on me, and I can’t help but look up. My sister is still staring at me, but now she’s
glaring. I pull my shoulders back and narrow my eyes at her. I won’t bow down to Deke, so I’m sure
as hell not gonna bow down to my sister.
“Okay, we’re ready,” Austin announces and turns, handing me my drink.
“Thank you,” I say to her.
She grabs Lilly’s hand, and we make our way into the theater and walk up the stairs until we are at
our seats. But Austin doesn’t sit down. “Let’s go use the restroom before the movie starts.”
“Okay.” Lilly gets up and follows her back out.
I sit back in my seat, place my phone on silent, and take a drink of my ICEE.
“What the fuck are you doing?” my sister growls from three seats over. I sat so Austin and Lilly are
between us.
“Excuse me?”
She eyes me. “I saw the way you were looking at Cole at Silence.”
I laugh at that. She thinks I’m hung up on Cole. Priceless.
 “And then when you went to get Austin her gummies, he had to go track you down to get them from
you.”
So she paid enough attention to see that Cole left the group and returned with Austin’s gummies but
not enough to notice that Deke was gone as well. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Maybe
she is the one with a crush on Cole if she’s watching him that closely. Wouldn’t surprise me. My sister
has to prove to herself that every guy wants her. That’s why she willingly throws herself at all of
them.
She looks at me with suspicion. “I know that whatever you’re trying, it isn’t gonna work.”
Oh, it will. I’m sure of it.
“I’m nothing like you, sis. I’m not into spreading my legs for every guy who looks my way.”
Her mouth opens in a gasp, but she doesn’t have a comeback for that.
I just smile, and she sits back in her seat as Austin and Lilly come walking up the stairs.
 CHAPTER NINE
DEKE

BECKY AND I crash through the front door to her house. “Where is your dad?” I ask, my hands
already yanking her shirt out of her jeans.
“Out. He’ll be gone until tomorrow.” She undoes my belt.
I run my lips up her neck. “And David?”
“Away …” She sucks in a long breath. “Looking at a college.” I grip her ass and pick her up.
She wraps her legs around my waist, and her hands go to my hair. “We’re completely alone.”
I climb the stairs, hanging onto her and shove her door shut with my foot. Walking over to her
bed, I toss her onto it, and she giggles. I reach up and remove my shirt before crawling on top of
her. I grip the hem of hers, and she leans up, allowing me to pull it off. But the moment it’s up and
over her head, I pause. Blue eyes look up at me, but they’re brighter. Rounder. Becky’s are almond
shaped. This body is smaller under me, and her hair a tad lighter. “Demi?”
“Yeah, Deke.” She whispers my name and runs her tongue across her plump nude lips. Becky
always wears pinks. “You want me to be her? Does that turn you on? Go ahead, Deke. Call me
Becky.”
My cock twitches inside my jeans, and she reaches out, undoing my zipper. “I can be anyone you
want.” Reaching inside my jeans, she pulls my achingly hard cock free. Wrapping her fingers
around the base, she begins to stroke me. Her thumb running over my pre-cum. I lean forward,
burying my head into her neck, and she releases me.
“You smell like her,” I growl, hating it.
“Make me smell like you,” she whispers, running her hands down my back. Her nails lightly
scratching my skin. It makes me shiver. “Who do you want me to be?” she purrs.
“Yourself.” No! I don’t want you at all.
She chuckles. “That’s no fun, baby.”
I pull away and stare down at her. I blink several times, hoping she’ll disappear and that Becky
will be the girl underneath me. The one I’m hard for. But Demi remains.
She moves her hands to my bare chest. Her blue eyes follow them as they skate along my skin
before her eyes meet mine. “Pretend I’m her, and I’ll pretend I love you.”
“Demi,” I say her name in warning, but I’m not sure what I’m trying to warn her of.
She seems to understand ’cause she smiles. “Wrap your hand around my throat and show me
how much you hate her.”
“Deke?”
I hear a familiar male’s voice off in the distance, pulling me out of my dream. Nightmare. I’m not
sure what it is at this point. I ignore it, trying to push myself back into it.
“Come on.” She lifts her hips to meet mine. “Do it. I promise I can take it.”
“No.”
Her arms fall open on the bed, and she arches her back, exposing her neck to me, and releases a
laugh. The sound so loud and condescending, it makes my jaw tighten.
“She makes you so fucking soft.” She relaxes back into the comforter and looks up at me.
Narrowing her eyes, she spits out. “She always made you weak. That’s why she did to you what she
did. Because you let her.”
I lift my right hand and wrap it around her delicate throat. Her smile grows to full victory, but I
tighten my hold, and her eyes widen. Her lips part, and she tries to suck in a breath. “Isn’t this
what you want?” I ask, tilting my head to the side as I watch her pretty eyes change from triumph
to full-out fear. It turns me on. “Becky?”
She digs her heels into the comforter, and her hands slap at my chest. I sit up, my legs pinning
her hips to the bed. “Becky never could handle what I liked in bed. And you’re no different.”
She struggles to no avail. “Look at you now, Becky,” I taunt. “I get to choose if you live or if
you die.” I smile. “And too bad for you, your life no longer matters to me.”
As if she accepts her fate, she stops fighting me, her body relaxing once again. Her eyes
softening, her nipples hardening. I watch her in complete fascination as her body comes alive
before me. Her hands come up to cup her breasts, and she arches her back. But I don’t let go. I
wanna see just how far she’ll let me go.
How long until she loses consciousness? Time seems to slowly tick by, but she doesn’t push me
away again; instead, she takes it. Like a good girl or a love-struck fool. Her pretty eyes roll back
into her head, and her lips turn blue. When I finally decide to let go of her neck, she doesn’t move.
She doesn’t breathe. I did exactly what I threatened I’d do. I killed her.
I wait for her to turn back into Becky. She’s the one I really wanted to hurt. But she stays Demi.
And I start to panic.
“DEKE!”
I sit straight up in bed.
“What the fuck, man? Wake up,” Cole snaps, standing next to my bed with a look of rage in his blue
eyes. “Get your ass out of bed and meet me downstairs,” he demands before he walks out of my room,
but not before he flips the light on and leaves my bedroom door open.
“Fucking prick,” I mutter.
I bow my head and close my eyes. What the hell was that about? Did I kill Demi in my dream
because she was trying to be Becky?
Why the hell was she there in the first place?
I run a hand through my hair and jump out of bed. Throwing on a pair of sweatpants, I make my
way down the stairs to find him pacing the kitchen. “What’s wrong?” I ask through a yawn after noting
that the clock on the oven reads a little after three a.m. I just got home twenty minutes ago. After Demi
left, I had called Cole because his father had called me looking for him. He ended up coming home,
and I went out to a college party. I had just gone to sleep. And dreamed of both Becky and Demi. That
can’t be a good sign. “This better be good …”
“I got a text.”
Sighing, I pinch the bridge of my nose. I was hard for Demi, but I was pretending she was Becky.
And I would have fucked either one of them. Fuck!
“So?” I know Cole isn’t all that into technology, but a text is nothing new to him.
He snatches his cell off the kitchen counter and shoves it into my bare chest. “Fucking read it.”
The light is too harsh, so I blink a few times waiting for my eyes to adjust. He turned my bedroom
light on but not the one here in the kitchen. “What is it?”
“Pretend I’m her, and I’ll pretend I love you.”
“Just read it!” he orders.
Blinking rapidly, I put it up to my face. “This is a Facebook PM,” I note, realizing it’s not a text. “I
didn’t think you used your Facebook?”
“I don’t!” he answers, continuing to pace. I know he had our other friend Bennett delete Austin’s,
but I thought he had gotten rid of his as well.
What the hell has him so wound up? And what am I gonna do about that dream? “This is to you?” I
ask, trying to get my mind off it.
“To us!” He yanks the phone from my grip when he realizes I’m not catching on as quickly as he
wants me to. He points at the top of the screen. I didn’t see that my name was involved in the chat too.
I pull my phone out of the pocket of my sweatpants and look at it. Sure enough, I have a message,
so I open it up. “Who …?” My voice trails off when I see who it’s from. “No way,” I say, shaking my
head in denial. “It can’t be.”
“When was the last time you used it?” he snaps.
“I don’t know.”
“Fucking think!”
“Uh … months,” I answer honestly as I try to get my head in the game and out of that nightmare I
just had. “Back when we were in Collins.” I close out of my account and try to log in to my spam
account that I’ve had for a few years now. “Shit!” I hiss and then my eyes meet his. “I’m locked out.
Someone got access to it and changed the password.”
“Goddammit!” he shouts.
“Cole?”
We both look up to see Austin enter the kitchen. She flips the switch on the wall, making us both
squint at the harsh light. She runs a hand through her tangled dark hair. Wearing a pair of Cole’s
basketball shorts and a T-shirt, she yawns. “Why are you guys down here yelling? In the dark?”
“Go to bed,” he orders, ignoring her.
That seems to perk her up. Her green eyes widen, and her brows lift. “Cole, what are you …?”
“Go back to fucking bed, Austin!” he shouts.
Even I am surprised at his tone. I haven’t seen him talk to her like that since he first met her. Back
when she was just a game to him. Something to destroy.
She storms into the kitchen and reaches for the phone in his hand, but he snatches it back before she
can get her hands on it. “No!” She crosses her arms over her chest. “You’re gonna tell me exactly
what the fuck is going on. Right now!”
He shoves his hand through his disheveled hair and then storms out of the kitchen and down the
hallway.
I know exactly where he’s going. You hear the sliding back door open and slam shut a second later.
She goes to follow him, but I reach out and grab her upper arm, pulling her to a stop. “Don’t.”
Her worried green eyes meet mine. Cole has always been a hothead, but things haven’t been the
same since our friend Kellan tried to kill her.
“Something is wrong.”
“I’ll take care of it.” I always do. Always have. Cole is my brother. He’s been through some shit,
and I’m always there for him. “Just go back up to bed.”
She looks like she wants to argue, but I turn and open the fridge. I grab a bottle of vodka that I was
saving for this weekend and then a pack of cigarettes and a lighter out of our junk drawer and leave
her standing in the kitchen.
I exit the house and step out onto the back patio. Cole’s shirt sits on the ground next to the pool with
his sweatpants. He has “Things That Make You Scream” by Memory of a Melody playing softly from
his phone through the outside speakers. And I wonder if it’s a sign from God regarding the dream I
just had. Which is crazy ’cause I’m not religious.
I plop down in a chaise lounge chair and unscrew the cap on the bottle. Breathing in the cool night
air, I take the new pack of cigarettes and slam the end into my palm. After the whole Demi and Becky
thing, I could use a fucking joint, but they drug test us at the university. The only downfall of being an
athlete.
He pops his head out of the water and takes a deep breath.
“It’s not her fault,” I tell him.
“No. It’s mine.”
I can’t argue that. “I can’t let you take all the blame,” I counter with a smile, trying to lighten the
mood. He doesn’t return it.
“I’m not doing this, Deke,” he growls, running his hands through his wet hair to shove it out of his
eyes. “I said I was done, and I meant it.”
I nod, lighting the cigarette. Taking a long drag, I blow out the smoke. I don’t normally smoke, but I
need one right now. “I don’t think it was talking about Austin.”
“Then who was it talking about?” he barks.
“Maybe Becky,” I offer.
He snorts. “Why her?”
“It could have been the fact that she walked away from the accident.” At the mention of her, I take a
swig of the bottle. I need to tell him … Maybe I’m having fucked-up dreams because I’m not being
truthful to my best friend.
“How would they know?” he demands. “I only told you and Austin.”
Hmm. True.
I offer. “Maybe someone else was there …?”
“No!” He shakes his head. “There was no one for miles. And if there were, they wouldn’t wait
until now.”
True.
I take another drag from the cigarette.
“Well … I guess, maybe …” He trails off, rethinking that option. “But what about what happened to
the baby? She had to have gone to the hospital. I’m guessing she lost it.”
I stiffen at his words as I’m thrown back into the conversation I had with Becky three months ago at
Mr. Holt’s house in her bedroom.
The first tear runs down her face. I watch it in complete fascination, thinking it’s a good look on
her. That I should have made her fear me more than try to make her love me.
“Was it mine?”
No one knows how far back Becky and I go. Cole believes I’m in love with her, and a part of me
was, but we started fucking long before he told me she had broken up with David. I had to pretend
I didn’t fucking know. That just gave us the green light to go public. And the fact that Cole went all
alpha for Austin, making the entire school aware he was claiming her, took the attention off what
Becky and I were doing. The few whispers I did hear were shut down quickly for her sake. But we
had been fucking for months prior to that. David be damned.
“So, keeping us a secret had nothing to do with you and David. It had to do with you and Eli.”
Until he died. I get it now. Fuck, I was stupid for her. “Was the child …?” I begin to ask again, but
my voice trails off. I chuckle. This bitch! “You weren’t even pregnant.”
“Yes …”
“No.” I shake my head. Of course. How could I have forgotten? “You weren’t.” She swallows
nervously. “I remember us hooking up the weekend before that in my parents’ pool house, and you
were on your period.” Her face falls. “Don’t you remember, baby?” I ask, reaching out for her. I
pull her shaking body toward me. “You told me that I couldn’t fuck you ’cause it was that time of
the month”—I lower my lips to her ear—“and I told you blood didn’t bother me.” Fuck, this bitch
has told so many lies. “I can’t believe you let him take the fall for you.” I understand why Cole did
what he did. I would have done the same thing, but this is why she never wanted me to find out.
Because she knows that I can prove she lied to him. And no one wants to be on Cole’s bad side.
“Cole.” I sigh and take another quick drink from the bottle. He was man enough to tell me, so I
need to do the same. I just hate that it’s like this. I should have done it the moment I realized she had
lied to him.
“She was bleeding. Pretty badly. She had to require medical attention,” he continues as he stares
down into the water that he loves so much.
“Becky was never pregnant,” I blurt out before I lose my nerve.
He frowns, his eyes meeting mine. “Yes, she was.” I shake my head. “She sat there in the middle of
the road, next to my car, holding her stomach, crying and told me she was pregnant.”
My teeth grind. That fucking bitch … “She lied to you.”
A silence falls over us, and he just stares at me. A look of nothing on his face. The old Cole would
be furious. This is the new Cole. The one who is unpredictable.
I lean forward, placing my elbows on my knees. “I went to her house after you told Austin and me
that Becky was the one driving and that she was pregnant.” I start to explain. “And I demanded to
know about it. I thought it could have been mine.” His eyes widen with my confession. “We were
sleeping together …” I run a hand through my hair. “And had been for a while at that point. Then I
remembered that I had been with her the weekend before the accident, and it was her time of the
month. She couldn’t have been pregnant.” I take another drink of the vodka, but the words I just spoke
burn more than the alcohol. “I’m sorry, man—”
“None of it was your fault,” he interrupts me.
“She lied to you,” I grind out.
“Doesn’t matter.”
He can’t be serious. “But it does,” I argue.
“It doesn’t change anything.”
“I know, but …”
“It doesn’t fucking matter, Deke!” he snaps. “I don’t give two fucks about Becky! What matters now
is that we got a text that puts Austin in danger. And I’m not gonna allow that.” He climbs out of the
pool, picks his shirt up off the ground, and dries off his hands before holding it out to me. “Let me see
your phone.”
I pull it out of my pocket.
He dials a number and then places it on speakerphone before dropping it onto the round glass table
next to me. I take a quick look to see who he’s calling and refrain from sighing.
It rings once, twice, three times. After a few more times, it goes to voicemail. “You’ve reached
Bennett …”
Cole hangs up and dials it again.
“Heellloo?” Bennett’s groggy voice answers after the second ring this time.
“Wake the fuck up!” Cole snaps at him.
“I’m up … I’m up …” I hear the rustling of covers. “Everything okay?” He clears his throat. “What
time is it?”
 “Late,” I answer.
“Who is it?” a woman’s soft voice asks in the background.
“Tell your fuck to pack her shit and get out,” Cole orders coldly. “We need to talk to you!”
I expect Bennett to argue, but instead, he sighs heavily. “Give me a second.”
Cole paces before me, water dripping from his boxers, his entire body rigid. I feel sorry for him.
For what he has gone through with Austin. Finding the woman you love dead changes a man. I don’t
care who you are. Especially when you were the one who wanted to hurt her in the first place.
“I’ll call you later,” Bennett says after a long second. “Okay.” He returns to the line. “What is
going on?”
“Deke and I just got a text. That’s what’s up!” Cole explains.
“A text?”
“It was actually a PM through Facebook.” I clarify for Bennett.
“A message?”
“Did you fucking send it?” Cole snaps at him.
“What? Why would I send you a message?” he growls, getting defensive.
“Because it was sent to us from Evan Scott.”
Silence falls over us again as Bennett takes that in. Evan Scott is my spam account. I used to use it
for several things. None of them were good.
Bennett is the first one to speak clearing his throat. “What? How is that possible?”
“I don’t know,” I answer. “But I can’t log in to that account. Someone has gone in and changed the
password. I’m locked out.”
Bennett sighs heavily. “And you think I did it?”
I go to answer no, but Cole beats me to it. “You’re the only one I can think of who has that kind of
knowledge. You crack passwords. Change emails. You knew who was behind it, and you know how
to get into it.”
“Listen, Cole, I didn’t change anything, and I sure as hell didn’t send you a message. And it doesn’t
take a genius to change that shit. A Facebook page isn’t that untouchable …” His voice trails off.
“What?” Cole demands after the silence lingers.
“Hang on,” Bennett tells him.
I take a hit of my cigarette, and Cole begins to pace some more.
“I got one too,” he growls.
I blow out the smoke and sit up straighter. “You got a message? From Evan Scott?”
“Yeah. What the fuck is this cryptic shit?” he barks.
“What does it say?” Cole growls.
“I see you, but you don’t see me. I know who you are, but you’ll never know me.”
“Hmm,” I say to myself. His is different than ours.
“Does it have the address at the end of the message?” Ours had a time and place here in Texas for
tomorrow evening.
“Yes,” Bennett answers. “Why the fuck would I go to Texas?”
Cole snatches the phone up off the table and places it in front of his face, keeping it on
speakerphone. “Pack a bag and get your ass to the airport.”
“What …? Cole, I can’t …”
“I wasn’t asking you, Bennett.” He growls.
“I have class,” Bennett argues.
“Fuck class! Pack a bag and book the first plane to Texas.”
 Bennet sighs. “Cole.”
“Send the info for your flight, and Deke and I will pick you up at the airport. And don’t forget your
laptop.” Cole leaves no room to argue.
“Cole …”
He hangs up on him before Bennett can finish speaking.
I sit back and let out a sigh as I tip the bottle back. “What do you think it means?” I ask Cole.
He doesn’t answer right away. Instead, he stands there, his scarred knuckles fisted down at his
sides as he stares off into space. No doubt thinking about what all he’s been through in the past year.
And all that he’s lost. What he has to lose now.
“I think it means that once again we’re gonna have to do whatever it takes to make sure no one can
touch us.” Then he looks down at me, arching his brow in question.
Am I in? Do I agree?
“I’ve got your back,” I say without hesitation, then bring the bottle to my lips again.
Without saying another word, he turns and dives back into the pool.
 CHAPTER TEN
DEMI

MONDAY MORNING, I walk into my first period at Westlake High and plop down on my seat.
This is my first year here. My third month into the first semester. My mother made me move from
Oregon to Texas for my senior year, and I hate her so much for it. I had gone to Collins all my life. I
had friends. I had been on the cheerleading squad since fourth grade. Then when my sister told my
mother she wanted to move to Texas to be with her friend Austin, my mother told me that I no longer
had a choice. That there was no one there to look after me anymore. She completely forgot the fact I
have a father! He even went to bat for me. Tried to talk my mother into letting me stay there living
with him.
“Angelica.” He sighs. “She will be fine. Her junior year is almost over. She can finish off her
senior year here.” He paces the living room while on his phone.
I sit on the couch, biting my nails off one by one.
“So what if Becky isn’t here? I am.” He comes to a stop and squares his shoulders. “I’m her
father!” he snaps. “Listen …” he trails off, and I can hear my mother raise her voice, and I know
she’s won. She’s been trying to get me to come to Texas ever since their divorce five years ago. My
only leverage was that Becky was here. I hate her, but my mother felt she was responsible enough
to help my father raise me. Even though the truth is I’ve pretty much raised myself.
Our father isn’t a bad guy. He’s not an alcoholic, and he doesn’t bring strange women in and out
all hours of the night. In fact, he hardly ever dates at all. He’s married to his work. That has
always been his mistress. And that’s what drove my mother to have an affair with her now husband.
She left him, and he just buried himself deeper. But he’s always been there for me when I needed
him. Even if it was through a phone call.
He hangs up, and I look up at him, already feeling the tears threaten my eyes. He turns to face
me and lets out a long breath.
“Please don’t make me go,” I beg. “I want to finish school here. With you. My friends.”
He kneels in front of me and takes my hand. “Pumpkin …”
“Don’t,” I shout, yanking it away. “You always take her side. What about what I want?”
He stands, pocketing his cell phone. Any sympathy he showed me moments ago is now gone.
She’s made up her mind, and he’s decided as well. He’s not gonna fight to keep me. And she just
wants me there because of Becky. “I’m sorry, Demi, but your mom wants …”
“Fine!” I run out of the living room and up the stairs to my room. As I pass Becky’s room, her
door swings open, and she steps out, blocking my way.
“Why are you crying?” she asks, looking me up and down.
“I hate you,” I say, wanting to punch her in the face. She is a waste of air. All she does is take
and take from me. And she does it just because. I’ve never done anything to her.
“And I hate you too.” She shrugs. “Mom called me. Asked if you’ve been good.” She looks down
at her nails and smiles. “I told her that I’ve seen you with a boy.” Her eyes meet mine. “An older
one …”
“You fucking bitch!” I scream and shove her into her room. She trips over a jacket lying on her
messy floor, and I go down with her.
“He never wanted you!” she shouts, yanking on my hair.
“You took him from me!” I fist my shaking hands and hit her in the face. She killed him!
“I’ll take them all from you.” She growls.
I go to hit her in the jaw, but I’m yanked back by my shirt. “What the hell are you two doing?”
our father shouts.
“She attacked me.” Becky begins to sob, placing her hands over her face.
Fucking fake bitch!
I try to kick her, but my father shoves me out of her room. “She …” He slams the door in my
face, closing himself in there with her to hear her side of the story and calm her down.
My world just got ripped out from underneath me. I have to move right before my senior year.
I’ve got less than a month left of my junior year, and in just a few months, I’ll be packed up and
moved to Texas to live with my mother. The only thing I can hope for at this point is that Becky
moves in with Deke ’cause that’s the only reason she plans on going there. For him and for her
best friend, Austin. I overheard her saying that Austin is following Cole and his little sister, Lilly,
to Texas. And I plan on making my sister’s life a living hell just as she has done to mine.
“How was your weekend?” my friend Lauren asks as she enters the classroom and sits down next
to me. We’re not close like I was with my friends back in Collins. But I don’t have to have friends.
I’m just fine being alone.
I groan. “Shitty. Yours?” I ask.
She gives me a big smile. “Perfect. I got to see Billy.”
“And how did that go?”
“Amazing.” She sighs heavily. I wanna puke. “He’s having a bonfire party this weekend out on his
parents’ property. Wanna go with me?”
I stiffen. That last time I went to a bonfire was my sophomore year while I was still living in
Collins. Back when things were somewhat normal.
I sit on my bed, flipping through the channels and looking for something to watch on TV. As
usual, there’s nothing. A knock on my door has me shutting it off. “What?” I ask.
My sister pops her head in. “Wanna go out tonight?”
I eye her skeptically. She wears a crimson long-sleeve shirt with black lips on it and matching
black skinny jeans with a pair of black boots, and her blond hair hangs straight down her back.
“No.” She never asks me to hang out with her, so for her to do it now is sketchy as fuck.
“Come on.” She pushes my door all the way open and steps into my room. “I just spoke to Deke,
and the GWS are gonna be there.”
My heart skips a beat at the mention of the sharks. I don’t know why. He doesn’t know I exist.
And if he did, he would never like me the way I like him. “Pass.” I turn my TV back on. Might as
well save myself the embarrassment.
“This is your chance, Demi. Dad is out of town. And Mom keeps threatening to make you move
to Texas.”
I bite my bottom lip as I think that over. My mother doesn’t mind that Becky lives here with our
dad, but she’s been telling me for four years now that she’s gonna make me move to Texas to live
with her. The only reason she hasn’t forced that on me yet is because she’s gone more than my dad
and she doesn’t want me left home alone. I’ll hate her if she makes me move. I’ve only got a couple
of years left in high school, and then I’m off to college. And I’m gonna choose the first place that
accepts me that is far from my family. “Fine,” I growl.
 She gives me a big smile, and it throws up all kinds of red flags, but I ignore them because I do
want to see him. No matter how much I tell myself I shouldn’t. “Get dressed. David will be here in
fifteen to pick us up.” Then she leaves, shutting my door.
I jump out of bed. Fifteen minutes? I run to my closet and yank a T-shirt off my hanger and then
snap another one from pulling on my jeans too hard.
“Shit. Shit. Shit.” I gotta hurry! I don’t have time to shower.
I pull my jeans up, kicking them in the process to help slide the tight-fitting denim up my legs. I
fasten the button and pull up the zipper. I don’t even remove my sports bra. I just throw my black T-
shirt on over it. Sliding my feet into a pair of black Converse, I pick up the lip gloss and quickly
apply it, looking at myself in my vanity mirror. Then I grab the jacket hanging over the chair and
run down the stairs.
“Demi, he’s here early …” Her voice trails off when she sees me. She gives me a smile that tells
me the fucker was already here when she asked if I wanted to go.
God, I hate her.
“Let’s go.”
I follow her out of the house, and sure enough, David’s leaning up against the hood of his car,
and his best friend Maxwell stands next to him.
Fuck. I hate this guy. He likes me. At least I think he does. At this point, I’m not sure if he’s just
fucking with me or if he truly is interested in me, but I don’t care because he’s not the one I wanna
see tonight.
“Hey, Demi, glad you can join us.” David smiles at me.
I’m not sure how she got him to date her. He’s a nice guy, but she fucking cheats on him. And
with Deke Biggs, no less. One of the biggest players in our school. I overheard her talking to him
on the phone the other day when she thought I wasn’t home. She plays it off as if they are just
friends, but he doesn’t have any girls who are friends. She was telling him about how much fun she
had in the back seat of his Range Rover after one of his swim meets.
“Hey.” Maxwell wraps his arms around me and pulls me in for a hug. I leave my hands down by
my sides and try not to choke on his cologne. The guy is swimming in it tonight.
“Come on.” David nods his head to the driver’s side of his black Aston Martin.
“Thank you,” I mumble, and he nods his head once at me.
I climb into what should be a back seat, but it’s not really. It’s cramped, and David is so tall that
he has to have his seat shoved all the way back. But I’m not about to sit behind Maxwell. He’s just
as tall.
“Shit.” I hiss.
“What?” Becky asks, getting in beside me.
“Nothing,” I answer, looking away from her.
“What the fuck is it?” She snaps at me, showing her true colors.
“It’s nothing,” I growl.
She huffs.
“You sure, Demi?” David asks, his dark green eyes meeting mine in his rearview mirror.
I nod. I forgot my phone upstairs, but I don’t need it. I know David won’t leave me behind. It’s
my sister I’m worried about. And I doubt Maxwell will let me out of his sight.
The car purrs to life, and he puts it in gear before we tear out of my parents’ driveway. Sitting in
the back, I tune out their conversation and focus on the radio. “Invincible” by Adelitas Way plays.
David drives us to the outskirt of Collins where all the bonfire parties are thrown—on the
beach. Kids bring in kegs and tables. They litter them with bottles and cups. They get fucked up.
Most end up passing out on the sand or in the forest right off the beach. I’ve only been to a couple
of them, and both times were because David told my sister to let me come. We’ll get there, and my
sister will ditch me, but David will make sure to keep an eye on me. I trust him.
We pull up and get out. I stretch my cramped legs as my sister walks around the front of the car.
“Don’t get fucking lost.” She throws over her shoulder to me, heading over to the beach. “Keep an
eye on her, Maxwell.”
“I forgot my phone,” I tell David, ignoring her. “Do you know how long we will be here?”
He digs into his pocket and holds out his. “Take mine.”
“What?” I look up at him wide-eyed.
“Here. Take it.” He offers it to me. A lazy smile on his face. “The code is 1234.”
Well, no one ever said he was smart. Most of the rich kids of Collins aren’t.
“In case we get separated. You can call your sister’s,” he offers.
“Thanks,” I say softly, “but I doubt she’ll answer.”
He waves it off. “I’ve got hers in my other pocket.”
I smile up at him before he too turns and walks off after her. To my surprise, Maxwell follows
him, leaving me completely alone.
I put my jacket on and place his phone in the pocket, then I make my way down to the beach.
Kids stand by the tables, filling their drinks. Another group has their jeans rolled up with their feet
in the water as they get high. And others sit on big logs that surround the fire. I make my way over
there ’cause the breeze from the ocean has me shivering.
Sitting down, I look over to see all the Great White Sharks together. Becky was right; the man I
wanted to see is present.
Deke, Bennett, Kellan, Eli, Maddox, and Landen each drink out of their own bottles. The only
one who’s missing is Cole. I don’t see him anywhere. Deke has his arm around a redhead. She’s got
her legs across his lap. He looks over at me as I sit down. He looks me up and down in a way that
tells me what I already know—I’m not wanted here. But then he surprises me when he asks, “Want
a sip?” and holds the bottle out to me.
Everyone laughs. “Deke, she’s too young,” his date says. Her brown eyes look at me, but I don’t
think she really sees me. She’s far too gone at this point.
My jaw tightens. These kids forget I’m not much younger than they are. I may be a sophomore,
but they’re only juniors. They’ve been running Collins High since they walked in the doors their
freshman year, though.
Eli’s eyes meet mine, and I feel a blush creep up my cheeks. He’s by far my favorite out of the
group, and the only one who ever seems to notice me. Like I’m not invisible. All the others treat me
like Becky does—a nuisance.
“I bet you pass out before Demi does,” Eli says to the girl on Deke’s lap, giving me a wink. And
my breath hitches as my body begins to heat up. Whew. The fire is hot all of a sudden.
“She looks to almost be there,” I say, and everyone laughs. My shoulders relax a bit.
Deke still holds out the bottle to me, and I yank it from his grasp and down a gulp. I pull it away
from my lips, gasping for air. My lungs burn, and I cough at the invasion of the liquid fire.
Again, they all laugh at me. I tilt my head back and bring it to my lips, drinking some more. I’m
prepared to show these fuckers I can hang with them, even if I have to fake it, when the bottle is
yanked away. The vodka runs down my chin and onto my T-shirt.
“Fuck’s sake, slow down,” Cole growls. He stands beside me, glaring down at me with the bottle
in his hand. “None of us are gonna hold your hair later when you’re puking everywhere.”
“I’ll hold your hair, Demi.” Eli smirks at me again. “I’m a gentleman.”
I bite my bottom lip, trying to hide a smile.
“Yeah, only because your favorite position is doggy style,” Deke quips.
Everyone laughs, and my heart beats faster.
Cole just snorts, giving me his back and walks off with the bottle in his hand. I reach up and
wipe the alcohol off my chin and stand. I shouldn’t have come. It was a bad idea. I just wanted to
party and be around my sister, but she hates me. Not sure why. We’ve never been close, but it’s
been worse ever since she noticed I had a thing for Eli.
“You okay?”
I look up to see David walking over to me. A quick look, I see my sister is by one of the tables
making a drink.
I nod, crossing my arms around my stomach. It’s on fire from those two drinks I had. “I should
go home.” He frowns. “I’ll find a ride.”
“Nonsense.”
“Yeah, I shouldn’t have come.”
He looks over my shoulder at the bonfire where I was sitting a moment ago. His jaw tightens.
Everyone hates the GWS. They are their own group, and they don’t allow anyone into their stupid
club of dares and illegal activities. Pretty sure the only way you get in is if you beat the shit out of
someone. But they no longer take new members.
“Come on.” He throws his arm over my shoulder. “You can hang with us.”
I groan. “It’ll just make Becky mad.”
He snorts. “She wanted you to come.”
The question is why. She never wants to hang out with me. What would make this night any
different?
We come up to the table, and David speaks. “Hey, babe, hand me that drink you just made.”
She turns around. “Why?”
“Your sister needs one.” He holds his hand out.
She eyes his hand and then the drink. She spins back around, giving us her back. “Babe …”
“Here.” She hands it to me, cutting him off, then smiles. “I topped it off for you. You’re
welcome.”
I look down at it to see it’s full of what looks to be water, but the strong odor tells me otherwise.
“What is it?” I ask him.
He laughs, pulling me into his side and answers. “A good time.”
Her blue eyes instantly narrow on me, and I pull out from under David’s arm. “What is she
doing?” she asks, not even bothering to say my name.
“She’s gonna hang with us,” he answers.
She rolls her eyes, giving me her back, and walks away. “Babe?” He calls after her.
I turn around to go wait for them by the car when I run into a body. “Shit. Sorry …”
“It’s okay.”
I look up into a set of brown eyes, and I feel my breath catch. “Hey,” I say lamely.
“Wanna get out of here?” Eli asks.
My heart begins to pound in my chest at his question, and my hands get sweaty. He’s the only
guy at our school who has ever made me feel this way. It’s scary. “What?” I blink. I’m afraid he
may be talking to someone who stands behind me, but I’m too nervous to turn around and check.
This could be some kind of joke. And I hate the thought of it not being real.
He tilts his head as his brown eyes look me up and down in a way that tells me I should run. No
one should look at you like that. The hunger in his eyes makes it clear what he wants. And I want
to give it to him.
He reaches down and takes my drink from my hand. Bringing it to his nose, he smells it. “Mmm
vodka. My kind of girl.”
I bite my bottom lip and look at my shoes in the sand. Without a word, he grabs my right hand,
and I allow him to lead me off the beach and over to his car, praying he doesn’t feel how it shakes
with nervousness.
“I’m not sure,” I answer her, pulling myself out of that memory. That was almost two years ago.
Right before things went to shit. I’ve tried to forget it, but it’ll never go away. Not completely. It’s just
another reason I hate my sister.
“Come on. Invite Seth.” She shrugs. “We’ll sit around the fire, tell some ghost stories, and get
trashed.” Lauren wiggles her eyebrows. “It’ll be fun.”
I pull my cell out and send a quick text.
Me: Wanna go to a bonfire this weekend?
He messages me back immediately.
Seth: Of course.
I look over at her and smile, knowing that Seth will never hurt me. Not like others have tried. I trust
him with my life. “We’re in.”

DEKE

I OPEN MY heavy eyes as I stare out my tinted driver’s side window. Leaning against it, I enjoy the cool
glass on my skin. Cole sits in the passenger seat with his back ramrod straight and stone-cold silent.
I sat outside for another twenty minutes this morning with him while he swam, but we didn’t speak.
After I had a couple of cigarettes and enough to drink, I left him and went to bed. When I finally woke
up, Austin and Lilly were already gone, and he was in the kitchen. He didn’t even look up at me; he
just told me we were leaving in an hour to go pick up Bennett at the airport.
So we’re playing hooky from classes today, and here we are, sitting in uncomfortable silence. I
don’t know what to say to him. Or what I can do for him. At this point, I’m afraid he’s about to jump
off the deep end. And I wish I could say I feel lighter now that he knows Becky was lying, but I don’t.
Instead, I feel worse. And I hate that bitch even more for putting us all in this situation.
“Why the fuck did he bring him?” Cole snaps.
I look out the windshield to see Bennett walking toward us and right beside him is Shane.
Well, fuck! I don’t think Cole’s seen or spoken to him since the night at the hospital when Kellan
shot Austin.
Cole, Bennett, and I all sit in the waiting room. Becky cries, and I try to console her, running my
hand through her hair, but there’s not much I can do or say. Honestly, I’m surprised they haven’t
come out to tell Cole that she’s dead.
Cole hangs up his phone with his nanny, making sure she can take care of Lilly. Seconds later,
he jumps to his feet, and I look up to see Shane standing in the waiting room. I push Becky off me
and do the same.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Cole snaps.
Bennett snorts, waking himself up. He looks up aimlessly and wipes the drool that runs down his
chin. He slowly rises to his feet. “What’s going on?” he asks roughly before clearing his throat
and trying to focus on his surroundings.
We all look at Bennett. “I don’t know. You tell me,” Cole demands, thinking that Bennett has
informed Shane about what Kellan did to Austin.
He holds his hands up when he sees Shane standing there. “I haven’t said anything—”
“I saw the news,” Shane interrupts him and then looks at Cole. “Hours ago. I’ve been calling
you guys. Why aren’t you answering?”
I’ve been ignoring his ass. I’m here for Cole and Austin. Anything involving Shane could wait.
And Cole hasn’t had his phone. He handed it to me when he willingly got arrested because I didn’t
want them taking it away from him. I just gave it back to him ten minutes ago.
Shane’s jaw clenches when no one answers him. He takes a quick look around the waiting area,
and then asks, “Where’s Kellan?” Shane steps up to Cole when silence follows, his eyes
narrowing. “Where. Is. Kellan?”
Cole closes the small distance between them. “Why don’t you ask—”
“Cole!” I interrupt him and yank him back by his arm. “I’ll talk to him.”
“It’s none of his business,” he snaps at me.
Shane lets out a rough laugh. “Did you make him disappear, Cole? Is that why his phones are
off, and he’s nowhere to be found?”
“He fucking shot her!” he yells.
Bennett walks over to Shane, grabs his shirt, and all but drags him out the double doors.
I go to stand before Cole. “You need to calm down, man,” I whisper harshly. I search the room,
and thankfully, it’s not crowded this time of the night. But the few people who are in here with us
are staring our way. “Cole?” I snap when he stares past me at the doors. Reaching up, I slap his
face. Not hard enough to hurt but enough to get his attention. “Listen to me! If you make a scene
and get kicked out of here, then that’s it. You’re done.” I place my hands on his upper arms. “The
police are just looking for a reason to lock you up, so keep your shit together just a little longer.”
“What is going on?” Becky asks, confused about what just happened.
I ignore her.
Cole shoves me out of the way and storms out the sliding glass doors.
I throw my head back. “Fuck.”
“What is going on, Deke?” She stands.
“Stay here.” I growl and then spin around to run out after him. I walk out to see Cole shove
Shane backward. “Cole, don’t—”
“No,” he interrupts me. “If he wants to be a part of this group, then he’s going to fucking tell
me.”
“Group? What group?” Shane demands, throwing his arms out wide. “You guys have completely
lost your fucking minds.”
Cole fists his busted knuckles. “No! Kellan lost his mind the moment he decided to want what
was mine!”
He throws his head back, letting out a loud laugh. When his eyes meet Cole’s again, his laughter
dies. “She was never yours. His plan all along was to make her his.”
Cole goes to jump him, but I wrap my arm around him and haul him back. “Cut it out!” I growl
in his ear. “You’re causing a scene!” I whisper, “He could be lying just to get you wound up.” At
this point, my friends have all taken sides. And Shane is obviously not on Cole’s. Who knows what
he is gonna say or do to push Cole to make a move? It won’t take much. It never has when it comes
to Cole.
He shakes me off, and I choose to let him go with every intention to jump him if he lunges for
Shane again.
Bennett comes to stand beside Shane. “He remembered her,” Shane spits out. “He wanted her!
He was only fucking Celeste for his own revenge on Bruce!”
“What did Bruce do to him?” I ask and wonder why in the hell Shane knows this information
but not us? One look at Bennett and I know he too knows that secret.
I turn my attention back to Shane. He laughs, shaking his head. “It doesn’t fucking matter. None
of it fucking matters anymore.” Then he turns and walks away, and Cole allows it.
Cole jumps out of the passenger car door, bringing me out of that memory, and I get out as well,
though much slower. I pop the hatch to my Range Rover when the guys near us.
Shane looks at me and then at Cole, narrowing his eyes, and I hold in a sigh.
“Why did you bring him?” Cole asks, not even bothering to hide his hatred for Shane.
Bennett opens his mouth to speak, but Shane is the one who answers. “I got a message too.”
I scratch the back of my head. This can’t be happening. “From—”
“Evan Scott,” he interrupts me. “It was in a three-way chat with Bennett.”
“You didn’t mention he was in the chat.” I look at Bennett.
“Yeah, well, my mind wasn’t completely alert when I was woken up in the middle of the night.” He
glares at Cole. “After I was hung up on, I looked at it again and saw where Shane was also involved
in the message, and I called him. Told him the same thing I was ordered to do, which was ‘pack a bag
and get his ass to the airport.’”
I grab their luggage and place them in the back and then slam it shut before we all crawl into the
SUV. Silence fills the inside of the car, and I can’t take it, so I turn up the radio. “Can’t Go to Hell” by
Sin Shake Sin plays.
“So, what …?” Shane begins to ask, but Cole reaches forward and turns it up louder to drown him
out.
I take a quick look at Shane in the rearview mirror, and his eyes are glaring holes into the back of
Cole’s head.
This should be fun.
We walk into Cole and Austin’s house. “You’re at the end of the hall.” Cole gestures to Bennett.
“You’re on the couch,” he tells Shane, not bothering to look at him.
“Don’t you have four bedrooms?” he asks.
“I’m in the other one upstairs,” I answer him. It’s been months since I’ve spoken to Shane. The last
time was the night he got into it with Cole at the hospital.
He frowns. “You’re living here?”
“Isn’t that what he just said?” Cole snaps.
Shane drops his duffle bag to the tile floor in the entryway. The motion makes Austin’s damn
Halloween ghost go off.
Here we go.
“What is your problem?” he snaps at Cole.
Cole doesn’t waste a second and takes it as an invitation. He’s just waiting to beat the shit out of
someone. “You are my problem!” He growls, getting in his face. They’re nose to nose. “I don’t trust
you here! Around Austin.”
Shane snorts. “That’s rich. Out of the four of us in this room, you and Deke are the ones whose
body count are the highest when it comes to our dead friends. And he’s fucking living here!”
 “I trust him.” Cole growls.
“He’d kill Austin without a thought if you told him to.”
Cole goes to punch him, but I push his chest, knocking him out of the way. “Okay!” I say, stepping
between them. “Can we at least limit the bloodshed to outside? I don’t want Austin killing me when
she comes home to find blood everywhere,” I joke.
No one laughs.
“Come on, Shane.” Bennett slaps him on the back and pulls him out of the entryway, grabbing his
bag up off the tile.
Cole goes to walk up the stairs, but I stop him. He looks at me over his shoulder. “It doesn’t hurt to
have numbers on our side,” I tell him.
“It only helps if you know they’re with you and not against you.”
I feel a pain in my chest for him. “No one is gonna touch her, Cole. I promise.” He says nothing.
“You know I would protect her, right?” Austin is like the little sister I never had. Shelby was always
the big sister, and we’re close, but Austin is just different. She’s just like us. Not afraid to get her
hands dirty. Where Shelby would run and hide, Austin would jump to be out in the front. And I think
that’s what scares Cole the most. He can’t hold her back if she decides to dive in.
He finally nods, and with that, he turns and walks up the stairs.
 CHAPTER ELEVEN
DEKE

LATER THAT EVENING, we find ourselves sitting in the Range Rover once again. I’m driving
down the darkened road as Cole’s cell rings through the silence. He picks it up out of the cupholder
and lets out a long breath before he hits answer and places it to his ear.
“Hello?” There’s a pause. “It’ll be late.” Another pause. “Don’t wait up. Love you.” Then he hangs
up.
I slide my eyes over to him and see he holds down the power button until it shuts completely off,
and then he tosses it back into the cupholder. “Cole—”
“Drop it,” he interrupts me coldly.
My hands tighten on the steering wheel, and I clamp my jaw to keep from telling him he’s making a
fucking mistake. Pushing away Austin is not the answer, but we all deal with our demons differently.
And Cole is gonna do whatever the fuck he wants.
My phone dings, and I take a quick glance at it. My eyes dart to Cole when I see it’s from Austin. “I
need to get gas,” I say all of a sudden, needing to pull over so I can read it.
Cole waves his hand in the air, and the guys mumble an okay from the back seat as if I was asking
permission. I wasn’t. Pulling into the nearest gas station, I put it in park and get out, taking my phone
with me. I begin to fill up my SUV when I open the message.
Austin: I don’t know what’s up with Cole, but you need to figure it out and tell me what I can
do. It’s getting worse.
I run a hand through my hair and let out a sigh.
Me: I’m working on it.
Austin: Are you with him right now? He’s turned his phone off.
Me: Yes, I’m with him.
I top off my tank, and no one questions the fact that I only pumped ten dollars in gas. Or the fact that
I just filled up this morning on the way home from the airport.
Twenty minutes later, we pull up to the cabin, and I shut the car off. My lights continue to shine on
the little house that the address brought us to at Lake Travis.
“Sure this is it?” Shane asks.
Cole doesn’t answer. He just opens the door and gets out. I make sure to grab my gun out of the
center console and tuck it into the back of my jeans. Who knows what kind of situation we are
walking into? I’m not gonna go unarmed. And I know that Cole isn’t either. Since the police kept his
gun for evidence back in Collins, he’s gotten a new one, and he never goes anywhere without it. I’m
not sure about Shane or Bennett. I doubt they’re armed, though, since they flew in today and wouldn’t
have been able to carry a gun on the plane with them.
Walking up the five steps, Cole picks up the small flowerpot and grabs the single key. The message
we had received told us it would be there. Cole opens the door, it creaks as we step in.
I reach over and flip the single switch on the wall, and it lights up the room. It’s not bad for a
cabin. A brown leather couch sits in the middle of the room. It has various photos on the walls of the
lake that it overlooks, a TV hangs on the wall. It has a musty smell to it, letting us know it hasn’t been
lived in for a while.
Cole walks farther into the small house, and I shut the door behind me.
I follow him into the kitchen, and we all come to a stop. In the middle of the kitchen table sits a
glass bowl, just like the one we used to draw our dares from. My heart starts to pound in my chest
when I see a folded-up piece of paper inside it.
“Shit!” Bennett hisses softly.
Cole walks over to the table and removes the paper from the bowl. Unfolding it, he looks down at
it for a few long seconds. Then he wads it up in his fisted hand and throws it to the floor.
“Goddammit!”
“What does it say?” Bennett asks.
Shane just stands there, staring at it on the floor.
I pick it up and swallow when I see it’s been typed. Smart fucker.
“First, there was eight. Then there was five. But you chose to add one more. Now you’ve killed
one of you own. Putting you back to where you were before. What would you do if you lost any
more?” I read it out loud.
Then our names are typed one by one, but Eli, Landen, Maddox, and Kellan have a black line
through theirs. Then Austin is after that. Her name is also marked out but in red. And below hers, the
last name is Demi. Typed black letters but with no line.
What the fuck …?
“Cole …”
He reaches up and grabs the glass bowl off the table and throws it into the nearest wall, shattering
the glass.
We all stand silently, and Bennett grabs the crinkled-up paper from my hand and his shakes as he
reads over it.
Cole places his fisted hands on the table and leans over. His shirt sleeves strain against his taut
muscles, and he’s breathing heavily.
Shane shakes his head, clearing his foggy mind, and takes the letter from Bennett. He swallows
nervously as he too reads over it. “Cole …” He starts.
But Cole doesn’t allow him to finish. He spins around and shoves Shane’s back into the closest
wall. “Whoa!” Shane throws his hands up in the air. “What the fuck, man?”
Cole grips Shane’s shirt. His eyes murderous, and I’m just waiting for him to punch him. Cole
loves to handle his problems with his fists. But instead, he takes in a deep breath as though he’s trying
to calm himself. “If anything happens to her, you’re the first one I’m going to kill. Do you understand
me?”
Shane’s eyes narrow on him. “I wouldn’t …”
“Do you understand?” Cole yells in his face.
He gives Cole a curt nod. “Understood.”
“Who the hell is Demi?” Bennett asks, looking over the paper again.
Cole lets go of Shane and answers. “Deke’s new fuck buddy.”
“I’m not screwing her.” I sigh. I just dream about killing her. No big deal.
Shane brushes his hand down his shirt. “You’re fucking Becky’s little sister?” He obviously
remembers her.
“No.” I growl. “It’s not like that. And she’s with Seth.”
Cole snorts.
 The rest stare at me with hard jaws and narrowed eyes.
“What?” I snap, not in the mood to play some game with a new psychopath.
“What all does she know?” Shane asks.
“Noth …” My words stop when I realize that’s a lie.
“Fuck!” Shane growls. Throwing his hands up in the air, he knows I’ve run my mouth.
“What does she know, Deke?” Bennett asks, stepping forward.
“Enough.” I growl.
“How much is enough?” Bennett snaps.
Cole begins to pace with his head down. Shane drops into a seat at the table and places his head in
his hands.
“She knows I’ve killed five people,” I admit.
“Of course, she does,” Shane mumbles to himself. I’m about to let Cole knock the shit out of him.
“Why the fuck does she know that?” Bennett shouts.
“After Cole told me that Becky was driving the car when the accident happened, I confronted her at
her house and told Becky what I had done. I was pissed. My intentions were to scare her. Demi
overheard us talking …” I pause when his eyes widen.
Cole has stopped pacing, and Shane is looking up at me from the table with the same look Bennett
is giving me.
“What?” I ask again. “Quit looking at me like that and use your fucking words.”
“Becky was driving?” Shane asks breathlessly and then looks at Cole. “Becky was driving the
night our friends died?”
Fuck!
Cole says nothing, and Bennett takes a step back from me, running his hands through his hair. He
looks stressed but not surprised. “You knew she was driving,” I accuse him.
We all suspected that Cole wasn’t driving. We thought he was covering for Eli, but he wasn’t. Cole
took the fall for Becky. I thought Austin and I were the only ones who knew that.
Silence fills the room. And his eyes drop to the floor. “Bennett?” Still, he looks down. His body
rigid. My heavy breathing fills the small room, and I take a step closer to him. “Did you know she
was fucking Eli too?” I demand.
Bennett says nothing, but I hear the small gasp from Shane. He obviously didn’t know. Glad I
wasn’t the only one who didn’t know that information. “Bennett?” I shout.
Lifting his head, his eyes finally meet mine. “I had my suspicions. But no, I didn’t know for sure.
And when I confronted Eli earlier that week, he denied it.” He looks over at Cole, who stands leaning
perfectly still against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. “I saw her that night … of the
accident.” He swallows nervously. “The girl I was hooking up with was hanging with Becky. I drove
them to the party, and she had me drop her off next to Cole’s car. I thought she was sleeping with
him.” I run a hand through my hair. “But then I realized Cole was with Eli, and I knew. I just knew she
was there for him.” His eyes meet mine, and they soften. “Thirty minutes later, you called me.”
I sit in my parents’ living room. My father stands, glaring at me in his ten-thousand-dollar suit.
His graying hair slicked back and hands in the pockets of his black dress pants. He stands at six
foot four, two inches taller than me, but I’d take him in a fight any day. He’s strong but slow.
Sitting in an office with a girl on her knees sucking you off will do that to you.
I lean back, placing my arms along the back of the couch, and ask. “Are we done here? I have
plans tonight.” Being the smartass kid he raised me to be.
His jaw clenches, and I bite back my smile. “No, we are not done! And no, you are not going
anywhere tonight.”
The guys and I had a swim meet earlier, and of course, he missed it. He was too busy to attend
were his exact words, but the second I walked in the door, he decided he had time to spare for a
chat.
Just then my phone rings, and I reach into my pocket to get it.
“Deke, don’t you fucking …”
“Hey, sis.” I answer, looking up at him, and he shuts his mouth once he knows it’s Shelby and
not one of the guys wanting to know why I’m not at the party yet. “What’s up?”
“Deke …” She sniffs.
I lean forward. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
“It’s Cole …” She begins to sob.
I jump to my feet. “What is it?” I demand. He and some of our friends went to a party tonight. I
was supposed to meet them there, but my dad cornered me on the way out and said we needed to
talk about my future. “Shelby?” I snap.
“He’s here, Deke. At the hospital. They were in a wreck …” She pauses. “Maddox, Eli, and
Landen …” She sobs. “Didn’t make it.”
I run out of my parents’ house while my father yells my name. Jumping in my SUV, I fly to the
hospital. But on my way, I call Bennett.
“Kinda busy, Deke,” he answers breathlessly, on the third ring.
Tears burn my eyes, and I try to take a calming breath while I drive twenty over the speed limit.
“I’m headed to the hospital.” I swallow the lump in my throat. “Shelby called me … Cole and the
guys were in a wreck.”
“What? A wreck? What are you talking about?” he asks in a rush, and then I hear movement
from his end. Sounds like he’s getting dressed. “Is he? Are they …?”
“Cole is the only one …” I blink, and a tear runs down my face. Fuck, I can’t catch my breath.
“They’re dead, Bennett,” I say and choke on the words. “They’re all dead. And she didn’t say Cole
was in the clear.”
He’s silent for a long moment. When he finally speaks, I can hear that he, too, is having
problems getting his emotions under control. “What about her … is she …?” He pauses.
“Who?” I ask, and he doesn’t answer. I pull into the hospital parking lot. “Shelby called me and
said that Cole was brought in. But Eli, Landen, and Maddox didn’t make it. She didn’t mention a
she.” Cole didn’t say anything about going out with a girl tonight, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t
pick one up along the way.
“Deke …”
“She didn’t mention a girl,” I shout, interrupting him. “I don’t know who you’re talking about,
Bennett. But I just got to the hospital.” I pull into a parking spot and shut off my Range Rover.
“I’ll see you when you get here.” Then I hang up before he can go on about some fucking chick.
I rub the bridge of my nose. “The girl was Becky.” I nod to myself. “Everyone seemed to know
except me.”
“I didn’t know shit!” Shane snaps.
“I’m gonna tell you both what I told Deke, and that is none of it fucking matters.” Cole finally
speaks. He points at the paper in Shane’s hand. “Someone is trying to fuck with us.”
Shane lifts his chin. “What are we gonna do about it?”
“Whatever we need to,” I answer.
“It doesn’t make sense, though. Why is Demi’s name on there?” Bennett sighs.
 “She knows. Maybe she set this up, and that’s why her name is on it,” Shane offers.
Cole shakes his head. “That would be too obvious. She would be the first person we suspected.”
“Does she know you’re Evan Scott?” Bennett asks me.
I try to think back to what all I said to Becky when I stood in her bedroom three months ago.
I take the stairs two at a time and knock on her bedroom door. “I said not right now, Demi …”
She yanks the door open but stops when she sees it’s me.
“Hey,” I say gently.
She has her blond hair up in a high ponytail and is wearing my Hollywood Undead T-shirt from
the concert I went to last summer with the guys, a pair of skinny jeans, and pink high heels. My
cock instantly hardens. She knows what it does to me when she wears my clothes.
“What do you want, Deke?” she demands before looking out in the hallway to see if we are
alone. Her arms cross over her chest, and those big blue eyes narrow on me—just like her sister.
Both Holt women seem to hate me today. This house is like a motherfucking ice castle—cold. “Or
should I call you Evan Scott?”
My jaw tightens at her sarcasm. “You know my name is Deke.”
“I’m not sure what I know anymore.” She shrugs.
“Becky …”
A noise to my left has us both turning to look, and we see Demi coming up the stairs carrying a
bottle of water. She looks at her sister and then at me before she walks right past us with her nose
up in the air.
Becky grabs my arm and yanks me into her room, then slams the door shut behind us. I take that
as an invitation and step into her. She stiffens. Placing my hands on her hips, I pull her to me. My
hard cock straining against my jeans.
“Deke,” she warns, feeling it.
I lower my head to her neck and inhale. Her scent of strawberries hits my nose, and I bite my
tongue to keep from moaning. I love it when my clothes smell like her. My bed. My car. I love
knowing she was there. With me. All mine.
“Well, let me remind you it’s me, baby.” My voice is rough, and my cock throbs. I wish we were
alone. I’ve fucked her in this room so many times before, but since I know Demi is next door, I
won’t.
“No.” She shoves me away, and I go willingly. I honestly didn’t come here to get between her
legs. Or her mouth. Although that would be a bonus. “Who the fuck is Evan Scott?”
I run a hand through my hair. “I had to create a fake profile for a dare.”
“I don’t know.” I answer his previous question. “She could have, but I can’t say for sure.” I don’t
know how long Demi had been standing on the stairs when Becky called me Evan Scott. But she
could have heard Becky ask me about him once she and I were in her room.
“We take her out,” Shane announces.
I throw my head back and laugh at that ludicrous idea. I wanted to threaten Demi, but take her out?
Not happening. Make her life a living hell if she’s behind this? Absolutely.
“We’re not doing that.” Cole shakes his head.
“I didn’t get this far to let some little bitch get us thrown in jail. Who the hell knows what she
knows?” Shane fists his hands.
“We can’t kill her.” Cole growls. “We’re not in Collins, you fucking idiot. She has a sister. Parents.
She’s a senior in high school. Not some old guy with no one who would look for her.”
“You did whatever the fuck you wanted to do with Austin,” Shane snaps.
 Cole’s eyes narrow on him. “Yes, but she had no one. This situation is not the same. And we’re not
in a place that we know well enough to start killing people and hiding bodies.”
I hang my head and run my hand through my hair. “How about we just ask her what she knows?’
“Do you think she’ll be truthful?” Bennett asks me. “Like if she knew her life was in danger?”
I shrug my shoulders. “I don’t know.”
“This is bullshit,” Shane snaps.
“Watch it, Shane,” Cole warns. “You’re starting to sound like Kellan. And we all know how that
worked out for him.”
Shane ignores his threat and looks at Bennett. “Speaking of Kellan, how do we know you really
killed him?”
“Excuse me?” Bennett quirks a brow at the accusation.
“I killed him,” Cole corrects Shane.
“But how do we know he stayed dead?” Shane argues, pointing at Bennett. “This fucker could have
…”
Shane doesn’t get to finish that sentence ’cause Bennett’s fist connects with his jaw, knocking his
ass into the table.
I grab Bennett by the shoulders and yank him back. “Cole? A little help,” I snap, watching him
leaning up against the wall.
He releases a huff and pushes off and yanks Shane up off the floor by the collar of his shirt. Not
exactly what I meant by helping, but it’ll do.
“It makes total sense.” Shane shoves Cole away with a growl. “His name is on there and marked
off ’cause we believe he’s dead, but what if he’s still alive?”
“No.” Cole speaks. “He. Is. Dead. I made sure that fucker was cold before I handed his ass over to
Bennett.”
Shane runs the back of his hand over his bloody chin as he glares at Cole. “You willing to bet
Austin’s life on that?” he asks.
Silence fills the small area. Bennett pulls away from me, and I cross my arms over my chest. Cole
squares his shoulders and fists his hands. “I don’t care if God himself wrote us this fucking riddle.
I’ve already told you if something happens to her, you’re the first one I’ll kill.”
Shane ignores him and turns to face me. “Did Kellan know Demi?”
“We all went to school together. Of course, he knew her,” I answer.
“No, I mean really knew her.” He growls. “She’s the only one on the list who doesn’t make sense.”
He licks his busted lips. “Did they fuck?”
“Who didn’t Kellan fuck?” Bennett growls.
The thought of Kellan and Demi together makes my jaw tighten. I always saw Demi Holt as a good
girl. A bitch, yes, but someone with very little experience in the bedroom. She never flaunted herself
like her sister did. I figured she’d take a little more time to spread her legs open for a guy. And Kellan
didn’t have that kind of patience. But then again, I’d never have guessed she would allow me to
finger-fuck her in a haunted house either. So what the fuck do I know when it comes to her and what
she will do?
I try to think back to anything that would give away the two of them even communicating in any
way. “No,” I say when I realize we already know the answer. “But I know how we can figure it out.”
“How so?” Bennett asks.
“We have Kellan’s phone …”
Bennett shakes his head. “We gave it to the police. Plus, other than the recording I wanted them to
have, I wiped it clean.”
“We still have his other one. Let’s go through it.” His phone never mattered before. Austin
survived. Kellan was dead, and his body was never going to be found, so we never went through it,
but that doesn’t mean we didn’t keep it.
Cole finally nods. “Grab the note and let’s go.”
We lock up the cabin and get back into my SUV. As I start my car, my phone dings. It’s a new text
from Austin. I open it up.
Austin: Where are you guys? His phone is still off. I’m really worried, Deke.
Me: Headed home.
I throw my car in reverse.
“Who was that?” Cole asks, staring down at my phone sitting in my lap.
“Demi.” My stomach instantly knots at the lie. And, fuck, why did I have to say her? Becky would
have been a better choice. More believable.
His eyes meet mine, and I know he knows I just lied. I wait for him to call me out on it or maybe
punch me in the face. Nothing would surprise me at this point. At least I didn’t think so. But then he
nods his head once and looks away from me, not saying one word.

DEMI

I SIT IN my bath, the only light from the flickering candles lining the bathtub. I have bubbles in my
water, and Austin’s journal in my hand. I haven’t been able to put this down. It’s like a dark and
mysterious maze. Even though I know they end up together, I’m still trying to figure out how Cole will
win her over.
He treats her like shit. Blackmail and physical harm are just a couple of things he puts her through,
but she dishes it back. In a way, she’s my hero. I wish she was my sister and not Becky. Yeah, Austin
gave in and had sex with Cole, but it was more than that.
She reminds me so much of myself. She feels this pull to Cole’s darkness just as I do to Deke’s. I
wanna see what he can do. How dark he can go. Push his limits like Austin did with Cole. And push
him, she does.
She has just completed her first dare in this part. She pulled the fire alarm at school and stole
Cole’s car keys out of his locker. She needed a distraction to get Shane out of the school so he could
steal Jerrold’s laptop. Eli’s brother-in-law. The man who was married to his sister. The murderer
who killed her just months after Eli died in the car wreck. Deke threw her a party to celebrate it on
the beach. And it reminds me of when I went there with my sister and David. That night that changed
everything.
I fall into Eli’s passenger seat and inhale the scent of his car. It smells like his cologne, and I
smile to myself, knowing it’s going to be on my clothes long after he drops me off at home.
He gets into the driver’s seat and starts it up. “Darkest Hour” by Memory of a Melody plays
through the speakers.
A knock comes on his driver’s side window, and it makes me jump. He rolls it down. “What’s
up?” he asks.
Cole leans over, poking his head in. He still holds the bottle of vodka he took from me by the
bonfire. His cold eyes sweep over my body and then go to Eli. “Leaving so soon?”
“Just going for a ride,” Eli tells him.
“Sure, you are.” He slaps the hood of the car. “So am I.”
 I look over at his Porsche Cayenne parked a few cars down and watch a blonde climb into the
passenger seat. She pulls down the visor and fixes her lipstick as if Cole gives a fuck if her lips are
fresh.
When I look back at Cole, he gives Eli a smirk. “Make it worth it.” Then he pushes off the door
and strolls over to his car.
Eli pulls out onto the winding road, and I look down to see I’m still holding my drink. “Will you
stop for a second?” I ask.
“Why?” he asks, sliding his eyes over to me for a quick glance.
“So I can pour this drink out.”
He snorts. “It’s fine.”
“What if we get pulled over? I don’t want to get you in trouble.”
He just laughs. “Don’t worry about me, D. It’ll be fine.”
Warmth runs up my spine at the way he called me D. I bite my lips to hide my grin and turn to
look out the passenger window. “Where are we going?” I ask nervously.
“To my favorite place,” he says.
My knees bounce with nervousness. This is the first time I’ve ever been alone with Eli. Or any
boy. I’ve thought about it a hundred times, but none of those compare to him finally showing an
interest in me. We talk here and there in the halls of the school, and I’ve caught him staring a few
times. All he did was smile, but I was the first to look away.
I take a small sip of the drink. And hiss in a breath.
He laughs. “Is this the first time you’ve ever had a drink?”
Among other things. “No,” I lie and take another one. The lie burns more than the alcohol. It
makes me think of Becky. She lies to everyone about everything. I’m nothing like her. “Yes,” I
admit and take another.
He stays silent, but I watch a smile spread across his face lit up by the lights on his dash. He
looks fucking gorgeous with a strong jawline and dark hair that looks like it needs a trim falling in
his eyes and curling at the ends. He wears a black hoodie and ripped jeans with a pair of tennis
shoes. His parents died when he was younger, but his sister is quite a bit older than him. They had
Eli when they were older. Aimee met a good businessman and married him. They took Eli in to live
with them when their parents passed.
I take another sip as my thighs tighten. I’ve wanted to kiss him for so long, and I pray that
tonight is the night that happens.
He slows down the car and exits the road onto a gravel drive. I turn and look out the back
window but can only see the red glow from the brakes behind us. “Where are we?” I ask.
“You’ll see.” He remains cryptic, and I take another sip.
He brings the car to a stop and turns it off. “Come on.”
I push open the door and do a three-sixty, looking at our surroundings. “Eli, that’s the Lowes
house,” I say, pointing over in the general direction of the only lights on at this time of night.
“I know.” He walks around to the back of his car and pops the trunk.
I follow and watch him unzip a black duffel bag. Before I can see what’s in it, he yanks out a
flashlight and zips it back up. “Come on.” He shuts his trunk and grabs my hand. My knees
threaten to buckle at the contact. Then he begins to walk me up a hill.
We stay silent. The only sound is our shoes crunching on the ground beneath us. The weather
hasn’t been as crazy as usual. We haven’t had any rain in a couple of weeks.
I shiver from the cool night air and take another small sip of the vodka. My chest heats from the
burning alcohol, and I take another.
We walk in silence, and I turn to look back at the car, but nothing’s there. Just the dark night
surrounding us, hiding us. And I take another sip.
We come to the top of the hill, and my legs falter, bringing us both to a stop. “What are we doing
here?” I ask, and my voice shakes.
He turns to face me, his light shining down on the ground. “I told you, this is my favorite
place.”
Is he joking? He’s got to be fucking with me. “Eli, this is an abandoned cemetery.”
He shrugs. “And?”
I swallow nervously. “It’s creepy.”
An evil smile lights up his face as bright as the flashlight he holds. “I know.” Then he turns and
starts to drag my heavy feet through the bodies laid to rest and never thought of again. I watch as
names I’ve known for years in this town but never really knew pass by us. But then there’s one I
know all too well. Betty Reynolds—Cole’s mother. She was always so nice to me. She’d go out of
her way to say hello or check on you.
“Here we are.” Eli gets my attention as he comes up to the cliff that overlooks the ocean. He
releases my hand and sits down on the ledge. When I make no move to get any closer, he turns to
look up at me. “Come on.” He pats the spot next to him.
“I’m afraid of heights.” I shake my head; my hand tightens on the cup.
His face grows serious, brown eyes looking up at me. “I’d never let anything happen to you, D.”
He lifts his hand to mine. “Come on. I wanna show you something.”
I take in a deep breath and then take another drink before I place my hand in his along with all
my trust.
 CHAPTER TWELVE
DEKE

WE ENTER COLE’S house to find Austin sitting at the kitchen table with a plate of untouched pasta
in front of her, the fork in her hand just pushing it around. The moment we enter, she stands, and her
green eyes widen. “Oh.” She’s surprised when she looks at Bennett and then Shane.
Did Cole not mention to her that they were coming?
“Hey, Austin.” Bennett is the first one to greet her; he walks over and gives her a hug. She returns
it. Shane stays where he is, settling for a nod. She gives him a smile, but it looks forced.
“I’m off to bed,” I state. “I’m fucking tired.”
Bennett slaps me on the back.
“I’m gonna go for a swim,” Cole announces to no one in particular. He turns, exiting the kitchen,
and heads up to their room to change into his board shorts.
“If any of you are hungry, there is spaghetti in the fridge.” Austin mumbles, “Excuse me,” and exits
the kitchen after Cole.
I, too, make my way up the stairs, not bothering with dinner. I had a late lunch. Closing my door, I
hear them talking through the wall.
“Cole, please talk to me,” she begs him.
Silence.
“You can’t keep doing this.”
“Don’t Austin,” he warns.
“Cole … please …”
“I don’t wanna have this conversation with you!” he snaps.
She lets out a huff. “Well, too fucking bad. We’re gonna have it.”
I rip my shirt up and over my head and unfasten my jeans before shoving them down my legs. I yank
the covers back and crawl into the soft bed.
“Why didn’t you tell me the guys were coming?” she continues.
“Slipped my mind,” he lies.
I know why he didn’t tell her. He doesn’t want Austin to have the slightest clue of what is going on,
but she’s a smart girl. She’ll figure it out. He should know that by now.
“Well, how long are they staying?” She huffs.
“Don’t know.” His response is flat.
“Do you know anything?” she snaps.
“I know I’m going for a swim.” Their bedroom door opens and then slams shut.
I sigh, placing my hands behind my head and stare up at the white ceiling. I should go down to the
pool and talk to him, but sometimes the best thing you can do for Cole is give him space.
I just close my eyes when my bedroom door bursts open, hitting the interior wall. They snap open. I
hold in a sigh when Austin enters my room, hands on her hips and a sour look on her face. “What the
fuck is going on, Deke?”
I sit up. “That’s for Cole to tell you.”
“He won’t.”
 “Then I can’t help you—”
“Bullshit!” she snaps.
I lie back down and close my eyes, dismissing her. When I hear my bedroom door slam shut, I
smile in victory. My left hand reaches out to grab my phone. I need to set my alarm. I have a nine a.m.
class tomorrow. My eyes spring open when I feel nothing but my nightstand.
I throw the covers off. “Shit!” My phone is missing. I just had it. I put it right there ... “Austin?” I
shout her name, running out of my room. I enter their bedroom without knocking and find it empty. But
their adjoining bathroom door is shut. I run over and try to open it. It’s locked! “Austin?” I pound on
the door.
Silence.
Shit! I move back, about to shove my shoulder into the door to get my phone back, but then decide
against it. This is Cole’s problem. Not mine.
I make my way downstairs and out to the back patio. Cole has his head underwater, swimming
laps. I reach over and grab the first thing I can find, which is a towel. I take it and throw it at him. His
arm gets caught in it, pulling it underwater. He comes to a stop and lifts his head. “What?” he
demands.
“Austin locked herself in your bathroom.”
He just stares up at me from the pool.
“And she has my phone with her.”
He frowns.
“I don’t have a lock on it.”
Recognition dawns on his face. Placing his hands on the edge of the pool, he pushes himself out of
the water and makes a mad dash for the house.
I follow him but much slower.
“What’s going on?” Bennett asks as I walk through the living room, my feet stepping in the puddles
that Cole left behind. He and Shane are sitting on the couch.
“Nothing,” I answer, not wanting to explain it. Making my way up to my bedroom, I enter and shut
my door. I can hear them arguing once again.
“This is no joke, Cole.” Austin growls. “This is Evan Scott!” she snaps. Maybe she doesn’t know.
“Becky told me a while back that Evan Scott was Deke.” Well, fuck! “And I highly doubt he sent this
to you and himself.” He says nothing. “And all of a sudden Bennett and Shane show up? Obviously,
someone is fucking with you guys. And you were gonna keep this from me?”
“Yes.”
She gasps at his honesty. “Why?”
He sighs. “Why would I tell you? Sweetheart”—he softens his voice—“I pulled you into this game
nine months ago, and it almost got you killed. I can’t lose you …”
“Nothing is going to happen to me, Cole.”
“You don’t know that,” he argues. “And I’m not willing to take that risk. Not again.”
“Wouldn’t you want me to be alert? I take Lilly to school. I pick her up. She has dance and ballet.
I’m not with you a hundred percent of the time. Barely fifty percent now that you have classes and
swimming. Wouldn’t you rather me know to keep my eyes open for something off than be in the dark?”
He doesn’t answer that because he knows she has a valid point.
“You’re different,” she whispers, and it’s so low I almost didn’t catch what she said. “And I can
handle dark and moody, Cole, but not this one who keeps secrets. We’re supposed to be a team.”
“I know,” he says with a rough voice.
 “I’m going to be your wife.”
“I know.”
“Whatever you are getting into, I’m getting in too.”
“No!” He growls.
“Yes! This isn’t just about you anymore. You, me, Lilly, and the guys. You’re all my family, Cole. I
trust you all with my life. You need to trust me just as much.”
“I trust you.” He snorts.
“Then show me that.”
A long silence follows before he speaks. “I love you, sweetheart.”
“I love you too.”
Then they’re kissing. Her moaning follows shortly after. I roll over onto my side and grab the spare
pillow on my bed and place it over my head, not wanting to hear them fucking. You would think as
much as houses cost these days, the walls would be soundproof.
“Stop,” she says.
“Excuse me?” Cole asks, sounding surprised. Pretty sure he’s never heard that word from a woman
before.
“We need to talk to the guys.”
“It can wait …”
“No. It can’t. This is important.” She growls.
Seconds later, my door opens, and she pokes her head in. My phone sails through the air, almost
hitting me in the head. “Get dressed and meet us downstairs.”
I sigh and do as she says, wanting to get this over with. I already told them I’m fucking tired.

DEKE

WE ALL GATHER in the living room. Austin sits on Cole’s lap in the leather recliner. I’m perched on the
couch next to Bennett, and Shane stands by the back door, refusing to sit.
“Do we have an idea who it is?” Austin asks. Her eyes scan the paper one more time. Cole gave it
to her ten minutes ago, and we’ve all sat here while she silently went over it.
“No.” I answer.
“Demi has to be behind it.” Shane growls.
“I don’t know,” she says slowly. “Demi doesn’t seem to be that type.”
He pushes off the wall. “Deke is fucking her.”
“What?” She gasps, her large green eyes meeting mine.
“I’m not.” My jaw clenches. I’m only fucking her in my dreams. My dreams where she pretends to
be Becky and tells me to hurt her. Too bad I end up killing her every time. I keep that to myself,
though. Don’t wanna cause more worry than there already is.
Shane goes on. “She knows too much. And she needs to die.”
I didn’t think Austin’s eyes could have gotten any bigger when she looks at him. “You can’t be
serious.”
“You have a better option?” he asks.
She turns and looks at Cole. He’s running his hand absentmindedly through her hair. “Please tell me
you don’t want to kill Demi?” I haven’t heard that kind of fear in her voice in a long time.
His hand pauses, and he looks up at her. His eyes give nothing away, but his brows crease. “No.”
She looks back down at the paper in her hands.
 This would be a good time to tell them she threatened me the last time I saw her, but I keep my
mouth shut. For some reason, I feel like I need to protect her from Shane. He’s on a mission to kill
someone, and Demi is his target. Do I think she’s capable of this? Not really. But am I suspicious?
Yes. If she’s behind it, I’ll handle her myself. It’s not going to require all the GWS to take her down.
“We don’t have a lot of options here.” Shane growls. “She comes out of nowhere, and all of a
sudden, she’s on a piece of paper that has some cryptic riddle on it. And we’ve checked Kellan’s
phone. Of course, there was nothing on there. He must have deleted everything.”
Yeah, that was a dead end. “What do you suggest we do?” I ask her.
Shane snorts as if asking Austin for advice is beneath him. I don’t give a shit what he thinks.
She doesn’t answer right away. Folding up the letter, she stares out the floor-to-ceiling windows
that overlook their pool in the backyard. Regret and sadness flashes across her face, and I wonder
what she’s thinking about. I’m not sure how well she knows Demi. Becky never hung out with her
much. Demi came to a few bonfires on the beach with Becky, David, and his friend, but that was the
last time I knew of them ever hanging out together.
Finally, after what seems like forever, she looks at me. “How do you push a girl to think
irrationally?”
None of us answer.
She chuckles at our clueless minds. “You make her jealous.”
I frown. “Jealous?”
She nods. “A jealous woman is a scary one.”
I think back to the time I saw Austin jealous over Cole.
I lean my shoulder up against the lockers as Cole digs through his. Austin walks down the
senior hallway, not bothering to look his way, but he sees her, grabs her, and pulls her back to his
front before she can pass him. “Miss me, sweetheart?”
She spins around in his arms, reaches up, and slaps him across the face. The sound bounces off
the walls.
I take a step back from them. What the fuck …?
“What the hell was that for?” Cole demands, now glaring down at her.
She throws me a look of disgust, and my brows rise. What did I do? She turns her attention back
on Cole. “I’m sure you can figure it out.” She turns around and walks toward the door, but he
grabs her arm and yanks her back. “Cole!” she snaps.
“What the fuck was that for, Austin?” he demands. “Because I didn’t tell you where I went? It
was none of your fucking business!”
He spent the day in Texas meeting with his counselor at the University of Texas. He plans on
taking Lilly with him, and he can’t live in the dorm with a child. He needed to discuss housing, and
he already had a few lined up to look at while he was there. He told me this morning before he
boarded his plane that he’s gonna ask Austin to go with him. He tried to make it sound like it was
no big deal, but Cole wanting any woman to move in with him is huge. He loves her. I know it. He
knows it. He just refuses to admit it. She had no clue where he went or what he has planned. I don’t
know why he won’t just tell her.
Tears fill her green eyes. She tries to pull away from him, but she gets nowhere. “Just forget it.”
Her voice cracks.
And I watch in fascination at the way he melts for her. How can he not see it? Feel what she
does to him? His eyes soften as he steps into her. “What’s wrong?” he asks, cupping her face.
Her first tear falls. “I know where you went.”
 My eyes widen. How the fuck does she know? I’m the only one he told.
Cole’s jaw sharpens. “How do you—”
“I heard it,” she interrupts him.
He looks at me, and I throw my hands up, shaking my head. “I haven’t said anything.”
“What do you mean? You heard it? Who did you hear it from?” He turns his attention back to
her.
“I’m not gonna spell it out for you, Cole.”
She had overheard her stepmom calling out Cole’s name the night before while she was fucking our
friend Kellan. He tried to convince Austin that Cole was cheating on her. And she believed it for a
day. That was long enough to drive her crazy. That was also the day I found out Kellan was fucking
Celeste. We didn’t need to know why. There was a reason behind it, but we just couldn’t figure it out.
Austin nods, getting my attention. “You force her hand. If she is really Evan Scott, she’ll get pissed
and act without thinking it through. Make her jealous and see what Evan does next. We get another
letter, message, or whatever, then you know it’s from her. But …” She pauses. “I’m just gonna give
you my opinion now. It’s not Demi.”
“Who do you think it is?” Bennett speaks up for the first time.
“I don’t know,” she answers honestly, and he leans back on the couch, letting out a sigh. “I mean,
how many enemies could you have left behind in Collins?” She shrugs. “I think it could be anyone at
this point. And if for some reason, I’m wrong, and it’s Demi pretending to be Evan Scott, she’s not
doing it alone. She’d have to have help, right?”
No one answers, but she makes a valid point.
I pull out my cell and send a quick message to Becky. She had messaged me the other day about
wanting to meet up this weekend. I don’t have time to wait that long.
Me: Wanna have dinner tomorrow night?
“I’m not sure this will work.” Shane growls. “How are you gonna make Demi jealous?”
I look over at him. “I’ll stay the night with Becky.”
“Whoa …” Austin starts. “I said to make Demi jealous, not hurt Becky. She loves—”
“Becky and I are never going to happen,” I interrupt her.
Her mouth clamps shut at my words. Some things just can’t be undone. And Becky and I reached
that point months ago. But I don’t mind using her.
My phone dings.
Becky: I’d love to.
“I’m on. Tomorrow night,” I announce.
The room falls silent, and I place my phone down without responding.
“Do we need to tell you this stays between us?” Shane asks, narrowing his eyes on Austin. He
doesn’t want her running to Becky and telling her our plan.
Cole glares up at him, but Austin just sighs. She’s mad at me. And a part of me hates that. I see her
as a little sister, but no matter how much I love Austin, it’s not gonna make me love Becky.
“What?” Shane snaps. “She’s best friends with Becky. One word could ruin it.”
“I’ll keep my mouth shut,” she tells him. “But thanks for the reminder.” Austin gets up and leaves
the living room, making her way upstairs. Cole follows her without saying a word, knowing he’s
finally gonna get his dick wet.
 CHAPTER THIRTEEN
BECKY

STANDING AT THE foot of my bed, I look over the clothes I have thrown around my room.
I’m having dinner with Deke tonight. And I can’t find a single thing to wear.
Every girl’s worst nightmare.
The problem is this isn’t a first date. I need something that screams love me. Take me back. I can’t
live without you.
And I have nothing.
All but running out of my room, I enter Demi’s. She’s out with Seth tonight. I overheard her telling
him earlier when she came home to get ready and she would meet him at seven thirty at Lake Travis.
His parents have a cabin over there.
I rummage through her closet. She normally doesn’t dress like me. She prefers frumpy shirts and
jeans with tennis shoes.
Not my style.
But that doesn’t stop my mother from buying her expensive dresses. My mother has high hopes for
Demi. She sees her representing her lingerie line one day even though my sister gives zero shits about
it. I think that’s why my mother pushes her. If Demi would just give in, then our mother would
probably back off.
I come across a royal blue bandage dress. It wraps around the ribs, showing off a little midriff with
a high skirt, connecting the two in the back. I hold it up to my body to measure the length. I’m taller
than Demi and my boobs are bigger, but I can make it work. It would probably come to her knees so
my upper thighs.
I remove my jeans and tank top right here in her closet and then step into it, thinking it would be
easier to pull up than push down. After wiggling my hips and shaking my ass, I get it on. I run my
hands down the form-fitting skirt and face the floor-length mirror in the corner of her room.
I smile at myself. It’s a little tighter than I’d like, but it will work for dinner. If I play my cards
right, he’ll be taking it off me later. Just like old times. It reminds me of this one time when he took me
on a date, but we had to keep it a secret ’cause I was with David.
Junior year
“What are we doing here?” I ask Deke as he pulls into his sister’s driveway.
He turns his Range Rover off. “Don’t panic. Shelby’s at work tonight.” Getting out, he comes
around the SUV and opens my door for me.
“Thank you,” I say with a nod.
We enter the house, and I wait in the entryway for him to turn the lights on, but he doesn’t.
Instead, he grabs my hand and leads me down the hallway. “Deke, what are we doing?” I ask
again with a soft laugh, but he doesn’t answer.
Why did he bring me here? No one knows about us. Even if Shelby isn’t home, it’s too risky.
We turn the corner, entering the kitchen, and I gasp. A single red rose sits in a glass vase
surrounded by four candles in the center of the round table. A white tablecloth covers it, and it’s
set for two. He lets go of my hand and walks over to the table. He picks up the lighter and lights
them, giving the room a soft glow.
He places the lighter in a drawer and looks over at me with a sly smile on his handsome face. “I
hope you’re hungry.”
“Starving,” I lie. I had dinner earlier with David and his parents. I tried to get out of it, but he
wouldn’t let it go. And his mom offered me a glass of wine, so I couldn’t turn that down. She’s a
lush and doesn’t care if you’re legal age or not.
He walks over to me and places his hands on my hips. His blue eyes look darker in the dim light.
Sexier. “You did all this for me?”
His answer comes in a smirk.
I lean forward and place a chaste kiss on his lips. I go to pull away, but he places his hands in
my hair and devours my lips with his. When he pulls away, I open my heavy eyes. He runs his
knuckles down my cheek. “I’d do anything for you, Becky. All you have to do is ask.”
I smile at that memory. Let’s hope he still feels that way.

DEKE

I PARK AUSTIN’S Range Rover in Becky’s mother’s driveway. Her father had bought her a red BMW
when she arrived in Collins last January, but she traded it in for an SUV like mine after we moved to
Texas. She said it was a better choice and safer for Lilly. But where mine is black, Austin’s is white. I
drove it tonight because I don’t want Demi spotting mine in the driveway when she arrives home. I
wanna surprise her. And then Angelica won’t question why a guy’s car is here all night either. She
knows Austin’s ride, and she’ll think for some strange reason Austin stayed here. Not me.
I knock on the front door, and Mrs. Holt’s housekeeper answers the door. “Hello, sir.” She nods her
head in greeting.
“Ma’am. I’m here to pick up Becky.”
She smiles at me and gestures for me to enter. “She’s upstairs getting ready.”
“Thank you.” I make my way up the left staircase, knowing that Demi’s room is on the right. I come
to a stop and lean up against the doorframe. Becky stands in her room, bent over looking at herself in
her vanity mirror. She wears a dark blue dress that looks a little too small, but that’s nothing new.
She’s always liked to show off every curve, not that she has many. Demi may be smaller than her
sister, but Becky isn’t big by any means. She has no hips and no ass, but she does have long, sexy
legs. I’ll give her that. I used to love having them wrapped around my hips. And her tits, they’re a
good handful. I always wanted to fuck them, but Becky wasn’t into that sort of thing.
As I stand here looking her over, I can’t understand why I fell for her. What was it that made me
believe every lie? Made me fall in love with her? Was it because she chose me over David? I wasn’t
faithful to her, but she knew that. I didn’t lie to her. She was very aware that I slept with other girls
and she couldn’t say shit to me about it. She fucked both David and me, and I fucked whoever I
wanted. I mainly just did it to piss her off, though, and it worked.
Now I’m going to fuck her to piss her sister off. And I’m hoping that it works. When I find out that
Demi is the one fucking us over, I will give her what she wants—me. A motherfucking shark. I’ll
destroy her.
Becky smacks her lips together and straightens. She pulls her blond curls over her shoulder and
turns to face me. She jumps back, letting out a squeal of surprise. “Deke. How long have you been
standing there?”
 Even her voice makes my skin crawl. “Long enough.”
She runs her hands down her dress nervously, and I give her a smile. I’m not gonna hurt you. Just
gonna use you.
“I’m ready when you are.” She clears her throat and reaches for a clutch that sits on her dresser.
Her eyes move to her bed for a brief second, but I don’t miss the longing in her eyes. There was a
time when I would have already had her dress off and her lying on her back with my head between
her legs.
Not tonight.
I’m in no rush to fuck you. I’m gonna take my time. I’ve got all night, after all.
She makes her way over to me, and I reach my hand out for her. We make our way down the stairs,
and just as we reach the door, I hear a set of heels clapping on the tile floor behind us. “You kids have
fun tonight.”
I turn around to see Angelica walking toward us. I remember her back when we were younger—
back before the divorce—and she has always been a bitch. Angelica has her bleach blond hair up in a
tight bun. She wears a skintight black skirt that reaches her bony knees and a white silk blouse tucked
into the high waist with a black blazer. A string of pearls rests along her thin neck. She looks every bit
of the powerhouse woman she is. A self-made billionaire. Becky looks identical to her. She has
Becky’s height, but I’m pretty sure she weighs less than Demi. I don’t think the woman ever eats. The
buzz going around town was she used to be addicted to diet pills back when we were in middle
school. My mother chatted about it for months because she was jealous of Mrs. Holt. I think because
she wasn’t afraid to go after what she wanted. She wanted to be skinny, and she was willing to do
whatever it took to achieve that. My mother wouldn’t know commitment if it bit her in her silicone
ass.
She comes to a stop and frowns. “Becky, isn’t that Demi’s dress?”
Becky smiles but rolls her eyes. “Yes, but it’s not like she’s ever gonna wear it.”
Her mother sighs. I know Becky is her favorite because she never hid that from anyone. Becky was
her mini-me in every way. Demi may look like them, but she never had that desire. She was forced.
But that doesn’t stop her from wanting Demi to give in to their ways.
“Just be careful with it.” She places her hands on her nonexistent hips. “And put it back where you
found it afterward.”
 CHAPTER FOURTEEN
BECKY

HE TOOK ME to Austin Stonelake. I’ve never been here before, but I’ve heard of it. It’s just as
fancy as they say. Dim lighting with white tablecloths and folded black napkins. There’s a vase at
every table with a single rose in it. It immediately reminded me of our dinner at his sister’s house that
night. It must be a good omen.
We’ve already had our appetizers and are currently finishing our main course. It’s been awkward.
We’ve been quiet, but I’m not sure what to say. And I don’t think he has much to talk about.
I lick my lips and take a deep breath. “I was in Collins last weekend.”
“Oh, yeah?” he asks, not bothering to take his eyes off his plate.
“I saw your father.” That gets his attention.
He drops his fork and looks up at me. Slowly, he lifts his black napkin and rubs the corners of his
mouth. “And?” His voice has gone cold.
I knew it would. His father is the last thing I want to talk about, but if it gets his attention … “He
misses you.”
He snorts at that. “Doubtful.”
I lower my eyes to my plate. “He said he’s been calling you.”
“And I’ve been ignoring him.”
“Why?”
He takes a drink of his water and sets it down. “Since when do you care about my father? You
never have before.”
Honestly? I hate that man. He always tried to use Deke. He had Deke’s life mapped out for him
from the moment he was born, but Deke didn’t care. That was the problem Langston had. His only son
wanted nothing to do with him or his plans to take over the world. Deke always had that ability on his
own. Deke and Langston both know it.
I shrug. “I don’t. I just thought you should know.”
“Thanks,” he says dryly before picking up his fork and getting back to his meal.
The rest of dinner went by slow and silently. We didn’t speak, and I hated it.
Things aren’t going how I wanted them to. He was supposed to see me in my dress, take it off, and
make love to me. I can work with that, but this? I don’t know what to do. Things used to run smoothly
between us, but now nothing but secrets and lies hang in the air, choking us with every breath.
We pull up to my house, and I pause when he brings the car to a stop. I haven’t asked him why he’s
driving Austin’s Range Rover. I’ll ask her tomorrow. She won’t lie to me. Not like Deke will. I lick
my lips nervously, trying to think of an excuse to get him to come inside, but he turns the car off.
We make our way inside silently. All the lights are off, and I know my mother is already in bed.
She goes to sleep early ’cause she starts her day before the sun ever rises. I make my way up the
stairs slowly, and he’s right on my ass.
We enter my room, and I flip the light on. He makes his way to the end of my four-post bed and sits
down on the peach satin comforter. I watch him unbutton his cuff links and roll up his sleeves. He
wore a black button-down and black slacks, making him look so much older than I know he is. This
moment feels as if we’re a married couple coming home from an anniversary dinner. Our kids at the
sitter. And an endless night of me and him rolling around in our bed.
My mouth goes dry at the thought of him touching me. It’s been too long. Deke always has had this
hold on me. No matter how many lies I told him, I loved him. And I know he loves me just as much.
It’s just gonna take a little push on my end.
“Would you like anything to—”
“No,” he interrupts me, standing.
I swallow the knot that forms in my throat when he reaches up and undoes the first button on his
button-down.
Why am I so nervous? Maybe because he knows the real me. No matter what I tell him now, he’ll
see right through me. And that’s terrifying.
“Stop,” he orders.
“What?” I blink.
He comes to stand in front of me. His hands go to the hem of my dress. He grips it in his fingers and
slowly pulls it up my thighs. “Thinking.”
“Deke.”
“Shh,” he whispers, bringing the dress up and over my hips to expose the black lace thong that I
wore just for him. He used to love it when I wore lace. It’s a pair from my mother’s line.
“Undo my pants,” he commands.
My hands go to his black belt, and I undo it quickly. I pop the button on his slacks and then the
zipper. His right hand slides into my hair, and I whimper when he tilts my head back. I stiffen, afraid
he may rip my throat open with his teeth. Just because I want him to love me again doesn’t mean I
trust him.
“Tell me,” he whispers before peppering my neck with feather-like kisses.
“I miss you,” I say, knowing exactly what he wants to hear. It’s the same thing he told me the night
he kissed me in Cole’s kitchen before we went to Silence.
“How much?” His left hand slides between my legs, and he rubs my pussy over the thin material.
I’m already wet. Have been all night.
“So much,” I pant.
“Tell me to fuck you.”
My heart beats quicker at his words. He knows I don’t like the word fuck when used in reference
to us. I know Deke has a dark side, but he can be the gentlest lover. He can make you feel loved and
not used, but clearly, tonight is about him. I should have suspected it would go down this way. He’s
still mad at me, and he’s gonna make me grovel before he gives me what I want.
“Fuck me.” I choke on the words, but I feel him smile against my neck.
He’s gonna win this round because I need him to think he has me right where he wants me. Enjoy it,
Deke. It won’t stay this way for long.

DEMI

I PULL UP to my mother’s house and get out of my car. I frown when I spot Austin’s Range Rover
parked in the driveway. What is she doing here this early? It’s a little after eight a.m. Doesn’t she
have to take Lilly to school? Maybe she’s already dropped her off and came over here to pick up
Becky to hang out for the day.
I enter the house, not caring about going unnoticed. My mother is already at work, and by the five
texts she has sent me, she knows I didn’t come home last night and that I’m running late to school. I
just haven’t cared to open them up to read them. I make my way up the right staircase but slow my
pace when I hear Becky’s door creak open. What’s she doing up this early anyway? She stays up late
and sleeps in, which makes me question why Austin is here even more.
I get my answer the very next second. She leans up against the doorframe, and Deke stands in front
of her, his massive size filling the doorway. He has his right hand on her hip and his left in her hair.
She smiles up at him like a fucking schoolgirl. I reach the landing and quit walking completely, but I
don’t release the railing. I grip it so tight my knuckles are white.
“I had a great time,” she purrs.
He smirks down at her. His black dress shirt is unbuttoned and untucked. It’s wrinkled so I know it
spent all night on her floor. She wears an oversized T-shirt, and that’s it. It barely covers her pussy.
He doesn’t say anything to her. Instead, he tells her how much fun he had by placing his lips on
hers. He wraps both arms around her and pulls her away from the door. He spins her in a half circle,
placing her back to me. Letting go of her waist, he places both of his hands on her face. She moans,
and I stand watching like a deer in headlights.
What the hell is he doing? Does she truly believe he wants her? He hates her. I saw it in his eyes
when he spoke of her in his room. When he compared me to her. This must be some kind of joke.
He pulls his lips from hers, tilts her head to the side, and lowers his lips to her exposed neck. He
opens his eyes, and they land right on me, across the balcony. He knew I was here. “Fuck, Becky!”
My heart pounds at the way he moans her name while he stares at me, but it makes total sense. Why
he’s here. Me. He wants to fuck with me. He’s making it very clear that no matter what kind of lying
whore she is, she’s better than I am, and I’ll never live up to her. He doesn’t have to say the words. I
can read it in his cold crystal blue eyes. And the fact he’s not the least bit surprised to see me.
“Deke,” she pants, falling for his shit.
His eyes remain on mine as he licks his way up her neck to the shell of her ear.
I want to run over and rip her off him. I want kiss him, to show her that he was touching me the
same way just two nights ago, but I can’t. I’ve become immobile at the sight of him taunting me.
Playing with me as if I’m some fucking amateur.
He pulls away, and the smirk on his face tells me all I need to know.
Fuck you, Demi!
He finally looks away from me and leans down, giving her a peck on the cheek. “I’ll call you
later.” Without another word, he walks down the staircase and exits the house.
I look at my sister, and I watch a smile grace her face. It’s that Becky Holt smile she hides from
everyone but herself. The I-fucked-you-over smile.
They’re both playing their own games on one another. But why?
As if she just realizes that he’s gone and no longer has to pretend, the smile drops off her face.
Taking a step back into her room, she slams her door shut.
I stand there still trying to wrap my head around what I just saw and why I’m so pissed off about it
when her door opens, and she tosses a wad of clothes into the hall by her door, then shuts it again. I
notice a dark blue dress that looks familiar and find myself walking over to it. Our housekeeper hates
when Becky does this, but she doesn’t care.
I pick up the blue dress and clench it in my hand. She wore my dress. Not that I would, but I hate
the idea of her being in my room and snooping through my shit. This is exactly why I make sure to
have Austin’s journal on me at all times. I turn the dress over and frown when I see a white spot that
looks like a dried substance. I run my thumb over it, and it hits me. It’s come. She wore my dress last
night while he fucked her. And didn’t even bother to remove it.
Motherfucker!
I enter my room. Plopping down on the end of my bed, I pull out my phone and send a text to Seth.
My fingers moving so quickly, my mind can’t keep up with them.
Me: Party at my house Halloween. Spread the word.
Seth: You sure you wanna do that?
Me: Yes.
Seth: What about your sister?
Me: She won’t be here. She’s going back to Collins for the weekend to spend it with my dad.
I smile as I lean back onto my bed and stare up at my ceiling. I have a plan already. One that will
knock them off their game. They won’t know what hit them.
 CHAPTER FIFTEEN
DEKE

I’M IN ENGLISH Lit. Cole sits to my right, holding his pencil like a fucking weapon. He’s still on
edge. Austin’s been able to calm him down in the evenings, but he’s still on high alert most of the
time. It’s been five days since we went to the cabin, and three since I fucked Becky.
Nothing has happened.
No new messages or threats.
I can’t decide if that’s a good or bad thing. Bennett and Shane went back to Collins last night. They
had missed enough classes and decided that since nothing was happening, it was time for them to
return. I couldn’t agree more. Bennett was always texting away on his phone, and Shane was
constantly looking at Austin as though he was plotting her murder, and Cole noticed. It was hard for us
all not to see it.
I haven’t heard from Becky. She put the ball in my court on purpose after our night together. I told
her I’d call, and I haven’t. At this point, I have nothing to say to her. She played her part. And I played
mine.
“Tell me to fuck you,” I whisper.
“Fuck me.” She chokes on the word, and I refrain from smiling. She knows what I want, and
although she doesn’t wanna give it up, she’s gonna take one for the team.
She’s so fucking transparent.
I reach down and push her underwear down her long legs, and she steps out of them. Then I
grab her hips and pick her up. She gasps, wrapping her legs around my waist. I toss her onto her
bed and run my finger over her pussy. She’s not soaked, but she’s also not dry. It’ll work. I’m not in
the mood for foreplay, and she never was one who liked it. She may be a slut, but she’s not up for
playing around. She normally spreads her legs and lies there like a fucking doll, but that won’t be
the case tonight.
I lift up and flip her over. Spreading her legs with mine, I grip her hair in one hand while I push
inside her in one quick motion. She cries out, but I don’t slow down. I fuck her hard and rough. My
hand maintains a hold of her hair while my other hand shoves her chest into the comforter, making
her back arch at an uncomfortable angle. And once I’m done, I pull out and come all over her
dress that I didn’t remove on purpose. I left it bunched up around her waist. And I’m leaving Demi
a little surprise that I hope she’ll find. It’s her dress, after all, and I know if Becky gets the chance,
she’ll throw it in Demi’s face. Literally.
“Hey, man?”
I look over at Seth as he’s putting away his books.
“What are you guys doing for Halloween this weekend?” he asks.
“We’re taking Lilly trick-or-treating,” I answer.
“We’re having a party on Saturday.” The day after Halloween. “You guys should come.”
“Who is?” Cole asks, Seth getting his attention.
“Demi is. At her parents’.”
I smile. “Really?”
 He nods. “Her parents are gonna be away for business, and Becky will be in Collins. She’s gonna
have the house to herself.” He smiles, leaning back in his seat. “Thought I’d let you guys know.
You’re more than welcome to come, and you don’t have to dress up if you don’t want to.”
I turn to look at Cole, and he nods to Seth. “We’ll be there.”
“Awesome.” He grabs his books. “I’m guessing you don’t need the address?”
“Nope,” I answer, and he laughs, getting up and walking out of the classroom.
Cole looks at me. “Think that’s what she’s waiting for? A party at her house?”
“No.” I shake my head. That’s not how Demi would do it, if it’s her. “She wouldn’t do anything in
front of a crowd. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have sent us to some old cabin to read a fucking letter.”
He snorts in agreement.
We make our way out of the classroom, and I see Seth leaning up against the wall talking to a
brunette. She looks up at him with big brown eyes, totally transfixed by his words. I knock my arm
into Cole’s to get his attention.
We come to a stop and watch them openly. She nods a few times, and he smiles down at her with
what could only be described as love. I recognize it because I’ve looked at Becky that way before.
“Interesting,” Cole mumbles next to me, seeing the look on Seth’s face.
They’re unfaithful. Just as Becky was to David. No wonder Demi allowed me to touch her so
easily and begged me to prove she was better than her sister.
They’re exactly the fucking same.
It pisses me off. Not sure why. I’ve known that Demi is with Seth. Every time I touched her, every
dream I’ve had of her, I’ve known she’s taken. But when has that ever stopped me before? Why would
it now?
She leans up on her tiptoes and gives him a soft kiss on the cheek, then turns and walks off. He
pulls his ringing cell out of his pocket and puts it to his ear. “Hey, babe.” He greets who I can only
guess is Demi. Or hell, maybe he’s got more on the side. “Yeah, I’ll come over after you’re done with
class.” He smiles to himself. “Wear the black one,” he says and then turns and walks off.
We stay standing, my mind wondering what black one he’s referring to. And wishing I could see it
as well.

DEMI

Sophomore year

I TAKE ELI’S hand, and he helps me sit down beside him on the cliff. My legs dangle off the ledge,
and I take another drink. My body shakes, and my breathing is labored. Why do girls do things
they don’t like to impress a boy? I’m not sure anyone will ever be able to answer that question.
“Hey.” I jump when Eli places his arm around me and pulls to his side. “I got you.”
I look over at his brown eyes and soft smile playing on his pretty face. “Why are we here?” I
ask.
The smile drops off his face, and he looks out over the dark ocean. The moonlight shines down
on it, making it look beautiful but deadly. “I come here a lot with Cole and Deke.” He swallows.
“After Betty died, there were times he wouldn’t answer our phone calls or texts. He’d miss school
and swim practice. We always worried about him.” He sighs. “But one day, Deke convinced me to
skip school and go look for him. We found him here, sitting at his mother’s grave.”
My chest tightens for Cole and the loss of his mother, and tears sting my eyes. I can’t imagine
what it would be like to lose a parent. Even if I don’t like mine most of the time, I’d hate to have to
live without them.
“We sat here with him in silence until the sun went down. And then without saying a word, he
turned and walked down to the Lowes estate.”
“Why?” I ask curiously.
“That’s where Lilly was. Celeste always watches her for him.”
I don’t like her. There’s just something about Celeste and Bruce Lowes that I don’t trust.
“Deke turned and left as well, but I walked over here and sat down.” He smiles, looking out
over the calm water. “And that’s when I heard them.”
“Heard what?” I whisper.
He turns to look at me, his left hand coming up to cup my face. “Just listen.”
I stop breathing. My heart pounds wildly at his warm hand on my cheek. I feel a blush creep up
my face, and I’m thankful it’s not daytime. “Kiss me,” I say without thought.
His eyes drop to my lips, and he licks his. “Demi, I can’t …”
“Please,” I beg him.
He sighs heavily. “Listen to me, Demi.” His other hand comes up to hold my face as well.
The world starts to spin.
“You’re too good to be someone’s secret. And we both know that’s exactly what you would have
to be if we got together.”
I know he’s right. He’s the oldest of the GWS. He’ll be turning eighteen this coming summer, and
I’ll still be sixteen. “I don’t care,” I whisper. My mouth going dry suddenly.
He frowns. “You deserve to be someone’s fucking world, Demi Holt. Don’t ever think anything
less of yourself.”
“I wanna be your world,” I say, feeling dizzy. I blink a few times, but it doesn’t stop. I fall
backward, and he catches me.
“Whoa.” He gets to his feet and helps me move away from the edge of the cliff. He tries to get
me to stand, but I stumble over my feet. “How much did you drink?” he asks.
“I …” I blink. “Not much.”
He grabs the drink from my hand and looks down at it.
“I think … I’m gonna get sick …”
He brings the cup to his lips and takes a sip. Then he’s spitting it out. “What the fuck? Who gave
you this drink?”
I try to think back. Who was it? My mind is foggy and … “Becky.” I slur.
“You sure?”
I nod and almost lose my balance again. “Yeeeaaahhh.”
He pours the drink out and shoves the now empty cup it into the pocket of his hoodie.
“I ... I don’t feel well,” I slur, leaning over and placing my hands on my knees.
“I know.” He places an arm under my legs and the other across my back to pick me up.
Looking up at him, I blink as he carries me through the cemetery and down the hill. I watch his
sharp jaw and a muscle tic in his neck. He’s angry with me.
“I’m sorry. I don’t …” My eyes close. “Drink.”
Then everything goes dark. When I open my eyes next, he’s placing me in the passenger seat of
his car. He reaches across me and buckles my seat belt. My arms feel heavy, my mind sluggish.
Then his hand cups my face. I lean into him.
“This isn’t your fault, Demi.” His narrowed eyes search mine before he growls. “Your sister
drugged you.”
Present
“Ready To Die,” by TheUnder pumps through the speakers of my mother’s house. I stand in the
kitchen sipping away on a rum and Coke. It’s my third one. I’ve come a long way since I had my first
drink out of Deke’s bottle that night on the beach. I learned several important lessons that night that
I’ll never forget.
“What are you thinking?” Lauren asks, coming to stand beside me.
She’s the only friend I have here. But I’m not like Becky; I choose to have a very small circle. Most
people don’t like my sister, but it’s the opposite with me. I don’t like most of them. They lie. You
can’t trust anyone.
She pours herself a drink. She’s pretty much the only one here from our high school. Most of the
people have been invited by Seth from the University of Texas. And hardly anyone dressed up in
costume. They’re all too old for that shit. There are a few girls who remind me of my sister and are
half-dressed begging for attention from the men, but for the most part, the partygoers are just here to
get drunk and have a good time. I didn’t even put up any decorations. And my mother doesn’t bother
herself with such pointless shit. Her words.
“Nothing.”
“Liar.” She giggles. “Where’s Seth?” She looks around the packed kitchen. The guy to female ratio
is laughable. There are probably five guys to every one girl. Seth plays football for UT, so he’s
popular with all the athletes at the college. He spread the word well.
“Somewhere.”
“What is up with you?” She shoves my shoulder.
When I don’t respond, her eyes follow my line of sight across the open kitchen to see Deke and
Cole standing in the formal dining room, leaning up against the forest green wall. They came. Just as I
knew they would. Deke can’t pass up a party. They’re talking to a couple of guys who Seth knows
from UT. I watched them walk in an hour ago. Neither one of them has said a word to me. Cole hasn’t
even looked my way, but I’ve caught Deke staring several times.
“Damn. Who the fuck are they?” she asks.
“Taken,” I say.
She snorts. “As in married?”
“The one on the right is engaged.” Cole might as well be married.
I finally finished Austin’s journal. And to say I was surprised to read about their love story is an
understatement. They went through so much. He tortured her in such a way that it made me rethink
what I’m going to do tonight. He is pure evil in the prettiest form, and I bet Deke could match him on
any given day.
I’m going to find out either way.
“Then he’s available.” She winks over at me.
I turn to face her fully. She’s just like my sister. When she sees a pretty face, she wants to spread
her legs, even if that means cheating on Billy. “He will eat you up and spit you out. And if he doesn’t
kill you, his fiancée will.” Her green eyes widen at my words. I lean in and whisper, “Then she’ll
burn your body and take a hammer to what’s left. Stay the hell away from him,” I warn.
She swallows nervously but chuckles.
I aspire to be a mini Austin—badass and untouchable. That’s why I decided to continue with my
plan for tonight. It has to be done. It’s time. I’ve been holding onto something for too long that means
so very little. Not to me. My sister tried to take it before, and now I’m going to throw it away.
 For revenge. And it’s gonna be so fucking sweet.
I pour two shots of vodka and hand her one. “Drink up,” I order. She clinks her glass to mine, and I
look over the rim, throwing it back to see Deke’s blue eyes on me. I smile to myself.
The song changes to “Left Alone” by Zero just as Seth enters the room. I give him a smile when his
eyes lock on mine. “Hey, babe,” He grips my upper arm and yanks me from the counter, causing my
drink to fall over. “Ow …”
“You did not do what I think you did!” he snaps so loudly that it causes people to look our way.
My eyes widen. “I don’t know what—”
“Don’t fucking lie to me, Demi,” he shouts.
I look around nervously, and I don’t miss seeing Cole and Deke looking right at us now. I quickly
look away and back at Seth. “Can we talk about this somewhere else?”
“Fine!”
 CHAPTER SIXTEEN
DEKE

I PUSH OFF the wall the same time that Cole does, and we make our way out of the formal dining
room, through the kitchen, and to the grand foyer. I watch Seth drag Demi up the stairs like a rag doll.
My fists clench when I see how hard his fingers are digging into her upper arm.
“You’re hurting me.” Her small voice travels down the stairs.
“And you’re being a slut! Just like your sister,” he snaps.
“Seth?” I call out, already taking the stairs two at a time.
He looks down at me, then at Cole who I notice is following close. “Walk away, guys, this doesn’t
concern you.”
“Actually, it does.” Cole crosses his arms over his chest as we hit the landing. “Let her go.”
The upper floor of the house is quiet because it’s off-limits to guests tonight. And I know that’s why
he brought her up here. To be alone with her. The only sound is the song playing through the speakers.
He releases her, and she immediately cradles her arm to her chest.
“Fine.” He looks down at her with disgust. “You can have her.” He turns and storms back down the
stairs, shoving a guy into a wall.
“Demi …” I reach down to look at her arm, but she pulls away and turns, running over to her
bedroom door.
“Go,” Cole says, but I’m already moving.
“Demi?” I call out, but she ignores me.
I reach her before she can open the door and spin her around. She looks up at me with tears in her
beautiful eyes. “You okay?” I ask, clearing my throat. I’ve had quite a bit to drink tonight, knowing
that Cole was gonna be my DD. He doesn’t drink much anymore after the night of the car wreck. And
if he does, it’s at his house.
She sniffs and looks away from me. I step into her, grip her chin, and force her to look up at me. “I
asked if you’re okay.”
Her wet lips part, and she takes in a deep breath. “Fine.” She gives a clipped answer.
“Let me see your arm,” I order. Surprisingly, she holds it out for me.
Bruises are already forming, and I clench my teeth at the thought of him hurting her. “Does he do
this often?”
She drops her eyes to the floor again.
“Demi?”
“No,” she whispers. “He’s never done that before.”
I run a hand through my hair. “What happened?” Not that whatever happened excuses what he did.
I’m just being nosy.
She sniffs. “He found out about us.”
“Us?” I frown.
She nods. “I was texting my best friend about what we did at Silence … and he read it.”
“Fuck,” I hiss.
She looks up at me, and the first tear runs down her cheek. “He thinks we had sex.”
 I have. Fuck, I have fucked her in so many different ways in my head. Each one more sinful than the
last. She cried, she screamed, and she came so fucking hard. But I know the real thing could never
live up to my imagination.
Stepping into her, I reach up and run my knuckles through the single tear, smearing it across her
cheek.
Her hands come up and grip my shirt. “Deke.” She whispers my name, and it goes straight to my
dick.
The alcohol swirling around in my head tells me to kiss her, but another part says back away and
leave. I’ve watched her since the moment I walked through her mother’s front door. I attempted to
follow pointless conversations with kids from school, but nothing kept my interest. Nothing but her.
No matter how hard I’ve tried, she is there. In my mind, she’s naked and begging me to fuck her.
“You’re with Seth.” I find myself saying out loud as if I’m trying to talk myself out of it.
Don’t touch her!
Her bright blue eyes meet mine. “He already thinks I’ve betrayed him.” She licks her lips. “Might
as well give him a reason to put his hands on me.”
“Don’t say that.” I growl, stepping into her. I know there’s a darker side to Demi. I watched her the
first night I snuck into her mother’s house. She sat on her bed watching that fucking documentary on
YouTube about the serial killer. She’s curious, and that isn’t a good thing. She can push the wrong man
to do something very bad to her. And my anger rises at that thought. If any man is gonna put his hands
on her, it’ll be me.
She tilts her head back, licking her plump nude-colored lips. “It’ll be worth it.”
I slide my right hand into her hair, and her eyes close as she lets out a moan. Her hands go to my
jeans, and she pulls my hips into hers. My hard cock aches as it rubs against the fabric of my boxers.
Fuck, this can’t be happening. Someone needs to interrupt us …
“Kiss me, Deke.”
“I won’t stop,” I admit. I wanna hurt you, Demi. I want to show you what I can do as much as you
want to see it. It won’t end well for her. But she may like it …
Don’t do it. Walk away, Deke.
Her lashes flutter open, showing me those gorgeous blue eyes once again, and I’m fucking done.
I’m about to do something I’ll regret, and she knows it. She reaches back, turns the knob on the door,
and pulls me inside the dark bedroom.
I rip her shirt up and over her head, and I allow her to remove mine. She is fumbling with my jeans,
and I’ve already got her jeans down to her ankles. “Light …”
“Leave it off.”
I yank her to a stop with my hands on her hips. I dig my fingers into them, holding her in place.
“Are you shy, Demi?”
I can hear her panting, and I want nothing more than to see her bare chest. “Kinda.”
I smirk. “There’s nothing to be shy of, baby. I’ve already had my fingers inside you.”
She whimpers. “Please,” she begs, and it does things to me that I can’t quite explain.
She reaches inside my unbuttoned jeans and grabs my dick. I jump when her soft hand makes
contact. “Fuck.” I groan, pumping my hips into her hand.
“Yes, please …”
My lips find hers in the dark, and we stumble backward. I dig into my back pocket and grab my
wallet; I remove the condom and then shove my jeans down my legs along with my boxers. Somehow,
we find the bed, or she leads me to it. I don’t know.
 “I Don’t Even Care About You” by MISSIO blares through the speakers as I crawl on top of her
and slide my cock into her. No time for foreplay. No need for it. She’s soaking wet, and I’m fucking
hard and have been waiting for it for what feels like forever. My teeth clench, and my breath catches
at how tight she is. “Fuck, Demi!” I groan in pleasure. “God, you feel …” I push my hips forward,
going in deeper, feeling her squeeze me to the point it’s almost painful. In the best fucking way.
“Deke ...” She gasps, her nails digging into my back.
“Incredible.”
Things begin to get blurry. In the darkness, all I can do is feel her. And I do. Every fucking inch of
her tight cunt. She’s screaming my name. My hands are in her hair. My lips on her warm skin. The
room is hot, almost suffocating. She’s coming once, then a second time. And I throw her legs over my
shoulders as I fuck her with so much force, I can taste the salty tears that run down her cheeks when I
kiss her.
I don’t know how long I’m inside her; all I know is that it’s not long enough. And then I’m coming.
Her body shakes uncontrollably. We’re both covered in sweat and trying to catch our breath. We lie
silently next to one another as what we just did hits us with full force. And I fist my hands at the
weakness I showed.
I just fucked Demi Holt!
Fuck!
The sad thing? I’m ready for round two. I wrap my arms around her small body and pull her back
into my chest. I’ll do her from behind this time. But I pause because she’s shaking uncontrollably.
“You okay?” I ask. Kissing her shoulder, I feel pieces of her hair stick to my lips.
“Just go, Deke,” she whispers.
“What?” I ask, pulling away from her.
“I’m tired. Go.”
I get out of the bed and begin to feel around the floor for my clothes. I find my jeans and shirt but
can’t find my boxers. Fuck ’em! Once dressed, I stand in the darkness and just listen. A softer song
plays in the house so it’s easy for me to make out her even breaths. She’s passed out.
I exit the room and come face to face with Cole standing on the balcony leaning up against the
railing. His eyes meet mine, and he frowns. They dart across the balcony to the other door and then
back to the one I just exited.
“What?” I snap. I’m fucking pissed at myself on one hand for doing what I did and on the other for
wanting to go back in there and do it again.
“Nothing.” He shakes his head. “Ready to go?”
I don’t answer. Instead, I turn and run down the stairs and out of the fucking house. Once outside,
the cool air hits my sweaty skin, making me shiver. I inhale the fresh air and close my eyes.
What the fuck did I do?
You just fucked Demi, and she was right. It was better than Becky.

DEMI

Sophomore year

“YOU’RE OKAY.” I hear Eli’s soothing voice as he rubs my back.

I’m on my knees hugging his toilet, puking my guts up. I can’t stop my body from shaking, and
my eyes are so heavy. I’ve lost count of how many times I pass out and come to.
 “Here.” He hands me the cup of water, and I wash my mouth out with it and spit it into the
toilet.
I push myself off and lie down on the tile. The cool floor feels good on my warm face.
“Come on, baby,” he says, bending down and picking me up off his bathroom floor. Then he’s
laying me on his bed.
“Where is your phone?” he asks.
“Pocket,” I barely manage to mumble. “David’s … 1234 …” My eyes close.
Seconds tick by, and then I feel the bed dip next to me. I open my heavy eyes to see him lying
next to me. “Eli …”
“I’m not gonna do anything, Demi. I promise.” His jaw clenches. “But I am gonna sleep next to
you in case you get sick again.” He reaches out and pushes some hair behind my ear. “I’m sorry,”
he whispers.
And before I can ask why he’s sorry, my heavy eyes betray me once again and close.
Present
I stand in the kitchen, getting ready to leave for school Monday morning. It’s been two days since
my Halloween party. I threw it on Saturday night, knowing that Halloween was on Friday night. I
knew that Austin had plans on taking Lilly trick-or-treating, and that if Cole didn’t come to my party,
Deke might not either. So I had to plan my party accordingly. I was a tad worried that Cole would
bring Austin, but I was hoping she would stay home with Lilly. Thank God, I was right.
I hear the front door open and close, and then seconds later, my mother’s housekeeper walks in.
“Good morning, Demi.” She greets me with a nod of her head.
“Isabella.” I smile at her warmly. “I spoke to my mother last night, and she said to give you the day
off today.”
She frowns, looking at the scattered cups and liquor bottles that litter the kitchen. I haven’t touched
that shit. “The day off, ma’am?”
I nod and slide the white envelope over to her. “Here. Take a day for yourself. Go shopping and get
you something nice for Mr. Rodriguez.”
Her chubby face lights up, and her brown eyes widen. The leftover trash from my party long
forgotten. “Thank you. Thank you so much. Tell your mother thank you.” She nods quickly.
I wave at her as she all but runs out of the kitchen and then the front door.
That was easy.
I hear the door open and close again, and I smile behind the rim of my coffee cup. That would be
my sister. She walks in, pulling a rolling suitcase behind her. “God, I just saw Isabella leaving.
Where the hell is she going? She needs to get in here and do her job. This place is disgusting.” She
huffs as her blue eyes roam around the kitchen.
“How was Collins?” I ask, ignoring her.
Her lips pull back in disgust. “The same hellhole.”
“Then why did you go?”
She doesn’t answer. I think she’s seeing someone in Collins. Why else would she go back and forth
so much? And it’s never for a week at a time. She only spends a day or two there.
This time, she chooses to avoid answering my question and goes to walk out. “Oh, wait. Who is
Evan Scott?”
She comes to a stop and spins around to face me. “Why?” she asks slowly with narrowed eyes.
“Because I got a friend request from him Saturday night. I have you as a mutual friend.” She snaps
the phone from my hands. “Okay, then,” I say, taking a drink of my coffee.
 She begins to type on my phone.
“What are you doing?” I ask her.
“I’m sending this fucker a message.” She growls.
“What? Why?” I reach for it, but she spins around, giving me her back. “Message him back from
your own phone,” I snap, setting down the mug.
“This motherfucker … talking to my sister.” She rambles to herself. I don’t correct her that he
didn’t message me. He just sent me a friend request. “I’ll kick his fucking ass.”
“Is he like an ex of yours?”
She gives a rough laugh. “He’s an ex all right.”
She turns to face me and holds out my phone.
I look down and see she still has messenger open. “I’ll kill you, fucker.” I nod in approval. “Nice. I
bet he’s scared to death.”
“He should be.” She tosses my phone onto the countertop.
“Thanks,” I say as it bounces a couple of times before stopping right before it falls off the edge.
“Not like I have important shit on that or anything.”
“Let me know if he says anything else to you.” She growls. “And by the way, tell Seth to lighten the
fuck up.” She glares at my neck. “He’s a man, not a vampire.” She looks over my hickeys and bite
marks.
“Oh, you noticed them?” I ask, pressing my fingers to the sensitive skin. I’ve heard of a few tricks
to get rid of them, but I chose to wear them with pride. I didn’t even bother caking on the makeup.
“Of course,” she spits out. “Cover that shit up.”
“Have a nice day,” I singsong as she walks out of the kitchen.
I smile, picking up my keys and walk out the front door. The moment I sit down in my car, my cell
begins to ring. “Hello, darling.” I greet Seth.
He snorts at my pet name for him. “So did it work?”
I smile to myself as I pull through the open gate, waving to the guard who sits in the guard shack.
“A woman never kisses and tells.”
“Deke wanted to kick my ass.” He growls.
“He still might.”
“Cole too. I might be able to take one of them, but not both.”
I hide my laughter at that. Either one of them would knock his ass out with one hit. And I didn’t
need to read Austin’s journal to know that.
Sighing, he adds, “I hope it was worth it.”
“It will be.” I hang up without telling him goodbye.
Twenty minutes later, I pull into the high school parking lot and park my car. I’m going through my
locker looking for my books when my cell dings.
Smiling to myself, I pull it out of my back pocket knowing exactly who it is. And she doesn’t
disappoint.
Becky: YOU MOTHERFUCKER!!!
“What has you in such a great mood today?” Laruen asks, coming up to me.
“It’s Friday,” I answer.
“No.” She frowns. “It’s actually Monday. Are you high?”
I shrug. “Same thing.”
My phone dings again, and I look down at it.
Becky: I SWEAR TO FUCKING GOD, DEMI! YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS! YOU FUCKING
BITCH!
My sister hates being ignored, so that’s exactly what I do. Instead of responding, I exit out of her
message and look up Deke in my phone. The night he and Cole had broken into my house and he tied
my hands behind my back, Cole had taken pics of me and Deke. I’m not sure why and haven’t asked,
but Cole had sent them to an unknown number in my phone. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure
out it was Deke’s number. I pull it up and send him a message.
Me: My sister knows.
I stand in the hallway holding books in one hand and my phone in the other waiting for a response.
He doesn’t make me wait long.
Deke: What exactly does she know?
I smile and type out my reply.
Me: That you took my virginity. In her bed.
Then I turn the bitch on silent and throw it into my locker with a smile on my face.
 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
DEMI

I STAND BEFORE Deke with my head down, biting my lip to hide my smile. Did he really think
I’d let Seth hurt me? Put his hands on me? I forget that he doesn’t know me all that well.
“What happened?” Deke asks.
I sniff for effect. “He found out about us.”
“Us?”
It’s a long shot ’cause we both know there is no damn us, but I’m gonna work it. I nod. “I was
texting my best friend about what we did at Silence …. and he read it.” I haven’t told a soul what
happened at Silence or at my mother’s house. The only person who knows what is going on is Cole,
and I’m not even sure how much Deke has told him. But I’m not one of those girls who runs to
their friends and blabs about boys.
“Fuck.” He hisses.
I look up at him, a tear runs down my cheek, and he watches it. “He thinks we’ve had sex.”
Have you thought about it, Deke? I have. Over and over. And every time, you get better and
better.
Stepping into me, he reaches up and runs his knuckles through the single tear.
I place my hands on his shirt and grip it tightly. “Deke.” I whisper his name, and I pray that it’s
enough to get what I want. We stood here days ago, and I watched him make out with my sister
after he stayed the night, and I decided right then what I needed to do. I was gonna win him over.
Becky can have him but not until I’m done with him.
“You’re with Seth,” he says, and I know I’ve won. He’s thinking about it.
I lift my eyes to meet his. He looks ready to throw me to the floor and fuck me right here.
Caveman style. “He already thinks I’ve betrayed him.” I lick my lips. “Might as well give him a
reason to put his hands on me.”
“Don’t say that,” he growls, stepping into me.
I tilt my head back. “It’ll be worth it.”
He slides his hand into my hair, and I close my eyes, letting out a moan, and for once, since he
followed us out of the kitchen, something I do is real. The butterflies in my stomach, the trembling
in my knees—he does this to me. The last time I felt like this for a man was with Eli. And this time,
the tears are real. The thought of him hurts my soul. I need Deke to cleanse it with his evil.
Betrayal. Eli was as good as they came even though no one knows that but me. “Kiss me, Deke.”
“I won’t stop,” he admits.
I won’t let you even if you try.
I look up at him, and I see it in his eyes. From the way his lips part and his breathing picks up, I
know I’ve won. I reach back and turn the knob to the bedroom and pull him inside.
He rips my shirt up and over my head, and I grab at his. He leans forward, and I pull it off. I’m
trying to get his jeans undone when he speaks.
“Light …”
“Leave it off.”
 He yanks me to a stop with his hands on my hips, and my heart pounds in my chest. Keep them
off, Deke. It’ll ruin everything. I know he’s been drinking. He’s not wasted, but he’s also not sober.
If he was, this would never work. “Are you shy, Demi?”
“Kinda.” I lie.
“There’s nothing to be shy of, baby. I’ve already had my fingers inside you.”
I whimper at his words. And there’s nothing fake about it. “Please,” I beg. The lights must stay
off. One, he’ll notice it’s not my room. And two, he’ll know I’m a virgin once I start bleeding. Hell,
there is still a risk he might feel a difference once that starts. I don’t know anything about it since
this is my first time. I just gotta pray he doesn’t notice.
When he doesn’t say anything, I undo the button to his jeans and reach inside, grabbing his
cock.
Distract him.
Fuck me! It feels huge. I’ve never seen one in person before, let alone felt one. My heart races
in my chest as I wonder if I can pull this off. How painful it’s gonna be. I’ve heard horror stories
about it from girls at school. I may have had a few drinks, but I’m not drunk enough to numb the
pain.
“Fuck.” He groans, pushing his hips forward, and all nervousness disappears.
I can do this. I take in a deep breath to slow my racing heart. “Yes, please …”
His lips capture mine, and we stumble backward. I hear his jeans hit the floor when the back of
my knees hit Becky’s bed. “I Don’t Even Care About You” by MISSIO plays in the house as he
crawls on top of me. I’ve already shoved my underwear down my legs to make things easier for
him. I feel his finger between my legs. He shoves one into me, and I arch my back. I’m already so
wet for him. Just like I was at Silence and when he snuck into my house. Just like I am every single
time he enters my mind.
I hear what sounds like a wrapper of some kind, and I take a deep breath, guessing it’s a
condom. This is about to happen. I’m gonna have sex with Deke Biggs in my sister’s bed. Boy,
that’ll piss her off.
He positions himself between my shaking legs and spreads them wide. I feel his head push
against my entrance. I take in a deep breath, and he pushes forward. I cry out as a hot, quick pain
shoots through me, taking my breath away.
“Fuck, Demi!” He gives a deep groan. “God, you feel …” His hips press forward, going deeper,
and I feel pressure.
“Deke ...” I gasp, closing my eyes, and dig my nails into his back, clinging to him for life.
“Incredible.” He finishes.
I’m trembling and can’t stop. Tears sting my eyes. He pulls out, and I whimper before he enters
me again. My breath gets caught in my throat. He places his arms behind my legs and spreads me
open even further, and I scream as he leans forward, pressing his chest into mine.
“Fuck, yeah, baby. Open up for me.” His hands grip my hair, and he yanks my head back to
expose my neck to him. For a second, I can’t breathe. All I feel is a burning sensation between my
legs until he moves. Really begins to move. And then a feeling that I’ve never felt before replaces
the pain. Tears of pain and unexpected pleasure run down my face as I lie there and let him have
his way with me.
Deke did exactly what I needed him to do. I was hoping that he wasn’t gonna ask me to take control
’cause then I’d be fucked. He’d have known then that I lacked experience. I was banking on the fact
that he’s a take-charge kind of guy in the bedroom, and thank God I wasn’t wrong.
 I came twice. I had never come so hard. It felt like getting caught under a tidal wave. You try to
come up for air just as another one hits you. He was drowning me in pleasure, and I would have died
happily.
Then after he was done, I lay in my sister’s bed pretending to be asleep so he would leave me
alone. Again, I prayed he would. I didn’t need him to cuddle me or profess his love to me. It was just
sex. And I needed him to leave the moment he got his.
After he exited the room, I got up and turned on the light to inspect the damage. I hadn’t bled all that
bad. I was worried about that because I didn’t want him to notice it. I was afraid the blood would
make it feel different to him, but maybe he didn’t notice due to the condom.
I lock her door just to make sure no one comes in here and survey the room. He left his boxers
on the floor along with the condom.
I walk over to the desk that sits in the corner and rip open a drawer to grab a black Sharpie.
Then I go back over to her bed and look down at the sheets. They’re mainly just wet from sweat
and my come. I grab the sheet and rub it between my legs, trying to be gentle since I’m sore as
fuck. I smile when it shows a little more blood on it. I throw his boxers along with the used condom
on the now wet and bloody sheets and climb onto the bed. Placing the end of the Sharpie in my
mouth, I bite on the lid to remove it and write.
Dear Sis,
I gave him something you never could—innocence.

DEMI

Sophomore year

I WAKE UP with a pounding headache. Rolling over onto my side, a moan escapes my cracked lips.
“Just what the fuck did you think you were doing?” I hear Eli snap. Did he take me home?
I blink, trying to take in my surroundings. I’m in a boy’s room. The clothes thrown on the floor
and lack of anything remotely girly give me the first clue. The second is his black hoodie and black
bag both sitting on a chair. My memory is a little foggy. How did I get here?
“Oh, come on—”
“No!” He interrupts the girl’s voice. “She could have died.”
I shove off the covers and make my way across the room on shaky legs. My mouth is dry and my
head pounds. Cracking the door open, I look at Eli standing by the front door. My sister stands
before him on the front porch.
She rolls her eyes. “We were just having some fun.”
“We? David knew what you did?” He growls.
“No. It was Maxwell.”
“Jesus.” He hisses.
She pushes her right hip out. “They like each other, and she needed to let loose and have some
fun.”
Liar. She knows I don’t like him.
“So you chose to drug her? Fuck, Becky! What if he had wanted to have sex with her? She
wouldn’t have been able to give him consent. Or what if he wouldn’t have cared?”
She looks down, inspecting her nails, confirming what he’s already thinking with her silence.
That was their plan.
 “God, you are such a fucking bitch.” He sighs.
She looks up at him, glaring. “I’m not here to listen to this. Where is she?”
“She’s not leaving with you,” he answers flatly.
“Eli …”
He slams the door in her face and locks it.
“Eli.” She pounds on it with her fists.
“Go home, Becky!” he shouts before punching the door.
He stands there waiting for her to say something else, but seconds later, her car starts.
He runs his hand down his face, releasing a long sigh.
I make my way back to his bed and crawl under his sheets. They’re nice and cold and feel
amazing against my heated skin.
His door slowly opens, and he peeks in to see me now awake. He’s changed his clothes from last
night. I remember him sitting at the bonfire and Deke giving me the bottle of vodka. Me walking
away and finding David. Then my sister giving me a drink before Eli and I got in his car.
Everything else is kinda fuzzy. He wears a white T-shirt that has a band I’ve never heard of and a
pair of black shorts. His dark hair damp as if he just took a shower.
“How do you feel?” he asks, coming to sit beside me.
“Lightheaded,” I admit. The room still spins but not as bad as last night. “I have a pounding
headache.”
“Here.” He grabs a bottle of water off his nightstand and a couple of aspirin. “Take these.”
“I heard you,” I say, staring at his dark comforter. Tears sting my eyes. “Why would she …?” I
can’t finish the question ’cause I know the answer. She hates me. Always has.
He reaches out, grabbing my chin and forcing me to look up at him. “You’re okay, Demi. I’m not
gonna let anything happen to you. You’re safe here.” Then he leans forward and places a soft kiss
on my forehead.
Present
Becky didn’t give two shits about me. We weren’t close, but I never gave her a reason to drug me. I
still wonder what would have happened had Eli not been the one to take me home that night. He took
care of me. Protected me. I passed out thinking I loved him, but I woke up sure of it. But like anything
else in my life, if I wanted it, Becky had this need to take it from me.
That’s why I willingly spread my legs for Deke. A part of her sick and twisted mind still loves him,
and I wanted to take something from her that she’ll never forget. And Deke will hate me. Now more
than he did before.
I was never a slut like my sister, but this one act made me one. I used him. And for what? To piss
off my sister. To show them both I’m not to be fucked with? I had never had someone touch me the
way Deke did at Silence. And so after I allowed him to touch me, it just went downhill. My mind. My
decisions. Now my fucking life. Becky will think of something to do to me, but it’ll be so worth it. My
entire body hurts. Will it be like this every time I have sex? God, I hope so.
“What happened the other night?” Lauren asks, sitting down in her seat next to me. “I’ve been
calling you all weekend. Did you and Seth break up?”
“No,” I answer.
“What was that fight about?”
“He thinks I’m cheating on him.” I shrug.
Her dark brows pull together. Lauren and I never talk about my sex life or lack thereof. She just
assumes Seth and I fuck like rabbits. He’s a college student, after all. A boy with needs. I’m just not
the one who fulfills them.
“Are you?”
I give her a big smile. “Well, I wasn’t when we started fighting.”
 CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
DEKE

I STAND IN the kitchen staring down at my phone as it rings in my hand. Becky lights up the screen.
I press ignore. And what I now see isn’t any better. It’s Demi’s message.
Demi: That you took my virginity. In her bed.
I blink and read it again.
No!
She was a virgin? That can’t be … but I know it’s the truth. I felt it. She was too tight. It had been a
long time since I’d slept with a virgin, but you never forget what it’s like. It was too good. She felt too
unbelievable. I almost had myself convinced yesterday that it was the alcohol. I was drunk and the
liquor had enhanced what we did. What I felt.
I should have known!
“What’s up with you?” Cole asks, entering the kitchen.
“I fucked Demi,” I say more to myself than him.
He nods. “I was there.” He takes a drink of his coffee.
“In Becky’s bed.” He spits out said coffee. It dribbles down his chin and onto his shirt. I feel it
land on my arm, but I ignore it. “And she was a virgin.”
“What the fuck?” I hear from behind me.
I turn to see Austin now standing with us. Her eyes are wide, and her hands on her narrow hips.
“I … I didn’t know …” I stumble over my words. Almost fucking speechless. My thoughts a mess.
She was a virgin. I took her virginity. I shouldn’t feel proud about that because she tricked me, but I
do. I fucked her first, before any other man. Why? Why would she give that to me? She hates me.
“You didn’t know?” she asks me skeptically.
I just shake my head. That’s usually the first thing a girl tells you when she’s throwing herself at
you. Hell, I’ve had girls tell me they’re virgins when I knew they weren’t. They never lie about not
being one. That’s just another thing about Demi that I’m starting to like. She’s unpredictable.
She runs her hand through her dark hair. “Does Becky know?”
I nod.
Her lips thin, and she steps into me. “Was this part of your game?”
Was it? I wanted her, yes. Would knowing she was a virgin have stopped me? Probably not. But I
would have done it differently had I known.
“No.” Cole answers her question when I don’t.
“Did you know this?” she snaps at him.
He nods. “I thought it was odd that he was in Becky’s room, though.”
That’s why he looked at me strangely when I exited the bedroom. He knew I was on the wrong side
of the balcony. I was too wrapped up in Demi and my dick to think about it. I would have fucked her
in the laundry room if that was where she had taken me.
“I can’t believe this.” She growls. “This is beyond fucked up, Deke.”
“I didn’t know,” I repeat.
 My phone rings again, and I hit ignore, not wanting to talk to Becky. I don’t have to explain myself.
I’m single and can do whoever I want.
Seconds later, another cell rings, and Austin pulls hers out of her pocket. She sighs and hits answer.
“Hello?” Her eyes narrow on me. “I’m so sorry.” She spins around, walking out of the kitchen.
Letting me know that Becky has given up and called her best friend.
“She set you up.” Cole speaks my thoughts.
I nod. “Seems so.” She planned on me fucking her in her sister’s bed. She wanted to rub it in her
face. But how did Becky find out? Did she text her, and Becky just believed it? I’m not sure, but I’m
not going to ask Becky how she found out.
“Again,” he adds.
I grind my teeth and glare at him. “Why do you feel the need to state the obvious?”
He shrugs. “Surprised is all.”
“And what shall I do about that?” I ask, arching a brow.
He chuckles. “Whatever the fuck you want.”

DEMI

I LIE ON my bed doing homework and listening to music. “Nightmare” by Halsey plays softly in my
room. My phone vibrates, and I ignore it. That’s what I’ve done all day. Deke and Becky could have
messaged me a hundred times, and I wouldn’t know.
A knock comes on my door. “Go away,” I call out. If it was my sister, she’d just charge right in, so
it’s either my mother or Isabella, and I don’t want to speak to either of them.
The door opens, and I sit up when I see it’s Austin.
This can’t be good.
“Hope you don’t mind. Your housekeeper said you were up here. May I come in?” she asks,
standing in the doorway.
I wasn’t able to get rid of Isabella for long. After my sister found out what I had done, she called
our mother and told her that I trashed the house over the weekend. So my mother called Isabella and
told her to get back to our house and clean it. Thankfully, Isabella didn’t rat me out and tell my mother
that I paid her to stay away. She kept the cash I gave her and her mouth shut.
I cross my arms over my chest. “Depends. Are you here on behalf of Becky or Deke?” Neither one
matters.
She sighs heavily. “I’m here for you, Demi.”
“I’m not sure what that means.”
Without asking again or waiting for permission, she enters my room and closes the door behind her.
She sits down on the edge of my bed and tilts her head while she looks me over. She frowns when her
eyes run over the faint marks left by Deke. They’re fading, but I don’t wear much makeup, so you can
still very much make them out.
“I’m not in the mood for a lecture,” I tell her. I’m not sure which one told her what I did with Deke,
but it doesn’t matter. It’s done.
“I’m just worried—”
I laugh, cutting off her words. “About Becky? She’s a big girl. She can handle herself. Trust me.”
“No.” She reaches out and pats my leg gently. “About you.”
Austin has always been nice to me. I didn’t get to see her much back in Collins. She didn’t come
around my father’s house very often, but when she was there, she would go out of her way to say hello
to me or ask how my day was going, but she never invited me out with them. At the time, I thought it
was because Becky filled her head full of lies and made her hate me. Now I know it was because
Austin was dealing with her own demons—the GWS.
“Why would you be worried about me?”
She runs a hand through her dark hair. “I don’t know what kind of game Deke is playing with you,
but I’ve been a part of a game before, and it would have been nice to have someone on my side.”
I look down at my hands sitting on my lap, unable to meet her eyes. I already know what she went
through. And I hate that my sister wasn’t there to help her. She was too wrapped up in Deke to see
what was really going on. Or maybe she did and just didn’t care.
“I’m nothing like her,” I find myself saying.
“I didn’t say you were.”
My eyes meet hers, and she gives me a soft smile. I highly doubt she knows what Becky is really
like. No one does. No one among the living anyway.
“I’m not here to judge you, Demi. I only came here in case you needed to talk to someone.”
I snort. “And to go tell my sister.”
“No.” She shakes her head quickly. “I want to be your friend. And to me that means something. I
would never betray your trust.”
I fist my hands. “Then you’re here for Deke.”
“No, Demi—”
“I don’t believe you, Austin,” I shout, interrupting her.
Silence follows my outburst, and she nods her head once before standing. She turns to leave, and I
look down at my backpack next to my bed. It’s open, and the top of her journal peeks out.
“Wait,” I call out.
She comes to a stop and turns to face me. I reach down, pick it up, and walk over to her. “I told you
I’m nothing like her, and I mean that.” I hold out her journal. “This belongs to you. You should be the
one to have it.”
Her green eyes widen when she looks down at it. Slowly, she takes it from my hand like it’s a
grenade that can blow up any minute. “Where did you get this?” she asks clearing her throat.
“I found it.”
Her eyes snap up to mine. “What do you mean you found it?”
“I went looking in Becky’s closet for something to use against her, and it was in a box she brought
with her from Collins.”
Her eyes drop back down to it, and she grips it tightly.
“I read it,” I admit.
When she just stares at it with terror in her eyes, I feel bad for giving it to her. I should have just
thrown it away. I’m sure she wants to forget many events in there. Cole may have fallen in love with
her in the end, but there’s more than just him and the sharks in there. There’s a lot of Phillip—her
mom’s boyfriend. He touched her. Hit her. And I have no doubt he would have done much harsher
things if she hadn’t moved to her dad’s when she did.
I’m not going to apologize for reading it ’cause I’m glad I did. It taught me a lot about Austin and
helped me understand her more. Not only is the girl beautiful, but she’s fierce. No wonder Cole fell
for her. What guy wouldn’t? I believe her when she says friendship means something to her. And that
she is loyal, but I’m just not sure she considers me a friend.
“I …”
The opening of my bedroom door cuts her off. She spins around to face it, and I look up to see my
sister barge into my room. “You fucking bitch—”
“What the fuck were you doing with this?” Austin interrupts her. And the look on my sister’s face
tells me all I need to know.
She’s fucked!
 CHAPTER NINETEEN
BECKY

I STAND IN Demi’s room. My plan was to come in here and beat the shit out of her, but that is
clearly not going to happen for two reasons.
One because I’ll have a witness, and two because my best friend looks like she will be the one
beating some ass.
I swallow nervously, looking at her journal in her hand. How did she find that? “Where did that
come from?”
“Why did you fucking have this?” Austin demands, taking a step toward me.
I take a step back out of the bedroom. Austin and I have never had a falling out; she’s always been
nice to me, but I’ve read her journal. And you don’t wanna be on her bad side. “You asked me to take
it.”
“No. I told you to fucking burn it!”
Five months ago
I walk over to her hospital bed and sit down. We weren’t even sure Austin would survive the
shooting, and now here she is, wide awake and asking for a favor three days later. She just asked
me to go back to her father’s house with Cole. By myself. Not sure what the hell she wants me to do
for her, but no was on the tip of my tongue when she asked the guys to leave the room so she could
talk to me alone.
“I need you to grab something for me.”
“Can’t Cole get it?” I ask, not wanting to be left alone with him. The last time I was alone with
him, his hand was wrapped around my throat, and he told me that I’d owe him a favor. Then Austin
showed up. And being her friend was my favor. What started out as payment for my sins ended up
becoming my best friend. Although I have a bad way of showing it.
“No.” She sits up better in her bed and flinches from the pain. “I have a journal.” I frown. “I
need you to get it. He can’t see it.”
“You want me to bring it to you?”
She shakes her head. “Burn it.”
“Burn it?” I repeat.
She nods. “Yes. It’s in my nightstand.” She grabs my hands and squeezes them. “One more thing.
Don’t read it.”
“Okay …”
“Promise me you won’t read it and will destroy it. Immediately.”
I nod slowly, wondering why in the fuck she wants me to burn a journal. What could possibly be
in there that she doesn’t want us to see? Him especially. “I promise.”
Present
“You promised me.” She growls.
“I didn’t get the chance.” I lie.
She doesn’t believe it. “How in the hell did you not get the chance? It’s been five months.”
 I don’t answer.
“Did you read it?” she demands.
“No.” Another lie. Of course, I did. And I haven’t looked at her the same since. I always knew
Cole was a fucked-up kid, and her journal just proved I wasn’t wrong. And honestly, she’s not far off
from him. That’s probably why they are so good together.
“Demi?” she snaps. “Did you read it?”
“Yes.” She answers without hesitation, but I have a feeling that Demi already divulged that
information.
The more important question is how the fuck did she find it? What was Austin doing in my room? I
had it hidden in a box. I knew I should have left it in Collins.
“You know what, Becky? I thought we were friends, but I guess I was wrong.” She shoulders past
me.
I’m already in a pretty shitty mood. Your sister fucking the man you love in your own bed and
leaving your sheets stained with her blood and her words written in black Sharpie will make you
irrational. That’s why I’m not proud of the next thing that comes out of my mouth. “Cole read it too.”
That fucker outed me that I was the one driving the car. Why the fuck should I keep his secrets?
I turn to face her, giving my sister my back.
Austin stands at the top of the stairs and spins around to glare at me. “What?” she snaps.
“Back at your father’s house. I left him alone in your room to get some trash bags. I was gonna be a
nice friend and pack up some of your belongings, and when I returned, he was sitting on your bed
reading it.” I was gonna have to grab it without Cole questioning me. I figured if I threw some shit in
a trash bag, he wouldn’t notice me trying to sneak a journal out.
“Why didn’t you tell me this?” she grinds out.
I cross my arms over my chest. “I think the real question is why hasn’t he told you?”
“Don’t turn this around on him, Becky. I asked you to do one thing for me, and you couldn’t even do
it.” She looks down at the journal and then back at me. “I will never forgive you for this.”
The words hurt more than knowing my sister fucked Deke. I can win Deke over. I cheated on him;
he paid me back. He got to have a little fun, and now we can move on. But her? Austin was all I had
left. “Why is it you forgave him?” I glare down at her journal. “Huh? He can hurt you, fucking
blackmail you, and you forgive him so goddamn easily?”
“He never lied to me!” she yells. “He never pretended to be someone he’s not.”
I snort at that sorry excuse for an answer. “Be honest, Austin, it’s just us. It’s because of the money.
You let him treat you like shit because he has money?” Her nostrils flare. “You saw a way out and
took it. I get it …”
“I couldn’t care less about his fucking money!” she shouts.
I believe her. I do, but I can’t stop. I have to hurt her. She hurt me. She is abandoning me. “So, it’s
the fact that he’s the first guy to ever show you any kind of love then? Your mother hated you ’cause
her boyfriend wanted to fuck you. Your father didn’t want you, and then Cole Reynolds comes along.”
I give her a smile. Our friendship is over, so I might as well go out with a bang. “The devil as you
called him in your journal. Girls like you disgust me. A man shows a broken girl a little bit of
attention, and you fall in love with them. He can never love you.” I lie. The truth is, he’s beyond in
love with her. That man has killed for her. He’d do anything for her, and I’m jealous of that. I want
that with Deke. “He’ll only use you. You’ll become a frumpy housewife, and he’ll get bored of you
…”
She slaps me across the face, knocking me into the railing of the balcony. The force was so hard it
takes my breath away. My hand comes up to touch my tender cheek when she steps into me, pressing
my back into the railing. “You bitch …”
“I’d rather be the girl who fell in love with the devil, than the whore who jumps from man to man
because she can’t stay faithful.” She growls in my face. “I don’t care if Deke comes to me tonight and
tells me that he is taking your sorry ass back and plans on marrying you tomorrow. You are never
welcome in my house again.”
My teeth grind at her words and the tears sting my eyes. But I manage to say, “The truth hurts.”
I think she’s gonna slap me again, but instead, she laughs in my face. “The truth? The truth is that
I’ve always been a fighter. And I would have fought for you, no matter what, but you lied to me and
you betrayed me. So you no longer have my loyalty.” Then she turns, and storms down the stairs and
exits the house, slamming the door behind her. The sound echoes up the stairs, and it makes me flinch.
My chest aches, and my stomach sinks at the loss of my only best friend.
“Sucks, doesn’t it? Losing everyone who you thought cared about you?”
I turn to look at my sister leaning up against the doorway to her bedroom. She has a smile on her
face and not a care in the world. My eyes go straight to the hickeys on her neck. Deke never gave me
any because I wouldn’t let him. I couldn’t chance David seeing them. I told him not to give them to me
so many times that even after we were out in the open together, he still didn’t leave any.
I fist my hands and push away from the railing. “You did this …”
“No, you did.” The smile drops off her face. “You fucked everyone over. And now you’re
completely alone.” Then she steps back and slams her bedroom door. I hear it lock, and I let out a
scream of frustration ’cause I know she’s telling the truth. I just lost Austin and any chance I have of
getting Deke back. And it all started with fucking Demi!
She’ll pay. No matter what I have to do or who I have to fuck, I’ll get my revenge. I always do.
I enter my room, slam my door, and run over to my desk. Yanking open the drawer, I pull out a pair
of scissors and crawl onto my bed. I scream as I slice the sharp edges through her hurtful words.
Through her innocence. I fucking stab it over and over, imagining it’s her face.
She will pay! Even if I have to have someone else do it for me.

DEKE

“SO WHAT ARE you gonna do?” Cole asks as we sit at the kitchen table.
Demi: That you took my virginity. In her bed.
I read over the text Demi sent me earlier this morning for the hundredth time. The more time that
has gone by, the more pissed I’ve gotten. “I’m not sure,” I say honestly. I wasn’t able to concentrate in
my classes today or during swim practice. My mind was completely consumed with everything Demi.
And it’s literally gotten me nowhere. I’m like a dog chasing my own tail.
“What do you wanna do?”
“Strangle her,” I grind out. “She fucking played me.” I sit back in my seat. But how did she do it?
“Have you heard from Becky?”
“I did earlier.” She stopped calling when she realized I wasn’t gonna pick up.
“And what does she have to say about it?”
I glare at him. “Since when did you become a nosy little bitch?”
He chuckles. The bastard has been in a good mood today for some reason. And I know it’s not
because he got laid last night. They do that every night, and he’s still always a moody fucker. “Just
wondering what you’re gonna do to pay Demi back. I could use some excitement.”
 “I’ve been thinking the same thing. I can’t kill the bitch, and I can’t physically torture her.” I mean, I
could, but then what? I’d have to get rid of the body somewhere. And I’d look suspicious. Too many
people know I’ve slept with her now. I doubt Becky would mind if I offed her sister, though. Hell,
she’d probably help me.
“You could make her fall in love with you,” Cole states.
I throw my head back, laughing at that. “Funny.”
He levels me with that blank stare he does so well.
“You’ve got to be joking?” I ask when he says nothing.
“Why not?” He leans forward, placing his forearms on the table. “Isn’t that the best kind of
payback? Make her fall in love with you and then leave her for Becky?”
My brows pull together. “You make it sound like you have experience in this department? We both
know you’ve only ever loved one girl.” Austin. And he’s marrying her.
He looks away from me, and his jaw clenches as though he’s thinking of a similar situation. When
he looks back at me, that blank stare is back in place. “Austin said it the other night. A jealous woman
is irritational.”
“How in the fuck would I get Demi to fall in love with me? She hates me.” And why would I want
her to love me? The girl is fucking crazy.
He snorts. “Obviously not. She just gave you her virginity.”
My teeth grind. “It was clearly to piss off Becky. Not for her benefit.” Fucking bitch.
“She’s young. Naïve. A rich little girl who has been sheltered all her life.” He smirks. “You’re
Deke Biggs.”
“You say that like it means something.” I growl.
He arches a brow. “Doesn’t it?”
I let out a long breath and lean back in my seat. “There’s only one flaw in you plan. It’ll never
work because I will never get back with Becky.”
We hear the front door open seconds later. “Cole?” Austin shouts his name.
We both jump up at the same time as she enters, all but running in. “What’s wrong?” he asks her,
already rounding the table.
Breathing heavily, she slams down a black and white notebook on the table. He looks at it and then
at her. “Did you read this?” she demands, pointing at it.
“Yes,” he answers, crossing his arms over his chest, and I know this isn’t gonna be good.
She picks it back up, waving it in his face. “All of it?”
“No, just a few pages …”
She storms over to our junk drawer and yanks it open. I frown when she pulls out a lighter. Is she
gonna smoke? Austin doesn’t smoke cigarettes. But instead of pulling a pack out, she walks over to
the sink and lights the corner of the book on fire.
“What the hell are you doing?” Cole demands.
“What I should have done a long time ago,” she answers, still holding the lighter to it even though
it’s already up in flames.
“What the fuck, Austin?” He snatches it from her hands and turns on the faucet, putting it out.
“I told her to burn it.” She reaches for it, but he holds her back with his other arm. “And she didn’t.
And she lied to me. Told me she didn’t read it. Fucking bitch.” She’s shouting, and her fists shake. I
don’t think I’ve ever seen Austin this pissed. And we’ve put her through some very sketchy situations
in the past.
“Who?” I ask, confused by what the hell is in that notebook and why she wants to burn it.
 She looks at me as if she’s just realized I’m also in the room. “Becky.”
I frown. “What’s in it?”
She opens her mouth, but her phone begins to ring. She pulls it out of her pocket, looks at it, and
then silences it. “Fuck!” she shouts.
Cole turns off the water and drops the now soaked notebook into the sink. He places his hands on
her shoulders and looks down at her with concern in his eyes. “Sweetheart, what’s going on?” he asks
softly as though he’s talking to a child.
She takes a deep breath, trying to calm herself. “I went to go see Demi, to tell her that she could
talk to me, and she had my journal. When I was in the hospital, I asked Becky to burn it. I didn’t want
you finding it,” she tells him. “But she kept it. She read it. She told me that you read it.” She pokes
him in the chest. “And neither one of you ever told me. Then she tried to tell me that I’m with you for
money.” She pushes Cole away with disgust. “Like I give a fuck about that shit.” She starts pacing the
kitchen. “Then she began to tell me that the only reason I fell in love with you was pretty much
because I was broken and enjoyed abuse.”
Oh, shit. I can’t believe Becky would say that to her.
He runs a hand through his hair nervously. “Austin—”
“I slapped her,” she interrupts Cole.
My eyes widen. “What?”
She looks back at me. “And I told her that she is not welcome here.”
“Austin ...”
She ignores Cole and walks over to me. Her green eyes have tears in them, but I can’t tell if they’re
from sadness or anger. She licks her lips and the look on her pretty face makes me think she’s about to
break down and sob. “I’m sorry, Deke, but I cannot forgive this. I will never tell you who you can and
can’t date, but she’s not allowed back in my house.”
“Sweetheart?” Cole steps up behind her.
She spins around and looks up at him. He opens his mouth to speak, but whatever he sees written
on her face makes him pause. He reaches out to cup her face, and she shoves him away. “How could
you?” she asks, and her voice breaks.
“I—”
“No,” she interrupts him. “That was private. You had no right.” Then she turns and storms back out
of the kitchen just as fast as she entered, but I don’t miss the tears running down her face.
“What the hell is in that damn thing?” I ask.
Cole runs his hand down his face, releasing a sigh. “Things her stepdad did to her. And everything
we did to her. From the point she saw us on New Year’s night committing murder in the cemetery up
until the night before Kellan shot her.”
Fuck! No wonder she’s mad. “You told her you only read a few pages.” Had he been lying?
“I read enough,” he says through gritted teeth, knowing none of it was pretty. “I gotta go talk to
her.”
“Good luck,” I offer, thinking he may be the thing she sets on fire.
He slaps me on the back as he exits. “Austin will forgive me. You’re the one who needs luck. Two
women equally hate you at the moment.”
 CHAPTER TWENTY
DEMI

SETH BRINGS HIS car to a stop in front of my mother’s house. “You okay?” he asks.
I nod my heavy head. “Yep.”
He chuckles. “Need me to carry you upstairs and put you to bed?”
I snort. “I didn’t drink that much.”
“I know, but you also haven’t eaten anything.”
I open the door and look over at him. “I’m fine.”
“Okay. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” I crawl out and turn to shut the door, but he speaks. “Don’t let
her get to you,” he tells me.
“I won’t …”
“She’s pissed. Just lost her best friend and her boyfriend.”
I snort. “You don’t know them like I do.” After what went down with my sister and Austin, my
sister left. I’m sure she went running to Deke. Begging him to love her from her knees. I’m sure he
promised her the world since he owes her for fucking up and sleeping with me. He probably told her
we were drunk. Or he thought I was her. Who knows what he said and what she’ll believe?
“I know your sister is a bitch.” He growls. “And that you should sleep with your bedroom door
locked and one eye open.”
I nod. “Thanks for the ride home.” I slam the door shut and make my way up to the front door.
It’s a little after midnight. I left a few hours after Becky and Austin did. I called Seth, and we went
over to a friend of his. We had some drinks and played video games. I needed to celebrate. I fucked
over my sister, and she fucked over her best friend.
It was a great Monday!
I hated the look on Austin’s face when she realized she had been betrayed because I’ve been there
with Becky, and it hurts. I’ll go see her tomorrow after school and apologize for how things went
down. And let her know that I’m here for her too. I can be her friend.
I make my way into the house and up the stairs. I enter my room and gently close my door. Flipping
on my bedroom light I squeal like a pig when I see a man sitting on the end of my bed.
“What the fuck?” I breathe. It’s midnight.
How the hell does he keep getting into my house?
Deke looks up at me. “A little late to be out on a school night, isn’t it?”
My eyes catch sight of a black bag at his feet. It reminds me of the same one Eli kept close to him.
And Austin had mentioned in her journal that the GWS gave her one when they forced her to join their
group.
Any other time, I would be afraid of him being in my room at midnight after I tricked him into
sleeping with me, but I’m not sober at the moment. He’s come to play. To piss me off. I know how he
works. I do something to him, and he comes and threatens me. But he has yet to hurt me. I haven’t seen
that side of Deke that Austin wrote about in her journal or the one I heard when he threatened to kill
my sister. I wanna poke the shark. See how much he can endure before he gets deadly.
I push off the door and walk slowly over to the foot of the bed, crossing my feet as I walk. I’ve
seen enough of my mother’s models grace the stage to know how to walk like them. I come to a stop
before him, and he tilts his head back to look up at me. Placing both hands on either side of him, I lean
over, making sure my tits are in his face. “Is that why you came here, Deke?” I lick my lips. “You
want me to play Becky while you play my daddy?”
His jaw sharpens and eyes narrow as my words piss him off. I laugh. Pushing off the bed this time,
I stumble more than anything as I make my way back to my door. And I’m not even in heels. I dressed
comfortable for my evening celebration. I swing it open and lean against it. “We both know you’re
only here to tell me that you love her.” I roll my eyes dramatically, and it almost knocks me off
balance. Maybe I had a few more drinks than I thought. “And that you made a mistake. So go ahead
and walk over to her room and be with her.” Somehow, Becky has talked him into rubbing it in my
face. That even though he fucked me, he still loves her. I’m not surprised. But it does piss me off.
Again, she’s so goddamn perfect, and I’m insignificant.
He stands, squaring his broad shoulders. He looks taller, scarier for some reason in a pair of black
jeans and matching long-sleeve shirt. He’s got the sleeves pushed up, showing off his tan, muscular
forearms. Walking over to me, he takes hold of the door and shuts it.
My eyes go to the door and then to his. He reaches up and runs the back of his knuckles up and
down my neck. I swallow nervously as my heart rate picks up. I close my eyes at the feel of his hands
on me, but they spring open the moment his hand grips my throat, and he pins me against the door.
“I’m here for you, Demi.” He whispers my name, and even though the hairs on the back on my neck
stand up in warning, my pussy throbs.
I swallow. “Is that supposed to scare me?”
His right leg forces its way between my knees. I tighten mine, refusing to let him through, but he’s
stronger. He smiles when he’s pressed fully against me. His muscular thigh now wedged between
mine.
“I’m not afraid of you,” I state, moving to my tiptoes. His hand keeps getting tighter, and my knees
threaten to buckle.
“That’s your first mistake.” He gives me a cruel smirk that makes him look like the beautiful
bastard he is.
My hands grip his wrist that holds me in place. “The … second?” He’s almost cutting my air off.
“Playing me.” His free hand comes up and palms my breast over my shirt.
I moan, and my eyes fall closed. He pushes his hips into mine, and he’s hard. I’m wet. Fuck, why
does he do this to me? Why, out of all the boys in the world, does Deke Biggs manage to make me
want to spread my legs and slap him at the same time?
“Feel how hard I am for you, princess?” he asks, running his lips along my jawline.
Pulling all the self-control I can manage, I rasp. “You think I’ll give in that easily?”
He gives a rough laugh before taking my earlobe between his lips while his hand tightens on my
neck, taking away my air before he whispers, “I don’t need permission to take what I already own.”
And his cockiness brings me out of my drunken and lust fog. I’m not in the mood to play his stupid
games tonight. I’m tired, drunk, and need a shower. I push him off me. He takes a step back with a
smug smile on his face.
I rub my sore neck and swallow roughly. “I can’t tell you how much I hate your unannounced visits,
but it’s time for you to go.” I walk over to my adjoining bathroom, trying to stay upright, and flip on
the light.
I go to slam the door shut, but his black boot stops it, and it flies open. “Deke … What …?”
He reaches out, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling my back to his front. He stares at
me in my bathroom mirror. “Where do you think you’re going?” he asks, bringing his right hand up
and wrapping it around my neck again, forcing my chin up.
“I need a shower,” I say, trying to fight him off, but he’s not allowing it this time. He’s too strong.
He leans down, whispering in my ear, “It’s cute that you think I give a fuck what you need.”
“I’m dirty,” I protest. I smell of weed and alcohol. I don’t smoke the shit and neither does Seth, but
his friend was. Pretty sure I have a contact high at the moment.
He leans down, inhaling my ponytail. “Baby, I’m about to make you filthy.”
My breath hitches when he releases my stomach and lowers his hand to the button of my jeans.
“Deke?” What is he doing? We’re done. The back and forth game is over.
“Yeah, princess?” His ocean blue eyes stay on mine. The sound of my zipper being lowered is
barely heard over my heavy breathing. A smirk graces his handsome face when his hand slides into
my jeans. “All you gotta do is tell me to stop.”
I don’t.
My heart pounds, my body physically shakes, and my mind screams fucking stop! But I can’t make
my lips move. My hands lie heavy at my sides completely useless against this man.
He lowers his lips to my ear, and whispers, “Tell me to stop, Becky!”
And just like before, that knocks me out of this trance. I shove him off, and he doesn’t even resist.
Spinning around, I glare up at him, and it makes me even more pissed to look at his smug smile. “I
hate you, Deke!” I seethe.
He throws his head back and laughs as if I just told him a joke. It makes his entire body shake, and
I let out a scream of frustration. I think I’m losing my mind.
“Say it like you mean it, princess.” He looks me up and down while licking his perfect lips.
I ignore the way it makes my heart race. I shove him. “I FUCKING HATE …”
He grips my hands, pins them behind my back, and slams his lips to mine. “I fucking hate you too.”
He growls.
My hands fight him, and he lets them go, but instead of shoving him away this time, they wrap
around his neck. His large hands grip my ass, and he picks my feet up off the floor. My legs wrap
around his hips, and he walks me back to the bedroom. Then he’s tossing me onto the bed. His blue
eyes stay trained on mine as he stands by the edge. He removes my shoes, socks, and then yanks my
jeans down my legs. I find myself kicking them a little to help the guy out. My heart pounds like a
drum in my chest—loud and viciously. I’m trying to catch my breath, but I’m afraid I may pass out
before he undresses me. Without taking his heated eyes from mine, he grips the white lace fabric of
my thong, and in a much slower pace, he slides them down my shaking legs.
“Are you still bleeding, princess?”
If I wasn’t so drunk, I’d blush at that question. “No.”
He drops them to the floor and reaches up, gripping the back of his black shirt and pulls it up over
his head. His abs flex, showcasing a six-pack that looks carved out of stone. Then he pushes his jeans
down his muscular thighs along with his boxers.
My eyes slowly travel down over the V that you only see on the cover of magazines. I bite my
bottom lip when I get to his hard dick. It stands to attention and makes my thighs tighten. When we had
sex, I had the lights off so I never got to see it. My mouth goes dry at his impressive size. No wonder
it was so painful.
“Is this the first time you’ve ever seen a cock, Demi?” he asks, wrapping his hand around the thick
base.
My wide eyes shoot up to meet his, and this time I do blush, telling him what he already knew.
 He gives me that smug smile that I fucking hate. The one that makes his blue eyes dance with
mischief and my belly flop. “Spread your legs,” he orders.
My bended knees begin to shake. I should have had another drink.
He lets go of his dick and steps up to the bed. Placing his hands on my knees, he slowly pushes
them apart.
I fall onto my back, and my hands come up to cover my face. My entire body is shaking
uncontrollably. Even the alcohol can’t help mask my fear and embarrassment of what is to come.
His hands leave my knees and travel up my thighs. They firmly spread them farther until I’m
completely exposed to him.
This is where I’m nothing like Becky. I lack experience and confidence. I have never felt more
vulnerable and turned on at the same time. I’m ashamed ’cause I’m completely wet for him. And the
lights are on, allowing him to see every inch of me.
His thumb slides over my pussy, and I moan loudly.
“Such a pretty pussy,” he says softly.
I swallow, my mouth suddenly going dry. I wish I would have known this was going to happen. I
would have put some music on so he wouldn’t have to hear my heavy breathing.
“Has a man ever eaten your pussy, Demi?”
Dear Lord! I’m gonna come at the sound of my name and pussy being mentioned in the same
sentence. “No,” I mumble my answer.
His hands grip my hips, and he yanks me toward him. I remove my hands from my face and cry out
in surprise as my ass now hangs off the edge of the bed. “Deke …”
“Unless you’re telling me to stop, I don’t wanna hear it.” He growls.
I watch his eyes trail down over my chest; the only thing I wear is a black bra. And it’s not even
pretty or flattering in any way. He didn’t get the chance to remove it. Not like I have much to show,
though. They continue their assault, raking over my stomach and pussy. When he drops to his knees,
my breath gets stuck in my lungs.
He places my shaking knees over his shoulders. My wide eyes go to my bedroom door. I didn’t
lock it. “What if someone comes in?” I ask in a panic.
“Let them watch me eat you out, baby,” he says, not sharing my concern.
“Deke …” I protest, but he leans forward, and my words die as I feel his mouth touch where no
man has before.
“Oh, God.” My hands grip the comforter.
His fingers dig into my hips, and I buck them when I feel his tongue enter me.
He grips me tighter, pulling me closer to his face, and I close my eyes at the pure pleasure of his
tongue touching me in the most intimate way.
My legs tighten on his head, my back arches, and I start to pant as a fire runs up my back. Then I
feel a pulsing between my legs, and it travels up through my body. I’m screaming his name as what
can only be described as an energy rush reaches my head and explodes.

DEKE

I STAND AND lick what’s left of her from my lips. She lies before me, shaking uncontrollably with her
back arched and her eyes closed. Her lips are parted, and she is panting.
Fuck, she looks beautiful.
I had planned to come and hurt her, to remind her who the fuck she’s dealing with, but I couldn’t do
it. I had brought my bag since I wasn’t sure how I was going to do it. Make her bleed? Leave her
restrained again? Carve my fucking name in her ass? I didn’t know which plan of action was the best
one.
But the moment she entered her room, all I could think was to get her naked and underneath me. I
saw how turned on she was. How much she still wanted me. Last time I was drunk and a fucking
idiot, so I didn’t ease into it. I just fucked her like she was the same whore her sister is.
Demi deserved better for her first time.
I reach out, grab her hand, and yank her to a sitting position. As she looks up at me with heavy
eyes, I remove her bra. Her hands go to my stomach, and they roam my body, exploring every inch of
what I work hard to achieve. Being a swimmer keeps me in shape, but even at eighteen, I have to
spend a lot of time in the gym due to my bad eating habits and alcohol consumption. But I have no
problem working as hard as I play.
I remove her loose ponytail, and her long blond hair falls down over her shoulders. I push it back,
exposing her chest to me. Her pretty pink nipples harden as I run my thumbs over them.
“Scoot back and lie down,” I order, dropping my hand to stroke my cock. It’s been hard since the
moment she entered her room with an attitude that I wanted to fuck out of her.
She does as I say, and her still shaking legs fall open without me having to say a word. I smile.
She’s already learning.
I crawl onto the bed.
“Is this why you came here?” She licks her lips. “To fuck me?”
“Why else would I be here?” I arch a brow, centering myself between her parted legs.
“To hurt me,” she answers breathlessly.
I place my hands on either side of her head and lower my lips to her ear. “Oh, I have every
intention of hurting you.”
Lie. If I wanted to do her any harm, I would have done it the moment she stepped foot into her
room. Caught her off guard and taken advantage of a situation I knew I could win. I never act without
knowing the outcome.
“Good.” She wraps her arms around my neck. “I thought you were going soft.”
My eyes roam her face, and I watch as her soft features harden just a bit. Her orgasm is wearing off
—fading away. The only reminder that I’m not a fucking douche quickly diminishes. And that urge to
hurt her returns. I rack my brain, trying to think of what I could do to her. How I could make her
remember that what she did was wrong. She crossed me. I wanted her, and she only used me. Was any
of it real? I doubt it. And I hate that I fell for it so easily again.
“You look like you’re trying to decide if you want to choke me to death or fuck me.” She taunts me
as if I’m not onto her.
I can read her like a book. One that I wanna rip the pages out and burn to ashes. A story left to
never be told again. It’d be a tragedy, but one she earned with too many pages filled with lies.
I slide my right hand into her hair and jerk her head back to force her to look up at the ceiling. I
lean down, lowering my voice to a dark whisper. “What if I said I want to do both?”
It’s what I do to her in my dreams. When she tells me to pretend she’s Becky, and she’ll pretend to
love me. It’s so fucked up, but nothing about this is sane. Ever since I touched her at Silence, we’ve
been hiding who we really are.
A beautiful mess and a demon.
I have killed, and she has lied. We are exactly what we should stay away from, yet here we are.
“Are you going to fight me?” I ask, inhaling the scent of her hair. It smells of vanilla, and it makes
my mouth water. Becky’s always smelled of strawberries.
“That depends on which option you choose,” she answers breathlessly.
I smile against her neck. “Well, princess, I already have you naked underneath me, legs spread
wide, and my lips still taste of your cunt. But …” I pull away and run my free hand up her chest to
wrap around her neck. “If I sit here and choke the life out of your pretty eyes, you’ll fight?” I’m not
sure which one sounds more appealing.
Becky never allowed me to be rough. She always told me she wanted me to be my best self. And I
believed that fucking bullshit. She didn’t change for me; I should have never tried to pretend with her.
She looks up at me the best she can since my right hand is still holding her head back by her hair.
“You think I have pretty eyes?”
I can’t help but chuckle. Of course, that’s what she takes from what I said. “You know I think
you’re gorgeous,” I say honestly.
There’s nothing wrong with admitting that to her or myself. Over the past week, I’ve noticed the
difference between Demi and Becky in their looks. Demi is more of a natural beauty while Becky is
just all-out fake. Demi’s blue eyes hold more truth and anger. She carries herself differently. She
doesn’t need to dress like a slut to get attention, and she doesn’t need the world to bow at her feet.
No, Demi doesn’t need anyone, and that’s what draws me to her. To need someone is a weakness, and
I wanna see her need me desperately. Like her life depends on it.
Her lips part, and I feel her pulse race against my hand.
“But don’t think that will stop me from hurting you,” I warn, my hand tightening on her throat as a
warning. She can still breathe, though. I don’t want the fun to start too soon.
“Maybe I want you to hurt me.”
My eyes narrow as I press my hard cock to her dripping pussy in warning. I was so rough with her
two nights ago in Becky’s bed. She has to still be sore. “Did I hurt you the other night?” I ask. She had
cried. At the time it didn’t register until she sent me the message that I took her virginity.
“Yes.” She licks her lips.
“And?” I ask, not liking her simple answer. I’m sure as shit not gonna apologize because she
should have told me.
Swallowing against my hand, she whispers, “I liked it.”
“Demi.” I growl. She’s playing with me. This is another one of her fucking tricks. This is where
she’s just like her sister.
She places her hands on my chest. “Is that what you want, Deke? To hurt me?”
“Yes.” No. Fuck! Do I want to hurt her? I’m not sure what I want right now. So much has happened
over the past couple of days that I can’t even think straight.
Her hands drop to her sides, and she whispers, “Then do it.”
“Is this why you’re with Seth?” The thought of him makes me want to punch him in the goddamn
face and choke her out. “You piss him off, so he’ll hurt you?”
She lets out a laugh, so pure that her body shakes underneath me. “I found another thing I like about
you.”
I release her hair and neck, placing my fisted hands on either side of her face, then I ask, “What’s
that?”
“Your jealousy,” she answers, licking her lips.
“I’m not—”
“Liar.” She cuts me off. “But Seth isn’t here, Deke. It’s just you and me. So there’s only one thing
you need to ask.”
 I’m afraid to ask her anything. Demi has this way of pushing me. I always seem to be off my game
around her. I don’t like it.
“Are you gonna fuck me or not?” She finally asks when I don’t.
The words piss me off more than they should because she’s right. I am jealous. Demi doesn’t
belong to me. She belongs to Seth. Just like Becky never belonged to me. And I refuse to go down that
road again with another Holt Ice Princess.
I lift my right hand and run my knuckles down her soft cheek and lie just like she does to me. “You
may be gorgeous, baby, but your sister is the one I plan on fucking tonight.”

_______________

I ENTER THE dark house and drop my bag at the front door. Thankfully, Austin put that damn Halloween
decoration up in the attic, so I no longer have to hear it go off when I walk by it. I grab a pack of
cigarettes and a lighter out of the junk drawer in the kitchen and make my way to the back patio.
“What are you doing out here?” I ask, seeing Cole in the pool doing laps. No surprise there.
He pushes the wet hair from his face. “Needed to relieve some stress.”
“Austin still mad at you?”
He nods his head. “She locked herself in Lilly’s room for the evening.”
I snort and light my cigarette. Guess that talk earlier didn’t go so well for him. “I’m surprised that
stopped you.” A locked door isn’t gonna keep him away from her.
“Oh, her ass is gonna be in our bed when she wakes up in the morning,” he says matter-of-factly.
“I’ll make sure to leave early.” I take a drag and lean back in the lounge chair.
“How did things go with Demi?”
I grunt. “Well, I left her in her bed naked and wet.” After I got her off.
“Sounds like we both have some groveling to do.”
“I can go get pussy anywhere.” I give him a smug smile. “You’re the one limited to one.”
“But you want Demi’s.”
The smile drops off my face, and I take another drag. “I’m not going to touch her. Again.” I’ve
made up my mind. We’ve both overstepped a line, and I’m drawing a new one. It’s over.
I change the subject. “Heard anything from Bennett?”
“I spoke to him a couple of hours ago, and he hasn’t got any leads on Evan Scott.”
“He once said that when Austin stole Jerrold’s laptop, there was shit there that he missed.” I
growl.
Austin had dared Shane to steal Jerrold’s laptop and that also gave us access to all the bank
accounts to JJ’s Properties—Jeff and Jerrold’s businesses. Bennett syphoned all the millions
combined from those accounts, and we split it equally between us. But what Bennett almost missed
was that it also held details revealing that his brother Jeff—the guy we were killing the night Austin
found us in the cemetery—had been paid by Bruce, Austin’s dad, to tamper with the brakes to Cole’s
car, which ultimately led to the accident that killed three of our friends.
“Do you believe him?” he asks.
I take a drag of the cigarette and slowly blow the smoke out. “I think that whoever is behind it is
smart. And they have help.” He frowns. “It’s gotta be more than one person.”
“What makes you say that?”
“A hunch,” I answer. “And Austin had mentioned us having enemies in Collins. She wasn’t wrong.
It’s the only thing that makes sense. Someone back in Collins is helping someone here ’cause no one
here knows what all we’ve done in the past.”
“Except for us, Demi, and Becky. The girls admitted that they read Austin’s journal.”
“Yeah, but we don’t know what all was written in there. And she hasn’t had it since she was shot.
And they knew that we killed Kellan.” His name was marked out in red.
“But that was all over the news.” He shrugs. “People thought I killed him. They just couldn’t prove
it.”
Five months ago
I called the cops on our way to Bruce’s from the clubhouse. But I didn’t disclose that Kellan was
involved. I gave an anonymous tip that there was a homicide at the Lowes’ residence, then hung
up. When we arrived, Austin was lying in a pool of blood in the kitchen, and Kellan was leaning
against the countertop. Cole told me to remove him from the scene because he didn’t want the cops
getting to him first. So, I brought him up to the abandoned cemetery behind the Lowes estate,
making sure I didn’t leave a trail of blood. Kellan doesn’t deserve to be behind bars. What little
life he has left is up to Cole.
Cole reaches down and grabs Kellan’s ankle, dragging him across the uneven ground. Even
though we are too far from the Lowes’ residence and no one can hear him, Cole drops his ankle
and then straddles him, placing his hand over Kellan’s mouth to quiet him.
“I’m not even going to ask you why.” His bloodied chest rises and falls quickly as he sucks in
breaths through clenched teeth. “Because it doesn’t fucking matter.” Then he punches him in the
face. Kellan opens his mouth to cry, but Cole does it again. And again.
I don’t stop him. Or offer him any help. When Cole is in this kind of mood, you just stand back
and thank God you’re not the guy he plans on destroying. He used to do this for sport, but ever
since Jeff, things have escalated to murder. And I don’t hold him back. If anything, I encourage
him.
He comes to a stop and falls off Kellan as though he was functioning solely on adrenaline, and
it just ran out. Cole sits on a patch of dead grass next to him, breathing heavily with his eyes
closed. Pulling his knees up, he places his elbows on them and drops his forehead into his open,
bloody hands. They’re shaking. His entire body is.
I take a step toward him to make sure he’s okay but then stop myself. This isn’t like all the other
times. No matter how much Kellan has betrayed us, he was still one of our best friends at one time.
But now he has tried to kill the love of Cole’s life. And by the amount of Austin’s blood covering
him, I would say Kellan succeeded, causing my chest to tighten for him. For Becky. I’m gonna have
to break my girlfriend’s heart and tell her that her best friend is dead.
“She was …” Cough. “Always going to die,” Kellan chokes out. “The game …”
Cole lifts his head slowly, blood now covering his face, and he opens his eyes. He stares at
Kellan for a long moment, and I see the fire raging in them. I’ve seen it so many times, and I know
how explosive they can get. Then he kicks him in the face.
“Fuck the game!” he roars.
Kellan’s head snaps back, and I hear bones breaking. For a moment, I think Cole broke his neck.
But then Kellan releases a strangled moan, and I realize it was just his jaw. His bloody hands come
up to cover his busted face. He sobs into them like the little bitch he is.
“You’re the only one who is dying tonight,” Cole snaps. “She’s alive. And she’s gonna stay that
way.”
“Naaa … Pwe … ase …”
 It’s hard to understand his words with a broken jaw.
Cole finally looks up at me. His chest rising and falling fast. “Call Shelby.”
I scramble to remove my phone from my pocket. When she answers, I place it on speaker. “Are
you at the hospital?” I ask in greeting.
“Deke? What are you …?”
“Are you at the fucking hospital?” I bark out. Austin’s alive for now. But how long will she stay
that way?
“Yes,” she snaps.
“Austin is on her way. She’s been shot.”
“What?” She gasps. “What the hell, Deke? Cole shot her?”
“I don’t have time to go through this with you again!” She always thinks the worst when it
comes to him. “I’m calling you ’cause Cole isn’t family, and he’s gonna need updates. So fucking
update me!” Then I hang up before she can say anything else.
Kellan coughs before turning onto his left side. Blood runs from his mouth and nose. His face is
busted. “I’m … sowwwy,” he cries out.
“You will be,” Cole tells him. Then he looks at me. “Call Bennett. Tell him to get his ass here.”
“No … no … no,” Kellan cries frantically.
I dial Bennett’s number. He answers on the third ring. “Hey, Deke ….”
“I don’t have time to explain. Get your ass up to the cemetery behind the Lowes’ Estate.”
“Everything okay?” he asks quickly.
I look down at Cole as he straddles Kellan again. He wraps his hand around the butt of the knife
that sticks out of his side. “Fuck you, Kellan.” He yanks the knife from his side, tosses it away, and
then begins to punch Kellan in the face again with fists still covered in Austin’s blood. Kellan tries
to fight him, but it’s no use. He’s lost too much blood, and Cole is a killer. When you become his
target, he doesn’t stop until the job is complete.
Kellan knew this would only end one way. Even if Cole had to track him down, the outcome
would have been the same.
Death.
And I was going to help my best friend achieve that goal. No matter what I had to do to make it
happen. Because we’re sharks. And what do sharks do? They kill.
“Deke …?”
“No, Bennett, it’s not.”
“The town did call off the search.” I shrug. They were never gonna find his body. Bennett arrived
and dropped him off in the ocean—attached to some dive tanks. He was never gonna resurface. I’m
sure the sea creatures took care of what was left of him. “With no body recovered, that leaves a lot of
questions.”
He sighs. “I’ll call Bennett in the morning and see if he’s got anything new.”
“Has he found any information on who owns the cabin?”
He shakes his head again.
“So we’re just supposed to wait around for the fucker to throw something our way?” I growl.
“I’m just as pissed about it as you are, but until we know who it is, there’s nothing we can do.”
A silence falls over us, and I finish the cigarette. I stand to walk inside when he steps out of the
pool, and asks me, “What if it’s not her?”
I turn to face him but don’t answer.
He picks up his towel off the ground and wraps it around his neck. “Her name was on the list. So
she’s either behind it or about to be thrown into it.”
“Your point?” I quirk a brow, wondering where he’s headed with that statement.
He runs his hands through his hair, shaking off the excess water. “My point is what are you going to
do if she’s not behind it?”
“We have never killed someone for the hell of it. If she’s innocent, then I’ll protect her.”
 CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
DEMI

I PULL UP to Austin’s house and knock on the door. Rocking back and forth on my heels, I wait for
someone to answer. There wasn’t a car in the driveway, but I’m sure her Range Rover is in the
garage. The guys aren’t here. I only came over ’cause they have practice. I haven’t even gone home. I
came straight from school because I wanted to get this over with before they returned home.
Just when I’m about to give up and turn away, the door swings open. Austin stands before me in a
pair of dark jeans, a white T-shirt, and her hair up in a messy bun. And she doesn’t look very happy.
“I’m sorry,” I say immediately. I never meant to hurt her.
She lets out a long sigh and steps to the side, allowing me to enter. “It’s not your fault,” she says,
shutting the door.
“I should have never read it. I should have told you …”
She waves me off and walks to the kitchen. I follow her. She goes straight to the fridge and pulls
out a bottle of wine. “Do you drink?”
“Yes.”
She pops the cork on the bottle, then she pours two drinks. “I prefer Fireball, but since it’s not five
yet, I’ll keep it to a glass of Merlot.” I take the offered glass, and she raises hers. Knocking them
together, she says, “To the friends we lose, and the lessons we learn.” Then she takes a big gulp of
hers.
I sip on mine. “Have you heard from her?”
She nods. “She’s called me. I’ve ignored them.”
I look down at my drink. “I hate that she hurt you, but I can’t say I’m surprised.”
“I’m not mad about the journal. I mean, I am, but it’s what she said to me.” She sets the glass down,
and her eyes meet mine. “I’m not with him because—”
“I know.” I interrupt her. “You don’t have to defend yourself to me, Austin.”
My sister read her journal, and anyone who knows Cole and Austin knows that their love is real.
Becky just wanted to hurt her and knew exactly what to say in order to accomplish that.
She gives another nod and throws back her wine.
I take another sip of mine.
“So enough about me and onto you,” she says, faking a smile.
I sigh. “There’s nothing about me to be said.”
She quirks a brow. “Deke Biggs,” she says, and this time when I lift the glass of wine to my lips, I
take more than just a sip. “You love him.”
I choke on it. “Hell no.”
She tilts her head to the side. “Then why did you sleep with him?”
“Did you love Cole the first time you slept with him?” I counter. I know she didn’t. Their first time
was in a bathroom at a party. Deke stood outside the door and recorded it. Then someone uploaded it
to social media the next day. I hate to say that I tried to find it, but it must have been taken down
’cause it’s nowhere to be found now. I’m sure Cole made it disappeared once he realized he loved
her.
 “No, but he also wasn’t previously in love with my sister. And I wasn’t a virgin.” She eyes me
skeptically. “You slept with him for a reason, Demi. He may not know that, but I do.”
I fall onto the barstool and place my elbows on the marble island. “Would revenge make it any
better?”
“I told you I’m not going to judge you.” She shrugs. “Everyone does something for a reason. I’m
just trying to figure out why you did what you did.” She refills her drink. “I know why he slept with
you.”
“Because he wanted to make my sister mad.”
She shakes her head. “It had nothing to do with her and everything to do with you.” I frown. Taking
another drink, she smiles at me over the rim of her glass. “So I’ll ask you again. Do you love him?”

DEKE

I STAND AT my locker with a towel at my bare feet and my jeans pulled up to my hips but still undone.
My shirt lies on the bench behind me.
Cole walks up next to me, also fresh out of the shower, and all he’s wearing is a towel draped
around his neck. He yanks his locker open and picks up his phone. “Bennett called me.”
“And?” I ask.
He throws his phone back into the locker. “And I missed it. He left me a voicemail. I’ll call him
back on the way home.”
I sit down on the bench and put my socks and tennis shoes on as Cole throws his towel down to the
floor. He’s still pissy. This morning, Austin wouldn’t even look at him. As I suspected, she woke up
pissed when she realized he had broken into Lilly’s room and carried her up to theirs. If I didn’t know
she loved him, I’d half expect his clothes to be on fire in the front yard when we get back to the house.
The guys walk around the locker room after swim practice. We’ve just finished our showers. I’m
ready to get the hell home and go to bed. I’m tired. I can’t survive on no sleep like Cole does.
“What did you do last night?” a guy by the name of Peter asks his friend Braden.
Cole and I aren’t close to the guys on the swim team like we were back in Collins. We keep our
distance. They don’t try to be our friends, and we don’t go out of our way to be theirs.
“Seth came over,” he answers, sitting down on the bench a few spots down from me. “He brought
his hot little girlfriend with him.”
Cole looks over his shoulder at me. I ignore him and keep listening to the guys.
“Damn, the high school bitch he’s fucking?” the guy asks.
He nods.
“Fuck, I’d be all over that every chance I got.”
He laughs. “Yeah, it was weird, though. She just sat there and drank while playing video games.
They didn’t even talk much.”
Cole throws his towel into his locker and steps into his jeans without even bothering with his
boxers.
“You should have jumped on that. I bet he would have shared her with you. I hear they have an
open relationship.”
My hands fist. Is that what you call it? Then why did he get so pissed when he heard she was
sleeping with me? I’ve seen him in class since then, but he’s sat down on the front row. He’s the last
to show up to class and the first one to run out once the professor releases us. He thinks he can run
from me, but he can’t.
 “Maybe that’s what he was waiting on,” the guy jokes.
“I know I’d share if she was mine. I’ll take that sweet ass while you take her mouth.”
And I’ve heard all I need to know. What the fuck has Seth been telling his friends? She was a
fucking virgin, so I know they haven’t done much. Hell, he’s never even eaten her out. And I saw the
way she looked at my cock. She’d never seen one before. What makes these guys think that he would
share her?
I stand and turn to face him, but Cole grabs my upper arm. “Don’t.”
I look over at him and growl. “What if it was Austin?”
He lets go of my arm and nods. “I got your back.”
“Fuck that mouth, I want her pussy …”
I step forward, gripping the guy’s hair, and I rip him from where he sits on the bench and shove him
headfirst into the lockers.

_______________

“WHAT THE HELL happened?” Coach snaps as we all gather in his office.
I only got a few punches in before he came running into the locker room and broke it up. The
bastards got off lucky.
“They jumped us,” Peter barks.
I snort. Fucking rats. I place my bloody hands behind my back and step forward. “They were
discussing in much detail how they planned to, for lack of a better word, fuck a girl. At the same time.
A girl who I know, Coach. And I didn’t feel comfortable listening to their derogatory comments.
Especially since she is underage.”
Coach’s face instantly goes red. Our fathers taught us to do our research so before I took the
scholarship at the University of Texas, I did some on Coach here. He has three sons and once had a
daughter. She was an all-star athlete. Head cheerleader, played soccer, softball and ran track. One
Saturday morning, she left her parents’ house for a run. They called the police three hours later when
she didn’t return. Two days later, they found her body twenty feet off the running path. She was
completely naked. The man had sexually assaulted her and strangled her with a shoelace. He pulled it
so tight that it was still embedded in her neck. She was only a junior in high school. The report went
on to say that her boyfriend told the police to look at Rodger Simmons, a swimmer at UT, because he
had been calling and harassing her. I knew I wanted to come here when I read that he left town and
never returned. Never to be heard from again. Of course, Coach was a suspect in his disappearance,
but it’s all about what you can prove, not what you think. That’s why he’s here with us, and Rodger’s
rotting corpse was never found.
“Coach …” Braden begins.
“Shut the fuck up!” he orders, placing his fisted hands on his desk and leaning over. “If you want to
keep your scholarships, you will not breathe a word of it to anyone. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Coach,” we all answer in unison.
“Get the hell out,” he snaps.
We all turn to exit, but he stops us. “Except for Mr. Reynolds and Mr. Biggs.”
Cole and I turn back around, and he points at the two seats in front of his desk. “Sit.”
We do as we’re told.
He walks behind his desk and picks up two manila envelopes. “I’ve read your files, boys. And I
didn’t like what I saw.” He looks at Cole. “You were arrested back in Collins for shooting your
girlfriend and killing her stepmother.”
I watch Cole’s body go rigid out of the corner of my eye, and he grips the armrest on his chair. He
still only wears his jeans. He didn’t have time to put a shirt on when I started throwing punches, and
he jumped in.
“I was taken in for questioning, Coach. And released after proof of my innocence was found.”
“Ah, yes. And the friend of yours who committed the crime has never been seen again.” If I’m not
mistaken, I would say Coach looks at him with pride. It takes a lot of planning and patience these days
to kill a man and not get caught. If only he knew we did it by the seat of our pants and within minutes
after we found him with Austin’s body. Sometimes you just have to work with what you got. Then he
looks at me. “I have no doubt you helped him.” He quirks a brow.
I just cross my arms over my chest, and he nods once as if he understands that my loyalty lies with
Cole.
He goes on. “Your father shipped you off to boarding school at the age of ten.” My teeth grind.
“Wanna tell me why they kicked you out after three months?”
“They said I was unteachable,” I answer honestly. “And they believed I was possessed.”
Cole chuckles, and I smile. It’s the truth. My father sent me to an all-boys boarding school in
Switzerland. I found him in the kitchen with his hand around my mother’s throat, and I ran at him with
a knife. After he beat the shit out of me, he shipped me away. The man was afraid I was gonna kill
him in his sleep. My mom begged me not to. It wasn’t until years later, once I was older, that I
understood why she was with him and put up with his shit—money. Bitch loves money as much as he
loves having his options of pussy.
They had it out for me the moment I arrived at the boarding school, so I had to live up to my
reputation, of course. I played a few pranks here and there, which all landed me in deep water. But
the final straw was when I beat the shit out of three boys at once in the boys’ bathroom. It didn’t
matter that they jumped me, and I kicked their ass. They kicked my ass out. Even my father’s money
couldn’t keep me there. They had a no tolerance rule and told him I was the spawn of Satan. If they
only knew how true that was.
He gives us his back and looks out his floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooks the courtyard of the
university. “Your accolades spoke higher than your behaviors.” He spins back around and stares at
both of us. “Don’t make me regret giving you both this chance.”
“Yes, Coach,” we both say.
He nods and sits down in his chair. “Go home, boys, and come back tomorrow ready to swim until
your muscles ache to the point you’ll have to crawl out of the pool.”
 CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
DEMI

“THAT MOTHERFUCKER DESERVED more than a broken nose.”

I sit on the couch next to Austin sipping on a new bottle of wine when we hear Deke’s voice.
“Then let’s go pay him a visit tonight,” Cole offers.
“I should go,” I say. Standing, I grab my phone to get an Uber. I wasn’t thinking about how I was
gonna get home after I finished my second glass. I’ve been here for over three hours. I colored some
pictures with Lilly before Austin put her to bed, and then we sat down to talk, and time just got away
from us.
“You can go if you want, but this is my house too, and you’re more than welcome here,” she states
before walking out of the living room. “What the hell happened?” I hear Austin gasp.
I make my way into the kitchen to see Cole standing at the fridge and Deke in front of an open
drawer.
“Some guys were talking shit about Demi,” Deke answers. “Me and Cole broke some shit.”
“What?” I ask, taking a step into the kitchen.
Everyone turns to face me. Deke’s jaw sharpens, and Cole runs a hand through his hair. Deke looks
at Austin as though he expects her to explain my presence. As if I’m not welcome here. She doesn’t.
“What?” I ask again. “Who was talking about me?”
Deke ignores me as he reaches into the open drawer and pulls out a pack of cigarettes. Slamming it
shut, he stomps out of the kitchen.
“Cole?” Austin demands.
He arches a brow. “Oh, now you’re talking to me?” He realizes his fuckup the moment the words
are out of his mouth and looks away from her.
“Fuck you, Cole,” she growls and goes to leave as well, but he grabs her by the upper arm,
preventing her escape.
“A guy on the swim team was talking about him and another fucking Demi.” He looks at me. “At the
same time.”
I frown. Who the hell at the University of Texas would know me? “Do I know them?” Maybe they
meant another Demi.
He lets go of her and shrugs. “They didn’t seem to know you very well. One mentioned that you
were over at his house last night with Seth.”
“Ahh,” I say, remembering that Seth did tell me that when he introduced us last night. I didn’t pay
much attention. “Seth knows him through his sister. Last night was my first time to meet him.”
“Well, I wouldn’t go back there if I was you,” he warns.
“Noted.” I nod.
“Did you get suspended?” Austin asks through gritted teeth.
He snorts. “Hell no. Coach yelled at us and then told us to go home. He can’t afford to lose us.” He
looks at me after answering her. “You need to figure out whatever the fuck you and Deke have going
on.”
“It’s nothing.” I just needed to use him one time.
 “I’ve known Deke all of my life, and he wouldn’t have jeopardized his scholarship for a girl he
didn’t give two fucks about.” Then he looks down at his future wife. I can see the regret flash across
his face for just a short second before it disappears. “May I talk to you?” When she doesn’t answer,
he adds, “Upstairs.” Then he too exits the kitchen, not waiting for a response or giving her any room
to protest, leaving me and Austin alone.
“I’m gonna go—”
“No,” she interrupts me and turns to the fridge. Opening the door, she pulls out a half-full bottle of
wine. We finished off the first one earlier. “Here.” She holds it out to me. “Cole is right. You and
Deke need to talk this out. And you are more than welcome to spend the night in the spare bedroom.”
I arch a brow. “And you and Cole?”
She sighs heavily. “I’m going to go upstairs and talk it out too.”
I walk out of the sliding glass door to find him sitting in a lounge chair. His head back, eyes closed,
and a cigarette between his lips. He lifts his right hand and removes it before letting out a puff of
smoke. My eyes catch sight of his busted knuckles. There’s dried blood on them.
“Gonna tell me why you hit a guy because of me?” I ask.
His eyes spring open and meet mine. He doesn’t say anything, but I choose to stay instead of letting
him intimidate me. I walk around his chair and fall into the one beside him. His eyes follow my
movements before landing on the pool.
I remove the cork and take a big sip of the wine, trying to fight the shiver that runs through me. It’s
cold out here.
We sit in silence, and I wrap my arms around my chest. “Austin thinks I love you,” I say, trying to
get some kind of response out of him. Maybe shock him. I wanna see that Deke I saw that night at
Silence. Confused and hot as fuck.
He just laughs and takes another drag. “Austin doesn’t know you.”
I smile at myself.
“Not like I do,” he adds like the smartass he is.
The smile drops off my face. “What does that mean?”
He looks over at me. “You don’t love anyone but yourself.”
His words feel like a knife to my chest. He couldn’t be more wrong. I take another drink from the
bottle and say the one thing I’ve never said out loud. Not even to the boy I wanted. “I loved Eli.”

DEKE

I LAUGH, SHAKING my head in disbelief. Of course, she did. “And you’re pissed off because he didn’t
love you back.”
“You know nothing.” She growls.
“He was my best friend. I know enough.”
“You didn’t know he was fucking your girlfriend.”
My entire body stiffens, and I look over at her. She has a smug smile on her face. A look of total
satisfaction. Becky wasn’t my girlfriend at the time. She was my secret. She was not only fucking me,
but also David and Eli. I knew she got around, but I didn’t know she was that big of a whore. How
could I have? It’s not like I followed her around everywhere or went through her phone. I believed
her when she said she loved me and that I was the one she wanted to be with, but it was complicated,
and we needed to wait. I hate that I believed her, but more importantly, I hate that everyone seemed to
know but me.
 “Guess he still picked her over you in the end,” I say to hurt her, not really knowing what she and
Eli had. It obviously wasn’t sexual. I knew he liked Demi because I always saw him looking at her
and secretly talking to her, but being the girl Becky is, she won.
She jumps to her feet and comes to stand before me. I look up at her and take a drag from my
cigarette. She knocks it out of my mouth and to the ground before stepping on it. Then she leans
forward, placing her face in front of mine.
“And if he wouldn’t have died, she would have picked him over you,” she states. “You were
second best, Deke. To David. To Eli. To every other guy she’s ever spread her legs for. How does that
feel?”
I want to throw her into the pool in front of me and drown her mouthy fucking ass. But what will
that solve? I’m with Cole. I’m tired of having to hide bodies. I left Collins to forget the terrors and
run from my demons. I backed his need for revenge one hundred percent because Eli was my friend
too, and he and his dead sister deserved revenge, but look where it left me. I lost Becky. The girl I
thought I was gonna spend the rest of my life with. I lost a friendship I thought could never be broken.
And I hate it that Eli’s dead. I want to call him up. Scream at him. Punch him. And then tell him he can
have her. If that’s what he wanted, I wouldn’t have fought him. You don’t fight your friends over trash.
“It must sting to know that she never loved you the way you loved her,” she continues.
And I’ve had enough. Reaching out, I grab her shirt and yank her toward me so hard that she falls
onto my lap. She gasps, placing her hands on my chest to push her stiff body from mine. “How do you
feel about being second best, princess?” I ask, wrapping one hand around the back of her neck and the
other around her waist, not giving her the chance to get away from me. Leaning in, I whisper, “I’m
sure it hurt when you found out you’ll never be her.”
I pull back and see angry tears in her blue eyes. Moving my hand around her neck, I trail my fingers
softly down over her collarbone and push her blond hair back from her shoulder, noticing that her
hickeys are gone. I have an urge to lean in and give her more just because I can.
She bares her perfectly straight teeth at me. I remember when she had braces during her freshman
year. I thought it was strange. Her teeth were already straight, but her mother made her get them
anyway. You can never be perfect enough for Angelica Holt. “I don’t want to be her, Deke.”
I bite back a snarky comment at her words and look over her pouty lips and sad blue eyes. I think
it’s the first real thing she’s ever said to me. “Then what is it you want?”
She closes her eyes and lets out a long breath. The fruity smell of her wine hits my face. “It doesn’t
matter what I want. It never has.”
I don’t like her answer. It makes me want to give her everything. And that’s a rabbit hole I can’t go
down. “Why are you with Seth?” I change the subject.
“Why did you defend me tonight?” she counters.
I sigh, and she arches a brow. We’re at a standstill. Neither one of us wants to answer.
Her body relaxes on top of mine, and her hands come up to my chest. I’ve got a direct line of sight
to hers, and I move my hands to her narrow hips. My fingers dig into her jeans, and it takes everything
in me not to move them against mine. To feel her grind against me. Just the thought makes my cock
start to harden.
She licks her pouty, nude painted lips. “If I asked you to forget who I am for one night, could you
do it?”
“Why would I wanna forget who you are?” I ask confused by her question.
“I don’t wanna be Becky. But I also don’t wanna be Demi,” she answers honestly.
“Who do you wanna be?”
 “Someone who matters,” she whispers, dropping her head to stare at my shirt.
Letting go of her hips, I grip her chin and lift her head, so she must look at me. “Demi Holt matters
to me,” I say, and I hate that the words are true. I thought she was a Becky mini-me, but she’s nothing
like her. Demi pushes me. She wakes up a part of me that I didn’t think I wanted again.
“What if she’s not behind it?” Cole had asked me.
“Then I’ll protect her.” It’s not even a question. I’d do whatever I have to do to protect her from
whoever thinks they can go toe to toe with us. But if she’s behind it … I’ll also do what has to be
done.
“Forget it.” She goes to push away from me, but I hold my grip on her.
“Demi …”
“I don’t need your lies,” she snaps.
I cradle her face in my hands and pull her lips to mine. She doesn’t hesitate before opening for me.
Her tongue enters my mouth, and mine meets hers. Exploring her mouth as if it’s never been there
before. Wanting to know her sweet taste. Savoring it. Knowing that I may have to hurt her eventually. I
wanna drink her in. Swallow her whole.
Her hips begin to grind, rubbing her jeans on my hard dick, and I moan, tilting her head to the side
to allow me to deepen the kiss. She moans, opening up for me as if she belongs to me. And I take from
her.
I pull away, and she pants. “Does that feel like a fucking lie?” I demand.
Her heavy eyes open, and they search mine for what I don’t know. Licking her wet lips, she replies
roughly, “It doesn’t feel like the truth.”
 CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
DEMI

I LIED TO him. Again. He has no clue what Eli and Becky were doing, but I do. I’m the only person
who knows what was really going on, but I can’t tell him. Not now. I won’t allow her to ruin another
day of my life. I don’t want to have to think of her, or Eli, or his death. I want Deke.
Austin thinks I love him, and honestly, I’m not sure she’s a hundred percent wrong. What is love
anyway? All the movies tell you that it’s sweet and romantic, but it’s such bullshit. Cole and Austin
are proof of that. You don’t always need hearts and flowers to prove you love someone. Sometimes
you need each other’s names carved in blood.
I push away from him, and he allows it. I stand on shaky legs. I’m not drunk, but I’m not sober
either. He sits there looking up at me. Is he waiting for me to leave? For me to shout at him? Beg him?
I want to fall to my knees and tell him that it’s me he wants. That it’s me he sees. Not her. But that’s
just the wine talking, so instead, I go for plan B.
I remove my shirt and kick off my shoes. I’m shoving my jeans down my legs when he sits up
straighter in his lounge chair. “Demi …”
“Shh,” I say, straddling him again. But only now I’m naked. I place my hands on his handsome face
and look at his pretty blue eyes. “I want you to fuck me, Deke. It’s just you and me. No lies. No
pretending. Can you do that?”
His large hands slide up my bare back, making my body break out in goose bumps. I shiver and it
has nothing to do with the cool night. “I was never the one faking it, Demi.”
I lean in and capture his lips with mine, done talking for the night.

DEKE

I WAKE UP with an arm draped over my chest and a soft leg over my thigh. Demi’s blond hair covers
most of her face, and I push it back to give me a clear view of her. After we had sex last night out on
the patio, we took a shower together where I took her again up against the wall. She didn’t hold
anything back from me. I think Demi is confused on who she really is, but she didn’t hide.
I lean in and kiss her cheek, and her eyes flutter open. “Good morning, princess.”
“Good morning,” she whispers.
I go to pull away from her, but she tightens her hold on me. “Five more minutes,” she whispers.
I move to my side and wrap my arms around her, pulling her small frame into me. “Five more
minutes.” She closes her eyes. “How do you feel this morning?” I ask. She had quite a bit to drink last
night. And I tried to be gentle with her since I know she’s still getting used to sex, but it was hard to
restrain myself.
“Like I knew I would,” she mumbles into my chest.
“Want me to get you some ibuprofen?”
She shakes her head. “I just want five more minutes.”
When I open my eyes some time later, I’m alone. Sitting up, I look around to see her clothes that
were lying on the floor are now gone. I throw off the covers, get up, and pull on a pair of jeans. As I
make my way down the stairs, I hear voices in the kitchen.
Demi stands at the kitchen island with her hand in a plastic container full of brownies. She places
one in her mouth and moans, closing her eyes. “This is by far the best thing I’ve ever put in my
mouth.”
I lean down, and whisper, “That’ll all change once I fuck that mouth with my cock.”
She begins to choke on the chocolate at my words and pieces are flying out onto the counter. She
grabs for the bottle of water and gulps it down. Slamming the bottle down, she sucks in a long breath.
“See, it’s already choking you.” I smile.
She stares up at me with watery eyes from her near-death experience by her favorite snack.
Placing my hand on her face, I say, “Cheeks flushed. Lips swollen and tears running down your
pretty face.” I kiss her cheek and taste the saltiness. “You’ll be a beautiful mess, Demi.”
Her lips part, and she licks them.
“Good morning,” Cole announces, entering the kitchen.
He’s a cheerful fucker. He and Austin must have made up last night. For once, I didn’t hear them
fucking ’cause I was too busy doing it myself. I’ve brought girls home but never slept with them in my
room unless Lilly was staying at a friend’s house. I don’t like the idea of having them around her. She
sees Austin and Cole kiss and love on one another even though Austin tries to stay discreet. She’s
never asked about it, and as far as I know, they haven’t sat her down to tell her anything. She’s only
six. What could they possibly tell her that she could understand?
“Morning,” I tell him.
Austin enters a second later with Lilly on her hip. “We’re gonna be late,” she mumbles, setting her
on the counter and going to the fridge to grab Lilly’s lunch.
“Did you and Austin have a sleepover?” Lilly asks Demi.
She chokes on another piece of the chocolate, but nods. I chuckle.
“I wanna have a sleepover.” She starts bouncing on the counter. “Can we have one this weekend?”
“You already have one with Mrs. River,” Austin tells her.
She nods her little head, blond curls bouncing. “She’s my dance teacher,” she tells Demi. “It’s her
daughter’s birthday.”
Demi swallows a piece of chocolate. “Is she in your dance class?”
“Yep. She’s not very good, though.”
“Lilly,” Austin scolds her. ‘That’s not very nice to say.”
“That’s what she says.”
“Come on,” Austin throws her backpack over her shoulder and scoops Lilly off the counter. “We
gotta go.”
Cole comes over to kiss them both bye, and then he walks them to the garage, leaving me and Demi
alone.
She stares down at the now empty box. I step into her, and she looks up at me. “Let me take you out
this weekend,” I offer. I haven’t spent time with just her. I’ve known her all my life, but what do I
really know about her? Besides she’s gorgeous with a fucked-up mind.
“Wanna get me alone?” She arches a brow.
I smile at her. “Maybe.”
“Where do you wanna take me?” she asks but doesn’t let me answer. “I’m guessing the woods.
Somewhere quiet and secluded so you can kill me.”
I’m not sure if she’s joking or being serious. “The only reason I would take you out to the woods
would be to bury your body.” I step into her, reach out, and grab a piece of bleach blond hair. “If I
wanted to kill you, you’d already be dead.” She swallows. “I would have done it while you laid on
your bed with your hands tied behind your back. I could have wrapped my hands around your neck
and squeezed while you gasped for breath. I could have made it quick and snapped your neck, or I
could have held a pillow over your face and suffocated you,” I whisper. “Murder doesn’t have to be
messy, princess. It can be sensual, or it can be brutal, depending on my mood.”
Her eyes search mine, clearly understanding my sincerity. “You’ve thought about it.”
“That wasn’t the only thing on my mind that night.” My eyes drop to her thighs, letting her know
exactly what I mean.
“Okay.” Cole enters, rubbing his hands together. He spots us and exits the kitchen just as quickly.
“I can’t,” she finally answers, pulling away from me.
“Have plans already?” I tease, not in the least bit worried that she just turned me down. Demi Holt
has gotten my attention, and I won’t let her walk away easily.
“Yes. With Seth.”
 CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
DEMI

FINALLY, FRIDAY ROLLED around. I’ve been able to avoid Deke since I spent the night at his
house and slept with him. Again. Things were starting to get weird. The sex was too soft. He was too
nice. I didn’t need him to coddle me or pretend I’m Becky. Maybe he just can’t help it, but I wasn’t
gonna stick around to find out. And then the whole thing about going on a date. At least that’s what I
think let me take you out means. Hell, to a murderer, it might mean something completely different.
And then he told me how he would do it. I hate that it turned me on. Fuck, I need therapy. I’m gonna
tell my mom to call her friend that she’s been trying to get me to see for years now. I didn’t lie about
my plans with Seth this weekend, but I could tell Deke was pissed about it. He clearly forgot that I
have a fake boyfriend. I didn’t stay after that.
I just get out of my shower and enter my walk-in closet. As soon as I got home from school, I
showered, ready to get the hell out of here for the weekend. Seth had messaged me earlier about going
to the cabin for the evening. We were supposed to go see a movie, but the idea of getting away
sounded better. I didn’t realize how much I needed to get away and clear the fog of Deke Biggs until I
read his message with our change of plans.
I pull on a pair of underwear and holey jeans along with a white T-shirt that has some donut holes
on it that says eat my hole. I grab my Louis Vuitton bag from the top shelf and start throwing clothes in
it as I hear my door open. I storm out of my closet to see if it’s my sister. She’s been MIA ever since
her argument with Austin on Monday. I’m guessing she went back to Collins, but who knows when
she’ll return. I come to a stop when I see it’s my mother.
“How was school today?” she asks.
“Fine.” Like she cares.
She nods her head once, and asks, “Are you making friends?”
Really? It’s November. I’m three months into my senior year, and she wants to know now if I’m
making friends. She knows the only one I bring around is Lauren. And Seth. “Yep.” If she only knew
I’ve friended Deke, Austin, and Cole. She never liked Cole. Said he was evil. She thinks he killed his
mother. She never cared much for Deke, but when she found out Becky was dating him, she began to
come around to the idea of them together ’cause the Biggs have money. A lot of it. I’m talking
millions. And she’d rather a man support her daughter than her.
“Good. How are things with Seth?”
What is with all the questions? “Good. He’s busy with football.” Not a total lie. They have a bye
weekend this weekend. That’s why he wanted to hang out tonight.
“Going somewhere?” she asks, looking at my bag.
“Yeah. Lauren asked me to stay the night with her tonight.”
She reaches up and grabs her pearls that hang around her neck, usually a clear sign that she’s gonna
turn me down. I used Lauren as my excuse when I passed out at Deke’s Tuesday night. She didn’t like
it, but she didn’t ground me over it.
“She had a bad day,” I add. “You know? With her parents and all …”
“Ahh. I see.” She glances around the room. It’s spotless. I have a thing about tidiness when it
comes to my personal space. The rest of the house I couldn’t care less about. “Is your homework
done?”
I hold in a sigh. “Yes.” From a young age, my mother drilled into me that education is important—
make good grades and make something of yourself—but she never once said that to Becky. It was like
Becky was destined to marry royalty, and if I didn’t get into college, I’d be scrubbing toilets. And I
find nothing wrong with that profession.
“May I go?” I ask, trying not to show my anger. I hate that Becky gets to come and go as she
pleases, yet I have to ask. I still have three months before I turn eighteen, but that won’t matter. As
long as I’m in school, I’ll have to do what she says.
“I suppose.” She sighs before leaving the next second. No goodbye. No I love you. Nothing. And
I’m totally fine with it. I’m used to not being shown any kind of affection.

_______________

AN HOUR LATER, I’m pulling up to the cabin and see his Jeep is already here. I grab my bag and get out.
Walking in, I find him sitting on the brown leather couch. He looks away from the TV, noticing me,
but doesn’t smile, which is unusual. Seth is always in a good mood.
“What are you doing here tonight?” I ask him. He hates this place. Says it’s too low class. It
belonged to his grandmother or some shit, so his parents kept it but never use it. His mom and stepdad
are filthy rich. They’ve got a house on the lake and several homes all over the world. They even have
a yacht in the marina where they sometimes stay.
“Felt like getting away,” he answers, looking back at the TV.
I can understand that. I plop down beside him and cross my legs, trying to put Deke out of my mind.
I haven’t heard one word from him, but why would I? He got what he wanted. Sex. I hate that I crave
it again. It hurt just as much this past Tuesday as it did the first time, but it was still amazing. The way
he held me and kissed me. My skin tingled for days after. And last night, I craved it so much, I took
care of myself thinking of him. “What are we watching?” I try to focus on Seth.
“Friends.”
Of course. Pretty sure he’s seen every episode more than twice.
He leans forward, picking up a green cup, and hands it to me. “I made you your drink.” I don’t take
it, and he sighs. “Demi …”
“You know I can’t drink that,” I say softly. Ever since Becky drugged me, I have this thing about
drinking from a cup that I didn’t make. My father warned us about it back in middle school, but I
never thought my own sister would betray me in that way.
“Fine.” He places it back on the coffee table.
“You can have it,” I offer.
“I’m not in the mood to drink.” He gives a clipped answer.
I frown. Seth is always up to party. “Is something going on with Hayden?”
He doesn’t respond, but I notice the tic in his jaw, so I drop it.
“What movie are we gonna watch?”
Again, he doesn’t answer, and it sends up red flags. I sit back and watch him. His right knee
bounces up and down nervously. He pulls his bottom lip in and chews on it. His breathing has picked
up.
“Seth …” I place my hand on his shoulder, and he jumps. “What’s going on?” I demand, starting to
get worried. He’s never like this.
He picks up the remote and holds it out in front of him as a long silence fills the room. When he
finally speaks, his voice wavers. “You let Deke fuck you, right?”
I stiffen. Why does he care? And more importantly, why is he asking a question he already knows
the answer to. He knew what my plan was the night of my Halloween party because he helped set it
up. But he only knows about that first night. I haven’t filled him in on the fact that Deke was in my
bedroom Monday night when he dropped me off at home, or that he fucked me three times Tuesday
night. “Yes,” I respond slowly.
Another silence falls between us before he presses the button on the remote to turn up the volume.
Ross’s laughter rises to the point it hurts my ears.
“Seth, what are you …?”
He turns to face me. Brown eyes full of regret. I push myself farther into the couch.
“Demi, I’m sorry.” I barely hear him whisper over the blaring TV.
“For what?” I look around the empty cabin. It sits on three acres, backed up to the lake with a small
dock, there’s not another close by. You would only turn a TV up if you didn’t want someone to hear
what you are about to do. “What’s going on?” He doesn’t answer. Instead, he places the remote back
down on the coffee table.
I stand on shaky legs, picking up my bag. “I’m gonna go.” And begin to walk toward the door.
But he jumps to his feet and walks up behind me. He grabs my arm, spinning me around, and slams
my back into the front door. “Demi.” He sighs my name, staring down at me.
“Stop, Seth.” I try to shove him away, but he doesn’t budge.
He pushes his body into mine instead, holding me captive against the door. Seth has played football
all his life and got a scholarship to the University of Texas for his ball skills. He’s not a little guy by
any means.
“Seth,” I snap. “Stop.”
His brown eyes narrow on mine. “I would if I could.”
“What the fuck …?” He grips my hair, cutting off my words, and yanks me from the door before
slamming me face-first onto the hardwood floor.

BECKY

I DRIVE DOWN the gravel road with my windshield wipers on. I hate Collins, Oregon. It’s always
cloudy and rainy, and I prefer sunny days and warm weather. I need to move to a beach where I can
sunbathe all year round. Taking a deep breath, I get out of my father’s car and enter the clubhouse. I’m
here to see Bennett.
“Hello?” I call out, the sound bouncing off the walls and high ceilings. Looking at the table that sits
to my right, I smile when a black duffle bag catches my eyes. I remember all the things the GWS
always keep on them from Austin’s journal.
“What are you doing here?” I watch a man step out of the bathroom at the top of the stairs. He
stands there, drying off his hands with a white towel before he begins to descend the stairs.
I roll my eyes. “Cut the shit, Shane. Is Bennett here?” I need to talk to that fucker. He’s been
ignoring my texts and calls. He doesn’t wanna piss me off.
He shakes his head. “Just you and me.”
“Well, I’m not staying.” I turn to leave.
“Why are you here?” he presses.
 “None of your business,” I call out.
“How’s your sister?” he asks.
I stop and turn back to face him as he hits the bottom step. “Taken care of.”
“Doubtful.”
“Why do you care?” That bitch will die after what she did to me. I haven’t decided what I’m gonna
do with Deke just yet, but Demi will suffer before I end her miserable life.
“I tried to get them to kill her.” He shrugs. “But he wanted to protect her for some fucking reason.
They all did. From me. Ever since Kellan shot Austin …” He waves a careless hand in the air. “No
one trusts me anymore.”
“No one should trust a shark,” I snap.
He laughs. “Deke will fall in love with Demi, you know. If he hasn’t already.”
“He’s supposed to love me.” I feel like if I say it enough, it will happen.
His lips curl up slightly, and he rubs his chin while looking me up and down. “No one can love a
slut, Becky.”
I slap him across the face.
He slaps me back and growls. “Don’t confuse me with Deke.”
I want to laugh it off, but tears fill my eyes at the sting that lingers. “Austin hits harder than you.”
He chuckles. “Any girl Cole falls in love with would have to be strong.” He leans in close to my
face. “A lesser woman would be dead by now. He would have torn her apart. She was made for it.”
“Whatever.” I roll my eyes, holding my hand over my throbbing cheek. “Fuck her.” I’ve now put
her in the same category as my sister. They’ll both get what they deserve.
“Would you be saying that if she knew everything you’ve done?”
My heart begins to pound in my chest. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“No need to play dumb, Becky. It looks ugly on you,” he whispers. “You know …” His hand comes
up, and he runs his knuckles over my sensitive cheek. “Kellan and I were the closest. He told me
everything.”
My breathing picks up. Fucking Kellan, I knew he’d fuck me over. That’s what these guys do. Their
loyalty is only to one another, and even that weakened over the years as they grew older. “They’ll
never believe you.” I decide on.
“Oh, they will. Especially when I show them proof.” My breath gets caught in my lungs. “What do
you think Austin will do to you when she finds out what you’ve done?” I don’t answer. “What do you
think Cole will do to you?” I stiffen. “Or Deke? He loves her like a fucking sister.”
I slap him again. “Fuck you.”
He slaps me, and this time, it has me stumbling back. He grabs me and throws me against a wall.
My heart races, and I cry out from his force.
“What do you wanna do, babe?” His voice drops to a whisper, and he leans his body into mine,
pinning me to the wall. “How about I just take care of you right here? Right now? I can tell the boys
what you’ve done and then show them your body lying in a shallow grave. I’ll be their hero.”
I try to shove him away, but it doesn’t work. His lips find my earlobe, and he sucks on it. Bile
begins to rise. “Shane, please …”
His free hand grips my right thigh and lifts it, wrapping it around his hip. “Do you remember? Me
and you?”
“I try to forget.” I sniff.
“I was the first one to touch, lick, and fuck that pussy. Before you went and passed it around like a
joint at a party.” His hand slides up my thigh to cup my ass, and he grinds his hips into mine.
 I whimper, hating the fact that I gave my virginity to Shane. I was fifteen, and he was gorgeous with
a car. He had just turned sixteen, and Cole threw him a party at his father’s house. I had snuck out to
go. After countless drinks, I ran into him in the backyard. He wanted to go to the beach and get some
fresh air. Even though I knew it was bullshit, I left with him. I had spread my legs for him in the back
seat of his car that night at the beach. Then he took me home, and he never looked at me again. I knew
it was gonna be that way. That’s how all the sharks were. Months later, Deke kissed me by the
football field. A short time after that, I got with David. Somehow, my numbers just kept climbing. I
hate how much criticism I get for doing what they do without a second thought. A guy can fuck four
girls in one night, but a girl can’t fuck two guys in the same month without being tainted.
Such bullshit!
“I always kept that fun fact a secret from Deke, knowing he’d be pissed at me, but I don’t think he’d
give a fuck now.”
I close my eyes, hating how much that thought hurts. How he betrayed me more than I ever could
him. I could sleep with every fucking GWS, and it wouldn’t even come close to the fact he fucked my
sister. “Shane …”
He pulls away from me with a smirk on his face as though he just won some fucking bet. Honestly, I
wouldn’t be surprised if he did. They dare each other to do all kinds of shit, and nothing is off-limits.
Not even women. “Don’t worry, Becky. I just fucked you then ’cause I knew it’d be easy. I sure as
hell don’t want you now.”
My chest tightens. That’s all I ever am—a fuck! No one ever wants to love me. “Fuck you, Shane
…” I shove him away.
He just smiles at me. “Did you know you were a dare?”
“What?”
“Eli dared Deke …”
“No.” I shake my head. “You’re lying.” I had asked Deke this very question four months ago when
he stood in my bedroom at my father’s house.
“Was I a bet that night at the party? Did Cole bet you to take me home?” We were finally able to
be with one another. Cole was claiming Austin for all to see. It was our time. After all the secret
hookups and quiet whispers, we were able to be together. But was it true?
“You can’t be serious. That night was not our first night together, or have you forgotten?” He
growls.
I jab my finger into his chest, and he takes a step back. “So? And I’m dead serious. Did you
record us that night too?” I went home with him and stayed in his pool house.
“Fuck, no!” he snaps. “I would never do that to us.”
“How am I supposed to know that?” I shout. I bow my head and sigh. I’ve lied to him for so
long, maybe I missed his lies. “The bottom line, Deke, is I don’t trust you. And I can’t be with
someone I don’t trust. I’ve done it before, and I won’t do it again.”
“You can trust me. I would never cheat on you. Or film you. Fuck, I love you.”
“You’re lying,” I repeat. “He was not dared to take me home the night of the party.”
“Party?” He laughs. “No, I’m talking about the day he kissed you at Collins High by the football
field.”
“What?” I gasp.
“I won’t lie. Somewhere along the way, Deke managed to fall in love with you, but you’ve fucked
him over too many times. See, Becky, you always were nothing more than a game to us.” He tilts his
head to the side. “A game that has come to an end.” Then he turns and walks over to the small kitchen.
 Without another word, I walk out of the clubhouse, fall into my father’s car, and start it up. “The
Best You Had” by Nina Nesbitt plays through the speakers. Removing my cell from my pocket, I pull
up Deke’s number, and fresh tears begin to fall. I need to make it right with him. He’s the only one
who can save me at this point.
 CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
DEKE

I SIT BY the pool in the cool night air, and I’m on my third cigarette while Cole does his laps. Now
that it’s November, he’s turned the heater on in the pool.
My phone dings, and I pick it up off the table next to me to see it’s a text from Becky. It’s like all
the others she’s sent me. She’s relentless.
Becky: Why her?
Becky: Did you think she was me?
Becky: Why didn’t you tell me?
Becky: Do you not love me anymore?
Same ole, same ole.
I ignore them and drop the phone onto my lap. Cole pops his head out of the water, sucking in a
deep breath, but says nothing.
My phone begins to ring, but I don’t even bother looking at it. I have nothing to say to Becky. I
didn’t sleep with Demi for any other reason than I wanted her. Simple as that. And I was single. Am
single. I don’t have to explain myself, especially to her. She’d kill me if she knew I did it for a second
time. Third time. Fourth time. They were all better than the first, if that’s even possible. And it’s all
I’ve thought about. I’ve been hard for the last three days.
It stops for a second and then starts up again.
“You gonna answer that?” Cole asks.
“Nope.” I take another drag. It stops after the second ring this time, and I sit back in the lounge
chair.
“Wanna talk about it?” he asks.
I almost laugh. “Not much to say.” At this point, I’m not sure who fucked me over more. Demi or
Becky. One cheated on me, and the other used me.
Fuck, I’m starting to sound like a bitch whining to her girlfriends about a guy she expected to love
her.
I hear the sliding glass door open, and a moment later, Austin comes to stand beside me. “Get your
ass out of the pool,” she tells Cole in a rush.
“Austin, what …?”
“Get the fuck up.” She ignores him, smacking my arm so hard I drop my cigarette in my lap.
“What the hell?” I bark, trying to shove it off before it burns my fucking dick through my jeans.
“What’s going on?” Cole demands, jumping out of the pool.
“Demi is here.”
My teeth grind at the mention of her name. I can’t do this again. I don’t see it ending well. I hated
that I felt the slightest bit sorry for her when she confessed she wanted to be anyone but herself. It’s
just another trick. Now that I haven’t seen her in days, I’ve been able to think clearly. She picked Seth
over me. And I refuse to do this again. I’ve already done it with Becky.
“And?” Cole growls.
 “And she needs our help.”
I snort. “Tell the bitch to go to hell.”
Austin shocks the shit out me when she slaps me across the face. And fucking hard, I might add. I
jump to my feet.
“Get the fuck over it,” she yells. “This is serious.”
Cole grabs her arm, forcing her to face him. “What is going on?”
She takes in a deep breath. “It’s about Seth.”
“That doesn’t help her case.” I growl.
She pulls away from Cole and places her hands on her hips. “Every time I forget how big of dicks
you guys can be, you remind me.” Then she spins around and enters the house, slamming the sliding
glass door shut.
Cole grabs his towel and dries off with a hard look on his face. I step on my cigarette, making sure
it’s out before I go inside to face whatever bullshit is going on.
Cole and I enter the house and find Demi sitting on the couch with her head down between her
hands. Austin sits beside her, rubbing her back and speaking softly.
“Why the fuck are you here?” I demand, coming to stand in front of them.
Austin’s head snaps up, and she glares at me. “Deke …”
“No, he’s right. I shouldn’t have come,” Demi whispers.
“This is my house, and you are welcome here anytime you want. This is a safe place.”
What the fuck is Austin talking about? Safe place? Is she trying to say I hurt her last time she was
here? ’Cause Demi never told me no or to stop. She was very willing. “Get the fuck out.”
“Deke!” Austin shouts my name, jumping to her feet. “Don’t fucking talk to her that way!” She steps
into me, but Cole pulls her back. She spins around on him. “Cole …”
“Austin.” He growls her name in warning, but what Cole doesn’t understand is that he no longer
holds any kind of power over Austin Lowes. “This doesn’t concern us.”
“It does,” she argues.
“It doesn’t …”
“He tried to rape her!” she shouts, yanking free of him.
Silence fills the large living room at her words. I look down at Demi, and she still sits with her
head down, but I now see the trembling in her small body.
Austin lets out a long breath and sits down next to her again. When she reaches out to touch Demi’s
back, she jumps slightly. “It’s okay,” she whispers to her.
I run a hand through my hair. “What happened?” I ask through gritted teeth. This better not be
another damn trick! Her sister pretended to be pregnant so who knows what Demi is capable of?
That silence continues, and it makes my jaw tighten. If it’s true, it doesn’t make any sense. First, he
hurt her at the Halloween party, and now he tried to rape her? What the fuck is his deal? And why the
hell is she with him?
“Demi?” I snap her name.
She stands, keeping her head down. “I’m leaving,” she says in a soft voice, and she turns to exit the
living room.
I reach out, grab her arm, and spin her around to face us, about to scream at her, demanding to
know what the fuck happened, but the words die on my tongue when I see her beautiful face streaked
with tears. And my heart begins to beat faster as I look her over. Her T-shirt has been stretched out; it
hangs off her right shoulder, showing the strap of her nude-colored bra. She has a rug burn on her
elbow, and her hair is tangled. Her cheek has a small cut on it. But it’s her eyes that make my chest
tighten. They look like the saddest fucking thing I’ve ever seen.
I step into her, placing my hands on her face. “What happened?”
She licks her trembling lips. “He was gonna rape me.”

DEMI

I EXPECT HIM to push me away. To throw me out. I didn’t come here for him. I came here for Austin. I
read her journal, so I know what she went through with her mom’s boyfriend. Not only would he slap
her, but he also touched her inappropriately, and I wanted to talk to her. Not explain to Deke how my
fake boyfriend decided he wanted to fuck me and wasn’t gonna take no for an answer. At least that’s
what he told me his plan was.
“What makes you think that?” Cole is the one who breaks the silence.
I reach up and push Deke’s hands from my face. Thankfully, he doesn’t fight me. “He …” I
swallow. “I went to go see him, and he was acting weird.” I drop my head to the floor. “When I tried
to leave, he grabbed me. I told him to stop, and he said he wished he could. Then he threw me face
down onto the floor. I started screaming, and he kept saying sorry, over and over. I felt him undo his
jeans, and he flipped me over. That’s when I lost it.” A tear runs down my cheek. “I clawed at his
face, bit his arm, and managed to kick him off. Then I just ran.” My body shakes. “I left … and … I
didn’t know where else to go.” I choke out the words. I can’t tell my mother this. She thinks I was
with Lauren. And I can’t tell Lauren because she thinks we are already sexually active. I had nowhere
else to go.
Strong arms wrap around me, and I bury my face into Deke’s shirt. “You’re safe now, princess,” he
says, kissing my hair.
And I sniff. “I shouldn’t have come here …”
He pulls back and places his hands on my face, forcing me to look up at him. “You’re exactly
where you need to be, Demi.” His clouded blue eyes search mine before they look at Cole’s. He nods
at Deke once.
“Where was he?” Cole asks me.
I’m not sure what they plan on doing, but Seth deserves it. After everything I’ve done for him …
“At his parents’ cabin on Lake Travis.”
Deke’s body stiffens against mine, and Cole’s eyes narrow on me.
“Lake Travis?” Cole yanks Austin back from me and Deke, cutting her off, placing himself between
her and us.
“What were you doing there?” Deke demands.
I pull away from him, wiping my face confused to what is happening. “I told you. He messaged me
to come over.”
“Bullshit!” Cole snaps, taking a step closer to me.
Deke reaches out, placing a hand on Cole’s bare chest bringing him to a stop. But his next words
say he doesn’t believe me either. “Can you prove that?”
I’m starting to get pissed off. I’ve had one hell of a fucking night. I cross my arms over my chest.
“Why does it matter? I just told you that he confessed he was gonna rape me. Why do I need to prove
that?” I snap.
“’Cause I don’t believe you,” Cole answers.
I snort in disbelief at these guys.
“Cole, stop!” Austin tells him.
 “No.” He turns to face her. “The guys and I get a message from Evan Scott and possibly go to the
very same cabin that Demi’s boyfriend owns, and you don’t think that’s a coincidence.”
She opens her mouth, but I speak first. “Evan Scott? You got a message from him?”
This time, it’s Deke who steps into me. “You mean the message you sent us?”
My eyes widen. What the fuck?
“And it’s game over for you, Demi.”
 CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
DEKE

MY BLOOD IS pumping, my fists are clenched, and my mind is screaming that this bitch played us
better than anyone else ever has. I reach out for her, and she takes a step back from me. Her eyes are
wide, and her face drained of any color. Finally, she shows true fucking fear. Good for her to realize
that I can and will hurt her.
“There has to be an explanation.” Austin speaks.
“That was why your name was on the list,” I say more to myself than anyone else. “You put it there
to throw us off.” Fuck, Shane was right.
“List? What list?” Demi asks.
Her eyes going from mine to Cole’s. He wants to murder her. I can feel it. Anything that threatens
his sweetheart, he would destroy without thought. But I won’t let him have Demi. I’ll handle her
myself. She’s had it coming since she pretended to be her sister at Silence.
Austin steps out from behind Cole. He tries to grab her, but she manages to get away from him.
“Demi, you have to explain why you wrote that note. Did Seth make you do it? Was he the one who
sent out the messages?” She rattles off questions, the next one sounding even more desperate than the
first.
“The one from Evan Scott?” Demi asks still putting on her best fucking show of confusion. Like a
little lost girl in a forest that is about to swallow her up.
She reaches into her back pocket and pulls out her cell. “I got a friend request from him the night of
my Halloween party. I have yet to accept it, but I showed it to Becky a couple of days later and she
got pissed. Sent him a message. He responded earlier this week, but I blew it off.”
I yank her phone from her hands and look at it. She has her messenger pulled up, and sure enough it
has a message to him a few days ago.
“She said it was an ex of hers.” Demi adds.
Her: I will fucking kill you.
“Becky sent this to him?” I ask, still skeptical.
“Yes. I don’t know the guy. We only had one mutual friend, and it was her. Why?”
I look over at Cole and hand him the phone so he can read it. “He responded to you.”
She nods frantically. And Cole reads it out loud. “Not if I kill you first.”
“It didn’t make any sense, so I ignored it,” she whispers. “Is Seth Evan Scott?”
“Fuck!” Cole hisses. “This explains why Becky was so pissed to begin with. Demi slept with you
the night of the Halloween party and then shows this to Becky. She knows you’re Evan Scott …”
“You’re Evan Scott?” Demi interrupts him.
We all ignore her. “She probably thinks you both set her up,” Cole finishes.
A cell begins to ring, and Cole looks down at the one he holds in his hands. “It’s Seth,” he
announces.
I rip Demi’s cell out of his hands and hit answer. He begins to ramble instantly.
“I’m so sorry, Demi. You have to understand. I had no choice. I tried to think of a way around it. I
even offered them money. You know I’m good for it. I would never hurt you, not like that, if I didn’t
have to. If you would have just taken the drink, I wouldn’t have had to force you. You probably
wouldn’t have even remembered it.”
He tried to drug her? What the actual fuck? And he actually thought he was doing her a favor. I
stare into Demi’s blue eyes while I listen to this guy who is supposed to be her boyfriend, and I can’t
figure out what I’m missing.
“Please say something,” he begs. When my silence lingers, he breaks down like a fucking chick.
“I’m sorry,” He sobs. “They have a video of me and Hayden … you know that can’t get out, Demi. It
can’t …” He sniffs. “Please tell me that you forgive me.”
“If you’re afraid of a video getting out, wait until I’m done with you.”
He gasps. “Wait … What? Deke, is that you?”
I don’t answer.
“I didn’t …”
“But you tried,” I shout, interrupting him, knowing where he is going. I can literally see the
evidence on her body as she stands in front of me. He tried to drug her!
“She has to understand,” He growls no longer begging for forgiveness since he knows I’m not
Demi on the phone. “I helped her out when she wanted to fuck you. Putting on that fake fight for you to
sweep in and feel like a fucking man trying to save her. The least she could have done was let me do
what I needed to do to save my ass. It’s not like she was still a virgin anymore.”
My eyes swing to Demi’s at his confession, and I take a step toward her. “You’re dead.”

DEMI

YOU’RE DEAD?
He still holds the phone to his ear, but his eyes are on mine. I’m not sure if he meant that for me or
for Seth, but my heart pounds in my chest, nonetheless.
He pulls the phone from his ear, holds down the button to turn it off, and then throws it across the
room. I hear it slide on the tile hallway that leads out of the living room. His eyes never leave mine.
“Cole, take Austin—”
“No.” She interrupts him, coming to stand beside me.
My eyes shoot to Cole. He looks like he’s debating on staying. As if he wants to have a hand in
whatever Deke plans on doing to me. Why do they think I’ve somehow betrayed them? I haven’t done
shit to Cole.
“Now!” Deke shouts, making me jump.
Cole steps up to us, grabs Austin by the arm, and pulls her away from me. “Don’t you fucking hurt
her, Deke!” she screams at Deke as Cole drags her out of the room. The front door slams shut
moments later.
We stand in silence, facing one another with only a few feet separating us. He stands, shoulders
pulled back, and he’s breathing heavily. He looks like a storm about to drown me before carrying me
out to sea to never be found.
I swallow nervously. “I don’t know what he said …”
“Enough,” he says in a clipped voice.
“Deke, let me explain,” I growl, tired of this shit.
“How you played me?” He quirks a brow.
My jaw tightens. “This has nothing to do with you.”
 “Bullshit!” he shouts.
I step into him. If I’m gonna go out, I’m gonna go out with some fucking balls. Men aren’t the only
ones who can have them. “I did what …”
“Needed to be done.” He nods. “You said that before. And Seth obviously feels the same.”
I slam my fist in his hard chest. He doesn’t budge, but he grabs my wrist, and I whimper when he
squeezes it tightly. “I never did anything to you against your will,” I shout, feeling the tears begin to
burn my eyes. Once again, my sister wins. She fucked me over. I tried to do something to piss her off,
and it burned me. I should have never let Deke touch me.
I hit him with my other fist, and he grabs that one too. I cry out when he holds them both captive.
His long and strong fingers digging into my bony wrists.
He leans down, placing his face in front of mine, and whispers, “Two can play that game.”
“Deke … what …?”
“Seth told me that he helped you set me up. That first night I fucked you.”
My eyes widen. That sorry little bastard. I will out him. I will no longer keep his fucking secret.
“I’m guessing this is just another game you two are playing.” He spins around, drops my wrists and
grips my neck, slamming my back into the wall by the TV. My vision blurs for a second from his
force. When it clears, I see his murderous eyes stare into mine. “You asked me before if I wanted to
hurt you.” He growls, tightening his hand.
I try to shove it away, but he’s too strong.
“The answer is that I want to fucking kill you, Demi. You’re a fucking pain in my ass. Your sister
may be a fucking slut, but you are nothing to me. Do you understand that?” He shakes me and dots take
over my vision. “Nothing.”
Panic sits in my bones as my body screams for a breath. To survive. I kick my feet, but all I hit is
air. I slap at his face, but I don’t think he even feels it. My already bruised cheek throbs, and my head
pounds. When that gets me nowhere, I scratch at his arm and try to shove his wrist away, but he’s just
too strong. Tears run down my face, and he watches them as if fascinated. I’ve heard of the sharks and
how ruthless they can be, but I’ve never seen one firsthand. Until now. He doesn’t care about me or
my life. I’m a problem for him, and he’s going to make me go away. My lips move, but nothing comes
out. I try to beg him to stop, but it’s pointless. My head pounds so hard it feels like it’s about to
explode. I’m losing mobility, my body becomes heavy.
I reach out to the mantel below the TV and wrap my fingers around the first thing I feel, swinging it
into the side of his head with as much force as I can manage.
“Fuck!” He lets go, stepping away from me, and I crumple to the floor.
I gasp for breath. My chest is tight, throat burns, and tears run down my face.
He stands before me, reaching up and wiping his fingers through the trail of blood that runs down
the side of his gorgeous face.
I stay on my knees with my head bowed for a few seconds, trying to catch my breath. I don’t have
much time before he comes at me again. I can’t swallow without it hurting and gasping for air. When I
look up at him, I blink, allowing fresh tears to run down my face.
His blue eyes tell me he’s not done with me. That was just the beginning. I’m a toy he wants to play
with. There’s a promise there that I will die, but not yet. Maybe he’ll make me beg first. Men prefer a
girl on her knees.
He kneels in front of me, and I push back away from him, falling to my ass. I had dropped the
object I had hit him with, so nothing is in my reach now. My back hits the wall again, and I whimper
when he reaches out, pushing my hair behind my ear. His bloody fingers graze the bruise on my cheek
from Seth, and I swallow a sob. My body shakes, and my heart pounds.
“It’s a shame, Demi.” He sighs as if he hates to do what he is about to do. As though he doesn’t
have a choice to kill me or not. “You are very beautiful.” Then his soft blue eyes harden, and his
pouty lips thin. “But …”
“I set you up.” My voice is rough, and the pain makes me flinch, but I need to explain it to him. My
life depends on it. “We set you up,” I say honestly. It’s time to fill him in because there’s obviously
bigger shit going on right now. And I need to know what it is. “I wanted you to fuck me to piss off
Becky.”
He pulls away from me and stands. I look up at him through watery eyes, placing my shaking hands
on my thighs. “But you already knew that. What you don’t know is that Seth is gay, and I’m his cover.
We pretend to be a couple because he is fucking his professor. And if it got out, he’d get kicked out of
school and lose his scholarship. Not to mention, Hayden would lose his job.” I’m panting, trying to
catch my breath.
He stays looking down at me for a few seconds before spinning around and giving me his back.
Running a hand through his dark hair, he lets out a growl. “There’s a video. That’s what he doesn’t
want to get out,” he mumbles to himself.
I pull myself up on my shaky legs, having to use the wall for help. I can finally breathe a little
better, and I suck in a long breath. He turns to face me, and I square my shoulders. “Decide right
now,” I demand.
His baby blue eyes glare at me. His jaw sharp and nostrils flared. I think he’s debating on whether
to let me live or just finish me off. I deserve all his anger, but I’ve had enough tonight. I’ve reached
my breaking point. “Decide!” I shout, but my voice cracks. Obviously, I’m not back to myself just yet.
“On what?” He growls.
“Whether you’re going to kill me or not,” I answer with a huff. “I’m tired of this fucking game,
Deke. Make up your fucking mind. Either you want me dead or not.” I’m not dumb. Deke will be
harder to fight, especially considering I’m still a little lightheaded from his hand being around my
throat, but I’m fucking done.
He takes a step toward me. I glare up at him, muscles tight and ready to pounce on him with
everything I got. Shit will get broken in this house, but I will fight until my last breath.
Reaching out, he runs his knuckles softly down my sensitive neck. I tense, expecting him to pull on
my hair and throw me to the floor like Seth did. “What have I told you before?” he asks, and I don’t
say a word, not sure what he’s talking about. “If that were the case, then you would already be dead.”
I shove him away from me. I have a feeling if I hadn’t hit him, I’d be lying dead on his floor right
now. “Then stay the hell away from me, Deke.”
“You came to me.”
“I came for Austin,” I snap. “I don’t need you!” I look him up and down, noticing the way his jeans
hug his narrow hips and muscular thighs. How his shirt shows me his pecs and bulging biceps. I hate
how attractive he is with everything that I am. The fucker just tried to kill me, but the twisted part
inside me likes it. I’ve challenged him before, and he didn’t give me the Deke Biggs I wanted to see
until today. And fuck, he’s powerful. Fucking ruthless. I like that. When my eyes meet his again, I say,
“You served your purpose.”
His hands clench, and I realize I struck a nerve. Good.
He steps into me just as we hear the front door open followed by Austin’s voice call out
frantically. “Demi?”
“Here.” I try to holler, but my voice cracks.
 She enters the living room and runs to me, throwing her arms around my shoulders, shoving me
away from Deke. Her green eyes look me up and down to make sure I’m not missing any body parts.
“Oh my God!” She gasps when she sees my neck. “Deke, what the fuck did you—”
“She’s alive,” he interrupts her.
Cole enters much slower and looks over at me. The way he fists his hands, I can tell he’s not as
pleased as Austin is that I’m still breathing.
The guys exchange a look before Cole gestures to the sliding glass door with his head, and Deke
follows him out back.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Austin asks me.
I sniff but nod my head.
Sighing, she pulls me in for another hug. And I cling to her, wishing she had been my sister. I
always wanted to be close with Becky, but it was just never an option. I know it wasn’t just me; she’s
that way with everyone—a coldhearted bitch.
“Come on.” She pulls away from me and takes my hand.
“Where are we going?” I ask her.
“Out.”
I look over my shoulder to the backyard and see the guys standing by the pool. Deke’s head is
down, and Cole stands with his arms crossed over his chest. “But Cole—”
“Fuck Cole.” She interrupts me. “Fuck them both.” On the way out, she bends down and picks up
my phone off the floor.

_______________

SHE TOOK ME to a bar. Well, I guess that’s what some call it. To me, it looks like a run-down shack.
“He’ll find you,” I tell her.
“Most likely,” she agrees. “I’ve heard Deke talk about this place on several occasions. If he can
get in, so can we.”
We enter the old wooden door and look over the small dance floor. Now I understand why the
parking lot was so dead for a Friday night. Most of their customers are over sixty. An old man with
silver hair is hunched over on the dance floor dancing with a woman who can’t quite get the steps
right. He’s got a smile on his face, and she is laughing.
I follow Austin over to the bar and sit down. The bartender lifts a brow at us.
“Two shots of Fireball,” she orders.
“IDs?” he asks.
I bite my bottom lip nervously, but she pulls her wallet out and shows him one. He looks at it for a
long second and then back at her.
“Problem?” she asks.
He sets it down and slides it over to her. “Your friend?”
“Got her purse stolen. That’s why we’re here. Drink away the shitty fucking day.”
After looking over my face as well, his eyes drop to my neck. I’m sure my bruises match her lie
perfectly. I look like a girl who was beaten before robbed. He nods and turns his back to us and
begins to make us our shots. I wonder how in the hell her ID is gonna get us drinks but then remember
the guys giving her a fake ID when they made her join the GWS back in Collins. I read it in her
journal.
 “Here you go, ladies.”
She tosses her debit card on the bar. “Open a tab.”
She grabs her shot and hands me mine. Without wasting another second, she throws hers back. and
hisses in a breath. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had anything to drink. Besides that wine the other
night. And I didn’t get to have much since Lilly was home.”
I swallow mine and try to keep it down when it wants to come back up. I hate this shit.
“He’s gay, isn’t he?” she asks.
“Yes,” I answer honestly, knowing who she’s talking about.
“I figured. I saw the way he was checking out the guys at Silence. And you guys weren’t very
affectionate with one another.”
I never paid attention to who and what he was looking at. I wasn’t jealous, and Seth isn’t out in the
open. He plays straight very well because he’s been doing it all his life. He once told me his dad
would disown him if he ever found out, and he feels he has to hide it from his team members. I once
thought it was very sad and depressing, but after what he tried to do to me tonight, I no longer care
what he’s going through.
“There were things he did here and there. Very subtle, but I picked up on them. How did you guys
hook up?” She lifts her hand to signal for two more.
“His mother was my mother’s real estate broker. I first met him when she got the house five years
ago, and we became friends. My mom has made me spend a few weeks with her here in Texas every
summer, and I always hung out with him ’cause our mothers were friends. So when she made me
move here for my senior year, he asked me for a favor, and I said yes. Wasn’t like I planned on getting
a real boyfriend.” I shrug.
She nods her head, and her cell rings. She shuts it off.
“Cole?” I ask.
“Yep. Let him feel what it’s like when you’re worried about someone, but they ignore you.”
I frown, not knowing what she is talking about. The bartender sets two more shots down.
“Make it four next time,” she tells him.
I drop my head to stare at my shot; she’s already downed hers. “I’m sorry you guys are fighting
because of me.”
She looks over at me. “It’s not your fault, Demi.”
“Wanna talk about it?” I ask.
She runs her hand through her dark hair and lets out a sigh. “I … I couldn’t stand by and let Deke
hurt you. I understand they have this unwavering loyalty, but Cole shouldn’t have let him hurt you. He
dragged me out of the house and put me in his car. I was screaming at him. He was just gonna leave
you there with him, knowing he was going to do something to you. But I opened up the door and ran
back inside before he could get out of the driveway. I had to make sure you were okay.” The
bartender sets four shots on the bar now, and she throws back one. “I used to be scared of them. The
sharks. But now, they’re like fucking flies that I just wanna swat with my bare hand on most days.”
I laugh at that. She looks over at me and laughs as well. Then I pick up my shot, and we clink them
together.
She slams her glass down as I try to swallow mine. “She wasn’t wrong,” she whispers.
I don’t say anything, confused by what she means.
“I think about it too,” she admits softly.
I begin to understand. “Austin, don’t …”
“What if he gets bored with me?” she whispers.
 “Cole is madly in love with you,” I say, placing my hand on hers.
She looks over at me. “We can’t fight forever. We both can’t be this stubborn. One of us is going to
have to give, or it will end.”
“Cole would never leave you. Ever.”
She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. “He’s here.”
“Who?” I take a quick look around the bar. Did Seth follow me? My heart pounds at the thought.
The odds of me fighting him off twice are not good. I’m already weak and tired.
“Cole,” she answers, opening her eyes.
“How do you know?” I ask.
She lets go of my hand and takes another shot. “I can feel him watching me.” She throws back the
shot and a smile appears on her face before she whispers, “I dare you.”
Just then, a man walks up behind her and places his hands on her hips. I watch Cole lean down and
whisper in her ear. “Hello, sweetheart.” He’s no longer the pissed-off guy he was thirty minutes ago,
but I can’t tell if it’s a front or real. He’s put a shirt on and now wears jeans instead of his board
shorts and has his hair spiked.
She wipes the smile off her face and stands, turning around to face him. “I didn’t want to be around
you.”
He tucks her hair behind her ear. “And I didn’t care.”
She huffs. “Cole …”
He cuts her off with a kiss. One hand cups her cheek while the other goes to her ass, and he kisses
her. It’s passionate. Slow and sexy. I watch his tongue enter her mouth as he pushes her back into the
bar. I’ve never spent much time with them, but I’ve read about their passion, anger, and sex life in her
journal. And the words she wrote don’t even compare to the real thing. To what he feels for her.
He pulls away, and she licks her lips, her eyes slowly opening. “I’m not leaving,” she states.
“I didn’t expect you would.” He lets go of her, grabs her hand, and says, “Dance with me,” before
pulling her away from the bar.
I sit on my stool and watch them take their place on the mini dance floor. There’s no grinding.
Nothing to show that he once used her for his own sick game. He makes love to her out there. Slow
and sweet. He holds her to him and kisses her while they dance to their own song. It’s beautiful.
I realize I want that. The fighting. The passion. The love. I want someone to love me so much that I
make them crazy. Anything less would be boring. Lifting my hand to my throat, I flinch when I realize
that’s exactly what Deke and I have. I wanted him to fuck me, and now I want him to love me.
Spinning around, I hold up two fingers to the bartender. “Vodka,” I state. I’ve had enough of that
cinnamon shit.
“Here you are.” He sets them down.
“Thanks,” I mumble as a man slides onto Austin’s seat. I look over to see a new set of blue eyes.
Ones that make my breath quicken and my thighs tighten.
Fuck!
“If you’re here to force me to leave, I’ll make a scene.” Not a good idea on my part since I’m
underage, but he doesn’t wanna push me on this.
Deke shakes his head. “We’ll go when you’re ready.”
“We?”
He nods once.
“Waiting for me to get drunk before you try to kill me this time?” I ask. He doesn’t answer.
I reach out for the shots and throw one back. Tears sting my eyes, and I hold up two fingers for
more. I’m gonna do exactly what Austin said—drink this fucking day away.
I hear him release a sigh. “Demi …”
“Don’t.” I choke on the single word.
I swallow the knot that has formed in my throat. My fake boyfriend tried to rape me because he
said he had to. Cole and Deke mentioned that I’m on some list. And Deke has taken it upon himself to
babysit me. But just thirty minutes ago, he wanted to kill me. Hell, maybe he still does. Why not drink
myself into a coma tonight?
 CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
DEKE

“HEY, WE’RE GONNA head home,” Cole announces, coming up to me.

I look over at Austin, and she sways even though he has an arm over her shoulders. The girls
probably got quite a few shots before we got here, and that was over an hour ago.
“Okay. We’ll see you guys back at the house.”
Austin steps up to me. “Don’t you dare—”
“I’m not going to hurt her,” I interrupt her. “I promise.”
She looks like she wants to argue, but Cole doesn’t give her the chance. He pulls her away and out
the front door.
“What’s the damage?” I ask William, the bartender.
“The brunette had a tab open. The guy already covered it, Deke.” The guy knows me by name. I
come here when I want to drink alone. The music isn’t too loud, so you can actually hear yourself
think. No one bothers you.
I let out a sigh and look over at Demi sitting next to me, staring down at an empty shot glass. She
hasn’t spoken to me since I arrived. Not that I blame her. I throw down a hundred anyway. “Let’s go,
princess.”
She doesn’t argue as I help her to her feet and out to my Range Rover. Cole and I drove together so
he could drive Austin’s car back. I buckle her into the passenger seat. Getting in, I start it. I avoid the
highway and take the backroads.
She’s notices. “You’re going the wrong way.”
“We’re just taking the long way.” I’m giving Cole and Austin time alone to dish out whatever
issues they’ve got going on right now. And I know they’ll do that in their bed.
He acted like he wasn’t mad at her when we arrived at the bar, but when we entered the house to
find them gone, he was furious. He tried calling, and she ignored it. I instantly knew she was paying
him back for the night we went to the cabin, and he turned his phone off. He was not happy. But no
surprise, he has a tracker on her car. She has no clue. After she bought her Range Rover, he took it to
have her windows tinted and had them add a tracker. He’s so paranoid of something happening to her.
Of losing her. It just happened to come in handy tonight.
“Giving Austin and Cole some time together,” I tell her.
“Can you keep a secret?” she asks.
She has no idea. “Yes.”
“She’s worried he’ll get bored with her.”
I snort. “That’ll never happen.”
“You and I know that, but Becky got in her head.” She sighs. “That bitch gets in everyone’s head.”
Can’t argue that. But I say, “That’s just the alcohol talking.” Referring to Austin.
“What’s that saying? A drunk man’s thoughts are a sober man’s words. Wait …” She pauses, her
drunk self having to think about it. “A drunk man’s words … are a sober man’s thoughts.”
I smile. “Oh yeah? What are your drunk words?” I’ve never been around her drunk before. She was
tipsy at her Halloween party and the other night, but nowhere near gone like this. I watched her have
six shots on top of what she had before we got there.
“I’ve got all kinds of secrets.”
I arch a brow. “The ones you say you know about me?” Which I now know came from Austin’s
journal.
“No. Everyone else,” she whispers.
I frown. “Like what?”
Her head falls to the side, and she looks at me. “I know more than you think.”
“Whatcha got?” I ask. She can’t know much.
“I know that Becky lost her virginity to Shane.”
“What?”
She closes her eyes and nods. “Yep. She was acting weird for a couple of days, and I was in her
closet looking for a shirt of mine that went missing. I heard her enter her room on the phone. She was
crying. Told Shane that she had been bleeding for two days and it wouldn’t stop. He asked what the
fuck was he supposed to do about it?” She laughs. “That was when I realized a girl’s virginity didn’t
mean anything. Which is crazy, right? We’re told it’s supposed to be special. You’re supposed to give
it to someone you love.” Her drunk laughter grows. “Such bullshit.”
I shift in my seat ’cause I didn’t make anything about her first time special. “What was the
second?” I ask, fully taking advantage of her intoxicated state.
“When my sister drugged me and didn’t care if I got raped.”
What? “When the fuck did this happen?” I growl.
“You were there.” She gives me a smile, and that’s how I know she drank too much. ’Cause nothing
about what she is about to tell me could be anything worth smiling about. Her eyes are still closed.
“The beach party. You handed me a bottle of vodka. That was actually my first drink. Anyway, Cole
took it from me, and I wanted to leave. So I went over to tell David I was going to wait in the car, but
he told Becky to make me a drink. After that, I ran into Eli, and I left with him. He took me to the
cemetery. But then I started feeling weird, and I couldn’t open my eyes. He tasted my drink and said I
had been drugged.” My hands tighten on the steering wheel. “How was I supposed to know it didn’t
taste right? I hadn’t had a drink before that night. Anyway, he had to carry me to his car. Then he took
me to his house where I got sick. The next morning, my sister showed up to get me, and when he
confronted her about it, she said she and Maxwell did it. He called her a bitch and said that he could
have raped me. That’s when we learned that was their plan all along. That bitch knew I was a virgin.
She didn’t fucking care.”
I come to a red light and clear my throat. “Demi …”
“That’s one of the reasons I slept with you.”
I look over at her, and her head falls toward me, and her pretty blue eyes look up into mine. The
same ones I watched the life slowly drain out of while I choked her earlier. I hate that I hurt her. Now
that I know the truth of how much shit she has been through. It seems someone is always wanting to
hurt her.
“I know I lied to you. Tricked you. We set you up. But …” She licks her lips. “I wanted you to take
it, Deke. Don’t think for one second that I didn’t want you.”
I hate how much I like the sound of that. But I find myself saying, “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
I reach out and cup her face. For wanting to kill you. For fucking you? My list just seems to keep
growing, but I pick. “Your first time should have been different …”
She snorts. “I didn’t want different. And I don’t regret it.” She closes her eyes.
 I watch her lips part slightly and her chest rise and fall slowly. She’s so drunk, she won’t be with
me much longer. But I still have questions. “If Eli knew what she did to you, then why did he fuck
her?”
“I lied about that too the other night. On the back porch.”
“What?”
“He never slept with her.” She yawns, and I know I’m losing her.
“Demi?”
“Hmm?”
“What do you mean he never slept with her?” Cole told me that they were sleeping together. He
wouldn’t lie to me.
“He faked it.”
“How do you fake fucking someone?” I growl.
“He set her up. For you … just like I set you up.” She’s beginning to mumble her words.
“You’re not making any sense, princess.”
She digs into the pocket of her jeans and produces her cell phone. She goes to hand it to me but
drops it to the floor. “It’s all on our FB chat,” she manages to say before she passes out on me.

DEMI

Sophomore year

“THIS IS A horrible idea,” I say, grabbing Eli’s arm.

“It’ll be fine.”
“Please don’t go,” I beg him.
He runs a hand down his face and lets out a sigh. He’s clearly getting pissy with me. His phone
dings, and he looks down at it. “It’s Deke.”
“What did he say?”
“His father wants to talk to him, so he won’t be at the party, but he’ll meet up with us
afterward.”
“See, this may not even work.”
He cups my face with both of his warm hands. Brown eyes staring into mine. “It will. I promise
you.”
I don’t understand how he thinks my sister will fall for this shit. She’ll see right through him.
She won’t risk her secret relationship with Deke. She keeps saying that she and David are on a
break right now, but I’m not sure how much I believe that since her phone seems to go off a
hundred times a day, and I know it’s David.
His cell rings this time, and I get a quick look to see it reads Cole. Eli answers it. “Hey, man.
I’m about to leave.” He nods to himself. “Okay, I’ll meet you there. Then we can all ride with
you.” He hangs up and gives me his attention once again. “I’ll see you in a few hours.” He kisses
my forehead and then walks out of his front door.
 CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
DEKE

I PULL UP to the house and carry a passed-out Demi inside. It’s quiet, letting me know that Austin
and Cole are already asleep. Opening my door, I lie her on my bed and undo her jeans before sliding
them down her legs. Then I’m removing her shirt. I leave her in her bra and underwear and make my
way back out to my SUV. I open the passenger side door and pick up her phone off the floormat.
Going back inside the house, I grab the pack of cigarettes out of the drawer and make my way out
back. Cole is in the pool.
“Thought you’d be asleep,” I say, sitting down.
Standing in the shallow end, he gives me a clear view of his bare chest and all the red scratch
marks along his stomach and sides. I bet his back matches. That is why I took the long way home. No
telling what Austin looks like at the moment.
“I just got out here,” he tells me.
I lean forward. “So I found out some interesting stuff tonight.”
“I think that’s an understatement.”
He’s talking about the Demi situation and Evan Scott. I sigh. “Other stuff.”
He arches a brow. “Like what?”
She asked me if I could keep a secret, and I will keep what she said about Austin to myself. But the
other stuff I need to talk to Cole about. “Demi filled me in on all kinds of information.”
“Do you believe her?”
I nod. “I do.”
“Does it have to do with anything regarding Seth and Evan Scott?”
My jaw tightens, but I shake my head. “No. But some of it has to do with Eli.”
“What about him?” He frowns.
I sit back in my seat. “She claims he was not sleeping with Becky.”
“Well, I didn’t see him physically fuck her, but I did see them all over each other,” he states. “And
he acted like he had been when I confronted him about it.”
I hold up her phone. “She said everything I need to know is on here.”
He gets out of the pool and dries off before sitting down in the seat beside me. I open her Facebook
app and search his name. None of us ever deactivated it after he passed. It was like erasing too many
good memories when we were a team. When there were eight sharks and not five. And it wasn’t much
time after that that his sister was killed. There was no one else to take it down besides her.
I click on his page and go to message him. Their conversation pops up.
“Scroll up,” Cole orders.
I do as he says and then stop when I see the date of the night of the car wreck. It didn’t take long
since this was the last conversation they had. Cole begins to read it out loud.
Eli: I might have oversold it.
Demi: What does that mean?
Eli: Cole is pissed at me. I thought he was gonna knock me out right then and there. He’s
probably already messaged Deke.
Demi: What did you do?
Eli: I kissed her. A lot. Acted like I was already fucking her.
Cole lets out a sigh from beside me before he continues.
Eli: Demi?
She doesn’t respond.
Eli: I had to do it.
Again, nothing from her.
Eli: I’m sorry, baby.
Baby? Just how much were they seeing each other? He never mentioned her to us. I knew he had a
thing for her, but I didn’t think it was anything serious.
Ten minutes later, she texts him back.
Demi: I hate this.
Eli: Me too.
Demi: I don’t understand why you couldn’t have just told him what kind of person she is.
What she did to me.
Eli: Sometimes words aren’t enough. I know him, and he’d confront her. Her being the
vindictive bitch she is will cry and lie her way out of it. He’ll fall for it. Not ’cause he’s stupid,
but because he is in love with her.
Demi: Are you going to sleep with her?
Eli: Fuck no! Cole, Landen, and Maddox now know. That’s enough.
Demi: Why is she doing it? Why would she jeopardize what she and Deke have for you?
Eli: She’s pissed at him. I overheard Cole telling Maddox at the party earlier that Deke
hooked up with Kaitlin last weekend. Becky hates her. So, she’s willing to spread her legs for his
best friend. In her eyes, it’s retaliation.
Demi: Your friends are gonna hate you. Think you backstabbed him.
Eli: Yeah. But maybe eventually, he’ll understand.
Demi: Will I see you tonight?
Eli: Yes. Cole is going to go fuck some girl. Not sure what Maddox and Landen have going
on. Once I figure out what I’m doing, I’ll call you, baby.
Then there’s a thirty-minute gap before all messages turn one-sided. And they’re all pretty much the
same thing.
Demi: How did it go?
Demi: I keep calling.
Demi: It’s going straight to voicemail.
I exit out of it and shut down the screen. Leaning back, I run a hand over my face.
“I should have never said a fucking word to you about it.” Cole growls.
“I’m glad you did,” I tell him, trying to reassure him that he did the right thing.
“Why the fuck didn’t he tell me the truth?”
I could ask the same thing. Why did he choose to parade Becky around, knowing that I would be
pissed at him? He knows I would have broken his nose over her. I can’t say if he was wrong or right
about me believing him if he had just told me what kind of girl she was. Would I have believed him? I
was in love with her. Or so I thought. Definitely obsessed. I guess in a way I do understand ’cause I
would have cut her off right then and there for fucking my best friend. That was a line I wouldn’t
allow her to come back from. “We’ll never know.” I sigh.
“Fuck, what else do we not know?” he asks.
That’s a loaded question that I don’t even want to get into right now. Too much shit has happened to
dig any further tonight. I look at the cigarettes and no longer want one.
“Do you think it’s a coincidence that we got in a fight with Peter and his friend over Demi about
how they would share her and then Seth tries to rape her? Saying he had no choice?” he asks.
I’ve thought about it. “How would they know about what we’ve done? How would they know
Evan Scott is me?”
“Becky,” he answers and shrugs “She’s pissed at Demi. I don’t think that any of us should
underestimate what she’s capable of doing.”
Isn’t that the truth. “Maybe we should pay them a visit?”
“I think so.” He nods. “And Seth?”
I just give him a smile, and he chuckles.
Standing up, I go to walk inside when I hear a phone beep. I turn back to look at Cole, and he
shakes his head. “Wasn’t mine. It’s upstairs.”
I look down at mine. Nothing. Then I open Demi’s, thankful she doesn’t have a passcode on hers.
“It’s from Evan Scott.” I growl.
Cole comes over to me, and I open the PM.
Evan Scott: You should have let him fuck you. It would have been far less painful than what’s
to come.
“Fuck!” Cole hisses. “Guess whoever it is knows that Seth didn’t succeed tonight.”
“What the fuck?” I bark out.
I type back.
Demi: Try to touch her … If you dare.
Cole runs his hands over his wet hair, and I fist mine. “This fucker …” I screenshot the message
and then back out of it. I go to my old spam page and block it. Then I go to our GWS PM and drop the
screenshot.
Bennett reads it immediately. Seconds later, my cell rings. I place it on speakerphone. “Hello?”
“What the fuck is going on?” he demands. “And what does he mean by let him fuck her? Who?”
“Seth.” I growl.
“Her boyfriend?” he asks.
“He’s not her boyfriend,” Cole answers. “He’s gay. She’s his cover.”
“Oh, well that changes things.”
“There’s more.” I sigh.
“What is it?” he asks, sounding irritated. Aren’t we all?
“The cabin on Lake Travis …” I start.
“Yeah?”
“His parents own it.”
A long silence follows my words.
When he finally speaks, he sighs. “Hang on. I’m gonna call and wake up Shane. We all need to be
in on this conversation.”

DEMI
A year ago
I PACE MY bedroom at my father’s house. I’ve called Eli a hundred times by now, but it keeps going
straight to voicemail. And I don’t know why he would turn his phone off. His Facebook says he
hasn’t been active in over thirty minutes. I dial it again.
“Come on … pick up. Pick up.”
“Hey, you’ve reached Eli. Leave me a message …”
I yank the phone from my ear and scream out of frustration. I told him not to do it. That it was
fucking stupid! He should have listened to me. I hope Deke didn’t catch them …
My bedroom door flies open, and I spin around to see my sister running in. Her blond hair is a
tangled mess. Her crop top and shorts are covered in dirt and blood. Her makeup is streaked from
tears.
“Becky? What the hell?” I ask.
She’s sobbing. Her bottom lip trembling. I stay where I am, not sure what the hell is going on.
“Where’s Eli?” I ask, looking behind her. Is this some trick she talked him into? It can’t be. He
wouldn’t do that to me. He may be ignoring my phone calls, but at least I know she’s here and no
longer with him.
“Help me.” She sobs, falling to her knees in the middle of my room.
“What the hell happened to you?” I ask, watching the blood and dirt get on my white rug.
“There was an accident.” She swallows. “The car flipped. Cole …”
I fall to my knees before her. “What?” I grip her tear-streaked face and force her to look up at
me. “What do you mean an accident?”
“I … I think I killed them.” She begins to rock back and forth. “He told me to run.”
“Who told you to run?” My hands begin to shake.
“Cole.” She bends over, cradling her stomach. “I told him I was pregnant, and he told me to
run.”
I know she’s not pregnant. She was in my bathroom just last weekend borrowing tampons. My
eyes look over her body, and I see scratch marks on her thighs and arms. I blink, running a hand
through my hair. “Who do you think you killed, Becky?”
“Landen.” She sobs. “Maddox and Eli.” My heart stops. “Cole kept hollering for them, but
none of them answered.”
I fall back onto my ass, trying to comprehend what she just said.
“I went back.” She nods to herself. “Cole was sitting in the ditch with Eli in his arms … He
wasn’t breathing.” Her shaking hands grip her cell. The screen is shattered. “I called the cops.”
Dropping the phone to my floor, she buries her busted face in her hands.
It begins to ring, and I pick it up to see David light up the busted screen. “Why is David calling
you …?”
She snatches it from my hands.
Present
I open my eyes and roll out of bed. I trip over a pair of shoes but manage to make it to the bathroom
door. Turning on the light, I blink rapidly and then decide to just pee in the dark. Once done, I wash
my hands and pick up the mouthwash to try to get rid of this god-awful taste in my mouth. And it’s not
the vodka. It’s cinnamon. That damn Fireball Austin had me drinking.
I exit the bathroom and make my way back to Deke’s bed. It’s still dark out; the clock on his
nightstand says a little after three a.m. He lies on the right side, closest to the door. The covers sit low
on his hips, showing me his smooth chest and impressive six-pack. His right hand lies on his chest
while his other is behind his head.
I come to a stop and just watch him sleep. I told him too much last night. I remember running my
mouth while in his SUV on our way back here. A part of me wanted to get it out. To purge everything
that is Collins, Oregon. There were so many lies and so much deceit in that town. No one was who
they said they were. Not even Deke.
I blamed my sister for killing Eli. I still blame her. And I blame Eli for thinking of that stupid plan.
If she hadn’t gone, maybe the timing would have been different. Maybe he would have survived.
Did I love him?
I thought I did. But I didn’t really know him. He said that I didn’t deserve to be someone’s secret,
but that’s exactly what I was. No one knew about us. Or what I thought we were.
I went to his funeral, and I watched the town mourn a kid who was loved by some and hated by
most. I saw him differently, but he was still a GWS to everyone else, and the town didn’t like the
sharks. Parents and most of the city wanted Cole’s head on a fucking stake for what happened. His
father threw a lot of money at the city to make sure the law didn’t touch his son, but he too was more
than what the town thought. They thought Cole was driving a car drunk after leaving a party with his
friends. He took the blame for the accident and covered for my sister. You know how many times I
wanted to out her sorry ass? She had lied to him about being pregnant. What kind of woman does that?
She begged me to stay quiet. I did, knowing I’d be able to use it against her, but then Deke came along
and threatened her when he also realized she had lied to Cole. Cole might not have known that Becky
lied about being pregnant, but Deke did. And he was far scarier than I was capable of being.
You know what they say—all secrets come out eventually.
Deke shifts and turns onto his side. I crawl into the bed and cuddle up against him. He reaches out
and pulls me into him. I inhale his scent and close my eyes. His hand glides up my back, and I kiss his
chest.
“You better stop that,” he mumbles.
I smile and do it again.
“Demi …”
“I don’t want to,” I whisper.
His hand comes up to my hair, and he grips it in his fingers. Then he dips his face to the crook of
my neck. “How do you feel?”
“Horny,” I answer. And still a little drunk.
He lets out a growl that makes his chest vibrate against mine.
I shove the covers off us and push on his chest. He rolls onto his back, and I get up to straddle him.
His hands go to my hips, and he tugs on the lace of my thong. “What are you doing, Demi?”
“You,” I answer, biting my lip.
His hands slide up my sides and to my chest. I arch my back and throw my head back, closing my
eyes and just soaking in the feel of his hands. It’s nice to have someone touch you. Want you. Even if
he wants to kill you. It makes things much more exciting. I should have pursued Deke a long time ago.
“Not with your underwear on, you’re not.” He growls.
“Then take them off me,” I tease.
I squeal as he tosses me down beside him and positions himself between my legs. His hands grip
my panties, and he pulls them down my thighs before tossing them to the floor.
He leans down, his lips close to mine, and he runs his fingers over the cut on my cheek. “I’m gonna
kill him.”
My heart begins to pound at his words. “Why?” I can’t help but ask.
 His blue eyes move from the cut to my eyes. His jaw sharpens when he says. “Because he touched
you. And I am the only man allowed to touch you.”
I hate that my chest tightens at his words. That someone actually cares for me. But I say, “You mean
hurt me?”
His face grows serious, and he lets out a long breath. “I’m sorry,” he whispers.
“Are you?” I challenge him. That’s not the answer I wanted.
“Of course. I shouldn’t have …”
“It’s okay,” I wrap my legs around his hips.
“It’s not.”
“I wanted to push you the other night.” Shut up drunk, Demi.
He frowns.
I don’t fucking listen to myself. “When I lied to you on the back porch, I wanted to push you to see
what you could do.”
His hard and smooth chest rises and falls as he sucks in a long breath. “Why?”
I run my hands up his chiseled abs, ready to lay it all out. Deke loved the lie that was Becky. I keep
saying I’m not her. So if he is gonna like me, he’s gonna fall for the real me. “Because your darkness
turns me on.” I watch to see if his expression changes, but it doesn’t. “She wanted to tame you. I want
to see what you can do. I wanna see the real you. All of you. I know I could never win against you,
Deke, but I don’t want you to hide. Not from me.”
He sits there between my legs not saying a word, and my heart begins to race. Bringing up my
sister while we’re lying in bed naked together probably wasn’t the best idea I’ve ever had, but I feel
like she’s always lingering around us anyway. Like a dark cloud just waiting to pour down on us.
“You’ve seen the real me,” he finally says, and his eyes drop to my neck.
“And I’m still here.” I give him a drunken smile.
His jaw sharpens. “I could have killed you …” He pauses and sighs. “I can’t promise that I won’t
hurt you again.”
I almost laugh at that. “Good.” I pull his face down to mine and whisper against his lips, “Now
show me how hard you can fuck me.”
“Demi.” He growls my name, his chest vibrating against mine, making my legs tighten around him.
His lips trail down my jaw to my neck. I arch it to give him better access. Then I feel him sliding his
hand between our bodies. I smile when he grips the base of his already hard dick and pushes into me,
making me cry out at the feel of him stretching me. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to him.
His hand slaps over my mouth, and I take a deep breath through my nose. He whispers, “Gotta be
quiet, princess. Don’t want them hearing you scream my name.”
I want to roll my eyes at his cockiness, but he begins to move, and my eyes roll back for a different
reason.
 CHAPTER TWENT-NINE
DEKE

COLE AND I exit my car and walk up to the small cabin. Cole unlocks it, and we step inside. I stop
and look around the living room and entryway. There was a small square table that sat next to the
door. It has been knocked over, and the glass covers the hardwood floor. But other than that, there is
no sign of a struggle.
I walk over to the coffee table and pick up the cup. It’s full to the brim with what looks like a clear
liquid of some sort.
“He left in a hurry,” Cole observes. “He didn’t even bother disposing of the evidence.” Then he
walks down the hallway.
I fist my hands and look down at the side of the couch. A Louis Vuitton bag sits on the floor. I reach
down and pick it up. Grabbing the drink with my other hand, I walk it into the kitchen and pour it
down the sink.
“Hey,” Cole enters the kitchen. “Look what I found in the bathroom?” He holds up a small clear
bottle with a blue lid. A piece of tape is on the side of the bottle and written in black Sharpie is GHB.
My jaw tightens. “It’s almost fucking empty.”
He nods and places it in his pocket. “I’m guessing he wanted to make sure she had enough so she
wouldn’t fight him. Or wouldn’t remember a single thing.”
I throw the cup into the sink and drop her bag. Gripping the counter, I growl. “He could have killed
her.” Who knows how much he would have had her drink? Demi is fucking small. Too much and she
could have had seizures. Could have fallen into a coma. Not to mention he mixed it with alcohol.
His phone rings, and he answers, placing it on speakerphone. “Hello?”
“You guys there?” Bennett asks.
“Yes.” I growl and push off the countertop.
“Find anything?”
“A bottle of GHB.” Cole speaks.
“Fuck.” He hisses, then sighs. “Hang on, I’m adding Shane to the call.” Seconds later, he’s back.
“Okay. We’re all here.”
“Did you guys get your tickets?” Cole asks him.
“Yes. We fly out tonight,” Bennett answers.
“I’m confused as to why we have to come back to Austin.” Shane speaks.
“Don’t,” I snap, not in the mood for his bullshit today. “Stay the fuck up there.”
Bennett sighs. “We’re both coming. This involves more than just Demi. Whoever it is hasn’t
physically touched us, but we’ve been threatened and that’s enough to worry. If we can get a hold of
Seth, maybe his phone can tell us what we need to know.”
I hang my head and run my hands through my hair aggressively. I’m starting to lose my shit. I kept it
together for Demi’s sake this morning when she woke me up horny. I wanted her, needed to feel her,
but I was rough. I took my anger out on her, and she liked it. She passed out immediately afterward. I
didn’t get to tell her about the message she got from Evan Scott or the fact that I blocked whoever the
fucker was. Cole and I snuck out this morning before the girls had even woken up. It’s a Saturday.
They both got wasted last night, and Lilly was sleeping over at her dance teacher’s house, so the odds
of them sleeping in pretty late are on our side.
“What I can’t figure out is why he was going to do it.” Bennett speaks. “He’s gay. Why would he
fuck her …?”
“Hate to be the dick in this situation,” Shane interrupts him. “But he could have been planning on
fucking her ass. That is what they prefer.”
My head snaps up, and I snatch the phone from Cole’s hand, but he speaks before I can bark at him
more. “Or maybe he didn’t care where he had to fuck her. I mean, to some men, a hole is a hole.”
“Shup the fuck up …”
Cole takes his phone back from me. “He was forced. He told Deke there was a video of him
fucking his professor.”
“Who all knew he was gay?” Bennett asks.
I run a hand down my face. “I’m guessing not many. Demi said she was his cover. And his friends
who are on the swim team at UT think they have an open relationship.”
“Hmm …” Bennett sighs. “What about the professor?”
“I … I don’t know.” I growl and close my eyes. I try to put what few pieces we have so far
together. “It can’t be him. Demi got a message last night from Evan Scott. You guys saw it. It stated
she should have let him fuck her. How could the professor be Evan Scott? They wouldn’t know my
information to get into it.”
“True,” Bennett says. “Listen, I know it’s gonna be hard, but just lay low. We’ll be there later on
tonight, and we’ll do whatever we gotta do to get the information we need to figure this out. Okay?”

_______________

I ENTER MY room and remove my hoodie. Demi’s still in my bed passed out cold. It’s not even ten a.m.
yet. And by how quiet the house was when we entered, I’d say Austin is still asleep as well.
The guys and I have a plan. But I’m not gonna lie to her like Cole did Austin. I’m gonna be honest
with Demi. She deserves that. She may not like it, and she may hate me, but I’m not gonna allow Evan
Scott to fuck with us. Or her. I’m gonna protect her, and in order to do that, she needs to know just
what we’re up against.
Undoing my jeans, I kick off my shoes and then push them down my legs before removing my shirt
and then climb in beside her. My knuckles run over her busted cheek and down over her jaw to her
neck. The bruises from my hands remain. They’re worse today than they were last night.
I wanted to kill her. If she hadn’t hit me with that stupid swimming trophy Austin put out of Cole’s,
she would be dead right now. And it makes me sick to my stomach.
I’ve killed people but not for sport. The men and woman I killed deserved it. Demi would have
been innocent. She played me, yes, but I was just jealous that for once, I met someone who knew how
to play the game better than I did.
She releases a little moan and shifts, causing the comforter to pull down and expose her chest to
me. My fingers make their way over her chest bone and then her breast. She shifts again and my hand
lowers over her stomach and between her legs. She’s naked. “Deke.” She sighs my name when I run a
finger over her pussy.
“Yes, princess?” I ask, leaning down and kissing her neck as my finger slides into her.
“Oh, God, Deke.” She pants, her hips lifting off the bed.
 I shove off the covers and position myself between her legs. She looks up at me with heavy eyes. I
remove my finger and slide two in this time. She arches her back and whimpers. “Does that hurt?” I
ask as my thumb starts to rub her clit.
“Yes.” Her hands grip the sheets.
“Good,” I say and remove them before gripping my hard cock. She likes it when it hurts. And I hate
to admit that she can take the pain. Becky hated it. Demi craves it. I like that I don’t have to pretend
with her.

DEMI

I SIT ON Deke’s lap in the living room with my second cup of coffee in my hand. Austin sits beside me,
glaring at Cole who lounges in the recliner across from us. I haven’t heard them say one word to each
other all day. She’s pissed, and he seems indifferent about it. Like this is something that happens
often. Not sure what went down after they left the bar last night, but she obviously isn’t over it.
“I don’t understand how this is gonna work?” I finally say.
“We’re gonna ask him,” Bennett says simply.
He and Shane arrived an hour ago. That could be another reason the tension is high in this house.
“He won’t tell you anything.”
“Oh, he’ll talk.” Deke snorts.
“You don’t know him,” I argue.
“I don’t need to know him. There’s something he loves, and if he doesn’t tell us what we want, we
take it from him.”
Austin finally speaks. “You’re gonna kill the professor? That’s not smart. You’re all gonna end up
in jail.”
Cole smiles at her. “I’m glad to see you still care about me, sweetheart, but no. No one is gonna die
tonight.”
“That we know of. But plans change,” Deke says cryptically.
I sigh. “Then what are you gonna take?”
“His legs. His arms.” Cole shrugs carelessly. “Hands. Whatever body part the man needs to play
football.”
“You’re gonna break his bones?” I ask.
Deke chuckles behind me. “No, princess. Bones can heal.”
I swallow at the amusement in his voice, but I feel butterflies in my stomach. This is the part of
Deke I wanted to see. The ruthless evil that swims inside him.
Cole leans forward, placing his elbows on his knees. “I’ve got a question, though. There was a
woman. She was at UT. Before we knew he was gay, we saw him talking to her outside the
classroom. And we thought he was cheating on you with her. Do you know who she is?”
I frown. Seth has a lot of girls who are friends. He gets along with everyone. “What did she look
like?”
“Pretty,” he says with a smirk and I know he said that just to piss Austin off. “She had brown hair
and brown eyes—”
“That’s his twin sister.” I interrupt Cole, knowing who they are talking about. “She is dating Peter.
The guy who you guys beat up the other day after swim practice.”
A slow smile spreads across Shane’s face, and it has me sitting back more into Deke. I don’t know
much about him. Less than the others. He was closest with Kellan. Who knows what Shane is thinking
now?
“Are you going to hurt her?” Austin asks.
Cole sits back and runs his hand over his chin. “We’ll do whatever needs to be done.”
“Our concern is Seth,” Bennett says, looking at Austin. Clearly trying to smooth over what Cole
just said. “He’s our main priority. I doubt she knows much.”
Austin gets up and walks out of the room. Cole watches her from his seat but makes no move to go
after her. Seconds later, you hear their bedroom door slam shut.
Shane laughs. “Don’t you worry she’ll kill you in your sleep?”
Cole just smiles. He’d probably get off on that.
 CHAPTER THIRTY
DEKE

I MAKE MY way through the crowd of kids who clutter the living room. “Boneshaker” by Redlight
King blasts through the large speakers that are placed in the corners.
I take a drink from my Solo cup as a blonde pushes her way past me. She steps up onto the coffee
table and removes her shirt, showing everyone her pink bra with white polka dots on it. She tosses the
shirt to another girl who stands beside me. Guys and girls holler over the song. I keep walking, not
seeing who I’m looking for. I exit the living room and head down a long hallway. I catch sight of Cole
standing in the kitchen talking to a girl who sits next to us in one of our classes at UT. His eyes meet
mine briefly, but he doesn’t acknowledge me in any way. I pass the kitchen and keep going until I’m in
the back of the house.
The lights are dimmed back here, and the song changes to “Legend” by The Score. I take another
drink and spot who I’m looking for.
She stands back in the corner, leaning up against the wall. She has a cup in her hand and a smile on
her face while talking to another girl. And I recognize her. She doesn’t look the same, but I would
never forget her face.
What are the odds?
I walk over to them. “Excuse me?”
They both turn to look at me. “I know you.” I point at the brunette that I’m not here for.
She bites her bottom lip and looks me up and down. “I don’t know you.”
I chuckle. “Well, not officially.” I hold out my right hand. “I’m Deke.”
“Brynn.” She introduces herself.
“You work at Silence.”
She nods her head quickly and shakes my hand. “Yes, I do. You’ve been there?”
“I have,” I say to the girl who had asked me to help her. Brynn was strapped in a straitjacket and
sitting in a tub full of black water.
“She’s been doing that job for two years now,” the other girl says, rolling her eyes. “I don’t know
why she does it.”
“What can I say?” Brynn smiles. “I like being restrained and held under water.”
“Dear lord.” Her friend sighs. “You need to fire your therapist. He is not doing you any favors.”
Brynn laughs. “Oh, he gives me favors all right.”
“Did I hear something about restraints and water?” An arm drapes over my shoulders, and I look
over to see Shane now standing with us. His eyes start at her red heels and work up her white skinny
jeans and black V-neck tank top that shows off her impressive cleavage. She wears a black choker
and a smile on her pretty face. “I’m sad I missed it.”
She takes a drink from her straw. “Well, we get to keep our props.”
Shane chuckles and takes her hand. “Let me get you another drink while you tell me all about it,” he
says, pulling her away.
I turn to the girl who I came here for. “Melissa.” She holds out her hand. She tilts her head to the
side. “I’ve seen you around campus.”
 “Really?” I ask. “Do we have classes together?”
She shakes her head. “No, but I’ve seen you with my brother.”
“Oh, who is your bother?” I play dumb.
“Seth. Seth Wilson.”
I nod my head. “Yeah. Yeah. He’s friends with some of my teammates.”
Her face lights up. “You play football?”
“No. I’m on the swim team at UT.”
“That’s awesome.” She smiles up at me. “My boyfriend is too. Maybe you know him? Peter.”
Yes, unfortunately, I know that fucker. I feel my phone vibrate in my back pocket and pull it out. I
drop it on purpose. “Shit.” I hiss.
“I’ll get it.” She leans over and picks it up for me.
“Thank you.” I laugh. “Had a little too much to drink.”
“It happens.” She lifts her cup to her lips and takes a sip.
I look down at my phone and open my messenger.
Cole: Are you almost done? I can’t talk shit with this girl anymore. Fuck, this is why I never
hung out with people at parties.
I chuckle but respond.
Me: It’s done. Get ready.
“I know him,” I say, getting back to our conversation. “How long have you guys been dating?”
“It’s new,” she answers with a laugh.
“Is he here tonight?” I ask, looking over my shoulder to see if people are watching us. But nope,
everyone is too busy doing their own thing. I don’t even see Shane and Brynn.
“No. He went out of town this weekend to see his grandmother.”
I want to laugh. The bastard is probably shacked up with some bitch. The way he spoke of Demi
didn’t sound like a man in a committed relationship. I guarantee this chick isn’t the only one he’s
fucking.
“Whoa,” she says.
I pocket my phone. “You okay?” I ask, placing my hand on her arm.
She closes her eyes and sways on her feet. I take her drink from her other hand and see that she had
finished it off. “Good girl,” I whisper.
“Huh?” She asks with heavy eyes.
“Nothing. Here let me help you.”
“I … what …?” she slurs.
I walk her out the back door where there are less people, and she stumbles over her own feet. I
lean down and pick her up, carrying her in my arms to the SUV parked a few houses down so the
partygoers don’t see us. Cole is opening the hatch to my Range Rover for me. I place the passed-out
girl in the back. After removing her phone from the back pocket of her jeans, I jump in the passenger
seat. Cole gets in the driver seat since he hasn’t been drinking. Bennett already sits in the back.
“Where the fuck is Shane?” I growl.
Bennett pulls out his cell and calls him. “Where are you? We’re ready,” he snaps. “Get your ass out
here.” He hangs up. “He’s coming. Pretty sure he was fucking.”
I roll my eyes. “Should have left his ass in Collins,” I mumble.
Seconds later, I see him running down the street, and he jumps into the back seat barely in enough
time before Cole takes off.
I smile as I slide her screen and see that she didn’t have a lock on it and go to Seth’s name. I type
out a message.
Me: Meet me at the cabin. ASAP. It’s important.
Then I shut her phone off so he can’t contact her.

_______________

I SIT ON the couch at the cabin, and Cole sits next to me. Shane sits at the kitchen table texting away on
his phone. Pretty sure it’s to the girl from the party who works at Silence. Bennett stepped out back
five minutes ago, saying he needed to make a call.
“How long has it been?” Cole asks.
I look down at the clock on my phone. “Thirty minutes. He should be here any minute.”
The back door opens, and Bennett steps inside.
“How long do you think this will take?” Shane asks. “I’ve got plans later.”
I roll my eyes. “Would these plans consist of a girl and a straitjacket?”
“Yep,” he answers. “All I need is a tub. Or a pool would do.”
Bennett shakes his head. “I don’t wanna know anymore. Drugging and kidnapping one girl is
enough for one night.”
Headlights shine through the front window, and seconds later, they shut off followed by a door
shutting.
“Showtime,” Shane says excitedly.
The front door bursts open, and Seth runs inside. He comes to a quick stop when he sees all of us
taking up the small area. He swallows as his eyes go to each of us. He looks at the floor and at the
chair next to me. He realizes instantly that it wasn’t his sister who messaged him. “Where is she?” he
demands.
“Safe. For now.” I stand.
He takes a step toward me. “If you …”
“What?” I ask. “Rape her? Take advantage of her? Like you were going to do Demi?”
He swallows, making his Adam’s apple bob up and down. “I didn’t have a choice.”
“Funny,” Cole says, coming to stand next to me. “Neither did we.”
His jaw sharpens. “I’ll tell you anything you need to know.” I expected it to be that easy. Too bad it
had to be this way.
I reach out my hand. “Give me your phone.”
“No.” He shakes his head, taking a step back. “Anything but that.”
“Shane,” I call out, not taking my eyes off Seth.
I hear the chair he’s sitting in slide across the tile and then his shoes on the floor as he exits and
goes to the only bedroom in this small cabin. Seconds later, he comes back into the living room, and
this time, he has a woman in his arms. She lies across them, still passed out.
“Melissa!” Seth snaps and goes to take a step toward them, but Cole places a hand on his chest,
stopping him.
I walk over to the kitchen area as Shane sits her in a chair. She slumps forward, and I walk behind
her, gripping her dark hair in my hand, I pull her head back. With my free hand, I gently push her
brown hair off her face, neck, and chest. I slide my knuckles down over her exposed neck, making him
think the worst, but really, I’m just checking her pulse. When satisfied, I pull my hand away and look
back at him.
 “Melissa?” he shouts.
“She can’t hear you,” I tell him. “See, I gave her what GHB you had left.”
Cole holds up the now empty bottle that he found here earlier this morning. “You know, what you
didn’t use on Demi.”
“You son of a bitch!” he shouts and goes to walk toward me, but Cole slams his fist into Seth’s
face, knocking him back.
“But there wasn’t much left,” I add. “I say we’ve got maybe thirty minutes before she starts to come
around.”
“If you hurt her …”
“What?” I ask. “What are you going to do? There’s four of us and one of you.” This guy has no clue
what we are capable of.
“And unlike you, none of us are gay.” Shane says, stepping up next to her. “And in case you were
wondering, brunettes are my favorite,” he adds, pulling a long piece of rope out of my black duffle
bag.
Blood runs from Seth’s nose as he watches Shane somewhat speechless and wide-eyed.
Shane moves behind the chair and pulls the girl’s arms behind it. He begins to wrap the rope
around her small wrists, binding them together before tying the rope to the chair. Making it impossible
for her to move if she wakes.
“Stop,” Seth chokes out, finding his voice. “I’ll give it to you.”
I stay where I’m at, holding the girl’s head back by her hair, and Cole takes the phone from him. He
brings it over to me. Pulling up his Facebook app, he then goes to his PMs. He scrolls down until he
gets to Evan Scott and opens it up.
Evan Scott: Want to keep your secret a secret? Fuck Demi Holt.
Seth: What? Who the fuck is this?
Evan Scott: Someone who knows everything about you.
Seth: Fuck off, man.
Then Evan sends a video to him. Cole pushes play. Sounds of grunts fill the silent room as we
watch Seth and our English Lit professor fuck under the sheets of a bed. It’s clear who it is and what
they are doing. Cole exits out of it.
Seth: What the fuck? How did you get that?
“Where was this recorded at?” I demand, not bothering to look up at him.
“Here,” he answers roughly.
Evan Scott: Fuck Demi Holt at the cabin in the bedroom, and I’ll keep your secret. You’ve got
twenty-four hours.
Cole exits out of the app. I look at Seth. “When were you here with him?”
Blood still drips from his nose and onto his white T-shirt. He won’t look us in the eyes. Instead, he
stares at the floor. He’s embarrassed. I don’t give two shits who he fucks as long as it isn’t Demi
against her will. “Last time was earlier this week. This is where we always meet.”
“Go check the bedroom,” I order to Shane. “There has to be a camera set up.”
“Evan didn’t tell you to drug her. What made you think to do it?”
“I thought it would be easier …” He swallows. “I overheard Peter talking about it. He sold it to
me.”
“You bought GHB from your sister’s boyfriend?” I demand.
He flinches but doesn’t answer.
“Who all knows you’re gay?” Cole asks him.
 “No one did. No one other than Demi.”
“And Professor?”
He shakes his head. “He wouldn’t do this.”
“What makes you so sure?” I ask. Now that I know he bought the GHB from Peter, and Peter had
been the one openly bragging about how he would fuck Demi. I’m thinking that maybe they weren’t as
careful as they thought. And the professor needed to cover his tracks.
He runs his hand over his dark hair. “’Cause we’ve been hooking up for over a year. There’s no
reason to do it now.”
Shane enters again and shakes his head. “Nothing.”
My jaw clenches. “It doesn’t make any sense. Someone had to know. And they are connected to
both you and Demi.” And us. They had us come to this very cabin to give us that fucking letter.
“Becky.”
We all turn to look at Shane. He leans up against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. “I
accused the wrong sister. She’s the only one who connects them both and the four of us. She came
here to Texas with you. You fuck her over for her sister.” He shrugs. “She was around him.” He points
at Seth. “Who knows what she heard or saw. She’s crazy enough to do it.”
“But not smart enough to pull it off.” Cole growls.
“She did have Austin’s journal. She knew a lot more than we knew she did,” I add.
“What?” Shane asks. “Austin had a journal? What all was in it?”
“Everything,” I answer.
“Fuck.” He sighs, leaning back and hitting his head against the wall. “I swear, every time I’m
around your asses, I find out more shit that I should have already known.”
“Bennett.” I turn to face him. He sits at the kitchen table, typing away on his phone. “Bennett?” I
snap.
“Oh.” He drops it to the table and joins our conversation. “It could be her. All she’d have to do
was see you log in one time. It’s not hard to change an email address and login info.” He shrugs.
That’s all the confirmation I needed. We’ve spent too much time on this already. If Becky did it,
Cole’s right, she won’t be smart enough to cover her tracks. And it’ll be easy to prove.
I release her hair and lean down to untie the passed-out girl’s wrists and throw the rope to Bennett
who is already back to texting on his phone. “Shane,” I say and he pushes off the wall. He walks over
to us. “Go load her up in the back of my SUV. Take her back into town.”
“No!” Seth shouts.
“He’s just gonna take her home,” I tell him. We did some research earlier before we went out to the
party. Their parents are out of town for the night on their yacht. They’re throwing a party for a co-
worker of his father’s. Showing off their wealth is the best way to do that.
“I’ll take her home,” he growls.
“You’ll be staying with us,” I inform him.
He swallows nervously, and Shane smiles at him. “Don’t worry, man. I’m not into fucking chicks
who are unconscious. I like it when they fight.” He winks at him as he lifts Melissa into his arms.
“I don’t believe you.” Seth fists his hands.
I was never going to hurt her. I slipped some GHB into her cup when she bent down to pick up my
phone, but I never had any plans to do her any harm beyond that. I didn’t even give her much. I just
needed enough for her to sleep while I interrogated her brother.
“You have my word,” I tell him. “I don’t hurt the innocent.”
“You’ve drugged her.”
 I take a step toward him. “And you slammed Demi’s face into the floor while you held her down
and unzipped your pants. If she hadn’t gotten away, you would have raped her!” I scream the last part.
“Your sister will wake up tomorrow with a headache and no memory of tonight, but she won’t think
her friend betrayed her.”
He hangs his head, and I look at Cole. “Help Shane get her in the car.”
Bennett brings the chair to the center of the room that Melissa just occupied and hands me the rope.
“Have a seat, Seth,” I order.

DEMI

I CHEW ON my nails as Austin drives us down the dark highway. The clock on her dash reads a little
after midnight. Deke sent me a message a half hour ago to head their way. They didn’t tell Austin and
me much about their plans for tonight, and I’m not sure I even wanted to know them. The less we
know, probably the better.
Austin slows down and turns onto the gravel road parallel to Lake Travis. She comes to a stop in
front of the cabin, and my heart begins to pound when I see Seth’s Jeep parked out front. Shutting off
her car, she exits, and I follow. We make our way up the stairs, and I enter behind her.
I come to a stop as I look down at the hardwood floor in the entryway.
“Seth! Please stop!” I cry as he lies on top of me. I reach out in front of me, trying to grab
something, but there’s nothing there. My cheek throbs, and it’s hard to breathe with all his weight
on me.
I hear his zipper lower, and then his hands are on my hips. He lifts up enough to flip me over
onto my back. And I slap at his face.
“I have to.” He growls.
What is he talking about? “No.” Tears run down the sides of my face. “You don’t.” I slap at him
again, and he jumps up off me.
I get to my shaky legs and reach for the door, but he grips my hair with his fists and starts
dragging me across the floor. “Stop!” I cry, trying to twist in his grip. “Please,” I beg.
He kicks the bedroom door open and shoves me inside. “It’s just sex, Demi. Not like you’re not
already a fucking slut.”
He reaches out for me, but I dart to the left. He gets a hold of my shirt and yanks on it,
stretching it out before shoving me onto the bed. I kick and scream, knowing I won’t be loud
enough. No one will hear me.
He takes a second to shove his jeans off his hips, and I ram my head into his face, smashing it
into his nose.
“Fuck!” He growls, rolling off me.
I jump to my feet and run for the front door. I don’t look back. I don’t even stop to grab my bag.
Nothing is more important than getting the fuck out of here.
“Demi?” I hear him scream my name as I run outside and to my car. “Demi!”
I yank open my car door, start it up, and throw it in reverse, not even bothering to look behind
me.
“Demi?”
I blink to see Deke standing in front of me. “You okay?” he asks softly. His blue eyes searching
mine.
“Yeah,” I lie. “Fine. Why are we here?” I look around to see a chair sitting in the middle of the
living room. It’s empty, but a rope sits next to it on the floor along with a black duffle bag. Cole
stands behind it, wiping his bloody knuckles off with a dish rag. And Bennett sits at the kitchen table
with his phone in his hands.
I look at Deke and notice that he too has blood on his knuckles and shirt. “Are you okay?” I ask,
placing my hands on his chest. His heart beats slowly, and his breathing is even. Whatever he did,
didn’t even work him up.
“It’s not mine,” he says.
I swallow, immediately knowing who it belongs to. “Where is he?”
“He’s in the bedroom.” Cole is the one who answers.
I go to walk that way, but Deke places his hand on my shoulder and pulls me to a stop. I look up at
him, and his blue eyes soften. “I’d rather you not.”
“But …”
“Can you trust me that I took care of it?”
“Did you kill him?” He had told me while in bed that he was going to kill him.
“People don’t have to stop breathing to stop living,” he says, and I understand. They took
something from him, but it wasn’t his life.
I drop my eyes back to the chair and take a step back, letting him know I won’t go back there. No
matter how badly I want to see what they did to him, he’s trying to protect me from something that he
thinks I can’t handle. I like that he’s trying. That he actually cares to keep me innocent in their world
filled with blood and chaos.
“Let’s go,” Deke orders.
Cole reaches out and snatches Austin’s car keys from her hands. Deke places his hands on my
shoulders, spins me around, and ushers me out the front door. He opens up the back door of Austin’s
SUV, and I crawl in with him. He pulls me into his side as Bennett gets in on the other side of me.
Cole throws his dish rag and a black duffel bag into the back before he gets in and starts up the SUV
as Austin gets in the passenger seat.
I snuggle up to Deke, and he kisses my hair. I close my eyes and release a sigh. It feels good for
someone to stick up for me. I used to hate the GWS, but it seems they all came together to help me
tonight.
“Where is Shane?” Austin asks no one in particular.
“He’s got my car,” Deke answers. “He had to run an errand but will meet us back at the house.”
 CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
DEKE

I PACE THE gravel road, holding my phone to my ear, but I’m met with silence. The drizzle slowly
soaks my shirt, making it cling to my body. The Collins night air is cold, but I don’t feel it. I’m too
wound up. My free hand is shoved into my jeans pocket, and I kick a loose rock around.
“I miss you,” she finally says. Her voice so soft, I barely hear it.
I smile and admit, “I miss you too, princess.” Coming to a stop, I turn and look at the clubhouse
where the sharks and I spent most of our time over the past year and a half. “What are you doing right
now?” I ask her while watching Cole pack his black duffle bag into the back of Bennett’s car.
“Lying on your bed,” she answers. “Naked.”
I moan at the visual. “You better be that way when I return tomorrow.”
The guys and I decided last night to make a quick trip back to Collins. Well, Bennett and Shane
were coming home, but after Shane suggested Becky was Evan Scott, Cole and I decided it was time
to find out once and for all. And if she is, we’re ending it.
We weren’t putting anyone else in danger. Evan had threatened Demi when Seth didn’t do as he
ordered, so the clock was ticking. I wasn’t taking that chance again. I won’t gamble with Demi’s fate.
Especially if her sister is the one calling the shots. She’s already hurt her enough. I was gonna end it
for her. That’s the least I can do after trying to kill her myself.
“We’ll see,” she teases me. “Depends on what time you get back.” She’s fishing.
The guys and I didn’t tell the girls much. Just that we were taking a quick trip to Collins to take
care of something. They knew. They exchanged a look. Austin turned and left the room. She’s still not
talking to Cole. And Demi just nodded, leaving it at that.
They both knew they weren’t going to change our minds. It’s not like we’re gonna kill Becky.
We’re just gonna make sure this shit ends once and for all.
“You ready?” I hear Austin’s voice on the other end of the phone.
“Yeah, give me one minute,” Demi answers her.
“What are you girls doing?” I ask. It’s a little after seven here. That makes it past nine there.
“Austin and I picked up Lilly earlier, and she asked if we could have a girls sleepover tonight
since you guys are gone. So we’re gonna make a pallet in the living room, pop some popcorn, and eat
our weight in chocolate while we get drunk off cherry Kool-Aid.”
I laugh.
“What’s so funny?”
“Just remembering when we were at Silence standing in line to get popcorn and you told me that
you admired my lack of empathy,” I recall. She stays silent, and the smile drops off my face.
“I still do, Deke.” she says in a soft voice. “I never once wanted you to be or pretend to be
someone other than who you are.”
I hate how much I needed to hear her say that. Deke Biggs doesn’t need permission to do anything. I
always kept Becky in the dark regarding what I did with the sharks. She would have hated it, bitched
about it, and made me out to be the bad guy. Which I am, don’t get me wrong. I know where I stand in
the world of good versus evil. The one drowning in blood and full of hate. But look what she did.
Look how far she went to hurt Demi. Or what she did to her back when they were younger. She’s tried
to have her raped twice now. She deserves to pay for that. And that’s what the sharks do. They make
you pay. In blood.
“I gotta go,” she says.
But how would she feel if I said those words to her? Her imagination isn’t nearly as dark as our
actions are. “Demi—”
“I’ll be here when you get back tomorrow.” She interrupts me. “Waiting on you.” Then she hangs
up.
I drop the phone from my ear and walk over to the door of the clubhouse. Cole stands over at the
table, leaning up against it. Shane sits on the couch typing away on his phone, and Bennett is standing
in the small kitchen area looking down at a piece of paper in his hands.
“What’s that?” I ask him.
He looks up at me and lets out a long sigh. “There’s something I need to tell you guys.”
“What is it?” Cole asks, pushing off the table.
“I received this right after you guys moved to Texas.” He hands me the paper.
“This glass can break as easily as your promises. What would you do to keep them both intact?” I
read the typed letter out loud.
“What the fuck is that shit?” Shane asks, jumping up from the couch.
“I don’t know.” Bennett shrugs. “Another cryptic letter.”
“And you’ve had this the entire time?” Cole growls.
“I didn’t say anything because it didn’t have my name on it. It could have been to any of us or all of
us.” He sighs. “I honestly thought it was for you, Cole, since you own the place. I figured it was
someone who knew what you did to Kellan.”
“It was just sitting in here. Waiting on you?” I question.
He nods. “It was in the glass bowl. On the table.”
“Fuck!” Cole growls.
“So why tell us about it now?” I rip the fucker to pieces and throw them in the trash.
“Well, ’cause now I think it was Becky who gave it to me,” he answers.
Cole shakes his head. “She didn’t know anything. And why leave it in the bowl? People knew we
did dares but not specifics.”
“That’s not true,” I argue. “He said he received it after we left for Texas. Becky got Austin’s
journal while Austin was still in the hospital. We waited three months after she was shot before we
moved.”
Cole nods once and growls. “So the bitch has been playing us for six months now? And none of us
saw it?”
“The letter has to be for me.” Shane speaks.
We all turn to face him. “What makes you think that?” Cole asks him.
He squares his shoulders and takes a deep breath. “Because … I know some secrets. Some that
would totally change how this night is going to go. And that letter was threatening me to keep my
mouth shut.”
I frown. “I don’t understand, Shane.”
“We all have secrets,” Cole grunts. “Why you specifically?”
“I know something that you guys don’t. And if I told on the person who I’m guessing sent me that
letter, I would also be implicating myself.” His eyes go to Cole, and I stiffen at the challenge in his
eyes.
 What the fuck does he know? And why hasn’t he told us?
Cole takes a step forward, closing the distance between them. “Just what in the fuck do you know,
Shane?”
And with that, he informs us of something he should have told us a long time ago. With each word,
the room grows smaller. Colder. I watch Cole’s body tighten, his fists clench, and his breathing picks
up. I cuss, Bennett kicks the table. Shane was right. Tonight is going to go differently than we had
planned, but I have no problem adjusting it accordingly.

BECKY

I SIT AT my father’s kitchen table eating a piece of pie. He’s out of town for the week so I have the
house to myself. It’s actually nice to be alone. I’ve always had to share. My school. My space. My
car. My father made me take Demi everywhere. I was so fucking happy once she turned sixteen and
could drive herself to school. I should have told my mom to let her stay here while I moved to Texas
by myself.
Finishing off the pie, I place the plate in the sink and make my way upstairs. The thunder shakes the
walls, and I hear the rain pick up. Typical Collins. This place is such a downer.
I enter my room and fall onto my bed. I close my eyes and let out a sigh. But they snap open when I
hear a noise. “Hello?” I call out, looking outside my room but see nothing.
I remove my shirt. Tossing it onto the bed, I undo my jeans and push them down my legs. Standing
in a black bra and matching thong, I enter my bathroom to take a bath. I need to relax. My entire body
has been tight for days. I’ve been in a bad mood. Nothing has been going right, and I don’t like that.
I hear another sound and walk back into my bedroom. “Hello?” I ask again. Silence follows. My
clock on my nightstand shows it’s a little after midnight. The thunder rattles the walls again and
lightning flashes, lighting up my room. I shrug it off, knowing it must be a tree branch hitting my
window or something.
My phone rings on my bed, and I look down to see Deke written across the screen. My heart
begins to race with excitement.
“Hey?” I try to say calmly, but my high pitch gives me away. I turn, placing my back to the door and
walk toward the windows. The falling rain making visibility nonexistent. “What are you …?”
“Do you miss me, Becky?” he asks in greeting.
A cold chill runs up my spine at his tone. There was nothing affectionate about it. Just cold.
Detached. “Of course, … I …”
“What if I said I wanted to see you?”
I swallow, and the hairs on my neck rise. “Deke.” I give a nervous laugh. “What do you mean? I,
uh, I’d love to see you, but you’re too far away.” Thank God. He sounds like a serial killer calling his
next victim. He’s probably drunk and playing some sick game with me.
“What if I told you I’m here?”
I whip around to face my bedroom door, my chest rising and falling quickly. “In Collins?” My
voice shakes.
He gives a dark chuckle, and my stomach drops when I watch a man dressed in black jeans and a
black hoodie move to stand in the doorway of my bedroom. His blue eyes look me up and down,
taking in my half-naked body, but he shows no sign of interest. When they reach mine, I hear him
whisper in my ear. “Your bedroom.”
I drop the phone and run into my en suite bathroom. I slam the door shut and lock it. He begins to
pound on it from the outside. “Stop,” I cry as I press up against it, knowing he’s fucking with me. If he
wanted in, that lock wouldn’t stop him. “Deke, please …”
It stops banging, and I take a step back from it. Tears sting my eyes, and my body shakes. What the
fuck is he doing here? Is my sister with him? Are they both trying to scare me?
I take another step back and bump into a hard surface. I gasp, spinning around only to come face to
face with Cole Reynolds. They tricked me. The phone call was to distract me to allow him into my
bathroom. Where Deke knew I’d run. His blue eyes stare down at me emotionless, and my breath
hitches. “Cole …”
He grips my hair and shoves my face into my bathroom mirror. Pain explodes behind my eyes. The
impact takes my breath away. He yanks me back and shoves me away from him so hard that I slide
across the countertop, knocking off my beauty supplies in the process. I hit the tile floor on my side as
my shaking hands come up to shield my bloody and busted face. I sob into them, and it just intensifies
the pounding in my face.
Cole opens the door, and I get up on my hands and knees, crawling away from them. “Fucking
bastard,” I cry. He’s a fucking psycho.
Deke enters followed by Shane and then Bennett. I begin to shake. They’re gonna kill me. Right
here. In my bathroom. “Fuck you guys! All of you!” I shout.
“You like to play, Becky? So do we.” Deke speaks, dropping a black duffel bag to his feet.
Shane gives me a cruel smile and kneels by the bag. Slowly, he unzips it. “Sorry, Becky. I ratted
you out.”
My chest tightens. “I don’t know what you’re talking about …”
“But you do.” He nods. “Kellan had told me ...”
“No, no, no, no,” I chant.
“And you knew that I knew … How long did you expect me to keep that secret?”
Now it all makes sense. That’s why Cole slammed my face into the mirror. Because that’s exactly
what Kellan did to Austin. The night I helped him break into the Lowes house.
Eight months ago
Austin walks into the kitchen and grabs the Fireball off the counter and takes a sip from the
bottle. Her birthday party has been in full swing for over an hour now. She’s already pretty drunk.
I’m sober as shit.
“What the hell was that?” I demand, running up next to her. I just stood in her father’s game
room where she told the sharks that she has insurance on them. Whatever the fuck that means.
“Me putting them in their place,” she says and tips it back again.
I sigh. “What do you have on them?”
“Enough.”
I roll my eyes. “That’s not what I asked, Austin.”
She takes another drink as Deke walks into the kitchen, and I tense. What the fuck have they
been up to? I know Cole is playing a game with Austin, but I didn’t know they were all playing with
her. Now I know everyone is involved.
He comes over to us, his eyes on mine. “We’re leaving, babe,” he says, and I watch Cole storm
past the kitchen and out the front door.
She takes another drink.
“I’m staying again tonight,” I tell him. I stayed last night as well to bring in her birthday.
He nods, already knowing that. Then he looks at Austin. He opens his mouth to speak and then
closes it.
 “What?” she snaps.
He just shakes his head. “Nothing.” Then gives me a kiss before he turns and leaves.
“You can go with him if you want,” she offers.
I shake my head. “Absolutely not. I’m your only friend, remember?” I give her a smile before
taking the bottle from her hand. All the girls hate her ’cause of Cole and all the boys want her
’cause of him as well. She’s fucked either way. “Someone has to watch over you.”
She rolls eyes and sighs in disappointment. I can tell he’s ruined her birthday. Things have been
tense since we stood at the clubhouse and he confessed that her father raped his mother and she
has a half-sister.
I place my hand on hers and give her a reassuring smile. “You should give him a chance.”
“Some people don’t deserve a chance,”
“Austin—”
“I don’t wanna talk about it,” she interrupts me. “Can we just get drunk?”
I chuckle, handing her back the bottle. “Drink up, birthday girl.” She tosses it back, and I look
over in time to see Kellan walk by. He stops, then looks at me and jerks his head. “I’ll be right
back,” I tell her.
She waves me off.
Exiting the kitchen, I walk down the hallway to a half bath. Kellan shuts the door behind us.
“What do you want?” I ask; he and I aren’t friends. I put him in the same category as Cole.
Fucking evil.
He takes the phone from my hand and begins to mess with the keys. “I want you to text me later
after the party is over.”
I snort. “Why would I do that?”
He hands me back my phone to see he entered his number into it. “Because if you don’t.” He
steps into me. “I’ll tell Deke what you’re really doing with him.”
My eyes narrow up at him. “I don’t know …”
“I’m not stupid, Becky. I see everything.” I swallow. “I know everything.”
“It’s not what you think.”
He gives me a slow smile, his brown eyes looking me up and down. He reaches up and pushes
some hair behind my ear, and my heart hammers in my chest. “It’s exactly what I think. Now are
you going to let me in, or am I going to go to Deke?”
This can’t be happening. He can’t go to Deke. Deke can’t find out what I’ve been doing. He’ll
destroy me. He’ll make school a living hell for me. “What are you gonna do?”
“I just want her phone.”
“I’ll get it for you,” I offer.
“No.” He shakes his head. “I want to get it.”
“But why?”
“Because I wanna know if Austin is full of shit, or if she really does have insurance on that
phone.”
“What was she talking about?” I ask. “What kind of trouble could she get you guys in?”
“The kind that will get all of us sharks thrown in jail.” He leans in, and whispers, “For life.”
I swallow nervously. “She wouldn’t. Cole …”
“She is pissed at Cole right now. Believe me when I say she’ll turn his ass in without a second
thought after everything he’s done to her.”
“But …”
 “Becky?” A hand pounds on the bathroom door, and I jump at Austin’s voice. “What are you
doing in there?’
“I’ll … I’ll be right out.” I holler.
He quirks his brow at me, and I take in a deep breath and nod. He just wants her phone. I can
handle that. Then I exit out of the bathroom, closing the door behind me. She holds her bottle of
Fireball in one hand and her other sits on her hip. “Let’s get fucked.”
 CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
DEKE

“AFTER COLE KNOCKED out Kellan’s car window with a bat and found Austin’s phone the day
after her birthday party, I called and asked him what the fuck he was doing. And how the hell he
got into the house. He told me Becky helped him …”
“What the fuck, man?” I bark. She was supposed to be her best friend.
“Why would she help him?” Cole snaps.
“I don’t know.” Shane throws up his hands. “That’s all I know. He never went into detail, and I
didn’t get the chance to ask. Just that he needed whatever insurance she had on her phone, and
Becky was willing to help him. And he was pissed that you caught him.”
I remember what Shane told us just hours ago at the clubhouse. He stands and hands me two
bundles of rope from the bag.
“Please,” she sobs. “I’m sorry.”
“Not yet.”
I walk over to her, and she begins to scream. She kicks her legs out and starts flinging her arms. I
grip her ankle, yank her across the tile on her side and flip her on to her stomach. I fall to the floor
and straddle her hips. I yank her hands behind her back and wrap the first bundle of rope around her
wrists, tying them tightly together.
“Deke! Please … please don’t do this …”
“Someone shut her up,” I order.
Shane drops in front of her with the bag and pulls out a roll of duct tape. He yanks a washcloth off
the side of the counter.
“Please …”
He shoves it in her mouth and then tears off a piece of tape and slaps it over her face. Once I’m
happy with her wrists, I move off her and grab both her legs. I secure them with the second rope and
then connect the remaining rope, hog-tying her in the middle of her bathroom floor.
I stand and turn to face Cole and Bennett. They are looking down at her phone that they got from her
room. “Well?” I ask.
Moment of truth, Becky. Let’s see what’s in store for you tonight.
Cole holds up her phone, and sure enough, he’s found where she had two Facebook apps and one
was signed in as Evan Scott. And she sent a message to Seth this morning. I read it out loud.
Evan Scott: I’ll give you one more chance. Either you fuck the bitch, or you’re fucked.
Shane laughs. “The problem with that, Becky, is that we have Seth’s phone. We took if after we
were done having fun with him last night.”
“I didn’t think you had it in you, Becky. Good for you for proving me wrong.”
Shane pushes her over onto her side and slides a towel underneath her. She struggles in her
restraints and sobs behind the tape over her mouth. Once he’s done and places her back on her
stomach, I straddle her upper back, almost sitting on her shoulders so I don’t break her restrained
arms. Taking a hand full of her blond hair, I grip it and yank her head back and place her phone in
front of her face. “You want to be a shark, baby?” She sobs while her body shakes uncontrollably. I
lean down, whispering in her ear, “Well, welcome to the group.”
I hold out my right hand, and Cole places the knife in it. I gather up all her hair in my fist and hold
it out to Shane who still kneels in front of me at her head. “Hold it,” I order.
He pushes her forehead to the tile, holding her head down for me at an odd angle to expose the
back of her neck. Then he places her head between his knees, making escape impossible. I take the
knife and carve a tally mark along the soft skin right below her hairline. About an inch long. She
screams into the gag as her body shakes and her skin breaks. The blood runs down the side of her
neck onto the towel beneath her.
Then I hold it out, and Cole takes it. He carves another tally mark next to mine. Shane goes, and
then Bennett does his. One by one, we each make our mark on her. A reminder that we fucking own
her. That no matter what she does, or who she fucks, she belongs to us.
I reach my left hand out, and Bennett places the can of hair spray in it. I take the end of the towel
and wipe it across the back of her neck. She whimpers as I smear the blood to see the four cuts and
then spray the hair spray over them to help with the bleeding. I don’t want her to bleed to death. Just
experience the excruciating pain that she deserves. I toss the can to the side once satisfied.
Cole takes the lighter that Shane pulls out of the bag and runs the knife through the flame, heating it
before passing it back to me. I lay it across the lines to cauterize them. And her body fights mine
while her muffled screams fill the bathroom.
Then Shane hands me the powder, and I dump it on there to seal what the knife didn’t get.
Getting up off her, she immediately rolls onto her side. Her eyes are closed as snot, tears, and
blood cover her face. She lies at our feet with nothing but a bra and thong on. Her chest heaves, and
she sobs behind her gag.
I kneel beside her and rip it off before shoving my fingers in her mouth to remove the washcloth.
“I will murder you,” she sneers. “Fucking murder you for this! All of you sorry bastards. Austin
and my sister ...”
I grip her chin. “No. You won’t. Because if you try anything, and I mean anything, I will hurt you.”
Tears run down her face, smearing her once perfect makeup along with snot and drool. Her blue
eyes narrow on me. “You … can’t kill me.” She sucks in a breath. “I’m not one of those fucking
bastards Austin wrote about in her journal.” She sniffs. “You won’t get away with this ...”
I smile at her. “You’re right. You’re not.” I can’t kill her. Too many questions will be left
unanswered. “But I can make you mine, Becky. I can make you wish you were dead. Every second of
every day. From the outside, everyone will think we are in love and happy. No one will know what I
do to you behind closed doors. When we’re all alone.” I run my free hand down her bloody neck and
feel her pulse race. “How I’ll fuck you. How I’ll beat you. Starve you. Don’t underestimate how
fucking evil I can be. And how little you mean to me.” I stand.
“I … hate … you …” She sobs.
I nod to Shane, and he begins to untie her.
“Here.” Bennett hands me her cell. “Everything is gone. I changed all emails and passwords for
anything related to Evan Scott and then deactivated his page.”
I drop her phone on the tile and step on it for good measure. Shane picks up the towel and wads it
up before placing it in the duffle bag. It’s going with us. Once it dries out, we’ll burn it.
Cole starts dumping peroxide on the tile floor to clean up the blood.
She crawls over to the corner of her bathroom and pulls her legs up to her chest. Her blond hair
wild and bloody. She looks so fucking broken. And I give no fucks that I did that to her. This bitch has
fucked us over way too many times. She’s the reason Austin was hurt. I consider her my little sister.
And she’s tried to hurt Demi, a woman who is quickly becoming my everything.
“Do you love her?” she asks as if she can read my mind.
“Does it matter?”
“Is that why you’re doing this?” she demands. “Because Demi got a little scared? Nothing ever
fucking happened to her!” she shouts “She always managed to get away. Unharmed. Untouched.”
I just stare at her.
“Do? You? Love? Her?” She screams so loud, my ears ring.
I walk over to her, and she presses herself further into the wall as I lean over and push some blond
strands off her slick face. “I love her more than I could ever love you,” I say truthfully. “Does that
make you feel better?”
Her tear-filled eyes narrow up at me, and she sucks in a heavy breath.
“I mean it, Becky. Stay away. I won’t be so kind next time.” Then I give her my back and walk out.
I step out into the dark and cold night as Shane speaks. “I’m sorry, man. I didn’t know Kellan …”
Cole punches him in the face.
That was the first thing Shane has said to him since he informed us of the secret he knew.
“I’m sorry.” He stumbles backward, holding up his hands. “Hit me again. I deserve it.”
Cole doesn’t need to be told twice. He hits him so hard this time it throws Shane into the side of
Bennett’s car. Blood pours from his nose and a busted lip.
“You knew all this time …” Cole growls and looks him up and down. “I should have beat you to
death that night as well. And had Bennett drop your sorry ass to the bottom of the ocean to rot with
him.” With that, Cole opens the passenger side door and falls into the car.

DEMI

IT’S BEEN A week since the GWS took care of Seth and then made a quick trip to Collins. Austin and I
didn’t need to ask what they did there, but we knew. They were going down a list of people who
needed to pay for hurting me or threatening them. No one was going to stop them from doing what they
do best. I can’t say I feel sorry for any of them.
I lick my lips as I look in the bathroom mirror. My hair is down in big waves. Placing my hands in
it, I bend over and fluff it, giving it some volume. Standing, I run my hands down the front of my holey
jeans.
We’re having dinner tonight with my mother.
I asked her if I could have some friends over for dinner, and she looked at me like I was someone
she’s never met. I know it’s not a good idea, but at this point, I don’t care. I want her to see that Seth
is long gone. And that her lovely plan she had for my life is crumbling. ’Cause Deke sure as hell isn’t
what she wants for my future.
I hear the doorbell ring, and I run out of my bathroom and down the stairs, yelling, “I’ll get it.”
Opening the door, I smile up at the prettiest man I’ve ever seen. I hate how he makes me feel, yet I
can’t push him away. I can’t deny that Deke has gotten under my skin in the worst way.
“Hey, princess.” He steps into the house and wraps his arms around me, picking my feet off the
floor. His lips crash down on mine, and I wrap my arms around his neck, kissing him like I’m
desperate for him. I just saw him last night for a couple of hours, but it doesn’t feel like enough.
I don’t know how my sister ever thought he wasn’t enough for her. He would have given her the
world, but he’s going to destroy mine.
 I’m just waiting for that other shoe to drop. For everything to come crashing down and kill
whatever this is that we have.
“Oh, get a room,” I hear Cole grumble.
I pull away from Deke’s lips and giggle. That’s another thing I do lately. I used to be disgusted with
the girls at school who went all happily stupid over boys. And now I’m there.
I see Austin enter the house, and she holds a dish in her hands. “You didn’t have to bring anything.”
“I figured I could at least bring dessert.” She shrugs, and Cole pulls her into his side, kissing her
head. I don’t know what all happened last week, but whatever it was, it’s like they’re finally
breathing fresh air. They both seem very happy. And I can’t be more thrilled for them.
“Thank you,” I say, taking it from her, and then ask, “Where’s Lilly?”
“She’s at home with Misty,” Cole answers.
“Deke?”
We all turn to see my mother standing in the foyer. She’s wearing a pair of black slacks with a red
silk top. She has her blond hair up in a tight bun and her black rimmed glasses hanging from her neck.
“Becky isn’t here,” she tells him.
I swallow the anger at her words, and say, “Deke is here to have dinner with us tonight, Mom.”
She tilts her head to the side as if she doesn’t understand my meaning. So I reach out, grab his hand,
and place it in mine. Looking up at him, I give him a big smile. “We’re dating,” I say in case my show
of affection wasn’t enough. I’m not sure what the hell we are exactly, and I don’t care. I’m not one of
those girls who has to put a label on things. I just wanna piss her off.
I hear Cole cover a small laugh with a cough. He fails.
“I see.” She grabs her pearls and then turns, giving us her back and walking toward the formal
dining room.
“This’ll be fun,” Cole mumbles. “Like that one time I had dinner with your father,” he tells Austin,
and she sighs.
 CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
DEKE

“THIS LOOKS AMAZING,” Austin says, looking over the table covered with food.
Angelica had her chefs make a variety from escargot to a kale salad and blackened salmon. Just to
name a few things. It’s like they couldn’t decide exactly what they were in the mood for.
“So.” Her mother starts before I can even get a piece of bread on my plate. “When did you two
start dating? You were just here a few weeks ago to take out my other daughter.”
“Does it matter?” Demi challenges her mother.
She arches a brow. “I’m guessing this has to do with the reason your sister ran back to Collins.”
I’m not sure why in the hell Demi wanted us to come over here for dinner tonight, but when she
asked me the other day, I wasn’t gonna tell her no. She had a smile on her face, which I seem to see a
lot of lately, and was lying underneath me completely naked. I would have said yes to anything. And
I’ve decided that’s a very dangerous thing. But one I’m not going to question.
“I’m not sure, why don’t you ask her?” Demi offers.
Her mother’s already sharp jaw tightens. She opens her mouth when Austin speaks. “I love the new
color you chose for the formal dining room, Mrs. Lawrence.”
Cole smirks at her trying to divert the conversation in such a bad way. Austin ignores him.
Angelica looks over at her, and her eyes drop to the red ruby engagement ring. “How do your
parents feel about you being engaged at such a young age, Austin?” she asks.
She wipes the corner of her mouth with her napkin, looking unaffected by Demi’s mother. “Well,
I’m pretty sure my mother is dead.” Cole stiffens beside her, and Demi’s eyes shoot to mine. “And my
father is in prison for life. So I don’t think they care.”
Silence falls over the table, and I take a sip of my water. She couldn’t be more correct. Her mother
is dead all right. Cole and I killed her and her stepdad.
I lie in Becky’s bed at her father’s house watching a movie when my cell alerts me of a message.
“Who is it?” Becky asks.
“It’s from Cole.” I open it up.
Cole: You busy?
Me: I’m with Becky. What’s up?
Cole: I have something that needs to be taken care of.
Me: I can be ready whenever.
Cole: Give me five.
“I gotta go,” I say, getting out of her bed.
“What?” She jumps up. “You just got here.”
I grab my black leather jacket off the back of her chair. “Cole needs me.”
She comes over to me, and I refrain from sighing because I can tell she’s pissed. “Cole always
needs you.”
“Don’t,” I warn, walking over to her door.
“Deke.” She grabs my hand. “What does he need?”
 I don’t answer. “I’ll come back.”
“When?” she demands.
“When I’m done,” I say and exit her room. I walk down the stairs and out the front door. As I
jump into my Range Rover, I see her sister pull up. She comes to an abrupt stop and jumps out. She
all but runs to the front door and shoves it open before storming inside. Maybe I got out just in
time.
I pull out my cell and try calling him, but it rings several times before his voicemail finally
picks up. I put the SUV in gear and pull out of their driveway as my phone rings. It’s Cole calling
me back.
“Hey, man. What’s up?” I answer.
I hear his tires squealing, letting me know he’s left wherever he was. Probably with Austin.
“Austin’s mother is in town. With her new husband.”
“Okay,” I say slowly.
He takes in a deep breath. I know absolutely nothing about her mother or stepdad, or anything
about her life before she moved here to Collins three months ago. “They were waiting for Austin
when we walked into Bruce’s house.”
“And?”
“And they need to be taken care of,” he answers.
“Where do you want me to meet you?” I ask without hesitation, knowing he has a plan. Cole
always has one. And I’ll help him take care of whoever has fucked him over. Or in this case, it
sounds like they have fucked over Austin.
We found them hiding out at the cheapest hotel in Collins. But it was in the middle of the day, so we
decided on a plan, then he spent the afternoon with Austin and Lilly at the zoo. I went to the docks
where our fathers once kept their yachts. There was an abandoned warehouse back there where they
used to load and unload the shipping containers. They built a new one on the other side of town but
hadn’t demolished this one yet, so no one was ever here.
I laid down a blue tarp in the office to get it ready.
Later that evening, after they left the zoo, I went over to the clubhouse and picked up Cole, and we
sat outside the hotel room and waited.
We had our duffel bags with us. We rarely left home without them. Cole knocked on the door like
they were expecting us, and a man answered. Cole shoved the door into his face, knocking him into
the room. I entered and slammed it shut. Cole was already on the man, so I grabbed the woman and
had her face down on the bed before she could even scream. I placed duct tape over her mouth and
then tied her hands and feet together with it as well before I threw a hood over her head. Cole did the
same to the man. We took them back to the docks I had been at earlier in the day and carried them into
the office.
We didn’t play with them for very long. Cole fucked up the man pretty good with his fists, then took
his knife and cut off the guy’s dick while he was still alive. I didn’t know what these people had done,
but it was clear they had pissed him the fuck off. They were both druggies. I had grabbed their
bathroom bag from their hotel and found a syringe and some heroin in it. After I heated it up into
liquid, I shot it into her. I’m not sure if she died from the drugs I gave her or the fact that I never
removed the tape from her mouth and she choked on her own vomit. It didn’t matter. They both died.
We killed them.
After they were both dead, we stood there in that office. Cole had told me that Austin’s stepdad had
touched her. Sexually. The first time she was ten. It was then that I realized just how much he loved
her. And how far I would go to protect his girl for him. She was one of us—a shark—and we protect
our own. No matter what.
“Well.” Demi’s mother clears her throat. “I hope you wait a while before you get married. Finish
school—”
“We’re thinking January,” Austin interrupts her.
Two months from now.
“That’s awesome,” Demi says with a big smile on her face. “I’ve always wondered why couples
have long-drawn-out engagements. If you love each other, why not do it sooner?”
Angelica does not share her daughter’s excitement. You would think this is me and Demi wanting to
tie the knot.
“Have you found a venue already?” Angelica asks. Now she’s just being nosy. “Not sure you will
have much luck on availability with such short notice.”
“Oh, we already know.” Austin smiles, looking over at Cole. “An abandoned cemetery.”
Demi’s mother chokes on her fucking slimy snail.
“It’s where we first met,” she adds.
Cole reaches out and takes her hand. He brings her knuckles to his lips and kisses them softly.
“Whatever you want, sweetheart.”
Demi has her elbows on the table, her chin in her hands, and she looks at them wistfully. And I
realize that I will do anything to keep that look on her face. It’s crazy how pissed off she used to
always look. She hated the world. Now she’s always smiling at me. And laughing. Fuck, that laugh. I
tickle her just to hear it. I toss her over my shoulder to hear her squeal my name. And I lie awake at
night to watch her sleep. I wonder what it would have been like if I would have picked her instead of
Becky. I never even looked at Demi. She was once nonexistent to me. Just like she was to everyone
else. But I see her now. And she’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.

DEMI

“THAT DIDN’T GO too bad.” Austin laughs as we enter their house.

I told my mother after dinner that I was staying with Austin tonight. I didn’t think that she knew
Deke lived with them, and when she didn’t tell me no, then I was positive she didn’t know.
“It could have gone worse.” I agree.
I’ll have to listen to it tomorrow. About how much of her life she is throwing away to marry a man
who can leave her at any given moment. My mother believes a woman should pay her own way,
unless you’re Becky. Well, then a career doesn’t matter.
I make my way upstairs to Deke’s room. I’m removing my shirt when he enters. He walks into his
bathroom, and I quickly finish getting undressed before crawling underneath his cool covers. Seconds
later, he walks out and does the same, but he leaves his black boxers on.
I frown over at him as he turns the light off. I wouldn’t say I’m addicted to sex, but that is definitely
a bonus when it comes to him.
He shifts onto his side and pulls me into him. “Ride home with me for Thanksgiving.”
Not the conversation I thought we were going to have, but I say, “Okay.”
We all decided last weekend to go home for Thanksgiving. He wants to spend it with Shelby, and I
want to see my father. Cole and Austin are also going back. Shelby told them they could stay at her
house with Lilly since Cole doesn’t speak to his dad and Austin’s father’s house isn’t in any condition
to live in at the moment. She told me the other day that after she was shot, and her stepmother was
killed there, no one has cleaned up the house. Her father went to prison, and it was just abandoned.
He kisses my forehead, and I hear his phone ring. It’s been going off nonstop the last few days.
“Who keeps calling you?” I ask.
“Shane.”
I pull away from him and sit up. “Why are you ignoring him?”
He reaches up and pulls me down to lie next to him. “It’s nothing. I’ll call him tomorrow.”
He’s lying, but I don’t question it.
“Have you heard from my sister?”
I feel his body stiffen against mine. “No. why?”
“My mother probably called her after we left her house.”
“Hey.” He pushes my hair from my face. “Who cares?”
“I do. My mother wants you with her.” I growl.
He gives me a smile. “I’m with you, Demi.”
We haven’t had the we’re exclusive talk. I just figured it’s a given at this point. I haven’t seen
anyone else, and he spends every free second he has with me.
“Yeah, but …”
“Shh,” he says, pressing his lips gently to mine. “You’re mine, and I’m yours. Neither Becky nor
your mother are going to change that.”
“Promise?” I ask, biting my bottom lip. My mother can be very persuasive. And relentless. That’s
where my sister gets it from.
His phone rings again. He sighs, rolling over, and shuts it off. He turns back to face me. “Promise.”
 CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
BECKY

I SIT ON the kitchen counter at a kid’s parent’s house in Collins. My legs swing back and forth,
hitting the cabinets. People crowd around drinking, smoking, and high on whatever drugs they’ve
ingested to get through the night. I understand it. Wish I could do it. Feel numb. But no matter what I
do, it won’t fix how I feel.
“Deke came over tonight. He, Austin, and Cole had dinner with us. He’s dating your sister.” My
mother had told me during a phone call last week.
I tried to brush it off by telling her that I was done with him. I laughed it off that they belonged
together. But after I hung up, I cried. I laid in my bed and sobbed. Mainly because of what he did to
me. But also that he’s with her. They’ve made it official. They wanted it to get back to me.
After he and the sharks cut me, I sat on my bedroom floor with a bottle of vodka, and I drank the
entire thing until the pain subsided and the skin was numb. It hurt like fucking hell. I eventually passed
out.
I woke up, knowing I needed a plan. I can’t win him back. That’s long gone. Now I want to kill
them both. All the GWS.
“What are you doing here?” Shane demands, coming to stand in front of me.
I don’t answer. He’ll die slow and painfully. He betrayed me! Why didn’t they carve his neck up?
Because he has a dick? Or maybe it’s because he has murdered with them. He knows too much about
them for them to turn on him.
A brunette I’ve never seen before clings to his side.
“Hi,” she says with a tilt of her head, her high ponytail pulling her hair back tightly. “I’m Brynn.”
She introduces herself like I give a fuck.
Her gray eyes twinkle at me. She’s too bubbly. Too fucking annoying. She’s dressed in a pair of
skinny jeans with a pair of black heels, and a black and white shirt that hugs her small frame.
I instantly hate her.
She reminds me of myself. Back before the sharks ruined everything I had.
He whispers something in her ear, and she bites her lip before nodding like the good little slave
she is. They all have one. Each of them feeds off a helpless, willing victim. Fulfilling their need for
sex and blood. He pulls away from her, and she turns, all but bouncing away.
He reaches up and pushes my blond hair behind me ear. I slap his hand away. He lost the right to
touch me when he told one of my secrets. I wonder if he knows the other.
What would he do if I told them what I know? What would Deke do if he knew about Bennett?
That’s why I went to the clubhouse the other day. To blackmail Bennett. Boy, did that plan backfire on
me. They always seem to.
“Becky, you gotta get over it,” he says.
I place my hand on his chest and push him away from me. He backs up, and I jump off the counter,
almost tripping over my own heels.
“Whoa.” He reaches out for me, but I shove him away.
“Leave me alone.”
 He doesn’t know what it’s like to love someone who you don’t really know. To have that one
person betray you in the worst possible way.
None of them do—the GWS. They’re all just a group of spoiled-ass rich boys who have always
been allowed to do whatever the fuck they want. In a town of people who either fear them or take
payment from their parents to look the other way.
I always thought they were harmless.
Stupid girl.
I, of all people, should know that nothing is what it seems.
I fake a lot of shit. I learned it from my mother. Angelica Lawrence is the perfect model for a
broken soul under flawless makeup and a fake-as-shit smile. People will only see what you show
them is her motto.
I know I’m a hypocrite.
A liar.
A slut.
I’m what everyone whispers behind my back. I’ve never had any real friends. Not until Austin
Lowes came along, and I was even forced into that friendship. But I managed to fuck that one up too.
I thought I could outsmart all of them. Thought I could play them at their own game. Told myself I
could keep up with the lies and wouldn’t get caught.
Turns out, I was wrong.
The worst part? Deke has always had a part of me, since the first time he kissed me on a hot and
sunny day by the football field of Collins High. After he took my breath away, he gave me his back
and walked away. I let him go. Even then, I knew I couldn’t keep him. Not much later, he was standing
in front of me again. It didn’t matter that I was unavailable at the time. No one tells Deke Biggs no. He
wanted me, and I swore I could use him for popularity. To get into a crowd that could make me more
than the spineless bitch I was. I would use him the way he and his friends used others. But I promised
myself I would not fall for him like all the dick-whipped girls in our school.
Fuck, I fell to my knees so fast. Like I was a sinner in church who was shown the light and needed
to repent.
But instead of forgiveness, I got burned alive at the stake.
It was bound to happen. No one lies and gets away with it like the GWS. There was a frenzy of
them and only one of me. I was never a shark. It was a loan. I played nice with Cole’s girlfriend,
Austin, while fucking his best friend—I was supposed to get a pass.
Instead, I got fucked without the benefits of the actual orgasm. Well, I guess I can’t say that. Deke
knows his way around a woman’s body. But it’s not like the bastard hadn’t had any practice. I may not
have been innocent, but I didn’t have half the experience he did. He flashed his pretty blue eyes and
panty-dropping smile at me, and I was gone. Just like all the others before me. And the ones to come
after me.
I never had a fucking chance. Just like everyone else who goes up against any of them, failure was
my only option. They come together and rip you to shreds before you can even blink. Then they step
back and watch you bleed to your death. They find a sick pleasure in watching you wither in pain.
They thrive on it. Feed off it.
They’ve always liked to play a little game of dare. They may have called it quits, but I’m about to
call their bluff. And what’s a game if not everyone plays?
I’m gonna show them that Becky Holt can play just as ruthlessly. Deke Biggs is my target, and he’ll
never see me coming. I’m gonna put on my makeup and my mother’s smile. I don’t care who you are
—no man can resist a painted face and scandalous dress with a pair of heels as tall as the sky.
He may be a shark, but I’m about to show him that the bait can be just as threatening.
“Becky?” A hand grips my upper arm and spins me around.
“Get the fuck off me, Shane,” I snap.
He grips the back of my neck, and I cry out as he shoves me through a door into a room. He lets go
and I bend over, my hand flying to the back of my neck over the cuts he just grabbed. Tears fill my
eyes, and my breathing has hitched.
“Listen.” He grips my hair and yanks my head back. “You belong to us, Becky. Do you understand
that?”
“Fuck you,” I hiss.
He lets go of my hair and cups my face with both of his hands. I bare my teeth, ready to bite him if
need be. “You think I want you?” he asks, arching his dark brows in amusement.
“Are you saying you don’t?” I growl.
“If you’re doing this to piss off Deke, it won’t work. He doesn’t care about you anymore, Becky.”
He leans and whispers. “Those cuts were a warning, baby, to always watch your back. You never
know when we’ll be there.” He lets go of me. “You’re lucky to still be alive. So enjoy your life and
go fuck someone who doesn’t know what kind of whore you really are.” With that, he pulls away and
walks out the room. I exit behind him and see him find the brunette standing by the wall with two
drinks in her hands. She hands him one and sips from the other.
I fist my hands and turn, storming out the back door of the house, but I run into a hard body. “Sorry
…” I look up and gasp.
A hand slaps over my mouth, and I’m pushed up to the side of the house. He takes his free hand and
places a finger over his lips, silently telling me to be quiet. Then removes his hand.
“What are you doing here?” I whisper, looking around to make sure no one is looking our way. “No
one can see you.”
He gives me a soft smile as his hand grips the hem of my shirt before sliding underneath it. “I
needed to see you, baby.” Then his lips land on mine.

DEKE

IT’S OFFICIALLY THANKSGIVING, and we are back at Collins for the week. We had planned on flying but
then decided we wanted to have access to vehicles. My father has plenty to go around, but I’m still
not talking to that fucker. And same thing goes with Cole’s father. It took us two days to make the
thirty-hour drive. We had to stop and stay the night in Utah and watched Lilly swim in the indoor pool
with the girls. Things seem to be going pretty good lately. Cole is on edge again, though. He hasn’t
told Austin what all he knows. That wouldn’t bother the old Cole, but it’s eating the new one alive. I
think he’s afraid to tell her just how deep her friend’s betrayal ran. And I think the fact that we’re
back here in Collins adds to that.
“Are you glad to be back?” Demi asks from the passenger seat.
“Yes,” I answer, pulling up to my sister’s house. I haven’t spoken to her in a few hours. We’re a
little ahead of our scheduled time to arrive.
I frown when I see a white SUV parked in the driveway that I know all too well. I exit my Range
Rover and walk inside with Demi right behind me. “Sis?” I call out.
I walk down the hallway and turn to enter the kitchen, thinking I’ll find her at the table, but she’s
not there. “Shelby?” I yell this time.
 “Deke?” She answers from behind me.
I turn to see her standing in the hallway with a dark gray towel wrapped around herself. Her blond
hair, wet and sticking to her bare shoulders. She still has some soap on her face. “What are you
doing?” I ask.
“I was in the shower.” She smooths her hand down the towel and looks over to Demi who comes to
stand next to me. She swallows nervously. “You guys are early.”
I narrow my eyes on her neck. She has a couple of marks that resemble hickeys. What the fuck?
I’ve never seen hickeys on my sister before. “Is that a problem?”
“No,” She laughs like I told a joke and changes the subject. “Are you hungry? Want me to make you
something …”
“Babe what’s taking you so long?” A man interrupts her, coming into the hallway. “Deke?” His
wide eyes meet mine.
I fist my hands down by my sides. “What the fuck are you doing here?” I demand, looking him over.
He too wears a towel low on his hips. And soap still covers his chest and arms. No fucking way! “At
my sister’s? Also dressed in a towel?” I snap.
He runs a hand over his wet hair and squares his shoulders. “We were going to tell you.”
“When?” I snap and look at my sister. This motherfucker … “How long?” I demand.
She drops her blue eyes to the floor.
“How fucking long?” I shout.
“Hey.” Bennett pushes her out of the way and steps up to me. “Don’t yell at her. I was the one who
wanted to keep this a secret from you.”
I reach out, gripping the back of his neck and yank him to me. “I’m not gonna ask you again.”
He gives me a smile, and says, “A year.”
I punch him in the face, knocking him into a wall.
“Deke!” my sister and Demi both shriek.
“You fucking bastard …” I slam my fist into his face again. He doesn’t fight me back, and I take full
advantage of it.
I take him to the floor right here in the hallway. The force making a few pictures fall as well.
“What the fuck?” I hear Cole growl, and then I feel his hands on my shoulders. He yanks me off
him, pulling me to my feet.
I stand, hands fisted and breathing heavily.
“What the hell is going on here?” he demands.
“What’s it look like?” I shout. “He’s fucking my sister.”
Cole looks from Bennett to Shelby. But looks away quickly when he realizes she’s only dressed in
a towel. He throws his hands up and takes a step back. “By all means.”
“Cole!” Austin growls his name as she pushes Lilly behind her legs. “Not here,” she tells him.
He nods and tells Bennett. “Get dressed. Deke can beat your ass in the backyard.”
Without a second thought, I turn and exit the house. Rolling my shoulders, I get ready to kick my
best friend’s ass when Demi walks out back behind me.
“Deke …”
“Don’t,” I growl, interrupting her. I’m in no mood to hear it. Whatever she has to say, she can save
it.
“But …”
“Drop it, Demi!” I snap. He’s been fucking her for a year. He deserves at least a broken nose for
that.
 She lets out a growl and turns, running back into the house just as Cole and Bennett exit.
I lift my fisted hands ready to start punching his face.
“Can I explain?” he asks, lifting his hands in surrender.
“Nope.” I slam my fist into him, knocking him back a few steps.
“Goddammit, Deke.” He growls, covering his face. “Cole …”
“I can’t help you out, man. I’m with Deke. We all knew she was off-limits.”
I step into him ready to throw another punch.
“Just listen for two …”
This time, my fist connects with his jaw, sending him onto his ass.
“Motherfucker!” he shouts, jumping to his feet.
“Is she who you messaged nonstop while you were down in Texas?” I snap. The fucker barely ever
looked up from his phone, but I never questioned it because I didn’t give a shit who he was talking to.
Obviously, I should have.
“Yes!” he snaps.
Cole falls down into a chair and takes a bite of an apple. The fucker is enjoying this too much.
“And the girl you ushered out of the clubhouse the night I called you …? That was her, wasn’t it?”
My hands drop to my sides as my mouth falls open. No fucking way …
“Yes!” he answers Cole.
I let out a growl and run at him. My shoulder hits him in the chest, and I lift him up off the ground
before slamming his ass to the snow-covered grass. “I’m gonna kill …”
“I love her!” he shouts.
I pause, one hand fisted in his shirt and the other about to hit him in the face again. “What?” I pant.
He lets out a long sigh and licks the blood off his lip. “I fucking love her, Deke.” He shoves me off,
and I go willingly. Sitting up, he runs his hands through his hair. “You think I would risk losing you as
a friend for a fuck or a fling?” I don’t answer. “I’ve been in love with her for a long time, and a year
ago, I got my chance to show her just how much.” He looks over at Cole who continues to eat his
apple with a smirk on his face. “I’m sorry we didn’t tell you. She wanted to, but I didn’t. I knew you
wouldn’t understand. I was selfish and wanted as much time with her as possible before you found
out.” He hangs his head. “She broke up with me after Cole killed Kellan. She thought I helped, which
I did, but she said she wanted nothing to do with our lives.” He glares up at me. “It took a lot of
groveling to get her back and show her that I can be different for her.” He huffs. “And I’ll be damned
if I’m gonna allow you to come in and fuck that up for me.”
I stand staring down at my friend sitting in the snow with blood running down his nose. I should be
mad, but all I can think about is how my sister can’t accept him for who he really is. I’m not
surprised. She never really did me either. But she doesn’t understand our need for revenge. Demi
understands it. She’s lived it with her sister for years.
I walk over to him and reach out my hand. He looks at it and then up at me before taking it. I pull
him into me and slap his back. “I already consider you a brother, Bennett. But if you hurt her, I’ll have
no problem killing you.”
He chuckles pulling away. “That’s not gonna happen.”
The three of us enter the house to find my sister sitting at her kitchen table. She jumps up the
moment she sees us and gasps. “What the hell, Deke?” She runs to him, placing her hands on his
bloody face.
“He’s fine.” I wave her off. “Just a scratch.”
“Where are the girls?” Cole asks, looking around for Austin.
“They left to go take Lilly to see Blanche for the day. They’ll be back later.”
 CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
DEMI

I SIT IN the spare bedroom scrolling through my Facebook when I hear a knock on the door. “Come
in.”
Austin pops her head in. “Hey, I’m gonna go pick up Lilly from Blanche’s. Wanna ride with me? I
thought we could grab dinner on the way back for everyone.”
“Yeah,” I say, getting up and grabbing my jacket. “Sounds good.”
She backs out of the driveway, and I send Deke a quick message. I haven’t spoken to him much
today. Austin and I left earlier while he was outside beating the shit out of his friend. We had dropped
Lilly off at Blanche’s and then met Shelby at the mall for some girl time. She explained the guys made
up and how they were going to meet Shane at the clubhouse later to go over some things. Whatever
that meant.
Me: Gonna pick up Lilly and grab dinner. Ask the guys what sounds good.
Locking my phone, I put it down in my lap and look out the windshield. When we arrived in
Collins earlier today, it had been snowing. It’s stopped for the time being but looks like it could start
again at any minute.
We’re on a two-lane road heading back to Blanche’s. She lives on the outskirts of Collins. The
road is curvy with lots of hills so we’re going slower than normal due to the weather. We make a
curve, and Austin slams on the brakes. Her hand comes out, shooting across to my chest to hold my
back to the seat.
“What the hell is going on here?” she asks as we come to an abrupt stop.
“Maybe they wrecked,” I say, looking over the tire tracks of a car that sits in the middle of the
road. You can tell that they were heading in the same direction as us and then spun around, doing a
one-eighty. When it finally stopped, it’s now facing us head on but still across both lanes.
Austin opens her door and gets out, so I do the same. “Hello?” she calls out.
I look over at the ditch, and my heart begins to pound in my chest when I see the three, white
wooden crosses that Deke and Cole placed here after their friends were killed in the car wreck. I
remember being at Eli’s funeral and hearing people whisper that Cole and Deke didn’t show. They
had been here, setting these.
Right where we stand.
“Austin?” I turn to face her, and she’s got her hands on the window of the car, trying to look through
the blacked-out windows. “I think we should leave,” I say, getting a bad feeling about this.
“I don’t see anyone …” The door opens, hitting her in the face, knocking her off her feet and onto
her ass.
“Austin?” I shout, running over to her, but an arm wraps around me from behind, and I’m yanked
off my feet. Oh, no. God, no!
She rolls over onto her hands and gets up on her knees. A guy steps out of the car, and my breath
hitches. No, no, no. “Austin … run.”
He walks over and kicks her in the side, and she cries out, grabbing it.
 “Stop!” I scream, trying to fight the hands that hold me.
The passenger door opens, and I watch my sister walk around the back of the car. My teeth clench
at the sight of her smiling at me. “You fucking bitch!” I scream.
The guy holding me tightens his hold, pinning my arms down to my side. “Nice to see you too, sis.”
She gives me a smile that I wanna cut off her fucking face.
“Let her go,” I order. I can’t let Austin get hurt. Not because of me. Not because I stole my sister’s
boyfriend.
She laughs. “Not a chance.”
“Your fight is with me.” My eyes go to Austin, and she’s now on her knees with her head in her
hands. The car door hit her pretty hard, and I’m surprised it didn’t knock her unconscious. She’s
definitely confused as to what is going on. “You hate me. I took him from you.”
Becky steps into me, pressing her chest into mine. Her blue eyes narrowed. “I no longer give a fuck
that he picked you.”
She spits in my face. Then she gathers her blond hair to the top of her head and spins around, giving
me her back. I see four tally marks across the back of her neck just below her hair and then one across
it. Fuck, Deke, what did you guys do to her? They had to know she wouldn’t quit. Not after that.
She spins back around. “The sharks did that to me. Because of you. Because of her …”
“You deserved it.” I growl. They should have just killed her.
She slaps me across the face, and I taste blood, but I refuse to make a fucking sound or let her think
she hurt me. Instead, I spit it on her.
She laughs, and says, “Do it.”
Before I even get the chance to comprehend what she says, I feel a sting in my arm. “What …?”
“You’re done, Demi. Once and for all.”
I panic as I look over at Austin. She’s getting to her feet, her hands up and fisted because she’s
more alert now. Just as the guy goes to swing, she ducks and punches him in the dick.
Good for her. Maybe one of us will survive this.
“Don’t worry. It’ll only hurt a lot,” Becky taunts.
The guy shoves me forward, and I fall to my knees in the middle of the street. I watch Becky walk
over to Austin, and I take the chance to pull my phone out of my back pocket and go to Deke’s number.
“I’ll take that.” She yanks it from my hands and throws it out into the woods behind me.
“I hope he fucking kills you,” I growl up at her from my knees.
“He already has,” she states with a smile.
The guy who was holding me walks around and picks her up. She kisses him while he spins her
around, and I blink, making sure I’m seeing what I think I see. What did she give me? Am I
hallucinating? “No …”
He drops her back down to her feet.
“Can’t … be.” My eyes are getting heavy, and my lips won’t work.
She kneels in front of me. “Nothing is ever what it seems.” That’s the last thing I hear her say
before my arms give out, and I fall to the snow-covered street.

BECKY

“PUT HER IN the back of the Range Rover,” I order David.

He bends down to pick up my sister and carries her over to Austin’s SUV. I turn to face the bitch
who was supposed to be my best friend.
 “What’s your plan, Becky?” she asks with a sarcastic laugh, wiping the blood off her bottom lip.
Then she sticks her finger in her mouth and sucks it off. I never realized how psycho she is until just
now. I had quite a few what the fuck moments when I read her journal, but I thought maybe she was
overexaggerating. “Gonna kill us?”
“Yes,” I say simply.
“It’s gonna take more than this.” She holds her hands out wide, gesturing to me and the two guys I
brought. I knew she’d be harder to catch than Demi. Austin Lowes grew up having to fight to survive.
My sister has always been handed everything.
I also knew I wouldn’t be able to get them both on my own. I needed help. They’ve been helping
me all along. “Oh, I’ve got an entire night planned for you.” Her green eyes narrow on me. “And you
know what?” I chuckle. “This isn’t the first time I’ve ever fucked you over.”
Six months ago.
“I need a ride,” Kellan says, leaning up against the locker beside mine in the senior hallway.
“Go away,” I order.
He gives me a charming smile that makes him look like he’s a nice guy. If I didn’t know he was
so evil, I would give him a chance. I hear he’s a good fuck. “Come on, Becky. Help me out.”
“No.” I slam my locker and turn my back on him.
He grabs my upper arm and yanks me into the women’s bathroom. “Kellan, what the fuck?”
What is it with me and him always being in a bathroom?
“I’m not asking, Becky. I’m telling you that I need a ride.” His brown eyes bore into mine. That
smile no longer present. The charming act over.
“You have a car,” I snap. “I’m pissed off at you, Kellan.” He wasn’t supposed to touch her. Hurt
her that night of her birthday. Of course, Cole was pissed, and I was fucking terrified. He could
have killed her.
“Like I give a fuck.” He shrugs. I wanna knock his head off with my books, but it wouldn’t kill a
shark. “Give me a ride, or I’ll make sure that Cole finds out you were the one who allowed me
entrance to the Lowes house on Austin’s birthday.”
My heart begins to pound, and I look around the women’s bathroom to make sure no one
overheard him. “Don’t you dare …”
He grips my chin, forcing me to look at him. “I think it’s funny that no one has questioned you
as to why I shoved Austin’s face into a mirror, knocking her out and taking her phone, yet you
stayed the night with her and never heard me.”
I try to shove him away as panic crawls up my spine. “Fuck you—”
“Cole will kill you.” He interrupts me, gripping me tighter, and I whimper. “If Austin doesn’t
get to you first.”
“What do you want with Celeste?” I ask, trying to forget the betrayal of my best friend. I failed
her, and she can’t know that. Deke can’t know it, and Cole sure as fuck can’t know it. I’ve faked it
this long, so I’m not gonna allow Kellan to bring me down now.
Letting go of me, he takes a step back, giving me some space. “She fucked with the wrong
person.” He gives me a cryptic answer.
I let out a sigh. “Austin—”
“Has a date with Myers tonight.” He interrupts me. “She won’t be home.”
“How do you know that?” I haven’t got to spend much time with her since she and Cole broke
up again. They got back together last time the morning after her birthday party. But the night after
prom, they called it off. Well, I think she did ’cause he’s acting like a sad little bitch. I’m always
with Deke, and he’s always by Cole. Austin steers clear of him.
“I overheard Myers fucking running his mouth about it. They’re going to a movie.”
I bite my bottom lip. “I can’t stay …”
“Just drop me off and go.”
“Who is gonna pick you up?” I ask, confused with his half-assed plans.
“That …” He steps back into me, running his finger along my jawline, and whispers, “Is none
of your business.”
“I felt awful when the news broke that you had been shot. Especially since I was the one who
drove Kellan to your house.” I smile.
She gasps.
“He couldn’t get the job done, but I will.”
She lunges for me, knocking me onto my back in the middle of the road. “Fuck you, you fucking
bitch …” she shouts before punching me in the face.
Instead of hitting her back, I cover up my face, not wanting anymore marks on my damn body from
these crazy fucking sharks. “Get her off me!” I shout, trying to dodge her hits.
She’s dragged off me a second later. I get up and dust the snow off my clothes. The snow seeping
into my jeans makes me shiver. She’s like a feral cat in his arms, kicking, screaming and trying to
head-butt him. “Throw her ass in the SUV and let’s get the hell out of here before someone sees us,” I
snap. We had this planned. We’ve been watching Shelby’s house, knowing they were coming in for
Thanksgiving.
Thanks, Mother, for that bit of info.
Then today, they appeared. We weren’t going to waste any time since we didn’t know how long
they were staying. So we followed them to Blanche’s house and then the mall. We knew they’d have
to go back to get Lilly, so we waited. They didn’t disappoint me.
“Turn her phone off and tie her up,” I add. I’m not gonna drug her. Not yet. I’ve got some payback
to give her and Cole. She betrayed me by walking away from me, and he fucking rammed my face into
a mirror before cutting me. She’ll pay.
Blood for blood.
He’ll never want her after I’m done with her. That is if I decide to let her live.
 CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
DEKE

I SIT WITH the guys at the clubhouse. Cole is next to me on the couch. Bennett stands to our right,
typing away on his phone. “Can you stop that?” I snap.
“What?” he asks.
“Sexting. My sister.” I grip the beer bottle and take a swig. It’s all I think about. And it’s fucking
disgusting. I know he loves her, but that doesn’t mean I’m a hundred percent okay with it just yet. It’s
gonna take time.
He sighs. “I told you it’s not like that.”
“So you guys haven’t fucked?” I quirk a brow, knowing damn well that they have.
He shoves a hand through his hair. “Of course, we have …”
“That’s what I thought.”
“But I love her,” he admits.
I snort, but don’t say anything because I believe the bastard.
“Where the fuck is Shane?” Cole growls, changing the subject.
I don’t wanna be here any more than he does, but we have shit to go over. Secrets just keep coming
out like fucking vomit. One of my best friends is fucking my sister. Our other friend was keeping
secrets about my ex. Like what else do we not know? At this point, I’m not sure what could surprise
me.
Cole’s phone rings, and he shifts on the couch to dig it out of his pocket to answer it. “Hello?
When?” He stands after a second. “Okay. I’ll call her.” He hangs up.
“What’s up?” I ask.
“That was Blanche. She said Austin was supposed to pick up Lilly thirty minutes ago but never
showed. She’s tried calling her, but she won’t answer.”
I sit back on the couch and take a drink of my beer. “It was snowing earlier. Maybe they got caught
in it, and it slowed her down.” Come to think of it, Demi had messaged me a little bit ago about
dinner, but she hasn’t read my response.
He places the phone to his ear and then pulls it away immediately. “Straight to voicemail.”
I frown and sit up straighter. He tries again. And again. The worry and anger quickly taking over
his features. “I’ll try Demi’s.”
I pull up her name on my phone and push call. It rings five times before going to voicemail. I look
up at him and just shake my head as I dial it again. “Nothing,” I say when it does the same.
“It’s not like Austin to have her phone off.” He growls.
“Maybe it died,” Bennett suggests.
Just then, the door flies open, and Shane walks in.
“You’re driving,” Cole orders, not wasting a second.
“Where to?” he asks, spinning around to watch Cole storm out of the clubhouse. “What’s going
on?” He turns to ask me.
“The girls aren’t answering their phones,” I answer.
“They’re probably busy.”
 “And they never showed up to pick up Lilly,” I add.
Cole and I jump into the back of Shane’s car while he gets in the driver seat, and Bennett falls into
the passenger seat. “Where are we going?” Shane asks
“Give me a second.” Cole snaps, his fingers typing quickly on his phone. “I’ve got a tracker on her
car. I’m looking it up now.”
“Dear Lord, dude. Paranoid?” Shane chuckles.
I expect Cole to have a snarky comeback or punch him in the back of the head, but he does neither.
“I’m sure they’re fine …”
“What the fuck?” Cole barks, interrupting Shane.
“What?” I ask, starting to worry myself.
He drops his phone in his lap and looks over at me. “They’re at Austin’s dad’s house.”

BECKY

I PULL IN the circle drive of the Lowes estate. The house looks the same as it always has. From the
outside, it looks like the million-dollar mansion her father had built for his young wife ten years ago.
It’s over the top, but what house in Collins isn’t? The bigger, the better is their way of life. Three
stories, twelve fireplaces, and a six-car garage are more than any family needs. But I understand it. I
don’t wanna live in a shack when I get older.
“Get out,” I say to Kellan as I come to a stop in front of the Lowes estate.
He laughs. “What? Don’t wanna come in for a cup of tea?”
I roll my eyes. My phone starts to vibrate while sitting in my cupholder. I see that it’s Deke and
pick it up, placing it on silent. Then I put it in the side door pocket so Kellan can’t grab it and
answer the call. He’s a dick like that.
“Thanks for the ride, baby.” He opens the door.
I lean over and look up at him. “You’re gonna keep your mouth shut, right? About me letting you
in on her birthday?” He can’t tell on me. Who knows what the fuck Cole would do to me if he found
out.
He laughs. “Don’t worry, Becky. Your secret is safe with me.” He slams my door shut and walks
toward the house.
Obviously, he informed Shane that I let him into the Lowes house the night of Austin’s birthday. I’m
just not sure why he chose now to tell them. What changed to make him do that?
Getting out of Austin’s SUV, I slam the door shut and watch David get out of his car. He and
Maxwell come around the back of it where I stand. “We’ll get the girls. Just get the front door for us.”
I run up the steps and push the heavy door open, knowing it was unlocked. No one has been here
since Kellan killed Celeste and shot Austin. I cover my nose when I open the door because the stench
is overwhelming. The blood still covers the black and white checkered marble floor of the grand
foyer. It’s a shame they didn’t have anyone come and clean it up after Bruce was arrested for paying
off Jeff to cause the car wreck. He got life for three counts of manslaughter. For each of the guys who
died in the wreck he caused.
Maxwell carries my unconscious sister over his shoulder while David drags a very pissed off
Austin through the front door with his hand fisted in her dark hair. “Fuck, she’s a handful.” He grunts.
I slam the door shut. “Her room is upstairs.”
“Let go of me!” she snaps as he shoves her up the stairs. “You won’t get away with this.”
We both ignore her. He comes to the landing, and I kick her bedroom door open. It looks the same
as it did when she lived here. After she was shot, Cole and Deke came over and packed up all her
clothes for their move to Texas, so she wouldn’t have to come back here and do it herself. They left
everything else.
He throws her onto her bed, and she grunts from landing on her back, her restrained hands
underneath her.
There’s not an ounce of fear in her green eyes, just pure hatred. She wants to kill me. Well, she’ll
have to get in line. We have a plan, and once we’re done, we’re gonna run like hell. “Why are you
doing this?”
“Because the sharks think they are the only things to be scared of.”
She snorts. “You think this is gonna make them fear you?” She shakes her head. “You’re more
stupid than I gave you credit for.” Her nostrils flare, and a small line of blood runs down from her
forehead where the car door hit her. Her green eyes slide to David, then back to me.
“You guys haven’t officially met. This is David,” I announce, and her eyes widen.
“Your ex?” she demands.
“Who said we ever broke up?”
He walks up to the bed and looks down at her. “Pretty.” He chuckles, and I narrow my eyes on him.
“Hello, Austin, I’ve heard a lot about you.” Reaching out, he runs his knuckles through the blood on
her face, smearing it.
She yanks away from him.
I slap her, knocking her head to the side, the sound bouncing off the walls in her room. I go to do it
again, but David grabs my arm and spins me to face him. “We’ve got all night with her, babe.”
“You better fucking kill me,” she sneers.
“I’m gonna kill her first. Then I’ll get around to you,” I say honestly. We walk out, slamming her
door behind us.
We make our way down the stairs and to the living room.
Maxwell has my sister sitting in a high back barstool that he must have taken from the kitchen in the
middle of the room and her head hangs back, eyes closed. She’s still drugged and will be for a while.
I gave her more than her body needed. Possibly too much. She may die from that alone. We’ll just
have to wait and see.
“Here you go, babe.” David hands me a knife, and I look at in my hand. It resembles the one that
the fucking sharks used to cut the back of my neck with. A black handle with a black rubber grip. I
press the button and the blade pops out. Silver with a black center.
“Is she already dead?” I ask.
Maxwell places his fingers to her neck and then shakes his head. “She’s still alive. Just out.” Then
he looks over at the hallway. “What about the other one?”
“Alive and awake,” David answers. “Why don’t you go keep an eye on her?”
Maxwell gives him a smile, telling us that’s not the only thing he plans on keeping on her. I don’t
even care. They’ve all betrayed me. She’s a shark, just like the rest of them. They never wanted me or
accepted me.
“Just don’t kill her,” I call out as he walks out of the living room.
“I’m not a murderer.” His chuckle carries down the hall. “I just wanna play.”
 CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
DEKE

SHANE PULLS INTO the drive of the Lowes estate. Once we clear the trees, I order, “Cut the
lights.” It’s not dark yet, but it will be soon. The snow has started coming down again.
Austin’s SUV sits parked out front by the five-tier water fountain, but it’s not alone. A black
Maserati is parked next to it.
“Who the fuck is that?” Bennett asks.
“Fuck if I know,” I answer.
“Go around to the side,” Cole snaps. “I don’t want anyone to see us coming.”
Shane puts the car in reverse to back out of the long driveway and then throws it in gear, turning on
his lights and punching the gas to pass the house, then takes the next right. There used to be a road that
ran parallel to the house leading up to the abandoned cemetery.
He comes to a stop, and we jump out. The house is set to be demolished. You can see they’ve
already brought the equipment out to start soon.
Popping his trunk, I grab my black duffle bag. We brought everything we could think of. Throwing
it over my shoulder, I look up at the side of the house.
“What the fuck is she doing?” Cole growls. Fisting his hands, he tries her cell again, praying she
answers to explain this crazy situation. Any excuse she could have would be better than our
imagination. In my mind, they’re both already dead.
“How we gonna get in?” Bennett asks. “I don’t think we should just go through the front.”
“The back door,” Cole answers. “I knocked the glass out to get in when Becky and I came back
here while Austin was in the hospital to get the USB drive.”
“Then that’s where we enter,” I order. “Everyone, turn your cells on silent. I don’t want anyone
calling us and giving away our location.” I’m not taking that chance. We have no clue what we are
about to walk into, but I know the girls aren’t here to take a trip down memory lane.
We make our way around the house, walking alongside the pool and step onto the terrace and go to
open it, but I place my hand on Cole’s chest stopping him. “Becky!” I hiss. I watch her through the
broken glass. She stands in front of a barstool where another blonde sits slumped over. It’s Demi.
David stands next to them.
Motherfucker!
“What the fuck?” Shane barks. “Why the fuck is he with her?”
I shove my phone into Bennett’s chest. “Call my sister. Tell her to get her ass over here right now,”
I demand.
“What … Why?”
“Because Demi looks like she’s gonna need medical attention, and I’m not leaving this house until
I’ve killed him.” I growl. No way in hell will he walk away from this. Even if he manages to kill me,
the guys will get him.
“Where the fuck is Austin?” Cole demands. “I don’t see her.”
“Let’s go find out,” I say. Turning the knob, I enter with Cole and Shane. Bennett stays behind to
make the call.
 “God, I’ve hated her for so long,” Becky says, gripping the handle of a knife in her hand.
“Well, I’ve always known that, babe.”
“She ruins everything.” She takes a step toward her.
“You’ve got her all to yourself. What do you want to do to her?” he asks, crossing his arms over
his chest. The fucking bastard is just gonna stand there and let her have her way with Demi.
“Hurt her. Kill her. I want her out of my life for good. I want to hurt her for Deke ever touching
her.” She lifts the knife like she’s gonna stab her, and I step out of the darkness.
He laughs like it’s funny. Like her jealousy turns him on. What the fuck is going on?
“Hello, Becky,” I say, calmly, holding my anger back. I want her to think I’m sane at the moment
when I’m really far from it. She’s not the only one who can act.
“Deke,” she squeals, jumping back.
David shoves her away from him as if he can save her. “Deke.” He growls my name.
I lift my gun. “Get on your knees.”
“You don’t fucking scare me.” He snorts. “None of you fucking sharks ever did.”
“Last chance,” I say, aiming the gun right between his eyes. I don’t see Cole or Shane, but I know
they’ve got my back.
“Or what …?”
Cole comes up behind him and wraps his arm around David’s neck, proceeding to choke him out. I
run to Demi and pick her up off the barstool. I lay her on the couch, and her head falls to the side. I
check her pulse, and it’s strong. “What did you give her?” I bark out.
“Fuck you,” Becky shouts as Shane grabs her. He drags her over to me and forces her to her knees
next to the couch.
I point the gun at her head, pressing it to her temple. “What did you give her?” I ask again,
breathing heavily. Whatever moment of calmness I had is now long gone.
“David got some Valium from a friend. He made it into an injectable …” she cries.
Bennett enters the room and comes over to us just as I hear David hit the floor from Cole getting the
job done. “Where is Austin?” I demand.
Demi isn’t gonna be waking up anytime soon, and I know my sister is on her way to help her. I need
to know what the situation is with Austin.
She closes her eyes, and her lips thin, refusing to answer me. “Where the fuck is she?” I shout,
gripping her face in my hand.
She shakes but answers. “Upstairs in her room … with Maxwell.”
“Fuck!” Cole runs out of the living room.
I jump to my feet to follow him. He may need help. He’d willingly die to protect Austin from harm,
but I hesitate, not wanting to leave Demi.
“Go,” Bennett orders. “Shelby is on her way.”
“I’ve got Becky,” Shane assures me.
I run out of the living room, down the long hallway, and come into the still blood-covered marble
floor foyer. I grip the banister and spin around to run up the stairs. I enter Austin’s room to see Cole
cutting Austin’s wrists free from the rope. But I don’t see anyone else in here.
“Where is he?” I growl.
She points at her closed bathroom door while Cole pulls her to him. He runs his hands up and
down her body to check for anything they might have done to her.
I walk over to it and crack it open. He stands at the toilet, whistling as he pisses. I place my gun
into the waist of my jeans and push up my sleeves. Walking in behind him, I kick the back of his knees
in.
“What the …?”
I grip the back of his head and shove him headfirst into the toilet. I straddle his legs as he kneels on
the floor and hold him face down in his piss and water while he struggles against me. Cole enters the
bathroom and stands there watching me with Austin by his side.
Maxwell’s hands hit the toilet, his feet kick the back of my legs while I stand over him, but he’s not
going to win. There’s no way any of us will let him walk out of this house. And what better way than
to kill a man in his own urine? His body shudders one last time, and then he slumps against the toilet.
I release him and take a step back.
“You okay?” I ask her, walking over to the sink. She has a cut on her forehead and a trail of
smeared blood runs down her cheek along with a cut on her lip.
Lifting her chin, she nods. “I’ll be fine. Is Demi okay?”
I don’t answer because I’m not sure what to say at this point. I remove my shirt and tuck what little
I can fit into the back of my jeans pocket, letting the rest hang out since it now has piss on it from him
struggling. I go to turn her faucet on to wash my hands, but there’s no water. “Fuck.” I hiss.
“Maybe there are some bottles of water …”
“Fuck! Fuck” I shout, slamming my fists into the countertop, losing my fucking cool and interrupting
her.
Cole turns to Austin. “Go downstairs.”
“I’m staying with …”
“Go downstairs, Austin,” he orders, interrupting her. Then he lowers his voice. “Shane and Bennett
are down there with Demi. Shelby should be here by now. Check and see if she needs anything or if
you can find any water.”
With that, she pulls away and exits the bathroom.
I turn around and look at the guy I just killed. Fucking Maxwell. He was a year older than us and
David’s best friend. He’s on his knees, head in the toilet and arms out to his side. His shirt is missing
and so are his jeans. All he’s wearing is his boxers.
He was gonna rape her! If he hadn’t already.
“Did he touch her?” I ask.
“She said no.” He growls, shoving his hands through his hair.
“Do you believe her?” Austin isn’t the kind of girl to tell you everything. She thinks she’s strong
enough to deal with shit herself.
“Her shirt was still on, and her jeans weren’t undone. Doesn’t mean he didn’t touch her over them.
But I’m gonna make her go to the hospital and have a full workup done,” he grinds out.
I’m not gonna argue that she may not allow that because Cole will find a way to make it happen.
Instead, I say, “Help me get him downstairs.”
I take Maxwell’s arms, and he takes his feet. We carry the heavy bastard down the stairs and
through the house to the living room, dropping him on the rug.
My sister is sitting next to Demi with her wrist in her hand and another at her neck. Becky still
kneels on the floor while Shane holds the gun to her head. Austin is nowhere to be seen and neither is
Bennett.
“Where is Austin?” Cole demands, looking around frantically.
“She and Bennett went to the kitchen to look for water.”
“Is she gonna be okay?” I ask my sister as she stands.
“Yes. She needs to be admitted, but she’s gonna be fine.”
 I look around to see David still unconscious, now lying on his stomach with his hands cuffed
behind his back. We’ve got to finish this. “I can’t go just yet.”
She nods understanding. “Help me get her to my car. I’ll take her in and stay with her.”
“Watch her,” I order Shane, referring to Becky.
“She’s not going anywhere,” he promises.
I lean down and pick up Demi in my arms and carry her out of the house to my sister’s car. “I’ll be
up there as soon as I can.”
When I go to walk back inside, she grips my upper arm. “Deke?”
I turn to face her. “Don’t, Shelby.” I don’t have time to listen to her tell me not to hurt them. Not to
kill them after what they were going to do. When will it end? When will this all stop? I have to make
sure Demi is never in this situation again. And Austin too. We may be sharks, but we protect the
people we love.
“Don’t get caught,” she says, surprising me. Then she turns and gets in her car, driving off.
I enter the house and make my way to the kitchen. Cole, Austin, and Bennett are all standing by the
fridge. “You guys ready?” I ask.
Cole nods along with Bennett.
“What are we gonna do?” Austin asks with her arms crossed over her chest. She’s pissed and has
every right to be. This was her best friend at one time.
Cole looks over at her, and I wait for him to tell her there is no we, but instead, he surprises me by
telling her. “End it.”

DEKE

THE FIVE OF us stand on top of the hill at the back of the cemetery behind the Lowes estate. The sun has
officially set, making the night cold, but it’s stopped snowing once again. My shirt is still in my back
pocket, but thankfully, Austin found cases of bottled water in the garage so I was able to wash the piss
off me.
Maxwell’s body lies in a shallow grave that Cole and Bennett dug for him. David eventually woke
up, but Cole placed tape over his mouth so we haven’t had to listen to him cuss us or beg for his life.
At this point, it doesn’t matter.
Becky kneels on the ground next to Shane. He has his hand fisted in her hair so she can’t get up and
run away. She hasn’t said one word. She sobs to herself. I’m pretty sure she’s officially broken. She
has tried so many times to hurt the ones she loves that she’s just given up.
But she has always been good at pretending. So he holds a gun to her head with his free hand just
in case.
Cole rips the tape off David’s face. He sucks in a deep breath. “You motherfuckers …”
“Why did you do it?” I ask. He never liked us, but the feeling was mutual.
His eyes go to Becky, and she bows her head in shame.
“Don’t tell me this was because I fucked her while you guys were dating.” Why else would he
want to hurt Demi? He was always nice to her from what I remember. Becky talked about it all the
time. How he would make her bring her around to hang out with them. She loved that I never forced
us to be around her. Why would I? I didn’t like her then.
He snorts. “Like I gave a shit that you fucked her.”
Becky flinches at his words.
“Then why?” Cole demands, gripping his hair and yanking his head back.
 He lets out rough laugh. “You guys really don’t know, do you?”
None of us answer him.
“Tell him, baby.”
She sobs with her head down.
“Tell him all the times you let him touch you and then came crawling to me about how awful they
were.”
I tilt my head to the side.
“Or how we laughed when you told Cole you were pregnant, and he fucking believed you.” His
laughter grows. “That he let you go …”
“What? You lied about being pregnant?” Austin snaps and turns to Cole. “Did you know this?”
“Doesn’t matter,” he answers.
“It does to fucking matter,” she snaps and walks over to Becky. She slaps her across the face so
hard, it knocks her over into the snow. “You fucking bitch …” She jumps on top of her.
Cole wraps an arm around her waist and yanks her off her. She kicks her feet out before he sets her
down. She’s breathing heavy and trying to push him away. “It doesn’t matter, sweetheart.”
Her mouth falls open. “How can you say that?” Her eyes fill with tears. “She lied to you.
Everything you went through—”
“Nothing regarding her matters,” he interrupts her softly. Pulling her into him, he pushes her wild
brown hair behind her ear.
“You guys are sicker than I thought.” David speaks. “Becky let me read your journal, Austin. Gotta
say, Cole, I was jealous at how much she let you abuse her and still fuck her.”
“Stop,” Becky cries.
“And that video …” He whistles, looking her up and down.
This time, it’s Cole who throws a punch. Right into his face.
“Well, well, well, he’s telling us all of your secrets.” I smile.
“I know she wanted to pay you all back for how you used her in your own sick games,” David
shouts, getting angry before spitting blood into the snow from Cole’s punch.
“Game?” I ask. I loved her. I never used her. Cole did when Austin came into the picture, but that
didn’t happen until after the car wreck …
“Why were you even with them that night?” Austin demands. Her thoughts mimicking mine. “Why
were you with Eli?”
Becky doesn’t answer, and neither does David. I arch a brow at him. He’s willing to throw her
under the bus but doesn’t want to implicate himself as well.
I look at Cole and nod. He steps away from Austin, grabs his knife from his pocket, and flips it
open. He steps behind David and places the knife to his neck. Cole doesn’t say a word as he drags the
blade down the side of his neck. David screams, and Becky tries to crawl to him, but Shane prevents
her with his hand in her hair. “Stop! Stop! I’ll tell you!” she cries. “Please, just stop.”
Cole brings the blade to a stop but doesn’t remove it from his neck. David is panting as blood runs
down his neck to cover his shirt.
“We took Demi to a party at the beach. I … drugged her for Maxwell. But she ended up leaving
with Eli, and when I went to pick her up the next morning, he wouldn’t let her leave with me ’cause
he found out what we had done.” She sniffs.
Demi had told me this story when she was drunk the night Cole and I found the girls at the bar. But I
don’t think she told me everything. This is my chance to find out.
“How?” I demand.
 “David had given her his phone to use ’cause she left hers back at the house. When she passed out
with Eli, he went through it and found our chats about our plans …” she cries, shaking her head. “Eli
threatened him … David and I staged a separation, and I met up with them later on that night. He
thought I was just trying to piss you off for sleeping with Kaitlin.”
That’s why Eli told me I could do better. He knew exactly what kind of woman she was. I wish he
would have just told me. I’m not sure I would have listened, but I wish he would have tried. Instead, I
thought the worst and have hated him when I should be thanking him. He saved Demi. He stood up for
her. I’m glad she had someone in her life to do that, and I’m proud to say that he was one of my best
friends.
“Becky!” David yells at her. Cole digs the knife into his throat again, silencing him.
Becky sucks in a long breath as fresh tears run down her face. “David thought that Eli was gonna
go to the cops. Or send the sharks after him for what we did to her. He told me to seduce him. The
night of the party, I was to get Eli away from the sharks and bring him to a secluded location where
David and Maxwell were going to make sure he couldn’t speak.”
Cole steps away from David, and he growls at her. “Fuck! You bitch! I never heard you tell me no!
You wanted him silenced just as much as I did.”
“Then the wreck happened, and I panicked …” she cries. “After I went home to Demi, I met up
with David, and his father stitched up my wound …”
His father is a doctor at the hospital where Shelby works. Now it all makes sense. Becky had told
me that she cut it while at the lake. I never second-guessed her.
“They fucking deserved it! You all deserved to be in that car!” David shouts.
“We all get what we deserve.” I nod my head and pull the matches out of my back pocket. Done
with all of this. I don’t have the time for this shit.
Cole reaches down and grabs the can of gasoline sitting next to him that we found in the garage of
the Lowes house.
“What the fuck?” David barks.
Cole throws the gasoline onto him.
I nod my head to Shane, and he grips the back of Becky’s neck where we cut her. Yanking her head
up, forcing her to watch. “Do you love him?” he asks her.
It’s the same thing she had asked me regarding Demi. I know what he’s getting at.
“Yes.” She sobs. “Please just let us go. I won’t talk … He won’t talk …”
“We’re not afraid of you talking, baby.” He smiles down at her, and her body wracks with a sob.
“This is what happens to those who fuck with the sharks.” She whimpers. “You can’t beat us, Becky.
No one can.”
“Deke—” She cries my name, about to beg me.
I interrupt her, no longer caring. “I’ve heard that burning to death is a painful way to die.” I strike
the match on the side of the box. “I hope it’s true.” Then I toss it on David.
He screams out as the flames lick his body. Falling to his side, he rolls, and Cole grabs Austin to
pull her farther away from the flames.
Becky leans forward, screaming out into the cold night as she watches the only guy she ever truly
loved burn to death. And I feel nothing for her. For him.
There are times I wonder how we got here.
Evil.
Ruthless.
But then I remember that we started playing the game a long time ago and that turned into real life.
And life is a fucking mess. It’s bloody. If you want to survive, you fight. And just because I’m not
afraid to die doesn’t mean I’m ready to give up living. I’ve finally found a girl who I know will
accept me for me. Love me for me. And I’m not ready to give her up yet.

DEKE

THE GUYS AND I stand around Austin as she kneels on the snow-covered ground, pounding away on the
guys’ smoldering bodies with a hammer. She has a lot of pent-up aggression after everything they have
done. The cold air smells like burnt flesh, and Cole stands next to me, watching her with pride and
lust. I’m pretty sure if me and the rest of guys weren’t here with Becky, he would fuck her right here
and now.
She wipes the sweat off her still blood-covered forehead and stands. “Done,” she states.
“Now what?” Shane asks.
“Scoop up the remaining ashes and throw them over the cliff.” She lifts her chin over to the right
where the ocean hits the rocks at the bottom of the cliff. “Get rid of everything. The grass will show
where the fire was, but by the time winter is over, it shouldn’t be that noticeable.” Then she looks at
me. “Where are their phones?”
“I have them,” Cole answers, removing them from his pockets.
She takes them from him before throwing them to the ground. Then she walks over to Shane who
still has Becky on her knees. “Where is your phone?” Austin demands.
Becky sobs, and Shane pushes her forward by the back of her neck, leaning down and ripping it
from her back pocket. He hands it to Austin.
“What are you doing?” Shane asks her.
“Gotta get rid of everything.” She looks up at Cole and snaps her fingers, ordering, “Knife.” Once
it’s in her hands, she continues. “Who knows how much they shared through texts? Messenger?” Then
starts pushing buttons on the phone. “I’m going to uninstall the messenger and Facebook app.” We all
stand silently as she does all three.
Then she begins to beat the shit out of them with her hammer.
Once she’s done, she picks up a fishing net that she also found in the garage of her father’s house
and begins to cut it in three sperate pieces. “Hand me a few pieces from that broken headstone,” she
orders Bennett.
He does so without hesitation, then looks at Cole, and he just shrugs. He’s just as much in the dark
as the rest of us.
She lays the three pieces of fishing net down on the ground and then places a phone and a part of
the headstone in each one. Then she ties them all off. Standing up, she walks over to the cliff and
throws them over. Turning back to us, she places her hands on her hips. “If the police go looking for
the guys, they will be able to pin their last location using their phones. But without the evidence, they
don’t have shit. And even if for some insane reason they manage to find one of their phones, they
won’t be able to get anything off it after it’s been sitting at the bottom of the ocean. After I took a
hammer to them.”
We all just stand there staring at her in shock that she thought of that. She’s one hell of a shark, and
I’m glad she’s on our side. I’m not sure how many of us could have beat her had she not fallen in love
with Cole and joined us.
Shane chuckles to himself. “I knew you’d do well at a challenge.”
“I love you,” Cole says, pulling her into him and giving her a long kiss.
 I turn away from them and pull my cell out of my pocket to call my sister. “Hello?” she answers.
“How is she?” I ask immediately.
“She’s doing well. She’s awake …”
“I wanna talk to her.”
“One second.”
“Hey?”
I let out a long breath, at the sound of her soft voice. “Hey, princess. How do you feel?”
“I’m okay. Just tired.”
I run a hand down my face, feeling my shoulders loosen. “Listen … I want to come see you, but …”
“It’s okay, Deke. Is Austin okay?”
“Yeah.”
I look up at my friends and watch them toss the ashes of the sorry bastards who hurt my girls over
the cliff, and my chest tightens for what they’ve been through. And how it could have ended if not for
Cole and that damn tracker. How long would they have been missing before we realized it? Would we
have thought to check the Lowes house? I hate that the answers are no. “I’ll be there as soon as I can,”
I promise her.
After we found Austin shot, Cole didn’t get to go to the hospital right away either. He had stuff he
had to take care of first, and that’s exactly what I have to do now.
“I’ll be here. Shelby said she’s gonna stay with me. And she’s called my dad. He’s here as well.
Just stepped out for some coffee.”
“What does he know?” I ask, wanting to know what we’re up against. I didn’t kill Becky because it
would be too hard to explain why she hasn’t been seen or phoned home. But the sharks will see to it
that she pays. Plus, I once told Demi that people don’t have to die to stop living.
“That I passed out and hit my head on the way down.”
I frown. “And he believed that?”
“He looked skeptical until Shelby showed him my chart.”
I let out a sigh. “Let me talk to her again. I’ll see you soon.”
We say our goodbyes, and then my sister is back on the line. “Thank you,” I tell her.
“No need to thank me. Just do what you gotta do, and we’ll see you once you’re done.”
“Ready?” I ask, pocketing my phone.
“Yes,” Austin answers, slapping her hands together to knock off what was left of the ashes. “What
about their wallets?” she asks. “We don’t wanna put those with their phones. It all needs to be
separated.”
Agreeing with her, I pat my back pocket that doesn’t hold my shirt. I’ve got both of them. “We plant
the wallets in the glovebox of the Maserati, then drive it about an hour out of town and put it in a river
with the windows rolled down. If it’s ever found, the cops will think they drowned and washed
downstream,” I answer.
It’s the best option we have, given our timeframe. This isn’t our first rodeo committing murder, but
every time is a different situation.
“I’m taking you to the hospital,” Cole tells her.
She looks up at him. “I’m fine, Cole.”
He fists his hands down by his side at her refusal. “You have a pretty good size knot on your head.
You may have a concussion—”
“Let’s get this over with,” she interrupts him. “It’ll be daylight soon, and I need to go get Lilly once
we’re done.” She places her hands in the front pockets of her now filthy skinny jeans and starts
walking down the hill, not giving him a second to argue.
“What are we doing with her?” Bennett asks, looking down at Becky. “We can’t leave loose ends
lying around.”
Becky begins to rock back and forth; her hands still tied behind her back.
I walk over to her and kneel. Gripping her face, I force her to look up at me. “I’m not gonna kill
you, Becky.” She whimpers. “Death would be too easy for you. No, instead, I’m gonna spare your
miserable, pathetic life.” My fingers tighten, gripping her cheeks. “Instead, you will watch your sister
get the love that you always wanted.” Her bloodshot eyes widen. “You’ve already seen me fall in
love with her. And you’ll live to watch me marry her and her have my children. You’ll watch her be
everything you wanted to be.”
I release her, stand, and look at Shane. “She belongs to us, but at this point, you’re the only one
who will touch her.”
Cole has Austin, I have Demi, and Bennett has my sister. Shane is the only one who can get any use
out of her. So she’s all his.
He gives me a smile, and I turn and walk down the hill back toward the house and Austin. She was
right. It’s time to get this shit wrapped up.
 EPILOGUE
DEMI

DEKE AND THE rest of the sharks killed David and Maxwell. I wish I could say he killed my sister
too, but he told me that death was too easy for her, and I understood what he meant. The more I
thought about it, the more I understood his decision. She’ll have to forever watch us together. She’ll
watch us live happily in love. Get married. Have children. I love Deke Biggs, and I don’t plan on
going anywhere without him.
Plus, she was theirs now. No matter what she did or where she’d go, she would never escape them.
And I understood exactly how scary that would be for her.
I was released from the hospital the following day. We all got together and had lunch with my dad,
sans Becky. She made up some excuse about feeling bad. The sharks didn’t force her to join us
because none of us wanted her around anyway.
We all went back to Texas and fell into a routine. I went to school, and Deke and Cole went to their
classes. The guys were busier than ever with swimming, but I saw Deke every day, even if it was just
for an hour. I loved him even more for it. And no one knew anything about what happened in the
Lowes estate. I feel like it brought us all even closer. A secret that we will all take to our grave.
“Are you ready?” I ask Austin.
She nods. A huge smile on her face. “Yes.”
It’s New Year’s Eve. Eleven fifty-five to be exact. The middle of the night. Cole and Austin are
getting married. In five minutes, the date will change to midnight. It’ll be their one-year anniversary.
A new year and she’ll no longer be Austin Lowes. She’ll be Austin Reynolds.
“You look absolutely stunning,” I tell her, running my hands down the black silk dress. It’s got a
corset back laced up with a red ribbon. She looks like she belongs on the front cover of a magazine.
Cole and Austin aren’t your average couple. And that’s what I love about them so much. They say that
opposites attract, but they are a lot alike.
They chose to get married on the hill behind where the Lowes estate once stood. The one that leads
up to the abandoned cemetery. Where they first met one year ago tonight.
Austin doesn’t know it, but Cole paid a company to come in and clean the property for their special
night. Whoever said he isn’t romantic doesn’t know how much he loves her.
I cried. She cried. I even saw Cole blink rapidly at one point. The guy has a shell that can’t be
broken until it involves his sweetheart. The overcast night was dark, and you couldn’t even see the
moon, so we decided to light the way with tiki torches. And when they kissed, it started to rain. That
quickly turned to snow. It looked like something out of a hauntingly beautiful fairy tale. Her in her
black dress and him in his matching tux. And Lilly wore a red dress that made her look every bit of
the princess she is. Afterward, we all went back to the clubhouse, and they danced to a song that they
chose. It was so them. I’m not sure I’ve ever met someone else who would dance to “I Will Follow
You into the Dark,” by Yungblud and Halsey for their wedding song. It was perfect.
My mother asked me to wait until I was twenty-one to marry Deke, but I said fuck that. He
proposed the night of my eighteenth birthday, February twenty-third. I married him a week after high
school graduation. That was as long as I was willing to put it off. We eloped to a little bed and
breakfast. No blood relatives were present, but all the sharks were there. They’re my family now.
We spent two days in bed together. I called and told my father first. He asked us to come home and
stay with him for the summer. I told him we would come for a few weeks. I didn’t inform my mother
of our nuptials until six months later. She said she hoped it didn’t end like hers to my father. That was
as much as I was gonna get out of her.
Her marriage ended to my father ’cause she couldn’t stay faithful. She was like my sister. I’m
nothing like them. I understand what I have, and I won’t ever give that up. Deke Biggs is my forever,
and I’m his.

THE END FOR NOW … TURN THE PAGE FOR MORE!

 This is not the bonus content, but I thought I would add Silence here in the collection as well since
it was featured in an Anthology that is no longer available. The bonus content is AFTER this.

SILENCE
I was his dark fantasy.
He was my wildest dream.
Together, we were meant to make the world burn.
 CHAPTER ONE
AUSTIN

SLAMMING ON THE brakes, I bring my Range Rover to a stop harder than I intended in the dark
parking lot.
Demi, one of my best friends, lets out a grunt as her seat belt locks up across her chest, and Brynn
slams her hands on the center console while sitting in the middle seat in the back.
“Sorry,” I mumble, throwing the SUV in park.
“It’s okay.” Brynn’s silver eyes meet mine in the rearview mirror, and she gives me a reassuring
smile.
Killing the ignition, I exit, jerking the door closed behind me. I take a deep breath of the cool night
air. Closing my eyes, I try not to lose my shit.
I’m pissed at Cole. No surprise there. That man has the power to make me want to set his ass on
fire at times. I can loathe him as much as I love him. And that’s a motherfucking lot. For the past two
days, I’ve ignored him. He knows I’m pissed, but he hasn’t asked what he did. In Cole’s eyes, he does
nothing wrong.
I open my eyes to see Brynn and Demi standing before me. They glance at one another and then
back at me. They don’t know what to do or what to say. Demi’s seen this side of me before. She
knows that when I get pissed, I need space. But Brynn doesn’t know me all that well. She’s new to
being with a Great White Shark. She doesn’t know my crazy exceeds her crazy. Demi’s a close
second.
This is what I get, though, for falling in love with a man who would scare even the devil. Cole
Reynolds is known as a killer. I am too. We’ve done what must be done with no regrets. No one is
perfect.
Without saying another word, they turn and walk toward the entrance of Silence. I follow them.
Once an insane asylum shut down in the eighties, Silence is now the scariest haunted house in
Texas. And the best part is that certain attractions stay open year-round. We came here a few weeks
before Halloween last year but ended up leaving abruptly. Cole promised to bring me back, but that
fucker never did.
Most girls would go out and have some drinks when they’re pissed at their man. Maybe get some
dinner. But not me. Not my girls. Demi is always up for anything scary, and Brynn works here. So
tonight, after arranging for a babysitter for Lilly, I called my girls up and said I was coming to get
them, and here we are.
“Here.” Brynn hands me some tickets. “I had extras in my purse. And I also have passes for the
blackout attraction …”
I stop walking. “What?” That’s what I wanted to do last year. They give you glow sticks to try to
navigate your way out of the underground tunnels previously used to transport the dead bodies from
one facility to another. And you have to sign a waiver ’cause they’re allowed to touch you. Sounds
right up my alley.
 Perfect.
Throwing my arm over her shoulders, I finally smile for the first time in two days. “You’re the
best.”
I like her. We haven’t known her long. But ever since Brynn started hooking up with Shane, one of
Cole’s best friends, Demi and I have spent a lot of time with her.
Pulling out my phone, I let my fingers fly over the keys, knowing what I must do. Cole knows
exactly which of my buttons to press to set me off, and I know his. Once done, I hold up my phone.
“Say Silence.” I snap a selfie after they finish laughing and upload it.
“Wait …” Demi watches what I’m doing. “I thought Cole deactivated your Facebook?”
“He did.” I smile. “I just reactivated it.”
Brynn’s brows rise. “Shane said that Cole doesn’t use social media. That the only reason he has his
was for a dare.”
Something like that. I tag Demi since I’m not friends with Brynn on there yet and then pocket my
phone. “He doesn’t, but Deke does.”
And just as I expected, Demi’s phone begins to ring. She holds it up to show me it says My Dirty
Shark on the screen. It has a picture of them kissing. She turns it off and pockets the phone.
Brynn opens her mouth to speak, but her phone goes off.
“Going to answer that?” Demi asks with a smile.
“Nope.”

_______________

WE MAKE OUR way across the gravel parking lot, through the entrance, and over to the tunnels, filling
out the waivers relieving Silence of any liability. I guess in case a guy dressed as Jason follows us
and one of us falls, breaking an ankle, they don’t want to be held responsible. It’s probably happened
before. They also requested our driver’s license number and tag number. Not sure what that’s for, but
whatever.
“How many are in your group?” the man asks, standing at the entrance of the black double doors
with two clipboards in his hands.
“The three of us,” Brynn answers.
The guy looks over our heads and lifts a hand, motioning for others in line to join us. I look over
my shoulder to see three guys who look in their early twenties walk up to the entrance. One has his
eyes on Demi’s jean-clad ass. The other is typing away on his phone, and the third winks at me.
“They will go with you,” the man states.
Turning back, I face the worker dressed as a clown—a hideous one, I might add. He doesn’t even
have the signature red lips. And not to mention, he’s missing his wig. He doesn’t deserve this job. I
could scare the shit out of these people with the Halloween decorations I have in my attic alone. I
know they do the job when it comes to Deke, Cole’s other best friend, because he hates them. I find it
quite funny when he comes home and squeals like a little bitch. I hid my witch under his bed after
Halloween. I can’t wait until the day he looks under there and finds it.
I ask. “Can just the three of us go together?”
“No …” He looks down at the paperwork in his hand. “Austin.” He reads my signature. “We do six
or eight at a time.”
“But …”
 “What’s wrong, baby? We won’t bite you,” one of the guys says behind us. His friends laugh.
My jaw tightens, and I let out a long breath. Do not go crazy, Austin. You’re out here to have fun,
not get thrown in jail. Wouldn’t that just be my luck? Me having to call Cole to come and pick me up?
Fuck that shit! I’d call Deke before I’d call Cole to bail me out.
Brynn finishes signing her waiver and hands it to the clown. He nods and then steps aside. “You’ll
need to know the safe word,” he says.
“I’ve never used a safe word.” Brynn smiles sweetly. “I prefer it rough.”
Demi and I both chuckle at that. Leave it to Brynn to lighten my foul mood.
“It’s hard to shout a safe word when you’re gagged,” a guy adds from behind us, and his buddies
laugh.
And my mood sours again. Fuck, sometimes I hate men. What made him think we were talking to
them?
Even the pathetic excuse of a clown laughs with him. “Grab a glow stick out of the bowl when you
enter.” He throws his white-painted face back, giving a horrific attempt at his impression of an evil
laugh. “And make sure to stick together.”
I stomp through the doors and into a narrow passageway. It leads you down a dimly lit set of stairs.
I count fifteen steps before we hit the landing. A table sits to the right with a black tablecloth over it
and a glass bowl in the center. It reminds me of the one the sharks used to draw their dares from back
in Collins, Oregon. Before I knew who they really were—a group of boys on the swim team who
were known as the Great White Sharks playing deadly games.
Demi and Brynn grab theirs, and one of the guys comes up beside me. “Here you go, baby.” He
hands me a glow stick. I glare up into his brown eyes as I reach around him and grab my own.
“I like a woman who wants to do things for herself.” He chuckles.
“Pretty sure they call them feminists.” Another one snorts. “And you wanna stay away from them.
They want equality and shit.”
“Yes, please. Stay the hell away from us,” Demi tells him with the “fuck you” smile she gives so
well.
Brynn laughs, and I can’t help but smile at Demi. I just love her to pieces.
We hook our arms together. The waiver we signed said that we won’t need the glow sticks until we
near the end of the attraction. Of course, it wasn’t even what I thought it was going to be. It said
blackout attraction online. I want the pitch black and frightening shit. This is practically a hallway
with lights.
“Do I even want to know what Cole did?” Demi asks as we walk down the silent tunnel. There’s
no Halloween music playing softly like there was in the haunted house when we were here last. It
irritates me even more. Scariest haunted house in Texas, my ass.
“No.” I sigh. The truth is, she already knows. She was the one who told me, even if she doesn’t
realize it. And I don’t want her to feel bad for bringing up something she thought I already knew.
“Well, I hope you make him pay,” Brynn chimes in.
Oh, he’s paying right now. Cole hates being ignored. He hates being outplayed. And he knows that
even on my bad days, I can take him on.
As we get farther into the tunnel, it gets darker. The white lights that run along the ceiling become
red ones that hang on the walls. Smoke fills the confined space, covering our feet as if it’s coming
from the floor, making visibility nonexistent.
The red lights begin to flash, and then everything goes completely black.
“Son of a bitch.” I hiss, coming to a stop.
 “This better not be like last time.” Demi sighs. “Brynn, is this supposed to happen?”
“I’m not sure. They always change it up, and this is my first time this year.”
“It said at the end,” Demi growls. “It can’t be over already …”
You hear the smoke machine hiss as it lets out more smoke, and a cold chill runs up my back. Blue
lights come on, lighting up the narrow hallway. Brynn gasps and jumps back as we spot men now
lined up against the walls. Five on either side. They’re all dressed in black cloaks with hoods on. A
black mask covers their faces, and they stand perfectly still.
One of the guys with our group runs into the back of me, shoving me forward.
“Hey, watch where you’re going,” I snap, looking over my shoulder.
The guy throws his hands up and smirks at me.
Squaring my shoulders, I begin to walk forward. One of the guys in a cloak jumps out at me, his
hands hit my shoulders, and he shoves me backward. “What the …?”
I hit the guy behind me, and his hands grip my hips. “Don’t fucking touch me!” I shout.
“Hey, you ran into me,” he starts, but he doesn’t remove his hold on me.
Demi grips my arm and yanks me free. “Bastard,” she hisses.
“Fucker,” I mumble.
“You signed the waiver that they could touch you,” the guy calls out.
“Them. Not you,” I snap.
We come to the end of the men lining both walls on either side of us, and the tunnel takes a hard
curve to the right. The scene changes from smoke and blue lights to dark green bulbs and chains
hanging from the now very low ceiling. I go to push them out of my way, but they don’t budge. I look
down to see they are pulled tight and bolted to the concrete floor. You have to turn sideways from left
to right in order to maneuver your way through them.
Something touches my thigh, and my head whips around to see the guy on my ass. I shove him in the
chest.
“Hey …” He stumbles back.
My eyes narrow on him. Is he drunk? “I’m not going to tell you again to quit fucking touching me.”
This guy is really testing me. And today is not the day.
He licks his lips, and his brown eyes fall to my thighs. I’m wearing black yoga pants with a white
T-shirt that has an open shark mouth on it that reads eat me in red. Deke got it for me for Christmas. I
have no makeup on, and my hair is up in a messy bun. I did not come out tonight to impress anyone.
I’m out with my girlfriends because I’m pissed at my husband, and this guy is about to get my foot up
his ass. “Hey! I’m talking to you!”
His brown eyes make their way up to mine. “I know, but with a body like that, I can’t resist.”
This motherfucker! “You—”
“Come on, Austin.” Demi interrupts me and grabs my hand. Then she whispers in my ear, “Let’s
lose them.”
Brynn takes my other hand and pulls me out of that scene. Their laughter carries down the tunnel
until it just stops.
We come to an opening; the narrow passage widens to what looks to be the original concrete walls
of the tunnel. With stuff written on the wall in fake blood. You’ll die here. Don’t look behind you.
Hell is waiting for you.
I snort at the last one. If only they knew that I married the devil.
A hand grips my ass, and my teeth grind. I’ve had enough. I spin around, lift my hand and go to slap
the motherfucker, but he’s faster. He catches my wrist, and his fingers tighten. I look up into a set of
familiar blue eyes. “What the fuck, Cole?” I shout and yank out of his hold.
He says nothing. I look around, not seeing the three jackasses who were behind us, but I do see
Shane and Deke. Pushing my hip out, I cross my arms over my chest. “Why are you here?”
Shane goes to hug Brynn, but she takes a step back. “I’m mad at you,” she states.
“What did I do?” he asks through a laugh.
She looks at Cole, then back at Shane. “Enough.”
He rolls his eyes, grabs her hand, and yanks her down a small hallway off to the left that had
spiderwebs covering the entrance. Her laughter follows, and I know I’ve lost her.
Cole stands before me in a pair of blue jeans and a plain black T-shirt. His dark hair is spiked, and
his face is clean shaven. His hands are tucked in the pockets of his jeans. His face is devoid of any
emotion, but I know he’s mad at me. The tic in his chiseled jaw gives him away. Too bad I don’t give
a fuck.
Demi hooks her arm into mine and spins us around. She tosses her hair over her shoulder, and we
begin walking again.
“Cute, princess,” Deke calls out to her with a chuckle.
We both ignore him. There’s an opening over to the right, and we take it. The walls look made of
human bones. Demi reaches out with her free hand and runs her fingers along them.
I look over my shoulder and see nothing. They’re not following us, which could only mean one
thing. They’re up to something. “Motherfucker.” I hiss.
“What?” Demi asks.
“They’re here to fuck with us.” I sigh. Not in the mood. I’m pissed off at Cole, and he wants to play
some stupid game. Typical.
Demi looks over at me, and a smile covers her softly lit face. “Then let’s play.” She releases my
arm and spins around. Walking backward, she grabs her long bleach blond hair and starts putting it up
in a messy ponytail with the hair tie around her wrist. “I’ll meet you at the exit.”
Then there was one.
I stand in the middle of the tunnel by myself and close my eyes. I listen for any sign of movement
but can’t hear anything. Opening them, I take a step forward but stop. I feel him. Like a noose
wrapped around my neck, pulling me back. Cole has this way about him that no matter how pissed
and destructive I can be, he can be worse. He can hold out longer. He can be relentless. And we both
like the fight. It’s like foreplay for us.
“Why are you here?” I ask again, not even bothering to turn around.
I’m met with silence.
My hands fist. “Well, whatever you plan on doing is a waste of your time. Go home.”
The front of his body presses into my back. His arm comes up and wraps around my waist. Then
his breath hits my ear. “You know it turns me on when you’re pissy, sweetheart.” His voice is barely a
whisper.
It makes me shiver, and I hate that even more. That’s the downfall of love; they know you can’t stay
mad at them. They know exactly what to do for forgiveness. Even when they don’t deserve it. “Fuck
you, Cole!”
His hips press into my back, letting me know he’s enjoying this. “You always could read my mind.”
“I …”
He lets go of my waist, grabs my upper arm, and yanks me into a narrow hallway that leads to a
small room. This place is like a fucking maze. No wonder it said it could take hours to get through the
tunnels. He slams the door shut behind us. The walls are covered in fake blood splatter. A large
square bale of hay sits in the corner with a scarecrow seated on it. His right hand holds a machete
that’s dripping blood onto the stone floor. Cole walks over to it, reaches into his back pocket, and
flips open his black knife. Then he stabs the scarecrow in the leg.
“What the fuck, Cole?” After a moment of silence, I demand, “What if that had been a real man?”
“Then he would have screamed like a little bitch.” He yanks it out and turns to face me.
I look at the knife in his hand and then back and narrow my eyes at him. “What if I stabbed you in
the leg?” I want to stab him in the neck right now. Fucking bastard showing up here when he knows
I’m pissed and want nothing to do with him at the moment. “It’ll probably turn you on,” I spit out.
The corners of his lips curve upward. “You know what pain does to me.”
The bastard loves it.
He flips the knife shut and then places it back into his pocket before pushing his body into mine.
“Cole,” I growl.
“Would you rather him be a real person? Hmm? Want an audience? You didn’t seem to mind that
guy touching you.”
Oh, this bastard … I go to knee him, but he’s faster and blocks me.
He laughs at me. Laughs. “Why do I get special treatment?”
“Because I hate you,” I snap.
His laughter fades quickly. He leans down, placing his lips on my neck. He wraps one hand around
my waist, and the other tangles in my messy bun.
“Cole …”
“Where did he touch you?” he demands.
My body tenses. How long has he been following me?
“Here?” His hand slides down to cup my ass over my yoga pants. “How about here?” His free
hand releases my bun and squeezes my breast.
“No,” I growl and shove him away. “You think I’d let that happen?”
His hand wraps around my throat, and he shoves me into a blood-covered wall. My anger rises
while my body breaks out in goose bumps. He presses into me, and his blue eyes narrow. That fire
that I know all too well burns with intensity, making the room grow hot.
“He better not have,” he growls. “Know why?” He doesn’t allow me to answer. “Because this ass
is mine. Those tits are mine.” He leans in closer, our lips almost touching. “That fucking pussy is
mine. Every part of you belongs to me, sweetheart.” Then he kisses me in Cole Reynolds’ fashion. It’s
aggressive. Possessive. Demanding my attention. My body comes alive for him like it always does
when he kisses me. This is when I feel who he really is. His anger. His fear. This man hides so much
from the world, but he can’t hide from me. His demons call to me, demanding to be fed, and I
willingly let him feast off me.
His hand tightens in my hair, and I moan into his mouth. He holds me pinned to the wall, taking my
breath away. His knee forces its way between my legs, and I whimper.
My hands fall to his jeans. My fingers moving as quick as they can to get them undone. Just as I
reach into his boxers, he pulls away from me. Grabbing my arm, he yanks me from the wall and turns
me to face the scarecrow. He yanks my yoga pants down my thighs along with my black lace thong.
Then his hands push on my back to bend me over.
My hands slap the hay. I’m panting, bent over staring at the scarecrow in a plaid shirt and blood-
soaked overalls. His head is covered with burlap that has black barbwire around his neck and black
stitching for his eyes. Along with his wide and evil-looking smile. If I hadn’t seen Cole stab it, I
would swear it just moved. If I didn’t know it was made from straw, I would swear I could feel it
breathing on my face. It just makes this even more exciting.
My heart pounds, but my pussy tightens. We’re really gonna do this. Right here and now. “I’m mad
at you,” I manage to get out even though my knees shake with anticipation.
He just chuckles from behind me. “When has that ever stopped me, sweetheart?”
His hand flattens on my back, keeping me in place, and I know he’s ready. No foreplay. No wasting
time. He’s about to fuck me in this haunted tunnel in a room that smells of fake blood and hay. And I’m
totally fucking wet for him.
My Cole.
My devil.
My fucking damnation.
I’ve proved to him time and time again that I will be whatever he needs.
My head falls forward, and I suck in a long breath when he thrusts a finger into my pussy.
“You do like the fight,” he muses when he finds me wet.
“Fuck you …”
Gripping my hair, he yanks my head back, making me cry out and cutting off my words.
He leans forward, placing his lips next to my ears. “Don’t mind if I do.” He enters me in one hard
motion from behind.
My eyes close, my fingers dig into the hay, and my breath is momentarily taken away. He doesn’t
even let me recover before he begins to fuck me. The sounds of my whimpers, and our bodies
slapping fill the small room. “Cole …”
He lets go of my hair, wraps his hand around my throat, and squeezes, taking my air away.
 CHAPTER TWO
AUSTIN

HE’S BUTTONING HIS jeans as I pull my yoga pants and thong up my shaking thighs.
“Wanna play?” he asks me.
I arch a brow. “Play?” I know exactly what he means. No one touches what belongs to Cole
Reynolds and gets away with it. I push my hip out. “I didn’t bring my hammer.” He and the rest of the
Great White Sharks have this running joke about me and my hammer that I’ve used to smash bones
with.
He throws his head back and lets out a laugh. His chest shakes, and even though I’m still pissed at
him, I smile and take in this rare moment. Cole never laughs. Not like this. So carefree. The man I fell
in love with is cold and detached from all emotions but anger. A murderer. A man who wanted to hurt
me. I never wanted to change him, but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy these rare moments when he
shows me a different side. The man I think he would be if his life hadn’t been so fucked up. But then
again, I don’t think I’d love any other version of Cole than the one I have now.
When he looks down at me, his smile lights up his chiseled face. His eyes as blue as the sky on a
sunny day. They’re usually clouded over with anger. He harbors so much hatred for himself—for the
world—and I hate that he doesn’t see himself the way I do. He carries the world on his shoulders,
and although he’s the strongest man I know, it still affects him.
“That’s my sweetheart.” He pushes my hair that has fallen from my bun out of my face. “Gorgeous
and evil.” Then as fast as it appeared, it’s gone. He tilts his head to the side, his brows furrowing.
“You okay?”
“Yeah.” I wrap my arms around his neck.
He leans down, kissing my forehead softly. “I mean it, Austin. They’ll pay for touching you.”
Pulling back, I look up at him. I wouldn’t expect anything less from Cole. As his eyes search my
face, I watch the tic in his jaw as his perfect features turn as hard as stone. I see the Cole Reynolds I
know. The bloodlust he craves. He needs to take, and I’m always willing to give it to him.

COLE

I’M TRYING NOT to think about that man touching my wife. I know it wasn’t her fault, and I’m not mad at
her in the least. But I needed her. Ever since I met Austin Lowes, I’ve needed to claim her and mark
her as mine. As awful and animalistic as that sounds, it’s what she does to me. And I came here to do
just that.
We make our way out of the small room and back to the main tunnel, heading toward the exit. I can
tell she’s pissed at me all over again. The moment we shared in the room is long gone.
“Why were you mad at me in the first place?” I ask.
She’s been pissy toward me for the past couple of days, but I’ve been busy with classes and the
swim team, so I let it go and figured she’d get over whatever the hell it is. Deke and I had just
finished practice and were on our way home from the University of Texas when he saw Austin had
tagged Demi in a Facebook pic with Brynn. At first, I was trying to wrap my head around why in the
hell she reactivated her page, and then I was pissed when she ignored my phone calls. She had turned
her phone off. Austin has a way of shutting you out completely when she’s mad. And although I
understand it, I’m not gonna let her get away with it. Not this time.
“You know why,” she answers flatly.
I grip her upper arm and yank her to a stop in the middle of a scene in the pathetic tunnel. “I’m not
gonna ask you twice, Austin.”
She crosses her arms over her chest. “Fine. I’m pissed you put a tracker on my SUV.”
I almost laugh. “You can’t be serious …”
“That is a violation of my privacy.”
I run a hand through my hair. “It saved your life.”
Her mouth falls open. “That’s how you justify it?”
“I don’t need justification for my actions.”
“You are such a fucking dick!” she shouts, fisting her hands.
A man dressed as a vampire jumps out from an open coffin that leans up against a wall, and we
both ignore him. “And you are being unreasonable.”
She gasps. “Unreasonable? You sit and watch me day after day, knowing exactly where I am at all
times.” Her eyes widen. “That’s how you got here so fast? You checked my GPS?” she demands.
I don’t answer. Mainly because she’s wrong.
“Stupid. Of course. I’m so fucking stupid,” she whispers to herself.
I arch a brow, ignoring that. “Are you going places you shouldn’t be?” I ask. She’s wrong about
that as well. I don’t just sit around and check on where she’s at.
“Are you accusing me of cheating on you?” she demands.
I will kill a man without thought. But I say, “That’s where your head went, sweetheart?”
“Maybe for all those late-night practices, you aren’t really in a pool?” she challenges.
I step into her, my eyes boring down on hers, but she doesn’t back down. She’s not that type of
woman. My six-one to her five feet four doesn’t scare her in the least. “Don’t accuse me of being
unfaithful,” I say through gritted teeth. This woman knows exactly what to say to piss me off.
“Then don’t spy on me.” She turns and storms past the guy dressed as a vampire who just stands
there.
I run up behind her. “That tracker saved your life,” I spit out.
She stops abruptly and turns back to face me. Lifting her finger, she goes to cuss me out, but then
pauses. Her face twists with mixed emotion, and then she lets out a huff. After a long second, she
sighs. “I was fine.”
My eyes bug out at her words. The woman is so hardheaded. “You were not fine.”
“Cole …”
“You had a concussion.” Which we found out when I made her go to the hospital the following day.
“Football players get concussions all the time,” she argues, rolling her dark green eyes. She turns
her face away from me, and the blue light hits the diamond stud in her nose.
“They don’t get kidnapped. That guy was going to rape you, Austin,” I snap.
“I had a plan,” she argues. “I had a knife in my nightstand. I just needed to get to it.”
“And if you hadn’t, then what?”
Her body stiffens.
I hate to bring this up. To make her think what if the sharks and I had not arrived at her father’s
house when we did. If we had been two more minutes ... Things would have gone very differently that
night. And it terrifies me.
She looks down at her tennis shoes and shuffles on her feet. I raise my hand to cup her cheek. Her
beautiful green eyes come back to mine. “Yes, I had a tracker installed on your Range Rover, but I
don’t regret that decision. I’ve almost lost you twice. Both times were my fault.” My other hand
comes up to cup her other cheek as well, gently cradling her gorgeous face. Her plump lips are parted
as she sucks in a deep breath. “I can’t imagine my life without you, sweetheart. And if you want, I’ll
have one put on my car so you always know where I’m at.”
She releases a long breath. “You know I trust you, Cole. But this has nothing to do with that.”
“Then what does it have to do with?”
“I just … I wish you would have told me,” she answers.
I nod. “I apologize for keeping it from you.”
She pulls away from me to look around the tunnel and glances back at the vampire who still
watches us like we’re the main attraction. “This tunnel sucks.” She sticks her bottom lip out, pouting.
“I haven’t even gotten to use my glow stick.” She pulls it from the side pocket of her yoga pants.
I chuckle. “What if I make it better?”
She eyes me skeptically. “And how are you going to do that?”
“Come on.” I pull her back down the way we just came.
“Cole, the exit is the other way.”
“I know.”
She stays silent as we make our way back by Count Dracula. I nod to the man, and he waves like an
idiot. She sighs heavily at his lack of commitment to his job requirements.
“Cole …?”
“We’re almost there.”
“Almost where?”
I don’t answer. We come back to where the guys stood on both sides of the tunnel dressed in
cloaks. They’re now gone. Not much action here on a Monday night, especially since it’s not
Halloween. That’s what happens when you’re open year-round.
I take a right and pull her into a room. A black trash bag lies in the corner. Duct tape wrapped
around it in multiple places showcases the dimensions of a body inside.
“Was wondering when you were going to get here,” Deke says, turning to face us. He steps to the
side, and we see the man chained to the far wall.
“What the hell?” Austin asks, noticing him.
I look at the guy who touched my wife. When we saw her Facebook post, we headed straight here.
Shane has been fucking Brynn for a few months now, and they have this addiction to having sex in
public places. One being here at her work. I’m not really on speaking terms with Shane right now, but
Deke insisted we call him to help us out. Thankfully the fucker was useful and knew exactly where
and how we could sneak into the tunnel. I knew Austin would be here since I didn’t bring her last
time. The moment we entered the tunnel, and I heard him call her baby, I wanted to knock his head
off. Then I heard her tell him to leave her alone—quit touching her—and that was it. He had sealed
his fate in the worst way.
“Is this … part of the tour?” he asks, his brown eyes opening and closing as he tries to focus on
something. His back is up against the wall. A chain wrapped around his wrists secures them together
above his head and held in place with a hook on the ceiling.
Deke laughs and reaches into the guy’s front pocket, removing a flask. He unscrews it and tips it
upside down. “It’s empty,” he announces when nothing comes out.
I step to the side and look over at my wife. “You’re up, sweetheart.”
She stands before us, just staring at him. I lean up against the opposite wall, and Deke crosses his
arms over his chest. We both wait for her to make her move and decide his fate.
His glassy eyes look her up and down, and a drunken smile spreads across his face. He licks his
lips. “Yeah, baby. What are you going to do with me?”
She tilts her head to the side.
His smile widens. He looks from her to me and then back at her. He thinks I’m gonna let her fuck
him right here in front of me. I’m gonna fuck him up all right, but not in a way he’s gonna benefit.
“This should be the other way around, baby. You should be the one tied up …”
She steps up to him and lifts her knee, kneeing him right in the balls.
He doubles over the best he can with his hands chained above his head. His face turns red, and he
sucks in a long breath.
Deke slaps his thigh, laughing. “I once watched her Taze a man in the nuts. I laughed for days.” He
chuckles.
“What the fuck …?” the guy cries through fits of coughing. “Bitch …”
She punches him in the face, knocking his head back, and shouts, “That’s for touching me.”
Pushing off the wall, I walk up behind her and wrap my arms around her shoulders. Her body
shakes with anger against mine. My wife is tough, but she’s been through a lot for only being nineteen.
Abuse—physical and mental. I hate that I once contributed to that, so now anytime I can give her a
chance to dish it back, I do.
“You okay?” I spin her around. She cradles her hand to her chest. I pull it away and look down at
it. She cut the skin open, and it’s bleeding.
“Fine.” She yanks it from my hold and backs away from me.
“What the fuck, man?” the guy cries. “Your bitch …”
I punch him right in his ribs. He throws his head back, hitting the concrete wall and bares his teeth.
I hit him in the face this time, knocking his head to the side. Blood flies from his busted lip. Then I
punch him in the stomach. His hands fist above his head as he fights the chain.
“Stop. Stop.” He spits out blood. “I’m sorry …”
Deke goes over to the corner of the room and rips off a piece of duct tape from the trash bag and
slaps it over the guy’s mouth. Blood drips from his nose, along with a busted chin.
He begins to scream behind it as he fights his restraints.
I slap his face softly. “Have fun being an attraction tonight,” I say, throwing my arm over my wife,
and she smiles up at me with pride.
Our marriage is far from normal. I may have fallen in love with Austin Lowes, but she didn’t soften
me in the least. I still crave blood, and she never tries to stop me.
“Where’s Demi?” she asks, looking around.
Deke shrugs. “I thought she was with you, honestly.”
“Shit.” She sighs. “She probably knocked out a vampire, smeared his fake blood all over her, and
has hijacked a coffin by now.”
He arches a brow. “Is she applying for a job or something?”
She shakes her head. “We thought you guys were here to fuck with us,” she admits. “So she wanted
to scare you before you could pull one on her.”
He runs his finger across his bottom lip. “Oh, I can fuck with her all right.” Then he walks out of
the room with a smile on his face.
 I turn to Austin. “Where are his friends?” she asks me. “There were three of them.”
I’m very aware of how many of them there were. “Shane took care of them.” Although they made
some comments I didn’t care for, they never touched any of the girls.
I watch her cradle her hand to her chest, and I know it’s time to go. I step into her and cup her
gorgeous face. “Can we go home?”
She looks over at the guy who mumbles nonsense behind the tape over his mouth. Someone will
find him before they close tonight. Maybe. If not, sucks to be him.
“Yeah.” She sighs. “Let’s go home.”
 CHAPTER ONE
COLE

“YOU’RE LEAVING TONIGHT,” I order, running up the staircase to our master suite on the second
floor.
“Oh no, I’m not.” Austin gives a humorous laugh, her heels stomping behind me.
“Staying isn’t an option.” I shove open our bedroom door and storm into our walk-in closet.
“I’m not going anywhere. Demi and I …”
“Demi is leaving too. Deke is placing her on the private jet as we speak.” We rented one a few
hours ago and paid the pilot twenty thousand to take them wherever they decide to go. Not even Deke
and I will know their destination, and it’s better this way. The girls aren’t safe here. Not with us. Not
anymore. The game has changed.
“What?” she shrieks, entering the large space.
I don’t like repeating myself, so I ignore that and pull her Louis Vuitton luggage down I got her for
Christmas last year and start shoving clothes inside.
“Cole, stop!” she orders, bending down and yanking them out.
She has some jeans folded on a shelf, and I toss them into the bag as well. Then I open the drawers
and start grabbing underwear, bras, and socks.
“Cole!” she shouts. “Stop! I’m not going …”
“Yes, you are,” I growl.
“I’m not!” she screams.
I spin around and throw a wad of shirts to the floor.
She stands before me dressed in a black silk dress—it’s her wedding dress. Every time I look at
her in it, it takes my breath away. She is beyond anything I could have ever dreamed of. Her wide
green eyes show her concern, but her thinned lips tell me she’s angry as well. Her small hands hit my
chest, trying to shove me, but I don’t budge.
“Austin …”
“No! I won’t leave you.”
“I’m not giving you a choice.”
She shakes her head back and forth quickly, and I hear her sniff. The gravity of this situation has
started to set in.
My jaw tightens. “Austin …”
“You can’t make me.” Her voice cracks.
“Sweetheart …” I reach out for her, but she pulls away.
“No!” She throws down the clothes she had pulled from the bag. “I’m not fucking leaving! You
can’t make me!”
Reaching out, I grab her arm, then yank her to me. I shove her wild, dark hair from her face and
watch the tears falling down her cheek. She doesn’t cry to get her way because she knows her tears
have the opposite effect on me.
“Please?” she begs, her hands fisting my shirt, and my chest tightens at her words. Austin isn’t the
kind of woman who begs for anything. “You promised me.” She lifts her left hand, shoving her ruby
wedding ring into my face. “You promised to never leave me.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” Can’t she see we have no other choice?
“Neither am I.” She lifts her chin in challenge. She’s so stubborn. It’s one of the things I love about
her. But she needs to understand I’m in charge here. If I say she goes, she goes.
I lean forward and press my lips to her wet ones. I kiss her slowly. Passionately. Burning her taste
and feel of her to my memory because I’m not sure when I’ll see her again. If ever.
My tongue enters her mouth, and I grip her hair, making her whine in the sweetest way. My cock
instantly goes hard. She does this to me every fucking time. And that’s exactly why she has to go.
Austin has always been my weakness. She clouds my vision, and I can’t take that chance. I won’t
survive sitting on a kitchen floor, holding her dead body in my arms again.
She’s panting when I pull away with a small smile on her face. She thinks she won.
I take a deep breath and break her heart like I did the morning after prom. When I pushed her away,
not sure if I’d ever get her back. “You will leave tonight.” Her face falls. “This is not up for
discussion. And there are no other options.”
A small gasp escapes her lips. I feel the need to explain myself and make her understand that I
won’t risk her life. Not even for myself. “Because I love you, sweetheart. And you’re not safe.”
Admitting I can’t protect her is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to accept. I can’t fail her. Not again.
She yanks away from me, green eyes burning into mine. Another reason I fell in love with her is
because her hatred can match mine any day.
“I love you—”
“Fuck you, Cole!” she snaps. “You want me out?” She reaches down and shoves the things on the
floor into her bag. “I’m out.”
“Austin …”
She looks up at me from her knees with streaks running down her gorgeous face from her eyeliner.
“Just don’t expect me to come running when you call me to come back.” Then she exits the closet,
leaving me to eat my own words.
My chest aches at her absence. The sudden silence almost deafening. Her perfume lingers in the
large space, but my eyes scan over the empty shelves. Hangers litter the floor. Might as well be my
soul in pieces because she owns it, and I just forced her to leave me. Who knows if she’ll ever
forgive me.
I jerk at the sound of the front door slamming shut.
I have to remind myself this is for the best. I’ve always been selfish when it comes to her, but I
can’t afford it this time. The cost is too much.
I walk into our bedroom and see my keys lying on the end of the bed. Picking them up, I follow her.
Fifteen minutes later, I pull my car to a stop and get out. I lean up against the hood as I face the
private jet that sits on the tarmac in the night. Shoving my hands in my pockets, I look it over, hoping
she can see me. That she knows this hurts me just as much as it does her.
I watch Deke exit the plane and walk down the steps. They close right behind him, and it begins to
pull away.
“What are you doing here?” he asks, coming over to me.
“I had to make sure she got on the plane,” I answer, unable to take my eyes from it.
“She was pissed.” He sighs. “So was Demi. She hates me.” He hangs his head.
“At least they’ll be alive to do so.” It’s the only thing I can keep telling myself. This will keep her
breathing. Too many times she has been close to death just since I met her.
“We’ll see them again,” he assures.
 “Maybe.” They may be getting away to a safe place, but that doesn’t assure our safety. I’d die for
her without a thought. I’ll make sure we all die as long as it means we get our guy.
“Come on.” He slaps my shoulder. “Come over to my place, and we’ll talk strategy.”
I turn my back to the plane as it picks up speed at the end of the runway and pull on my door handle
when a loud boom has us both ducking.
I spin around to see the very plane our wives were on engulfed in flames and plummeting to the
ground. “AUSTIN …”

COLE

SITTING STRAIGHT UP, I gasp for air. My heart pounds, and I’m soaking wet. It’s dark. Pitch black. I
blink, hoping my eyes will adjust, but they don’t.
I reach over and search for my cell. I knock it off, hearing it hit the floor. I find the lamp and switch
the light on.
I’m back at home. In bed. Our bed. “Austin?” I reach over to find her asleep beside me.
I run my hands through my wet hair. It was a dream. A nightmare.
Sucking in a deep breath, I try to calm my racing heart. It felt so real. The argument we had. She
was wearing her wedding dress. The drive to the airport to make sure she left. The explosion. There
was no way the girls would have survived that.
I get out of bed and pick up my cell. I go to call Deke but pause. It’s a little after three in the
morning, so he’s not going to be awake. He needs his sleep, unlike me. I place it back and exit our
room. I make my way downstairs and open Lilly’s door to check on her. Why wasn’t she in my
dream? Where was she? Had we already lost her? Was my main focus Austin? Maybe it’s because
Lilly is so innocent to the world we live in. To the things that the sharks and I have done? Austin
knows everything—most everything—and she still loves me.
Entering her room, I kiss her on her forehead and pull her covers up to her neck before quietly
exiting. I stop by the kitchen to grab a drink of water, then return upstairs. I go straight to the
bathroom, needing a shower. A second to think and calm my nerves.
My heart pounds, and my pulse still races.
The nightmares have returned. They had gone away, but for some reason, they’ve crept back into
my mind. Either I’m losing it or they’re a warning.
Getting undressed, I step into the shower and get under the sprayer. I keep the water cold to help
wake me up.
“AUSTIN!” I scream, running toward the flames of what’s left of the plane, but they seem to
appear farther and farther away.
I shake my head, growling to myself. “Stop!”
I close my eyes, and the time she lay dead in my arms in her father’s kitchen returns.
“Cole, what happened? Did you shoot this woman?” His eyes fall to my gun that sits in the pool
of her blood … “Cole!” Derek growls my name, grabbing my shoulders and pulling me back.
This time when my eyes meet his, they narrow. “I love her. I was trying to save her.”
I fist my hands and place my head under the sprayer. Opening my mouth, I try to breathe. This isn’t
happening. Not again. Things have been going well. I think about what happened to her daily. When
Kellan shot her, and then again when I found her tied up in her bedroom because of Becky. Those
aren’t memories. Life events that I witnessed, and she lived through. But the plane? What significance
does it hold? What the fuck does it mean?
 I finish in the shower and get out. Wrapping a towel around my waist, I walk into the bedroom. But
I stop when I see she has moved from where I left her. She’s lying in our bed, facing away from me.
The covers kicked down to the footboard. She wears an oversized white tank top with black boy
shorts, and that’s it. Her dark hair fans over the red pillowcase.
“Austin!” I can hear the popping of the fire. The flames heat my skin, but I’m not getting any
closer. Blood rushes in my ears, and I’m gasping for breath.
Crawling onto our bed, I roll onto my side and run my hand down her back and into her underwear.
I squeeze her ass.
She rolls over onto her back. One hand rests above her head, the other on her chest. I slide my hand
to the front of her underwear and run my fingers over her smooth pussy.
I want her. I need to see her eyes as reassurance she’s alive.
I spread her pussy with my fingers and run them over her clit.
“Cole.” She moans quietly.
“Wake up, sweetheart,” I say and kiss her parted lips. “I need you.”
“Cole, it’s late,” she mumbles.
Getting up, I situate myself between her legs. I slide my hands under her shirt and push it up her
stomach and chest. Placing my hand on her chest, I feel the slow rhythm of her heart thumping.
I let out a long breath. My eyes go to the scar from the gunshot wound. We never talk about it. She
never brings it up, but I know she catches me looking. To her, Kellan is dead, so all is well. But I’m
not.
I pull her underwear down her legs and toss them to the floor before dropping my hand once again
between them. I lower my face to her neck and kiss her soft skin while I slide a finger into her. She’s
not nearly wet enough, but I’ll get her there. She’ll be soaking wet and begging for it.
I pull my finger out and kneel between her legs. I open her up and run my tongue over her pussy,
tasting her. Closing my eyes, I do it again. And then again. My hands grip her thighs tightly, and I yank
her closer toward me.
I begin to fuck her with my tongue, and her hips start to move with me.
“Cole.” I hear her say my name before her hand finds its way to my hair, and she grips it tightly.
“Oh, God, Cole.” She arches her back.
I don’t let up. I continue, trying to fill my mind with her voice. Her panting and her pleas. I’ve
always loved the water because of the silence it offers. Austin is my ocean. I want to drown in her.
I pull away and lick my wet lips. She lies on the bed, panting with her eyes closed. I take my hard
cock in my hand and press into her, throwing her right leg over my shoulder.
“Cole.” She cries out, still sensitive.
I press my hand over her mouth, silencing her. Lilly is a light sleeper, and I don’t plan on stopping
for any reason.
Her heavy, green eyes stare up into mine, and I start to move. Fucking her like it’s her fault I had a
dream about her dying. Again. She places her hands above her head, flat on the headboard to keep her
head from hitting it.
“Fuck!” I growl, feeling her pussy tighten around me. She’s going to come again.
She breathes heavily through her nose. Her eyes fall closed, and she arches her back. My hand is
still over her mouth, quieting her this time.
I slow down, and watch my slick dick slide in and out, covered in her cum. “Fuck, sweetheart,” I
say, breathing hard. My eyes look back up at her. Her arms have fallen to the sides of her head, and
her eyes are still closed.
 I remove my hand from her mouth. “Austin?” I cup her face. “You okay?” My fingers go to her neck
and feel her rapid pulse. “Austin?” I tap her face.
“Cole …” She mumbles my name and tilts her head the other way, not bothering to open her eyes.
“It’s late.” She yawns. “I’m tired.”
And just like that, she falls back asleep.
I sit up and run my hands through my hair. Then get off the bed, grab my towel, and wipe between
her legs before I fall down beside her, not even bothering to put any boxers on.
 CHAPTER TWO
COLE

I OPEN MY eyes and reach out my right hand, feeling around the empty space. Clarifying what I
already know.
I’m alone.
Rolling onto my back, I pick up my phone off the nightstand. It’s eight o’clock, and my battery life
reads forty-five percent. I forgot to charge it last night. I turn off my alarm since it’s scheduled to go
off in thirty minutes anyway before throwing off the covers. I make my way to our en suite bathroom.
Turning on the shower, I step inside and stand under the sprayer, needing another shower since I
didn’t take one after we had sex. Closing my eyes, I throw my head back and let it soak my face.
I’m tired.
Exhausted.
I haven’t gotten much sleep lately. After we returned from Collins, things slowed down, and we
fell into a routine. I never thought I’d like the whole boring marriage life as much as I do. But
something is off. My nightmare proved that.
I have this feeling like the other shoe is about to drop. And I can’t figure out what it is.
I turn around, place my hands on the tile, and bow my head. Fisting my hands, I hit the wall gently a
few times, closing my eyes and letting out a long breath.
So much has happened. I wanted Texas to be a fresh start and a new beginning, but it’s not.
Everything seems to follow us, no matter where we go, and I have to be one step ahead of it at all
times.
Finishing up in the shower, I exit and dry off. I shave my face and brush my teeth before walking
into the closet and getting dressed in a pair of jeans and a white T-shirt, then head downstairs.
“Good morning, Cole,” Lilly says as she passes me in the hall with a piece of bacon in one hand
and her cell in the other.
“Morning,” I call out just before I hear her bedroom door shut.
I enter the kitchen and see Austin standing in front of the stove. She’s moving bacon from the skillet
to a plate. “Lilly, you have ten minutes!” she yells.
I drop my bag to the floor and walk up behind her. “Can I have five of those?”
“Cole, I don’t have time …”
I pull my wife from the stove, spin her around, and lift her, planting her ass on the kitchen island. I
shove her legs apart and stand between them. Why was she wearing her wedding dress in the dream?
We’ve been married for a while now. Does it mean marrying me was a death sentence for her? I hate
that I’m too selfish to let her go. I need her for my sanity and my survival. Austin Lowes brought life
to my dead world. I’d hate to cut her life short for my own. But as I look into her green eyes, I wonder
where she’d be if I hadn’t forced her to be with me. Probably with that motherfucker Martin. And that
just pisses me off.
“Cole—”
“I need five minutes.” I’ve always been a needy person. But what used to be a need for violence
has now turned into needing her.
 “You had me last night.” She arches a brow. “I remember.”
“It was like twenty minutes.” Not nearly enough.
Her green eyes narrow in the sexiest way. “It was like four in the morning. You woke me up. Sorry
I wasn’t in the mood for foreplay.”
I reach up and gently push her long, dark hair over her shoulder, exposing her neck to me. I bury my
face in it. “You still got off,” I remind her. “Twice.”
She slaps my chest playfully.
“I need more,” I admit. We had to be quiet. I can’t remember the last time we weren’t careful about
our sex life because of Lilly. I want to fuck my wife! I want to make her scream. I want to feel the
split of my skin from her nails. Shove her up against the wall. Slap her ass. Wrap my hand around her
throat. Make the bed bang against the wall. Like I said, I need more. “And I can’t remember the last
time I fucked you anywhere other than our bed.” I nip at her neck. I want to fuck her on the kitchen
counter or in a bathroom. Fuck, I’d do her in the back seat of my car.
“Cole …” She sighs, and my cock hardens.
“Getting warmer,” I mumble before running my free hand up her back and tangling it in her thick
hair. I’m madly in love with Austin Reynolds, but I never forget why I fell in love with her—she’s
fearless. A force to be reckoned with.
Challenge me, sweetheart.
She places her hands on my chest and pushes me back. I go willingly, looking down into her heavy
eyes. “I was going to surprise you, but Lilly is staying with a friend this weekend.”
“Really?”
“Yep. We’ll have the house to ourselves. And I ordered some things online. They arrived
yesterday.”
I arch a brow, running my hand over her jean-clad thighs. “What kind of things?”
She shoves me back and jumps off the island. “That’s a surprise.” She walks out of the kitchen, and
I hear her talking to Lilly down the hall.
My phone starts ringing in my pocket, and I pull it out to see it’s Deke. “Hello?”
“Where you at?” he asks in greeting.
“About to walk out of the house. You?”
“Same.” He lets out a long breath. “I’ve got some news. And you’re not going to like it.”
I grab my keys off the counter and head toward the garage. “What is it?” I ask, knowing this is that
motherfucking shoe, and it’s about to drop.

AUSTIN

I’M GOING TO kill him! Cole has been ignoring me all day. I’ve sent him naughty pictures, along with
things that I plan to do to him tonight, and I haven’t received a single fucking thing!
“Where the hell is he?” I growl to myself.
I spent most of the day getting ready for this weekend with him. I wanted it to be special. I got my
hair done and had everything waxed. Things haven’t been the same since Thanksgiving in Collins last
year. They’ve been better. At least that’s what I thought. But he seems on edge. I can read him like a
book, and something is up.
I grip my cell and call his once again. “You’ve reached Cole …” Straight to voicemail. Just like
it’s done the other fifty times I’ve called.
Looking at the clock, I see he’s almost two hours late. Two hours. That’s not like him. Sometimes
practice runs later than usual, but he calls and tells me.
Is it another woman? Doubt fills my mind. Becky said he’d get bored with me. Could that be true?
And don’t forget the fact we’re so young. I don’t go to a big college. I don’t have any friends other
than Demi and Brynn. But Cole? He’s around people all the time in class and practice. I never thought
he’d be capable of cheating, but isn’t that what every woman thinks? Right up until she sees it with
her own eyes? How would I find out, though? He doesn’t use his social media page that I know of.
And he takes his laptop to his classes with him. Think, Austin …
My cell rings, and I hold my breath, praying it’s him, but I let it out when I see it’s Demi. “Hey,” I
answer.
“Hey, girl. Do you and Cole want to go out tonight?”
I run a hand through my hair. “He’s not home. I can’t get a hold of him …”
“Oh, I just spoke to Deke, and they’re still at UT. Something about practice running late.”
Yep. Definitely going to kill him!
All that worrying for nothing! He’s been at the university this entire time? Why the fuck didn’t he
tell me?
I look over at the bed and the candles that light up the room, then I stand in front of the floor-to-
ceiling mirror. My makeup is done pretty heavily with smoky eyes and red lips. My hair fixed in big
curls, and I want to laugh at myself. Cole wouldn’t give a shit that I took the time to dress up for him.
Because things like that just don’t matter. It pisses me off that I thought it could be another woman. I’d
kill him if that was the case. Maybe her too. Depends on if she knew about me or not.
When did I become this woman? Someone who waits around for a man who ignores her? Cole
knows not to piss me off. That I can be just as heartless as he can be.
“Yeah.” I smile to myself in the mirror. “Let’s go out tonight. I know just the place.” I stomp over to
the desk that sits in the corner and yank open the top drawer. “I’ll come over to your place, and Cole
can just meet me there.”
“Sounds good. See you soon.” She hangs up.
I sit down at the desk and scribble a note for my husband.
 CHAPTER THREE
SHANE

I LIFT MY head up out of the water and suck in a deep breath before placing it back down. My arms
cut through the water as my feet kick, and I glide along the length of the large pool.
When I reach the other side, I slam my hand to the concrete wall and lift my head. I suck in a long
breath of air. Ripping my goggles off my face, I look up at the man who stands at the side of the pool,
holding a stopwatch in his hand.
“Not bad.”
I snort. Not bad, my ass. Placing my hands on the edge, I push myself out of the pool and remove
my swim cap. Water drips from my body as I remove my ear plugs.
The man crosses his arms over his chest and eyes me suspiciously. Then they slide over to the two
guys who stand next to him. My best friends—Cole Reynolds and Deke Biggs.
Sighing, he looks back at me. “We just happen to have two spots open on the team.”
A smirk grows across Deke’s face. Cole stands there, a look of pure hatred on his. Our relationship
isn’t as strong as it once was. He doesn’t want me here. He’s still sour about the secrets I kept from
him.
Too bad.
I once didn’t care if his now wife lived or died. But I guess Deke got a pass, since he too once felt
the same way. But whatever, I’ve always been the one left out in the group. I’ve never let it bother me
before, so I’m not going to start now.
The University of Texas is where I want to be and was always meant to be. But I had taken a
scholarship in Oregon because I wanted to stay with Kellan. But Cole killed him a few days before
our high school graduation. I won’t say he didn’t deserve it because even I thought Kellan was losing
his mind. I tried to help him, but it wasn’t enough.
“Well, I’m here,” I say, arms out wide.
“And here you are.” Coach nods, looking down at my transfer papers in his hands. Even if he wants
to tell me no, he can’t. It’s a done deal. “Hit the showers,” he tells me then he turns and leaves.
Deke grabs my towel off a chair and slaps me in the face with it. “Welcome to UT.”
“Thanks.” I dry my face. “Anything I should know about? Besides the fact Cole doesn’t want me
here?”
Cole steps into me, his shoulders squared and chest bowed. Typical Cole, always looking for a
fight. Honestly, I figured married life would have changed him, but obviously, I was wrong. “Stay the
fuck away from Austin.”
I give him a smile. “Ahh, Cole, you hurt my feelings.” I slap my hand to my bare chest.
His blue eyes narrow to slits. “That was your only warning.” Then he turns and walks toward the
locker rooms.
I look at Deke. “You would think he’d forgiven me by now.”
He shakes his head. “Pretty sure that will never happen.”
I wrap the towel around my neck, gripping the edges. “How are things?” It has been a while since I
got to spend time with them.
 “Good.” He nods.
I arch a brow. “Good? You both got married,” I remind him. “Honeymoon over already? Thought
that lasted like a year or some shit?” Cole got married last January, and Deke got married this past
May right after Demi graduated high school.
That makes him laugh. “No, that’s all good.”
“Then what is it?”
“I don’t know,” he answers and turns to head to the locker room as well. I wonder if he’s telling
the truth.
Guess I have plenty of time to figure it out.

COLE

I FUCKING KNEW it!

The shoe dropped alright, and it’s fucking Shane. He’s moving to Texas. He’s already moved here.
He’ll be here with me and Austin.
I don’t want him near her, but I’m not sure how I can stop him at this point. Ideas of going back and
drowning him in the pool cross my mind. Why didn’t he give us some kind of warning? How long has
he been here? This was his plan. To piss me off. I didn’t mind when he visited, but I didn’t want him
to fucking live here. I don’t want him this close to Austin on a day-to-day basis.
“Cole?” Deke calls out, entering the locker room.
“I gotta go,” I say, grabbing my bag and placing my dead phone in my pocket. It died hours ago.
Plus, I’m getting home later than normal. Coach wanted to have a meeting with me and Deke. And that
meeting involved Shane.
I throw my bag over my shoulder and walk out just as Shane is walking in, and I make sure to
throw my shoulder into his because I’m that kind of guy. And I fucking hate him!
I pull up to our house and notice all the lights are off. As the garage door opens, I see that Austin’s
Range Rover is missing.
“Austin?” I call out, entering the house. “Austin!” I shout and am met with silence. I take the stairs
two at a time and barge into our room. Flipping on the light, I see candles all over. Some on the
nightstands and others on the tall and long dresser. I walk over to the bed and pick up the one next to
my side of the bed. The wax is still liquid, letting me know she didn’t blow it out long ago.
I turn to the bed and see a note on it.
Cole, I went to Deke and Demi’s.
That’s it. Straight to the point. No information on how long she’ll be there. Nothing. What the fuck?
Why would she go over there? We had plans tonight. Thought she had some surprise for me?
I wad up the note and throw it to the floor before plugging my phone in. Then I head to the
bathroom. I’m taking a shower before I do anything else.

_______________

AN HOUR LATER, I pull into Deke’s driveway and walk inside. I hear her laughter immediately coming
from the kitchen. I enter and find her sitting at the kitchen table. Her cell in one hand and a glass of
wine in the other. She quiets the moment her eyes meet mine. “Hey.” She manages to give me a small
smile.
 I don’t return it.
Demi looks at me over her shoulder before getting up from her seat. “I’m going to go see what’s
taking Deke so long to get ready.”
I plop down at the table next to my wife and look her over. Her hair is in big waves, and she has
more makeup on than usual. I wonder if she did that for me. I would have much rather been in bed
naked with my wife instead of dealing with Shane this evening. She licks her red painted lips, and it
makes me hard. I want to shove her to her knees right now and have red lipstick marks around my
cock from her mouth. I need a release. Even my hands itch for a fight with some unlucky bastard. The
dream put me on edge, but Shane has made it worse.
“Hey.” She reaches out and places her hand on mine. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” I lie. Because that’s what I do when it comes to her. I never tell her the truth when
something bothers me. I prefer to keep that shit to myself. Austin never seems to have the same level
of concern as I do anyway. She has more of a “it will all work out” kind of attitude. And that’s the
kind that will get you killed.
“It’ll be fun.” She nods.
“What will?” I ask, knowing no matter what we do it will be boring as shit.
“We’re going to Death Valley,” she answers.
“I thought we were supposed to be fucking,” I state.
The smile drops off her face, and she pulls her hand away from mine, standing. “Maybe if you
would have sent me a text instead of leaving me waiting for you, we would be,” she replies with bite.
“Something came up,” I say through gritted teeth.
“Yeah, I’ve heard that before.” She exits the kitchen.
“Austin?” I call out, but she doesn’t return, doing what she does best by ignoring me. And it takes
my level of anger from a seven to a ten.
 CHAPTER FOUR
DEKE

“BABE?” I HEAR Demi call out.

“In the shower,” I answer, rinsing the soap off my body.
“What’s taking you so long?” she asks, opening the glass shower door and poking her head in.
“It won’t take me more than five minutes.” I look over her tank top and tight-fitting jeans. They sit
low on her narrow hips, giving me a peek at her tan stomach from spending so much time in our pool
over the summer with Lilly and Austin. Her blue eyes quickly drop to my cock before returning to
mine. “Unless you wanna join me?” I lick my lips and wrap my hand around it. “I’m willing to spare
an hour.” I begin to stroke it.
She snorts. “No, we don’t have time for that.”
“Bullshit.” I close the small distance between us. “I’ve always got time for you.”
She bites her bottom lip when her eyes drop once again. I can see her mind working as she tries to
figure out if we have time for a quickie. But I don’t like to rush things when it comes to my wife. I
prefer to take my time with her and worship her.
“Cole is here, and he seems pissy.”
I sigh, the mention of my best friend totally ruining the moment. “He is.”
“Do you know what’s going on with that?” She arches a brow.
“Nope.” I lie, knowing what the issue is but not wanting to get into it at the moment. Shane isn’t my
favorite person right now either. Do I want him around Demi? I’d rather he not be, but I don’t hold
him responsible for what happened between the girls and Becky back in Collins. No, I blame myself
for that. I should have killed Becky instead of just marking her. That was my lapse in judgment, and if
given the opportunity again, I won’t make the same mistake twice. I should have set her ass on fire
that night when we found the girls at the Lowes residence. Another mistake.
I duck under the water to rinse off the remaining soap, then turn the shower off. I step out to her
holding a towel for me. “Thank you,” I say, taking it and leaning in to kiss her on the cheek.
She glares up at me.
“What?”
“You’re lying to me, Deke.”
Standing in front of the double sinks, I begin to dry off like she didn’t just call me out. Maybe if I
pretend I didn’t hear her, she’ll let it go.
“Cole and Austin are fighting, and you know why.”
“Their marriage is none of my concern,” I say, my eyes meeting hers in the mirror as she comes to
stand beside me.
She turns to face me, so I do the same. She runs her hands down my wet chest and grabs the towel I
have wrapped around my hips. “Demi …” I warn her.
Looking up at me, she gives me a smile and undoes the knot holding the towel in place. It falls to
my feet. “Oops.” She thinks sex will get her the information she wants. It won’t, but I’m not going to
pass up an opportunity to fuck my wife.
Reaching out, I undo her jeans and shove them down her legs along with her underwear. Then I
spin her around to face the mirror. I shove her hips into the counter and run my hand up her thigh,
spreading her legs with mine. I reach her pussy and push a finger into her to see how wet she is. Wet
enough.
I grip the base of my cock and push into her. She bows her head and hisses in a breath as I stretch
her tight pussy.
Leaning forward, I wrap my hand around her throat and lift her head so I can look at her in the
mirror. “Oops,” I whisper in her ear before I nibble on it. Her body shudders.
“Deke …”
I don’t let her protest. Instead, I tighten my hand, cutting off her words, and begin to fuck her,
knowing she was right. We don’t have a lot of time. So, I’ll settle for a quickie now and take my time
with her when we get home later.

_______________

SHE’S PULLING HER jeans up when she finally speaks again. “This conversation isn’t over.”
I laugh under my breath. Demi and Austin have become pretty close, but I highly doubt Austin even
knows why she and Cole are fighting.
She opens the bathroom door, and a pure white American Eskimo dog enters the bathroom,
wagging her tail.
“Come on, Snowball,” Demi calls for her as she steps outside of the bathroom, “let’s go outside
and potty before we leave.”
I got her that dog for her birthday this year.
“Keep the blindfold on,” I tell Demi as we pull up into the circle drive.
“I am.” She giggles. “I’m not even touching it.” She slaps her palms on her jean-clad thighs.
Getting out, I rush around my Range Rover and open the passenger side door. She reaches out
blindly, and I take her hand, helping her out. “You’re going to take three steps,” I inform her.
“Where are we at?” she asks for the fifth time.
“It’s a surprise, princess.” I make sure she doesn’t trip over the steps and look up when the
front door opens. I see Austin standing there with a smile on her face. I mouth, “Everything
ready?”
She nods. I gave her a key yesterday, and she came over today to help me set everything up.
I bring Demi to a stop in the grand foyer with my hands on her shoulders. Reaching up, I
remove the blindfold.
She gasps, bringing her hands to her face as she looks around the house. “Deke … what is
this?”
Red rose petals cover the white marble floor. When I don’t answer, she begins to follow the trail
down the hallway and into the main living room on the first floor. “Oh, my God!” She squeals
when she sees the little puppy sleeping in the middle of the room on a pink princess bed.
The puppy’s eyes spring open, and she sits up, wagging her tail. Demi drops to her knees and
crawls over to her. “What … who is she?”
“She’s yours,” I tell her.
The puppy jumps into Demi’s arms and starts licking her face. “Deke.” She sniffs. “I don’t
understand.” She looks up at me with the dog pressed to her chest.
I look around the large open living room. The construction on this house was completed last
month. I was lucky I found it when I did.
“Well …” I go over to her and take her hand. She sets the dog down, and I lift her to her feet. I
wipe the tear from her cheek as I take her other hand in mine. “She’s yours, Demi.” I take a quick
look around the house. It’s over five thousand square feet with six bedrooms, a gym, an office, and
more bathrooms than we’ll ever need. But I hope that one day we’ll fill it full of kids. “It’s all
yours.”
Her brows pull together. “What do you …?”
I let go of her hands and kneel on one knee.
She takes a step back from me, her hands coming up to cover her mouth while gasping.
“Demi Lane Holt.” I pull the Tiffany box out of my front pocket and open it up to her. “I want to
spend the rest of my life with you. Here. In this house.” Tears run down her beautiful face. “Will
you—”
“Yes!” She rushes me, wrapping her arms around my shoulders, and I stand, picking her up with
me.
“Deke?”
I blink, her voice pulling me out of the memory. “What?”
She holds the dog in her arms. “I was telling you that Brynn called me before Austin got here. She’s
going to meet up with us.”
I pick up my towel from the floor. “Demi, that’s not …”
“And I guess Shane’s in town too. They’re going to meet us there.” She turns to exit the bathroom,
but I grab her upper arm, stopping her.
“That’s not a good idea. You should have asked me first,” I growl.
Her eyes narrow, and she pulls away. “Oh, does this have to do with something that you should
have told me?” she asks, arching a brow.
My jaw clenches. She just gives me a smile, then leans down and kisses the sleeping dog on the
head before walking out of the bathroom.
“Fuck!” I hiss, running my hands through my wet hair. I need to warn Cole.
I finish getting ready as quickly as I can—throwing on a T-shirt with a pair of jeans and tennis
shoes. I’m practically running into the kitchen where I find Demi and Austin sitting at the kitchen table
and Cole leaning up against the island. “May I talk to you?” I ask him.
“It can wait.” Demi stands. “We’re already late. Who’s driving?” she asks.
“I will,” Cole offers, his eyes going to his wife’s full wineglass. “I won’t be drinking.”
Just to piss him off, she lifts it to her lips and downs the entire thing. Fuck. This is not going to be
fun.

AUSTIN

“HOW DO YOU find these places?” Deke asks from the passenger seat of my Range Rover.
“Facebook.” I watch Cole in the rearview mirror while he drives to see if he acknowledges my
statement in any way.
He doesn’t.
The bastard deactivated my social media page last year. I understood why he did it, but he hasn’t
mentioned it since I reactivated it months ago when the girls and I went to Silence. Which just isn’t
Cole. He never has a problem telling me what he does and does not like.
“I think it sounds fun,” Demi replies, opening a round mirror compact and turning on the dome light
to line her lips with red lipstick.
Deke lets out a growl. He hates that I drag them to these places.
“Is there a fee?” Demi asks, popping her lips and closing the mirror. “I have cash on me …”
“Not that I saw.” I was on Facebook the other day and somehow ended up on this girl’s page. It
turns out, she goes to UT with Cole and Deke. She had a picture of her standing in the middle of a
field last weekend. Her face painted white, red contacts and black lips. She looked hot in a black
leather miniskirt and fishnet stockings. The only thing it said was #DeathValley. So, being curious as
to what it meant, I went through the comments. She had over two hundred. Guess the girl is cheer
captain at the college and very well known. People were posting their own pictures, and in each one,
they were dressed up like it was Halloween.
I had to come see it for myself. Thankfully, someone had dropped the address for a friend she had
tagged.
“How much farther?” Cole asks in a flat, borderline annoyed tone.
I bite my lip to keep from smiling. I do love when he’s pissy. Which is pretty much Cole a hundred
percent of the time. But I’m pissed at him, so I plan on returning the favor. He’s not going to stand me
up and then not tell me why. And when I asked him at Demi’s, he said something came up, which isn’t
a total lie, but the truth was he was at practice. Why not just say that? Why hide it? I would have
totally understood had he been honest. “Uh ... my GPS says one more mile. It’s up here on the right.”
“This is the middle of nowhere,” Deke goes on, looking out the tinted window. Nothing but
wooden areas on either side of the two-lane road that we can see. We’ve been driving for almost
thirty minutes.
“Pretty sure that’s the point,” Demi says, rolling her eyes. “Are we staying the night? I didn’t think
to bring a bag,” she asks me.
“No,” the guys say in unison.
I sigh. I saw kids talking about how they stayed overnight. Death Valley is over twenty-five miles
away from civilization. They come out here to party. Pretty sure they get so fucked up they pass out in
their vehicles. But we won’t have that issue since my husband is the designated driver for the night.
“This reminds me of some Texas Chainsaw Massacre shit,” Deke adds.
“Exactly!” I clap with excitement.
He shakes his head. “No one is cutting off my arms tonight. Or any other night.” He straightens in
his seat. “I’ll kill a fucker …”
“There it is,” I say, seeing lights up ahead. Bright red and white spotlights are pointed up at the sky.
It reminds me of the Batman signal in Gotham.
“What kind of place is this?” Deke asks. “Looks like Silence.”
I snort. “This place is nothing like Silence.” At least I hope it’s not. Silence was an abandoned
insane asylum we visited for Halloween last year that ended up being a total disappointment.
“It’s not a tourist attraction. It’s just a place where kids party. Kinda like how we partied at the
beach in Collins.”
“Well, we all know how that ended.” Deke sighs.
Yes, we do. Not very well. “There aren’t going to be any fights tonight,” I say, narrowing my eyes
on Cole in the mirror. Again, he doesn’t acknowledge me, and my irritation grows. What is his
problem?
We pull into a large open field, and he brings the SUV to a stop. We all exit, and I stop to look at
the castle that I could only imagine being in London standing tall before us. It’s old with broken
windows, some completely missing, and graffiti painted on the concrete sides of the old and massive
four-story building. I bet it was gorgeous back in the day.
Cole takes my hand, and I look up at him. My eyes run over the smooth skin of his chiseled jaw,
straight nose, and into his dark spiked hair. He wears his black hoodie and a pair of jeans with his
Nikes. In a way, he’s so different from the night I met him in that cemetery, but also the same. I fell in
love with a killer. And a part of me thinks he misses that life. The blood. The anger. Our life is safe.
Boring. The same routine, day in and day out. Becky’s words ring in the back of my head. “He can
never love you. He’ll only use you. You’ll become a frumpy housewife, and he’ll get bored of you
…” I know another woman isn’t why he didn’t come home tonight, but the insecurity is still there. I
hate myself for even having that thought in the first place. For giving Becky that kind of power over
my marriage.
He lets go of my hand long enough to shove his palm into my chest, bringing us to a sudden stop.
“What the …?”
“Motherfuckers!” A guy screams as he runs in front of us with sparklers in his hands, cutting me
off. Two guys holding Roman candles chase after him.
Cole grips my hand again. “Keep an eye out,” he tells Deke.
He nods. “I’m packing.”
I drop my eyes to Cole’s waistband but can’t see anything through the hoodie. I pat it down with my
free hand and feel his gun on his hip.
That gets his attention. He drops his head to look down at me with his blue eyes. I arch a brow.
“You know I don’t go anywhere without it,” he states flatly.
Do I? “Since when?” I ask.
He ignores my question and looks away from me, searching the crowd that has gathered over at the
tailgate of a lifted truck.
I yank him to a stop. “What is your problem?” I ask again. We both know that I don’t let shit go
easily. Things have been better since Thanksgiving. I thought we had moved past this, but I guess I’m
kidding myself.
His jaw sharpens as he continues to watch the kids running around with beer bottles in their hands.
“Hey, I’m talking to you,” I snap.
He looks down at me once again, glaring. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
I instantly get pissy. He does this shit all the time. Hides what he feels. What he thinks. What he
knows. He treats me like a child sometimes as though I’m unable to understand or comprehend what
is going on. I’m his wife. I’m not some bitch he just met who he can keep secrets from. “Cole …”
“I said no, Austin!” he barks, and that’s that.
I rip my hand from his and cross my arms over my chest. He places his in the front pockets of his
jeans. I look over at Deke, and he’s nodding his head as he looks over the vast property littered with
kids. There’s a truck to our right that is pulling a trailer with three four-wheelers on it. They’re
removing them one by one.
My eyes catch sight of Demi, and she’s glaring at Cole, knowing he’s acting like a child. At least
someone other than me notices his attitude.
We should have never come here. But that’s what Cole wants. He pouts, and he expects me to give
in. Well, fuck him. I was aggravated when I sat at home waiting for him. I understand things come up,
and he may be late, but a text would have been nice. “Let’s go inside,” I say.
“Hey, bitches!”
Demi and I turn around, and I see Shane walking our way with Brynn on his shoulders. He comes
to a stop, leaning forward, and Brynn jumps down. She wears a pair of cutoffs that might as well be
underwear, a long-sleeve crop top hoodie, and a hat on backward with her hair down over her
shoulders.
“You brought a backpack?” Demi asks while I laugh.
“Well, yeah.” Dropping it to the grass, she unzips it and pulls out some shot glasses, then a bottle of
Fireball. “You don’t come to Death Valley and not get drunk,” she states.
I take a quick look over at Cole to see he’s moved a few steps away, and Deke is whispering in his
ear. What the fuck are they up to?
Demi gets my attention. “Then let’s get this party started.”
“This place is massive,” Shane says, looking around.
“It used to be gorgeous,” Brynn adds.
“What happened to it?” I ask. Demi and I have gotten pretty close with Brynn. And for the most
part, I forget that we never knew her when we lived in Collins. She fell into our group and feels like a
sister to us.
“It was a preparatory academy for boys. About fifteen years ago, a fire broke out.” She looks
around the vast property. The grass is overgrown and unkept as much as the building is. “It’s at least
thirty minutes to the nearest town. By the time emergency services arrived, most of the building was
up in flames. It took them hours, but they finally put it out. Hundreds were dead. Others missing. The
academy couldn’t afford to rebuild after all the lawsuits, so they left it.”
“What about the property?” I ask. “Why hasn’t the owner torn it down? What’s left of it? Or at least
sold it?”
She turns and points to the headstone that sits up by the front concrete wall that surrounds the entire
property. “He died in the fire. What was left of him was buried.”
“Someone has to own it,” Shane says. “Children?”
She shakes her head.
“Spouse?”
“Nope.”
“The city …?”
“There’s a story going around that he left it to a man. But no one knows who he is or why he hasn’t
done anything constructive.”
“Interesting,” Shane adds.
“Well, it’s beautiful out here.” I look at the entrance. At first glance, it looks more like a prison
than an all-boys school. There’s a concrete wall that has to be more than ten feet tall and then a fence
with barbwire wrapped around the top.
“There are rumors,” she adds, “that they tortured the boys and one of them set the fire on purpose.”
Demi gasps, “Why would they …?”
“The legend is that they were grooming them. Creating an army.”
“Why doesn’t the law come and shut this place down?” She goes on.
Brynn smirks. “Would you want the kids partying in your city?” She shakes her head at her own
question. “The cops want them out here. Away from the citizens and children.”
“Come on.” Cole grabs my arm, hearing enough. “Let’s go inside.”
We walk up the stone steps and enter the building. The once large double doors are no longer there.
It looks as bad inside as it does outside. It smells like weed. There’s broken glass on the floor, and
the walls have been painted on. The cracked concrete looks like spiderwebs covering the walls.
“Hey, I knew I’d seen this place before,” Shane says once he enters behind us with Brynn.
“You’ve been here?” Deke asks, wrapping an arm around his wife’s shoulders and pulling her into
his side.
The place is crawling with drunk kids and druggies. This isn’t anything like I was expecting.
He shakes his head. “No. It was all over the news last year. A girl went missing. Her friend
accused a junior football player of sexual assault and murder.”
“They weren’t friends,” Brynn corrects him, “but you were right about the football player being
accused of rape and murder. The trial lasted three months, and he was found not guilty.”
I take a shot of the Fireball. “What happened to the girl he supposedly killed?”
She looks over at me, her green eyes full of sadness. “Her body still hasn’t been found.”
 CHAPTER FIVE
COLE

WE’VE BEEN WALKING around this place for the past hour. We’re making our way down a dark
hallway when a woman comes running out of a nearby room, colliding with Austin. The girl screams
out in surprise.
“Are you okay?” Austin asks her.
“Fine,” she breathes, quickly looking over her shoulder, but no one’s there.
“Are you sure?” Austin asks again.
She quickly nods and turns back to face my wife.
“Looks like you’ve seen a ghost,” Demi adds, coming up beside Austin. “I imagine there are a lot
in this place.” She smiles as if she likes that thought. She and my wife love haunting shit.
“Yeah,” the girl breathes again. “I guess.”
“Another reason we should get the fuck out of here,” Deke says, coming up behind Demi and
wrapping his arms around her shoulders, pulling her back to his front.
“Give it up, Deke. We’re staying,” Demi tells him, rolling her eyes.
“This place is identical to Silence,” I growl, coming to stand next to my wife. “Boring and
uneventful. At least this place was free,” I add as if I care how much this place costs. I just want to go
home.
Austin looks up at me, irritation very clear in her eyes. “Can you try to pretend you want to be
here?”
“No,” I reply flatly.
She turns to fully face me. “I want to be here. Isn’t that good enough?” she asks, placing her arms
around my neck.
She’s trying to turn my sour mood around, but it’s not going to work. I look down at her but don’t
answer.
“Henley?” a girl calls out, running toward us, and Austin pushes away from me once again. She’s
fucking with me, making me pay for her waiting for me earlier. “Where did you go? I was worried
sick about you.” She comes to a stop and looks at the four of us. “Oh,” she says, her eyes darting back
and forth between Demi and Austin. “Hello. I’m Lacey.” She reaches out her right hand.
“Hi. I’m Austin …”
The girl grabs Lacey’s outreached hand and pulls it back. “We gotta go,” she announces and then
yanks her away from them.
“Where the fuck did Shane and Brynn go?” Demi asks.
“Hopefully they left,” I growl.
Demi gives me an evil look, but I don’t give a fuck. She doesn’t know what’s going on. Or what my
so-called friend did.
It all comes down to the fact that I can’t trust him. Deke knows that if he were to die right now, I’d
protect Demi with my life. Just as I would my own wife. But Shane? He wouldn’t do that for Austin,
and there lies the problem. And I’m not willing to take that chance.
 _______________

THE CLOCK ON the dash reads 2:30 a.m. when we get back into her Range Rover. I haven’t even pulled
out of my spot before I hear Deke and Demi making out in the back seat. Austin sits silently in the
passenger seat. She’s pretty drunk and seems to still be pissed at me.
I wasn’t all that nice at Death Valley. I didn’t even want to be there in the first place.
She shifts in her seat to look over at me, and my hands tighten on the steering wheel, knowing she’s
about to start a fight, but instead, she surprises me by reaching across the center console to rub her
hand on my thigh.
I give her a quick side-eye.
“What?” She smiles.
I say nothing.
Her hand slowly travels up my leg, and she grips my dick. I shove her hand, not in the mood to fuck
around right now. We’re not alone, and we have a thirty-minute drive to Deke and Demi’s, then
another fifteen to our house.
She lets out a huff and crosses her arms over her chest, staring straight ahead.
I might have allowed Deke to fuck around with her in the past, and I even offered her up to Kellan
once, but I’d never share her with any other man and that includes even allowing another man to
watch us be intimate in any way. No matter how fucking hard I am right now.

_______________

WE DROP DEKE and Demi off, and I’m surprised she remains quiet. But I’m not so lucky the moment we
walk into our home.
“What the fuck is wrong, Cole?” she asks, dropping her purse off on the table in the foyer.
“I told you to drop it.”
“I’m not going to fucking drop it,” she snaps. “We’ve done this too many times.” She shakes her
head. “Going to bed mad. Why didn’t you come home tonight?”
“I was busy,” I say and start up the stairs.
She grips my upper arm, her fingernails digging into my skin. “Deke called Demi.”
So then Demi has already filled her in as to why I was late. “My phone died.”
“You could have called me from his. Or said hey, while you’re on the phone with your wife ask her
to call mine for me. You had multiple options.”
I rip my arm from her hold and turn away from her.
“Are you having an affair?”
I halt at the top of the stairs and spin around. “What did you say?” I ask, thinking I heard her wrong.
She’s drunk. But I’m stone cold sober.
“You heard me.” She lifts her chin. She takes the few steps up the stairs to close the distance. “Are
you fucking someone else?”
I had a smart-ass remark on the tip of my tongue, but the fact she actually asked again has me just
staring down at her confused. What have I done wrong to make her think I’d step out of our marriage?
“Fucking answer me!” She slaps me. “Cole!” She slaps me again at my silence. “Fucking have the
balls to admit it …”
“Shane!” I shout, reaching out to grab her wrists so she can’t hit me again. Usually I’m into that sort
of thing, but not right now. “I’m fucking pissed at Shane. So, stay the hell away from him, Austin.” I
lean my face down to hers. “I don’t want that bastard anywhere near you.”
“What?” Her dark brows pull together. “You think I want to have an affair with Shane?”
Fuck! “No! Quit saying that goddamn word,” I growl, letting go of her.
“Isn’t that what you want?” she asks, hands out wide.
I tilt my head. Is she asking if I want her to fuck my friend? “Are you trying to start a fight with me?
Piss me off? Because I’m really fucking close to that point, Austin!”
“Oh, you’ve been pissed off for a while now, Cole. I’m just trying to figure out why.” She stomps
past me and finishes up the stairs and into our room. I follow her, and she removes her shirt, then
kicks off her shoes and shoves her jeans down her legs. She fumbles with her bra and stands before
me dressed in her underwear. “I waited for two hours on that bed. Two hours.” She points at it.
“Where were you?”
My head throbs as a migraine suddenly takes over. “I was at practice. You already know that.” I
rub my temples, trying to release the pressure.
“For two fucking hours?” She snorts as if that is an unbelievable statement. “Why was that so hard
to say? Huh? Why lie to me about it at Demi and Deke’s?” I open my mouth, but she continues.
“Maybe you had Deke lie to Demi for you.”
“Are you fucking serious right now?” I go to reach out for her, but she runs into the master
bathroom and slams the door shut.
Walking over to it, I try the knob, and just as I expected, it’s locked. I lean up against it. “We both
know I could knock this door down if I wanted to, sweetheart.” It would only take one hit with my
shoulder. I’d hate to do it, but if she leaves me no choice … “Austin?” I call out, slapping the white
wood. “Austin, fucking open this …”
The door swings open, and she stands there with both hands on her hips. I open my mouth to yell at
her but stop myself when I see the unshed tears in her eyes.
I step into the bathroom, and she takes a step back, matching it. “What is wrong?” I ask, truly
concerned.
“I want you to be honest with me,” she says slowly as though she’s trying to pick her words
carefully.
“Okay,” I say without hesitation.
“Were you with someone earlier tonight?”
Not this again. “No, Austin,” I say through clenched teeth. “I’m not fucking around on you, and I’m
starting to get offended you would think I’m capable of that.” I can be a fucking dick, but I’m not a
cheater. “The fact you think I would is a problem.”
“Becky told me …”
“When have you spoken to Becky?” I demand. We never talk about her. No one does. Demi has
nothing to do with her sister or anyone in her family besides her dad, and Deke doesn’t give a fuck
about his ex anymore. We gave her to Shane as if she was property that we sold. But I’m not close
with Shane like I used to be, so for all I know he’s already tossed her to the side as well. But Austin?
Becky was her best friend, her only friend who betrayed her in the worst possible way.
She ignores my question, running a hand through her hair. “She told me you would get bored with
me.”
I throw my head back and laugh.
“Fuck you, Cole.” She shoves me backward and exits the bathroom.
I follow her, trying to stop the laughter but failing miserably. “You know that bitch was just putting
words in your head, right?” I remember now when Becky and Austin had their falling out after we
moved here. When she found out that Becky still had her diary after she promised Austin she would
burn it. “The same bitch who was going to let a man rape and kill you? You’re going to believe her
bullshit? Austin, she just wanted to hurt you.”
She spins around to face me, and shouts, “She may have put the words in my head, but your actions
made me believe it was a possibility.”
Actions? What actions? So I was late one night. That doesn’t mean I was out cheating on my wife.
“Goddamn, Austin. I thought you were smarter than that.”
She gasps and then slaps me across the face. “Don’t you dare. Don’t pretend how I feel doesn’t
matter.”
I take in a deep breath. “Austin—”
“Fuck you, Cole!” She cuts me off again. “We’ll see how you feel when I ignore you and don’t
come home for a night.”
I wrap my hand around her throat and shove her back into the nearest wall. Pressing my body into
hers, I pin her in place.
My heart picks up, and my cock instantly hardens. She’s doing this on purpose to get a reaction out
of me. Well, sweetheart, be careful what you wish for. Sliding my hand up her slender neck, I tilt her
head back and lower my lips to hers. “I wish we could start every day off like this.” I growl, wanting
to devour her.
“Cole …”
I cut off her air and press my hips into her lower stomach, letting her know I’m about to throw her
ass onto the bed and fuck her unmercifully. Her glassy green eyes glare up at me while strands of her
hair cover parts of her face. My free hand comes up to move them to the side. I can smell the
cinnamon on her lips. She’s so drunk. I wonder if we’d be having this conversation if she were
sober? But I understand her fear of losing me. Because I feel it every day with her. “You’re the only
woman I’m fucking, Austin,” I tell her, my eyes on hers. “You’re the only woman I want and will ever
need. Do you understand me?” I loosen my hold around her neck, but don’t let go.
“No.” She licks her lips.
“No?” I repeat with a growl.
“Show me,” she breathes. Her heavy eyes hold mine. “Make me believe you. I dare you.”
I smile. “My pleasure, sweetheart.”

I hope you enjoyed the bonus content.

SURPRISE
Shane will be getting his own book. Truth or Dare will be coming out in 2022. I know that seems
like forever away, but I promise it’s not. Read on for a sneak peek. Subject to change.
 Truth or Dare
SHANE

IT’S LATE. A look at my watch tells me it’s past midnight. The only light we have is from the pool in
the backyard.
Placing my hands in my pockets, I slowly make my way to stand next to her at the edge of the pool.
My eyes run over her yoga pants. The way they hug her ass has my hand itching to slap it. Or rip them
off and bend her over. At this point, both sound mouthwateringly delicious. She wears a black Nike
tank top, and her hair is down, fanning her back. “This isn’t about win or lose. It’s about life or
death,” I say, alerting her to my presence.
“You going to kill me?” she asks with a snort, turning to face me. Trying to seem pretty confident
for a woman who doesn’t stand a chance.
She clearly underestimates me. They always do. Until they’re on their knees begging for their lives.
Then it’s just too late. I give a little shrug. “Depends.”
Her face falls, and eyes widen, and her breathing hitches. Any confidence she had is starting to
fade. Swallowing, she takes a step back as if the distance will give her an advantage. “Depends on
what?”
I reach out, running my knuckles over her jawline before sliding them into her hair. Getting a
handful, I jerk her head back.
She begins to fight me, struggling without any hope. “Shane …”
My free hand comes up and wraps around her throat, cutting off her air. I yank her to me, turning
her back so it faces the calm water. Large blue eyes meet mine while her lips part, trying to catch a
breath. My fingers tighten to hold her in place. “On how long you can hold your breath.” Then I shove
her in.
Make sure to add TRUTH OR DARE to your TBR list.
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/39rTVYy

Thank you for taking the time to read my Dare Series. Do you also enjoy reading about an arranged
marriage? Continue on to the prologue from my standalone Code of Silence: Dark Mafia Romance.
 PROLOGUE
LUCA

Ten years old

“WHO DID YOU fucking talk to?” my father demands.

“No one, John,” Uncle Marco snaps. “You know that—”
“I know what I’ve been told and what you are saying doesn’t add up!” He pokes his brother in
the chest. “And you.” He points at my aunt who stands in the corner of the living room with her
back against the window that overlooks their backyard. “You’ve been running your fucking mouth
too much.”
Tears fill her brown eyes as she stares at my father. Her shoulders shake, and she bites her
bottom lip, trying to swallow a sob.
John Bianchi puts the fear of God in you. Because he is god. As the Don—the ringleader of the
Italian-American Mafia—he decides when your time is up and how you pay for your sins. He was
born in New York, but he and my uncle moved to Las Vegas when my father was fourteen. Uncle
Marco was twelve. The laws in Sin City were more fluid back then, so my father was able to get his
hands dirtier. He likes life messy.
“Don’t talk to her like that!” Marco shoves my father.
“I’ll talk to the bitch however I fucking please!” He punches my uncle, knocking him to his
knees.
Aunt Ava cries out as blood runs down his chin, but she doesn’t dare go to her husband. No, she
stays in her corner, knowing damn well there’s nothing she can do. At this point, all she can hope is
that my father spares her life.
“You son of a bitch,” Marco growls, wiping the blood off.
My father pulls the gun from the waistband of his dress slacks and points it down at his brother.
“John!” He throws up his hands, eyes so dark they’re almost black, pleading with my father to
spare his life. “Come on. We’ll figure this out. I swear it wasn’t me …”
My father pulls the trigger.
I jump, momentarily deafened by the sound except for the ringing in my ears. Ava cries out,
falling to the floor. Bringing her knees to her chest, she openly sobs.
I look back at my uncle. He never did live up to the expectations of the Bianchi family. My
father was born in the mafia, and he will die in it, but his younger brother always played a role.
Marco has wanted out for years, and this was the only way he was going to get it. Putting a bullet
in his head was John Bianchi’s way of sparing him. He could have made my uncle suffer.
He turns to face my aunt. “No!” she screams. “Please …” She shakes violently as tears run
down her face, smearing the makeup she put on earlier. It’s their anniversary. We caught them on
their way out to dinner to celebrate fifteen years of marriage.
“Strip,” my father orders.
“Please …!” She sobs, shaking her head.
“Remove your dress. Now!” he shouts.
 Using the window for support, she slowly gets to her feet. With shaky hands, she undoes the
hook that holds her dress around her neck. It falls down her chest, stomach, and hips before
pooling around her black heels. Her frail body shakes as she covers her bare breasts with her
arms.
My father smiles at her, obviously happy with what he sees. Or what he doesn’t see. A wire.
Someone has been feeding information to the feds, and he suspects it’s her. But the things that have
gotten back to my father were spot-on, so if she wasn’t the snitch, then her husband was.
He walks over to her, grips her auburn hair, and jerks her head back. Placing the gun under her
chin, he shows no emotion as she closes her eyes and sobs uncontrollably. “You keep your
goddamn mouth shut; do you understand me?”
She begins to nod, but he shoves her head back farther with the barrel of the gun.
“Fucking say it, Ava!” he growls in her face.
“Keep … my ... mouth … shut,” she chokes out.
He releases her, and she cries out when he shoves her to the floor once again. Turning to face
me, he places his gun back in his waistband. Coming over to me, he says, “Never let anyone stand
in your way, son. Not even fucking blood. They’ll be the first to undercut you, and they should be
the first to die for it.”

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 OTHER BOOKS BY SHANTEL TESSIER
DARK KINGS SERIES
TITAN
GRAVE
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BONES (COMING 2021)

SEVEN DEADLY SINS SERIES

ADDICTION
OBSESSION
CONFESSION- COMING SOON

THE SELFISH SERIES

SELFISH
MYSELF
SELFLESS

STANDALONES
DASH
DONUT OVERTHINK IT
JUST A KISS
SLAUGHTER
CHAMPAGNE WISHES – WILD IN THE WINDY CITY ANTHOLOGY
MAKE YOU BEG – BULLY ME: CLASS OF 202 ANTHOLOGY