by Nina Lincoln
Until Max sits down beside me, and my pleasant mood fades under his brooding stare. I turn my head away, wishing for peace but he doesn’t fucking care about my state of mind.
“Have you even looked for the damn thing?”
“I haven’t seen it,” I mutter.
“Are you even trying?”
“Yes,” I trail off, lying through my teeth.
There’s a pause in which I turn to find him staring at me with wide, tortured eyes. “Hals, he’s going to hurt me.”
“Oh, Max…”
“If you care about me at all,” he says, and I cringe when his voice breaks because Max is truly scared. Can I ignore this? Fuck.
Sucking in a shaky breath, I rise from the lounger. “Okay.”
To my relief and annoyance, he doesn’t follow, leaving his mess for me to fix, but I can’t get the desperation in his voice out of my head, so I grimly head for Griffin’s room.
It’s not in the drawers because Max looked through all of those, so I step into his disgustingly large closet and glance around. It’s filled with clothes and boxes that could take me days to weed through, and with a sigh, I start at the back, pulling out a box and dropping to my knees.
The first box is nothing but playing cards, the next old magazines of half-dressed women to my amusement, but the third makes me pause.
Inside, I spy a picture of Griffin and me from seventh grade. We’re beaming at the camera, and he has his arms around me. Beneath it is a card I gave him for his birthday, along with a picture I drew of the sun setting behind his house, and with each new item I pick up, a memory flows through me.
A coin from our favorite arcade, where Griffin won a stuffed bunny that I still have tucked away in my closet.
A ticket stub to the movies and a show I don’t even remember.
One of my earrings that I thought I lost a long time ago, a pressed flower, and a rock I dug out of the sand and gave him because it was pretty and strong, just like him.
Why did he keep all this? If he hates me?
Wiping the tears from my cheeks, I shove the box back where it was and stand, pausing with a frown when I see a familiar jacket.
Running my fingers down the smooth material, I turn it toward me and see it’s the fucking coat he supposedly lost in the bet for my virginity.
A lie? Was it all a lie? But why?
No longer interested in searching through his things because my skin is crawling at the invasion, I gasp when he appears in the door with a strange expression on his face.
“What are you doing in here?” he asks, cocking his head to the side.
“Oh, I was looking for an, um, sweatshirt,” I mumble, grabbing the nearest item I see and pulling it from the hanger.
“A sweatshirt?”
“Yeah.” I smile bright, although I’m sure it doesn’t pass muster when he frowns.
But slowly, he nods and glances behind me before ushering me from the closet. “C’mon, we’re barbecuing out back.”
∞∞∞
Griffin hands me a hamburger as soon as I emerge and watches me like a hawk while I eat it. After, we sit around the fire, roasting marshmallows. The treat is sticky and gooey and when I glance up, I shiver to find Griffin’s eyes on me as I lick my lips.
The burn in his eyes creates a sense of power and feeling sassy, I lift a brow and eat another, making sure it’s messy as I lick myself clean once again. His nostrils flare when I suck a finger into my mouth and with a growl, he pulls it free and sucks it between his yummy lips.
My core spasms so painfully, I shift as he smiles at me wickedly and proceeds to give each finger the same treatment, running his tongue around the digits boldly, one-by-one. Spellbound, I watch with wide eyes, only breaking away when someone laughs across from us, and I realize he’s showing desire for me in front of his friends.
Uneasy but thrilled, I pull away until he grabs me under his arm and hugs me tightly to him, and giving in, I snuggle deep, meeting the vicious glare of the girl from our car ride across the fire.
Disturbed, I glance away into Max’s cold blue eyes, shivering under the intensity of the hatred staring back at me.
Griffin glances down at me and I drop my unease as he smirks, and asks with a teasing lilt, “Where’s the sweatshirt you were planning to steal from my closet?”
“Oh,” I say, heat filling my cheeks, but he just smiles and pulls the sweatshirt he’s wearing over his head before helping me to into it.
The warmth immediately surrounds me, his scent invading my nostrils as I snuggle in his arms once more and studiously ignore the multiple pairs of eyes boring into me.
Later, he takes me back to his room and lays me out on the bed, exploring every part of my body until I’m writhing with need before fucking me gently until we both orgasm together.
∞∞∞
When I wake the following morning, he’s gone, and glumly I search through his things halfheartedly, finding nothing but the memories of a boy turned man.
After I search out Max, only to find his room is empty, I give up and make my way outside, walking down the beach tiredly. I don’t know what to do about Max, and I’m scared for him but frankly relieved I haven’t found the necklace because I’m terrified of what this will do to Griffin.
Maybe I’m being foolish because inevitably, this will all end, but even so, I’d like to think it doesn’t have to be because of this and over Max and his stupidity.
“Hey, Halsey,” Jason says with a smarmy grin.
Startled, I skid to a stop, turning away with a grimace as he opens his mouth to speak, but he catches my arm and stops me as he says, “Not so fast. Let’s chat.”
“About what?” I ask, pulling from his grip uneasily.
“Griffin was asking me about you. I thought we had an agreement?”
“We did. We do,” I say, my stomach sinking. What could Griffin possibly be asking Jason?
“Then you better bring him in line,” he warns.
“I can’t control Griffin. Why are you even here? Maybe if you stayed away, he wouldn’t be wondering about shit.”
“Because this is where the action’s at,” he says impatiently. “Just get him off my back.”
With that, he walks away, and I drop to the sand wearily. As much as I’m enjoying this little interlude with Griffin, it can’t last, and I’m starting to worry about the consequences. What if he digs too deep? And why does he care?
Except he kept all our memories and the damn jacket!
Rubbing my head tiredly, I glance up when a shadow looms over me, staring into the eyes of Griffin’s bitch, who looks me over rudely. “You know he doesn’t care about you, right?”
“Maybe. And he cares about you?” I say, standing to my feet.
Fingering her chest, she smiles wide, her eyes narrowed with glee on my face. “Yes.”
Sighing, I look away, because of everything happening around me, petty jealousy is the least of my worries, but I turn back to her when she says, “You’re not special, you know.”
“Is that—” I start to say but glance at her chest again where she’s playing with her jewelry only to spy the very same necklace I’ve been looking for around her damn neck.
Did he give that to her? Surely not. But how else would she have it?
“What are you looking at? Oh, this? Griff gave it to me. Isn’t it great?” she says with a vicious smirk.
Speechless, I stare at the yellow stone as my world crashes around me. Is this another game, then?
Brushing past her, I spy Griffin walking my way with a smirk, and when he’s within punching distance, I ball up my fist and aim for his nads.
Gasping, he drops like a stone. “Fuck, Halsey.”
“Yeah, fuck. You’re a fucking piece of shit!”
“Whatever, fuck,” he says with a wicked grimace, standing as the chick approaches.
“Baby, are you okay?” she asks, giving me a dirty look.
Glancing between them with teary eye
s, I suck in a shuddering breath and pray neither can see them. “I hope you can’t have fucking children.”
“Halsey!” Griffin says, as I stalk away but I ignore him, making a beeline for my brother as I approach the house and wipe my face angrily. “The fucking thing is around the bitch’s neck.”
“Sh,” he says, glancing around wildly, but I don’t fucking care as I stalk away, taking the stairs two at a time and running to my room.
Once inside, I grab my bag from on top of the tiny-ass dresser and shove my clothes inside because if I don’t leave, I’m not sure what I will do, but judging by the clawing feeling in my sternum, it won’t be pretty.
Swearing under my breath, I pause when Griffin finds me a few minutes later, and eyeing him grimly, I regret that I didn’t do more damage when he stalks in without so much as a limp and pulls me around to get in my face.
“What’s your fucking problem?”
“You’re my problem.” I seethe, pushing him away, but he doesn’t so much as budge, and I slap out at him, hitting his chest with my rage.
Grabbing my arms, he pushes me back and says fiercely, “What the fuck. Stop.”
Pulling and wrenching on his arms, I glare at his chest. “I hate you!”
“Halsey, fucking stop,” he says again, pushing me down on the bed with glittering eyes.
Staring up at him slack-jawed, I heave a breath that ends on a whimper when his gaze falls to my chest, and his eyes widen, staring at my heaving boobs. Dropping my eyes to his dick, I stare at his erection, bobbing before me in his shorts as he slowly drops them to the floor and palms himself.
He’s so beautiful my chest aches at the sight, and breathlessly, I watch a bead of cum dribble at the tip as I arch into the air.
Fuck it. I can’t resist because he’s my fucking kryptonite, and I don’t want to knowing this could be my last fuck with him anyway.
Pulling my shirt over my head, I palm my breasts, a thrill rushing through me when his nostrils flare, and he grabs my thighs, pulling me toward him with a heated glare. Quickly, he divests me of my pants before tracing his fingers softly over my lips. Whimpering, I thrust into him as he plays with me, dipping his fingers inside before pulling them out and licking them with a cool smirk.
Narrowing my eyes, I sit up and grab his dick, clenching my hand around him harshly before I pull him against me and rub my wet core against the head.
“Fuck,” he growls, pushing my hands aside and surging into me without warning.
His mouth stretches in a snarl as he pulls out and pounds into me over and over, his fingers gripping my legs tightly. Crying out, I thrust against him, tingles surging through me wildly as easily, too easily, he brings me to orgasm, and I fall over the edge. But he keeps going, his hips smacking my ass as I keen low in my throat and chase another.
He fucks me so brutally I inch back on the bed, and he has to pull my legs into the crooks of his arms to keep me close. Groaning, he pounds harder before surging into me and spewing, and because the pressure is so intense, I cry out, pulsing around him, as I stare at his pained expression and the desperation behind his eyes.
The sight makes my chest clench, and I turn my head away until he pulls my chin back, his eyes now clear as he searches my expression with a clenched jaw before letting me go.
When he pulls away grimly to do up his shorts, I grab the nearest item and pull my nightshirt over my head before stepping into my damn shorts and putting them back on. And with my back to him, I close my eyes against the urge to cry as I zip my bag shut.
“Where are you going?” he asks gruffly.
“Anywhere but here,” I say, picking up the bag.
Grabbing my arm, he pulls me around. “Halsey.”
“What? Is this just another game to you? Well, this is my life, Griffin.”
With a wicked laugh, he shakes me for good measure but his eyes are dark as he looks me over. “Yeah, well, this is my fucking life, too! You think I like this? I don’t.”
“Then why? Why?”
“Because I fucking want you even though I shouldn’t. You’re a fucking liar and a schemer. Is anything with you real?” he sneers.
Closing my eyes, I drop my head to my chest and whisper, “You’re a monster.”
Dropping my arm, with disgust, he steps back. “Whatever. At least I’m not fucking lying to myself.”
“About what? How am I lying?”
“He showed me the video, Halsey,” he says roughly.
“What video?” Panic pulses through me heavily. Oh god, please no.
“The one of you begging him for dick.”
My stomach swishes uncomfortably, and I clutch it desperately as a surge of bile shoots up my throat. “You saw a video?”
“Yes! What’s this all about, Halsey? Why would you lie? What even happened?” He searches my eyes and blindly I turn away.
“Whatever. I can’t.”
“No! You don’t get to walk away. Tell me!” His tone commands me to answer but his hazel eyes are alight with a desperation I don’t understand.
“What do you want from me?” I demand, pulling away.
“The truth!” he shouts.
Thankfully, we’re upstairs, so no one can hear as we scream at each other.
Rubbing my trembling lips, I curl my hand into a fist to stop the sob hanging there. “I told you the truth.”
“You lied! I saw! I saw the video! You were begging him, Halsey. You kept saying I love you. You said…fuck,” he says, running his hands through his hair, “You said…I want you to love me.”
Vaguely, I remember the words as he speaks them, snippets of the conversation flashing through my mind. Jason laughing and playing around, running his hands over my body as his friends chuckled in the background.
And as I lay back and slowly passed into oblivion, I had a whisper of a memory of when Griffin gave me my present, and in my head, I said what I never dared to say until it was too late.
Shaking from head to toe, I say now, “Griffin, I was so fucking drunk, I don’t even remember most of it.”
Flinching away from me, he grimaces. “Then why did you tell him to love you?”
Smiling sadly, I raise my hand and drop it, whispering, “I was saying it to you.”
His brows drop over his tortured eyes, and he clenches his fist as he pounds it against his chest. “I wasn’t there.”
“You were in my head,” I say, backing away. “You were always in my head.”
“Halsey! This is fucked-up shit. How the fuck am I supposed to believe anything that comes out of your mouth!”
“Me? What about you? What was this about, getting in my pants? Revenge?” My chest hurts so fucking badly, the burn might bring me to my knees, as I wave my arms in the air.
“No,” he says, leaning into my face. “It was about fucking you out of my system.”
“Oh? Are you done now?”
Stepping back, he takes a deep breath, his eyes flickering before they grow icy cold, and he looks me up and down, his tone so low I have to strain to hear him. “Yes, I’m done.”
My heart stops in my chest, the void so great, I can’t breathe past it. Stepping around him, I walk down the hall, frozen from the inside out.
“Halsey…fuck.”
Once outside, I breathe deep and push back the angry tears. I will not fall apart, not here. I’m walking down the gravel drive when Max pulls up in Griffin’s SUV and tells me grimly, “Get in.”
“I’m not going back.”
“Yeah, I kinda got that. Get in,” he says impatiently.
Sighing, I round the vehicle and get inside, watching out the window as he drives into town and parks outside the bus station.
Closing my eyes, I lean against the window and sigh—a fucking bus. Epic. I guess it’s better than the alternative.
“C’mon,” he says, leading me inside and paying for a ticket at the counter.
Silently, I sit in the hard-ass plastic seat, surprised when he sits beside
me until he speaks, and I turn to him, incredulous.
“I have the necklace. I need you to give it to Patch.”
“What? Fuck no.”
“Halsey,” he growls, “do you want the money?”
“Oh, now there are more conditions? Fuck you!” Seething, I cross my arms over my chest, and glare at him, ignoring his nasty scowl.
“You don’t have a choice. He’s picking you up from the bus station when you get there. Just give him the necklace, and you’ll be fine.”
“Max,” I say, staring at him wide-eyed. “Why would you tell him where to find me?”
He rolls his eyes. “It’s fine. He just wants the necklace.”
“That’s not true, and you know it.” He doesn’t hear me though, and I look down with dismay when he shoves the jewelry at me and stands.
“Enough. Just do it,” he says, walking away.
Staring after him, I contemplate my options because I’m fucked. I can take the damn bus and deliver the jewelry or call my mom and beg her to come and get me.
Or my final option is to grovel to Griffin and hope he comes and gets me, except then Max will be there.
Shit.
Patch is dangerous, and I can’t believe my own brother would do this, but I refuse to put myself in another fucking ridiculous situation.
Pulling out my phone with a sigh, I shoot a text to Griffin and wait.
I need to talk to you
But after an hour of checking my messages like a freak, he never answers, which leaves me nowhere. I have little money and only my brother as my other resource unless I call my mom and end up worrying her and creating more ridiculousness again.
I’m fucking stuck.
Chapter Thirty-Two
It’s always too good to be true.
I watch the scenery fly by from my spot on the bus, considering all my options before finally leaning back and giving it up to fate. I’m tired, and my heart hurts because this is all too much. I need out. I need—fuck, I don’t know, but not this.
Whenever I think about Griffin’s revelations, I start to panic, and since I’m on a fucking bus for the next several hours, I try to will the anxiety away. But this is my worst fear come true, and although I knew I couldn’t outrun it, I guess I hoped I would.