The color leaks first, and I watch in fascination as it runs from the clothes. The paper starts melting. It's a rainbow mess on the ground. Her scent disappears. She disappears.
I stare at the mess I've made, unsure whether I should hate myself. My fingertips wrap around the one thing I saved, safely enclosed in my pearl clutch.
"Goodbye, Lily Anna," I mutter before leaving the room. I walk out of the house, my only companion the sound of my own footsteps. Outside, I'm surprised to find Dex waiting for me, leaning against the car.
"Came to watch the world burn, did you?" I grin at him.
"You could say that." He pats the car hood and I join him on it. We lean back, staring at the starry sky. "Are you sorry you did that?"
I shake my head, meeting his gaze.
"Are you?" He shakes his head too. We stare at one another in silence until it becomes too much. I look away first, looking back at the house. "How long until he finds it?"
"Let's wait and see."
We lie on the hood of the car and watch the night pass. Somewhere during the hour that passes, Dex's hand finds mine, and I don't pull back. My heart hammers in my chest, each beat a repetition of his name - Dexter, Dexter, I'm yours, Dexter.
I don't say it though, keeping my feelings close so he can't use them to hurt me.
"Look," he finally says, motioning to the house. "There's a light on in your room."
I follow his gaze to the house, and sure enough, the light is on. Someone screams - Father. Masculine, wounded and truly devastated, the sound cuts through me like a knife.
Shame threatens to swallow me up. What I did was petty, awful. Regret washes over me, but my stubborn side refuses to let it stay.
He got what he had coming. His sick obsession needed to end. I was just helping him.
Dex helps me off the car, opens the door for me and spends a second staring at me as we listen to Father's screaming.
"I'm going to fuck you tonight," he tells me firmly.
"Okay," I shrug, pretending I don't care even though I'm dying for him to touch me already.
"You're a different person than you were when you got here, Pandora."
"Different as in... better?"
He doesn't answer, grinning as he closes the door. He gets in on the driver's side and we drive home slowly, in silence. When we park, he waits a moment before getting out.
"I don't know if it's better or worse," he admits, and I realize he's been thinking about the question since it slipped from my lips. "But you're definitely one of us now."
"What do you mean?"
"This town." He shrugs. "It changes you."
"I haven't changed." I feel offended by his words. "I'm still me."
"Are you?" His imploring eyes drill into mine, searching for the truth.
"Yes," I reply firmly, unbuckling my seatbelt and getting out of the car. "Fuck you, Dex."
"Oh, you will," he tells me with a grin. "In fact, because you're such a fucking brat, I'm going to make you beg for it."
I roll my eyes. Luckily, it's dark enough outside so my blush isn't obvious. If only Dexter Booth could read my thoughts... then I'd truly be doomed, because he's the only thing on my mind anymore... and I don't even want that to change.
16
Pandora
My heart is racing as we walk into the house. Dex locks the door behind us and silently points upstairs. I walk into the master bedroom feeling like I've just signed my death sentence. But then why am I so excited about what's going to happen?
He closes the bedroom door, his eyes burning with cold fire as he turns to face me.
"Strip."
"I can't," I say. "You have to unzip me."
I turn so my back is faced toward him, and he works the zipper until the dress slides down my shoulders, leaving me exposed. I let it pool around my feet. I'm not wearing a bra, just a black lace thong, and I feel unbearably naked in front of him. But this time I don't try to cover up. I cling to the remaining shreds of my confidence and face Dexter Booth.
"So?" I ask. "What do you want to do?"
"Fuck you," he grits out. "Palms against the wall, toy. Stick your ass out for me."
I do as I'm told, feeling his hungry gaze devouring my body. "Are you going to hurt me?"
"Of course," he says, his voice gentler. "That's what you like, isn't it?"
I don't answer, and he spanks my ass, hard. I don't make a sound, making him laugh out loud.
"I've taught you so well, toy... You're turning into a good girl right before my eyes. Who would've thought. You were so feisty before..." His fingertips soothe the area he hit. "You gave in so quickly. You just can't resist, can you?"
I don't answer, and he smacks me again, leaning against my ear to whisper in it.
"You don't have to admit it, you know... We both know the truth after all."
I hear him unzipping behind me, and my mouth waters at the thought of his cock. I feel his tip pressing against me then. He pushes the fabric of my panties to the side, pressing his cock to my pussy lips.
"I wonder if you still want it in here..." he mutters, then slides his tip higher, making me whimper. My ass clenches. "Or maybe you want it in here... What do you think, Pandora? Have I turned you into an anal slut yet?"
I grit my teeth together, my old brattiness demanding I bite back. But I don't. I stay well-behaved and obedient, just the way he wants me.
He pushes his tip inside my ass and I groan out loud, feeling him stretch me out. His cock fits inside me so perfectly. I want him everywhere. I don't want anyone else. Just Dex... Always Dex. My Dex.
"You break so well for me," he compliments me. "It's my favorite thing about you. So fucking bratty and yet you're putty in my hands..."
"Dex." The word escapes me before I can stop myself. "Fuck me."
"Already?" He laughs out loud, making my heart speed up even more. He pushes his cock deeper. "I told you, toy... You have to beg for it like a good girl."
"P-Please." The words won't leave my lips. My mind won't let them even though my body is more than eager to submit to Dexter fully. "Please, do it."
"Oh come on." He laughs, pulling out to my dismay. "You can do better than that, can't you, my pretty toy? You have to earn it... Be obedient."
I shake my head no. I don't want to give him the satisfaction.
All of a sudden, his fist wraps in my hair and he throws me on the bed. I land on the cushions, sprawled out and at my bully's mercy. Our eyes meet. He wants me. I want him. And yet we're still playing games, pushing one another.
"Are you really mine?" he wonders out loud. "Or do you still think about the other boys?"
I don't answer, hitting back where it hurts instead. "Are you mine? Or are you still Lily Anna's?"
Dex's mouth forms a thin line, his jaw setting. "She's gone."
"Is she really?" I whisper. "Sometimes it feels like she's right here..."
I watch Dex's hard cock twitch with annoyance, and the next second, he's on the bed, pressed up against me. "You going to keep talking back, toy? Do I need to teach you manners all over again?"
"Maybe," I spit out.
"Fine." He reaches over to the nightstand, opening the drawer and pulling out a pair of handcuffs. "I can do that."
My eyes light up, but then I notice the scrap of fabric in the drawer. Before Dex can stop me, I reach for it, pulling out a pair of panties. "What's this?"
"It's..." His expression falls, then hardens. "It's nothing."
"They're panties, Dex." I throw them at him, scrambling to get away, but he holds me down. He pins my hands above my head and straddles me. "Get the fuck off me."
"Why? You know I've been with others before."
"How long ago, Dex?" I hiss. "While you've been with me?"
"You're jealous," he smirks. "It's cute."
"I know there's shit you aren't telling me," I snarl.
"So?" He shrugs. "Every man has his secrets."
"Why did Anders quit?" I demand. "W
hy don't you have any help?"
"I can't afford it," he grits out. "Because of you. Fucking remember?"
"It was before that." I shake my head, and this time when I fight him off, he lets me. I'm almost disappointed. "You're hiding something."
I walk away from him, down the hallway. Dex follows.
"Can you fucking stop for a second?" he demands.
"No!" I turn to face him. "You're hiding important things from me."
He doesn't deny it. "You don't want to know everything, fucking trust me."
"I deserve to," I argue. "So here's your chance, Dex. Tell me the truth, or lose me forever."
He hesitates. An excruciatingly long minute passes.
"You know what?" I hiss. "Fine. I'm leaving. Keep your secrets."
"Where the fuck are you going to go?"
"Not your problem." I pull out the phone he gave me and make a call. He unlocked it for me days ago, but I can’t make cross-country calls yet. "Hey, it's me. Can I stay with you for a while? Okay. Yeah. Thanks."
I end the call and give him a self-satisfied glare.
"See what you made me do?"
"That better hadn't been one of the guys," he snarls.
"What's it to you?" I cock my head to the side. "Maybe you should call Audra here. She'll keep your bed warm."
"Fuck that," he grits out. "I don't want Audra."
"Then fucking come with me." I take a step forward, taking his hand in mine. "Let's go, Dex. Let's leave Eden Falls, like we talked about. Let's go right now."
He hesitates. I'm so eager for him to say yes, I pretend not to notice.
"Please," I plead with him. "Let's leave this town behind."
"I can't," he manages to get out, his voice breaking over the voice.
"Why not?" I demand. "What's keeping you here?"
"Lily Anna." He won't meet my eyes.
"She's dead, Dexter! She's fucking gone!" I cry out. "When are you going to finally accept that?"
"She's... still here," he manages.
"Because you won't let go," I remind him. "None of you will - not Father, not any of your friends. You're all so fucking obsessed with her. Just deal with it. She's dead!"
"She's not!" He punches the wall then, right next to my face, making me jump back in fear. "She's not dead, Pandora."
"W-What?" My eyes widen. "What do you mean?"
He hesitates, but then his gaze meets mine. "She's not dead."
"How do you know? Where else would she be if she wasn't dead?"
"She's here." His voice breaks again.
"You're fucking delusional, Dex," I tell him. "You're so obsessed with her, you've convinced yourself she's still here... It's sick. Fucking sick."
I walk past him into the closet and start stuffing my clothes into an overnight bag, feeling pissed off. Dex looks defeated. Broken. I've never seen him like this.
"You're leaving for real?" he asks, and I just glare at him. “I don’t think you should.”
"You don’t think I should?” I ask, daring him to ask me to stay.
“No, I don’t,” he hisses. “I think you should stay here, where your place is. Don’t fucking leave.”
His words cut deep. I hesitate, but then I shake my head, more certain than ever. "I have to, Dex. You're obsessed. I can't be with a man who's constantly thinking about someone else."
I finish packing, get dressed and stroll past him without another word. I walk outside, waiting in the driveway while Dex lingers in the hallway, watching me.
"Are you going to Easton's?" he finally asks.
"No," I snarl.
"Who then?"
"Why do you care?"
"Because you're fucking mine." The words come out in a snarl.
"I'm not," I say. "Not until you admit she's gone. Can you do that for me, Dex?"
His silent stare says it all, and I shake my head in disbelief just as the limo pulls up into the Booth driveway. "Goodbye, Dexter."
He watches silently as I get into the car. The windows are tinted, so I tell myself he won't see me watching him. I don't take my eyes off him until he's gone.
"It's going to be okay." A hand finds mine. I look up into Lai's eyes, smiling weakly.
"Thanks for letting me stay with you," I whisper. "I didn't know who else to call."
"It's okay." We sit there in companionable silence. "Do you love him, Pandora?"
I struggle with my answer, not because I don't know the truth, but because I don't want to admit it. When I do, everyone will know for sure. And I'll be the weak one again. The one with no power.
"Sometimes," I finally whisper.
"It's okay," he says again, his hand patting mine. "Sometimes, I love him, too."
My eyes snap to his. "Really?"
"Really." He laughs nervously. "Not that he'd ever... you know."
"Why did you agree to help me?" I whisper. "You never wanted to before. Do you feel sorry for me?"
"No, Pandora." He smiles, but there's sadness in the expression. "I'm just an idiot caught in an epic love story that has no room for me."
His words cut deep, and I think about them while we drive.
"Where are we even going? I don't know where you live..."
"You'll see soon enough," he replies with a smile. "You'll find out everything."
"It seems like it's never everything," I mutter. "This town has too many secrets."
He smiles just as the car starts moving up a winding driveway. We reach the house then, one I never knew of, another beautiful Gothic mansion illuminated by perfectly placed spotlights. It's like a scene out of a movie.
"This is where you live?" I ask. "It's amazing."
"There's a lot you don't know about me," he replies. "Come on, let's go inside. I want you to meet my brother."
I allow him to open the door and lead me up to the house. I feel shabby in my thrown together outfit, especially when the maids give me questionable glances as they scurry past us.
"You're safe here," Lai reassures me. "Stay as long as you want."
"Thank you." We stand in the hallway, his hand lingering on mine, our eyes locked in a silent dance. I have so many questions, but I'm too afraid to ask. Lai gives me butterflies. Lai makes me feel safe. And yet I'm so afraid of him. Not like Dexter. Dexter hurts me because he knows I love it. Lai... Lai hurts me because I hurt him.
But for the time being, he's an ally. And I need to keep it that way.
"Come on," he says, offering me his arm. "I have a lot to tell you."
I smile, accepting his offer and allowing him to lead me down the hallway.
I tell myself everything is going to be okay and I don't need Dexter Booth at all, not with Lai around.
But I don't believe my own lies.
I know I'll go back to him.
I just hope I'll be Dex's final choice. But if it's between me and Lily Anna... it's always going to be a losing game, because I'll never measure up to the perfect, beautiful girl who came before me.
17
Dexter
Pandora Oakes has left me a mess. I miss her. I don't want to admit it, but I feel alone. Lonely. Ready to call her and demand she come back, right the fuck now. But I have other problems I need to deal with. Namely a very pretty prisoner I need to set free.
I contemplate my next step for days. I need to be careful, calm and collected when I deliver the news. I have a feeling Lily Anna won't react well, but I don't have a choice. I'm more determined than ever to get out of this town, to escape with Pandora in tow. The only person standing in my way is the girl locked in my house.
I knock on the door to tell her I'm coming, then unlock it and walk inside. She's sitting on her mattress, her eyes lighting up when she sees me. She picks herself up with barely held back excitement and I hate myself for what I'm about to do to her. She doesn't deserve this. She doesn't even know what's coming...
"Hi," I say gruffly.
"Hello." She's careful, apprehensive, and she should be. "Everything oka
y? It's not dinner time yet..."
I sit down cross-legged on the hardwood floor. She sits next to me, crawling closer on all fours. I can't even look at her, can't risk Lily Anna seeing the truth in my eyes.
"What's wrong?" She knows already. She knows something's off, and I'm about to destroy her.
"I'm thinking about leaving town." I deliver the words with finality, but I know full well she'll fight back.
"Oh?" Her brows shoot up. "Where are we going?"
"Not we, Lily Anna." I groan, running my fingers through my hair. "Just me."
"What about me?"
"You'll be free." This time, I finally meet her eyes, expecting her to be thrilled since I'm finally giving her what she's been asking for all along. "Isn't that what you wanted, Lily Anna?"
"I want to be with you." She crosses her arms stubbornly and glares at me. "Why are you thinking about leaving me?"
"I need to get out of here," I mutter. "This town is toxic and I'm fucking done with it."
"Then take me with you." She scoots closer and takes my hands in hers, holding them to her racing heart. "Please, I'll be good, just take me with you..."
"I can't."
"Why not?" Now she sounds angry. Her emotions are so unpredictable, it scares the fuck out of me sometimes.
"Because I..." I ponder my words before finally deciding to tell her the truth. She deserves it after everything I've done to her. "I'm leaving with someone else."
"Lai or something?" She narrows her eyes at me. I shake my head. "Who then?"
"Pandora."
"Pandora?" She repeats the name in shock before rolling her eyes. "You can't be fucking serious. The fucking imposter little girl who took my spot?"
I don't answer her. Our gazes lock, threatening to burn each other down.
"You love her?" she asks, and I don't answer. This makes her bottom lip wobble, and she crawls closer to me, desperate hands grabbing me, clinging to me. "Tell me you don't love her, Dexter."
I look into her eyes. I don't have to answer. She knows the truth already.
Lily Anna screams then, starting to hammer my chest with her little fists. I make no move to stop her. I deserve her rage, deserve her taking this anger out on me when I've been fucking with her head for years. A part of me even hopes she'll break skin, draw blood. I deserve that, too.
A Hurt So Sweet Volume Three: A Dark High School Bully Romance (Elite of Eden Falls Prep Book 3) Page 13