time she left here. She’s probably
asleep now.
I press my lips together to keep my furious screech muffled and kick one of the bags on the floor, sending it flying across the room as my thumbs feverously tap in my reply.
What a fucking honor to be your
consolation prize.
Wow. Did you ever think maybe
I just wanted to talk to you?
Maybe I don’t feel the same way.
Are you trying to say you don’t want
to talk to me? That really hurts.
I’m sure you’ll survive.
There are a lot of things I can endure in
life. Not being able to talk to you isn’t
one of them.
OMFG!
You’re so full of crap right now.
I bet even your eyes are brown.
Sitting on the bench at the end of my bed, I slip off my shoes and smirk as those blinking dots appear. But my face falls with the drop of my stomach when a picture of Cole pops up. He’s lying in bed; the guitar pick he wears around his neck draped across his bare chest. His sandy hair is sticking up in a wave, as if he just ran his hand through it, the tiny stud in his ear sparkling.
There’s not even a hint of a smile on his lips, his tired stare indifferent. This is the first time I’ve noticed how much the growing stubble on his face has matured him. It’s incredibly hot and completely unfair.
Nope. Still green.
I don’t say shit I don’t mean.
Oh, please.
How can I take you seriously?
You spent the day with another girl!
What do you think she would say if she
found out you’ve been messaging me?
Who says I haven’t already told
her about you? Maybe you should
ask me what you really want to know.
What is it you think I want to know?
If I’m hooking up with Violet.
Well, you’re wrong.
Who you sleep with or don’t is none
of my business. I meant what I said
earlier. I’m putting an end to this.
Nah, you’re not going anywhere.
Want to know how I know?
Sure. Please enlighten me.
Because you’re as addicted to me
as I am to you.
There’s a cracking pain in my chest, and laughter bubbles out of me. Not the haha that’s funny kind. It’s hysterical. The type where you’re not a hundred percent certain what you’re feeling.
This must be what going crazy is like.
Letting him go won’t be easy. It’s been nice getting to talk to him again, the real Cole. But this is insanity. I never should’ve messaged him in the first place. It was stupid of me to ever believe this would end well. I’ve got to walk away. Before he realizes I’m the girl behind the screenname. The longer I drag this out, the harder it will be.
Goodbye, Cole.
Until tomorrow, PG.
Chapter Ten
Present
COLE
The bedroom door flies open, and Gwen storms inside. Just as expected. I don’t react, purposely keeping my eyes focused on the screen in front of me for several seconds before looking up. My dick stirs as my eyes slowly devour her. She’s wearing a thin gray tank with a black lace neckline that V’s into the valley of her breasts, and the matching sleep shorts barely cover more than a pair of panties.
She clears her throat, and I calmly fold my laptop then place it beside me. The shredded pieces of the Westbrook Wolverines T-shirt are in her arms, a furious scowl etched onto her face. It took her longer than expected to find the gift I left. Though, she was slightly preoccupied pretending to be someone else.
“What the fuck is this shit?” Her trembling hands drop the tatters on the end of my bed, her chest heaving with fury.
The fire burning in her only turns me on more, any resolve to keep my distance melting from the heat of it. I want to touch her, to taste her. Fuck winning if it means depriving myself of ever being inside her again.
My movements are slow as I get up, my steps unthreatening as I make my way to the door, keeping her unaware of my intentions until we’re already locked inside. Fear flashes in her eyes as I slink back over, but those maple syrup orbs are swirling with lust by the time I’m staring down at her.
“Well, I can’t be sure,” I mock, eyeing the mess she dumped on my bed before my gaze settles on her again. “But it looks like a pile of dirty old rags to me.”
“Are you deranged?” Her hand sparks a flame on my bare chest as she shoves me, the unexpected contact sending me stumbling backwards. “You can’t just go into my bedroom and go through my things.”
This time when her hand lands on me, I puff out my chest and push back against it.
She keeps it planted, her fingertips digging into my skin as she continues. “And you definitely don’t have any right to play the jealous possessive boyfriend card with me either.”
I put my hand over hers to keep it in place, jerking her forward until the gap between us is closed. “That’s funny. Isn’t that the exact reason you wore it in the first place? You wanted me to get mad, to stake my claim. Don’t dare me to take what’s mine unless you mean it, Princess.”
“I don’t belong to you,” she sneers, tugging free of my hold. “We haven’t been anything to each other for a long time.”
My lips curl despite the tic in my jaw. I’m tempted to throw her on the bed and prove how wrong she is, but my fisted hands stay at my sides. “No? Tell me then, why have you been harassing Violet?”
“I haven’t done anything to your precious fucking saint.”
The disdain in her voice makes me laugh. There’s no question about it. Gwen is extremely jealous of Violet. After my conversation with Phantom Girl a few minutes ago, it’s clear she thinks something is going on between us.
Gwen steps to the side, but I follow her movement. “If you’re going to make a habit out of lying, you might want to get better at it.”
“Whatever, I don’t have to listen to this shit.” She tries again to go around me, gritting her teeth when I block her. “Let me go, Cole.”
There’s no conviction behind her words, they’re merely for show. Everything else about her says she’d very much like to stay in this room with me—the budding nipples peeking through the thin material of her top, the blush on her skin, the hitch in her breath.
I tsk my tongue and shake my head, reaching up to toy with the spaghetti strap on her shoulder. “Not quite yet. We still have unfinished business.”
She lets out a shuddering breath as my fingertips glide down the lace adorning her chest. “There’s nothing to discuss.” Her reply is chopped and distant, as if her mind is somewhere else entirely. “I told you, I didn’t do anything to Violet.”
“We both know that’s not true, but I’m talking about what you started in the kitchen yesterday.” My hand slides into her tank top, cupping her bare breast. Her eyelids droop, head wobbling as I roll her nipple with my thumb. “That’s the real reason you came in here, isn’t it?”
“Don’t flatter yourself,” she pants, making no attempt to shy away from my touch.
My other hand dives into her soft mane, forcing her head back as I lean in. “When are you going to start telling me the truth?”
“When are you going to accept it?”
My mouth slams into hers, and her lips part without probing. There’s a strangled noise in the back of her throat as our tongues collide. It sounds like a plea for mercy, but my kiss isn’t forgiving. This is a battle of wills. The only way for her to survive is to relent.
She won’t merely bend to me, she’ll bow.
Her arms hook around my shoulders and my hand moves down to her ass, squeezing as I pull her body to mine. She breaks free of my mouth, sucking in deep breaths as if she’d been drowning in me.
I chuckle, my lips delivering a teasing kiss
on the sensitive spot below her ear before whispering, “Ready to admit you want me yet?”
She makes a feeble attempt to free herself from my hold, weakly pressing on my chest. “You’re such an asshole.”
I tweak her nipple harder, and she closes her eyes. Her palms mold to my skin as they wander, reading my body like Braille.
My hand dips into her waistband and travels around her hip to the front of her shorts. She’s not wearing any panties, making her warm center easily accessible. Her body jerks as my fingers slide through her wet folds, rubbing against my throbbing erection.
“You’re so fucking wet.” My thumb works her clit while I slip a finger inside of her. She scrapes her nails down my back, her moan full of desperation. “Stop trying to hide from me. Your body can’t keep your secrets.”
“I hate you.”
Anger radiates through me at the pained sincerity in her words. She doesn’t get to be sad that we’re broken. This is her fault. She stole her love from me, so I took her hate. Hatred consumes us just like love had. They’re opposite sides of the same coin.
I add another finger, relishing in how tight she feels. “Finally, a little honesty. I can assure you the feeling is mutual, Princess.”
The venom in my tone causes her eyes to pop open and lock onto mine, but she doesn’t try to stop me. She’s too far gone, like putty in my hands. “Why are you doing this? What do you want from me?”
“Stop denying what your body has already confirmed. I want to hear you say the words. Tell me who you belong to.”
I smirk at the shock on her angelic face.
“Cole, please…”
“As much as I love hearing you beg, it won’t do you any good.” She’s so soaked now a third finger goes in with ease. I work her with a faster rhythm, barely keeping my composure when she bites into her bottom lip. “Say it.”
“Oh god, I’m yours,” she pants as the pressure of her orgasm builds.
“That’s right. Mine. For keeps, Princess. Now, let go.”
I seal my mouth to hers, and she begins rocking her hips to match my tempo. She clenches and pulsates around me, her fingernails clawing at my back. It’s almost enough to make me come in my damn sweats.
Her movements become jerky and I still my hand, allowing her to take control and ride that final wave. I nip at her bottom lip before leaning back to watch as her release crashes to the surface.
With her eyes screwed shut and her brow knit above them, the flush on her skin gets brighter as her cries grow louder. Then my name passes through her parted lips in a moan. The sight is even better than I remember.
Gently removing my hand from her shorts, I adjust her tank top and pull her limp body into my arms. She buries her head into my chest, breathing me in. I kiss the top of her head, the instinctual move catching me by surprise and making me dizzy.
It’s like we’ve stepped into a time paradox, two versions of us existing in the same space. I both love and hate her in this moment. The girl who won my heart and the one who broke it.
Chapter Eleven
Present
GWEN
My loose limbs stiffen as soon as the euphoric haze begins to clear, the room suddenly feeling unbearably cold even with Cole’s arms wrapped around me. I’ve been dreaming about the day he would hold me again, but this is all wrong.
Tainted.
This wasn’t an act of love or passion for him. It was about possession. He wanted to prove he still holds power over me.
It’s sick.
Twisted.
The most horrifying part is I think a part of me liked it. Knowing that he’s still unwilling to let me go, despite his hatred. But he doesn’t want me. He just doesn’t want anyone else to have me.
“For keeps, Princess.”
Little girls shouldn’t make promises they don’t understand. My vow of forever was made to the boy I loved. Not the monster who delights in torturing me. Unfortunately, they are one and the same.
I straighten my back and step out of his embrace, my gaze avoiding his. Tears prick my eyes when I try to speak, the lump in my throat choking the words back down. The seconds we stand in silence feel more like hours, the heat of his stare causing a nauseating unease in my gut.
Cole clears his throat, patting me on the head like a dog. “Now that we’ve got that settled, it’s time for you to go. I’ve got an early shift tomorrow.”
I force myself to meet his glower, my tears now falling freely as he smirks. “When did you become so cruel?”
His lips twist into a snarl, his hands cupping my face. He leans down, licking the tears from my cheek before damn near growling in my ear. “Around the time you ripped my fucking heart from my chest.”
His words sting like a slap in the face. He blames me for what happened two years ago. I’ve borne his hate to protect him, believing he would’ve done the same for me. But that wasn’t anger, it was agony.
I blink at him, my heartbeat heavy as I reach out to him. “Cole, I—”
He grabs my arm, dragging me across the room. I spin as he jerks me, my back slamming against the door. His face is masked with anger, but his emerald eyes only reflect anguish.
“No. You don’t get to play the victim,” he spits. “You didn’t even tell your best friend about me. About us.”
He releases me and takes a step back. His chest heaves, nostrils flaring as he glares at me with contempt. Leaving this room would be the wisest thing for me to do right now. After his behavior, he doesn’t even deserve an explanation. But I push aside my fear and take a timid step forward, trying again to reach out for him.
“Don’t,” he barks.
Hugging myself, I heed his warning and move back. “I never told anyone.” More tears stream down my face at my hiccupped words, my body trembling as I struggle to hold myself together. “It was easier to ignore my pain without everyone knowing how much I was hurting.”
His dark laugh sends a chill down my spine. Cole learned to control his bad temper when we were kids, using humor to cope instead. It’s how he became known as the Jester. But everyone’s afraid of the rage lurking behind his laughter. Especially me.
“Forgive me, but I call bullshit. There’s a giant fucking hole in my chest where my heart should be, and you want to talk about how you were wounded?”
“Do you think I wanted this?” He raises an eyebrow at my sharp tone, and I curve it before continuing. “I didn’t want to lose you. You were my every—”
My words stop short as Cole rushes me, grabbing my neck. His thumb presses on my pulse before he forces my head back, confusion wrinkling his features as he studies my face. Some part of him knows I’m being sincere. He just can’t accept it.
“You want me to believe you? Here’s your chance. No more lies, Princess. Tell me why you did it.”
If only he knew how badly I want to reveal the truth—to release myself from the weight of this secret. But there’s no escaping hell; I’d merely be dragging him down with me. If that happens, all of this will have been for nothing.
My eyelids fall, my answer a whispered breath when I say, “I can’t.”
His grip tightens. “Open your eyes.” I take a deep breath and follow his command. “Can’t or won’t?”
“What’s the difference?”
He huffs, his eyes narrowing as he grits out his reply. “One implies you have a choice. The other implies the choice was taken from you. So, which is it?”
“It doesn’t matter.” He lets me go with a groan, and I wipe the moisture from my face. “Knowing wouldn’t fix anything. You can’t change the past.”
“No more than you can erase it, but it hasn’t stopped you from trying.”
My heart sinks as he turns his back to me and walks away. “Cole, I didn’t—”
“Just go!”
I jump at his harsh tone and quickly leave the room, not slowing down until I’m back in the safety of my bedroom.
Once I’m locked inside, the adrenaline begins to lea
ve my body and exhaustion sets in. I’ve never been so thoroughly depleted before. This weekend has officially drained me of all life. There’s nothing left in me. Even the overwhelming thoughts and emotions that have been plaguing me over the past couple of days have powered down. It takes all my effort just to make it over to the bed.
Not long after my head hits the pillow and my mind starts to drift, the unmistakable squeak of my bedroom door opening startles me. My eyes pop open, but my head feels too heavy to lift.
“Cole?”
I know it’s him, but I’m not afraid. The familiarity of it brings me peace. Contentment. Something I haven’t felt since he left this house two years ago.
The bed dips beside me as he crawls under the covers. “You didn’t think a locked door would keep me away from you, did you?” His arm wraps around my waist, his body spooning mine.
I sigh and relax into him, my eyelids falling as sleep begins to pull me under again. “Is this real?”
His heavy breath brushes through my hair, his arm snaking further around my waist. “Yes and no.”
“I wouldn’t erase you, even if I could.”
My statement is acknowledged with a kiss on the back of my head.
“Cole?”
He chuckles. “Yes?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Go to sleep, Princess.”
The buzz of my phone wakes me the next morning. My eyes slowly blink open, and an odd giddiness hums through my veins. Like a child waking up on Christmas morning anxious to see what Santa left for them. My groggy mind tries to separate the dream world from reality, searching for the cause of my good mood.
The Princess and The Jester: A High School Bully Romance (Westbrook Three Book 3) Page 6