Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 111676 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 558(@200wpm)___ 447(@250wpm)___ 372(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111676 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 558(@200wpm)___ 447(@250wpm)___ 372(@300wpm)
My hand shook. I couldn’t believe I was holding a knife to his gut. That he, of all people, was doing this to me, pushing me to this. But he was right. I didn’t think I could physically bring myself to stab him. Not even if he was going to hurt me.
“I wish I could say the same,” I whispered.
My grip on the knife tightened as my gaze met his, searching for a hint of recognition, a trace of the boy I once loved. But all I found in his hardened expression was hate. I understood it. It stung, but I understood because I’d tried hard to hate him, too.
Smirking, he wrapped his calloused fingers around mine. I didn’t fight when he forced my hand away from him and carefully plucked the weapon from my grip. It was almost as if he was making sure I didn’t hurt myself.
He stabbed the blade into the drywall, and defeat washed over me. “Never expected you to turn into a knife-wielding, drug thief and dealer,” he said, so close, his breath stirred the strands of my hair.
“And I never expected you to enjoy scaring women.” I struggled to keep my voice steady. “Yet here we are.”
He leaned in even more, bracing one hand on the cabinet beside my head and caging me in. “Come on, Jade…” His nose swept along my jaw.
The sensation of his warm breath on my skin sent an involuntary shiver through me.
“You’re not scared,” he whispered. “Your cheeks are the same fuck-me pink as when you come.”
My face flamed with humiliation. “Screw you…” I gripped the edge of the counter like a lifeline, like it could save me from my body’s traitorous reaction to him.
The music blaring through the apartment cut off before heavy footsteps thudded down the hall. “What the hell?” Cassie shouted, breaking whatever spell Wolf had put me under.
He turned to look at her. When he shifted away from me, I dragged a Wolf-free breath into my lungs.
“What the hell are you two doing here? Jade, why the hell did you let them in—”
“You know,” Rogue said, his focus on Cassie. “I knew you were stupid, but stealing my drugs and selling them to that fucking asshole?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Go sit down!” Rogue grabbed Cassie by the shoulders and dragged her to the couch.
My stomach knotted when Wolf gripped my shoulders and maneuvered me, surprisingly gently, to sit beside Cassie, who was shooting daggers at Rogue.
“Did you really think I wouldn’t find out?” Rogue pulled his phone from his jeans pocket. “Selling my shit to Tommy-fucking-Mitchell!” There was a slight edge of hysteria in his voice that had my spine stiffening.
Of course, she’d just had to add insult to injury by selling it to the guy everyone knew Rogue hated. Her more than anyone. I hadn’t realized who her buyer was until she’d directed me to the Kappa Theta house. At that point, I had already pictured my mother’s relief at not being imminently homeless. I couldn’t back out, but I knew damn well it was a deliberate move from Cassie. After all, what better way to get Rogue’s attention? Well, she had it now, and stupidly, so did I.
“Says who?” Cassie shrugged, doubling down.
“Says who?” He laughed the kind of psychotic I’m-about-to-lose-my-shit laugh a murderer in a movie let loose right before he disemboweled his first victim. “Says who? Wolf?”
Wolf looked way too amused at the current situation.
Rogue tapped his phone, then held it up. A grainy video of Cassie and me in front of the Kappa Theta house appeared on screen. Cassie, clear as day, handed Tommy the bag of Rogue’s beloved pills before she took a wad of cash. Cash, she then split with me, my face aimed directly at the camera. Shit. I looked guilty as hell.
My stomach knotted as the implications of what we’d done—what Rogue had proof of—set in. He could get us sent to jail… I felt sick.
“That’s right.” Rogue pocketed his phone. “Tommy sold you out, Cassie.” He sounded positively gleeful about that.
“If it’s any consolation, he lost a kneecap before he squealed,” Wolf shrugged.
God, this was so bad. I didn’t think anyone would get hurt or that they’d have freaking cameras!
“That could be a bag of vitamins.” Cassie picked a piece of lint off the throw cushion like this situation wasn’t in the least bit stressful. Or maybe she really overestimated Rogue’s fondness for her because right now, he looked like he wanted to kill her. “Besides, what are you going to do, Rogue? Tell the police I stole your drugs?”
“The police might just receive an anonymous video from a concerned citizen.”
Panic clawed through my veins. This was so bad. That video was a loaded gun. Even if it weren’t enough to put us in jail, it would definitely get us expelled. I’d worked my ass off to get out of Dayton. To get a degree that would facilitate a decent job. I’d be screwed. Every plan turned to dust over thirty stupid seconds of my life.