Contents

Title Page

Mailing List

Chapter 1: Who Are You?

Chapter 2: I'm A Prisoner

Chapter 3: Factory Equipment

Chapter 4: Follow The Noise

Chapter 5: Now Hit Me

Chapter 6: It's Tradition

Chapter 7: Promise Me Again

Chapter 8: Get The Blood Off

Chapter 9: You're Not A Monster

Chapter 10: Start Over

Chapter 11: Code Of Conduct

Chapter 12: Girls And Bad Boys

Chapter 13: I'll Take Care Of You

Chapter 14: A Better Man

Chapter 15: The Untouchable

Epilogue

Midwest Alphas

Mailing List

BONUS NOVELLA: RAIL ME

RAIL ME Chapter 1 - Piper

RAIL ME Chapter 2 - Kai

RAIL ME Chapter 3 - Piper

RAIL ME Chapter 4 - Kai

RAIL ME Chapter 5 - Piper

RAIL ME Chapter 6 - Kai

RAIL ME Chapter 7 - Piper

RAIL ME Chapter 8 - Kai

RAIL ME Chapter 9 - Piper

RAIL ME Chapter 10 - Kai

RAIL ME Chapter 11 - Piper

RAIL ME Chapter 12 - Kai

RAIL ME Chapter 13 - Piper

RAIL ME Chapter 14 - Kai

RAIL ME Chapter 15 - Piper

RAIL ME Chapter 16 - Kai

RAIL ME Chapter 17 - Piper

Whispers From Tabatha

BLIND GIRL: A Novel

Copyright

UNTOUCHED

MIDWEST ALPHAS | BOOK 1

by Tabatha Kiss

WARNING: This novel contains explicit descriptions of

erotic and sexual acts that some may find offensive,

including perverse adult language.

Reader discretion advised.

This is a work of fiction intended for mature audiences only.

Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

No characters engaging in sexual acts are blood related.

All sex scenes take place after the protagonist

has reached legal age (18) and all sexual activity

detailed within is consensual.

Text and Story Copyright © 2015 Tabatha Kiss

All Rights Reserved.

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Tabatha

Chapter 1

Who Are You?

My stepfather turns the wheel and we travel off the highway onto a dirt road. The car rocks back and forth along the unstable drive and the contents of my stomach shift from motion sickness I never knew I had.

Six hours. It’s been six hours in this hot, muggy car, driving farther south than I’ve ever wanted to be in my entire life. Chicago is my home and I miss it more and more with every mile we travel. The last thing I want to do is spend the summer down in Bumfuck, Missouri, but like they said, I have no choice in the matter.

The farm comes into view as the fluorescent headlights illuminate it in the darkness. I cringe. It looks exactly as I expected it to, with a big, white house and an ugly, red barn at the far end of the driveway. Ugh, it even smells like it looks. Like dirt, mold, and dead things.

The car stops and my mother and stepfather exchange a quick glance in the front seat. She’s barely looked at me in days, even when I begged her to speak to me. She’s weak, always has been. I know that this was all my stepfather’s idea, and like the submissive, doting wife she is, she never questioned it for a second.

My stepfather steps outside the car and slams his door before wandering back to the trunk. I lean forward, taking the only opportunity I have left.

“Mom, please,” I beg her. “You don’t have to do this. Just give me one more chance and I—”

The door next to me opens and I look up into the dark eyes of my stepfather, Thomas. He holds my suitcase in one hand. “Get out, Claire.”

I turn back to my mother. Her eyes are down, on the brink of tears. “Mom, say something,” I tell her.

“Claire, get out of the car.”

I ignore him and reach out to my mother. “Mom—” His hand grips my arm to pull me out. I snatch my purse off the seat beside me. “Mom!”

She covers her face with her hands as I’m forced out on to the gravel driveway. Thomas closes the door behind us, casting her face into total darkness.

“Come on,” he growls. He keeps his grip on me and tugs me along with him towards the dark, white house. A dim lamp lights the porch above the scratched front door, painted red to match the eyesore of a barn across the gravel driveway.

“Will you please let me go?” I ask, my voice shaking.

Thomas says nothing, he never even turns back to acknowledge that I spoke. We climb the wooden porch steps and stop in front of the door. He reaches out and knocks twice.

Before I can take another breath, the door flies open and an older man stands in the doorway. He’s taller, a little taller than Thomas, but carries the exact same buzzed black and silver hair and mustache that every man I know born in the 1970s carries around with him like a badge of honor. I look up at him and we lock eyes for a brief moment.

“Come on in,” he says.

Thomas’ hand drops from my arm and he stares me down. “Go on,” he gestures me inside.

My eyes scan the entrance. I stand firm, not wanting to take another step. “Please take me home—”

“Get in the damn house, Claire.”

I look at my stepfather and my hatred for him multiplies. A chill glides through my body. I wrap my arms around my chest to keep the warmth inside. The early summer air does little to help. I quake and shiver. My body doesn’t feel like my own. I feel out of focus, lost in my own skin.

Thomas’ hand touches my back and he shoves me inside. I stumble, but keep myself up right as I walk into the large farmhouse. He tosses my suitcase inside after me and it lands with a loud thud at my feet.

“Goodnight, Thomas,” the man says to my stepfather before closing the door behind me.

We stand in silence as I listen to the sounds of Thomas’ boots on the porch outside and the car engine roaring with life before rolling down the gravel road.

The shock hits me. They left me here. They actually left me here. They left me behind in some strange house with some strange man out in the middle of nowhere. I look around the entryway. The stairs to the second floor sit right ahead of me and a living room sits just to the right of the front door. This house is obviously old, worn, and hasn’t seen a woman’s touch in quite some time. The furniture in the living room doesn’t match. The throw rugs are worn down from feet walking on them for decades. The television is small and just as old as I am.

“Come with me,” the man finally says.

He steps out of the living room and I reluctantly follow him into the back of the house. We enter a kitchen with white counters and a white floors. White appliances, white everything.

“Sit down.” He pulls out a wooden chair from the round dinner table in the corner and points it towards the center of the room. As I sit down, I feel like it might break beneath me, it’s so old. I cling to my purse like a security blanket, the only sense of familiarity I have here.

“Do you know why you’re here?” the man asks. He reaches up and grabs a drinking glass from the cupboard and fills it with water from the sink faucet.

I scoff, but say nothing. My teeth chatter together in my head. My thumping heart fills my ears. He walks forward and holds the water glass out for me to take. My tongue twitches, begging for it after the long and hot car ride. I take the glass and gulp the water down. It tastes old and strange, but it’s better than nothing.

“Your parents believe you’ve gone down the wrong path and they sent you here for my guidance,” he says, leaning back against the kitchen counter near the sink.

“What makes you so special?” I set the glass down on the table behind me.

“My name is Charlie Eastwood,” he says. “We’ve never met, but I know who you are.”

“Right…” I sigh, recalling the name. “Uncle Charlie. Thomas’ brother. The cop.”

“I’m not a cop anymore,” he says. “But back then, I was the one they called to deal with situations like this.”

“Like what?” I ask.

“You’re in withdrawal, Claire,” he says. “You’re twitchy. You can’t get warm.” He furrows his brow. “How long since your last hit? Two days? Three?”

I roll my eyes.

“Your parents aren’t sure what you took, but I’d guess cocaine, maybe a little bit of something else.”

“Am I supposed to be impressed?” I ask.

“You have a drug problem, an attitude problem, and…” he takes a breath, “a boundary problem.”

“What boundary problem?” I scoff.

“They told me about you and Rick,” he says.

I shift in the chair. “Oh, come on…”

“You two are family—”

“He’s my stepbrother!” I shout. “Step. We’re not actually related. You people know that, right?”

“Family is more than blood, young lady.”

“Okay, yeah. Sure. Fine. Whatever. But Rick and I did nothing wrong!”

He pushes himself off the counter. “Calm down,” he warns. “Now, I don’t care about that as much as they do. The cops didn’t pick you up for fooling around with your stepbrother. They picked you up for being a minor under the influence of drugs and alcohol. And to be honest, I’m more concerned with the bruises on your face right now than anything else.”

I flinch. “He didn’t do anything.”

“He’s not here, Claire. You don’t have to cover for him—”

“I shouldn’t be here,” I interrupt. “This is bullshit.”

“I won’t tolerate swearing in my house.”

“What is this, 1962?”

“While you’re here in my house, you will follow my rules,” he says. “You should consider yourself lucky—”

“Lucky?”

“The officers that picked you up could have booked you with enough to put you away for a long time. I’m not just talking jail, I’m talking rehab and lots of red marks on your permanent record. Your life, ruined, in one night — over something as stupid as getting high—”

“Thanks for the recap, Dudley Do-Right.”

He pauses and stares down at me. I expect anger in his voice, but he holds it back, calm and collected. “Claire, you’re lucky,” he repeats. “You might not think so, but the other kids you were arrested with didn’t have the connections with the law your stepfather does and they’re all sitting in concrete cells right now. You aren’t.”

“May as well be…” My eyes wash over the bright kitchen again. “You can’t keep my here. This is kidnapping.”

“The law says otherwise,” he says. “You’re a minor and your parents have transferred you into my care for the summer—”

“Only for another month,” I interrupt. “I turn eighteen soon and when I do, I’m walking out of here.”

“We’ll see about that,” he nods. “In the meantime, you’ll follow a strict schedule for meals, chores, and bedtime—”

“I have a bedtime?”

“And you’re late for that tonight, so I better see you to your room.”

I scoff. “It’s nine o’clock.”

“Oh, and also…” He reaches out and snatches my purse out of my hands.

“Hey!” I shout.

He fishes inside of it and grabs my phone. “You’ve lost all phone privileges. And we don’t have wi-fi out here, so it’s basically useless to you.”

“What the hell—?”

“I said no swearing.”

“Hell isn’t a swear,” I argue.

“It is the way you use it.”

I take a breath and it clatters throughout my body, knocking my insides around. “This is crap,” I say.

Charlie glares down at me, his eyes falling down my face. “You want to tell me how you busted your lip open?” he asks.

I press against the cut with my tongue and the near-forgotten pain fires up my cheek from my bottom lip. “Slipped on a banana peel,” I quip.

“I bet you tumbled right onto a doorknob, too, didn’t ya?” he asks.

I say nothing.

He sighs and drops the empty purse back into my lap. “Let’s go.”

I follow him back to the entryway and I grab my suitcase off the floor. My eyes wander upwards and I see a long rifle mounted above the door. I missed it earlier, but it’s clear as day now from this angle.

The floor creaks beneath us as we climb the stairs. It’s loud, annoying, and completely eliminates the possibility of sneaking out. I get the feeling Officer Killjoy here sleeps with one eye open.

There are four doors in the second floor hallway. Charlie points to the left, targeting the nearest door to the top of the stairs. “That’s my room,” he says. We head to the right and he pushes open the next door. “Bathroom here. If the toilet won’t flush, just jiggle the handle a little.”

“Of course,” I sigh.

We continue on to the next door. “This is your room,” he says, pushing the door open.

I step inside and look around with curious eyes. A canopy bed lines one wall with a pink bedspread, decorated with a floral pattern, with a small vanity and mirror next to it. The closet sits open and I spot various articles of women’s clothing inside. There’s a bookshelf in every corner, lined with dozens of novels and textbooks. “Whose room is this?” I ask Charlie.

“Yours.”

“No, I mean… whose stuff is this?”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s yours to use while you stay here.”

“Do you have a daughter or something?”

“I said don’t worry about it.”

I turn back around, startled by the firmness of his tone. “What’s in there?” I point to the fourth and final door just across the hall to change the subject.

“That’s my son’s room, Tobias. You probably won’t see him much. He works nights.” He steps back and grips the doorknob.

“Where’s your wife?” I ask.

“She passed many years ago,” he says. “It’s just me and him now.”

I pause. “Oh.”

“Get ready for bed. Lights out in ten minutes.”

“Lights out?”

“Lights out.” He steps out into the hall and quickly closes the door behind him.

“Jesus Christ…” I mutter to myself.

I drop my suitcase onto the bed and glance around. It feels strange to live in another person’s private space, but as I run a finger across the vanity desk next to the bed, I find a layer of dust. Whoever lives here hasn’t been by in quite some time.

I sit down on the stool before the vanity and stare into the mirror. My brown hair is tangled and in desperate need of shampoo. My eyes are bloodshot. My lips are chapped, making the thin reddish-black scab stand out even more against my pale skin. Black circles ring around my eyes. My gaze falls to the pale blue bruise just below my left cheek.

I think, for a moment, that maybe they’re right. Maybe I do have a problem.

But it doesn’t make me feel any better about being stuck in this dump for the next few weeks.

***

I stare at the clock and watch the numbers climb to sixty then jump back down to zero. It’s quiet, far too quiet for me to be comfortable. I miss the city buzz. The constant chatter of voices, cars, and life. The country silence of 3 A.M. sounds deafening in my ears. I lick my dry lips, feeling a deep hunger I can’t satisfy.

Charlie was right before. I’m in withdrawal. Right now, I’ll do anything for another hit — anything to distract myself from the sounds of my body screaming at me.

The sudden grind of an engine brings me out of it. I sit up and turn to look out the window behind the bed. It’s dark, but the darkness is quickly cut by an approaching headlight. The motorbike comes into view with a lone rider guiding it slowly to the red barn across the driveway. A lamp above the barn illuminates the ground around him as I watch him dismount and pull the black helmet off his head. I can barely see his face, but I can tell that’s he’s young. He places the helmet on the bike’s seat and rolls the thing inside the barn before sliding the door closed behind him.

I spin back around and lay my head against the pillow. It’s soaked in my own sweat. I flip it around to the other side, hoping that sleep will somehow come, but my eyes pull towards the window again. I see the boy walking towards the house. This must be Charlie’s son, Tobias. The one that works nights. His eyes look up at the house and immediately drift towards my window. I fall back down, hoping to avoid his gaze. His shoes hit the front porch and I listen carefully as he enters the front door.

I climb off the bed and press my ear against the door to listen to him move. I feel a presence on the other side, but I never heard him climb the stairs.

My doorknob turns and I jump out of the way as the door suddenly swings open.

“Who are you?” he asks through his teeth. He steps forward fast to grab me by the shoulders. “What are you doing in her room?”

I blink repeatedly as his dark face fills my vision. He has the same black hair as his father and my stepfather, but it’s longer and more casual. It falls down to his angry eyes and he stares back at me with jade green irises.

“I’m Claire…” I whisper. I scan his face again, placing him somewhere in his early-twenties. He reminds me of Rick. His demeanor is so wild and intimidating, I’m scared to move.

“Why are you in my house, Claire?” he asks.

“Believe me — I’m not here by choice,” I say, my limbs shaking. “I got into some trouble and my parents brought me out and left me here…”

His grip on me loosens. “Right…” he nods slowly.

“I guess no one told you I was coming…” I mutter. I lick my dry lips again. “They didn’t tell me either until I was in the car.”

He takes a step back and drops his hands to his sides. His eyes wander around the room with a protective vibe before finally falling back on me and staring at my bottom lip. “Sorry if I hurt you.”

“You didn’t—”

Before I can complete the thought, he’s out the door. He steps inside his own room and quickly closes the door behind him.

Once again, I look around the room and wonder who the hell lives in it. My teeth graze along my lips in thought, making me cringe as they slide along the scabbed wound.

Rick never spoke much about this side of his family. I’m not sure why, nor did I ever think to ask. Talking isn’t our strongest suit anyway. My relationship with my stepbrother isn’t conventional. We party. We do drugs, and yeah, we almost ended up in bed together once, but it’s more than that. I feel a strong connection with him, stronger than I ever thought possible.

He loves me.

He told me that he was the only person in the world that did.

I believe him more and more every day.

Each passing moment has me reaching for my phone, but of course, it’s been taken from me, along with what was left of my freedom. The instinct remains. I want to talk to him. I want to hear his voice, smell his skin. I want to get out of this hellhole and go back to the city to be with him where I belong.

I climb back into the bed and wrap the blanket around me to get warm. My skin quickly breaks out in a cold sweat and I find myself begging for another glass of cold water.

Chapter 2

I’m A Prisoner

“Rise and shine!”

I roll over to find Charlie standing over me, completely dressed and ready to start his day. “What?” I mutter.

“It’s 6 A.M., Claire,” he says. “Time to start your chores.”

I sit up. “What?” I repeat.

He chuckles. “Get dressed, wear something you can move around in. There’s some extra eggs and bacon downstairs. Get something to eat. Meet me at the barn by 6:30, not a minute after. Got me?”

The words blur together in my mind. I’m so tired, I can barely hear him. He walks out of the room, leaving me behind in my exhausted confusion. I sit up and look out the window. The morning sun sits barely above the horizon.

I fall back down onto my pillow and close my eyes.

“Claire!”

The force of his voice shoots me upright. “What?!” I yelp. I peel my eyes open to see Charlie standing in the doorway.

“It’s 6:15,” he says. “You’ve officially missed breakfast.” I stare at him, shooting the best daggers I can at him until he chuckles again. “I’ve taken the liberty of picking out your outfit for the day. Put it on.”

I look at the foot of the bed and spot a pair of over-sized men’s jeans and a red flannel shirt. “I’m not wearing that,” I mutter with an upturned nose.

“Too bad. Put it on. Tomorrow, wake up on time. Then, you can pick out your own clothes.” He grips the doorknob. “Downstairs. Now.”

I push the blanket off and stare at him until he closes the door. The jeans are way too big and easily fall off my hips, but I find a belt in the closet that doesn’t make me completely gag. A quick scan of the clothes inside tells me the story of a young girl, most likely around my age. Probably boring, quiet. No real party clothes in sight at first glance. Lots of cardigans and long skirts that sit just below the kneecap.

I push farther back into the closet and smirk. Just like me, she keeps the good stuff in the back. I find a few shorter skirts, some tube tops, and some nice, fun blouses that look to be about my size. Excellent. I make a mental note to inspect them further before throwing on the disgusting flannel shirt Charlie picked out for me. It’s also far too large, but I tie it off in front to make it fit tighter around me.

I check out my reflection in the bathroom mirror and cringe at the sight. Dark make-up sits smeared around my eyes, stuck there after a day of not washing it off. I look older, but not in a good way. I lean forward and splash water on my face to wake me up and clear off the remaining old make-up and oil from my skin. My breath tastes sour, my head hurts, and there’s been a ringing in my ears for the last ten minutes that I can’t seem to shake away.

I brush my teeth and step back into the hallway.

“Pull your hair back,” Charlie says as I come down the stairs.

“You get to decide my hair styles, too?”

He holds up a rubber band and I take it from him. “No,” he says. “But it’s warm outside and I know you’re going to want to eventually.”

I put my hair up into a loose ponytail. “Now what?” I ask.

“Follow me.” He pulls open the front door and I follow him outside.

One minute outside and I’m already begging for a glass of water. It’s just one more reason to make me feel homesick. Chicago isn’t nearly as humid as this place is. I take deep, long breaths as we make our way across the driveway towards the barn.

“I let you sleep in this morning,” he says. “But tomorrow, you wake up at five with me.”

I smack a mosquito off my arm. “You wake up at five?”

“Sometimes four,” he smirks. “Don’t worry. You’ll get used to it after a week or two.”

“Yeah, right…” I flinch and slap another mosquito off my neck.

Charlie grips the barn door and slides it open. “We have three cows here: Doris, Betty, and Gloria. We let ‘em roam the fields during the day, but at night, they’re kept in the barn.”

“Okay…” I take a step into the barn. The air is thick and muggy. It feels like I’m breathing gelatin and it smells like a damp sewer. “Jeez—” I cough.

“You’ll get used to that.” Charlie points over my head. “Grab that bucket. Remember exactly where you took it from, because you’ll be expected to put it right back where you found it. Same goes for every piece of my equipment you use.”

I look up and see the metal bucket hanging on the wall. As I walk over, I notice Tobias’ motorbike parked nearby. I get a better look at the helmet. It’s pitch black with a small, pink sticker on the back. I lean forward to see it’s a little cartoon cat.

“I’m sure I already know the answer to this one, but have you ever milked a cow?”

I spin back around with the bucket in hand. “No…” I answer.

He grins back at me. “Perfect. Bring that over here.”

I follow behind him, dragging my feet through the muddy hay on the ground as I go. The barn is quite larger than it appears on the outside. My eyes roam about and I take in all the little details like the bright fluorescent lights set up in the ceiling and the hay bales stacked up near the walls. I spot a wooden ladder leading upward and look up to see a loft above my head.

Three cows sit along the opposite wall, each one in their own section with a food trough and water bin, separated by makeshift wooden fences. I chuckle silently, thinking that these animals have it better than I do. I check out the far corner and see a tall punching bag hanging from the ceiling, obviously old and heavily used.

“Sit down on that stool there next to Doris,” Charlie says.

I walk around him and bend over to cross under the wood plank to enter the cow’s section. I hesitate before sitting down on the rickety old stool. The cow pushes in closer to me, nearly knocking me off it. I put a hand against it to push her away, an act I immediately regret. I pull my hand back to find it covered in dirt and grime. “Ugh…” I mutter.

“Put the bucket down beneath her,” he chuckles.

“I think I got it…” I spit as I toss it down.

He leans against the wooden sectional between the cows. “All right then… go on,” he gestures.

I crack my knuckles, stalling for time, trying to picture all the movies and television shows I’ve seen this in. You just grab the dangling thing and pull, right? Seems simple enough. I reach out and feel the smooth teat in my hand.

“Get in there—”

I shoot another glance at him and duck further beneath the cow. “Nothing personal, Betty…” I mutter.

“That’s Doris.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I start from the top of the teat and pull down. To my surprise, a spurt of milk shoots out into the bucket below.

“There you go. Good job,” Charlie says.

“How do I know when to stop?” I ask.

“She’ll tell ya.”

I roll my eyes. “Okay…” I continue milking her, feeling his hard gaze on me as I go.

“You’re not allowed to leave the house without supervision. Understand?” Charlie asks. “It’s for your own protection.”

“Protection?” I scoff.

“Yes.”

“Why do I need protection?”

“We both know why.”

I glare up at him with annoyance. “So, I’m a prisoner?” I ask, pulling on another teat.

“No, you’re my guest — a guest with no privileges. The more work you do, the more privileges you earn.”

“What exactly is the point of this again?”

“The point, Claire, is to teach you responsibility. Nothing worth having in this world comes easy. Patience and hard work will earn you more than laziness and entitlement.”

I look up at him. “Then how many cows do I have to milk to get my phone back?”

He smirks. “More than I have, that’s for sure.”

“Oh, goody.”

“It won’t be just milking cows,” he continues. “After this, we gotta lay some more hay down in here, feed the chickens, and tend to the horses.”

“You have horses?” I ask.

“Two of ‘em,” he nods. “You do as you’re told and you’ll earn a few rides, if you want.”

I nod. It’s the first bit of goodness I’ve felt since I got here, but it’s enough to keep me going for now. My eyes fall past him and I look at the motorbike again.

Charlie follows my gaze and shakes his head. “You won’t be earning any rides on that thing,” he says. “It’s my son’s.”

“Yeah,” I say, looking back to the cow. “I met him last night.”

“What were you doing out of bed?” he asks, his voice stern.

“I heard someone wandering around outside my room,” I say. “I thought I’d check it out…”

He seems satisfied with the response. “He comes in pretty late sometimes.”

“Where does he work?” I ask.

“The factory across town.”

“What kind of factory is it?”

“Automobile parts.”

I scoff. “Of course…” I try to think of a way his response could have been any more boring, but I come up with next to nothing.

“I don’t want you bothering Tobias, Claire,” he says.

I look up to find his eyes fixed on me. “Okay…”

“He’s a good kid. He doesn’t need someone like you being an influence on him.”

“Jeez, calm down,” I say. “I get it. I’ll stay away from him.”

Charlie watches me in silence for a few more minutes. “She’s good,” he finally says. “Let’s move on to Betty. Don’t kick the bucket when you stand up.”

I spend the next several hours following Charlie around his farm, taking instructions from him on all the various chores I’ll have to partake in during my stay here, from spreading chicken feed to cleaning out the horse stables. I hate every moment of it, but there’s not much I can do about it. I’d do anything to be sitting in a coffee shop, or going to the mall, or sneaking out to a party with Rick.

Just one month of this torture and I’ll be back to that life.

I will admit that this place is quite beautiful — for a farm, anyway. Last night, it was dark and almost scary, but now, with the bright sun and the colorful flora painting everything green, I kind of like it. I can’t stand the fucking mosquitos though, and don’t get me started on the humidity.

“That’s it for today,” Charlie says after I meet the horses.

I reach out and brush my fingers along the neck of a tall black horse named Orion. He’s easily my favorite. The other one, brown and spotted white, is named Leo and wanted nothing to do with me when I tried to touch him. Orion, on the other hand, hasn’t shied away from my touch once. “I’m done?” I ask.

“For today…” he repeats. “Should be about noon now. Good time to get some lunch.”

I nod. “Can I take a shower first?” I ask in desperation.

“Go for it,” he says. “Then I can take you into town and show you around.”

“Do I have a choice?”

“Not really.”

I take off for the house, eager to get out of the mosquito feeding grounds. My entire body feels gross, like I’m covered in a thick layer of toxic sweat and fecal matter. I’ve never felt so worn out in all of my life and I can’t imagine for a second why anyone would choose this life. Maybe I’m just a city kid, but why someone would embrace this over a life of ease and convenience is beyond me.

I reach the second floor bathroom and push the door open.

“Oh!” I yelp in surprise.

Tobias looks back at me as my eyes glide down his bare body. He’s fit and firm, with muscles poking out of his skin at every angle, along with a slew of tattoos covering his body and arms. A towel sits limply around his waist, barely hanging on. He quickly grips it tight to keep it from tumbling down.

My eyes fall to the bruises.

They cover his abdomen with a thick, purple color, traveling from his pecks down to his belly button, spaced out like random paint splatter. His ribs seem to have taken the brunt of it with fresh, red marks staining his white skin.

“Oh, shit!” I cry out and slap my hand over my eyes. “Sorry — Fuck. I’m sorry.” My fingers slip from the doorknob. I reach out to find it again, but I miss it repeatedly. I peek out from behind my hand to find it, but I instantly look at his toned and crushed body again. “Sorry—” I say again as I grab the door handle and pull the bathroom door closed.

I jump back and rush down the hall to my room.

Chapter 3

Factory Equipment

The nearest bit of civilization is fifteen miles away in a small town just outside of Rolla. I didn’t catch the name of it, nor do I really care to.

Charlie drives me around the tiny town, pointing out landmarks and shops and whatever else can be qualified as “local flavor.” It’s a struggle to keep my eyes from rolling out of their sockets. We turn onto Main Street. Much like I recall from old sitcom towns, this is called Main Street for a reason. Every important business is here, from the local grocery store, to the post office, to the sheriff’s office. It’s almost cute.

Charlie parks the truck in front of the grocery store and we both climb out of it. “I’ve got a few things to pick up while we’re here,” he says. “Stay close to me.”

I follow him into the store and stay quiet as we drift through the aisles. Charlie grabs random things off the shelf, like condiments and coffee beans, while I try to stifle my yawns and avoid the prying eyes of the other weirdos that live in this town.

A young woman stands behind the checkout counter with a perky smile glued to her red-painted lips. She looks up at us as we approach and her bright blue eyes immediately fall on me. “Hey, Mr. Eastwood,” she greets Charlie. Her tight, blonde ponytail swishes back and forth behind her head as she speaks.

“Hello, Amy,” Charlie replies as he reaches behind his back to pull out his wallet.

She looks at me again. “Who’s this?” she asks. She grabs a ketchup bottle off the belt and quickly scans it before dropping it into a paper sack.

“She’s my brother’s girl,” he mutters. “Just in town visiting for a little while.”

Amy blinks in surprise. “I didn’t know you had a niece.” She extends her perfectly manicured hand out to me. “I’m Amy Jones.”

I reluctantly take her hand and she jerks it up and down in a surprisingly firm shake. “Claire Holloway,” I say.

“So you’re Tobias’ cousin…” she says, chewing on her lip. “I didn’t know he had one other than Rick.”

I twitch at the mention of his name. “You know Rick?”

“Oh, I know everybody,” she gloats, “and everything about them… mostly.” Charlie clears his throat and Amy turns her attentions back to the groceries. “Anyway, how long are you staying?” she asks me as she grabs the next item off the belt. She moves quickly with expert precision, barely even glancing at the items as she packs them away into bags. “You’re from Chicago, right? I remember Rick being from there. I would love to nibble your ear off about that place over lunch—”

“Maybe some other time, Amy,” Charlie interrupts.

She presses her lips together, taking the hint. “Okay,” she squeaks. “That’ll be nineteen-fifty.”

He hands her a twenty dollar bill and she pops open her drawer. “Keep the change,” he tells her.

“Thanks, Mr. Eastwood,” she smiles. “Have a nice day!”

We step outside and wander back to the truck with the groceries. “So, I’m not allowed to make friends either?” I ask Charlie.

“You’re not here to make friends,” he says as he steps up into the truck.

I roll my eyes. “Okay, then…”

***

I can’t sleep.

I’ve been up since 6 A.M. Charlie sent me to bed at nine, well over three hours ago. I should be more exhausted after an entire day of work and no play, but I can’t seem to catch any sleep.

I grab a pair of shorts and a cute shirt from the closet and step out into the hallway with a random book from the shelf in the corner. After last night, I started thinking about the stairs. Tobias climbed them without making any noise and he was at my door before I even knew he was there. There must be spots on the stairs that don’t make noises when walked on and if I’m going to be here for the next few weeks without losing my mind, then I’m going to have to figure them out.

I grip the railing and slowly move my foot along the first wooden stair, putting soft pressure on them until I find that perfect angle. It takes me nearly twenty minutes to patiently memorize a decent pattern to make it down to the first floor undetected.

The barn door squeaks as I open it, but I’m hoping the distance between it and the house is far enough that the noise doesn’t travel to Charlie’s sleeping ears. I move about in the darkness until I find the ladder I noticed earlier. Splinters of old wood scratch at my hands as I climb, but I easily make it to the top without drawing blood.

I’m obviously not the first person to escape up here. A few small hay bales lie next to an open window in the wall, creating the perfect hideout to lounge in and hopefully relax my active mind. I look to the stars, take a deep breath of fresh air, and smile. You can’t get this view anywhere in Chicago, that’s for sure.

I lie back and open the book. It’s one of those cheesy teenage romances that’s already been adapted into a cheesy summer movie that no one watched. Not my preferred genre of entertainment, but the idea is to bore myself to sleep. My eyes scan the title page and I see the initials M.E. scratched into the corner with a blue pen.

Three chapters in and I’m still no more tired than when I came out here.

Movement catches my eye and I watch as Tobias steps quietly down the front porch from the window above. A few moments later, he slides the barn door open and I slink farther back against the hay bales. I bite my lip, thinking that I’ve been caught, but he doesn’t see me as he walks inside and flicks on the fluorescent lights hastily chained to the ceiling. He moves slowly and cracks his thick knuckles as he walks over to his motorbike.

I watch him quietly and my tongue taps the roof of my mouth. Charlie told me to leave him alone, but a question lingers on my lips.

“Where’d you get all the bruises?”

Tobias jolts and exhales a heavy breath before looking up at me. “My dad told me not to talk to you.” He looks away and focuses on his bike again.

“Do you always do what your dad tells you to do?” I ask, smiling.

His eyes flick up in my direction. It’s hard for me to get a read on him from this distance. I can’t tell if he’s angry or amused. He pauses before reaching out to grab the large, black helmet off the bike seat. “I got them at work,” he answers, avoiding my face.

“At work?” I ask.

“Yeah, at work.”

“Do guys beat you up at work on a regular basis?”

He finally turns and peaks up at me with narrow eyes. “I got them from operating factory equipment,” he claims.

I smirk. “If you say so…”

“Who busted your lip open?” he retorts. I stare down at him silently until he shifts around to grab the handles of his bike. “You should get back inside,” he says. “If he catches you out here—”

“He’ll make me milk another cow?” I quip.

“That… or he’ll make you write out Bible verses by hand — using your non-dominant hand,” he begins. “Or he’ll take you down to the sheriff’s office and they’ll have you pick up trash by the highway. Or he’ll take you to the nursing home in Rolla where you’ll spend the afternoon helping the staff switch out bedpans.”

A smile teases my lips. “Sounds like you speak from experience.”

“I do.”

“And here I was told you were a good boy.”

“I have my moments.” His eyes linger on me a little longer. “I need to get to work.”

“Be careful,” I tell him. “I hear factory equipment can be awfully dangerous.”

He takes a quick breath. “You should really get back inside,” he smirks, ignoring my comment.

“Bedpans?” I ask.

“Bedpans.”

“I guess I will then,” I chuckle. I push off the hay bales and carefully lower myself down the ladder to the ground below. As I turn around, I catch sight of the large punching bag again, hanging off the ceiling in the corner next to the silent cow pins. “Goodnight, Tobias,” I say as I pass by him.

“Goodnight, Claire,” he mutters back.

He pushes the bike out and slides the door closed behind us. I watch him as he mounts it and slides the helmet onto his head. Even now, he reminds me of Rick, with his thick black hair and prying eyes. Their voices are similar as well, each with a deep growl hovering below every syllable. I stand back as he revs the engine and takes off fast into the night.

***

Charlie steps into my room and tosses his car keys towards the bed. They land with a jingle next to my feet. I lower my book and stare at them before darting my eyes back to him. “What’s up, Charlie?” I ask, trying to remain cool and casual.

“I have to make a trip into town,” he says. “You have a license, right?”

I lean forward and pick them up. “Yes…” I say.

“Well, let’s go then.”

“You’re letting me drive?” I ask.

He slips an arm into his jacket. “Unless you have a rather compelling reason for me not to.”

I drop the book to the bed. It’s yet another boring romance I found on the shelf. Whoever M.E. is, they certainly left behind a large library of crap I never intended on reading, but I can’t seem to put down. “No no,” I say, shaking my head. “No reason.”

Charlie holds up a hand. “Work,” he says. Then he raises his other hand, “Reward.”

I smile and hop off the bed. It’s been a week since I arrived here and Charlie has barely let me do anything other than shovel food into my own mouth. Chores being the obvious, and only, exception. The thick, hateful tension between us seems to be breaking somewhat, but I wouldn’t call us friends just yet.

I still hate it here. I wish there was someone to talk to other than Charlie. I don’t enjoy our daily “chats,” the ones where he sits me down at the dinner table and asks me how I’m feeling, what I’m thinking about, and if I still want to take drugs. I’m stuck out in the middle of ass-Jesus nowhere. Of course I want to get high and forget about my troubles, but Charlie has made damn sure that doing so is impossible.

Tobias seems hellbent on not breaking his father’s rules for not engaging with me. Granted, we rarely see each other. He’s gone all night and I’m up all day. There are a few occasions where he’s in the house with us during the day, but they are few and far between — and never last long before he’s on his motorbike again, heading off to who knows where.

“Watch the speed limit,” Charlie warns, shifting in his seat.

I’ve never driven a pick-up truck before, but I’m not about to let him know that. You don’t see large trucks like this in the city. City folk like sports cars and SUVs. We don’t have a lot of use for big, gas-guzzling trucks. It’s strange being up in the air so high, but after a few miles, I’ve gotten used to it. I push the brake slightly, decreasing the speed by a few digits. “So, where are we going?” I ask him.

“You are staying in the truck,” he says. “I have to see a friend.”

“You have friends?” I chuckle.

“Yes, I have friends.” We pull into town and Charlie directs me down Main Street. “Park at the corner here,” he points.

I do as I’m told and take the parking spot, which thankfully isn’t parallel. There’s no way I’d be able to pull off parallel parking in this big beast of a truck. I point the air conditioning at my face to fight the sweat breaking on my brow. “So, I just stay here then?” I ask.

He pushes his door open and steps outside. “Yes.”

“Okay…” I look around outside.

Charlie wanders a few feet down the sidewalk before pausing and turning back to the truck. He gestures for me to roll down the window. “Or…” he mutters up at me, reaching into his back pocket for his wallet. “If you can handle it…” He grabs five dollars and holds it up to my window. “You can go grab us a loaf of bread from the market.”

“Seriously?” I ask, snatching the money from his fingers.

“If I make it back to the truck before you do,” he warns, “I’ll double your chores tomorrow.”

“I understand,” I say, nodding quickly.

“Bread only.”

I turn off the truck and hop out of it. “In and out. No problem, Charlie.” I watch him walk off in the opposite direction and wait until I see where he’s going. He crosses the street and enters an office with the sign ‘Bradley Jones, Attorney at Law’ hovering above it. I pick up my pace and rush into the grocery store across the street.

I’ve been in here before, so I know they keep the bread in the back, next to the eggs and milk. Charlie’s serious about doubling my chores and honestly, it’s the last thing I want. He’s just started giving me a little wiggle room and I don’t want to blow what little trust he’s formed in me. I keep my head down, find the bread, and grab a loaf before a minute has passed by.

Thankfully, there’s no line at the checkout. I toss the bread down and fish into my pocket for the money Charlie gave me.

“Hey, Claire!”

I look up to see Amy standing behind the counter. “Hey,” I answer.

“This all you need?” she asks, snatching the bread off the belt to scan it in.

“Yeah.”

“Cool,” she says. “Running errands with Charlie again?”

“Yeah…” I check her face again and notice that her bottom lip is split on one side, bruised and scabbed over just like mine was. She also sports the remains of what looks to be a pretty decent, and recent, black eye. It wasn’t there a week ago when I first met her.

Amy catches me staring at her and she quickly looks away. “That’ll be two seventy-five,” she mutters with smiling lips.

I hand her the money. “So…” I say, keeping my voice low. “Where’d you get the…” I point to her face.

She looks at me with shifting eyes. “Nowhere,” she says. “Where’d you get yours?”

“Nowhere…” I mutter.

She hits me with another grin. “They aren’t what they look like,” she claims. “I work out at the local boxing gym once a week. Do you like boxing?”

“Never done it,” I answer.

Her voice gets low. “Do you like watching fights?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.

I stare at her with confusion. “What?”

She shifts on her feet, her lips curling slightly until she finally gestures me closer across the belt. “There’s a place…” she begins, “outside of town. Below the abandoned school on Third.”

“What kind of place?” I ask.

She lowers her voice, hesitating for a moment before finally giving in. “Go around back, take the rear entrance by the stairs. Down the first hall, you’ll see a door marked basement. Then, just follow the noise and you’ll find it.”

“Find what?”

Her smile spreads wider. “There’s a fee, but it’s affordable.” She passes me my change.

I open my mouth to ask for more information, but I catch sight of Charlie out the window behind her. He’s left the law office and is now walking slowly towards the truck. “Thank you,” I say as I grab the bread.

“See you tonight,” Amy mutters with a full smirk crossing her face.

I turn back to look at her one more time before pushing the door open. I look around for Charlie again and see him just across the street. I sprint fast, bolting through the nearly abandoned street and make it back to the truck a few seconds before he does.

Charlie pauses and stares at me with amused eyes.

“There was a line,” I say as I climb into the driver’s seat and close the door. I hold up the bread and smile.

He chuckles and moves to the passenger’s side.

Chapter 4

Follow The Noise

I sit quietly in my room and wait.

Charlie’s been in bed for a few hours now, just long enough to get into a really deep sleep. And for what I’m about to do, I need him to be really, really deep in sleep.

I leave my room and close the door behind me. It took a long while for me to talk myself into doing this. Charlie’s just starting to trust me and if I get caught sneaking out, all of that will be over. But the more I thought about it, the more my curiosity overwhelmed me.

I step lightly down the stairs. Charlie keeps his truck’s keys hanging on a hook in the kitchen. Luckily, he hasn’t had the mind to hide them from me at night. I pull them off the hook and silently walk out the front door.

The headlights stay off until I reach the turn for the highway. My heart races, scared of getting caught. I keep with the speed limit, hoping not to attract any attention to the truck I literally just stole.

Earlier, I watched the street signs in town, hoping to find Third Street. Unfortunately, I didn’t, but I did see a First Street. Where there’s a First, there’s a Second, and, hopefully, a Third.

The town is deserted, just as I expected at an hour like this. I turn onto First Street and travel south through town. I take the next street over and smile when I find Second Street. I pause at the stop sign and spot a car speeding up the street crossing mine. I wait for them to pass and I don’t have to wait long. The vehicle charges through the intersection with the windows down, ignoring the stop sign in the process. Music blares out of it, along with the whoops and hollers of those inside.

I quickly hit the gas and turn the truck to follow them. My gut tells me they’re here for the same reason I am. I come within distance of their license plate and spot the words St. Louis County. I’m guessing people from St. Louis don’t make it a habit of traveling out to towns in the middle of nowhere unless they have a good — and fun — reason for it.

I follow them through town and just as I suspected, they lead me to Third Street. A few miles later, we reach an abandoned school just outside the city limits, just like Amy described earlier. It’s old, unkempt, and surrounded by other cars. I park in the back and watch as three people tumble out of the car I followed here. They’re laughing, obviously inebriated, but they head towards the back entrance like they’ve been here a hundred times before. I climb out of the truck and follow them up the stairs.

Their voices echo through the halls. I keep my distance and follow them, trying to act as inconspicuous as possible. They don’t seem to notice me, but if they have, they don’t care. They pull open a door marked basement and it falls closed behind them.

I pick up my pace and pull it open.

Follow the noise.

By the time I’ve reached the bottom of the stairs, I’ve lost the travelers from St. Louis, but I can hear the screams and shouts of voices echoing through the dark hallways. I make my way through the black, relying on my ears to guide me until I finally come to a set of double doors with a bright light shining out from beneath them.

I push the door open and my jaw drops.

It’s an old basketball court, disheveled from years of abandonment and disuse. A circular stage, shaped like an octagon, sits in the center of the arena, surrounded by a chain-link fence — obviously tossed together with whatever pieces they could find at the local junkyard. The lights flicker above it, just barely hanging on with what little electricity it still pumping into this place.

Two fighters stand in the center with their fists engaged in fighting stances. As my eyes land on them, one takes a firm punch to the jaw and falls flat to the floor. I flinch and my own hands fly to my mouth as I watch the blood spill off his teeth.

“Hey, Claire!”

I look up to find Amy stepping into my view. She appears entirely different than before, sporting a tight tank top and denim shorts. I blink, noticing her tight and toned body, which was well-hidden before behind long sleeves and pants. “Amy…?” I greet, shouting about the roaring crowd. “Hi.” I look around. There has to be at least fifty people cramped together in this makeshift arena.

“I was starting to think you wouldn’t show,” she says.

“I almost wish I hadn’t…” I say.

“Entrance fee is ten dollars,” she says, holding out her hand. “But for you, I’ll take five. It’s your first time, after all. I like to be gentle.”

A body slams into the fence and the crowd goes wild. I reach into my pocket and pull out the wad of cash I brought with me. I give her the money and look back to the ring as the same fighter takes another fist to the jaw. “What is this?” I ask her.

“It’s an illegal MMA fighting ring, obviously,” she jokes as she stuffs my money into a large, glass jar. She twists the lid back on and holds onto it tightly against her breast. A metal whistle hangs down from a chain around her neck. I say nothing in response and stare back at her with confusion. “Mixed martial arts,” she explains.

“I see…” I look at the ring, unable to take my eyes off it. “Are there any rules?”

She shakes her head. “No — well, no weapons. Fists and skin only. The fight goes until someone is knocked unconscious or taps out.”

The crowd lets out another scream as one fighter lands a serious jab against the other’s throat.

“Are these locals?” I ask, scanning their wild faces.

“Oh, hell no,” she answers with a giggle. “Well, a few, like myself. The others come from all over the state just to bare witness to the best fighters in the whole Midwest.”

I blink, feeling queasy, as the same fighter takes another bloody punch. “What do they get out of this?” I ask.

“Underground fame and glory, baby!” she smirks. “And this.” She holds up the glass jar.

“The winner gets the entrance fees?”

“I take a bit off the top for organizing the event,” she says. “Then the local on-duty cop takes a bit for his silence. The rest gets stashed away for the final tournament fight and the winner of that takes home everything.”

“You pay off the cops?”

“We used to host these fights in Rolla, but the cops there were total pricks. The ones here in our tiny town are a bit more… persuasive.”

I scan her face again, staring directly at her big, bruised eye. “Do you fight, too?” I ask in surprise.

“I like to hit the gym with the guys every now and then,” she says, nodding her head. “I’m not super competitive about it though. I just think it’s fun. You should try it sometime. There’s nothing like it.”

“I think I’ll pass,” I say, staring at the purple ring around her eye.

“Suit yourself.” She looks back to the fight in progress. “Excuse me. It looks like he’s gonna tap out…”

My eyes fall back to the ring and sure enough, the fighter on the floor taps furiously against his opponent’s knee. The opponent, clad in white, blood-splattered shorts, has him pinned to the floor with his knee pressed against his throat. Silence falls on everyone, leaving the sound of gurgling in the air.

Amy enters the ring and shoots a warning glance at the fighter on top. He lingers on the other fighter’s throat, seemingly disinterested in his plight, and puts a little more force on his body before bouncing off of him.

I inhale deep, not realizing that I was holding my breath the entire time. A few guys enter the ring to the help the beaten boy off the floor while the winner in blood-splattered shorts walks around the ring with his red fists held high, drawing the shouts of the satisfied crowd.

“That’s another win for Pike the Punisher, last year’s reigning Alpha from St. Louis!” Amy shouts, gesturing towards the fighter as he steps off the stage. I watch with wild adrenaline, sliding further into the crowd, closing in on the stage with a morbid curiosity.

Amy signals to the crowd to silence them. “It’s the final fight of the night, folks,” she begins. The crowds goes wild, firing off shouts of excitement and disappointment at the idea of their fun ending so soon. “But it’s the one you’ve all been waiting for!” She points to the left as a fighter enters the ring. He’s as short as I am, but built like a truck from head to toe.

“In this corner, we have Burt the Brute from Jefferson City!”

This fighter is obviously popular, as the crowd begins a loud and slow chant of his name as he paces around the stage.

“And in this corner,” Amy continues, pointing to the right. She waits a moment and the crowd goes silent again. “We have our very own, Tobias the Untouchable!”

I freeze and my eyes fall on him as he steps into the ring. The piercing shouts for him rattle my ears, far louder than any other fighter so far.

Tobias stands still, wearing nothing but a pair of tight, black shorts. My eyes once again take in his body. The bruises have faded to a subtle blue, but I can’t say the same about his thick muscles. I bite my inner cheek, completely entranced by him. He doesn’t pace back and forth like the others to draw the crowd’s attentions. He lets them come to him, his face frozen solid like a marble statue, and the crowd adores him for it.

Amy backs out of the ring and closes the cage behind her. She grabs a whistle hidden on a chain around her neck and brings it to her lips.

A sudden wave of fear trembles me. Blood still lies splattered beneath their feet inside the cage. I look up at Tobias again, remembering the mess of a fight I witnessed just moments before. I want to shout out and stop him, but it wouldn’t do any good in a crowd as loud as this.

Amy blows the whistle and the fight begins.

Burt moves in fast, his fists knocking blows at Tobias with hard precision. Tobias stands his ground, blocking each one of them, keeping his hands in front of his face at all times.

“Come on, pretty boy!” Burt cries out above the crowd. “Let me mark up that handsome face!” He lands a punch against Tobias’ already bruised ribs. Then another. And another. I see Tobias pushing out his hips, allowing for the Brute’s fists to rough him up.

He doesn’t even flinch. He waits with wide eyes until Burt drops his form. It’s only for a brief moment, but it’s long enough for Tobias to strike. His bare fist connects with Burt’s jaw, sending him backward into the fence. He hits him again with a flurry of moves, almost moving fast enough to be a human blur.

Burt stumbles forward and shoves Tobias backward. Tobias moves out of the way, but keeps a tight grip on the Brute’s arm. He swings him around and slams his knee into Burt’s stomach, sending him toppling to the floor.

I stand on my tippy-toes, begging to get a closer look at them both, but I can barely see what’s happening. The next thing I know, Tobias is on his knees, somehow knocked down by a sneak attack from Burt. I cringe as Burt digs his sharp nails into Tobias’ back. Tobias twists around to break free of him and slams Burt backward against the cage again. His fists collide with Burt’s face and a red mist spills into the air.

The crowd screams for him and chant’s Tobias’ name over and over again until Burt tumbles to the mat in a silent clump.

I stand still with shaking knees, watching Tobias’ dark face. His eyes twitch back and forth behind his fists, still raised in a fighting stance, waiting for Burt to get back up. But Burt doesn’t move.

Amy climbs into the ring and taps Burt’s cheek. “Aye, Burt!” she shouts.

A few seconds pass and finally, Burt’s eyes flutter open. He raises his fist, but it quickly drops back down and he taps against the mat.

Amy jumps back to her feet. “And we have a winner!”

The room crashes with excitement. They reach out and grip the cage, shaking it back and forth so much it may collapse. Tobias drops his fists and steps out of the ring without saying a word.

I look for him, but somehow, I lose track of him as he drifts off into the roaring crowd.

***

I step outside and take a long, deep breath. I’ve lived in the city my entire life. I like to consider myself pretty well-versed with the world, but I’ve never seen anything quite as brutal as that before. My fingers shake. My teeth chatter. Part of me wants to run away and never look back, but another part of me wants to see it all over again. I can’t help myself. Adrenaline rocks my nerves, reacting to the frightening display of power I just witnessed.

I look around the parking lot and watch as the excited people climb into their cars and race away. My eyes fall on a motorbike near the back of the building and I wonder how I didn’t notice it when I first came in.

Tobias’ bike.

I walk over to it and reach out to run my quivering fingers along the handlebars. The cool metal touch shoots through my skin, traveling up my fingers to ignite my digits.

“So, what are you in for?”

I look up to see Amy standing in front of me wearing a long, black coat to cover her exposed skin. “What?” I ask.

“What are you in for?” she asks again.

“I don’t know what you mean.”

She rolls her eyes and steps forward. “Oh, come on. Everyone knows Charlie takes in troubled strays,” she says. “Is it booze? You seem like a booze girl. No offense. Or drugs? Weed? Heroine?” She gasps. “Meth? This is Missouri, we’re kinda known for that here.”

I shake my head. “No,” I say. “I’m just visiting my uncle for the summer.”

“Bullshit,” she smiles and raises her hands, “but I won’t press it.”

I clear my throat. “So, you run this stuff?” I ask, shifting the focus.

She grins and performs an exaggerated curtsy. “Guilty.”

“No offense, but… how?”

Amy licks her lips and stands up a little taller. “It’s my birthright,” she says. “My mother founded this branch of the Midwest Alphas nearly fifteen years ago and now, it’s mine.”

“The Midwest Alphas?” I ask.

“There are four branches in the state; St. Louis, Jefferson City, Springfield, and here,” she explains. “Each year, we stage an underground tournament for local fighters to show their stuff. The fighters travel around between branches and participate in fights chosen at random. They get defeated once, and they’re out for good until the next year. Eventually, only two remain and the winner becomes the Alpha. It’s a fun tradition — one that brings me lots and lots of cold, hard cash. The final battle is in two weeks in St. Louis. You should come. The more people that do, the merrier my wallet is.”

“Maybe…” I chew on my lip.

“Your cousin is the local favorite to win it all, but he’s got some pretty stiff competition to get through before then.”

“Really?”

She nods. “Anyway, I have to get going. There’s a half-naked, sweaty man waiting at my door as we speak.” She presses her fingers against her lips and blows me a kiss. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” I say as I watch her stride across the parking lot. She passes by the school’s entrance as Tobias steps outside. He’s fully clothed now, his body covered in a shirt, his jacket, and some tight jeans. He walks down the stairs with his head down, ignoring the shouts of those driving by that recognize him.

Underground fame and glory.

Amy stalls beside him and lays a hand on his shoulder. “Nice moves tonight, Toby,” I hear her say.

Tobias reaches out and wraps his fingers around her wrist. He speaks to her with a hushed tone, his eyes staring into her bruised face. “You want to tell me what’s going on with you?”

She smiles back at him with a dismissive chuckle and pulls her hand away. “Sorry, Toby,” she says. “You had your chance.”

“Amy—” he growls.

“Goodnight!” she sings as she continues on towards the parking lot. I blink when I see the rather expensive looking sports car she climbs into. Maybe this gig really is profitable for her.

Tobias watches her go for a few moments before finally turning back towards his motorbike.

“That was quite impressive,” I say to him as he travels closer.

He stops in his tracks and he fires up at me with angry eyes. “What the hell are you doing out here?” he growls, adjusting his pace to take wider strides in my direction.

“Amy invited me,” I say. I step away from him, but he quickly bridges the small gap between us.

“How do you know Amy?” he asks.

I shrug. “I met her in the market.”

He sighs and shakes his head. “I’m officially uninviting you. You can’t be here.”

“What are you gonna do?” I ask him. “Tattle on me?”

“I mean it — this isn’t the place for you.”

The anger in his eyes burns my skin. It reminds me of the night I met him and how his furious demeanor jolted me to the core. “It’s not like I’ve never seen a bum fight before,” I joke.

“Tobias…”

His eyes fall over my shoulder, following the deep voice that spoke his name. There’s a subtle shift in his gaze as his anger turns to fear. “Get behind me,” he whispers.

“What?” I ask. I start to look over my shoulder, but he grips my arm to stop me.

“Claire, get behind me.” He moves with a quick jerk, sliding himself in front of me before I can say another word.

“Well, well, well…”

I follow the voice and peak around Tobias’ thick shoulder to see a fighter walking towards us in street clothes. I recognize his face immediately: Pike the Punisher. The winner with the blood-stained shorts.

He grins at Tobias with perfect teeth. “I thought you would have been knocked out of the bracket by now, Tobias,” he says.

Tobias keeps his arm back to hold me in place behind him. “Sorry to disappoint you, Pike,” he says.

Pike cranes his neck to get a better look over Tobias’ shoulder. His eyes fall on me and I feel Tobias grip my arm a little tighter. “And who is this?” he asks.

“She’s nobody,” Tobias spits.

“She don’t look like nobody to me.” Pike licks his lips at me. “What’s your name, darling?” he asks.

“She’s not from around here—”

“It’s Claire,” I interrupt.

Tobias’ head jerks back to scold me and I immediately feel like I’ve made a huge mistake.

“Claire…” Pike tastes my name. “I like it.” He takes a step closer with wide eyes, scanning my face as if to memorize it. “I’ll see you next week, Tobias,” he mutters, still staring at me. “Keep fighting like that and it should be you and me in the ring together soon.”

“Looking forward to it,” Tobias says.

He nods at me before turning away and walking towards his car.

Once he’s gone, Tobias spins around and pulls me in closer. “Stay away from him,” he seethes.

“Why—?”

“Claire.” His grip loosens, but his eyes keep their hold on me.

I search his intense gaze and feel the emotion behind his words. “Okay,” I say, nodding my head. “I’ll stay away from him.”

He drops my arm and takes a quick step back. “How did you get out here?” he asks.

“I… uh,” I give a short smile, cowering a little bit. “I stole Charlie’s truck.”

He tilts his head in annoyance and heaves a thick sigh.

Chapter 5

Now Hit Me

“Why do you call yourself Tobias the Untouchable?”

He looks over at me from the driver’s seat of Charlie’s truck. “I don’t,” he replies. His eyes drift back to the road. “They do.”

“Then why do they call you Tobias the Untouchable?”

It’s obvious that Tobias doesn’t want to answer my questions, but I can’t stand this silence. We’ve been on the highway for over ten minutes and we’re coming dangerously close to the farm. I know that once we get there, it’ll be back to business as usual and I don’t want that. Business as usual is strange and lonely.

“No one’s been able to touch my face,” he answers.

“That’s it?” I ask.

He shrugs. “That’s it.”

“How long have you been fighting?”

“A few months.”

I turn to look at him, my eyes drawn to his face. It is indeed clean, with no marks or visible scarring of any kind, not like Pike or Burt or even myself. Then I remember the bruises on his chest and ribs. “You leaned into those hits,” I say. “I saw you.”

“Well, if I get hit in the face, then my dad will notice.”

I nod, easily imagining the kind of reaction Charlie would have to this sort of thing. “I won’t tell him,” I say.

Tobias looks at me again. “Thank you,” he says.

“And… in exchange, I expect you not to tell him that I took off.”

“And stole his truck.”

“Well…” I nod. “Yeah. That, too.”

“Just don’t do it again,” he warns. “You’re biting the hand that feeds you.”

“He lets me feed myself actually,” I chuckle.

“This isn’t funny.”

“I know.” I tighten my lips. “I’ll be good. Besides, I won’t be here much longer anyway.”

“Where you going?” he asks.

“Back to Chicago. I turn eighteen soon and they can’t keep me here against my will.” His eyes linger on me a little longer before returning back to the road. A thick-aired silence falls on us again. I wait, hoping that he’ll break it, but he keeps his eyes forward. “So…” I mutter. “Did he tell you why I’m here?” I ask.

His hand shifts on the steering wheel. “He said you were a complicated young woman,” he answers.

“That’s it?” I ask.

He shrugs. “That’s it.” I bite my lip, wondering if I should say something more, but he continues on. “But that’s just old cop talk for sex and drugs. I didn’t ask any questions.”

My cheeks fall pink and I hope that it’s not noticeable in the dark. “That’s about it, I guess. Well, one more than the other.” I feel his eyes on me, but he says nothing. “Drugs,” I say quickly.

“Obviously,” he says.

I raise an eyebrow. “Obviously?” I repeat.

“A more mature woman wouldn’t be so embarrassed at the accusation of having sex.”

“I’m not embarrassed…” I sigh. “We never even went all the way.”

“We?” he asks.

I hesitate with trembling lips. “Rick and me.”

Tobias’ eyes go wide and his lips curl. “You were dating your stepbrother?”

I shake my head. “No. We were just… jeez, I don’t know. Having fun, I guess. I knew it was wrong, but he was… persuasive.”

“Well, that explains their reaction then,” he mutters.

“We almost…” I let the words fall, “but we got caught.”

“And they sent you here?”

“Yeah.”

“Seems a little extreme.”

“It didn’t help that we took off afterward and got busted by the cops with drugs and booze.”

Tobias shakes his head. “Yeah, that sounds like Rick.”

“He never mentioned you,” I say.

“We haven’t seen each other in years,” he explains, “but you hear things about family, you know.”

“Yeah.” My eyes fall to his hand on the wheel and I notice it gently twitching in the passing streetlights. “I guess that makes us step-cousins or whatever, if that’s even a thing.”

“Guess so.” His eyes flick in my direction and fall to my split lip. “Is he the one that gave you that?”

I bite my cheek. “It was an accident.”

“An accident?”

“It was my fault.”

“Things like that don’t just accidentally happen, Claire.”

“Well, this one did.” He looks back at the road and doesn’t reply. I watch him slide his hands across the steering wheel. They shiver and shake, the tremble traveling up his arms. “Are you okay?” I ask.

“Yeah,” he answers quickly, following my eyes. “I just get a little revved up after a fight, is all.”

I nod and turn back to the road. Shortly after, the farm comes into view. Tobias flicks the headlights off as we slowly approach the house and park the truck in its spot. I help him roll his motorbike out of the truck bed and he pushes it towards the barn.

“Your dad’s a heavy sleeper,” I note as I pull the barn door open.

“He wasn’t always, that’s for sure,” he says as we step inside. I slowly close it again, shutting the both of us inside as he reaches up and flicks on the lights above us. “I think his cop senses have dwindled over the years.”

“Did you do a lot of sneaking out when you were growing up?” I ask.

He slips the kickstand down and leaves the bike against the wall. “Not really,” he says. “You should go get some sleep. It’s late.”

“What are you going to do?”

He points across the room and my eyes fall on the punching bag. “I need to work off some stuff,” he says.

I recall his adrenaline-wrecked hands and nod. “Can I watch?” I ask.

He pulls in a sharp inhale, his lips ready to say no, but he pauses instead. “Why do you want to?” he asks.

My memory wanders back to the fight and I can feel my heart pump a little faster. “It… I don’t know.” I look at my feet. “I just kind of liked it, I guess.” Once again, my cheeks fall pink. I expect him to laugh at me, to tell me to go away and leave him alone, but he doesn’t.

“Have you ever thrown a punch before?” he asks instead.

I shake my head. “No.”

He slips his jacket off and hangs it over his bike’s seat. “Hold up your fists,” he says.

“What?” I ask, my eyes snapping up from his tight, black t-shirt.

“Hold up your fists,” he repeats, standing in front of me. I bend my elbows slowly and raise my hands. My fingers curl down around my thumb and he shakes his head. “Keep the thumb on the outside, like this—” He reaches out and takes my hand. His touch sends a shock wave up my arm as he positions my thumbs correctly. “Never wrap your fingers around it. The impact could break your thumb,” he explains.

I nod my head slowly. “Okay.”

“Hold your wrist straight. Don’t let it bend.” His fingers move up my arm as he speaks and shivers explode up my spine.

“Okay…” I wish I could say something else, but my tongue runs on auto-pilot as my blood rushes elsewhere.

He staggers his feet and looks down at mine. “Put your right foot forward and bend your knees a little — like mine.”

I do as he says, suddenly feeling very aware of the new, awkward movements. “This feels weird,” I chuckle.

“It will, at first,” he nods. His hands fall to my elbows and he lifts them higher so my fists block my cheeks. “Always protect your face. Keep your chin down.”

I look to the floor. “Like this?”

He brushes a hand beneath my face and raises my chin a few inches. “Like that,” he says. After a quick glance down my body, he nods. “Good. Now hit me.”

“Hit you?” I ask. “Like… in the face?”

He chuckles. “No, here.” He taps a hand against his strong chest.

“Are you sure?” I hesitate.

“Do it.”

I bite my lip, wincing at the idea of striking another person. He looks at me with expectant eyes and I force myself to jab forward. My wrist collapses against his thick pecks and falls back to my side.

“That was pitiful,” he jokes. “Come on! Straighten your wrist. This time, let your right foot slide forward while your left pushes off the floor.”

“Do what now?” I ask, looking down at my feet.

He smiles and steps behind me. “The power of the punch comes from your hip, not your arm,” he says. I feel his hands on my waist and he pivots me with a quick jerking motion. “Lean into it and snap it back. Don’t let your arm linger.” He returns to his spot in front of me. “Again.”

I look at his chest and take aim at him.

“Protect your face.”

I raise my hands higher and inhale a quick breath to calm my quaking nerves. My toes tingle in my shoes as I push against my left foot and lean forward into my right. I twist my body and throw a second punch. It connects with him, this time with a firmer smack.

“Again,” he says.

I jab, hitting him a little harder.

“Again.”

I pivot sharply, feeling more strength surge through the punch before it connects with his chest. I pause, my arm shaking.

“Snap it back. Again.”

I raise my fists and throw one last punch. It strikes him perfectly and I immediately fall back into a fighting position, ready to jab again.

“Good,” he finally says.

My breath rattles through my lungs. Power charges up my limbs. I let my hands drop to my sides, but I can’t stop the twitching in my fingers. “Thank you,” I breathe.

“Knowing how to throw a punch is an essential skill,” he shrugs. “Kind of like knowing how to change a tire or how to hard-boil an egg.”

“I don’t know how to do either of those things,” I chuckle.

“Well, now you know how to throw a punch.”

My lips twitch. “Can I do it again?” I ask.

He gestures to the punching bag. “Knock yourself out.”

I move in closer and stand in front of it. It feels so strange to roll my hands into fists with the intent to hit something, but it feels better than being on the receiving side of it. It almost feels like I’m learning how to use my hands for the first time. I hold them up in front of my face and lash out with one quick punch. My senses tingles throughout my body as the satisfying smack fills my ears.

“Claire,” Tobias says, “did Amy mention to you how she got those bruises?”

I drop my hands and look back at him. “She said she got them at the gym during a boxing lesson,” I shrug. “Why?”

“Just curious,” he mutters as he looks me up and down. His eyes once again lock on my lip. “You should keep practicing.”

I look at my pink knuckles, my heart racing. It’s a new sensation buzzing through my veins, an elixir of power and adrenaline. I honestly can’t say why it’s affecting me so much, but at the same time, I have a pretty good idea. I grip my wrist trying to steady myself, but I can’t seem to calm my nerves.

“Claire, you okay?” Tobias asks.

I look up at him, taking in his sharp, green eyes as they stare down at me with concern. “Yeah,” I say quickly. “Just a little revved up, I guess.” I swallow my spit down to wet my dry throat.

“I know how you feel,” he says. He takes my wrist and presses his fingertips into my skin, massaging the muscles within. “You’ll feel better in a few minutes.”

“What do you usually do to wind down after a fight?” I ask.

Tobias flexes his jaw. His moving fingers pause on my skin before he lets me go completely. “Something I can’t do right now,” he whispers, staring into my eyes. He turns away and grabs his jacket off the motorbike. “You should get inside.”

I step closer to him, reacting to a driving, physical need to be near him. “Tobias…” I whisper.

He reaches for me and grips my shoulders. “Claire,” he says. “Go.”

I see it in his eyes. He doesn’t want me to leave. He wants me to stay with him. It’s how he’s always looked at me, ever since the moment we met just over a year ago.

Rick.

I pull away from Tobias and my heart lurches in my breasts. “Yeah,” I whisper. “I have to…”

I don’t say another word. I turn around and grip the barn door to pull it open. Everything inside of me hurts. Pangs of guilt and betrayal strike me down. I shake my head to ward off the confusion trapped inside of it.

Tobias is not Rick.

He’s Rick’s cousin. They’re nothing like each other. Rick is firm, but kind to me. He’s fun and free. Sure, he has a temper, but what man doesn’t? Everything he’s done has been because he loves me. He told me that himself. He’s my black-haired, blue-eyed, bad boy. I’m counting down the days until I see him again.

Tobias is nothing like him.

He’s just another good old boy from the country. Or rather, that’s who I thought he was at first. After tonight, I’m not so sure anymore. His bruises. His tattoos. All of it shows a very different picture than the one his father painted for me.

I stare out my bedroom window, hoping to catch another peak at him when he finally comes out of the barn, but sleep claims me before I can see him again.

Chapter 6

It’s Tradition

A knock strikes the front door and my eyes drift slowly to the clock on the wall. It’s six-thirty in the morning and I can barely even keep my eyes open. Who could possibly be at the door at six-thirty in the morning?

Charlie stands up from the kitchen table and sets his plate by the sink before wandering into the living room.

“Hi, Mr. Eastwood!”

My ears perk to hear Amy’s high-pitched voice carrying through the house.

“Good morning, Amy,” Charlie greets. “What brings you all the way out here so early?”

I lean back in my chair to get a better view of the front door. I can just barely see her in front of Charlie; tall, perfectly-styled blonde-hair, and long legs poking out of the bottom of her skirt. I’ve never quite understood how girls like her pull it off while making it look so easy.

“Well,” she grins and holds up a large, brown envelope, “my father got those documents you needed and his paralegal is out sick with rabies or whatever, so he asked me to deliver it for him on my way in to work today.”

Charlie takes the envelope. “Rabies?” he asks.

“Or mono or strep,” she shrugs. “One of those things.”

He steps back, leaving the door open. “I’ve got something for him, too, if you don’t mind delivering it for me.”

“No problem, Mr. Eastwood,” she says as she waltzes inside.

“Be right back.” Charlie turns around and walks up the stairs towards his room.

Amy’s big, blue eyes drift around the living room once before finally falling on me. “Oh, hey!” she squeaks and rushes into the kitchen. “How you doing, Claire?”

“I’m fine…” I mutter, pushing through a yawn.

“You are not a morning person, are you?” she asks as she sits down in Charlie’s chair across from me.

“Not really.” I get a better look at her and notice a fresh brush hovering above her cheekbone. “Another boxing accident?” I ask.

“Hmm? Oh—” She touches her pink cheek. “Yeah. Dodging is not my strongest suite. Do you mind?” she asks as she slides my plate closer to her. She doesn’t wait for an answer before she snatches a slice of my half-eaten toast off of it.

“Not at all,” I chuckle. “So, what documents are you delivering?”

Amy shrugs. “Something lawyer related. I didn’t ask.”

“Your dad is a lawyer?” She nods, chewing silently on my toast. “What kind of lawyer?”

“Malpractice.”

I tap my fingernail on the table and glance out the window. “Interesting…”

“If you say so,” she says, rolling her eyes. “So, are you coming tonight?”

I quickly shoot a look over my shoulder, searching for Charlie. “What’s tonight?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

Amy takes the hint and lowers her own. “There’s a fight just outside Jefferson City. Didn’t Tobias tell you?”

I shake my head. “I haven’t seen him since the last one a week ago. I think he’s avoiding me…”

“Elimination round,” she says, shaking with excitement. “You have to be there. I’ll pick you up.”

I sit back and my mind shifts into its old habits. Plotting and planning. Coming up with fun, new ways of sneaking out of the house undetected and getting back without my mother or stepfather finding out. It’s a rush, to say the least, but a hard, cold feeling nestles into my gut. “I’m… not supposed to leave the farm,” I tell her.

Amy leans forward and her smile widens. “I knew you weren’t just here to visit your uncle.” She drops the rest of the uneaten toast back onto my plate as Charlie’s boots come bounding down the stairs.

“Here you go,” he says as he enters the kitchen.

Amy stands up and takes the stack of papers from him. “I’ll deliver them right away, Mr. Eastwood,” she says.

“Thank you, Amy. Oh—” He pauses and points to his face. “Are you all right?”

She laughs and brushes a hand through the air. “Just another little boxing mishap. No biggie.”

I stand up quickly. “I’ll walk you out, Amy.”

Charlie regards us with suspicion, but says nothing as I follow Amy outside onto the front porch.

I wait until we’re near her car, far from his ears, before speaking again. “I want to go tonight,” I tell her.

“Of course you do,” she says as she slides a pair of pink-rimmed sunglasses onto her nose. “Just get to the end of the driveway by nine-thirty and I’ll take care of the rest.”

I nod as she lowers herself into her shiny and clean sports car. “Thanks,” I tell her.

She presses her fingers against her lips and blows me a kiss before taking off down the driveway. I turn back to the house and my eyes are instantly drawn towards Tobias’ window.

It’s been several days since Tobias taught me how to punch, but the memory is still very vivid in my head. I haven’t seen him since. I hear him sometimes. I’ll hear the thumping of his feet upstairs while I’m in the kitchen or the roaring of his motorbike speeding down the driveway while I’m in the horse stables. Wherever I am, he’s not there. I’m beginning to think our paths haven’t crossed again on purpose. Maybe it’s better that way.

“Time to get to work, Claire!”

I jolt at the sound of Charlie’s stern voice on the porch. “All right, all right…” I call as I step back towards the house.

***

“So, are you like, a prisoner?”

I roll down the window and let the warm, summer breeze strike my cheeks. “Sometimes feels that way,” I tell Amy. “But technically not, I guess.”

She pushes down on the gas pedal and swerves into the left lane to pass a slow-moving pick-up truck. It shakes me to the side and my seatbelt digs into my chest. “Sorry,” she mutters unapologetically. “Well, I can honestly tell you that if getting sent to hang out with Charlie for the summer was your only punishment — for whatever it is you did — you got off pretty light.”

“Did I?” I ask.

“Oh yeah.” Amy grabs a bottle of water from the cup holder and drops the wheel to untwist the cap. The car gently glides to the side of the road and I feel another wave of nausea. “Charlie is a super nice guy — and he gets plenty of bonus points for being a silver fox.”

I chuckle. “I don’t see it, but I’ll take your word for it.”

“You don’t?” she asks, jerking the car back into the lane. “He’s a total Clooney.” I shake my head, silently smiling. “Well, if Charlie doesn’t strike your fancy, then Tobias surely does.” She groans softly and uses her hand to fan herself.

“I’ve seen worse,” I mutter.

“I’d kill to be in your position again.”

“Again?”

Her eyebrows bounce in the dark. “He and I have spent a little time together,” she says with a purposeful inflection. “But it never really went anywhere.”

“Really?”

“Oh yeah.” She stops and cringes with a quick glance in my direction. “Oh, I’m talking about your cousin, aren’t I? Whoops, my bad.”

“Just through marriage,” I explain. “My mother married his uncle.”

“Good for you then,” she teases with a wink.

“How long have you known him?” I ask to shift the subject elsewhere.

Amy hits the gas again for apparently no real purpose other than to go very, very fast. “A long time. Ten years, ish. We went to high school together.”

“Has he always been so…?”

“Brooding?” she completes, flashing me a smile.

“Yes.”

“Pretty much.”

I look out the window and watch the empty fields shoot by in silence. It seems like I learn something new about Tobias every day, something that makes him a little more intriguing to me.

“Speak of the devil…” Amy adjusts her rear view mirror.

I spin around in my seat to see a motorbike speeding towards us on the dark highway. “That’s him?” I ask.

“Yep, that’s him,” she grins. Her finger presses a button and her window slides down. As Tobias passes, she sticks her head out the window and lets out a piercing holler. “To-bi-aaas!” She honks her horn wildly, but he doesn’t even look over at us as he speeds down the road.

I chuckle at her as she rolls the window back up.

***

I look around the gym and see plenty of familiar faces.

Tonight’s fight isn’t taking place at a secret, underground ring like the one before. This one is in a legit boxing club in the center of town. There’s a sense of urgency about it, like we could be busted by the local police at any moment, but this just adds to the adrenaline buzz pumping through my veins.

My eyes roam the crowd; their faces red with excitement. It’s strange to think that these are just normal people during the day, but at night, they’re here, eager for blood. Even my heart thumps wildly in my chest as I glance around, in search of his face.

“You okay?” Amy asks me, a permanent giggle on her tone.

I nod quickly. “Yeah, why?”

“You look tense.” She stuffs some dollar bills into her glass jar and waves a few more people inside.

“Just excited, I guess.” I lean closer to the wall near the door.

“Good!” she shouts. “Tonight is going to be wild!”

The door near me flies open and a large man steps inside. I recognize him immediately and I hear Tobias’ voice in my head.

Stay away from him.

“Pike!” Amy greets him with excitement. “It’s about time. I almost counted you tardy.”

“You know me, Amy,” he growls as he slaps money into her palm.

“Unfortunately,” she quips.

He reaches a thick hand around her and forces her body against his. The entirety of his palm covers her rear as he gives her cheek a firm squeeze. “That’s not what you said last time!” he laughs.

Anger boils in me, but Amy’s face splits with a loving smile. “I’ve said many things to you, Pike.”

“Say more tonight,” he replies.

“Win your fight and we’ll see,” she teases as she glides back.

His hand drops from her ass and he turns away, his gaze falling right in my direction. “Claire…” he says with curling lips.

I push my back so hard against the wall, it feels like I might fuse with it. “Hey,” I say.

He lays his hand near my head on the wall behind me. I recoil as his body odor invades my nose. “I was hoping you’d be here tonight…”

“Pike!” Amy shouts. “Locker room. Now.”

He turns away from me and looks down at Amy. “Yes, ma’am,” he says. His eyes scan my body from head to toe before he finally walks away towards the back of the gym.

“That was impressive…” I say to Amy.

She shrugs as she quickly flips through a bundle of bills to face them all in the same direction. “I’m an Alpha Dame, Claire,” she says. “No one fucks with an Alpha Dame.”

“Really?”

“Oh yeah. You show disrespect to one of us and you have every fighter in her league on your doorstep the next morning — and they ain’t there for board games, if you get my meaning.”

I nod slowly. “Sounds like a nice gig.”

“It’s the best job in the world.”

“So grabbing your ass in public doesn’t count as disrespecting you?” I ask.

“That was personal business,” she winks and spins on her thick heels towards the door to greet a few more new arrivals.

“Right…” I chuckle with amusement and look back to the ring as the cheers from the crowd fill my ears.

A woman steps into the boxing ring, drawing the attentions of everyone in the room. Her long, red hair flows down to her navel like a cartoon mermaid while her thick breasts beg to explode out of her tight, leather-bound top. She points a single finger and slowly brings it to her lips. The entire room falls into a dead silence. “Greetings, ladies and gentleman!” she calls.

The crowd cries out in response, but quickly dies back down again.

“Who’s that?” I whisper to Amy.

“That is Lillian Tombs.”

“Is that her real name?” I ask.

“Doubtful,” she replies. “But that’s what we call her. She runs the St. Louis branch and oversees the activities of the entire operation. If we had a monarchy, she’d be queen. My mother and her were besties before she died.”

“I’m sorry…”

She dismisses the remark with a wave of her hand. “Lillian never shows up to fights outside of her branch, so this is a big deal…”

“Are all these branches run by women?”

Amy nods with smiling eyes. “It’s tradition.”

I look to the ring as Lillian’s voice pulls me back in.

“Six fighters. Three fights,” Lillian says with a commanding, warrior princess-like tone. “After hearing about the talent displayed so far this year, I just had to come down here and see what the hell y’all were squawking about.” She grins widely and the crowd laughs with her. “And now that I’ve snuck a peak in the locker room, well…” Her eyebrow peaks. “I may just have to spend the night.”

Behind her, the fighters climb into the ring among the satisfied calls of the audience. All six of them, Tobias included, stand tall, wearing nothing but shorts and sweat.

“Three of you,” Lillian continues, her eyes snapping to each of them as she glides around the ring, “will go home victors tonight. The other three… will just go home.”

My eyes move across their faces, each fighter a little more daunting than the last. They all bare their teeth in efforts to look menacing and scary — all but Tobias, that is. He stands there, dark and silent, with his head held down and his arms crossed over his chest. I feel a spike of fear for him; a sheep surrounded by wolves.

Or is he also a wolf, cleverly disguised in sheep’s clothing?

“Our first match is between one of mine and one of yours…” Lillian teases. She moves down the line, her finger sliding across each of their chests as she goes. Tobias doesn’t budge when she touches him, firm as stone. She stops in front of Pike and gently digs her black-painted finger nail into his chest. “Pike the Punisher!” she calls out, driving the noise of the crowd, while Pike flexes for them. “And…” She steps to the next man in line and stops in front of him. “Freddy the Freak!”

Freddy shivers with purpose, forcing his bright green mohawk to shift about on his head, and sticks his tongue out to excitedly wag it around.

Lillian throws her head back and laughs. “The rest of you will just have to wait your turn…” She steps towards the ropes. “Enough stalling!” she cries. “Let’s see some fights!”

Hands wave into the air and feet stomp loudly as they step out of the ring, leaving Pike and Freddy alone. They enter their corners and wait for Lillian to give the signal. She slides a metal whistle out from between her breasts and slips it between her teeth.

I catch sight of Tobias outside the ring. He far more focused than the rest of them with his eyes on the fight, while the others take selfies with their adoring public. It’s clear which fighters are in this for the promised underground fame and glory and which fighters are not. I search his eyes from the other side of the room and wonder what other reason Tobias has for being here.

The whistle cuts the air and the fight begins.

Pike darts forward immediately and aims his thick fist for Freddy’s face. Freddy slides to the side to dodge, but Pike still strikes his ear, knocking him completely off balance. He tumbles to the floor and I look away before Pike’s foot stomps down on his chest.

“You’re not going to throw up, are you?” Amy asks me.

I shake my head, but I keep my eyes on the ground. “I don’t think so,” I lie.

She pats me on the back. “I remember feeling queasy at my first fights, too. It passed. Now, I just get so turned on, I don’t know what to do with myself.”

“You’re a very strange person…” I joke.

“Oh, please…” She licks her lips. “Don’t act like you’re immune to this.”

I flash back to the night in the barn and I remember how satisfying it felt to feel my fist connect with Tobias’ chest. My entire body quivered after that. His power and strength were almost too much for me. It overwhelmed all other senses, leaving me broken and confused, but intrigued to the core.

My eyes flick back to the ring just as Freddy performs a solid jump kick against Pike’s chest, sending him stumbling back against the ropes. He bounces off of them and uses the momentum to send a vicious uppercut into Freddy’s gut. I can hear the wind escaping his lungs from all the way over here. The screaming horde jumps up and down as Freddy falls to the floor and doesn’t get back up. Pike takes great delight in grabbing his hand off the mat and watching it drop back down without resistance.

Freddy is out cold.

Lillian steps into the ring and calls the match in Pike the Punisher’s favor. “That’s how we fight in St. Louis!” she cries, proud and happy.

I turn away again as a few people step up to drag Freddy’s limp body out of the ring.

“He’ll be fine,” Amy assures me with a friendly, soothing voice. Her eyes tell me another story. These fights are kept secret for a reason. I imagine a world of no holds barred violence results in many fighters that retire from the sport a little too early.

The four remaining fighters step into the ring and Lillian takes her time revealing who will go next, teasing the crowd with her perfect stage presence as she pokes them one-by-one.

“Next… from our districts down south…” She puckers her lips and stops in front of Tobias. He stares back at her with fixed, green eyes. “Tobias…” Her hands climbs his bare body and she raises her fingers to his face, letting them hover just above the skin of his cheek, “the Untouchable…”

The crowd screams for her, daring her to touch him, but she drops her hand without ever making contact.

Lillian laughs and moves on to the next fighter in line. “And Marcus the Menace!” she grins and reaches out to squeeze the man’s sizable biceps. She purrs to herself and throws up her hands. “Let’s start this before I explode!”

Tobias eyes Marcus as he drifts over to his corner. I wish I knew him well enough to know what he was thinking behind his dark and rough expressions. Knowing would probably make me feel a little less terrified right now.

Lillian blows the whistle again and my heart skips a beat.

I stare at Tobias, preparing for him to strike, but he doesn’t move from his corner. He lurks there in his fighting pose, calmly bouncing on his toes as his eyes watch Marcus shift towards him.

“What’s he doing?” I ask out loud.

“Classic Tobias…” Amy grins. “He never throws the first punch.”

I remember the bruises splattered across his abdomen and nausea washes over me again. Marcus is huge — much larger than Burt the Brute was. If Tobias leans into the punches like he did last time, he may not get back up again.

Marcus pulls back his fist and my eyes clench shut just before it reaches Tobias’ face.

The screaming crowd erupts in thunderous applause and I force my eyes open to see what’s happened. Tobias dodged the attack and somehow managed to bring Marcus to his knees. He grips Marcus’ arm and twists it back to keep Marcus in a painful hold. I take a quick step forward, entranced by the sudden turn of events.

“See?” Amy teases me. “I told you you’re not immune to this...”

I keep my focus on Tobias, completely taken in by him and the darkness in his eyes. They suddenly flick in my direction, drawn to me as much as mine are to his, and turn soft for the slightest of moments as he recognizes my face across the room.

Then, Marcus strikes.

He turns quickly, taking Tobias completely off guard and slamming him down against the mat. A few faces in the crowd spin around in my direction, each of them wondering what it was that broke Tobias the Untouchable’s attentions. I ignore them and watch as Tobias takes great effort in blocking his face from Marcus’ crushing blows. It doesn’t seem to bother Marcus much, as he quickly jumps to his feet and connects a few swift kicks with Tobias’ kidneys.

Tobias rolls away from him and bounces off the floor. This time, he keeps his eyes forward, locked on the target in front of him and raises his hands up to protect his face. Marcus rushes forward and lands three quick swings against Tobias’ red ribs. He lets it happen and draws Marcus closer to sweep his legs out from under him. Marcus lurches back, but doesn’t fall until Tobias doubles around and lands a perfect roundhouse kick across his chin.

Marcus’ head hits the floor and the crowd screams with delight.

My body wretches from its frozen state and I force my lungs to take in fresh air.

Lillian climbs into the ring and kneels down to check on Marcus. “My god!” she cries out with a smile. “Two in a row, completely knocked cold!”

The audience laughs and slowly begins to chant Tobias’ name. He turns around and finds my face again before jumping out of the ring and taking fast strides in my direction.

“Good job, Toby!” Amy says to him.

Tobias ignores her and walks straight at me with fierce eyes. His sweaty chest heaves up and down as he stares down at me. He opens his mouth to speak, but no words come out. He lingers above me with the same heat in his eyes I saw that night in the barn when he told me to leave. Every instinct of mine tells me to step away from him, but I can’t find the will to move. I stare back at him with wide eyes, teetering on the edge of fear and excitement.

Finally, he turns away and heads straight for the locker rooms at the far side of the gym without speaking.

“Wow…” Amy breathes.

“What?” I ask, my lips trembling.

“Just… wow,” she says again. She lays her hand on my shoulder and squeezes once as Lillian blows the whistle for the third and final fight to begin.

“Yeah…” I whisper, my cheeks on fire. “Wow.”

“Hey, Amy!”

A man charges out of the crowd. I recognize him from the last fight. Burt the Brute, the fighter Tobias took down in under thirty seconds. “Burt!” She smiles at him to welcome his embrace, but her smile quickly disappears as he digs his grip into her. “And you’re hurting me.”

“What the hell was that earlier with you and Pike?” he growls.

“That,” she answers, “was business.”

“Looked a little too pleasing to be business to me—”

“Burt…” she mutters with a hushed tone. “You’re drunk.”

“And you’re nothing but a two-timing who—”

“Burt.” She interrupts him with a firm voice. “You really don’t want to do this here.” She looks over his shoulder and he turns around. I follow his gaze and notice the eyes of the crowd zeroing in on them. A few of them take warning steps towards Burt, each one of them curling their hands into fists.

Burt releases her arm and stands up straight. “I guess we’ll just settle this later tonight then,” he says, breathing into her face.

“That would be wise.”

He spins on his feet and walks back into the crowd to watch the fight. Amy nods at the crowd and brushes her hand through the air to signal that everything is fine. The onlookers turn back around.

“Amy…” I say. “Are you okay?”

She gives me a confident nod. “Nothing I can’t handle.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course.”

I take a step towards her. “Did he do that to your face?” I ask.

She looks at me with wide eyes. “I don’t think we know each other well enough to have that conversation, Claire,” she says.

I close my mouth and look back towards the fight just as one of the fighters crumbles to the floor. The remaining fighter throws up his thick hands in victory and Lillian cries out in applause.

“Danny the Devil from Springfield,” she addresses him. “You lucky bastard!”

The audience laughs with her and calls Danny’s name over and over again.

“Looks like the night is over, y’all!” Lillian says as she playfully wipes fake tears from her eyes. “But don’t you worry. Next week is our final elimination round! There’s just three fighters left! Will Pike remain our Alpha for another year? Or will someone new claim his title?”

The room trembles as their screams echo into the night.

Chapter 7

Promise Me Again

I walk up the long and dark driveway, flinching at every little sound nature makes to scare me. For some reason, wandering down a gravel road in the middle of nowhere terrifies me a lot more than the streets of Chicago in the middle of the night.

Maybe it has something to do with where I’m going and who I’ll face when I get there.

I reach the quiet farmhouse and hesitate outside on the porch. My blood still pounds in my ears, filling my head with a steady drumbeat. Every time I close my eyes, I see Tobias towering above me. I’ll admit, I’m scared to face him again. There was a subtle rage behind his eyes tonight, one that I can’t ignore. The thumping in my ears becomes louder until I realize that it’s not in my head at all.

I step over to the barn and slide the door open.

The thumping stops and Tobias immediately abandons the punching bag to turn on me. “What the hell were you thinking?” he seethes.

I slide the door closed behind me and fight my eyes from looking down at his bare torso. “I wanted to watch you fight again.”

“I told you not to.”

“No,” I say. “You told me not to steal Charlie’s truck again—”

“You know what I meant, Claire,” he says. “You’re gonna get us both caught if you keep sneaking out like this.”

“So you’re just worried about your little secret identity then?”

He pauses and turns away from me. “How did you get up there?” he asks.

“Amy gave me a ride.”

“When did you two become friends?”

I smirk. “When did you two become lovers?”

He furrows his brow. “What?”

I lean back against the door. “She said the two of you have spent time together.”

His lips twitch. “She’s exaggerating.”

“How so?” I ask.

He brings his hand to his face and he rubs a bit of sweat off his brow. “Amy is an hour of my life I’ll never get back,” he says with amusement.

“Sounds special.”

“It wasn’t.”

“What happened?” He stares back at me with tight lips. “Hey, I told you about Rick…”

Tobias chews on his lip for a moment. “It was right after my first fight. We got a few drinks, she gave me a hand-job, and then she passed out on her couch. I left right after.”

“You’re kidding,” I chuckle.

He shakes his head and grips his wrist to massage it in silence.

“So you two never…?” I let the question linger.

“No.”

“She makes it sound like you did.”

“Amy has a thing for fighters.”

“Yeah, I noticed,” I scoff and cross my arms. “Looks like she has things going with quite a few of you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Pike was flirting with her earlier,” I recall, “and Burt didn’t seem too happy about it.”

“What exactly did you see, Claire?” Tobias asks, his voice steady as a rock.

I shift on my toes. “He grabbed her arm — I don’t know, it happened pretty quickly. I did ask her if he’s the one that bruised up her face, but she wouldn’t say. She said she could handle it.” His eyes linger on the floor. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he says. “I’ll take care of it.”

I furrow my brow, wanting to question him more, but I decide against it. The fresh bruises along his abdomen draw my eyes south. “You okay?” I ask him. “That guy seemed really strong…”

“Yeah,” he says. I’m fine.”

“Got a little scary there for a second,” I say.

“I had it under control.”

“I don’t mean the fight.”

He looks at me and flexes his jaw. “I wasn’t expecting you to be there,” he mutters.

“You seemed…” I pause, “angry with me.”

“I was.”

“Like you were going to hit me—”

“I’d never hit you, Claire,” he says quickly.

“Are you still angry now?”

He takes a long, deep breath. “No,” he finally says.

I nod slowly. “Why not?”

“Do you want me to be?”

“No.”

He smiles and steps a little closer to me. “I have more important things to worry about than you.”

I blink. “Ouch?”

“It’s not meant to be an insult,” he says. “It’s just the truth.”

My body trembles against the wooden door. Feeling unwanted has become a familiar feeling to me these last few weeks. My mother didn’t want to put up with me anymore. My stepfather sure as hell wanted to see me gone and jumped at the first opportunity he had to get rid of me. Charlie’s pretty good at not showing it, but I get the feeling he’d rather not have me around either. And now, it’s Tobias’ turn to reject me. I’m not sure why I’m so surprised.

Rick really is the only one that wants me around at all.

“I should get inside,” I mutter. “Congratulations on your win.”

He reaches out and grabs my wrist. “Claire—”

I pause with my fingertips on the handle. “What?” I ask with my eyes down.

“Look at me.”

Hesitation takes hold of my chest. “I have to get some sleep—”

He reaches out and grabs my other wrist to draw me forward. “Claire, I would never hit you,” he says. I look up into his deep, green eyes. “I want you to know that.”

His voice sends shivers down my spine. “Okay…” I whisper. He slowly drops my wrist, but I let them linger between us.

“Goodnight,” he says.

I leave the barn and walk silently back to the house.

***

I raise the pitchfork above my head and set it back where it belongs on the wall. That’s Charlie’s number one rule, after all. Put everything back where you found it.

The barn is hot and muggy. The sun blazes in the summer sky, so warm I can barely stand it, but I don’t want to take a break. It’s just after noon and I’m not even close to being done with my chores. Let’s just say the memory of Tobias’ eyes drilling down into mine has left me feeling rather distracted the last few days.

I turn to leave, but I catch sight of the punching bag in the corner once again.

My feet carry me over to it. I reach out and push the leather shell with my fingers. It floats back and forth slightly but quickly comes to a stop. I ball my hands into fists, stopping for a moment to make sure my thumbs aren’t on the inside. I twist into a fighting stance, just like Tobias taught me, and throw a single, solid punch into the bag.

“Protect your face.”

I drop my hands and spin around to see Tobias standing in the barn doorway. “Hey—!” I gasp.

He nods and steps over to his motorbike. “Been practicing?” he asks as he reaches into his pocket for his keys.

“Not really, no,” I answer. He grips the handlebars and starts to push the bike out of the barn. I follow slowly behind him. “Going out?” I ask. “It’s a little early in the day for you, isn’t it?”

“I have an errand to run,” he mutters as he throws a leg over the seat and sits down.

I smile and put a bad southern drawl on my voice. “Where you going? Down to the sock hop with Sally May?”

He chuckles. “Your knowledge of small town life is really outdated.”

“Enlighten me then.”

“Well, for starters,” he says, “we don’t do sock hops during the summer.”

“Uh-huh,” I nod.

“And Sally May is kind of a bitch.”

I laugh. “I stand corrected.” I bite my lip. “Where else do you run off to at night?”

“What do you mean?” he asks.

“Well, you’re gone like every night. Fights only happen once a week. You have a girlfriend or something?”

His lips curl and he leans in closer to speak at a whisper. “You know, I actually do work at the automobile factory across town.”

“No shit?”

“A few nights a week,” he nods. “It’s called having a cover.”

“You really do take this whole secret identity thing seriously, don’t you?” I joke.

He stares back at me and offers a quick smile. It’s strange to see him in broad daylight like this. He appears brighter and warmer, almost like an entirely different person. “Here,” he says as he reaches into his jacket pocket. He pulls out a silver device with a pair of small ear-bud headphones wrapped around it.

“What’s this?” I ask as he hands it to me.

“My old music player,” he says. “Found it stashed away in a drawer. I thought you might get some use out of it.”

I inspect the device, noticing the small scratches on its face. “Old being the key word,” I joke. “What is this, a generation 2?”

“Hey, if you don’t want it—”

“No, no,” I say, clutching it tight against my breast. “It’s fine.”

“It’s better than silence,” he says.

“What’s on it?”

“None of that rap or princess pop you city kids are used to,” he smiles, “but put it on shuffle and you should find something you like.”

“Tobias…” I twist my voice back into my awful southern impression. “Did you make me a mix tape?”

“I have to run,” he says, rolling his eyes. He shoves the key in and starts the motorbike. “Don’t let my dad see that.”

“Oh, Tobias! You’re so keen!” He revs the engine loudly to cover my voice. I drop the accent. “Tobias!” The engine falls back down to a dull rumble and he glances back at me. “Thank you,” I tell him.

“You’re welcome, Claire.” He slides the helmet over his head.

I take a step back and let him ride away. Gravel kicks up behind him, creating a white cloud of dust that follows him all the way down to the highway. I glance back at the house, suddenly feeling like I’m holding a nuclear bomb in my hands. I stuff the player in my jeans pocket as I quickly scan the house to make sure Charlie isn’t watching.

***

“Claire—”

I look up from my book. “What?” I ask.

Charlie stands in the kitchen doorway with the telephone against his ear. “It’s for you,” he says as he points it at me.

I set my book down on the table and stand up from my seat. “I get phone calls now?” I ask as I step closer.

“It’s your mother.”

“Oh.” I pause my stride. “Can you take a message? Tell her I’m out or something.”

Charlie furrows his brow and shoves the phone in my direction. “You don’t go out.”

I hold out my hand and reluctantly take the phone from him. As badly as I’d like to get out of this place, talking to my mother isn’t something I’ve longed to do since she abandoned me here. The long cable bounces around as I bring the old phone to my ear. “Hello?” I mutter.

“Claire, honey…” My mother speaks with a low voice, just above a whisper, almost as if she’s hiding in a closet. “How are you?”

“I’m alive,” I say, offering nothing more.

“Well…” she chuckles slightly. “I know that.”

“What do you want, Mom?” I catch Charlie watching me, so I step away, but I can’t get too far from him with a land line phone.

“I just wanted to know how my daughter is doing,” she says. “Is that so crazy?”

“I haven’t heard from you in two weeks…”

She’s quiet for a moment. “Your stepfather thought it’d be a good idea to give you some space—”

“Because he’s just so full of good ideas, right?” I bite.

“Claire—”

“Please don’t call here again, Mom. I don’t want to talk to you.”

“Honey, please—”

“No,” I say. “This is what you wanted, isn’t it? The bad seed is finally out of your hair.”

“That’s not true, Claire. I want what’s best for you. I want to keep you safe.”

I scoff. “I have to go. Charlie has another menial task for me to do.” I hold out the phone and drop it into Charlie’s extended hand. He stares at me for a moment before turning around and hanging it up.

“Menial?” he asks.

I drag my feet back across the room to the table. “Yeah, like a servant,” I explain.

“I know what it means,” he says. “I’m just surprised you do.”

I glare up at him. “Well, I’ve had plenty of time to read since I got here.”

“I’ve noticed.” He walks over to the table and sits down in the chair across from me. “Claire, nothing I have you doing here is menial.”

“I know,” I say. I pick up my book again. “Patience, responsibility. Work, reward. All that.”

“Why are you here?”

“What?” I ask.

“Why are you here?” he repeats.

“I’m here because my stepfather’s a dick.”

He chuckles. “My brother is many things, but this isn’t his fault. Watch your language and think again. Why are you here?”

I sit back in my seat. “Because the cop that picked me up knew him.”

“Getting warmer.” Charlie taps a finger on the table between us. “Why are you here?”

My eyes fall to my hands. “Because,” I sigh, “I screwed up.”

“That’s reason number one,” he says.

“And reason number two?”

“Well, there’s a banana peel out there somewhere that needs to be held accountable for a few things and you’re staying put until it does.” I stay silent. “Once we start taking responsibility for our actions, we can start fixing our mistakes. The sooner you realize that, the better off you’ll be, Mary.”

“My name is Claire,” I say with confusion.

He pauses and sits back. “Right, sorry,” he says quickly.

“Who’s Mary?” I ask.

He brushes a hand through the air, avoiding my eyes. “It’s not important.”

I lean forward, hating the awkward silence that’s fallen between us. “How many people have you helped?” I ask him, changing my tone. “People like me.”

He shrugs and reaches for his coffee mug. “More than I can count, over the years.”

“Where are they now?”

“Most are fine,” he answers. “They’re clean, living normal lives somewhere.”

“And the others?”

He pauses. “The others… not so much. Claire, you might feel angry with your mother right now, but that’s going to pass.”

“Doubt it,” I mutter.

“It will,” he argues. “And when it does, you’re gonna want to make amends and do it quick. Believe me when I tell you that the worst feeling in the world is not getting to say what you need to say to someone you care about before it’s too late.”

I fall silent as the words sink into my skin. Charlie’s obviously been through a lot, far more than I have. It’s probably not wise to argue against him, no matter how pissed off I am at my mother.

“How are you feeling lately?” he asks.

I cross my arms. “I still have trouble sleeping.”

“Do you think about using again?”

“Sometimes,” I answer. “But not as much as before. I couldn’t, even if I wanted to — unless I wanted to snort sugar or something.”

His lips twitch. “Well, hold onto that thought. The urges will pass eventually. You just have to channel them into something more productive until you don’t want it at all anymore.”

“Like what?” I ask.

The front door opens and I hear Tobias’ boots enter the hall. I look up as he walks into the kitchen. He pauses, refusing to enter the doorway once he sees me sitting at the table.

“Like your chores,” Charlie answers. “Preferably.” He stands up and steps over to Tobias in the doorway. “Any changes?” he asks him.

Tobias shakes his head, his eyes briefly landing on mine.

“Well,” Charlie mutters. “Maybe next time.” He turns back to me. “How about we get the horses saddled up? Go for a ride.”

“Seriously?” I ask through a jolt of excitement.

“Why not? Still a bit of daylight left.” He looks at Tobias. “Wanna join us?”

Tobias hesitates. “I don’t want to intrude…”

“You’re not,” Charlie says. “And you’re the only one that devil horse will tolerate.” He steps around Tobias to leave room and Tobias’ eyes fall on me again.

Channel my urges into something more productive.

Easier said than done.

***

I grip the saddle and pull myself up with Charlie’s help. The brown horse, Leo, bucks beneath me and my stomach lurches as I dig my nails into the hard leather saddle.

“Shh, boy,” Tobias whispers into Leo’s ear. He gently strokes his head and the horse calms a bit.

Charlie shakes his head. “Most temperamental horse I’ve ever seen,” he mutters.

“He just doesn’t like you,” Tobias jokes. “I’ve never had a problem with him.”

Charlie pulls himself up into Orion’s saddle. “Claire,” he says, looking at me, “you ever ridden before?”

I shake my head quickly. “No.” The horse bucks a little beneath me at the sound of my voice.

“Hmm… maybe I should take that one,” Charlie muses.

“I got him,” Tobias says, gripping Leo’s reigns. “I’ll walk with them for a bit. See if I can calm him down. Besides, he’ll just kick you off. He really doesn’t like you.”

Charlie eyes the two of us for a moment before nodding. “All right,” he says. “Try and keep up.”

“Come on, Leo,” Tobias says, tugging the reigns. He starts walking us towards the fields as Charlie takes Orion ahead. “Breathe, Claire.”

“What?” I squeak.

“You’re holding your breath,” he laughs.

“Oh.” I let the air out of my lungs. “I’m just a little…”

“Scared?”

“Terrified. It’s not every day there’s a powerful, unpredictable animal between my legs.”

He glances up at me and smiles. “Just hold on,” he says. “He won’t run off with me holding him like this. Try and relax. If you’re tense, he’s tense.”

“Okay…” I take a deep breath and let it wash through my body to release all my locked joints and muscles. We continue walking. Every few yards, Leo lurches slightly, but Tobias easily calms him down with the touch of his hand. “Tobias the Horse Whisperer,” I chuckle.

“Eh, animals are easy,” he says. “Humans are far more dangerous.”

I lick my lips and look around to locate Charlie. He’s far ahead of us, just outside of earshot distance. “So, when is your next fight?”

Tobias hesitates, his eyes darting in Charlie’s direction. “Tonight,” he answers.

I raise an eyebrow. “Can I come?”

“No.”

“Please?”

“It’s too dangerous, Claire.”

“I can take care of myself,” I say.

“I don’t mean for you.”

I pause. “What do you mean?”

He sighs and brushes his fingers along Leo’s neck. “I can’t have distractions,” he mutters.

“I’m distracting?” I ask.

“Yes.” He stops and looks up at me. “Claire, promise me you won’t be there.” His eyes, as intense and wild as this horse, stare up at me in desperation. He says nothing more about it, but he doesn’t need to. I realize that the reason he doesn’t want me around isn’t because he despises my company at all. It’s because he likes it.

“Okay.” My lips quiver. “I won’t be there.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

Tobias nods. “Slide back.” He reaches up and grabs the front of the saddle. I push back to make room for him as he pulls himself up. “Hold onto me.”

I lay my trembling hands on his waist.

“Tighter,” he says, pivoting back to pull my wrists around his body. “Don’t even think about letting go—”

“Tobias, what are you doing?”

“Don’t panic, Claire.”

“Tobias—!”

He digs his ankle in Leo’s side, sending the horse into a fierce sprint. I scream and bury my face in his back as terror overwhelms me. My fingers interlock in front of him and I bind myself to his body as the gallop tosses us up and down in the saddle.

The initial shock bleeds from my system and I open my eyes to peak over Tobias’ shoulder. He’s led the horse out into the open fields. The sight steals the breath from my lungs as I scan this new world with wide eyes. I look over my shoulder to see Charlie riding behind us on the horizon, but he’s not going fast enough to keep up with us. Laughter attacks my chest and I hold Tobias a little tighter.

“You okay back there?” he shouts.

“I hate you so much…”

He laughs and urges Leo to bolt a little faster.

We circle back around and I watch the sun slowly falling down, casting the open world into a deep orange glow. I lay my head against him and listen to his heart thump with quick and steady beats as we ride back towards the farm.

“Whoa—”

Tobias pulls slowly on the reigns, signaling for Leo to slow down. I raise my head to find that we’ve already made it to the stables.

Charlie lingers on the black horse, his face stern as ever as we draw near. “And just what was that?” he asks, staring daggers at Tobias.

“He got antsy,” Tobias answers. “Needed a good run.”

“Claire, you look like you’re about to hurl,” Charlie notes. “You all right?”

“Nah,” Tobias says. He looks back at me. “See? She’s fine.”

I catch my breath. “Let’s go again,” I joke. Tobias pats my hands and I release him to feel my fingers have gone stiff from holding onto him too tightly.

“Let’s not,” Charlie says with a soft chuckle and dismounts his horse. “Go ahead and get inside, Claire. Dinner’s in twenty.” He yanks on the reigns and starts to lead Orion inside the stables.

Tobias throws a leg over and hops off our horse. I smile at him, lamenting how he makes it looks so easy while I sit here, temporarily unable to remember how to move. He spins around and extends his arms out to me to help me down. I move to sit side-saddle and slowly slide towards him. His hands glide up my body, holding me steady as if I weighed nothing at all. My feet find the ground, but my knees quickly buckle beneath me.

“Whoa—” he whispers, keeping a firm grip on me to keep me standing.

“Sorry,” I say, forcing a laugh. “Never ridden before…”

He smiles. “You’ll be all right.”

I look up at him and I suddenly realize how close we are. Our lips sit just inches apart. His breath grazes my cheeks. I bite my tongue in a futile attempt to distract myself from the beauty in his green eyes.

“Claire…” he says my name, his voice low.

“Yeah?”

“Promise me again.”

I force my feet flat against the earth to stand on my own. “I promise, Tobias,” I say. “I won’t be there.”

His hands drop and he steps away from me.

Chapter 8

Get The Blood Off

I keep my promises.

I lay here now, staring at the ceiling above my bed, wishing that I didn’t. Part of me wants to run downstairs, grab Charlie’s keys, and take off into town. Damn the consequences. I don’t care how angry Tobias will be. I don’t care what Charlie will do if he finds out. None of that matters right now.

I can’t stop thinking about those fights. Tobias is strong — mighty, even. He took the Brute down so fast, no one was even sure what happened until it was already done. Even the Menace couldn’t take him down and the odds were stacked against him. I’ve never known a man like Tobias before and I want to know more of him. Even if it feels like a betrayal to the man I thought I wanted before.

I slide the volume up a little louder and let Tobias’ music drown out the thoughts in my head. It’s a surprising mix of 80’s glam rock and classic country hits. The more I listen to it, the more I feel like I understand a little bit more about Tobias the Untouchable.

Light scans the corners of my vision. I jolt out of bed and look out the window to see Tobias’ bike riding up the driveway. A smile touches my lips. I pull the headphones off my ears. He rolls to a stop in front of the barn and my smile slowly falls.

He’s hurt.

Tobias clutches his side. He just barely makes it off the bike before he tumbles to the ground outside the barn. My heart stops in my chest, but I force myself to take action. I grab my shoes, slip them on, and bolt out of my room. My feet creak the stairs, but I don’t care. There’s only one thought on my mind, the only driving force I have, and that’s him.

I race across the driveway in time to see him pick himself up and lean on his bike. “Tobias, what happened?” I ask.

“Get back—!”

I pull away from him, too scared to touch him. He’s wearing his jacket, so I can’t see what damage has been done. “Let me help you…” I beg. He pauses and looks up at me. Once again, his face is clean of marks or bruises, but my eyes quickly fall to the purple and red mark along his neck. “What did they do to you?” I ask, scanning his bloodshot eyes.

“Help me push this…” He grips one handlebar and waits for me to swing around the bike and take the other.

We push the bike into the barn together and let it tip against the wall. Tobias turns around and sits backward to lean against a hay bale in the corner. I push the barn door closed before returning to him.

“Tobias…”

He’s breathing hard, struggling to sit up. “I’m fine…”

“You’re not fine,” I argue. I turn back to the door. “I’m gonna get Charlie—”

“No!” he hisses, stopping me in my tracks. “Claire, don’t.”

“You need a hospital,” I cry.

“No, I don’t. I just…” He pauses and reaches out to me. “I just need you to sit with me for a bit.”

I keep on my toes, still eager to run for help. “But…”

“Claire, please…”

Tears sting my eyes, but I do as he asks. I walk over to him and sit down on the ground beside him. “I don’t know what to do, Tobias,” I mutter.

“Trust me,” he smiles. “I’ve had worse.”

“What happened?” I ask again.

He hesitates for a moment before pushing his jacket aside and raising his shirt. I gasp, covering my mouth, as he shows me the deep red markings along his side. “Got paired up with that guy from Springfield.”

“The Devil guy?”

He nods. “He got in a few cheap shots,” he says. “Knocked me down and beat on me before putting me in a headlock.”

“Did you lose the fight?” I ask.

His eyes drop and he shakes his head.

“How the hell did you get out of a headlock?” I lean forward, raise the shirt to look again, and I see the red splatter staining his inked abdomen. “Is this blood?”

“Yeah,” he says, “but it’s not mine.”

“Jesus, Tobias…” I whisper. “Why do you do this to yourself?”

He pulls his shirt from my grasp and lays it back down. “I need the tournament money,” he says.

“Do you need it more than your ability to breathe?” I bite.

“Claire…”

“A couple hundred bucks can’t possibly be this important.”

“Not a couple hundred,” he says, shaking his head. “Tens of thousands is up for grabs at the tournament fight next week and I intend on getting it.”

“Why do you need it?” I ask.

“I just do.”

I sigh. “Well, I’m coming with you to the next fight.”

“No.”

“You’re obviously going to get your ass kicked whether I’m there distracting you or not, Tobias.”

“I did not get my ass kicked—”

“Either I’m going with you or I’m telling Charlie.”

He grits his teeth, furious with me, but after a few moments, his eyes turn soft. “Okay,” he says, “but I don’t want you to watch.”

“Why not?”

His eyes fall. “I don’t want you to see this side of me.”

I lean forward and shift my knees beneath me. “Why do you care what side of you I see—”

“Come on, Claire,” he says. “You’re a stupid girl, but you’re not an idiot.”

A warm shiver runs up my spine as he raises his hand to my face. His trembling fingers touch my cheek, shaking from the adrenaline firing through his system. “Tobias…”

“You don’t have to say anything,” he mutters. “I know how you feel about Rick.”

My heart sinks as his hand drops to his side. “I don’t give a shit about Rick right now, Tobias. I care about you.”

He stares back at me with shaking eyes. “Claire—”

“Kiss me, Tobias.”

There’s a soft moment of hesitation before his passions pull me in. Our lips lock together, almost like they were always meant to. He grips my body, holding me close to him as he pushes himself on to his knees. He’s in pain, I can tell, but I can’t bring myself to make him slow down. I wrap my arms around his thick body and return every single one of his kisses.

Suddenly, he pushes me away and holds me at arm’s length. “You need to go,” he breathes.

“Why?” I ask.

“Because you’re just a kid,” he says.

“No, I’m not—”

“Yes, you are.” He keeps a hand on his side as he stands on his shaking feet.

“I’m seventeen,” I argue.

“Exactly. And we’re…” he pauses, “already too close.”

I stand up. “Tobias—”

“Just get out of here, Claire.” He puts a hand against the wall and tries very hard to make it look like he’s not leaning on it.

“Let me help you upstairs.”

“I don’t need—”

“Yes, you do. You can barely walk.”

He sighs, knowing that it’s true. I step closer to him and position myself beneath his left arm. He lets me lead him out of the barn and up the porch stairs, leaning on me only when absolutely necessary.

The real struggle begins on the stairs to the second floor. His weight holds me down and I can’t take my own steps up without slamming my foot down on the stairs in the process. We take it slow, hoping not to wake Charlie on the creaky, old stairwell.

I breathe a thick sigh of relief when we finally reach the landing.

“I can take it from here,” Tobias whispers. He pulls his arm from me and steps slowly towards his room. I linger on him, too scared to let him go on his own. He pushes his door open and steps inside.

“Tobias,” I whisper. He looks back at me. “Please let me help you.”

His mouth opens, but no words come out. Finally, he moves to the side and lets me enter his room with him. He closes the door silently behind us.

I look around, but I try not to stare at anything for too long. It’s the first time I’ve seen his room, although it’s exactly what I expected. Blank, white walls and simple furniture. Even his bedsheets are black, void of color. I focus on the task at hand and drift over to his dresser to look for a fresh shirt. “You should shower,” I say. “Get the blood off.”

“I’ll do it tomorrow,” he says.

I don’t argue with him. The less noise in the house right now, the better. I grab a clean shirt out of a drawer and push it closed. “Sit down,” I say. I hold him softly as he lowers himself down to his bed. I push his jacket back slowly, letting it fall down his arms while he kicks off his boots. “Can you raise your arms?”

He tries and manages to hold them up for me as I bend down to pull the blood-stained shirt over his head. I look at his beaten chest again and wince with new tears in my eyes.

“Claire,” he whispers, watching me closely. “I’ll be okay.”

“You should see a doctor.”

“I’m fine. I just need to get some rest.” He grips my hand. “Trust me.”

“I do,” I nod. “I’m still going to worry though.”

He smiles. “Okay.”

I take the dirty shirt and gently wipe the loose blood-splatter off his chest and arms, trying hard not to put pressure on his fresh wounds. My mind attacks me with vicious images to somehow explain how he ended up covered in blood, but I force them out and ignore them. “Raise your arms again.” I hold up the fresh shirt and slip it over his head. His hair, thick and black, gets roughed up in the process. It brings out a subtle, boyish charm, one that I can’t ignore. “I never pegged you for a Bowie fan,” I say, shifting the subject to distract him.

“What?” he asks.

“Your music.”

He winces as I pull his right arm through the sleeve. “Oh,” he chuckles. “I’m surprised you even know who Bowie is.”

“I may be a stupid girl, but I pay attention.”

He slips his other arm in. “I didn’t mean that you were stupid—”

“I know.” I stop him with a smile. My eyes fall to his jeans and I pause. “Uh…”

“I can do the rest myself,” he says.

“Are you sure?” He nods, but I hesitate to go, still too scared to leave him alone. “Do you need an ice pack, or—”

“Claire,” he says. “Tobias the Untouchable isn’t going to die in his sleep.”

I chuckle. “I thought you hated that name.”

“I do,” he says, “but it made you laugh, so…”

It’s a losing battle. Tobias wants to tough it out alone and there’s nothing I can do to stop him. “You promise?” I ask.

“I promise,” he whispers, his eyes soft on me.

“You know where I’ll be,” I sigh.

He nods. “Go listen to more of that music.”

I smile, holding back tears. “Okay,” I say as I turn to the door. “Get some rest.”

Tobias says nothing as I step out into the hall.

Chapter 9

You’re Not A Monster

I haven’t seen Tobias in two days.

But that’s not entirely true. I sneak a peek into his room every chance I get to make sure he’s still breathing and to leave a glass of water out for him. Every time, I see his chest moving up and down in the darkness and I hear his soft breaths passing through his nose. Part of me expects his body to shut down at any moment and that terrifies me.

I brush a finger over my lips, once again feeling the phantom tug of his kiss.

You’re just a kid.

I guess Tobias isn’t the only one that’s untouchable.

Charlie walks into the barn and I drop my hand from my lips. “You’re up early today,” he notes.

I keep my head down to shield my burning cheeks and reach out to draw Gloria the cow a little closer to me. “Oh, yeah,” I say. “Couldn’t sleep.”

“Bad dreams?” he asks.

“Something like that.”

“Listen,” he begins, “I need to take a drive. There’s some farm equipment up in Jefferson City I want to take a look at.”

I stand up from the stool. “And I’m going with you?” I ask.

He shakes his head. “No, I need you to stay here and focus on your chores.”

“You’re leaving me alone?” I ask, perhaps a bit too excitedly.

“I’ll be back by dinner. Just don’t do anything stupid, okay?”

I nod. “Okay.”

“I mean it…” He points a finger. “Don’t let me regret this.”

I hold up my hands in surrender. “I won’t,” I chuckle.

“See you tonight.” Charlie turns around and walks out of the barn towards his truck.

I listen closely, suspecting a trick, until I hear the engine purr with life and the tires roll across the gravel road. My gaze drifts up towards the house, focusing on Tobias’ window. I want to go check on him again, but I did that before I came out here less than an hour ago.

I turn back to the cow, deciding to focus on the task in front of me instead.

By the time noon rolls around, I’ve finished with my chores. Before exiting the horse stables, I pause by Leo’s pin and reach out to stroke his neck. To my surprise, he doesn’t budge and lets me touch him again.

“You’re not so bad, are you?” I laugh. He kicks his feet up and I take a step back. “Okay, okay,” I chuckle, feeling a little better about the situation. But fear still lingers at the edge of my mind.

Instinct drives me back inside the house, pulling me straight towards Tobias’ room. My throat clenches shut, just as it always does as I reach out to grip the doorknob. I turn it slowly and push the door open.

Panic strikes me quick when I see his bed is empty. I force the door open the rest of the way, quickly scanning the room for him, but he’s nowhere in sight.

“Tobias?” I cry out, letting my voice carry throughout the house.

There’s no answer. I rush down the creaky stairs and step outside onto the front porch. I inhale deep, ready to shout his name again, when I notice the barn door sitting wide open.

“Tobias?” I ask again as I step inside. I hear the rhythmic thumping of fist against rubber near the back wall and rush towards the sound. He’s here, shirtless and sweaty, standing in front of the punching bag, firing quick jabs at it over and over again.

“What the hell are you doing?” I ask him.

Tobias lowers his fists briefly and pauses to take a breath. “Training,” he says, keeping his eyes forward.

“Why are you training? You should be resting.” My eyes fall to his glistening body, but I force myself to look away.

“I’ve been resting for two days, Claire,” he points out before jabbing the bag again.

“That’s not enough.”

He finally drops his fists and turns to look at me. I bite my inner cheek, forcing myself not to look him up and down again. “Don’t you have chores to do?”

“I already finished.”

“We shouldn’t be seen like this,” he says, looking over my shoulder towards the house.

“Charlie’s gone.”

“Where’d he go?”

“Jefferson City.”

Tobias turns back to the punching bag and chuckles. “Let me guess, farm equipment?”

“Yeah.”

He raises his fists, this time switching sides to lead with his left. “Dad’s got a thing for antiques.” He throws another punch at the bag.

I watch him pivot back and forth. The bruises, which were a deep red just days ago, have healed somewhat, but not enough to make me feel better about him being out of bed. “How’s it feel?” I ask.

“It’s manageable.” He puts on a tough front, but I can tell he’s holding back on his punches. His movements are sloppy and slow and he’s favoring his left side.

“Liar,” I say.

He throws a last punch and turns around to look at me. “You should go find something to keep you busy.”

“And what are you going to do?”

“I have an errand to run,” he says.

“Tobias, you can’t go anywhere like this—”

“Claire.” He clenches his jaw. “I’ll be all right.”

I look down his body again, still as worried as ever. Tobias has his mind set on this. I have to trust that he knows what he’s doing, or else I’m sure I’ll go insane. “Okay,” I whisper.

He looks back at me. “Hey,” he says, taking a quick step forward. “Like I said, I’ve had worse.”

I nod. “I trust you.”

His lips curl and he reaches out to drop a hand on my shoulder. “Thanks for checking in on me,” he says. “You didn’t have to do that.”

I shift slightly. “Someone had to…”

“Did Dad ask any questions?”

“No, you usually sleep all day anyway. I don’t think he noticed.”

“Good.”

I follow him back to the house, keeping a close eye on him as he climbs the stairs to the porch. He goes into the kitchen for a glass of water and I linger back in the doorway.

My eyes fall to the kitchen table and I chew on my lip. “Hey, can I ask you something?”

Tobias looks over at me. “Like what?”

“Who’s Mary?”

He pauses and sets the empty glass down in the sink. “Why do you ask?”

“The other day, Charlie called me Mary by mistake,” I explain. “He wouldn’t say who she was.”

Tobias fills his chest with a deep inhale and holds it for a second. “Mary’s my sister,” he finally answers. “You live in her room.”

“Oh,” I mutter. “Well, that… answers those questions.” I look at him and his eyes drop to the floor. “Where is she now?” I ask. He doesn’t answer and quite a few moments pass by in silence. His attentions shift around the room, avoiding me at all costs. “Tobias?”

“Get dressed.” He walks out of the kitchen and starts up the stairs.

“What?” I ask, following behind him.

“Get cleaned up and meet me outside.”

“Why?”

He turns around and looks down at me, towering higher than usual with the aid of the stairs. “Do you want to know where she is or not?”

It’s so blunt, I grip the banister beside me to hold me steady. “Yes,” I say, the word falling off my lips fast.

“Then get dressed.” He turns back up the stairs, taking them two at a time.

“I’m not supposed to leave the farm,” I point out, standing still.

“We’ll get back before he does.”

I rush to my room and do as he asks, grabbing a clean shirt and jacket from the closet to wear while the rest of my clothes are in the wash. My eyes scan the walls. Mary’s walls. I’ve been occupying her living space for a few weeks now, but I still don’t know anything about her. I wear her clothes every day. I read her books. I’ve been dying to know more and if Tobias has decided to leak the details, then I’ll take what I can get.

I step outside to see Tobias sitting on his motorbike, waiting for me. “Where are we going?” I ask.

“A hospital,” he says.

I quicken my pace towards him. “You said you were okay—”

“Not for me,” he says, holding out his helmet. “Put this on.”

It’s so heavy, I nearly drop it. “Whoa—” I say, tightening my grip. “Why is this thing so big?”

“So I don’t crack my skull open on the highway,” he says.

“Don’t have to be so graphic about it…”

“And here I thought you liked a bit of violence now and then,” he teases.

I lift the helmet and set it down on my head. He presses his hand on the top and forces it down until it’s secure. “What about you?” I say, my voice partially muffled.

“I’ll be—”

“Fine,” I interrupt, finishing the thought. “Right, of course.”

He glares at me, but his lips curl into a smile. I try not to imagine how silly I look with a giant motorcycle helmet sitting above my petite shoulders. Thankfully, he says nothing about it, but his smile tells me everything. “Sit behind me and hold on tight.”

I slide onto the seat. “This is just like riding a horse, right?” I ask.

“What?” he asks, glancing back at me. “Rebellious city girl like you never ridden a bike before?”

“Your knowledge of city life is extremely outdated,” I quip.

Tobias turns the ignition and revs the engine twice. “I’ll take it slow,” he says.

I hold on, wrapping my arms around him just like I did on the horse, but I pay close attention to his body language to make sure I’m not putting too much pressure on his wounds. He does as he says he would and we take it slow until we reach the highway. Then, he picks up the speed and we race towards our destination. While I’m shaking with fear inside, I can’t help but love the thrill of it. Every moment with Tobias is like a fierce chemical high. He’s taken me to new heights, ones I’ve never experienced before.

We ride for over an hour and a half, crossing through three small towns, until we finally reach the outskirts of St. Louis.

***

Tobias doesn’t say a word as he leads me into the facility.

I’m so full of questions, but I’m too scared to say them out loud. I know that eventually, if I just wait a little longer, the answers will present themselves to me, but I’ve never been a very patient person. I lick my lips, preparing myself to say something, but I catch that serious look in Tobias’ eyes and my lips fall closed again.

When he said we’d be going to a hospital, I expected something much larger. The building is small, maybe only about two stories tall, and carries a far homier vibe than I think of when I hear the term hospital.

“Hello, Tobias!”

He gives the woman sitting at the front desk a quick wave, but he doesn’t slow down.

“They know you here…” I say.

“Yeah,” he mutters.

We round the first corner and I catch glimpses of the patients lying in the passing rooms. They’re all small and fragile, with weak bodies and translucent skin. Unconscious and unmoving. Their lives attached to machines. I slow down my stride, transfixed by the sight, when the reality begins to dawn on me.

This is where people go to die.

“Tobias…” I whisper.

He turns back and takes my hand. “Come on,” he says. “Just keep your head down.”

I stare at my feet and I let him drag me through the silent hallways until we he finally pauses in front of an open doorway.

“Claire,” he begins, “this is Mary.”

I look into the room. There’s a girl, no older than myself, lying in the bed. Her eyes are closed. Her black hair, long and perfect, lies on either side of her pale face. Her hands, small like mine, lie across her lap with overlapping fingers. A rhythmic whooshing sounds cuts the silence in pieces as a respirator forces air into her lungs through a plastic tube sticking out of her mouth.

I turn away. “What happened to her?” I ask Tobias.

He steps into the room. I stay behind, clinging to the doorway. “She got mixed up with some bad people,” he says, staring down at Mary’s serene expression. “Started taking drugs, staying out all night. She’d go missing for days at a time and come back home blitzed out of her mind with no memory of where she was — or so she claimed.”

My feet carry me inside. “Where were you?”

“I…” He keeps his head down. “I was too busy with my own shit to even notice that she needed my help. Dad tried, but… by then it was already too late. One day, she didn’t come home at all.” He reaches out to her and touches her hands softly, careful not to disturb her graceful pose. “They found her by the side of the road, about a mile away from the house.”

I clutch my chest, staring across the room at her thin face. “Jeez…” I breathe, unable to process any other words or sounds.

He turns to me and somehow, he shows a smile to lighten the mood. “They want to move her somewhere smaller and closer to home, but…” He shakes his head once. “She can’t get the care she deserves there. As long as we keep paying, they can’t touch her.”

I look into his dark eyes. “Is this why you fight?” I ask slowly.

“She’s why I fight,” he says. “The money I get from the tournament will be more than enough to keep her here until she wakes up.”

“Do they think she will?”

“Doc says there’s a good chance.” He looks at her again. “That’s good enough for me.”

My eyes wander her pale, blank face, as he leans over to plant a kiss on her head. “I feel awful…” I mutter.

“Why?” he asks.

“I live in her room.”

Tobias steps away from the bed. “Don’t feel bad, Claire.” He pauses next to me. “Beds were meant to be slept in. Books were made to be read.” His eyes fall to my jacket. “Clothes were meant to be worn. She’d want that.”

My skin crawls. “I’m so sorry, Tobias,” I say, forcing the lump in my throat down.

He smiles again and cups my cheek with warm fingers. “Well, I get the feeling she’d like you. Probably wouldn’t mind you borrowing her stuff for a little while.”

It’s supposed to comfort me, but the lump grows. This girl — she’s just like me in almost every way. One more party, one more hit, one more burst of anger from Rick, and it could be me lying in this bed, trapped inside a body that no longer does its job. I feel nauseous and scared. My skin itches, eager to rid myself of her clothing. It’s too much for me to handle. It’s not—

“Claire…” Tobias whispers my name, drawing me out of my dark spiral of thoughts. “Let’s go home.”

I nod as he wipes a tear off my cheek.

***

We stop at a gas station just down the street from the hospital. Tobias climbs off the motorbike to refill our tank while I watch the cars pass by us on the busy street and fight the tears stinging my eyes. As hard as he tried to comfort me, I can’t shake the spiders off my skin. I can’t sit still without that black pit in my stomach getting darker and stronger.

I pull the large helmet off my head and set it down on the seat. “I’m going to use the bathroom,” I tell Tobias. He nods, saying nothing, but I notice him keep his eyes on me while I step inside. I’ve gotten used to him watching over me and I don’t mind it, but right now, I need a moment to myself.

The gas station is nearly deserted, save the bored-looking cashier leaning over the counter with a dirty magazine in his hands. I follow the broken neon sign pointing towards the restrooms to the back corner and pull the door open.

More tears hit my cheeks before I even manage to lock the door behind me. I haven’t recovered from what I just saw and I’m honestly not sure I ever will. My heart breaks slowly in my chest, each passing moment feeling worse than the one that came before it. I turn on the hot water and let the faucet run onto my cold, shaking hands.

I live in her room.

I think of Charlie. Even he makes a little more sense now. There are moments when he looks over at me and I feel like he’s looking right through me. Now I know why. He’s not looking at me, he’s looking at Mary — the person he failed to help before it was too late.

I wipe the tears off my face before leaving the bathroom.

“Claire.”

I freeze and look up, his voice scratching down my spine. His thick shoulders cast a dark shadow over me and I quiver down to the bone.

Pike the Punisher.

“Oh, hi—” My tongue goes numb in my mouth and I choke on my words. I try to step around him, but he easily blocks my path.

“What are you doing all the way out here in St. Louis?” he asks with curled lips. His feet continue gliding forward along the dirty linoleum floor, pushing me to step backward.

“I’m just passing through—”

“No—” He shakes his head. “You should stay awhile. Hang out with me.”

“I really can’t.” My back hits the bathroom door and my breath spills off my lips.

Pike reaches into his jacket pocket. “I don’t usually break out the good stuff so easily,” he whispers as he pulls out a small, plastic baggy with an X written in blood-red ink on the bottom corner. My eyes fall on the familiar white powder inside and I bite my tongue. “But for you, I’ll make an exception.”

“No…” I cower against the door. “I don’t want that—”

“Sure you do,” he chuckles. “I could see it on you the moment I saw you. You’re a party girl.”

“No, I’m not—”

He leans in closer, pressing his body against mine. I turn my cheek to get away from the stale stench of his breath, but he reaches out and grips my face with his thick fingers to draw me back. “Even if you’re not…” He growls and reaches for the bathroom door handle. “You will be.”

Before he can pull the door open, a hand grabs his shoulder and jerks him away from me with great force. I jump with a start and watch as Tobias tosses him back into a display of water bottles, knocking it and Pike to the floor. Tobias plants himself between us, standing as firm as wall.

Pike launches himself off the floor, laughter teasing his throat. “Tobias!” he greets with a smile. “You’re looking better than I expected after the beating you took the other night.”

“You should see the other guy,” Tobias replies.

“Yeah—” Pike laughs. “I have. We should start calling you Tobias the Tooth Puller.” I cringe and Pike’s lips curl. “What, you didn’t tell her?” he asks, watching my reaction.

“Stay away from her,” Tobias seethes.

“She has the right to know the kind of monster she’s dealing with. Isn’t that right, darling?”

I turn away as bile rises in my throat. Tobias slowly reaches behind his back and I place my hand in his.

Pike scoffs. “Lighten up, man. Me and her were just talking. No harm done.”

“I think you’ve harmed my family enough, Pike. It’s time for you to leave.”

Pike’s laughter makes my blood run cold. “Seems like you have some anger issues to work out, Tobias,” he quips. “But I think we should save it for the tournament. Don’t you?” His eyes linger on me before he spins around. “I’ll be seeing you again, Claire…”

“Yeah, in your dreams,” I fire back.

Tobias stands still, his fingers still wrapped around my small hand, until Pike exits the gas station. “Claire…” he says as he turns around to look at me. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” I say, my voice shaking.

He cups my face. “Did he hurt you?”

“No.”

Tobias takes a deep breath and shakes his head at me. “In your dreams?” he repeats with a furrowed brow.

“It’s all I could think of,” I shrug.

“Next time, just be quiet.”

I smile. “Okay.”

He smiles back at me. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

“Yes,” I answer. I look down his body. “Are you?”

He nods. “Let’s get out of here.” He grabs my hand again and pulls me outside along with him. His eyes shift around the parking lot, but Pike has disappeared completely.

“Tobias…” He ignores me and grabs the helmet off the bike to hand over to me. “Tobias,” I say his name again as he sits down.

“We need to get moving.”

“It was him, wasn’t it?” I ask. “The people Mary got mixed up with… Pike was one of them.”

He flexes his jaw and nods. “She was head over heels for him. But he just wanted one thing from her. I know he was there that night with her, but I could never prove it…”

“Tobias,” I lay a hand on his shoulder, “you’re not a monster.”

His eyes falls to the ground. “Maybe not today,” he says.

“Not ever,” I argue. He pauses and looks up at me as I cup his face with both hands. I lean in, ignoring every instinct telling me not to, and lay a soft kiss on his lips.

“Claire,” he whispers, our lips grazing. He grips my wrists to pull my hands away from his face. “I want to take comfort in you, but I can’t.” His eyes pierce into mine. “Do you understand?”

I lick my lips, unable to pull away. “Yes,” I breathe.

He turns his head, disconnecting our embrace. “We need to get moving,” he says again.

I lower the helmet back onto my head as the motorbike roars with life beneath us.

Chapter 10

Start Over

“Shit.”

I hear Tobias’ voice on the wind and glance up to see Charlie’s truck parked next to the house. He must have heard the sound of the motorbike coming up the driveway. He’s there, standing on the porch with his arms crossed over his body, waiting for us as Tobias’ pulls up next to the barn.

“Uh-oh,” I mutter. I pull the helmet off my head and lay it down on the bike’s seat.

“Just let me do the talking,” Tobias says.

We step away from the barn together and walk across the driveway towards the house.

“An afternoon joyride isn’t exactly what I meant when I told you to stay put, Claire,” Charlie says to me.

“It wasn’t a joyride,” Tobias replies.

“Then where’d you go?”

“I took her to see Mary.”

Charlie pauses. “And why did you do that?”

“Seemed like a better idea than leaving her here by herself.”

“And I told you to stay away from her.” Tobias says nothing back and Charlie’s eyes fall on me. “Get inside, Claire. Go to your room and stay there.”

I move quickly up the porch and walk inside, glancing over my shoulder at Tobias while I go.

“What happened to your neck?” Charlie asks him as I step inside. I linger near the stairs, managing to stay within earshot and out of sight.

“Factory equipment malfunction,” Tobias explains. “I didn’t dodge in time. It’s fine.”

The answer seems to be satisfying enough for Charlie, as he asks nothing more about his bruising. I hear his boots on the porch and quickly bolt up the stairs to hide in my doorway.

“I know it’s difficult, being under the same roof and all,” Charlie begins, his voice carrying from the kitchen, “but I asked you to leave Claire alone for a reason.”

“I know.”

“It’s my job to protect her, Tobias. I can’t do that if I don’t know where she is at all times.”

“She never left my sight the entire time. But she had questions — reasonable ones.”

“And you thought you’d just spill the family beans without clearing it with me first?”

“I thought she had a right to know whose bed she sleeps in, yes.”

Charlie sighs and slides a chair out to sit down at the table. I step closer to the stairs as their voices get lower. “Well, how did that go?” he asks.

“About how you’d expect,” Tobias says. “I think it hit pretty close to home for her.”

“And what about you?”

“What about me?”

“You know what.”

“It’s not—” Tobias pauses. “I wasn’t there for Mary, but I can be there for her.”

“Tobias… it doesn’t work like that. You can’t keep blaming yourself for what happened to her.”

“I think there’s plenty of blame to go around for everybody involved, don’t you?”

“Even so, Claire ain’t Mary.”

“I know,” Tobias says. “But she’s close enough.”

He enters the living room with quick feet and I fall back to my room, watching him as he steps outside onto the front porch and across the driveway. I sit down on the bed and look out the window. Tobias slides the barn door open and disappears inside without looking back.

Charlie’s boots sound up the stairs. I sit back and wait, dreading the inevitable and horrible moments to come.

He leans against the doorway and chews on his lip. “I suppose you heard most of that,” he says.

I shrug.

“You came into a very complicated household here, Claire,” he says. “The good Lord hasn’t been particularly kind to us over the years.”

“Is he ever?” I ask.

His eyebrows bounce. “Sometimes.” He reaches behind his back and pulls Tobias’ music player from his pocket. “I found this under your pillow,” he says before tossing it onto the bed.

I scoff. “You’re searching my bed now?”

“It’s my bed, you just sleep in it.”

“Because that’s not rude or anything…”

“Where’d you get it?” he asks me.

“It’s Tobias’,” I answer.

“I know. How did you get it?”

“He gave it to me. Just ask him.”

He sighs. “I don’t need to.” His eyes, soft and warmer than I thought they’d be, stare down at me. “Claire, I was a cop for over twenty years.”

“So?”

“So, there’s not a whole lot I don’t notice,” he says. “I notice that when you barely sleep, you sneak out at night and hide out in my barn. I even notice when my truck has magically shifted a few inches away from where I last parked it.”

I look to the floor, obviously confirming any suspicions he has of my activities.

“And I notice…” he pauses, “that my son is smiling again for the first time in months.”

“I’m sorry, Charlie,” I tell him. “You told me to stay away from him and I didn’t.”

“As the man tasked with setting you straight, I’m a tad bit perturbed at that, but… as his father, I’m kind of happy you didn’t.” He brushes a hand through the air. “I don’t need to know the details of your relationship because it ain’t my business—”

“There’s nothing to tell—”

He holds up his hand to silence me. “But obviously, the two of you have gotten through to each other in ways I couldn’t and I guess that’s fine.” I take a deep breath, surprised by his reaction. “You trust him.”

“I do.”

“Good,” he says. “I’ve known quite a few girls in my time, ones a lot like you, Claire, and trust is really hard for them to come by after what they’ve been through.” I look up at him and swallow the rock in my throat back down. “Do you want to talk about what you saw today?” he asks.

I flash back to Mary’s cold, pale face. “Not really,” I say.

He nods. “Did you learn anything?”

“Drugs are bad,” I mutter.

“Good girl.” He pushes off the doorway. “Every day, I wish that my daughter knew that, too.”

“Well, if she was anything like me, she knew. She just didn’t care.” I look back at him and he gives a short, understanding smile. “Charlie—” He pauses in the door frame. “It wasn’t a banana peel.”

“I know.” He says nothing else before walking back down the stairs.

***

I step into the barn and make quick strides towards the punching bag in the corner. The setting sun casts an orange glow over everything, but the serene feeling it offers me is quickly struck down by everything awful I feel inside of me. Anger, fear, frustration. You name it, and I’m feeling it right now. The world is a cruel and unfair place. The things I’ve been through — or rather, the things I’ve put myself through for no damn reason — don’t compare to what’s happened to Tobias or Charlie. I’m selfish and deeply stupid, but I don’t want to be.

I roll my hands into fists and slam them into the punching bag over and over again.

“Protect your face.”

I spin around and look up to see Tobias sitting in the loft, laying against the hay bales near the window. The light of the world casts shadows across his beautiful face, but even that’s not enough to distract me right now. “What are you doing up there?” I ask with annoyance.

He shrugs. “I come up here to think sometimes. This was Mary’s favorite place when we were kids.”

I sigh and turn back to the bag. “I suppose that’s yet another thing I’ve done since I got here that’s reminded you of your sister.” I punch the bag. Hard. “Isn’t that just great?”

“Claire—”

“Not really looking for pointers, Tobias.”

“What’s wrong with you?” he asks calmly.

“There’s nothing wrong with me,” I fume. Each punch feels more painful against my soft knuckles, but I keep going. “I just feel like hitting something right now.”

“Why?”

“Why the hell not?!”

“Does he know you’re out here?”

“I don’t care.” I lash out with a flurry of sloppy punches and kicks.

The noise thumps so loudly in my ears, I don’t even hear Tobias come down from the loft. “Claire—” he palms my fist mid-air and easily holds it steady, even when I try to pull it away. “Stop.”

“No!” I shout. I pull my hand away and he releases it. “I don’t want to stop. I don’t want to slow down. I want to keep moving because if I don’t, then it just hurts more.”

Tobias moves behind the punching bag and holds it steady for me. “What hurts more?” he asks.

“Everything,” I answer. I swing forward and the satisfying smack reverberates up my arm, fueling the next punch. My heart pounds in my ears. The quick thumping sound gives me a rhythm to match with each punch I throw. “I feel like such an idiot…”

“You’re not an idiot.”

“Yeah, well, what would you call someone that willingly ruins their life for stupid reasons?”

“Human.”

I pause and roll my eyes at him. “Cute,” I bite. I spin around in a circle to gain momentum before backhanding the bag.

“Nice hit,” he says.

“Don’t do that—” I say. “I’m not looking for compliments right now.”

“What are you looking for?”

I let a punch linger on the bag and I hold it there while I catch my breath. “I don’t know anymore. I thought I knew. I thought I had it all figured out for me, but… I really am just a kid, aren’t I?”

“You’ll outgrow that,” he smiles.

I punch the bag again, this time striking it with slower hits as my arms start to tire. “There’s always someone out there that has it worse off.”

“That doesn’t make what you’re feeling any less valid, Claire.”

“You sound like Charlie now.”

“There are worse things in the world,” he jokes.

I lower my arms. “Me and Mary. Rick and Pike — it’s all the same.”

“It’s not the same,” he whispers.

“Seems pretty similar.”

He abandons the bag and steps closer to me. “Then change it,” he says. “Start over. Be someone better.”

“How?” I ask him.

His fingers take my hand and he begins rubbing the red rashes forming along my knuckles. My skin twitches and the pain spikes with each firm rub he gives me. “Stay here,” he says.

“Stay here?” I parrot back.

“Yes.”

“I can’t stay here.”

“Why not? Your birthday is next week. You said you’re going to go back to Chicago, but if you ask me, that’s not what you really want anymore.”

I pull my hand away from him. “You don’t know what I want, Tobias.”

“Then what do you want, Claire?”

I bite my bottom lip. I can taste the words on my tongue, sweet and satisfying, but I can’t bring myself to say them out loud. “I want to go back inside now,” I whisper. I step around him.

Tobias grabs me quickly and spins us around to set me against the wooden ladder to the loft. My vision blurs, so overwhelmed by the sudden movement that it makes me dizzy. I feel weightless in his strong arms, completely under his control. “Claire,” he says. “What do you want?”

Every nerve in my body quivers against him as he holds me with ease. “Why are you doing this, Tobias?” I ask him. “One minute, you say you can’t touch me, and the next—”

“I’ve wanted you since the moment I saw you.” A low growl teases me on the edge of his quiet tone. “I saw you… standing in her room and I felt alive, Claire. I touched you and I haven’t been able to sit still since.”

“Then why stop?” I tremble. “Why not just take what you want?”

“I’m not that kind of man,” he says with heavy breath. “I won’t try to take from you what he did.” He grip softens and he takes a slow step back.

“What if I give it to you?” I ask, leaning forward into his arms again.

“If that’s what you want, Claire…” he says, “then I will be there for you, but we have to do this right.”

I step back. “You want to wait.”

He nods. “It’s the right thing to do.”

I bite my lips with frustration. They want so badly to feel him against them, to feel the bite of his teeth and the caress of his tongue. My mouth waters. My senses quiver. He’s so close. I could taste him right now if I wanted to, but I know he’s right. It may be the right thing, but it feels so very wrong. “Okay,” I whisper against my will.

His hands move down my body, but he fights his own temptations and steps away from me.

Chapter 11

Code Of Conduct

“Happy birthday, honey.”

I lean against the kitchen doorway with the phone against my ear. “Thanks, Mom,” I say. My mother’s voice sounds strange to me now, even though it’s only been a week since I last heard it and almost three since I’ve seen her face. It couldn’t have changed, so I can only assume that it’s me that’s changed and not the other way around.

Charlie lingers in front of me with his arms crossed about his chest. I shoot him a glare and he retreats back to the table with his coffee. I turn around and face the empty living room.

“Have you had a good day?”

I smile. “Not bad.”

“Anything special happen?”

“Well, I think today is the first day since I got here where I didn’t get a single mosquito bite,” I say. “Either that, or I just don’t feel it anymore.”

My mother laughs. “Well, that’s something.”

“I guess.” A silence falls between us for a few moments. I can feel Charlie’s eyes on me, burning a hole into the back of my head. I peak over my shoulder and confirm my suspicion. Another quick glare in his direction and he turns in his seat to pretend to focus on his paper.

“Charlie told me you’re feeling pretty stable now,” she says.

“Yeah.”

“Have any fun plans for the weekend? I thought I’d come down and get you so you don’t have to bus back. There’s a great new shop that just opened on—”

“Mom…” I begin, “there’s something that I need to say.”

She pauses. I hear her breath strike the phone, a quick and sudden sigh. “Okay,” she says.

“It’s not anything horrible, I just…” I bite my lip, trying hard to choose the right words. “I’m going to be staying here for a little while longer.”

“Oh?” she asks. “He said you were ready to go.”

“Yeah, I am but… I’ve been making some good progress here,” I say, nodding at no one. “I don’t want to go just yet.”

“Are you sure?” I can hear the hesitation in her voice. She never wanted to send me away in the first place, that much is certain. It was my stepfather’s idea, but she never fought it either. “I was looking forward to having you back.”

“I know. Me, too. But… I need more time.”

The last thing I want is to be put back in that environment. Charlie told me that in order to heal, you have to eliminate what caused the pain in the first place. My stepfather. Rick. Chicago. Everything about them set me up to fail. Now that I’ve felt a new life without that pain, I don’t want to take steps back. I want to move forward and I can do that here.

“All right, Claire,” she says. “If that’s what you think you need…”

“It is,” I reply. “I’ll talk to you again soon.” I quickly hang the phone up. My hand lingers on the hard plastic receiver while I take several deep breaths to calm my nerves.

“That sounded like it went well.”

I turn around and look at Charlie. “Could have gone worse.”

“How did she take it?” he asks.

“Good,” I say. “I don’t think she was expecting it though.”

“I think you made the right call.”

“I think so, too,” I say. A clear feeling nestles in my head.

“So, when were you going to ask me if you could stay longer?” he smiles.

I blink. “Oh yeah…”

Charlie stands up from the table. “I’m kidding,” he says. “Claire, you can stay here for as long as you feel you need to.”

I let out a soft chuckle. “Thank you.”

“Lord knows I could use the help around here.”

“I’ll earn my keep,” I tell him. “I promise.”

“I know you will.” A knock strikes the front door. “But first…” He gestures for me to answer it.

I turn around and walk passed the stairwell into the foyer. Charlie follows me in and leans against the kitchen doorway.

I open the door to find Amy standing on the front porch wearing a short, black skirt, a red blouse, and killer heels. The setting sun burns the sky behind her blonde head. “Hey, Amy,” I greet with suspicion. “What’s up?”

She grins. “I’ve come to kidnap you!”

“Umm…” I glance back at Charlie and he smiles.

“It’s your birthday,” Amy says. “It’s time to party!”

I turn around. “What’s this?” I ask Charlie.

He shrugs. “Work. Reward.”

A smile attacks my lips. “Really? You’re letting me go out for the night?”

“You only turn eighteen once,” he says, then quickly points a finger. “But you are going to be careful and safe.”

“Oh, I promise!” I say, excitement building in my chest.

“And Tobias is going with you.”

“Ah, boo!” Amy teases. “A chaperone.”

“Amy…” Charlie raises an eyebrow.

“I’m only kidding, Mr. Eastwood. We’ll be happy to take him with us.” She looks back at me. “Go get changed into something slutty.”

I look at Charlie and shake my head as he glares back at her. “She’s just joking,” I say quickly.

“Oh, yeah, totally,” she says to him as she steps inside. She quickly spins back around. ‘No, I’m not,’ she mouths silently.

I laugh and close the front door.

***

“Where are we going?” I ask as I watch the dark highway pass by us from the window of Amy’s car.

“Jefferson City,” she replies.

“What’s in Jefferson City?” I ask as I fiddle with ends of my skirt, yet another loan from the back of Mary’s closet. I didn’t want to wear it, but Amy insisted on it. Then I saw Tobias’ reaction to it and I knew I had to keep it on.

“Clubs, my friend.” A grin crosses Amy’s red lips. “Clubs that you can’t find where we come from, that’s for damn sure. Might as well make use of that new age bracket when Charlie lets you out, am I right?”

“Sounds like fun,” I say.

She reaches out and adjusts her rear view mirror to get a better look at Tobias in the backseat. “Unless our bodyguard has any objections,” she teases.

“I don’t care where you go,” he says. “I’m just here to make sure you don’t do anything stupid.”

“Implying I’ve done stupid things before…”

“I’m not implying anything, Amy,” he chuckles. “But to be fair, you do run the local branch of an illegal fighting championship.”

“A championship that you better win, Toby…” she warns. “You’re the first fighter from our area to make it to the final round in nearly a decade.”

I turn around in my seat. “Is that true?” I ask him.

“Apparently,” he mutters.

“And if he wins, I get a big, fat bonus check,” Amy smirks at him again in the mirror. “So, make sure you eat lots of protein, get plenty of rest, and kick Pike’s mangy ass tomorrow night.”

He glances out the window. “I don’t plan on losing,” he says.

She revs the engine. “That’s my boy.”

I stare at him as a smile climbs to my lips. His eyes flick in my direction, a stunning forest green that reflects back at me as the streetlights pass by overhead. “What?” he asks.

“Nothing,” I say before turning back around to face forward.

Amy digs her heel a little harder into the gas pedal. “So, what’s the deal with you two? You fucking yet?”

I jerk in her direction with wide eyes.

“Real smooth, Amy,” Tobias says.

“What?” She looks at me and shrugs her shoulders. “I’m just curious.” Her eyes glance back to the road. “It’s fine. You don’t have to tell me.”

“Wasn’t going to,” he replies.

Amy grins silently again, but casts a knowing glance my way. I swallow down a nervous tremble and bite my lip as I remember his kiss on it once more.

***

After an hour of thumping bass, I almost miss the calmness of the farmhouse. It’s strange how so much can change in so little time. This used to be all I lived for. I’d wake up in the morning and wonder where the next party was going to be. It’s only been a few weeks, but it feels like a lifetime ago.

“A vodka tonic for me,” Amy says as she returns from the bar. “And two waters for the squares.” She sets one glass down in front of me at our table and another in front of Tobias.

“Thanks,” I tell her as I take a sip. I relish in the cold, icy drink as it falls down my warm throat.

“I almost forgot that you’re only eighteen,” she jokes over the loud music. “And you, Toby…” She points a finger at him. “No alcohol for you. I need you hydrated.”

He grabs his glass and smiles. “Just let me know if you need me to drive us home.”

Amy scoffs. “No one drives my baby but me.”

“Then take it easy on the vodka tonics,” he warns.

“I will. I have to open the store tomorrow anyway.”

I take another sip of water. “Why do you work in the grocery store?” I ask. “Don’t you make enough money from the fights alone?”

Amy grins. “Yes, I do.” She leans forward. “But it’d be quite suspicious if I were suddenly raking in money without a job, wouldn’t it?”

I nod. “You live a secret cover life, too?”

“We live in a really small town, Claire,” Amy says. “If you want to blend in, you have to make some sacrifices. My personal sacrifice is twenty hours a week behind a counter for two bucks above minimum wage. My mother did the same thing.”

“And no one knew she ran the league?” I ask.

She shakes her head. “No one in town except for a few local fighters and the handful of cops she paid off.”

“Does anyone know you run the league?”

“No.”

“Not even your father?”

She brings her glass to her lips. “My father thinks I’m the checkout girl at the local grocery store,” she says. “That’s all he needs to know.” Her eyes fall on Tobias. “There are plenty of people that wouldn’t be too happy to know about our secret lives.”

I turn to Tobias and he nods softly.

“Amy!”

We look up and I flinch as a familiar face suddenly emerges from the busy crowd. He pushes through people, darting fast towards Amy’s seat.

Burt the Brute.

“Oh, hello, Burt!” she greets with a smile.

His dark eyes scan our table and rest on Tobias. “I fucking knew it.”

“Knew what?” Amy asks him.

Burt reaches for Amy. His thick fingers wrap around her little arm. “You’re fooling around on me again, aren’t you? In my town?!”

Tobias says nothing. He calmly takes another quick drink from his glass and sets it back down again before standing up.

“Burt — calm down,” Amy says with a steady voice. “I never said we were exclusive—”

“You fucking bitch!” he seethes, shouting directly into her ear.

“Burt, a word?” Tobias grabs his arm and lays another hand on the back of his neck to forcefully direct Burt away from our table. Amy and I watch with wide eyes as Tobias shoves him into the bathroom in the corner and quickly closes the door behind them.

I look at Amy and a thick grin spreads across her face. “Should we… get help, or something?” I ask.

She shakes her head. “Well… maybe.”

I stare at the bathroom door, my mind buzzing from the fearful possibilities, as she nonchalantly checks her text messages. A few moments later, the bathroom door bursts open and Burt steps outside, followed closely by Tobias. They return to the table slowly and Tobias lays a hand on Burt’s shoulder.

“Amy, Burt has something he’d like to say to you,” Tobias says.

Burt clears his throat. “I’m sorry for my rudeness,” he mutters. “And for marking up your face… even though you seemed to like it—”

“Burt,” Tobias snips.

“No, he’s right,” Amy says. I look at her in confusion. “I like it a little too rough sometimes and Burt… kinda likes to get carried away sometimes.”

“Well, next time,” Tobias says as he grabs Burt’s arm again, “make sure to avoid her face. Okay?”

“Sure,” Burt stutters. “No problem, man.”

“Now, fuck off.” Tobias shoves him away and returns to his seat at the table.

“Aye yi yi,” Amy says as she fans herself. “All hail our future Alpha.”

“Hear, hear,” I say as I bring my drink to my lips. Tobias looks at me in silence as I take a quick sip.

“I need to dance and work off this awful sexual tension,” Amy says. She grabs my hand and yanks me out of my seat. “Come on.”

I look to Tobias, half-hoping he’ll rescue me. “Wanna join us?” I ask him.

“I think I’ll just watch,” he says as he leans back in his seat.

Amy drags me away, but I glance back to catch Tobias looking me up and down.

***

I come back to the table in desperate need of something to drink.

Tobias looks up at me. “Having fun?” he asks.

“Yes,” I smile. I take a long sip from my glass and look back at the dance floor. Amy passes herself back and forth between two men, neither of whom I recognize. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t know them either. “But not nearly as much as Amy.”

“No one ever has as much fun as Amy,” he chuckles. “In fact, I think she views it as a personal attack if you even try.”

I laugh and turn back around to him. “So… what did you do to Burt?” I ask as I sit down next to him.

“Nothing.”

“That wasn’t nothing.”

He gives a small smile. “I merely reminded him that we have a code of conduct.”

“The Midwest Alphas have a code of conduct?”

“No, gentlemen do.”

“You know, Tobias,” I laugh. “You’re quite possibly the most adorable man I’ve ever met.”

He inhales deep. “I’m not sure how I feel about living in a world where treating women with respect is considered adorable rather than common.”

I pause, my eyes falling to the table. “Well, in my experience, it hasn’t been all that common.” He looks at me, his eyes soft and warm. “I spoke with my mother today.”

“Yeah?”

“I told her I wasn’t coming home yet.”

“You decided to stay?” he asks.

“What can I say? I’ve grown rather attached to Betty the cow.” I lick my lips and stare back into his bright green eyes. His gaze sends warmth throughout my body, igniting the subtle fires beneath my skin.

He smiles. “Good.”

Chapter 12

Girls And Bad Boys

I open my eyes, fighting an overwhelming urge to sleep, and see the farmhouse come into view of the headlights. I sit up and forget for a moment where I am. My eyes fall to the digital clock on the dashboard. It’s well passed one in the morning. I don’t remember the last time I felt this tired around this time. I’m usually bouncing off the walls until long after three.

Amy parks the car in the driveway near the barn. “Wake up, loser,” she teases me.

I smile at her and unhook my seatbelt. My ears still ring from the loud music and my throat feels coarse from the constant shouting to talk above the thumping bass. I love every ounce of the feeling. “Thank you, Amy,” I tell her. “This was fun.”

“We should do it again sometime,” she says. She adjust the rear view mirror. “How about you, Toby? Did you manage to break out of your dark shell for the evening and have a little bit of the f-word?”

I turn back to look at him. His eyes glare back at Amy in the mirror with a clever mix of annoyance and amusement.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Amy says. “I’m an optimist.” She claps her hands together. “Right. Now. Go to bed. Get some rest. I want you perfect for tomorrow night. You hear me?”

Tobias smiles. “Yes, ma’am.”

She turns to me. “Make sure he does.”

“I’ll do my best.” I push open the car door and step outside into the warm night air. Tobias follows me out and we give Amy one last goodbye wave before she bolts down the driveway at top speed. “She’s a real hard-ass, isn’t she?” I joke.

Tobias shrugs. “She’s a woman that knows what she wants, I’ll give her that.”

“I’m more terrified of what she’ll do to you if you lose than the fight itself.”

He turns to me. “You don’t have to be scared about the fight, Claire.”

“I know I don’t have to be,” I say, “but I still am.”

“Come here,” he smiles. He walks over to the barn and silently pulls the door open.

I follow him in and flick on the lights as he closes the door behind us. I stand against ladder to the loft, watching him closely until he reaches into his pocket and pulls out my phone. “What’s this?” I ask.

“It’s a phone,” he grins as he takes my hand and lays it flat into my palm.

“Yeah, I know…” I say, hesitating to wrap my fingers around it. “Did you steal it?”

Tobias chuckles softly. “No,” he answers. “My dad asked me to give it to you.”

“Why?”

He shrugs. “I guess you’ve earned it back. Or, you know… it’s your birthday. You’re eighteen now. You should get what you want.”

The phone feels heavy in my hands, almost foreign. I stare at it and realize that I’ve forgotten why I clung to it so much before. It feels like there’s a past life hidden somewhere in my subconscious, begging to come back, but there’s no place for it anymore. “This isn’t what I want,” I say. I look up at him with subtle eyes.

“Well, Claire…” he says. “Tell me what you want and I’ll see what I can do.”

I slide the phone into my back pocket. “Will you let me kiss you if I do?”

He pauses with temptation in his eyes. I move in closer to him, saying a silent wish for him not to wander away from me. Luckily, he stands still and licks his lips. I push myself higher onto my toes and he leans down to welcome my kiss.

A magnet binds our lips together. His are soft and warm. The hesitation I felt on them before has completely disappeared. He lays a hand on my cheek and the other against my waist to hold me against him. I don’t fight his perfect embrace. I lean into it, eager and happy to be under his control as he sits me back against the ladder.

My hands move across his hard body. I feel him tremble beneath my touch. I never want to let him go and I can feel his desires driving him to hold onto me forever, too. I kiss him harder and open my knees to him to pull him in closer to me. His hand falls to my thigh and I quiver as his fingers travel up my bare leg.

I moan against his lips, blocking out all other senses. Passion drives me further than ever before. I reach for his belt. His hands push my jacket off my shoulders and his lips fall to my neck. Bolts of electric sex course through me. I can’t think of anything other than this pleasure.

“Hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

Rick.

My blood runs cold as I look towards the door. “Rick?” I ask. He stands in the doorway, the same tall, dark, and handsome boy I was torn away from just a few weeks ago. Now, he seems taller and darker, but not in a good way. “What are you doing here?” I ask. I jump off the ladder and pull my jacket back up onto my shoulders.

Rick steps into the barn, his feet dragging softly across the ground. His eyes fall on Tobias before he speaks and he stares at him like an unwanted pest. “I came to see you,” he tells me. “I’d never miss your birthday.” He pauses a few feet away from me and glances down my body. “You look nice.”

I look between the two of them as fear rises in my chest. Now that I see them standing together, I see the similar features of their bloodline plain as day, but I also see the subtle differences in the way they move. Rick strides like an unpredictable animal, eager and twitchy in his boots. Tobias stares back at him, stiff as a board, but prepared to strike at a moment’s notice.

“Hey, Tobias,” Rick mutters. “It’s been awhile.”

“Rick,” he replies, offering nothing more.

“How did you find me?” I ask Rick.

“Where else would they send you?” he jokes as his eyes wander the walls of the barn. “Uncle Charlie’s halfway house.”

Tobias shifts slightly on his feet.

I take in a quick, deep breath. “Tobias, can you give us a minute?” I ask him.

He flicks his green eyes at me, but doesn’t move.

“Yeah, cuz’,” Rick grins. “Give us a minute.”

“It’s okay,” I say to Tobias. “Tell Charlie thank you for the gift for me.”

His eyes find mine again and I nod, hoping he understands my hidden meaning. Finally, he steps back and turns towards the door. “Okay,” he says before walking outside.

Once he’s gone, I look back at Rick and watch as his smile slowly stretches the length of his face. “What are you doing here?” I ask him again.

“I missed you,” he says, moving in closer to me. “It’s time for you to get out of here and come home with me. Remember? Like we planned.” I counter him with a quick step back and he tilts his head in confusion. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m not going home with you,” I say.

A soft chuckle massages his throat. “Yeah, your mom mentioned something about you extending your little vacation,” he laughs. “Stop joking around.”

“I’m not joking.”

He flexes his jaw and his smile drops. “Come on, Claire,” he says. “Go get your shit and let’s go.”

I shake my head. “I can’t.”

“You can’t? What do you mean you can’t?”

“I mean… I can’t,” I stutter.

“You don’t belong here, Claire,” he says. “You belong with me.”

“Not anymore.”

“What the hell has gotten into you?” He gestures behind us, pointing towards the house. “My fucking cousin?”

“This has nothing to do with him,” I say. “This is between us and… I’ve realized that this isn’t what I want anymore.”

“Look… Claire…” He steps forward and grabs my shoulders. “I know you’ve been out here in the boonies for a little while and you’re confused, but I can help you with that.” He reaches into his jacket and pulls out a small baggy of white powder. I cringe when I see the blood-red X on the bottom corner.

“Where did you get that?” I ask.

“A friend of a friend I stumbled upon in St. Louis on the drive down here,” he grins. “Should be more than enough to kick-start some fun, eh?”

“No.”

Rick sighs and drops his hands. “What the hell happened to you out here?”

“I’m sorry, Rick,” I say. “That’s just not who I am anymore.”

“Yes, it is,” he argues. “People don’t change, Claire. Especially not girls like you.”

“Well, I have.”

He stares back at me, his face filled with anger. “So, that’s it then? You’re staying out here in Hickville?”

I swallow the bile back down my throat. “Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because… I’ve seen where that path ends up, Rick. I’ve turned back and you should, too.”

Rick scoffs. “One month on the prairie and suddenly you’re as square as a book?”

“It’s not that simple,” I say. “Why didn’t you ever tell me about your cousin?”

“What about him?”

“Not him. I’m talking about Mary.”

“Mary?” He shakes his head. “Mary was a lightweight. She’s not like us.”

“Wow…” I breathe. “Rick, you really need to leave now.”

He stuffs the powder back into his jacket pocket. “Okay, fine. Say I did quit. Say it was going to be different from now on. Would you come home with me then?”

“I… I don’t think so,” I mutter.

“Why not?”

“Because I can’t trust you.” I bite my bottom lip. It has long since healed, but I can still feel the pain of it in my memory.

He closes in on me, forcing me backwards with quick steps. “Come on, Claire. You remember what it was like to be together…” He leans in and brushes his lips across my cheek. “You know how I can make you feel—”

“Rick, please don’t,” I beg. I put my hands against him to push him away, but he locks his fingers around my wrists and pins me against the wall.

“I love you, Claire,” he whispers. “I’m the only one that does. I’ve missed you—”

“Rick, stop—”

He forces his lips against mine. I try to pull away, but he uses his brute strength to hold me in place as reaches for his belt.

“Rick, no!”

“The lady said no, Rick.”

Rick glances towards the barn entrance, his eyes falling on Tobias’ massive form. He keeps his fierce grip on me and grins back at him. “That’s the thing about Claire, cuz’,” he jokes. “Get her buzzed enough and you can talk her into just about anything—”

“Let go of her. Now.” Tobias steps forward, his hands rolled into white-knuckle fists.

“Hey…” Rick releases me and raises his hands to his ears in surrender. “Your house, your rules. I’ll even give you first dibs at her—”

“Back up,” he growls, his face red with rage.

Rick refuses to move and giggles softly. “What are you gonna do? You gonna hit me?”

I reach out to Tobias, scared of what he’ll do. “Tobias,” I say his name, my voice shaking.

He takes my hand and pulls me away from Rick with a lightning fast jerk. “You don’t want to fight me, Rick,” he says, moving me behind him.

Rick rolls his eyes. “I didn’t come here to start a fight,” he says. “I just came to claim my girl and go home.”

“She’s not your girl,” Tobias says. “Best be leaving now.”

“I’m not leaving here without her.”

“You’ll be leaving disappointed then.”

Rick smiles at him. “I’m curious… how long did it take before she dropped her panties for you?”

“Rick, don’t,” I warn, watching Tobias’ trembling arms.

“I’m honestly really impressed if she has. It took me almost a year to talk her into it…” Rick pauses, amusement dancing on his lips as he watches Tobias’ reaction. “Oh, have I struck a nerve, Tobias? Maybe I’m wrong and she hasn’t yet. She always has been a little tease—”

Tobias grabs Rick’s jacket with both hands and slams him against the barn wall. “Get out of here and don’t come back…” He releases his jacket and Rick falls to the ground. “Get inside the house, Claire,” he says to me, touching my shoulder.

I look down to see Rick pulling a switchblade from his jeans. He opens it with a quick flick of his wrist.

“Tobias—!” I scream.

Rick lunges at us with the blade. Tobias knocks me back with a wave of his arm, shielding me from the slashes of the knife. I topple to the ground and quickly look up to see Tobias’ hand wrapped around Rick’s neck. He raises his leg and slams his foot against Rick’s hand, forcing him to drop the knife.

Rick takes a swing and Tobias narrowly dodges the blow to the face. He drops Rick’s neck in the process, giving Rick enough leverage to pull back his fist and deliver a hard blow to Tobias’ stomach, sending him down to his knees.

Rick grabs the knife again before kicking Tobias while he’s down.

“No!” I cry out, too scared to move.

Rick steps towards me and grabs my arm to pull me off the ground, but Tobias climbs to his feet behind him. He charges forward and grabs Rick’s shoulders to pull him away from me. Rick swings around, knife in hand, and thrusts it at Tobias’ chest.

I cover my face, gasping for air. “Stop!” I shout, but they don’t listen. I watch their blurred forms trade blows over and over again as tears stream down my face.

The bang of a bullet brings the room to a standstill.

I spin around to see Charlie standing in the doorway with his rifle in his hands. He cocks it again and aims it at Rick. “I think you better be getting home, Rick,” he says, his voice calm as it ever was.

Rick folds his blade closed and drops it back into his pocket. “Sure,” he says, forcing a smile and raising his hands. He wipes the blood off his nose as he brings himself to his feet. “Come on, Claire…” He gestures to me as he passes and reaches down to grab my arm.

“Nephew or not, son…” Charlie barks. “You lay one more finger on her and I’ll put a bullet between your goddamn eyes.”

Rick pauses and a chuckle escapes his lips. “All right…” he says, his eyes locked on me. “We’ll finish this later then…”

I shake my head. “We’re already finished,” I say.

He flashes a knowing smile and a chill runs down my spine as he steps out of the barn.

I turn back to Tobias and breathe a quick sigh of relief to see him climbing to his feet. Blood stains his shirt and my eyes fall to the wound on his arm, a small cut just above his left elbow. “You’re hurt…” I whimper, guilt striking me down.

He walks over and pulls me off the ground. “Don’t worry about it,” he mutters. He looks at me from head to toe, searching for any wounds of my own.

“I suppose I don’t need to ask what that was all about,” Charlie says to the two of us.

I wipe the tears from my eyes. “I’m sorry, Charlie…” I whisper. “I didn’t know he was coming—”

“It ain’t your fault, Claire,” he says. “A man’s gonna do what a man’s gonna do. The blame is always on him.” His eyes bounce between us. “Get on inside. Get that cut cleaned out.”

I take Tobias towards the house. Before going inside, I hear the growl of Rick’s car near the highway. Rick is gone, hopefully for good, but the fear of him knowing where I sleep still plagues me.

Tobias and I climb the stairs to the second floor in silence.

“Sit down,” I tell him as we enter the bathroom together. He plops down on the toilet seat and rolls his shirt sleeve up while I open the cabinet to find a first aid kit.

“It’s not deep,” he notes, checking the cut himself.

“Does it hurt?” I ask. I quickly roll my eyes. “Shit, of course it hurts…”

“It’s not bad,” he chuckles. “I’ve…”

“Had worse?” I finish his sentence.

“Yeah.”

I dab a bit of cotton with rubbing alcohol. “I’m really sorry about all this, Tobias…” I mutter as I wipe the blood away from the gash. “I wish I could believe it wasn’t my fault, but…” I find a few butterfly bandages in the bottom of the kit.

He reaches out and grabs my hand. “Claire… nothing he said makes me feel differently about you.”

I pause and a smile touches my lips. “Thank you.” I start bandaging his wound, taking my time to line them up just right.

“But…” he sighs.

“What?” I ask.

“What is it with girls and bad boys?”

“What, like you don’t qualify?” I tease.

He tilts his head. “I have good reasons for doing what I do.”

“I’m not going to argue with that,” I say, “but still.” I tape an extra bandage over the wound, covering the entire area. “I guess… they have ways of making us feel special. They know exactly what to say to mess us up so we don’t even realize that they’re… hurting us—”

“Claire,” he whispers.

I shake my head and lay a bit more tape down to attach the bandage to his arm. “That’s the best I can do…” I say, staring at the covered wound.

“It’s pretty good,” he says as he checks it.

“Think it’ll affect the fight tomorrow night?” I ask.

“No way.”

“Good.” I smile. “If anyone deserves to be Alpha, Tobias, it’s you.”

“I’m not doing this to be an Alpha,” he says.

“I know. You’re doing this for her.” I brush my fingers through his thick, black hair. “But you can do it for you, too.”

He stands up. “How about I do it for you instead?”

I bite my inner cheek. As much as I hate to admit it, watching Tobias fight Rick left me buzzing for more inside. “Sure,” I say. I hear Charlie’s feet on the stairs and I take a quick step back. “You should get some sleep.”

“I’d rather stay up and make sure he doesn’t come back.”

“Tobias…” I whisper. “Get some sleep.”

He flexes his jaw and exhales slowly. “All right.” His hand brushes my cheek and I quiver as his thumb traces a line along my bottom lip.

***

I wake up the next morning with a smile on my face.

There’s the slightest hint of fear in the back of my mind when I think of Rick wandering around out there, but the memory of Tobias’ lips overwhelms every other sensation.

I step out into the hallway just as Tobias’ door opens across from mine.

“Hey,” I chuckle at him.

“Good morning—” Tobias yawns.

“You didn’t sleep at all, did you?”

“I slept enough,” he assures me. “I’ll get more rest later.”

“Where are you going now?” I ask.

“I need to get in some training.”

“Oh, I see,” I tease, stepping closer. “You’re going to distract me while I try get my chores done. Is that it?”

He grins. “That’s the plan.”

I roll my eyes. “You’d think Charlie would let me have a few days off for my birthday or something.”

“Good luck with that,” he jokes. The phone rings downstairs. “I broke my arm when I was thirteen, I still had to get up and milk the cows.”

I chuckle. “I’m not the least bit surprised.”

Charlie’s bedroom door opens and Tobias and I both jump away from each other. I look at Charlie and he rolls his eyes. “Just keep it out of the bubble of my senses, you two,” he says as he steps downstairs to answer the phone.

I stand frozen against my door. “What does that mean?” I whisper to Tobias.

“I don’t know…” He raises an eyebrow and closes the gap between us. “But I’m not going to ask questions.”

I look up at him and smile as his lips brush against mine.

“Tobias—” Charlie calls from the bottom of the stairs.

We head into the stairwell together. “I know, I know,” I say to Charlie. “I have chores to start—”

“No chores today, Claire,” he says, his voice low. “Tobias…”

I look at Charlie and a feeling of dread washes over me.

“What is it?” Tobias asks.

Charlie scratches the back of his head as hesitation touches his breath. “Tobias, your sister passed this morning,” he finally says.

I turn to Tobias and my heart breaks. He stands at the top of the stairs with an emotionless expression. “When?” he asks.

“Just now,” Charlie answers.

Tobias’ mouth opens, then closes again just as quickly, leaving his face a blank, white canvas. I reach out, but he moves away before I can touch him. He marches down the stairs, ignoring me and Charlie, and shoves the front door open.

“Tobias—” I call out his name, but he doesn’t look back.

Charlie exhales slowly. He’s not nearly as good at hiding his emotions as his son is. His grief shows through his eyes; a father that’s lost his baby girl.

I hold back my own tears and lower myself down to sit on the stairs. “Charlie, I am so sorry for your loss,” I tell him. It makes me feel awful to say something so scripted, but I suppose phrases like these are cliche for a reason.

He nods and glances at the front door again before looking back at me. “Look, I have to go to St. Louis and take care of…” His voice trails off.

“Go,” I say. “We’ll be okay.”

“Keep an eye on him,” he says. “He won’t take this well.”

“Of course.”

He flexes his jaw and steps back into the kitchen. A few moments later, he comes back to the stairs with his cell phone in hand. “Let me know if he thinks about doing something stupid, would ya?”

“Yes.”

“My number is on the fridge.” Charlie grabs his keys off the table by the door. “I’ll be back late tonight, I think.”

I nod and sit still until I hear his truck on the driveway.

Chapter 13

I’ll Take Care Of You

The sound of fists striking leather fills my ears before I even make it to the barn. I step inside to see Tobias slamming hits into the punching bag over and over again. He keeps his back to me, seemingly unaware of my presence. Either that, or he doesn’t care that I’m here.

I move behind him and lean against the ladder that leads up to the loft. A tear falls down my cheek. I wipe it away and Tobias continues pounding away at the bag.

Finally, I can’t take the sound anymore. “Tobias, what are you doing?” I ask him.

He pauses, briefly lowering his hands, but he doesn’t look at me. “I’m training.” He raises his hands again, his fingers rolling down into tight fists. They connect with the bag so hard, it knocks against the wall behind it.

“Tobias, stop,” I say. Blood has started to seep from the wound on his arm, leaving dark red spots against the bandage. “You’re going to hurt yourself—”

“I don’t care.”

“I do.”

He ignores me and thrusts his fists even harder against the bag. I stand up and walk over to him, ignoring the fear growing in my gut.

“Tobias!” I shout.

He drops his hands and spins around to look at me. “What else would you have me do, Claire?” he asks, breathing hard.

“I know you’re angry,” I say, “and you have every right to be, but… Tobias, you don’t have to fight anymore.”

He shakes his head. “Yes, I do.”

“No, you don’t.” I swallow the rock forming in my throat. “Mary’s—”

“Don’t say her name.”

I flinch, but I can’t stop the words. “She’s gone, Tobias.”

He takes a deep breath, staring down at me as if I were his enemy. “I know,” he mutters.

“So…” I keep my voice as steady as I can. “You don’t have to fight anymore.”

“No, Claire,” he says. “I have an even better reason to take him down now. For good.”

My jaw drops slowly as he turns back around to face the bag. “Don’t say that, Tobias—”

“He put her in that bed, Claire—” He slams into the bag. “He deserves worse.”

“You can’t…” I hesitate. “You can’t kill him, Tobias.”

“Why not?”

“It’s not right…” I beg. “If he fights back—”

“He won’t get the chance,” he growls.

“And if he does, I don’t think your father wants to bury two children in one week!”

He spins back around, towering above me in anger. “Since when do you fucking care, huh?” he bites. “You were supposed to be gone by now—”

I raise my hand and slap it across his face.

Pain shoots through my fingers, climbing all the way up to my elbow. Tears plummet down my cheeks. I jump back, stunned by what I’ve done. “Oh, god—” I cry to myself, covering my face in my hands. I can’t bring myself to look up at him. “I didn’t mean to—”

“Claire—” I feel his hands on me, but I push away from him.

“Don’t touch me…”

He cups my face, refusing to let me stray from him. “Claire… look at me.”

I open my eyes and his face fills my vision. “I’m sorry, Tobias—”

“No,” he whispers, shaking his head. “You have no reason to be.”

I step back and his hands fall from my cheeks. “So much for being untouchable,” I whisper.

“Not to you.” He pulls me back in, holding me so close that our lips touch. “Never to you, Claire.”

I quiver in his arms. My heart thumps loudly in my ears, overwhelming all the other sounds around me. “Tobias… I—”

He silences me with a kiss. It’s long and slow, full of passion and love. His tongue massages mine, allowing me to experience his intoxicating flavor. It makes me dizzy and I fall deeper into his embrace.

“Tobias,” I whisper, “take comfort in me.”

Tobias looks into my eyes and I see his desire staring back at me. “Claire, if we do that, then there’s no going back,” he says.

“I don’t want to go back,” I say. “I want you.” I kiss him again and he returns my kisses with even more desire than before.

***

Tobias travels down my body, leaving a trail of warm kisses against my flesh as he goes. His breath skirts across my skin as his breathing intensifies. I can’t move. I can’t think. I lie here on his bed, taken completely by his passions.

He moves between my legs and I feel his hardness press against my engorged bud. It sends a shock wave up my spine and he silences my sudden moan with a long, hard kiss. He cups his hand behind my head, forcing even more of his kiss upon me. I relish in it and taste his flavorful tongue against mine.

His thick shaft pushes against my opening and my body clenches with tension. Tobias pauses, retreating his hips. “Claire…” He searches my face, which is no doubt filled with fear. “Relax,” he smiles.

I let out a soft chuckle to hide my hesitation. “I’m fine,” I whisper.

He shifts to his side and kisses me again. “Don’t worry, Claire,” he whispers. “I’ll take care of you.”

His fingers tickle my skin as he reaches his hand south. I kiss him again, blinded by the unknown, as he spreads my folds with his fingertips. Desire aches within me, begging for him to go further. I moan as he traces small, smooth circles around my swollen bud, teasing my pleasures to come out and play. I breathe deep, holding still to allow the throbbing to intensify.

My hips buck against his hand with a mind of their own. My wetness surges, begging to feel him inside. I twitch and squirm beneath his touch, but that only makes him press a little harder. “Tobias…” I moan his name through clenched teeth as the climax takes hold of me. He takes me with a firm kiss and holds me tight against him until the storm subsides.

I breathe slowly, barely able to feel the kisses he leaves on my neck. He keeps his hands on me, touching me, caressing me, until I feel his finger slide inside of me. I cry out from the sweet sensation as my body gets what it wants. His thick digit moves in me. He plays me like a concert pianist. I’ll sing any note he wants me to, as long as he doesn’t stop.

He pushes a second finger into me and I bite my lips to keep from screaming. I feel the stretch and quiver as it creates a powerful elixir of pain and pleasure inside. There’s a smile on his lips when he kisses me again. The pressure builds inside of me, doubling back for another climax, but he slides his fingers out of me and I whimper with disappointment.

Tobias balances himself above me and positions himself between my legs. That fear and hesitation I felt before has completely disappeared, leaving an undeniable passion behind. A passion for him. He said he’d take care of me and I fully intend on taking care of him, too. His thickness splits my folds. I lie back and close my eyes to focus all of my energy on feeling him as he pushes inside.

His lips graze my neck, tasting my skin as he slowly moves in and out of me. I wrap my arms around him and pull him in for another kiss. I moan softly against his lips. Sweat drips off his brow onto mine. My entire body quivers beneath him. Jolts of electric passion course through me as he holds me against his bed. He grunts with each slow and steady thrust he gives me. He’s in complete control of me, of himself, of us, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. His strength takes me over, making me feel warm and untouched inside, full of new sensations I never knew I deserved.

“Are you okay?” he whispers.

I smile back at him as a tremble of pleasure rocks my inner walls. “Yes,” I moan. He plants a firm kiss on my lips. I can feel the desire building inside of him. He’s holding back, hesitant to use his experience on me. “Keep going,” I urge, begging to feel more of him.

Tobias reaches down my body and grips my knees to adjust his angle. I feel him slide deeper inside of me, filling me in the most perfect way. I hold him tighter, biting my lips to contain my moans as he grinds me harder against the bed. I catch the smirk on his face before he groans and thrusts me a little deeper.

He gazes into my open eyes and his love for me shines back. With a quick, sudden motion, he scoops me off the bed and wraps my legs around his waist. I yelp in surprise and he laughs with me as he sits back and holds me against him. His lips find mine again and I lower myself back down onto his thick root. I sigh with every inch of him, lost in the grips of pleasure. He moves me on him with great ease, forcing me towards the point of no return faster than I can process the intoxicating joy. I cry out, but he silences me with another hard kiss and wraps his strong arms around me to hold me in place.

“Tobias—” I whisper his name as another climax tears me apart. He pauses and lets the experience trigger his own body’s demise. His ravenous groan fills my ears as his tense muscles twitch with pleasure in my arms.

I lie back against his pillows and he falls forward to lay his head on my breast. We breathe deep and slow, soothing our wrecked bodies together.

“Tobias,” I say his name again.

“Claire,” he sighs.

“Promise me that no one will die tonight.”

I feel his firm fingers touch my skin, traveling up my arms to embrace my trembling hands. There’s a hesitation on his breath as he raises his head and kisses my skin. “I promise, Claire,” he says, his eyes down.

“Promise me again,” I say.

He looks up at me with his dark, green eyes. I feel his resentment, but he knows I’m right. Killing Pike won’t bring Mary back. It might make him feel better for a few minutes, but the consequences are too dire for him to ignore. “I promise,” he finally says again. “No one else is gonna die tonight.” He pushes off the bed and stands up to gather his clothes.

I watch his body glisten with sweat as he moves around the room. “I know you hate me for it,” I say, “but if you kill him, I’ll lose you forever and I can’t…”

He sighs, shaking his head. “No, Claire…” he says. “I don’t hate you. This isn’t your fault.”

“It’s not yours either.”

“I don’t believe that.”

“Tobias.” I slide off the bed to stand in front of him. “She made those choices. There’s nothing you could have done to stop her.”

His chest heaves up and down. “You don’t know that.”

“Yes, I do.” I reach out to cup his face and he looks down at me with sad eyes. “This place… the things I’ve learned here, it’s saved my life. She saved my life. If you can take any comfort from what’s happened, make it that.”

Tobias closes his eyes and inhales a deep breath before opening them again. “She really would have liked you…” he mutters.

I lean in and wrap my arms around him in a sweet embrace, never wanting to let him go. “I’m sorry it had to be like this,” I whisper.

He holds me close. “Me, too,” he says, kissing my hair. “We should get going.”

I pull away and nod, dreading the hours to come.

Chapter 14

A Better Man

My heart thumps wildly in my chest, a mixture of fear and excitement fueling my every thought and feeling, as we approach the city limits of St. Louis.

Tobias turns off the highway onto a dirt road, taking us farther into the darkness than I’d like. I grip his waist a little tighter as the uneven terrain rocks the motorbike back and forth. He holds us steady and even manages to lay his hand on mine to soothe me for a moment before gripping the handlebars again.

We see the bright lights before the nightclub comes into view. Spotlights swing wildly off the sides of the building, mimicking the excitement of all those around it. I look about in confusion, thinking that these people seem very out of place for an illegal MMA fight, but then I realize that the short skirts and popped collars standing around probably have no idea there’s a secret underground tournament happening around them.

Tobias parks the bike and immediately takes my hand to lead me through the packed parking lot. There’s a long line of people waiting out front, each of them dying to get inside what looks to be the latest and hottest nightspot, but we walk right past it and into the dark alley between the buildings.

“Stay close to me,” Tobias mutters as we pass under the broken street lamps.

We reach the back of the building and Tobias knocks loudly on the black door.

Almost immediately, the door opens and we’re greeted by a familiar face.

“Toby!” Amy shouts, her smile stretching from ear-to-ear. Her voice is barely audible over the shouting crowd gathered behind her. A thunderous roar cries out once they see Tobias standing in the doorway and they quickly start chanting his name. Amy’s eyes fall on me. “And Claire— lovely as always.” I smile back at her, but Amy quickly loses her grin when she notices Tobias’ unamused face. “I heard about Mary, Tobias,” she says with an even, firm tone. “I’m sorry.”

“So am I,” he replies.

She steps to the side with a sympathetic nod to let the two of us inside while Tobias reaches into his pocket and silently slaps money into Amy’s small hands.

She gives it a quick count. “They’re waiting for you in the back.” She points to the other side of the room and I look around at the crowd. It’s easily five times the size of what gathers late at night back home. The room is packed to the brim, the majority of them stuffed around the large and professional-looking octagon at the center of the room, eagerly awaiting the blood and carnage they’ve been promised. This arena obvious has a much larger budget than the one back home.

Amy takes a step closer to Tobias and lowers her voice for only his ears. “The Dames have also asked me to pass onto you that we expect a professional fight tonight. The ring is no place to settle old grudges.”

“I got it,” he mutters.

Amy folds the money and stuffs it inside the glass jar stashed under her arm. “Once Pike makes his fashionably late entrance, we’ll get started,” she says with a smile.

“Come on,” Tobias says to me, pulling me along with him.

“Oh!” Amy steps in front of us, standing firm in Tobias’ large shadow. “No groupies allowed in the locker room. St. Louis’ rule, not mine.”

I drop Tobias’ hand. “I’ll be fine out here,” I say. “Go.”

He hesitates. “You sure?”

“I’ll keep an eye on her,” Amy offers. “Trust me, there’s only one fight happening in this room tonight. She’ll be fine.” A knock strikes the door and she turns on her thick-heeled boots to answer it.

“Go,” I tell him again. “I’ll see you after.”

He pulls me back in. “Be careful,” he whispers in my ear.

“I should be telling you that,” I say.

His lips twitch once before he tilts my face up to kiss me. There’s fear in my eyes, but he stares back at me with strength and confidence. “I love you, Claire,” he says.

My heart swells, sending warmth throughout my entire body. “I—”

“Don’t,” he interrupts. “Tell me after.”

I nod and kiss him one more time before he pulls away and walks into the crowd. I watch him go, regretting every step he takes that I don’t stop him.

“Well, isn’t that sweet?”

I don’t turn around. I fill my lungs with air and open my mouth to scream for Tobias, but I feel the cold hand wrap around my neck and the sharpness of a blade dig into my side.

“Shh, shh,” Rick whispers into my ear. “None of that now.” He puts pressure on me to lead me away from Amy. I look over at her, but she’s far too preoccupied with the new arrivals at the door to notice my struggle. “Don’t say a word, Claire. This way…”

I plant my feet into the floor, but he jabs at me a little harder with his knife and we step even deeper into the unsuspecting crowd. “Let me go, Rick,” I tell him.

“Not a chance,” he says, pushing me further towards the center. “Stop.” He squeezes the back of my neck and I slow to a halt about ten feet away from the cage. “This view should do us just fine.”

“What are you doing here?” I ask.

“You know exactly why I’m here, Claire.”

“You’re too late.” I crane my neck to look at him. “I’m not going back with you.”

“We’ll see,” he smirks, searching my face with amusement.

The crowd screams behind us and we turn to see Pike and his people coming through the black door.

“Ahh, good,” Rick says. “This will all be over soon.” His eyes fall on mine. “The suspense was killing me.”

“Let me go right now, or—”

“You’ll what?” he asks.

“He’ll kill you,” I finish.

He rolls his eyes and grins. “Nice threat,” he jokes.

“It’s not a threat,” I say, shaking my head. “You have no idea what he’s been through—”

“I know all about little cousin Mary’s death, Claire,” he says. “No one cares about some dead girl out in hillbilly country that couldn’t hold her booze.”

“He does. He’s out for blood, Rick.”

“So am I…” He smirks at me again. “No one takes what’s mine and gets away with it.”

“You’re delusional.”

He chuckles. “That’s a big word for you. What else did you learn out here? Square dancing?”

“You—”

“Shh!” He presses his nails into the back of my neck to silence me. “The fight is starting!”

I look to the arena and watch as Lillian Tombs climbs inside. With her arms raised above her head, she waves and beckons to all of us. “Hello, St. Louis! Welcome to the final hour of this year’s Midwest Alpha tournament!” She tries to wrangle in the crowd, but they pulse with an insatiable hunger.

“Ladies — Ladies…” Lillian cries out. “Gentlemen! We’re not animals here!” The people laugh and scream. “Okay, maybe a little…” She jokes with the audience, playing with them, until finally bringing a finger to her thick, red lips. The voices cease. She controls them with a subtle charisma and they eat out of the palm of her hand. “Tonight… is the fight we’ve all been dreaming about since their names first touched mortal ears: The Punisher and The Untouchable!”

The crowd splits on either side of the arena, allowing for the fighters to take their walks towards the stage. They scream their names over and over again, rocking the room with a rumbling bass. I catch sight of Tobias at the other side and Rick’s fingers cut into my neck a little deeper.

Tobias climbs into the arena, his thick muscles flexing with anticipation. His eyes, dark and cold, land on Pike at the other side of the ring and don’t look away from him. They won’t either, I know they won’t. They won’t search for me. They won’t see Rick’s hand around my throat or the knife he has shoved against my back. I’m a distraction and it’s the last thing Tobias will risk right now.

I hear Rick audibly scoff as he looks Tobias up and down. Even under these circumstances, I can’t pull my eyes away from his form, fit and perfect beneath his tight black, shorts. I lick my lips as my body recalls the experience of his bed mere hours before.

“I hear an athlete performs better after getting laid,” Rick seethes in my ear. “How long after I left did you wait before giving it up, huh?”

“Go to hell,” I spit.

“Him first.”

Lillian holds up her hands at the center of the ring, once again in a futile attempt to silence the pulsating crowd. Finally, the silence starts to shift in her favor and she points her left hand towards Tobias.

“In this corner, I give you Tobias the Untouchable!”

The crowd erupts with chanting voices, calling out his name again. Rick twists the knife against my skin and I wince from the sudden pain.

“And in this corner…” Lillian points to her right. “The defending Alpha and my personal favorite. The one and only… Pike the Punisher!”

Hands clap and boots stomp as Pike raises his hands to delight his fans. Once again, Tobias stands still, refusing to play games of showmanship. Still, the crowd battles it out, equally chanting both names with excitement.

Lillian retreats from the arena and reaches for her whistle.

Pike bounces fast on his toes. His entire body twists back and forth, loose as rubber, while Tobias stands as firm as stone. I look at him, my heart a swelling battleground of love and terror. He raises his thick fists and lets them hover in front of his smooth cheeks.

Protect your face.

The whistle sings and the final fight begins.

There’s a long moment of suspense as Pike and Tobias linger in their corners, each refusing to attack one another. Tobias never throws the first punch and Pike knows it. He shifts back and forth, teasing Tobias, baiting him with his own silly flair.

“Come on!” Pike shouts.

Tobias doesn’t budge. Only his eyes move, flicking around with Pike’s quick movements.

Finally, impatience gets the best of Pike and he finally lunges with his bare fists held high. Tobias’ body tightens, his muscles flexing with anticipation of the first blow.

I cringe as Pike’s fist strikes Tobias’ ribs, but I force my eyes open. Tobias grabs Pike’s wrist from the air and yanks him forward, pulling him off balance. With lightning speed, he lands a quick uppercut against Pike’s chin. Pike stumbles backward and shakes it off as blood dribbles down his mouth.

Tobias charges forward and sweeps low, knocking Pike down to his knees. He reaches down and takes hold of Pike’s thick neck, squeezing him tight. Panic shines in Pike’s eyes before he forces them closed to shield himself from Tobias’ coming fist. It connects with his eyes and Tobias delivers a pattern of punches repeatedly to his face.

The rage builds in his eyes, the same rage I saw in the barn when he spoke of killing him. I bite my cheek as another tear falls down my face. Tobias promised me he’d spare him. He said it twice, but I didn’t factor in the adrenaline.

I step forward, but Rick snatches me back. “Tobias!” I scream, but I can barely even hear it myself as they crowd begs for blood.

Suddenly, Tobias stops, his fist raised. He takes a breath, frozen in his stance, staring deeper into the eyes of the man that killed his little sister, then finally drops him to the floor.

Pike flips over onto his hands and knees to crawl away from Tobias into the corner nearest to us. He spits his own blood and teeth out of his mouth, but shows no other signs of backing down or tapping out.

I look at Tobias’ face and smile with relief, but I still have to remind myself to breathe.

“I wouldn’t celebrate too early if I were you, Claire,” Rick says into my ear.

“You already tried to beat him,” I fire back. “It’s over.”

“You actually think he’s better than me?”

“He is better than you, Rick.”

“You’re wrong, Claire. Look at him.” My eyes look for Tobias and I watch him pace about the ring, waiting for Pike to get back up. “You’re scared of me? What do you think he’s capable of doing to you?”

“He’d never touch me.”

“Or so he says,” he growls in my ear. “You can call me a lot of things — a liar isn’t one of them. Be honest with yourself, Claire. You feel no safer with him than you did with me.”

“That’s not true. It doesn’t matter anyway. You couldn’t beat him then and you really won’t beat him after he finds out about this. You failed.”

“Oh, yes. I did… but I get the feeling he won’t.”

I turn back to the stage and look into Pike’s bloodthirsty face. His lips turn up, teasing a deep secret that no one else can see. I look back at Rick and he smiles at me, baring his teeth with sweet amusement. “What did you do, Rick?” I whimper as another tear rolls down my cheek.

“That’s the thing about small towns, Claire. Everyone is awfully chatty, especially the dorky checkout girl at the market. It wasn’t too difficult to find out how Tobias the Untouchable spends his nights.” He yanks me back and looks down at me with black eyes. “I told you I wasn’t leaving this dump without you. If getting him out of the picture is what it takes, then…” His eyes fall back to the cage.

I follow his gaze and panic grips my chest as Pike pulls a metal shiv from his shorts and hides it inside his thick palm.

“You know, Claire,” Rick continues. “If I were a better man, I’d tell you to look away, but… I really want you to watch this.” He holds my neck tighter, forcing me to keep my eyes forward.

“No!” I scream. I jump forward, but Rick pulls me closer to him and wraps his arm around my throat. He pushes his knife further into my side, scratching deep enough to draw my blood.

Pike stands up, spins on his heels, and lunges for Tobias.

Tobias is ready for him and easily knocks him back against the cage. But still, Pike smiles wide and rushes Tobias, this time wrapping his arm about his neck to draw him in. He pulls the shiv back and plunges it into Tobias’ side.

I cry out as his body tumbles to the floor.

Chapter 15

The Untouchable

“Tobias!”

I wipe the tears from my eyes to fight my blurring vision.

The crowd boos, instantly turning on Pike the Punisher. Judging by the look on his face, he doesn’t give a shit. He holds up his hands in personal victory and walks circles around Tobias’ limp form.

“Get up!” I scream.

Rick gives my hair a firm yank. “This is all your fault, Claire,” he growls. “Remember that.”

I twist in his arms, trying to break free, but I cry out in pain as his knife slices me a little deeper.

My breath catches in my throat as Tobias moves on the mat, shifting his hands beneath him to push himself up. Pike notices and walks back over to bend down and slam his fist against Tobias’ face.

Untouchable.

“Stop it!” I shout.

Several in the crowd approach the cage to try and climb inside to stop the fight, but Pike easily knocks them back out. The rest of them cower away as soon as they catch sight of the blood lust in Pike’s eyes. He barks and laughs at them while Tobias attempts to pull himself up again.

The screams of the crowd draw Pike’s attentions back on Tobias. He watches with wide eyes as Tobias grips the shiv and pulls it out of his side. Blood spills out of the wound, staining his white skin as it falls down to his feet.

I look at his face, at his tragic and black eyes, and know that there’s nothing holding him back this time.

Tobias is going to kill him.

“Pike only had one condition,” Rick whispers in my ear, his lips curling. “He’d take Tobias down for me if he got ten minutes alone with you.” My body shakes with rage as his chuckle fills my head. “I promised him twenty.”

I raise my foot and slam it down on his as hard as I can. The blow shakes him off balance and he drops his arm, allowing me to spin around. I curl my fingers into fists and raise them up to my face. He looks at me in shock as I shift my feet and twist into a fighting stance.

“You bitch!” he growls.

I draw back my fist and aim it for his nose. It connects with him, hard. Blood immediately shoots from his nostrils. I ignore the pain firing down my wrist and snap back to deliver a second, harder blow to his eye.

Rick tumbles backward and falls under the feet of the screaming crowd.

I spin back to the arena. “Tobias!” I shout.

Tobias charges forward and strikes Pike’s surprised face with fierce punches. I push forward, shoving my way closer to the cage, fighting to get there before it’s too late.

“Tobias!” I scream his name, praying that he can hear me, but his eyes never stray from his target.

Pike falls to his knees. Tobias grabs his head and digs his nails into Pike’s shaggy hair to hold his limp body up and expose his neck. He readies the shiv and lays it against Pike’s throat.

“Tobias!”

I reach the cage and grab it to pull myself up, screaming as loud as I can.

“Tobias, stop!”

He blinks and finally looks up at me. His eyes beg me to look away, to avert my gaze from what he has to do, but I shake my head.

“Don’t…” I cry. A sob chokes in my throat, taking my voice away from me.

If you kill him, I’ll lose you forever.

Tobias closes his eyes. His fingers twitch, just an inch away from his revenge.

I fill my lungs with burning air. “Tobias, I love you.”

He opens his eyes and his grief shines through them. I see his pain. I see every bit of regret he’s carried on his shoulders since all of this first began. I grip the cage and let the rusted metal dig into my skin as I pull myself closer to him. I can’t imagine the torture he’s feeling, but there’s no way I’m going to let him carry it alone anymore.

Finally, he looks back at me and nods.

I sigh with relief as Tobias lets go of Pike and his body falls to his feet. He walks away from him, tossing the bloody shiv away as he goes. I jump off the cage and rush to be by his side as he limps off the stage. I throw my arms around him and I feel him wince with pain, but it doesn’t stop him from holding me even tighter.

The crowd sits in awe and silence, their eyes wide with confusion over what just happened. A few of them climb into the ring to check on Pike and confirm that he’s still breathing.

I reach for Tobias’ side and my hands immediately turn red with his blood. “Come on,” I say, sniffing through tears. I position myself beneath his arm. “We have to get you some help…”

“I’ll be all right,” he grunts.

“Don’t you dare say you’ve had worse—”

I look up as Rick steps in front of us. Blood pours down his nose and his vengeful eyes show pink and bloodshot. “Claire…” he mutters through his teeth.

“Rick, leave now and don’t come back,” I tell him.

“I’m not—”

“I won’t stop him next time.” I hold Tobias a little tighter and I stare back at Rick with anger.

Rick’s eyes move back and forth between us. His expression shifts from amusement, to annoyance, and finally, defeat. He turns around and disappears into the crowd without saying another word.

“Did you do that?” Tobias asks me, pointing at his face.

“Yeah,” I answer.

“Damn…” he chuckles, wincing in pain. “Not bad...”

“Don’t talk. Save your strength.” I reach into my pocket for my phone as I pull him towards the exit.

***

“No hospitals.”

I sigh once more, my eyes falling to Tobias’ wound. “That’s not up to you.” I put more pressure on it with my rolled up jacket and he cringes from the pain.

“I’m barely bleeding. It’s just a scratch, Claire.”

“Stand up and say that,” I challenge him.

He glares at me from his leaning position against his bike seat, but quickly shifts his weight to stand on his feet. He stumbles as he moves, but eventually rights himself and drops his hands to his sides. Pain fills his face, but he takes a deep breath and cracks a forced smile. “It’s just a scratch,” he wheezes quickly and then immediately sits back down.

The parking lot is still packed with cars, but the excitement has dwindled since the minutes following the fight. Tobias wanted to leave immediately, but there’s no way in hell I’m letting him ride his bike in this condition and I don’t know the first thing about riding a motorbike myself. He’s also half-naked, clad in just his black shorts and a thick layer of blood and sweat — not the best attire for a late night ride down the highway.

“Oh, good. You two are still here.”

I turn around to find Amy walking towards us. She holds up a small bundle of clothing and passes it to me. “I acquired your clothes…” she says to Tobias.

“Thanks, Amy,” I tell her. I unfold his jeans and turn to him to help him get dressed, but he quickly snatches them from me. “Tobias—”

“I got it.” He moves slowly and bends down to start sliding into them one leg at a time, wincing from the pain the entire time.

“Oh, yeah. It’s just a scratch. No worries,” I bite back with sarcasm.

He stands himself upright and zips them up with a smug look on his face.

“Also…” Amy continues, pulling her eyes away from Tobias’ sweaty body, “the Dames and I have voted — unanimously — that Pike the Punisher is banned for life from all future Alpha tournaments. We’ve made contact with other leagues as well. He’ll be blacklisted in twelve states by morning — another twenty by Monday.”

“He should be in jail,” I argue.

“I would report him myself for… you know, stabbing you, but that would draw some very unwanted attention to our operation,” she says to Tobias. “You understand.”

“I do,” he says.

“Lastly… I’ve come to deliver this.” She reaches into her jacket and withdraws a large stack of money, several inches thick, crudely wrapped together with a rubber band. “I’d say you earned it, Tobias.”

He leans back against the bike. “I don’t want it,” he says, looking away.

I hold out my hand and Amy drops the stack of bills into my palm. “He’ll take it. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” she grins. “Anyway, I’ve got to get back inside. The Dames are brainstorming the details for next year’s fights.” She looks at Tobias. “You in, Toby?”

“I think I’ll sit the next one out, actually,” he mutters.

“Boo,” Amy says. “Maybe I can pencil in a surprise appearance from this year’s reigning Alpha…?” she teases. He glares back at her silently and she sighs. “Fine.”

“Guess you’ll have to find another local to earn next year’s bonus,” I joke.

“Shouldn’t be too hard,” she considers with a raised brow. “We should have lunch. You’re going back to Chicago soon, right?”

“Umm…” I say. “There’s been a little change in plans.”

A light shines behind her eyes. “Really?”

“Yeah, I’m sticking around here for a little while longer.” She stares back at me and a devious smile crosses her red lips. “What?”

“Well…” She crosses her arms about her chest. “Lillian was so impressed with the talent this year, she wants to expand our search, establish a few new branches in our area—”

“Amy, what are you doing?” Tobias interrupts with a cautious tone.

“I’m recruiting your kissing cousin, Toby,” she answers bluntly.

“What?” I ask.

“No, you’re not,” he argues.

“Yes, I am.” Amy smiles at me. “What do you say, Claire?”

“What do I say to what?” I ask, my eyes bouncing between them.

Tobias pushes himself off the bike and grabs my hand. “Say no, Claire.”

“Say no to what?” I ask again.

“To becoming an Alpha Dame,” Amy says, “like me.”

“Me?” I shake my head. “Why me?”

“I saw the way you handled yourself with Rick,” she answers. “Lillian did, too.”

“I was just protecting myself…”

“And that kind of finesse is exactly what she looks for.”

“Claire…” Tobias squeezes my fingers. “No.”

“Alpha Dames are the most respected women in the sport, Tobias,” Amy says to him. “Why wouldn’t you want that for her?”

He exhales, but says nothing to argue with her further.

She reaches into her bra and pulls out a black business card. “Give me a call if you want to talk it over, Claire,” she says, easily slipping the card between my fingers.

“Okay…” I say.

Amy presses her fingers to her red lips and blows us a quick kiss. “Goodnight, y’all.”

“Goodnight…” I stare at the card as her heels tap away into the parking lot. A bright red font spells out Amy’s name in cursive writing, along with the Midwest Alphas logo shining next to it. I glide my fingers across it to feel the embossed lettering tickle my fingertips as a switch flicks on in my head.

“Claire…”

I look at Tobias and stuff the card into my back pocket as Charlie’s truck comes into view of the parking lot.

Tobias drops my hand. “You called my dad?” he asks.

“Yes, I did,” I say, crossing my arms.

He leans back against the bike with shaking limbs. “I would have preferred a hospital.”

The truck stops in front of us and Charlie steps out. To his credit, he says nothing as I move under Tobias’ arm and walk him slowly towards the truck. He opens the passenger side door and we both help Tobias step up into the seat.

“What happened?” Charlie asks me after I close the door.

We step over to the motorbike and start rolling it towards the back of the truck. “Factory equipment malfunction,” I answer. I notice his lips twitch as we bend down to raise the bike into the truck bed.

“And this factory equipment…” Charlie says. “Is it still running?”

I nod. “Yes.”

He sighs and closes the bed. “Good.”

Epilogue

“Protect your face.”

A smile teases my lips as I lower my fists and turn around. Tobias steps into the barn, limping softly on his right foot as he walks. “You should be resting,” I say, catching my breath. “And using the crutch Charlie got you.”

“I don’t need a crutch,” he argues. I wipe the sweat off my brow and pull the velcro tabs free on my gloves. His eyes move down my body, taking in the sight of my tight and sweaty workout clothes. “Looks like you’re taking this pretty seriously.”

I look back at the punching bag. “It helps me think,” I say. I peel the gloves off my hands and toss them into my gym duffel on the floor.

“What are you thinking about?” he asks me.

I take a deep breath. “A lot.”

“Like Amy’s offer?”

It’s been a week since the tournament and the topic hasn’t come up yet. Between his fresh wounds and Mary’s funeral, the last few days have been rough on Tobias. He’s healing, in more ways than one, and we’ve taken comfort in each other whenever possible. It’s been a decent enough distraction, but eventually, we both knew we’d have to talk about Amy’s offer to join the Alpha Dames sooner or later.

“Yes,” I finally answer.

He sighs. “Claire, you don’t want to get involved with them.”

“You did,” I point out.

“That was different.”

“Was it?” I ask.

“Yes. It was a means to an end, not a long-term commitment.”

“You told me I should start over, Tobias,” I say. “That I should be someone better. This is my chance.”

“Binding yourself to an illegal fighting championship isn’t better, Claire.”

“It’s not worse either. When Amy handed me that card, I felt something and — to be honest — it’s the same kind of something I felt when I met you. Like it was the start of something special.” I reach out to him. “I’m sorry, but… I have to see where this leads.”

He flexes his jaw and lets out a long sigh. “Is there anything at all I can say that will change your mind?”

“Well… you’re the Alpha, Tobias,” I tease. “Tell me not to go. Tell me that I’m your girl and no one else’s and that I have to do everything you say.”

“I said change your mind,” he says with curling lips. “Not turn you on.”

I smile, but I let it fade quickly. “Tobias, I won’t do this without you. If the choice is between this or you, I’m going to choose you.”

“I’m not giving you an ultimatum, Claire,” he says. “But Amy’s right. Being a Dame, it commands respect. That kind of respect brings attention — attention from people like Pike and Rick.”

“I’ll be protected.”

“I know,” he says. “By me.”

“What?”

“I’ve already spoken with Amy,” he says. “She says it’s uncommon, but not against the rules for Alpha Dames to bring in their own escorts.”

“You want to be my bodyguard?”

“That’s the deal,” he nods. “I’m never going to be comfortable with you being involved with them, but I can’t stop you either. What I can do is have your back and if you’re going in, then I’m going with you.”

I lean in closer. “What was that about turning me on again?”

He lays a hand on my cheek and pulls me in. “I love you, Claire,” he says. “Doing so has brought me nothing but trouble, but… I can’t stop now.”

“Tobias the Unstoppable,” I quip. He glares at me through narrow eyelids, but I give him a sweet smile. “I love you, too, Tobias. Doing so has brought me nothing but trouble, but…” I lay a smooth kiss on his lips. “What can I say? I live for a little trouble.”

END OF BOOK ONE

UNTOUCHED

MIDWEST ALPHAS | BOOK 1

October 2015

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UNBROKEN

MIDWEST ALPHAS | BOOK 2

November 2015

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UNDYING

MIDWEST ALPHAS | BOOK 3

December 2015

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A Stepbrother Romance

Piper & Kai | Book 1

PIPER

Sex.

It’s all I think about.

Man, woman. Sweet, rough. You name it, I’ve probably tried it. There’s not a lot I’m not down for, and not a lot of people I’d say no to.

Except him.

I’ve noticed Kai Casablancas’ pathetic attempts at flirting with me. I’m not stupid. He’s been laying it on real strong lately and I’ve reached the end of my patience with him. You’d think my father marrying his mother would be enough to get him to back off, but he’s pursued me like a sick puppy for years.

My friend and I are going to Europe for a week. One last hurray before college begins. A chance to experience the world beyond the prude and restrictive halls of Belle Academy.

This trip to Europe is exactly what I need to finally let loose… and get far away from Kai.

KAI

Sex.

It’s all I think about.

It has been ever since that bet Shawn and I made a few years back. If I can sleep with every female in our graduating class at Belle Academy before we go off to college, victory will be mine. It’s a tiny, elite private school. That’s 23 ladies and every last one of them thinks I’m a god.

Except her.

When my mother got married during my junior year, things got a little… complicated. It made Piper Lynch my stepsister. The Ice Princess herself. It was already a challenge getting under her thick skin, but now? She may as well have installed a chastity belt.

One week. I have one week to seal the deal with her or Shawn wins. She thinks she’s gotten rid of me by leaving the country, but I have other plans.

This trip to Europe is exactly what I need to get my edge back … and the perfect chance to get real close to Piper.

***

Chapter 1

Piper

“Harder.”

I keep my voice down to avoid any unwanted attention to Ms. Clark’s geometry room. My nails dig hard into the oak wood desk as Jake’s thick cock pounds me against it. Or was it Jack? John? It doesn’t matter. Either way, he’s starting to bore me.

“Harder.” I whisper it with a little more bite this time, whipping my head back to make eye contact with him. He’s got that look in his eye, like I’m the belle of his balls. The love of his whatever. I turn back around and roll my eyes as I round my hips to make his thrusts get the job done.

“You’re so hot—” he grunts.

“Stop talking.” I hate it when they talk. I finally get him at just the right angle and that good tickle starts to spread inside. My toes curl in my stiletto heels and I ride the wave over and over again until I get what I came here for. The climax is short and sweet, giving my nerves the quick recharge they needed before I walk out onto that stage.

I stand up and push myself off the desk. His thickness slides out of me as I step away from him.

“Hey— where you going?” he whines.

I force my skirt back down and give it a quick look over for stains. If this guy got jizz all over this thing, I swear to god…

“Hello?” He plants his hands on the desk and stares at me.

I grab the maroon cap and gown off the table by the door. “Thanks for the hit,” I mutter back at him.

“Well, can I get your number or something?”

“No.” I open the door and close it behind me.

My heels click loudly, echoing through the deserted halls of Belle Academy as I make way for the nearest ladies’ room. I stare at myself in the mirror above the sink and smile at the pink color showing through on my pale cheeks. It’s the perfect shade, one I can never quite get right with make-up alone.

I slip the maroon gown over my head. It tumbles down my body until it just barely scrapes the floor beneath me. I cringe at my reflection. Hundreds of years of commencement in this country and no one has managed to create a graduation robe that doesn’t fit like a fucking moo-moo?

Oh, well. It’s just tradition. It’ll all be over in an hour. Then I can kiss this fucking place goodbye once and for all.

I run my fingers through my long, black hair and make sure it’s sitting perfect before placing the cap on my head. The tassel hangs down on the left side, but I ignore it while I fit the golden trim over my shoulders and make double sure it’s even on both sides

“All right, Piper,” I say as I grip the tassel and move it to the right side. “Let’s do this bitch.”

***

“It brings me great pleasure,” Headmaster Lynch says from the podium on stage, “to introduce this year’s Valedictorian. Not only because of the fantastic example she’s made for her classmates and this small community, but because I was there the day she came into this world.”

I stare out at the crowd gathered on the front lawn of Belle Academy. An ocean of maroon caps and gowns sits in the front section while friends and family sit on the bleachers around them. I sit on the stage. It’s where I belong, after all. I’ve earned this.

“I feel nothing but overwhelming pride to be here today…”

I hold my eyes steady to keep from rolling them. People have already begun staring at me to see if I’ll start crying or show some other form of deep emotion towards my father. If that’s what they want, I’ll give it to them, but not yet.

My eyes lock with Kai Casablancas’ stare from the front row. His brown hair hangs down under his cap, grazing the tops of his eyes. The corner of his mouth turns upward with a smug smirk.

“I’m sure every one of us will be keeping a close eye on her from now on, because she’s guaranteed to take over the world. Ladies and gentlemen, Class of 2015, your Valedictorian, and my beautiful daughter… Piper Lynch!”

I tear my eyes away from Kai and throw on a wide smile as I stand up. Applause fills my ears and I get quick jolt with each whoop and holler I hear from my classmates. I shake my father’s hand and he sits down on a chair while I take my rightful place at the podium.

“Thank you, Headmaster,” I say, which earns a few chuckles from the crowd. I smile with nerves full of raw energy and look out into the eyes of my classmates. “Guys, we did it. We actually did it. We’ve worked so hard for so many years to get to this moment. After today, they can no longer call us children. The rules of Belle Academy no longer apply to us.”

I make eye contact with Kai again in the front row, but quickly move on. The last thing I want to do is look at him. Not during my moment.

“Freedom,” I continue. “That’s what this feeling is. Complete, utter freedom to be whomever we want to be. We can go anywhere and do anything we want. My father was right before. I am guaranteed to take over the world, but so are each and every one of you. There’s nothing to stop us now.” I pause and look out at everybody with a long smile as they grin back at me. They’re all eating out of the palm of my hand. I look at their faces and see their real futures. A few have potential, but the rest of them? No way. But I’m not going to be the one to tell them that, no matter how much pleasure it would bring me to knock them all down a peg. I’ve spent years being the perfect princess of Belle Academy. I guess I can fake it for a little bit longer. My eyes fall once more onto Kai’s face and I swear I see his head shaking back and forth.

“Look to the future with me now,” I continue. “Imagine what you look like, where you’ll be, who you’re with… then hold onto it with everything you have. I can’t guarantee it’ll come true, but I can promise that with right amount of dedication, determination, and focus… you might get close. But never forget where you came from. Don’t forget about the echoing hallways of Belle Academy. Don’t forget the faces of those sitting next to you because we all came from the same place. We’ll understand your struggle and we’ll help you along the way. Congratulations, graduates. I can’t wait to see what we make of ourselves. Thank you.”

The lawn erupts with applause. I hear the whistles between their lips and the clapping of their hands. It’s a good feeling, one that brings me sincere warmth. I step away from the podium and walk across the stage to take my diploma, as we rehearsed the day before. My father extends his hand to me and passes the rolled up sheet of paper off to me. He steps closer and pulls me in for an emotional hug. I let him have it. He’s been waiting as long as I have for this moment. As he releases me, I catch sight of tears in his eyes.

“Congratulations, Piper,” he says, his smile full of love for me.

I force a tear down my cheek and brush it away with my palm. “Thank you, daddy.” I shift my position to give the photographer offstage a better view and smile for the photo. I recognize him from Ms. Clark’s geometry classroom as he snaps our photo. So that’s who he was.

The little princess of Belle Academy is all grown up.

Ninety more days, and I’m out of here for good.

Chapter 2

Kai

I twirl my rolled diploma about in my fingers from my chair in the front row and watch as my classmates cross the stage after me. Each name called brings the flash of memory to my mind.

Shawn Monty. My best friend. No other description necessary.

Charles Moore. The editor of the newspaper.

Monica Myers (Belle Academy Female #18). The carpets don’t match the drapes.

Annie Prescott (Belle Academy Female #19). She and Barbara Lee (Belle Academy Female #12) gave me my first threesome. Thanks, ladies.

Stewart Ryan. Resident douchebag.

There are twenty-three female students in the Class of 2015 and I’ve been inside exactly twenty-two of them.

All of them except for unlucky #13. Piper Lynch.

She’s sitting on the stage now with that smile on her face. Yeah, that smile. The one she wears but doesn’t mean anything by it. Luckily for her, no one else but me has been able to see through it, but I’m not telling anybody. Her eyes follow each student as they pass by. I’d do anything to be a fly on the wall of her mind right now and hear what she’s really thinking behind that thick wall of glass and ice.

I’m running out of time. A few years ago, Shawn and I made a bet. It was stupid, passive. Something neither of us started taking seriously until it became clear that I was actually capable of pulling it off.

Bang every girl in our graduating class before college begins. All twenty-three of them.

I’ve been stuck on twenty-two for weeks now.

Juliet Cole (Belle Academy Female #5) was the last to fall. She’s got a thing for toes.

But Piper fucking Lynch? I thought she’d be the easiest of all of them at first. She and I have been in the same class since kindergarten. We used to be forced into play dates when our mothers used to hang out. Those stopped when my mother and her father got a little too close to each other. Their affair broke up both marriages, but out of the ashes grew their own union and Piper and I were suddenly kin.

Oh, goody.

She’s either totally clueless or entirely disinterested, neither of which I’ll believe. Panties melt when I’m around. It’s a gift and a curse. No woman is safe — except for Piper fucking Lynch apparently. I’ve hit on her a million different ways and she’s given me absolutely nothing to work with in return. Years of my best material wasted on her and that seemingly impenetrable chastity belt. Sure, academics are important, but even Einstein must have let loose at some point, right?

I stare at her up on that stage. Piper fucking Lynch with her good and innocent posture and that petite little waist. With those annoyingly beautiful, shimmering blue eyes and perfect raven hair. And that skin. Like a damned porcelain sex doll. I’m getting an angry hard-on just thinking about the complete fucking package.

What does a guy have to do to fuck his stepsister around here?

Don’t answer that.

***

“I’m really starting to doubt you have what it takes to seal the deal, Kai.”

I glance up at Shawn from the hood of my corvette and keep a steady voice. “I have what it takes. Don’t you worry.” I see Piper across the parking lot near the school. The wind catches the golden tassel on her cap and blows it across her face like a lock of hair. She pushes it back and laughs at something Mandy Black (Belle Academy Female #3) whispers in her ear.

“I’m not the one that should be worried,” Shawn says with a grin. “I think the fact that you’ve been living under the same roof with her for over two years now and you still haven’t hit it speaks volumes, my friend.”

She catches me staring at her, but I don’t look away. “I will admit, Piper’s a little more frigid than I expected.” After a quick roll of her eyes, she turns away. “But I have the rest of the summer to thaw that ice. You’ll see.”

Shawn shakes his head. “There’s no shame in backing out. I’d understand.”

“No one’s backing out.” I bite my lip. “Everyone has a turn on. I just have to find hers.”

“Good luck,” he says. “I could give you a sexual dossier on every girl in our class. But Piper… no one knows what shit she’s into. She’s like the Pentagon of pussy.”

“Don’t forget whose dick wrote those dossiers, Shawn,” I say with soft chuckle. “I think she’s maybe on the amateur side.”

“No way she’s a virgin, man.”

“Have you ever seen her with anyone?” I ask. “Heard whispers in the hallways?” He doesn’t answer. “If she’s not, then she’s very, very good at keeping it under wraps.”

“Well, then she’s learned from her daddy’s mistakes. The Headmaster isn’t exactly known for keeping his dirty secrets secret.” I shoot him a quick glare and he throws up his hands. “No disrespect to your mom, of course. She’s a classy lady.”

I look back at Piper and push myself off the car. “No, this is it, man,” I say.

“What is?”

“High school is over,” I explain. I pull the maroon graduation cap off my head. “She’s got nothing to keep her mind occupied for an entire summer. No books. No tests. Nothing until fall. This… this is the time I’ve been waiting for.” I grab the maroon robe by the neck and pull it off before tossing it all into the backseat.

Shawn smirks across the lot at Piper. “Maybe you’re right, maybe you’re wrong. But I think it’s gonna be me rolling around USC in this beautiful ride come September.” He brushes a finger across my car and I cringe a bit on the inside.

“I am right.” I open the driver’s side door and sit down inside. “You just wait and see. I’ll see you later.”

“Bye bye, dick,” he teases with a wave.

I turn over the ignition and the engine purrs with life. There’s no way I’m giving up this car. She’s my most prized possession. My little red baby. The thought of Shawn taking ownership fills me with sincere dread.

Piper’s little voice travels on the wind as I roll in closer to her. That deep tone with just the perfect amount of femininity blended in. I feel a twinge in my pants as I push the brake near the curb. “Hey, Pipes.”

She glances at me from the corner of her eye. “What?” she asks.

“Let’s go. Mom’s waiting.” I watch her as she tries to continue her conversation with Mandy, but Mandy looks at me instead.

“Hey, Kai,” she smiles at me.

“Howdy, Mandy.” I give her a wink and her smile grows a little wider. Mandy Black. She’s bendy. Really bendy. She pushes her brown hair back behind her ear and I get a burst of satisfaction when Piper finally turns in my direction with an annoyed frown.

“Let’s go,” I repeat.

I hear Piper tell Mandy something about calling her later and she finally steps off the curb towards the car.

“Your mom’s going to kill you if you wrinkle up your robe before she can take pictures,” she says as she lowers herself into the car.

I glance in the rear view mirror at my robe lying in the backseat. “Probably,” I say. I do nothing about it and put my foot on the gas, but not before sneaking a peak at her beautiful ankles poking out from the bottom of her robe.

Piper turns in her seat and grabs my robe off the backseat. I watch her out of the corner of my eye as she gently folds it up and sets it down in her lap.

“Thanks,” I tell her.

“Don’t thank me,” she mutters. “I just don’t want to hear her whiny, shrilling voice when she rips you a new one for losing it on the freeway.”

I smile at her. Most of our verbal interaction includes swipes and jabs at each other’s parents. “Can’t be much worse than your dad’s horribly rehearsed, alcohol-laced slur of an introduction for his darling and gifted daughter.”

“It’s not my fault you spent the last four years bleeding mediocrity, Kai,” she spars.

“Oh, but there’s absolutely no nepotism happening here, folks,” I say as I take the freeway on-ramp. “She’s just naturally smart...”

Piper glares at me with her bright blue daggers and raises her arm. I nearly choke on my tongue when I realize she holds my robe between two fingers. She lets it slip free into the wind, but I reach out with quick reflexes and grab it before the air takes off with it, jerking the car into the next lane in the process. I right the car quickly and lay the robe over my lap as another car speeds around us with their horn blazing.

She stares straight ahead with an emotionless expression, but I swear I see a hint of amusement teasing her eyes before she slides her sunglasses up onto her nose.

Piper fucking Lynch.

I certainly have my work cut out for me this summer.

Chapter 3

Piper

I take my highlighter and run it across the page, marking a section of interest regarding the Lourve in Paris. I already have more places throughout Europe marked than I have time to visit, but I can’t help myself. I spent twelve years with my head in a book, pretending to be a perfect princess for dear old daddy, and it’s time for me to take something back for myself.

One week. I was allowed one week to explore Europe… and European men, of course.

Sure, I pitched the trip as educational to my father and stepmother, and they bought it hook to sinker, but there’s a better reason to see the world — and an even better one to get the hell out of here.

A gust of wind slides across my skin, chilling the hot summer sun on my body and drawing that clean chlorine smell from the pool to my nose. I lean back in my lounge chair and let the excitement tingle my senses with closed eyes. It’s been a few weeks since my last hook-up and I’ve been feeling that down-low itch a little deeper than usual. I’m holding it back, eager to let loose on an unsuspecting European man and his big, uncut cock. My nipples press hard against my red bikini top. A shiver trembles through my body and my fingers twitch in the direction of my...

“Mind if I do some laps?”

I peer through my sunglasses to find Kai standing above me in tight, white swim trunks and nothing else.

Oh, yeah. The other reason why I’m bailing on this place. My stepbrother. He’s been all over me for nearly three months since Graduation, no doubt on his endless journey to get in my pants. Everywhere I turn in the house, there he is passing me stiff compliments and trying to get in close to me. I can’t take it anymore. He’s just so suffocating.

“I don’t care what you do,” I mutter. “Just stay out of my light.”

He brings his hand to his head and gives a passive salute before tossing his towel down on the lounge chair next to mine. I watch him through my dark sunglasses as he moves to stand at the edge of the pool. He stretches his arms across his body, warming up the thick muscles of his chest and back. I admire his back, from his shoulders down the length of his trim body. I have to admit, I understand what all the girls in our class swooned about. Kai is far from unremarkable. He bends over, accentuating the gentle V-shape of his back, before performing a perfect dive into the pool.

I pull my eyes away and focus on my book to read a passage about Lover’s Bridge over the Seine River in Paris, a secret haven for public lovers and exhibitionists. Definitely something worth wasting a little highlighter ink on.

Kai’s arms push and pull at the water as he travels the long length of our pool and back again. It takes my full concentration not to watch him move. Kai is nothing if not graceful and athletic.

That dull rumbling starts low in my sex, thumping faster and faster inside. If I don’t get a good, hard dicking soon, I just might have to give in to his obvious advances.

Ugh, no. Take it back.

I look at my book again, but I find it even more difficult to concentrate with the moisture seeping out of my slit.

Kai’s hands reach out of the water and he pulls himself up with ease. His chest heaves up and down, taking long and deep breaths as water cascades down his body. I swallow hard to curb the salivation building on my tongue. My eyes travel the length of his body, down his stunning abs, all the way down to his… Oh, my…

His tight trunks cling firm to his wet body. I can clearly see the outline of his cock through the thin, white material. His thickness brings me great pause. I can’t stop staring at it. I’d heard plenty of whispers in the hallways at school about Kai Casablancas and his legendary cock, but I never believed a word of it until now.

“Planning a trip?”

I snap up to his face. “What?” He nods towards the book in my hand as water drips down his face. I fight the urge to jump out of this chair and lick it off. “Oh. Yeah.”

“Christmas break or something?” he asks.

“No.” I adjust in my chair. “This weekend.”

“What?”

I look at him and sense a sudden anger in his voice. “Mandy and I are getting rail passes and traveling around Europe for a week.”

“Says who?”

I feel a bump of satisfaction with his reaction. “Says me.” I lick my lips and curl them at him. “Is there a problem?”

He pauses in silence, but I can tell he’s thinking hard. He has a vein in his forehead that sticks out whenever he’s deep in thought, and right now, it’s pounding against his skin. Finally, he bends over and grabs his towel off the neighboring chair. “Not at all,” he says. He throws it over his shoulder and walks away, leaving a trail of wet footprints behind him on the pavement. The trunks hug his tush as he walks and I allow myself to take a long gander at it before he enters the house.

Another brush of wind tingles my skin, but it does nothing to cool me down. I imagine following him inside and pinning him against the wall. My tongue taps the roof of my mouth, begging to taste his sweetness on it. My clit throbs hard against my bikini bottoms. I need a sweet release and if I don’t get one soon… Ugh.

I shove a bookmark between the pages of my book and toss my sunglasses off my head before rushing to the pool and cannonballing into the deep end.

I hold my breath and sink to the bottom, submerging my desires under thousands of gallons of water.

Three days. Just three more days and I’ll be pinned beneath a handsome European man. Or two. Hell, maybe a woman, I don’t care.

I just have to keep my shit together before I get there.

Chapter 4

Kai

Fuck.

Piper is leaving for the rest of the summer? When the fuck did this happen?

I slam the door closed on my way inside, causing my mother’s yorkie to go bark crazy. “Shut up, Thor,” I shout at him. He nips at my heels as I pass by. I brush him off softly with my foot and take the stairs up two at a time.

Fucking Europe?

No, this isn’t happening. I’ve spent this entire summer cozying up to that heartless witch and I’m not going to allow her to slip away from me just before the finish line. No way. No how.

I saw the way she was looking at me in the pool. She had her little eyes on me the whole time, peaking out over the rims of her sunglasses. I even wore my tight old trunks to really show her the goods. I fucking had her. She was mine. I could see it in her eyes. A few more minutes and she would have been begging to suck me off.

But now she and Mandy are going to Europe for the last week of summer?

Fuck.

I pull open the curtains of my bedroom window and stare down at the grounds. The lounge chairs where I left her are empty, but I find her nearby. She’s sitting on the edge of the pool with her feet dangling in the water. Her hair, perfectly styled in an up-do just minutes before, now hangs off her shoulders with elegant chaos. Strands of black lie fused to her white skin, plastering her shoulders with a delicate zebra print.

I grit my teeth at her sizable chest, just a little too large for her petite body. It heaves up and down. Her round breasts bounce with each inhale, inching closer to falling out of her tight, red bikini top. She bends forward and rests her face against her palms.

I’ve always relished in these moments with Piper. The moments where she doesn’t even know I’m watching her. It’s a hobby of mine. If there’s one thing Piper gets off on, it’s being the center of attention. When all eyes are on her, she beams bright and puts on a show for her adoring public. I bet she was positively wet during her Valedictorian speech.

I always ignore her during those moments, because I can tell how unbelievably fake they are.

She didn’t really care about taking first place in the science fair or earning the lead in the school play. I know because of the moments when she thinks she’s all alone. This is when I really pay attention and I see the real Piper Lynch plastered all over her alabaster face.

She’s fucking miserable down here with the rest of us lowly folk.

As if on cue, Philip Lynch strides into the backyard with his briefcase in hand and Piper’s petite little face splits with a wide open smile before he even notices she’s there. Her voice carries on the wind as she greets him with a high-pitched call.

“Daddy!”

He walks over to her with a smile and bends over to plant a fatherly kiss on her forehead. She forces a laugh as he cracks some stiff joke. He stands up, waves a quick goodbye, and continues on his way into the back of the house.

Piper’s eyes follow him closely as he moves, her smile falling more and more with each step he takes until it finally disappears completely. Her eyes flick up at the house and I know she sees me in the window above.

I don’t move. I stare down at her without looking away. Fuck it. If this really is the end of our little game, then I want her to know I’m watching her.

High and mighty, stuck-up, pretty, little, ice princess — Piper fucking Lynch.

She finally looks away and pulls her legs out of the water. I watch her as she grabs her book off the lounge chair and avoids my eyes as she strides back inside.

***

“So, Piper…” My mother gathers a bit of pasta with her fork, twirling it around. “What do you have planned for your trip?”

Piper glances up from the barely touched food on her plate, her little eyes scanning around at each of us as we stare at her.

“Yeah, Piper,” I say. “Tell us all about it.” I shovel some noodles between my teeth.

A fake smile strikes her lips. “Oh, I can’t wait,” she says. “We’ll land in Berlin first, then from there we’ll take trains to Munich, then Rome, and finally Paris.”

“That’s a lot of ground to cover in so few days,” Philip says.

“We won’t have a whole lot of time to waste anywhere,” Piper says, nodding her head, “but I’m looking forward to seeing the view from the trains. I think it’ll be really cool.”

“Sounds delightful,” I mutter.

She narrows her eyes at me for a brief moment to hide the shadow of amusement passing through. “It’ll be peaceful and quiet. A nice change of pace before school starts.”

I stare back at her and bounce a passive smile. “I don’t know,” I say. “It doesn’t sound all that safe to me.”

“Safe?” she parrots back.

I sit up straighter in my seat. “Two young girls wandering around foreign countries all by themselves?” I shoot at cautious look at her father. “I mean, I’ve seen a lot of movies that start out like that and they don’t end well.”

“We’ll be fine.”

“Kai may be right. I’ve been thinking about that as well,” Philip says. “Maybe your stepmother or I should go with you. An extra pair of eyes won’t hurt.”

“No—” There’s a desperation in her voice, but Piper masks it quickly with a smile. “Really. We’ll be fine. Mandy has been to Germany plenty of times before. She knows her way around — and we’ll be on crowded trains the entire time.”

I lay on the paranoia. “It still sounds real risky to me. I mean, you don’t know who could be sitting next to you…” She leers at me with a death stare, one that sends a cold chill down through my toes. I can’t stop the smile from cracking across my face.

“Philip,” my mother begins. She reaches out a hand and brushes her fingers over his. “I’m sure the girls will be perfectly fine. You went on a similar trip in your youth as well, didn’t you?”

Philip sighs. “Yes, Ava,” he answers, “but the world was such a different place back then…”

“That’s right,” Piper grins with opportunity. “You didn’t have cell phones with GPS permanently enabled at all times so your wonderful and trusting father could check in on you and track where you were whenever he wanted to.”

He lowers his eyes and glances at her over the rims of his bifocals. “You’ll have it turned on the entire time?” he asks.

“Every moment.”

I flex my jaw as she looks up at him with her little puppy dog eyes. What a bitch.

“Okay,” Philip gives in. “But I want a complete itinerary — on paper — with every train car you’re assigned to and every hotel you’re staying at. I want to be able to glance at it and know exactly where you are the entire time. Kapeesh?”

Piper beams. “It’s already on your desk, Daddy.”

“Good girl.”

Her eyes slowly move in my direction. They land on mine across the table and I hear her voice ringing out in my head.

Don’t fuck with me.

I sit back and take a sip of my drink. I chug it down in disappointment while her eyes linger on me. I thought for sure appealing to Philip’s fatherly paranoia would work, but then my fucking mother had to go and ruin it.

Thanks a lot, Mom. Piper leaves for the airport tomorrow morning. Now what am I supposed to do?

“I can’t believe how grown up the two of you are,” my mother coos. “It seems like just yesterday the two of you were playing with each other in the back garden.”

I scoff silently. Mothers always have very different memories of these things. I remember playing with Piper as kids, all right. I remember how she used to sit there and read, merely glancing up at me with hatred for three hours while you and her mother drank mimosas on the lawn. “Oh, how time flies,” I say. I wink at Piper across the table and she glances away.

“And now you’re going to USC, Kai,” she continues, looking at me with pride in her eyes. “Just like I did.”

“And my little Piper’s going to Harvard.” Philip reaches out and lays a hand on Piper’s shoulder. I fight the urge to roll my eyes. I guess Piper’s knack for constantly one-upping everyone around her is genetic.

“Well, it wasn’t a contest or anything…” Piper mutters with a half smile. Oh, Pipes. Don’t play the modest shrew now.

“Everything is a contest, Piper,” Philip says, pointing his fork at her. “There’s no such thing as a participation trophy in the real world.”

Oh, great. Here comes another one of Headmaster Lynch’s classic motivational speeches. I’m sure they’re plenty motivating to Piper, but to me? The B-average jock? Might as well staple a sign to my forehead that reads “fuck you, kid.” And my mother? Bless her heart. She reaches across the table and pats my hand as if to say, “You’re still perfect to me, son.”

“Excuse me,” I say. “I’m meeting up with Shawn tonight. Dinner was great, Mom. Thanks.”

“Have fun, sweetie,” she says. “Don’t stay out too late.”

“We won’t.” I take my empty plate and walk across the dining room into the kitchen to lay it in the sink.

Piper’s voice carries through the house as she continues talking about her trip. My feet turn numb, stalling me in place near the sink. I lean against the kitchen counter and listen in closely as the sound travels between my ears. It’s intoxicating, really. Like a pleasant siren’s song passing through ocean waves.

But then lightning strikes and the storm arrives to fuck you and your ship up.

I push off the counter and wander across the kitchen. Her dark blue eyes meet mine for a brief second as I pass across the open doorway on my way into the hallway.

She laughs at something her father says and I fight the urge to punch a wall.

Piper is going to Europe tomorrow and she doesn’t come back until the day she leaves for Harvard. I’m screwed. There’s no way she’d fuck me tonight either, not after the completely obvious way I just tried to derail her entire trip right in front of her. The bet’s over.

I’ve lost.

I reach into my pocket and palm my phone. Shawn’s going to be a very happy man after he reads this text message.

Congratulations, asshole—

I start typing it out, but I quickly delete it and pause in front of Philip’s office door.

I twist the door open, being extra careful not to make any noise as I do it. The hinge squeaks from old age, but I hear my mother’s laughter in the other room and push it open the rest of the way before she’s gone silent again. A small lamp illuminates the room and I step through the shadows, quickly darting for his desk.

Here it is — Just sitting right on top in one of those plastic see-through folders like a fucking book report or something. Piper’s itinerary. Every hotel, every train, every map. A chiseled-in-stone blueprint of her exact whereabouts for the next week.

I raise an eyebrow and send a new message to Shawn.

Got any plans this week?

Chapter 5

Piper

“Ich liebe deine muschi…”

I giggle at his deep voice as he rocks me harder against the small hotel bed. I had worried the language barrier would make finding sexual partners a difficult task, but I guess my come fuck me stare is universal currency.

I caught this fellow, a young student named Lukas, taking photos of pretty girls near the Oberbaum Bridge. He looked at me with nervous eyes when I called him out on it, stealing words from Mandy’s vast German vocabulary she picked up from her Austrian nanny. His expression quickly turned amused when I mispronounced over half of them and we spent the next twenty minutes bantering back and forth until he finally took the hint.

Lukas digs his thick nails into my thighs as he rails me, igniting the pain in my skin and sending a flourish of pleasure towards my aching slit. I cry out and wrap my legs tighter around him to send his thick cock deeper inside of me. He grunts with each thrust and leans over me to hold my body in place. I moan at his domination of me as my passions double back for a second orgasm.

Oh, Berlin… I love it here already.

My inner muscles quiver with delight as he nibbles and scratches at my skin. I fight to catch my breath as my limbs turn to jelly. I never expected this shy man I stumbled upon to be so rough, but I’m certainly not complaining.

He grabs me and flips me over onto my belly. I moan loudly when he quickly enters me again from behind. My fingers keep an iron grip on the old and tattered bedspread. His cock pushes in deeper, forcing me over the edge one more time before he yanks me up by my hair to steal a kiss from my lips.

I whimper and purr as he takes his time on me. His thick arms wrap around my body as he scratches and grabs at me. His fingers spider up my arm and lay to rest around my neck. I shake at his strong grip, the fear of it magnifying the desire inside. He squeezes my throat, then loosens his grip only to flex his fingers even tighter the next time. I moan louder, urging him on and calling his name until I can barely breathe. He takes me faster and faster until we both climax against each other one last time.

Lukas releases me and I topple to the mattress below. I roll over onto my back and take deep, steady breaths to calm my light head. My brain throbs from the lack of oxygen, making every nerve a little more sensitive than usual. I love every second of it.

“Es tut mir leid, wenn ich dich verletzt,” he whispers, a smile curling his lips.

I laugh at him and run my fingers through my tangled hair. I make note of his words, but I probably won’t remember them by the time I get back together with Mandy anyway.

***

Mandy glances at the clock when I return to our hotel room. “Eight hours.”

“What?” I ask as I close the door. She’s already dressed in jeans and a thick sweater with her bags stacked on the bed, ready to go. Her hair is turban wrapped on top of her head, still wet from a wash.

“Just letting you know how long we’ve been in Germany, just in case you’re keeping track of how long it takes you to mount a foreigner in each country we drop into,” she jokes.

I grin. “I’ll be sure to write all about it in my diary,” I tell her.

“Dear diary…” she begins as she smears a bit of cherry balm along her lips. “I don’t remember his name, but I’ve named his big dick Gunter!”

I lean in as I pass by her bed. “His name was Lukas,” I say.

“Oh, so we’re making note of their names now?” she laughs.

“I think I’m going to remember this one for a long time, actually.” I slide my jacket off and drape it across my pillow. “At least, until I meet the next one in Munich. Is there some hot water left?”

“Plenty,” she answers. “Don’t take too long, our train is in an hour.”

“I’ll be quick.”

“You always are.”

“Ha, ha.” I close the bathroom door behind me with a smile on my face, eager to wash off what’s left of Lukas’ sweat and bodily fluids. My cheeks appear pink in the light, that perfect shade of rouge I always strive for, but can never obtain through make-up alone. I lick my lips. I’m still throbbing inside and out. It feels too damn good not to savor.

I strip naked and let the hot shower water cleanse me from head to toe. Being here, in a foreign land, surrounded by people that don’t know me (nor do they give a flying fuck about who I am) — it’s a sweet awakening. For the first time in my life, I feel completely naked. I don’t have to keep my secrets. I don’t have to whisper quietly into Mandy’s ear and hope no one else can hear me. I don’t have to be anybody except who I want to be.

Forget everything you thought you knew about Piper Lynch.

This is the real me.

And I’m not going back.

I step out of the shower and wring the remaining water from my long hair. As I stand up, I wipe the condensation from the mirror and pause as my eyes notice something different on my pale, white skin. I lean in and see the mark forming on the left side of my neck, a red and bright purple love bruise where Lukas’ hand held me. My lips curl into a delicious smile. My first instinct is to grab make-up, just as I always did at home to conceal marks such as these, but I stop and stare at it instead.

I don’t have to hide it anymore.

I wrap my body in a towel and step out of the bathroom.

***

We arrive at Berlin Central Station with just over fifteen minutes to spare.

I drag my rolling suitcase behind me with my ticket and my copy of our itinerary clenched in my free hand. “Looks like our compartment has four seats inside,” I note.

“Oh, yeah?” Mandy asks, glancing up from her phone as we walk across the station towards our train.

I grin. “This means we might have two strangers to cozy up to for the entire six-hour trip.” I say it with a bit more excitement than I intended and Mandy regards me with a knowing glance.

“Strangers, eh?” she says. “And are these strangers tall, dark, and handsome?”

“They are in my head.”

“You waste no time, do you, Piper?” she laughs.

“I’m just eager to travel the world and meet new people, Mandy,” I say with a grin. “I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re implying.”

“I’m implying…” she moves her brown hair to one side of her neck as she fans herself off with her phone, “that this country might not be the only thing in heat right now.”

I laugh and give her a quick shove as our train comes into view. “I told you not to pack a bunch of sweaters,” I tell her.

“I thought Europe was supposed to be dreary and cold.”

“I don’t think anywhere in the northern hemisphere is dreary and cold in August, Mandy.”

“Well, I’m starting a revolution then. Germans are known for that, right?”

I shake my head. “Not the good kind.”

She shrugs and goes back to scrolling through her phone. We wait patiently in line as other passengers board the train ahead of us. My eyes scan the people and buildings around me, taking in one last dose of Berlin before the train takes me someplace new. I fill my lungs with the air around me and listen to all the different voices and dialects. It’s oddly familiar, but insanely different than the echoing halls of Belle Academy.

We step inside and I check our tickets one last time to verify the compartment number.

“It should be just down here,” I tell Mandy. My heart races with each step I take, knowing that every breath I take leads to a new experience. A new face. A new emotion. A new life. Everything around me wreaks of the unknown and all my senses buzz with excitement.

I grip the handle to the compartment and pull it open.

Oh, hell no.

Hell. No.

Chapter 6

Kai

“What the hell are you doing here?” she shouts at me. I’ve seen Angry Piper before, but I have never in my life seen her this pissed off. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t bring me great pleasure watching her nostrils flare out like they are now.

She stands with her little fingers gripped on the compartment door handle. Her hair hangs down over her shoulders, clean and straight, blending in with her pitch black shirt. But I really notice her eyes first. Piper has never been known to wear make-up outside of her own natural shades, but right now, she wears thick, black eyeliner with smoky-gray lids. It’s a new look, and not a bad one for her either.

I stand up from my seat with enthusiasm. “You made this trip sound so wonderful we thought it’d be fun to tag along. Isn’t that right, Shawn?”

Her eyes dart downward at him in his seat, as if she never even noticed the second person in the room.

“Piper— move. Who is it?” Mandy Black squirms underneath Piper’s arm and spills into the small compartment. When she sees me and Shawn, her jaw drops with a precious smile. “Holy shit, guys. What’s up?”

“Don’t what’s up them, Mandy. They aren’t supposed to be here —” She turns back to me. “You aren’t supposed to be here.”

“It’s Europe Party Town, population we,” Shawn says. He blows a thick bubble with his pink bubblegum until it pops back against his face.

“It was all your dad’s idea,” I say.

“Excuse me?” she asks, her voice falling low.

“Well, after dinner the other night, he and I talked a little more about his concerns for your safety…” She stares at me like an angry viper, eager to rip my eyes out. “And long story short, we decided to surprise you!”

“Surprise!” Shawn adds.

Mandy steps towards me and sits down in the seat across from Shawn. “Sounds good to me.”

“That’s the spirit, Mandy!” I raise a hand and she high fives me. When I look back at Piper, I notice she’s staring her friend down, but my girl Mandy gives zero fucks in return. “Come on in, Pipes. You’re blocking the corridor.”

She refuses to budge. “How did you know we’d be here?” she asks.

It’s an obvious solution, one that I know she’s clever enough to figure out herself, but I answer her anyway. “Your dad gave me your itinerary.” I bend over and grab it from my bag. It’s a series of xeroxed pages stapled together haphazardly — because fuck her cutesy organization system. I drift towards her. “I know exactly where you’ll be everyday for the next five days. Shawn and I have already booked the adjacent rooms in all your hotels, so we can have sleepovers.” I smile a little wider, baring my teeth as I stare down at her.

She’s fuming. Really fuming. I feel my cock twitch in triumph, but the game isn’t over yet.

I still have five days to finish this.

Belle Academy Female #13. Piper Lynch.

It’s your turn.

***

The city of Berlin drifts away on the horizon behind us and soon, the window frames the lush and green German countryside for us. Piper sits in the seat across from me in the compartment with her head down and her itinerary in her hands. I catch the occasional angry glance in my direction, but it never lasts more than a second — not nearly long enough for me to flash her a cocky smile or a wink as I’d like to.

Shawn sits beside me with a big grin on his face as he and Mandy chat casually with each other. When I pitched this trip to him, he immediately agreed to it — knowing full well that it could end with him losing our bet. Coming on this trip meant I would be preoccupied with Piper while he kept Mandy Black company. He’s had a thing for Mandy for as long as I’ve known him. I thought sleeping with her as part of our bet would have torn our friendship a new one, but he couldn’t care less as long as I filled his head full of information about how she likes it. (Rough, in case you’re wondering. She likes it rough.)

“Mandy, how about you and me go check out the bar car?” Shawn says as he stands up and stretches his legs.

“Sure,” Mandy says. She gets up and I notice Piper shooting her a glare, but Mandy counters with a passive shrug.

“Drinking age is eighteen in Germany, right?” Shawn muses. He passes me a not-so-subtle wink as the two of them slide the door closed, leaving Piper and me alone with each other at last.

I look across the compartment at her. She’s ignoring me, of course. Her smoky eyes hang low, studying the printed map lying on her thighs. She’s got the entire trip marked out on it. A red line begins in Berlin and travels south to Italy, then back north to France and… England? I crane my neck and get a better angle to confirm it.

“You know, Piper,” I begin, clearing my throat. “I don’t think dear old Daddy will appreciate you straying off your itinerary—”

She grips the paper with sharp nails and slams the clear plastic cover down. “Go away, Kai,” she snaps as she pulls a German fashion magazine from her bag and whips it open to pretend to read it.

Fuck.

If I intend on sealing the deal during this trip, I’m going to have to warm her up a bit. She’s already pissed off with me, so I’ll have to be stealthy about it.

“Hey, Pipes,” I say.

“What?” she grits through her teeth.

“Has anyone ever told you how pretty you look when you’re angry?” I ask.

“All the time.” She doesn’t even glance up from her magazine.

“I figured, but I thought I’d say it just in case…” I keep my eyes on her, hoping to catch the sudden sight of chinking armor, but she’s giving me nothing to work with. “Looking forward to Harvard next week?” I ask.

“No.”

“No?” I raise my eyebrow, genuinely surprised by her response. “I thought you lived for that kind of thing.”

“You’re wrong.”

“Okay then…” She still won’t look up. I’m hit with disappointment as I long for one of our long-winded verbal sparing matches. I hate Monosyllabic Piper. “I have one more question,” I say, feeling the dull sting of desperation, “and I want you to be honest with me. How many times have you thought about me naked?”

And just like that, she finally looks up at me. “Seriously?”

“Fifty? Sixty?” I grin. “You’re thinking about me right now, aren’t you?”

“No,” she answers.

“Sure you are. It’s simple psychology. I tell you not to think about green elephants and suddenly, you’re thinking about green elephants. Now, Piper, I know it’s difficult for you, but please… don’t think about me naked right now.” I lock our eyes and give her a devious smile.

It’s the ultimate Hail Mary pass of getting inside Piper Lynch’s white cotton panties. I’d relied on subtle gestures and kind words up until now, but maybe a more straight forward approach is necessary to thin the ice.

She keeps her eyes trained on me and lets the magazine fall to Mandy’s empty seat on her left. “All right, Kai,” she hums between her lips. “I am thinking about you naked right now.” She closes her eyes and my briefs feel a little tighter. “I’m imagining your strong chest. Your thick, manly arms. Your chiseled, washboard abs…” I bite my inner cheek as I watch the sultry movement of her red lips. “All the way down to your—” her faces falls and her eyes flutter open — “Oh.”

I sit back. “Oh?”

“It’s a little small.”

“I can assure you that my dick has received the most generous of accolades,” I argue, playing off her reaction. “It’s like reading reviews for that new Mad Max movie.”

“It’s underwhelming and tries too hard?”

I flinch at the quickness of her wit, stunningly mesmerized by her all over again. It’s a side of her I’ve never seen before. The Sexy and Playful Piper Lynch. “You bite your tongue,” I say.

“I’m just passing on what I’ve heard, Kai,” she says. “Apparently, your size isn’t as impressive as your fan club leads you to believe.”

“Who told you this?” I inquire. “I want names.”

She smirks. “Fat chance.”

“Was it Mandy? Judy Stamper? Delilah Monroe?” (Belle Academy Females #22 and #17, respectively.)

“Your mother.”

My jaw drops. “I am speechless… and slightly confused.”

“Good.” She snatches the magazine back off the seat next to her. “Maybe I can finally get some peace and quiet in here.”

Piper fucking Lynch. Where has this side of you been all my life? My heart races like never before. “I would be happy to clear up any confusion in this area for you, if you’d like,” I say, poking her a little further.

“No, thank you.” She reaches up her neck and scratches an inch on the back of her head. Her fingers push her raven black hair behind her shoulder, revealing a dark red and purple mark along the side of her neck.

“Whoa—” I lean forward. Her eyes flick back at me and she quickly fluffs her long hair back into place to cover it up. “Wait — what is that?” I ask.

“Nothing,” she answers.

I don’t like her eagerness in concealing it. I’ve played more than enough contact sports to know what she’s trying to hide. “That’s not nothing, Piper. You didn’t have it the other night. Who did that to you?”

She rolls her eyes at me. “It’s nothing, Kai.”

Perhaps coming along for her safety wasn’t the worst idea in the world after all. “Piper...” I stand up and stare down at her.

“What?” she glares up at me with her little blue daggers.

I’m not about to sit here and let her lie to me about this. I reach out and brush her hair aside again. She withdraws from my touch, but I’ve got her trapped between myself and the seat. I fish my fingers beneath the neck of her shirt and I see the bruise, purple and spotted blue, traveling down to her collar bone.

“Excuse you!” She grips my hand and forces me away.

“How did that happen, Piper?” I ask, seething.

“None of your business, Kai.”

I stay in place above her. “How did that happen, Piper?” I ask her again.

She heaves an angry breath. “It happened during sex, Kai.”

I pause. “What?”

“There,” she says, staring up at me with spite in her eyes. “Now you know. Your stepsister is a total nympho. Happy?”

My eyebrow twitches along with my cock. “Kind of.”

She sighs and raises her magazine again. Her eyes scan another page, obviously pretending to ignore me.

Piper fucking Lynch. I was wrong about her this whole time. Here I was, laughing at Shawn for even suggesting that she’s anything more than an innocent virgin…

I sit back down across from her, feeling the sudden sting of rejection at the very idea that someone else has gotten inside of her first. “So, you like it rough, huh?” I say. “I can’t say I’m surprised.”

“I like it a lot of different ways,” she says, her eyes locked on the foreign written word in front of her.

I shake my head. Piper speaks some pretty decent French, but she doesn’t understand a word of German — or so I believe. What else don’t I know about her? What else has she hidden from me since we were kids? She’s not even trying to hide the bruise anymore. It’s prominently on display, her hair pushed back behind her neck where I left it. “You shouldn’t let guys do that to you,” I say.

She breaks her silence with a scoff. “Excuse me?”

“You could get hurt.”

“If a man goes too far, I say something,” she says. “If he continues, I leave. It’s all very simple.”

The experience in her words gives me chills. “Still…”

She looks over at me with an angry twitch. “I’m not going to change just because it makes you feel a little uncomfortable.”

“I’m not asking you to,” I explain. “I’m just suggesting you be careful.”

“I am careful.”

My eyes drop to her neck again. I want to say something more about the giant bruise creeping up towards her fucking face, but I keep quiet. I try to imagine what kind of man caused it, but I push that thought away faster than it formed. The idea of her with someone else, after obsessing about her for so long, hurts in ways I don’t expect.

Piper quickly exhales and lets the magazine slip from her hand. “You’re being a little hypocritical, don’t you think?”

“Over what?” I ask quickly.

“Oh, please...” She raises an eyebrow. “I know all about your little bet with Shawn, Kai.”

My heart sinks, but I don’t want her to see that. “I didn’t strangle the girls in our class, Piper,” I argue.

“No, you just collected and traded them like baseball cards,” she bites. “But you’re wasting your time here, Kai. You’ll never get a full set.”

I stare back at her. Sexy and Playful Piper is gone. This is Evil and Vindictive Piper. The more familiar Piper. “You sound awfully confident about that,” I smirk.

“We both know there’s only one reason why you came on this trip and it sure as hell has nothing to do with my safety,” she says, her voice unwavering. “Let me be crystal clear about it right now. It’s not going to happen.”

“You say no an awful lot for a self-proclaimed nympho.”

“Even in Germany, Kai.” Her lips curl. “Nein means nein.”

“And for the record, your Daddy didn’t send me here to keep you safe,” I blurt.

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah, he just didn’t want his little slut of a daughter getting passed around the entirety of Eastern Europe.” She stares back at me with a bright blue fire and I know the instant the words leave my lips that I’ve gone too far. I choke on my tongue. “That didn’t come out right—”

“Oh, yes. Please tell me how that was supposed to come out,” she says with her voice laced with ice.

“Piper…” A wave of nausea strikes me cold.

“You know what… never mind,” she says. “I’m bored.” She stands up and pulls the compartment door open.

I whisper her name again, but my voice is too low for her to hear it before she slams the door closed. Not that she would have stopped to listen to what I have to say anyway.

Fuuuuck.

Chapter 7

Piper

“Come on, Piper. It’s not that bad.”

I stare at Mandy across the tiny table of the diner car. “Yes, it is that bad. I came on this trip to get away from Belle Academy and Kai fucking Casablancas—”

“Calm down,” she warns softly as my voice gets a little too loud. Her eyes trace a halo around the room, reminding me of the other passengers scattered throughout the car.

I take a deep breath to try and relax myself, but it does very little calm my nerves. “I just can’t win with him…”

“What is it with everything between you two being some kind of competition?” she asks. “Why can’t you two just be?”

I lay my head down on the table and feel to the womb-like rocking of the train car shifting back and forth along the tracks. Why can’t Kai and I just be? I’ve asked myself the same question a million times before. Sometimes, for a brief second, I think it’s possible and then he opens his mouth and I’m reminded once again why we can never just be.

Mandy’s fingers trace through my hair, pushing it back away from my face and tucking it gently behind my ear. “Hey—” she says. “If them being here really bothers you that much, we can tell them to fuck off when we get to Munich. Okay?”

“I just don’t want too many complications later on,” I admit.

“There won’t be. I’ll make sure of it,” she promises.

I pull myself up. “Thank you, lady…” I tell her.

She smiles at me and I feel a little better. Mandy has been my most trusted confidant for ages. There’s no one else I’d trust to come with me on this trip and no one else I’d rather spend the remaining days of my old life with.

“So, what’ll it be?” she asks. “Do they stay? Or do they fuck off in Munich?”

I shake my head. “My dad will probably contact local law enforcement if we ditch them. Especially if Kai plans on squealing about this…” I brush my hair back and Mandy nods at the bruise.

“Well, maybe you two can find some common ground this week. Who knows?” she asks. “He’s really not that bad to have around and Shawn can be pretty fun… in small doses.”

I chuckle. “It’s pretty obvious he came along for you. You know that, right?”

She brushes her hand through the air. “I can handle Shawn Monty.”

“Yeah, I bet you can…” We smirk at each other and I sit back with a deep sigh. “I guess they can stick around for awhile… assuming Kai can keep his fucking cool.”

“You can always just throw him a bone and shut him up for good,” she suggests. “It worked for me.”

I stand up from the table. “I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that, or else I’d have to tell you to fuck off in Munich, too.”

She laughs as we walk out of the diner car.

“Oh, thank Christ.” Shawn blocks the doorway when we return to our compartment. “Mandy, I need you to come with me and work that German word magic on the bartender for me again.”

“You mean politely asking for a drink in their native language?” she asks.

“Yeah, that.”

She looks over at me and I nod to show I’ll be all right. “Fine,” she says. “But I’m going to teach you how to do it yourself for next time. It’s literally five words.”

“I make no promises,” Shawn says.

They turn around and make their way back to the diner car. I linger in the compartment doorway for a moment. Kai sits inside with his eyes locked on the window. An orange sunset glosses the sky outside, the world just moments away from plunging into darkness. I finally step inside and close the door behind me. He doesn’t budge.

I sit down in my seat across from him, thankful that he seems hellbent on keeping quiet. Truthfully, his insult doesn’t bother me all that much. If I had a nickel for every time society labeled me a slut, I’d be able to finance this trip threefold. No, I’m more angry at the speed in which he went there to begin with. Somehow, I thought my stepbrother was a little bit more open minded than that, given his own sordid history. It’s disappointing, to say the least.

No, Mandy. I don’t think common ground exists between myself and Kai Casablancas.

I pull a hooded sweater out of my bag and throw it over my head as a night chill reaches the compartment. It should only be another hour or so until we reach Munich and I can finally get a little space from Kai.

I sit back in my seat and watch the lush, green countryside turn dark shades of black.

“Your dad never said that about you.”

I look at him. “I know,” I reply. “You did.”

He opens his mouth to speak again, but the compartment door slides open and he sits back in silence.

Shawn struts inside with a box in his arms. A dozen or so bottles of beer shake about inside of it. “Oh, yeah!” he announces. “It’s time to have some fun.”

***

I sit back in my seat with my beer in hand, open but untouched, as the train sails smoothly down the tracks. Drinking has never been a favorite hobby of mine, unlike most other people my age. I find it dulls my senses a bit too much. I like to be razor sharp at all times, constantly aware of my surroundings and the people in them. Alcohol makes it difficult to maintain a stiff tongue as well, and when you have as many secrets as I do, this can pose quite the problem.

“You’re both going to USC, too, aren’t you?” Mandy asks Kai and Shawn as she takes another drink.

“Yes, ma’am,” Shawn answers. “I wanted to go out of state, but my mother would kill me if I went too far away. She’s still a bit attached.”

Mandy rolls her eyes. “My dad demanded it.” She shrugs. “But who cares? An art degree can be earned everywhere… and used nowhere.”

Everyone chuckles.

“If you know that,” I say, “then why not major in something that’s not worthless?”

“We can’t all be Ivy League Princesses, Pipes,” Kai jabs. I shoot a look at him. He’s staring at me with amusement teetering on the edge of his eyes. “And some of us,” he continues, “would rather live our dreams than fit into little boxes.”

“Is that what you think I am, Kai?” I ask. “A stuck-up princess stuffed inside a tiny box?”

He shrugs. “I think you’re not as full of surprises as you might think.”

I shake my head once. “You don’t even know anything about me,” I say.

“I think I know more than you think I do.” His lips curl into a smirk. “I think you just can’t wait to get out to Harvard and leave the rest of us common folk behind you. I mean, you’re prettier, you’re smarter, and just straight up better than the rest of us, am I right?”

His hostility brings me great pause. I’ve always considered Kai and I to be rivals, but I’ve never seen him quite this antagonistic towards me. “What the hell are you talking about?” I ask.

“Look at you right now—” he says, pointing to my hands. “You haven’t even touched your drink, as if it’s somehow beneath you or something.”

I heave an angry breath and bring the bottle to my lips. He laughs as I chug a heavy portion of it down my throat. “Happy?” I ask.

He leans forward. “Ecstatic,” he spits with sarcasm.

“Chill out, guys,” Mandy says. She lays a smooth hand on mine for a second, pulling my senses back in. “We’re all friends here.”

“But I think Kai has a point,” Shawn says. “We should use this time to get to know each other a little better.”

“I know where this is going…” Kai mutters.

“I say we get a little immature,” Shawn continues. “How about a game of accelerated ‘Never Have I Ever?’”

“Accelerated ‘Never Have I Ever?”’ I question.

“You drink after each question regardless of your answer,” Mandy explains. “It’s basically just heavy drinking during casual conversation.”

I roll my eyes. “Of course it is.”

“I’m in,” Kai says.

“I’m not,” I say. “You guys go ahead.”

“Oh, come on, Piper…” Shawn says. “You don’t have to maintain that prim and proper reputation anymore. High school is over, right?”

“Yeah, Piper,” Kai adds. “What are you scared of?”

I stare at him across the compartment. The gentle sounds of the train car rocking back and forth fill the silence between us. My omission earlier must have really rattled him. He wants to know more about what I’ve done and honestly, openly admitting my secrets to him gave me an instant sugar rush. The high has officially leaked out of my system and I’d relish in the opportunity to take in his stunned face once again.

“And hey—” Shawn warns. “As always, when the words hit air, they stay there. No repeating each other’s secrets. It’s a house rule.” He pops up his little finger and holds it out in the space between all of us. “All right. Come on. Four-way pinky promise. Let’s go.”

Mandy shoots her finger out and the two of them touch knuckles. “I’m in,” she says.

Kai does the same, his eyes laying soft on me. “How about it, Pipes?” he grins. “What happens on the train, stays on the train.”

What am I scared of indeed?

“Fine,” I say. I hold out my little finger and everybody touches digits to seal the pact.

Shawn rubs his palms together in excitement. “All right…” he laughs. “A game of ‘Never Have I Ever’ with Piper Lynch. This is buckle list territory right here. I’ll start.”

I bring my bottle to my lips and take a quick sip to hide my amusement. Kai continues his stare at me, easily seeing through my ruse.

“Let’s begin with an easy one,” Shawn says, his fingers wrapped tightly around his beer bottle. “Just to make sure we’re all on the same page in terms of experience. Never have I ever kissed a dude.”

I shake my head and take a sip. Mandy does the same.

“Okay, cool,” he says.

“Oh, I think we’re way beyond the basics here, Shawn,” Kai muses, his eyes locked on me. “But let’s fiddle with the baby steps. Never have I ever fucked a dude.”

Mandy slams back another sip while I slowly bring my bottle to my lips.

Shawn reaches out and slaps Kai’s arm. “Oh, good god,” he whispers.

Kai grins. “Your turn, Pipes. What haven’t you done?”

I tilt my head. “Well, I’ve never fucked a man in this room and I never will.”

Mandy sighs and takes a third sip.

Shawn flinches. “I just heard Piper Lynch say fuck…” he mutters.

I smirk at him as Mandy leans forward. “Never have I ever been in a three-way with two guys,” she says with a knowing glance in my direction.

“Rude…” I say as I raise my bottle.

“Hey, you targeted me with the last one.”

“Sorry, lady,” I tell her as I drink.

“It’s cool. We’re even now,” she says.

We look across the compartment and Shawn’s jaw is on the floor.

Kai exhales slowly. “What guys?” he stutters out.

“No one you know, I assure you,” I say, shifting my glance over to Shawn. “Let’s move on.”

He pulls his tongue back into his mouth. “Uh…” he thinks. “Hold on.” He takes a long, stiff drink.

“Pace yourself, Shawn,” Kai says. “I’m sure there’s plenty more. Right, Piper?”

I don’t answer. I sense an anger buried deep inside his tone. As curious as he is to know more of my secrets, he can’t stop himself from getting pissed off as my truth unfolds. He’s wanted me for so long now, this must be killing him. I lick my lips and let my sneer take over.

“Never have I ever been in a three-way with two girls either—” Shawn inverts the last one, lacking creativity.

Kai proudly raises his bottle and chugs a firm amount down his throat, no doubt thinking he’s the king of this round. Mandy and I glance at one another for a second before we each take a sip.

“No.” Kai points a finger at us, sensing our unspoken words. “You said you’ve never fucked anyone in this room.”

“I said I’ve never fucked a man in this room,” I reiterate slowly.

Shawn’s eyes dance between Mandy and me. “Jesus Christ…” he whispers, his eyes falling pleasantly catatonic.

“You two have fooled around?” Kai asks us.

“Twice,” I confirm.

Mandy shrugs. “Guilty,” she sings.

“You look surprised, Kai,” I note. I stare him down, his eyes on fire. “What was it that you said about me and surprises again?”

“How do people not know about any of this?” he asks me.

“Because unlike you,” I say, “I keep my fucking mouth shut and I don’t fool around with people that can’t do the same.”

He looks at Mandy. “Was this before or after we did it?” he asks her.

Mandy’s eyes sweep the ceiling as she searches her memory. “Before,” she answers. “And then again after.”

“And you didn’t think to mention this to me?” he asks.

I scoff. “It never would have stopped you and we all know it, Kai,” I say. “Especially not with your little wager in play.”

He exhales a quick, angry breath through his nose. “Well, never have I ever let someone strangle me so hard it left a giant bruise on my neck,” he spits with a quick hand gesture towards my throat.

“Sure…” I lean forward and I don’t fucking blink. “I’ve been strangled to the point of unconsciousness by men whose names I didn’t even ask for. I’ve been blindfolded, spanked, finger-cuffed, tied down to hotel room beds, and fucked in the ass so hard, I cried. And I enjoyed every fucking second of it and that’s what really bothers you, isn’t it, stepbrother?” I pause and empty the remains of my bottle down my throat while he stares back at me with shaking eyes. “Or is it because they achieved what you never could? They knew the right words to say, the right places to touch me, all the right ways to get me into bed — and after all this time… you still can’t figure me out.” I let the empty bottle slip from my fingers and it clatters intact against the floor of the silent compartment.

Kai looks away from me, his eyes completely downturn. I can’t tell if it’s from disgust or embarrassment. Probably both. Anger flutters softly in my chest. My fingers and toes buzz with adrenaline as I slowly come to terms with what I just said.

“So…” Shawn breaks the silence, “were all those things you listed… at the same time? Or…?”

“Jesus, Shawn…” Kai whispers. He awkwardly rubs his forehead with one hand before sending his fingers back through his thick brown hair.

Mandy cracks first, her laughter splitting the air quietly around her before her voice crashes through it. I stare at her and my anger spikes before she looks at me with tears in her eyes. I dart my gaze forward as Shawn starts chuckling, too. I bite my inner cheek to try and keep my lips from curling up, but I can’t stop it. I cover my mouth and look up to see Kai doing the same.

We both begin to laugh until the entire room echoes with all our voices.

Shawn slides a fresh beer out of the box and holds it out for me. I take it with a shaking hand. “Damn, Piper,” he breathes. “My respect for you just like… tripled.”

I pop the cap off the bottle and choke out a laugh. “I can’t imagine why…” I take a slow drink and stare at my hands. What I really want to do is look up at Kai again, but I just can’t bring myself to do it. I feel a soreness in my chest, a deep regret for what I said to him. I’ve thought about telling Kai off a thousand times, and each time I thought it’d bring me great pleasure to finally do so.

I was wrong.

Suddenly, I’m reminded again why I don’t like to drink.

Fuck it. I take another sip and finish the bottle just before we arrive at the station in Munich.

Chapter 8

Kai

“The bet’s off.”

Shawn stares at me with a wrinkled nose. “What?” he asks.

I plop down onto the twin-sized hotel bed and the old mattress creaks beneath my weight. “I said, the bet’s off.”

He tosses his duffel onto the other bed and stares down at me in disbelief. “What the hell are you talking about?” he asks.

I sigh and prop myself up on my elbows. “You heard her, man…” I scratch an itch on top of my head and another one traveling down my arm. This whole situation is giving me stress tickles. “There’s no way she’s ever going to sleep with me now.”

Shawn blinks at me multiple times. “Dude…” he says. “I don’t know what train car you were in, but all I heard coming out of Piper’s mouth was, ‘I want you, Kai. I need you, Kai. Fuck me, fuck me, fuck me—’”

“Are you kidding me right now?” I interrupt. “She fucking hates me.”

He sits down on his bed across from me and leans forward. “She may have been saying that shit, but she was speaking a very different language with her eyes.”

I think back, but all I can remember is the bright blue oceans in her pupils boiling from the volcanic eruption threatening to singe my eyebrows off. I shake my head. “No, Shawn. The bet’s off.”

“Mandy saw it, too.”

“What did she say?” I ask a little too quickly.

“Nothing,” he answers, “but the two of us did exchange a few glances.”

“Glances aren’t exactly evidence, Shawn.”

“They’re better than nothing. I wouldn’t count yourself out just yet. You still have some time.”

“No,” I say. “I’m taking a flight back home in the morning—”

“Oh, come on, Kai—”

“I just want to put all this shit behind me and forget about Piper fucking Lynch.”

He stares me down. “You owe me this.”

“Owe you what?”

“I think things might finally be happening between me and Mandy,” he says.

I collapse onto the bed and shove the heels of my palms against my eyeballs. “Ah, jeez, Shawn—”

“There were some moments on the train,” he says slowly.

“Don’t do this to me, man…”

“Mandy’s my dream girl, Kai. This is my last chance before college and I don’t want to fuck this up.”

I squeeze my eyes shut and exhale a very large breath. “Not cool…”

“I haven’t been laid since New Year’s,” he admits. “That’s not cool.”

I chuckle and begrudgingly drop my arms. “Fine. I’ll stay.”

“Thank you, Kai.” He brings his hands together in prayer for me. “Thank you. And don’t worry about Piper, all right? Just keep it to small talk or something. You’ve known her since you were kids, you can last four more days, right?”

Her boiling eyes fill my mind again. “How does she know about the bet?” I ask him.

Shawn shakes his head. “No idea.”

“You didn’t tell her?”

“Of course not.”

“Shawn…” I raise my eyebrows. “There’s only two people in the world that know about it and I definitely didn’t tell her.”

He holds up his hands in surrender. “I swear, Kai. I never said a word to her.”

“No one else?” I push further. “You didn’t accidentally let it slip out to your brother or somebody?”

“Kai—” He keeps a firm voice. “I’ve never told anyone.”

I bite my bottom lip hard. “Then how does she know…?”

“Witchcraft, man.” He shakes his head as he pulls his phone from his pocket. “Bitches like her love that voodoo shit.”

I laugh and a flash of memory crosses my mind. Piper laughing with us on the train. I’ve seen her smirk with amusement, but I’ve never seen her really laugh like that before. It’s the first bit of genuine human emotion I’ve seen from her outside of those moments when she thinks no one’s watching.

No, Piper’s no bitch. She’s a thick-skinned motherfucker, but she’s no bitch.

Shawn hops up off his bed and makes his way for the mirror near the door. “Where you going?” I ask him.

He swishes his fingers back through his hair. “Mandy knows a good place nearby to get some food. You in?” he asks.

“No, thanks. I’m not hungry,” I lie. I could definitely use some food, but I’m not ready to face Piper again just yet.

He smirks at me. “Good answer. The last thing I need is your pretty face distracting Mandy.”

I nod as he pulls the door open. “See you later.” I listen closely as he steps down the hall and knocks on the girls’ room next door. This hotel is old, with thin walls, and it’s easy to hear Mandy’s token giggle over everything else.

I reach for the television remote and scan through the local channels provided. Of course there’s nothing in English, so I’m left to my wits alone to figure out the German television programs.

Mandy’s voice seeps through the open window next to my bed and I hop out to look down at the street. Shawn and Mandy cross the street below, while Piper lingers slowly behind them with her itinerary in her hands. I shake my head. She’d see more of the world if she actually glanced up every once in awhile.

“I’ll see you guys later,” I hear her say.

I furrow my brow and watch as she breaks away from the two of them.

“Okay, have fun!” Mandy waves back at her as Piper takes off in the other direction.

I watch her closely, my heart racing. Where the hell is she going?

She disappears into the darkness of the dimly lit street and I immediately regret not taking off and following her when I still had the chance. It’s not safe for her to be wandering around a foreign city at night by herself. I remember the bruise on her neck and cringe.

Dammit, Piper…

I sit back on the bed and try to focus on the boring television in front of me, but I can’t stop myself from peaking out the window. A little while later, I eventually see Mandy and Shawn heading back from the restaurant, looking awfully cozy with each other. I nod at my old friend, with his arm around her shoulder and his voice down low at a volume meant only for her. I wait for him to return to the room so I can chew his ear off about the whole thing, but I hear two pairs of feet pass by in the hall and enter the girls’ room next door.

Good for you, Shawn.

Once again, my eyes fall back to the window. The minutes pass by slowly, stretching the hours out ahead of me. Still no sign of Piper. Where did she go? Who is she with? What is she doing? It’s killing me from the inside out — and it’s certainly not helping to hear the constant creaking of an old hotel bed against the wall in the next room. I’m happy for you, buddy, but take a break before you tear a muscle or something…

I glance at the clock and sigh when I see it’s almost three in the morning. I should be tired, but I can’t even think about sleeping right now. Not when I have no idea where my damn stepsister is. I fight the urge to stare out the window again, but it’s a losing battle. I stand up and glance down at the street below just in time to see a black-haired woman drift inside the hotel entrance doors.

I stick my head out to try and catch another glimpse, nearly toppling out the window in the process. My heart lurches in my chest as vertigo shakes me. I grab the window sill and pull myself back inside.

Was that Piper? I’m honestly not sure. It could have been anyone. I move to the door and listen closely until I hear the light tapping of boots on the floor outside my room. They stall out a few feet away and settle against the wall across from the girls’ door.

It’s her. It has to be. Obviously, she hears the ruckus going on behind the door and is wisely choosing not to interrupt it.

I reach for the doorknob and pull the door open to find her leaning against the wall. She flinches at my sudden appearance and nods silently at me before reopening her itinerary. I look at the door to her room and see the bright pink scrunchy hanging around the doorknob, an obvious do not disturb signal from Mandy. I breathe a laugh.

“They’ve been at it for hours,” I tell her. She nods and her eyebrows bounce once before her gaze returns to her maps. I look her up and down. She’s wearing a short, black skirt and knee-high boots to match. Once again, her face is masked with unusual make-up for her comfort zone, but I’m definitely not complaining. Her eyes are tired and worn, like she hasn’t slept in days. I don’t see any fresh bruises on her exposed skin, thankfully. At least she came back from wherever the hell she was in one piece. “Come on.”

She glances up at me. “What?” she asks.

“You going to stay out in the hall all night?” I ask. I gesture into my room. “Come on.” I step back inside and leave the door open for her, should she choose to come in. For a moment, I think she won’t, but then I hear the shuffle of her boots across the floor.

She closes the door behind her and steps slowly into the room. “Thanks,” she mutters.

I point to Shawn’s bed as I sit down on mine. “It’s all yours.”

She nods and sits down on it. I focus on the television, but I can’t keep from watching her out of the corner of my eye as she slips the tall boots off her feet before lying back. “Any idea what’s going on here?” she asks at the television, her voice just barely carrying over the quiet German dialogue.

I shake my head as I lean back against the pillows. “No idea,” I say. “I think he’s having an affair with the blonde woman, but…” I look over at her. She staring at the television with her back flat against the headboard. Her skin is more white than ever against the pale glow of the cheap motel bedside lamp. I can see a bit of that bruise protruding out against her collar bone. Anyone else would assume she’s vulnerable, but I know better. “Pipes, I’m sorry,” I say. She flicks her eyes away from the television to look at me. “It’s not fair for me — of all people — to judge you.”

She inhales slowly and I sense a bit of surprise on her face before she nods back. “Kai, I came on this trip to let loose and do things I couldn’t get away with back home,” she says. “I don’t want to keep looking over my shoulder for you.”

“You won’t.”

“And I would appreciate it if you kept your opinions on my activities to yourself from now on.”

“I will,” I say. “But Piper…” I lose my train of thought, unsure if I can find the words to express it.

“What?” she asks.

“I— I’ve known you since we were kids,” I whisper. “The last thing I want to think about is someone hurting you like that.”

She looks away for a second. “Then don’t think about it,” she suggests.

“It’s hard not to,” I say. “I’ve had this image in my head of you for years. I thought I knew you.”

“This doesn’t change anything about who I am, Kai,” she says.

“Yes, it does,” I laugh.

She shifts her body a little in my direction. “I’m pretty sure you’d still be a total douche if you didn’t get laid on a regular basis.”

“It’s different with you,” I argue. I’m losing ground very quickly and I know it, but I feel a surge of excitement as our usual banter takes hold of my tongue.

“It’s really not. This is just the usual thick-skulled sexist crap that tells women they’re not allowed to enjoy sex.”

I scoff. “I guess your daddy isn’t the only member of the family we can call headmaster.”

“Yeah—” Her lips curl. “Him and your mother.”

My jaw drops. “Dammit—” I laugh hard, frustrated with the perfection of her wit. “That’s just… dammit.” I shake my head and sit back. “You win this round.”

She chuckles softly to herself and I can’t help but stare at her.

We spend the next hour watching the television together, mostly in silence. One of us will crack a joke here and there as we try to decipher the dull foreign film playing out in front of us. After a long bout of silence, I glance over at her to see she’s fallen asleep on her side with a pillow clutched loosely against her chest. I feel a protective instinct to cover her up with a blanket or something, but she’d probably think that’s lame. Luckily, our friends seemed to have passed out as well, so there should be no other sudden grunting noises coming through the wall to wake her up.

I switch off the television and fall asleep shortly after.

Chapter 9

Piper

I wake up and it takes a moment for me to remember where I am. Kai lies sleeping in the next bed and a smile strikes my lips. After such a crazy day yesterday, I’m actually quite satisfied with how the night played out. I didn’t get exactly what I wanted, but what I did get wasn’t bad either.

I quietly grab my boots off the floor and slip out without waking him. He’s lying on his back with his arm draped over his eyes, so it’s hard to say if I succeeded or not. He could be faking, although I hope he isn’t.

I go to the next room and thrust my key into the lock. I immediately avert my eyes after I open the door, as Shawn’s naked rear sits on display in front of me. He rustles about on the bed for something to cover up with as Mandy herself grabs a shirt off the floor to chuck over her head. “The train leaves in ninety minutes, guys,” I announce. “We’re bound for Italy.”

I make a quick beeline for the bathroom and let them get dressed while I freshen up. I listen closely and wait until I hear Shawn leave before coming out. “So…” I pull my toothbrush out of my mouth and crack a smile at her.

Mandy sits on her bed, fully dressed, and pushes a brush through her knotted brown hair. “He’s actually really growing on me,” she admits. She wrinkles her nose and tastes the words before continuing. “I think I kind of like him.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Whatever happened to he’s fun in small doses?”

“Well, turns out…” She stands up. “When those small doses come in big spurts of thrusting and moaning, he’s quite the catch.”

I shrug. “Well, you do you, lady,” I say as I swing back into the bathroom to rinse with water.

“As we always say…” She drifts in behind me. “I really need to shower.”

“Go ahead. You deserve one more than I do.”

“Disappointing night?” she asks.

“Haven’t decided yet.” I grab my make-up bag off the bathroom counter. “I’ll explain later.”

“Okay then.”

She closes the door behind her and I look about the empty room. My eyes drift to the shared wall between this room and theirs. I hear the gentle hum of their voices behind it, no doubt catching up with each other on last night’s events.

Disappointing night?

Not at all.

Confusing night?

Now we’re getting somewhere.

***

A new train speeds down the tracks with the four of us inside of it. Mandy and I sit in the corner of the diner car with warm drinks to help wake us up for the almost ten hour trip to Rome.

“So, tell me all about Mr. Munich,” she says as she brings the steaming coffee to her lips.

I think back on the night before, almost forgetting for a brief moment that I even went out in the first place. “Nonexistent,” I answer.

“What? You were gone all night.”

I shake my head. “No — I mean, there were a few candidates, I suppose. But, I don’t know, I just wasn’t in the mood.” I take a sip of my tea and stare out the window at the green world passing by. When I look back at Mandy, I find her gawking at me. “What?” I ask.

“You weren’t in the mood?” she parrots back.

I nod. “Yeah. So?”

“You weren’t in the mood?” she says again.

“Okay, that’s enough,” I laugh. “I’m not that insatiable.”

She shakes her head with a knowing smile. “Uh-huh.” Her lips press together, tight-lipped and silent.

“What?” I ask. She refuses to speak. “Mandy, what?”

“I just think…” she begins, “that maybe somebody dug his nails a little deeper into you than you think.”

My eyes glance behind her and I spot Kai and Shawn walking into the diner car together. “No,” I finally say. “It’s not like that.”

She raises an eyebrow. “Well, if there was no Mr. Munich, then where were you all night?”

I hesitate, knowing that the answer will be like giving a soda to four-year-old child. “I was in Kai’s room.” I drink my tea again.

She starts a smooth laugh, purposeful and quiet. “Okay then,” she grins.

“Well, I couldn’t exactly sleep in my bed, now could I?” I argue. “Thanks for leaving me stranded, too, by the way.”

“Oh, like you’ve never ditched me for a hook-up,” she scoffs.

“Touche, lady,” I wink. “Kai caught me waiting in the hall. He offered me Shawn’s bed.”

“Did you two make up?”

“I suppose it was not… unpleasant. But I think there’s still some smoothing out to do around the edges,” I say.

Mandy rolls her eyes. “Jesus, Piper, it’s a simple yes or no question. Don’t you ever give a direct answer?”

“Not really.” I wink at her.

She laughs. “So, what did you and Mr. Casablancas talk about then?”

“Oh, could you not hear us? Because we could hear every word coming out of your mouth,” I joke.

Her lips curl into a sultry smile and she moans softly to herself. “I was a bit distracted.”

“Obviously,” I say. Once again, my eyes drift over Mandy’s shoulder and land on Kai’s amused grin. He’s standing at the counter, laughing softly as he and Shawn chat away while waiting on cups of coffee. “We talked about… nothing,” I sigh. “It was absolutely nothing.”

“Did he come onto you?”

“Not even once. I thought for sure he would after finally getting me alone in a hotel room, but it was like we really were siblings — for once.”

“Try not to sound too disappointed there, Piper,” she says. “You used to complain constantly about him hitting on you and the one time he doesn’t do it…?”

“I am not unaware of the irony, Mandy,” I say, my eyes on Kai. “I think I might have actually gone a little too far with what I said.”

“Apologize then.”

“He apologized to me,” I say after cracking a quick smile. “Maybe I should.”

Mandy performs a subtle peak over her shoulder at the boys. “Do you think you’ll tell him about—”

“No.”

“Well…” She raises her cup to her lips. “It doesn’t get more direct than that.”

I take a deep breath and force myself to stare out the window instead.

“Hello, ladies…”

I look up to find Shawn and Kai standing above our table. “Hi,” I greet. Shawn’s eyes linger lovingly on Mandy and I suddenly feel like a broken third wheel. “I think I’m going to go take my seat,” I say as I stand up.

Shawn slips into the chair after me and just like that, Kai and I no longer exist to them.

“I’ll go with you,” Kai says. He looks at me and rolls his eyes before we both walk out of the diner car. We make our way back to our compartment together. “And here I thought Shawn was going to be bored on this trip,” he says as he sits down.

I take the seat across from him. “Oh, you mean while you were busy making time with me?” I ask.

He pauses and tilts his head. “Honestly, yes.”

My tongue feels raw inside my head. If I don’t say it, I’ll obsess over it until I do. “I shouldn’t have said those things to you last night.” The words spill out quickly, soft on the air. “I’m sorry.”

He smirks. “For what you said during the ‘I Never’ game or for saying my mother was good at giving head?”

“The game, obviously,” I answer. “I meant every word about your mom.”

He laughs. “Fair enough.” His eyes glance me up and down. “You don’t have to be sorry, Pipes. I deserved it. The bet was stupid.”

“Then why even make it?” I ask.

“Seemed like a decent idea at the time,” he explains. He looks at me with narrow eyes. “How did you know about it?”

“Really?” I ask. “You don’t remember?”

He stares at me with a confused expression. “Remember what?”

I chuckle as the memory takes shape in my mind. “I was there when you made it,” I say.

“No, you weren’t—”

“We were fifteen,” I interrupt. “It was right after our parents started dating and my dad made me host your stupid birthday party at our house.”

“But—” He leans forward. “Shawn and I made that bet after the party…”

“In the pool house.” I glance out the window as a vineyard stretches out for miles. “I was hiding in the corner with a book. You guys didn’t notice me there for like an hour.”

“Goddamn…” he whispers as he puts it all together.

“Idiot…” I fight the smile climbing my face. “I didn’t think you were serious until word of your hook-ups started spreading around the girls in our class sophomore year. I pretty much put it together for myself after that.”

“It wasn’t serious,” he says, “at first. Then…” he rocks his head back and forth, “things — admittedly — got a little out of hand.”

“I’ll agree with that,” I say. “It was awkward enough avoiding you in the halls at school. After you and your mom moved in, I had to do it at home, too.”

“Sorry,” he says. I look him in the eyes and I see genuine remorse shining through. “I never thought it’d get this far.”

“You never thought you’d be so desperate to fuck me, you’d stalk me all the way to Europe?” I ask.

He laughs. “Nope. I did not.” His eyes linger on me and the smile drops from his face. “Did you ever think about going for it?”

“Going for what?” I ask.

“Pipes...” He raises an eyebrow. “Be honest.”

I stare at him and bite my inner lip. “Yes,” I finally answer.

He blinks slowly. “Did you ever want to?”

I hold my lips together, tight and true, to keep myself from answering. Did I ever think about giving in and spending the night with Kai Casablancas? Of course I did. Every human being at Belle Academy with two X chromosomes thought about it at least once. It would have been easy, too. We live under the same roof, in a large mansion full of empty rooms to sneak into. No one would have ever known — until the day when everyone knew.

The compartment door flies open before I’m forced to answer. I breathe a sigh of relief at Mandy and Shawn’s impeccable timing. They each sit down, their laughter and giggles filling the silent void taking shape in the room.

“I’m going to hit the ladies’ room,” I say as I hop out of my seat. I can feel Kai’s eyes on me. He wants my answer, but I can’t in good conscious admit it to him.

The restroom sits down the train from our compartment. I move slowly with shaking knees. The train rocks back and forth as I move, making me even more dizzy. I slide the restroom door open and slam it closed behind me.

There’s no real space in the tiny quarters, so I close my eyes to curb the dreadful squeeze inching in around me. I inhale slowly, filling my lungs full of the musky air and keeping it there until I absolutely have to breathe again.

Kai Casablancas. Never in my life has he ever had this much of an effect on me. I stare at myself in the mirror and notice the perfect pink rouge in my pearl-white cheeks. I bite my lip and bend over to splash water on my face.

It all started last night. I was on the street, looking for a hook-up in Munich, but every guy I looked at had his face. At first, I thought it was just guilt over what I said to him, but it slowly dawned on me that this was something way more complicated than that. I was angry, so very angry, when he appeared on the train in front of me in Berlin with that shit-eating grin on his face. But deep down, I was fucking impressed. He was doing everything in his power to earn my body. I got so used to it over the years. Now that I’ve effectively destroyed his chances, and he’s backed off, I miss the constant attention he gave me.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

I look up and shake my head at myself in the mirror as I dab the water away with a paper towel.

Why cause trouble, you stupid fucking idiot? Let it go.

I jolt the restroom door open and nearly jump out of my skin. “Kai—” I gasp as his face fills my vision. He steps forward and places both hands on my fevered cheeks. I’m pulled in for a silent kiss, sweet and warm. His lips envelope my own and I get my first official taste of Kai Casablancas.

He pulls away almost as quickly as it began. “I just wanted to be able to say I’ve done that,” he whispers. “I’m sorry.”

And just like that, he turns around and disappears from my sight.

I reach up and touch my lips. I can still feel him on me. That gentle memory of his teeth marking my bottom lip. I let them drop from my fingertips, tingling numb in the dark.

Oh, I’m in trouble now.

Chapter 10

Kai

I stare at the window as yet another damn vineyard passes us by. What the hell is it with Italy and vineyards, anyway? Everywhere I look, it’s another vineyard. Taunting me, baiting me. Looking at me with those tranquil blue eyes and those perfect, red lips.

Fucking vineyards, man.

The compartment door opens and Piper steps inside.

“Did you get lost?” Mandy jokes. “You’ve been gone for like an hour.”

She takes the seat across from me, her eyes refusing to even glance in my direction. “No, I just needed to stretch my legs awhile.”

Translation: I’m avoiding Kai because he straight up harassed me in the bathroom.

That was probably a mistake.

I can see the anger behind her eyes.

Definitely a mistake... I lick my lips and taste her lip gloss still lingering on my tongue. But it was a mistake worth making.

“What’s with all the damn vineyards?” she mutters as she stares out the window.

I smile. Maybe it’s a mistake worth making twice.

“So, we need to address the elephant in the room.”

I flinch a glance over at Shawn and his booming voice. “What elephant?” I ask.

“I don’t want things to get awkward, okay?” he continues. “We’re all going to be in some pretty close quarters for the next few days. We should eliminate any and all doubt.” Piper stares across the compartment at him, her eyes flicking in my direction once. He takes a quick breath. “Mandy and I did it last night and it was pretty much the best thing ever.”

“Yeah, we know,” Piper assures him.

“We were there,” I add, remembering the impressive bout of constant moaning for nearly an hour before Piper showed up.

“I know…” Shawn says. “I just wanted to formally announce it.”

Mandy shakes her head. “How sweet…” she says with a half smile. She and Piper exchange a roll of the eyes and I don’t blame them for one second.

“And I wanted to say that it’ll probably happen again, so if you two could bunk up again tonight, that’d be great.” He nudges my arm and nods at Piper.

She and I lock eyes. “Shawn—” I say. “I don’t think that’s—”

“Sure,” Piper interrupts. “Why not?” Her voice is as flat as her straight hair. “Go nuts, you two.” She raises one foot onto her seat and rests her chin on her knee as she resumes staring out the window.

The bright yellow Italian sun makes her eyes shine like water diamonds and I can’t bring myself to turn away from her. When I finally do, I notice Mandy staring at me, her eyes bouncing back and forth between the two of us. To her credit, she says nothing, but I’ve never known anyone better at reading subtle social cues than Mandy Black. She’s probably figured out that something happened during that brief moment when I snuck out after Piper left the compartment.

Shawn, on the other hand…

“Maybe we can find a hot and loose Italian girl for you in Roma,” he smirks at me. “It shouldn’t be too difficult for you with that hot man bod of yours.”

“Once again, Shawn, your appreciation for my hot man body is entirely unwelcome,” I say.

“Yet completely factual.” Shawn looks at Mandy. “Am I right, though?”

She looks at me and gives a devious smile. “I’ve definitely had worse,” she says.

“And it doesn’t bother me at all that you’ve banged my best friend,” he says to Mandy. “Just don’t do it again and we’ll be cool.”

“Oh, I’ll try and restrain myself,” Mandy jokes, “but from the looks of it, I think the two of you boys are more likely to get it on than the two of us again. No offense, Kai.”

“None taken.”

Shawn nods. “I’ve always said that I’m constantly one subtle wink away from being down on my knees for Kai Casablancas—”

“You have never said that,” I argue.

“Settle one thing for us, Mandy,” Shawn continues. “Who’s bigger?”

Piper scoffs quietly.

“I don’t think either of you could handle the answer to that question,” Mandy teases after a glance at Piper.

I chew on my lip as I watch the girls exchange looks at one another. I’m not nearly as adept at reading faces as Mandy is, but one thing is certain…

Mandy is protecting Piper.

“Yeah, don’t answer that…” I say to Mandy. I glance back at Piper and she catches me watching her.

“I’m going to get a drink,” Piper says as she suddenly plants both feet on the floor. She moves through the compartment and slides the door open and closed again before any of us can say another word.

Mandy’s eyes instantly stab at me. She quickly flashes a warm smile at Shawn. “Hey, Shawn,” she says. “Would you go with her and grab me a soda?” She uses a sweet voice and has no problem seducing Shawn with it.

“Of course, babe,” he says. He stands up and looks back at me. “Want anything?”

“No,” I answer.

“Cool.” He follows Piper out of the compartment.

The door is barely even closed before Mandy starts in on me. “What did you do?” she bites.

“I didn’t do anything—”

“Kai…” She speaks through her teeth. “What did you do?”

I sigh and cross my arms over my chest. “I kissed her. Okay?”

She stares at me through the narrow slits of her eyelids. “Why?”

“Why? What do you mean why?” I ask. “You may not be aware of this, Mandy, but kissing is a common sign of affection towards someone you are physically attracted to.”

“Put a fucking lid on it, Kai,” she warns. “Piper doesn’t need this right now.”

“How about we let Piper speak for herself on what she needs, hmm?”

“I mean it, Kai. The last thing she needs is her stepbrother trying to get in her pants to win some bet.”

“It wasn’t like that…” I stare out the window, but turn back to her when I put it together. “Wait — what do you mean? What’s wrong with Piper?”

She sits back. “Nothing is wrong with Piper, but she’s got a full plate.”

“Mandy, what’s going on?”

“Don’t worry about it, Kai. The only thing you should be worried about is me beating the hell out of you if you try something like that again.”

I open my mouth to argue some more, but the door slides open and Piper steps back inside. As she passes in front of us, Mandy mimes a “Got it?” expression at me. I nod in understanding and sit back in my chair as Shawn follows her in. I usually don’t make it a habit to buckle under verbal threats, but when Mandy Black says she’ll beat the hell out of you, she means it. Hell, I’ve seen it.

“For you…” Shawn presents a cold can of soda to her.

Mandy smiles up at him. “Thank you,” she coos. She glares at me as she pops the top open.

He holds an extra can out for me. “I got you one anyway. Enjoy, asshole.”

I take it from him. “Thanks, douche.” Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Piper grinning before she herself takes a sip of her drink. I look out the window with her and shake my head. “Another damn vineyard?” I mutter.

She looks at me once before pulling out her phone.

Chapter 11

Piper

If I don’t get as far away from Kai Casablancas as possible, I’m going to do something I will regret.

We arrive in Rome long after nightfall. The eager city lights greet us with warm intentions with streets full of tourists and enthusiastic locals looking to bleed them dry. I clutch my itinerary to my chest, knowing full well what the city holds for me in the night. I focus on it instead of what I’m too tempted to think about.

I burst into our hotel room and toss my bags onto the nearest bed. Mandy follows me inside with an eyebrow raised. “Penny for your thoughts?” she asks as she closes the door.

I zip open my suitcase and pull out some fresh clothes. “I have to go out,” I say. “I have to go out and find a man because if I don’t get a good, hard dicking soon, I’m going to fucking lose it.”

She plops down on the bed in front of me. “Man, Kai has really messed you up—”

“It has nothing to do with Kai.”

“He told me about the kiss, Piper,” she admits. “Let’s not play here.”

I pause and stare down at her. “He told you?” I ask.

“Well, he needed a little persuasion first, but yeah. He told me.”

I continue pulling clothing from my bag. “You don’t have to persuade anyone, Mandy. The kiss wasn’t entirely unwelcome.”

“Then why did I just spend ten hours in a train car watching you pretend he doesn’t exist?” she asks.

“Fair question,” I say. “And the answer is probably why I plan on getting far, far away from him tonight.” I take a black top and a tight, black skirt and wander into the bathroom to look for a full-length mirror. What is it with hotels in Europe not having full-length mirrors? Luckily, this room has one attached to the back of the bathroom door.

“Well, you two bunking together is officially out,” she says. “It’ll break Shawn’s little heart, but he can deal with blue balls for the rest of the trip.”

“No, it’s fine.” I pull my shirt off and toss it to the floor. “I don’t plan on coming back to the hotel tonight, so you two go ahead.”

“Are you sure?”

“Oh, yeah.” I slip the new shirt on and pull it down. It gives just the slightest amount of bare midriff, exactly the look I’m going for. I grab the skirt next. “I can’t trust myself to come back and be alone with him.”

“Well, if something changes, let me know, okay?” she says. “I’ll kick Shawn out in a heartbeat.”

I push my jeans to the floor and slip into the skirt. “Thank you. I guess this means you’re not coming with?”

She scoffs. “I don’t even know how you have the energy for it tonight, to be honest. That was the longest train ride ever.”

“Oh, I have a lot of pent-up energy just begging to be released…” I look at her and smile. “We were both looking forward to this a week ago…”

“I know…” she says. “But I don’t really know where this thing with Shawn is going. I don’t want to mess it up too early, you know?”

I nod. “I get it.”

“Don’t let that stop you from having all the fun in the damn world though.”

“Oh, it won’t. Believe me.”

A knock strikes the door and Mandy hops off the bed to answer it. She pulls the door open and Shawn and Kai are standing in the hallway. I see Kai’s face in the mirror, his eyes gazing down my body as Shawn speaks.

“You ladies hungry?” he asks. “There’s gotta be some good food around. It’s Italy, after all.”

Mandy peaks at me over her shoulder. “You in?” she asks.

My stomach growls. “Sure,” I say. I need all the fuel I can get for tonight.

She turns back to the boys. “Give us a few minutes to get ready. We’ll meet you downstairs.”

Kai’s eyes linger on me as she closes the door. My heart jolts in my chest. Every time I close my eyes, I see his dark gaze staring down at me in that train bathroom. I lick my lips. His flavor has faded from them now, but I can still feel him…

Nope. Knock it off, Piper.

I shake my head and reach for my make-up bag.

***

It’s late but the restaurant still breathes life by the time we get there. The four of us sit around a small table at the adorable outdoor cafe on the corner, just down the street from our hotel. I smile at my surroundings, loving the local flavor wafting off every living thing. I make a mental note to buy myself a motorized scooter someday and laugh at a street magician down the road.

When I finally look back at the table, I catch Kai staring at me. “What?” I bite, feeling myself balanced on the outer rims of self-consciousness.

“I didn’t say anything,” he answers.

“What are you thinking then?”

He raises an eyebrow. “Nothing.”

I look away as that smug look in eyes starts to take hold of his face. “So…” I look at Mandy sitting next to me and Shawn across the table. “How are we enjoying our trip so far?”

Shawn rips into a stick of bread. “Oh, man!” he chews. “I fucking love Europe.”

“Yeah, it’s not too bad,” Mandy agrees. “I can’t believe it’s almost over though. It feels like we just got here.”

“We did just get here,” I point out. “It’s only been like three days.”

“That’s all?” she asks.

“It’s scary what can change in so little time,” Kai adds with his eyes on me, obviously hinting at something more.

Oh, what could you possibly mean, dearest stepbrother?

“Yeah,” I say instead. I instinctively lick my lips. He notices.

“No kidding,” Shawn says. He stares across the table at Mandy. “It may sound corny, I feel like my dreams are coming true.”

Mandy smirks at him and shakes her head. “You’re not going to propose, are you?”

“Why?” he asks. “I’m already getting free milk.”

Kai chuckles and looks at his empty plate. “Stay classy, Shawn,” he jokes.

“Don’t sit there and act innocent, Kai,” Shawn says. He quickly points around the entire table. “In fact, not a single one of us should be casting stones.”

“No one’s casting stones,” Kai says as he raises his glass. “I’m happy for you — and your dreams.”

Mandy grips her own glass and lifts it between us all. “To chasing dreams,” she toasts.

My lips curl. Contrary to Kai’s beliefs, I would much rather live a life of dreams than fit into a little box. “To chasing dreams,” I say as I raise my glass.

Kai meets my eyes across the table. I can see his thoughts working quickly behind the steady pounding of the vein on his forehead. He sees me as a much different person now, a far cry from the girl he thought he pursued to Europe. He used to look at me with wide eyes, almost as if I were some mythical creature lost in the depths of his imagination. Now, he looks at me with knowing eyes, full of honesty and lust. I’m not sure which one I prefer more.

“To chasing dreams,” he repeats with a whisper. The four of us clink our glasses together and take a drink.

His words vibrate down my spine, igniting all of my desires. I take another quick sip, hoping it will cool me off, but it does very little. I lick my trembling lips and watch as his eyes linger on them again. He’s thinking about that kiss, just like I am. He wants it again and so do I. I flashback to his body, water pouring off of him by the pool back home. His tight, white shorts fusing to his skin, revealing the perfect outline of his thick—

“I fucking love Europe!” Shawn exclaims again as he digs into another bread stick.

I glance down at my phone to check the time. It’s half past eleven, but I am not tired. I’m far from it. Going back to the hotel and spending the night in the same room with Kai would be a huge mistake. That itch, it’s dug too far into me now. I don’t think I’ll be able to stop myself with him. My skin burns. My sex throbs. There’s only one thing on my mind. One thing that will rid me of my desires for him tonight…

And I know exactly where to get it.

Chapter 12

Kai

I knock on the door with my duffel bag slung over my shoulder. Mandy opens it and she raises her eyebrow. “Shawn has officially kicked me out,” I tell her. “He’s summoned you for the night.”

She chuckles and steps away from the door. “Come on in,” she says.

Her own suitcase is stacked near the door, prepared for this exact exchange. Piper’s suitcase sits open on her bed with most of her clothing spilled out of it. “Where’s Piper?” I ask.

Mandy’s eyes shift. “She went out,” she shrugs.

“Went out?” I ask. “Where?”

“I don’t know,” she mutters. “She said she needed to take a walk or something. I wouldn’t worry about it.”

I sigh and glance around the empty room. “She didn’t say where she was going?”

Mandy bends over and grabs her suitcase. “Nope,” she says. “She’ll be fine, Kai. No need to play protective brother on this one.”

“Yeah, tell that to the giant bruise on her neck…”

“Kai…” She steps closer to me. “She’s a big girl.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I step away and take a deep, angry breath.

“I’m sure she’ll be back soon.” She opens the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

I toss my duffel down on the empty bed and glare around the room. It’s pretty obvious why she isn’t here. Piper’s chosen to avoid me rather than deal with what happened on the train. Honestly, I don’t blame her, but I definitely don’t want to spend yet another night waiting up for her, peaking out the windows, hoping she’ll come back to me unscathed. And Italian television dramas can’t be any easier to understand than German ones.

I wander over to Piper’s bed and bend down to grab her shirt off the pillow. It’s the same shirt she wore on the train all day today. I immediately smell her on the air, that same feminine scent that filled my nose in that small train bathroom. I bring it to my nose and inhale a bit more before tossing it back on the pillow. I can’t help it. I already miss her like a fucking puppy waiting on its master to return home from work.

Something catches my eye on the bed, buried beneath her jeans. I reach out and push them aside to find Piper’s itinerary stashed beneath it. She has every bit of this trip mapped out, planned right down to the hour. This thing never leaves her side. If she was just going for a walk, she surely would have taken it with her to make note of all the sights she happened upon.

I pick up the itinerary. It’s much thicker and heavier than the abridged version she gave her father. I do a quick scan of the room to make super sure that I’m alone before opening it. It has everything my bootleg copy has, but so much more. I was right about the map I saw on the train from Berlin. There’s far more locations marked on it than there should be, including London, Dublin, and Madrid, just to name a few.

What the hell are you planning, Piper?

I skip ahead to the section on Rome. There’s a few highlighted sections of restaurants, shopping centers, museums, and a bit about the Colosseum. I turn another page, hoping to find some clue as to where she would go tonight.

And there it is…

It’s a printed email from her (username: PopNLynch… really, Pipes?) to some guy name Dante, asking for information about a place named Fire and Ice here in Rome.

An underground club.

Secret password “seventh circle” for entry.

Wear something revealing and easy to remove.

I remember Piper’s outfit from dinner. That sleek, black halter top and tight skirt. It drives me wild just thinking about it and it fits Dante’s instructions perfectly.

I can’t wait to stop by while I’m in Rome. -P

We’re only spending one night in Rome before catching an afternoon train to Paris tomorrow. If Piper is as excited to see this place as she makes it sound in her email, then she could be there right now.

Nausea plagues my guts. Piper’s avoiding me. This much is obvious. That doesn’t bother me too much. Hell, I fucking deserve it. But her doing it like this? By going to some secret club in easy to remove clothing—

Nope.

I tear the page out of the itinerary, fold it up, and shove it into my back pocket.

***

The Fire and Ice has definitely earned its claim of being an underground club. Even with my phone giving me accurate GPS navigation of the streets of Rome, it’s taken me far too long to locate it. Who knows what Piper is doing right now. She’s certainly had plenty of time to get into all sorts of trouble. Each minute that goes by gets me a little bit angrier at her.

I finally find the bright red door described in the email. It’s tucked away in a dark alleyway and, ironically enough, sits not too far away from St. Peter’s Basilica. Makes me wonder what the Vatican would do if they stumbled upon it — if they haven’t already.

I knock on the door and wait with my eyes on the rectangular peep hole. Finally, it slides open and I see a beautiful girl looking back at me. Red hair. Brown eyes.

“Password, per favore,” she spits out with a scratchy voice, one that doesn’t match her flowery appearance in the slightest.

I flinch and open my mouth to speak. “Uhh, shit—” I realize that this password is probably supposed to be said in Italian. I shake my head. “… seventh circle,” I say, chucking it out anyway.

“Ohhh…” she grins. “Americano?”

“Si, or whatever,” I say, pulling the word from my limited high school Spanish vocabulary. These romance languages all share the basics, right?

She slams the peephole closed and I listen as the door unlocks loudly. A bright blue light hits me as it opens and the woman stands out of the way to allow me inside.

“I’m looking for a girl,” I tell her as she closes the door behind us. Slow, ambient music fills my ears. The thumping bass pounds away below my feet. A thick brute of a fellow stands in the corner, guarding a black door. It’s pretty obvious what his job is.

She glides ahead of me in a little red dress with long, thick high-heel shoes. I follow her through the entryway, where she pauses behind a black counter. She looks at me through dark eyelashes and smiles. “Then you’ve come to the right place, signore.” Her voice is thick with accent, but luckily, she seems to have a decent handle on English. I imagine it comes in handy at a classy customer service job like this one. She reaches below the counter.

“No — a specific one,” I say. “She’s short, pale skin, black hair, blue eyes.”

“This is Italy, signore,” she smirks. “We have a lot of that here.”

I heave a sigh. “Never mind.”

“Seventy euro, per favore.”

“Seventy euro?!” I growl and reach into my back pocket for my wallet. The things I do for that little alabaster bastard. “What the hell is this place anyway?”

The woman grins at me and sets two masks down on the counter in front of me. They’re simple, masquerade style eye masks with thick, black elastics around the back to hold them in place on your head. One is blue. The other is red. Each has intricate patterns sewn onto them, symbolizing various elemental themes. Fire and Ice, I gather.

“The blue is for watching,” she explains. “The red is for everything else.”

“Watching?” I ask. “Watching what?” The brute behind me laughs, low and quick.

“You must wear one at all times, signore,” she continues. She presses her thick, red lips together. “You may alternate as much as you like. I would recommend starting with blue and switching to red once you feel more… comfortable.” She smirks at me with amusement.

I pull out my credit card and slide it across the counter to her. She takes it with long, perfectly manicured nails and gives it a quick swipe at the register. I swear, if I get my identity stolen, I’m coming back here first.

She passes the card back to me. “Have a good time,” she coos before pursing her lips and pecking the air between us.

I take my card back and make sure it’s firmly inside my wallet before sliding it into my pocket. “Thanks,” I say. I grab the masks and turn around to face the brute between myself and the black door. I stare up at him and he reaches up and taps one finger against his temple. “Oh, right…” I take the blue mask and slip it over my head. “There. How do I look? Nice?”

He says nothing, but his lips curl upward as he grabs the door handle and pulls it open.

I step around him and pass through a metal detector on my way down the stairs to the main floor.

What the fuck…

The air is thick and the lights are dim, just bright enough to make out what’s going on. Music pulses even louder in my ears as I step deeper into it all. Men. Women. I stare at them through the blue holes of my mask, trying to make sense of it all. This can’t be what it looks like…

Yep. It is.

Many of them wander about the black room with their blue masks, just like I am, watching with eager eyes. The others, the ones in red masks, they’re scattered about, too. Their moans of pleasure fill my ears as I pass by. I look at their naked bodies and tremble. A blonde-haired woman lies spread-eagle on a table. A light shines down on her, the bodies of men casting shadows all over her body as they do what they please to her willing flesh. I watch as a man pushes through the crowd of spectators and slides his blue mask off and his red mask on. He drops to his knees in front of her…

Blue is for watching. Red is for everything else.

Where the hell are you, Piper?

I scan the dark faces with frustration. She has to be here. Anger flurries through my veins. I still can’t wrap my head about her wanting this, but I have it printed out in my back pocket. I can’t wait to stop by while I’m in Rome. Those are her words. She came all the way to Europe for this. I ball my hands into fists as I push through the strangers in masks. And of course, she came here alone. Anything could happen to her in a place like this. What the hell is she thinking?

“Ciao—”

“No.” I spin away from a woman in a blue mask. In any other situation, I would stop and talk to her all about her beautiful, round ass, but not right now.

I round a corner and nearly trip over a woman’s ankles. She’s on her knees, hunched over the lap of some Italian pissant. It’s pretty obvious what she’s doing as her head bobs up and down on him. Blonde-hair beneath the red mask. Not Piper.

I move along, my eyes scanning the rest of the sitting area, until I finally spot her. She stands with her back against the wall in the corner. A red mask covers her eyes. Her dark eyes are closed, locked shut as she trembles in desire against some fucking guy. Some suave motherfucker in a black suit has his hands on her tits, tucked up beneath her blouse. He pushes down her body, his nails scratching up her thighs to pull her tight, black skirt up, giving him access to her everything. And she fucking lets it happen. I hear her moaning from all the way over here.

Her eyes flutter open as he drops to his knees in front of her. She looks down at him and laughs as he pushes his face between her thighs.

I can’t fucking watch this.

I tear the mask off my head. Rage boils just beneath the surface. I see others in the chairs around them, their hungry eyes staring at them through their blue masks. The urge to blind each and every one of them courses through me. I force myself to look at the floor instead, but I can’t fight the need to look at Piper again.

When I do, I see her stunned eyes locked on my face.

Chapter 13

Piper

Kai.

Every time I look up, I see his face. I’m lost in a sea of strangers, their faces constantly cloaked in shadows, and still, he’s all I can see. I thought it was just a mirage in Munich, a one-time surge of psychosis brought on by shame and guilt, but I was wrong.

Pleasure aches through my body. I raise my left knee and rest my toes on the man’s back as his tongue burrows between my folds. His face looked like Kai’s as well when I first set eyes on him. Now, I see that he shares no real resemblance with my stepbrother. I’m not sure if I’m happy or disappointed with that.

I open my eyes and look about the dark and warm room of the Fire and Ice club. It’s exactly how I imagined it’d be — and plenty more. I can’t wait to get back and tell Mandy all about what she missed in the morning. I’m sure she’ll be pissed she skipped it, even with Shawn Monty rocking her against various motel beds all week.

I catch sight of a man several feet away, his eyes locked on mine behind dark shadows. He shifts into the light and I’m once again met with Kai Casablancas’ face. I blink once. Then again. This usually makes the mental trickery go away, but as he drifts closer to me, the mirage refuses to disappear. This man, whoever he is, looks exactly like Kai.

Oh, fuck.

Kai reaches down to the man in front of me and grabs the back of his jacket’s collar. With one quick jerk, he brings him up and tosses him away. The man stumbles back and lands on the lap of a lonely man at the far end of the sofa.

“Kai?!” I gasp.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Piper?!” he shouts above the music rattling the walls. His face, red with anger, gives a sour expression. The vein in his forehead looks ready to explode. I open my mouth to speak, but he grabs my arm before I ever get the chance. “I’m getting you out of here.”

“Kai — stop!”

He squeezes me harder as I try to pull away. We plow through the crowd, bumping shoulder after shoulder as he drags me towards the exit.

I give my arm a sudden jerk and it slips from his grasp. “I said — stop!”

He whips around and bends over to pick me up.

“Kai!” I shout in frustration as he throws me over his shoulder. I try to wiggle free of him, but that just makes him hold me tighter. “Let me go!”

My shrieks catch the attentions of most nearby, but no one budges as he takes me away. My cheeks turns red from embarrassment, but mostly rage, as he we ascend the stairs to the front entryway.

“Let me go!” I shout again as we reach the entrance. I see the bouncer immediately stand up from his stool by the door, but he’s not fast enough to stop Kai from kicking the door down and walking outside in the alleyway. “Put me down, asshole!”

Kai finally bends down and I slip off his shoulder to the ground, barely able to keep myself upright. I take in a large breath, preparing to rip into him with very unkind words, but I fall silent as the bouncer suddenly hovers over Kai’s shoulder. He grabs Kai and knocks the wind out of him with one, firm punch to his stomach. Kai doubles over and the bouncer strikes him again, this time in the face with a perfectly closed fist.

“Stop!” I shout to the bouncer. I step in front of him as Kai topples to the ground below. “Mio fratello.”

The bouncer pauses above me and slowly relaxes his fist. He reaches into his front suit pocket, withdraws a white handkerchief, and tosses it at Kai’s crumpled form.

“Grazie,” I spit. I bend over and grab the handkerchief as he bounds back into the club.

Kai rolls over onto his back and stares up into the night sky. Warm, red blood pools out of his nose, dripping down his face onto the concrete below him.

“Well…” I say to him as I cross my arms. “Are you pleased with yourself?”

“Yeah…” he chokes. “Very.”

“Come on…” I hold a hand out to him, but he ignores it as he sits up on his own. “Just take my freakin’ hand, Kai. Come on. Please.”

Kai begrudgingly grips my fingers and I help him to his feet. I flinch as he immediately yanks it back and stumbles away, walking slowly towards the street. I follow him closely until we find a bench on the deserted street corner.

“Sit down,” I tell him. He does as he’s told and I raise the handkerchief to his face.

After a few moments of avoiding my gaze, he finally looks down at me. “You don’t seem nearly as pissed off as I imagined you’d be,” he mutters as I wipe the blood off his cheek.

“Oh, don’t let my calmness deceive you, Kai,” I say. “I’m actually quite pissed off right now.”

“You and me both,” he says.

I sigh and fold the handkerchief to a new angle not covered in blood. “You told me I wouldn’t have to look over my shoulder for you.” I put the handkerchief against his upper lip to stop the blood still seeping out of his nose.

He snatches it from me and holds it steady against his lip. “Yeah, well. I lied.”

“Obviously.” I shake my head. “How did you even know I was here?”

He lets out a quick sigh, then leans forward to pull something from his back pocket. “Here,” he says as he holds the folded paper out for me.

I take it from him and unfold it. I seethe on the inside. The email from my itinerary. “Of course…” I crunch it up in my palm and toss it to the ground.

“Piper, what the hell are you doing in a place like this?” he attacks.

“I’m having fun,” I shrug. “Letting loose. Like I told you I was here to do.”

“When you told me you came here to let loose, this wasn’t exactly what I had in mind, Piper…”

“That’s not my problem, Kai.” I scoff at him. “What the hell were you thinking in there?”

“Well…” he says. “I reacted to some very mixed emotions about seeing you like that.”

“Well, why didn’t you join in?” I spit. “You could have won your stupid bet and I probably wouldn’t have known the difference.”

He scoffs once, but winces at the slight pain it brings him. “It never occurred to me once, Pipes…”

“Why not?”

He looks at me. “Because nein means nein. Or, you know, whatever no is in Italian.”

“It’s no,” I tell him.

“Oh, goody.” He holds his head back a little.

“So, what’s the deal here, Kai?” I ask. “If you can’t have me, no one can?”

“Maybe.”

“Maybe?”

“Yeah, maybe.” He lowers the handkerchief. His nose has stopped bleeding, but there’s still a good amount drying on his upper lip. “But honestly,” he says, “I’m not even sure I’d be enough for you anyway.” He wipes his face one last time before standing up and tossing the cloth to the ground.

“Well, we agree on something then.” I push myself up to face him. “You definitely couldn’t handle me.” I spin on my heels and start walking down the street in the direction of the hotel.

He follows closely behind. “I couldn’t handle you?”

I scoff quietly, but keep walking.

“Oh, no no no,” he says. “I’m fairly certain my ability to handle you isn’t the issue here. I could handle you anytime.”

I spin around. “Oh, really? Then what’s your problem?”

“I’m not the problem, Pipes,” he says. “I just think girls like you need a little extra something to get it done, that’s all.”

I blink. “Girls like me?” I repeat.

He nods. “Yeah, girls like you.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

Amusement dances behind his eyelashes. “Oh, you know exactly what that means.”

I grit my teeth. “Well, let’s not dance around it. You want to call me a slut again, Kai, go right ahead and say it. I don’t have all night.”

“What? You got a few more strangers lined up I don’t know about?”

“Fuck you.” I turn back around in disgust and continue walking. His heels click behind me, matching my stride as I cross the street. I glance over my shoulder and he meets my eyes before I turn back around. “What the hell are you even following me for?” I ask. “Fuck off.”

“Because you obviously can’t be left alone for five minutes, Piper,” he says.

“I can take care of myself.”

He laughs. “You really can’t.”

My skin burns so badly, it feels on the verge of melting off. Kai fucking Casablancas. Who the hell does he think he is? “You’re not my protector, Kai. You never have been and there’s no reason why you should start now.”

“I think Philip Lynch would disagree if he saw you getting fucked against a wall in some underground orgy club, Piper.”

“I don’t give a flying fuck what Philip Lynch thinks.” I dig my nails in my palms. “He’s not my problem anymore.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

I whip my head around. “It means fuck off, Kai. We’re done! I don’t want to see your face ever again.”

He chuckles lightly to himself. “I would just love to know how you plan on pulling that one off,” he mutters.

I stop in my tracks. “It’s easy, actually. Once we reach Paris, we’ll go our separate ways.” He looks at me with confusion, but I don’t bother explaining myself. I turn back around. I usually get a burst of warmth from a battle of wits with Kai, but not this time. I just want to get away from him. I stomp down the sidewalk and feel thankful that he’s finally chosen to keep his mouth shut.

Chapter 14

Kai

I hold the door open and let Piper enter the hotel room first. You know, because I’m such a fucking gentleman and all.

Judging by Mandy’s token giggle echoing through the wall, she and Shawn are right on target for the perfect night. The anger inside of me makes the perfect armor for the stabbing jealously I’m sure I’d feel otherwise.

I close the door behind me and watch as Piper begins stuffing her clothing back inside her suitcase. Her eyes fall on the itinerary and she shoves that inside with a quick stab of the eyes at me.

“Look, Piper—”

“Shut the fuck up.”

I recoil and sigh against the door. She zips her suitcase closed and pulls her phone from her purse. “Who are you calling?” I ask her as she brings it to her ear.

She doesn’t answer. Instead, she turns around and stares at the opposite wall while the other line rings. Even now, I can’t help but admire the curve of her back. Her tight, black skirt hugs her ass in just the right way. Her toned legs look even more glorious with high heels pushing them up — fuck me. How can she drive me this wild? I’m pissed off and ready to punch a giant hole in the wall and still, all I can think about is bending her over the bathroom sink.

“Piper…”

“Hey, it’s me,” she says into the phone. “I had a change in plans.”

I step off the door. “Piper…”

“Yeah. Sorry.” She hangs up and tosses the phone onto the bedside table before beelining for the bathroom.

“Piper!”

Her eyes catch mine for a brief second as she returns to the room with her make-up bag. She keeps her lips tightly sealed with cement. Not that she needs words to convey how she feels anyway. I can read it all in her eyes. Those beautiful, expressive blue balls locked inside her fucking skull tell me everything.

She despises me.

More than usual.

I honestly thought that was impossible.

She reaches down and grips the handle of her suitcase. I take a quick step in front of it. “Piper, will you please talk to me?” I ask slowly, trying very hard to keep my cool. She lowers her head down, ignoring me. I’m not sure why I expected otherwise. “Pipes, come on…”

Air explodes out of her nose and her boiling blue eyes lock on mine before she twists around me and marches to the door. I stay put and flinch when she slams it closed behind her.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!

I kick the bedside table and wince as pain radiates through my toes. A minute later, Shawn stumbles into the room with his duffel bag hanging off his shoulder and his shirt and pants gripped in his fist. He stares at me with angry eyes, standing in the doorway wearing nothing but his boxer shorts.

“What the hell did you do?” he growls.

I shake my head. “Don’t ask.”

He kicks the door closed behind him. “Are you bleeding?” he asks as he throws his bag to the floor.

I reach up and feel the dry blood on my nose crack beneath my fingers. I grit my teeth in pain. “Yeah…” I say. “I was.” The memory of that brute’s fist knocking me out rings through my head. Pain pierces my nose as I touch it and it travels all the way to my ears and back.

“Did Piper hit you?” he asks.

I walk into the bathroom and hold a wash cloth under the tap. “Not exactly,” I answer. I move the wet towel under my nose, being careful not to push it back even an inch or else feel the continued wrath of Piper fucking Lynch up through my olfactory nerve. It takes forever, but I manage to clean the blood off my skin and inner nostrils. I throw the towel in the trash can before returning to the room.

Shawn, now fully clothed, lies on Piper’s empty bed with the television remote grasped between his fingers. “You know, I used to think you were good at the whole seduction thing,” he says.

I glare at him before falling onto the free bed. I want to argue and defend myself, but there’s no sense in trying at this point. Piper’s out of my league. Always has been — and probably always will be. It’s not like I give a shit anymore anyway. I wasn’t trying to seduce her tonight. I wanted to keep her safe, but I guess that just makes me an asshole. Oh, well.

I stare at the ceiling and close my eyes while I listen to the foreign voices coming from the television in the corner.

***

Buzz buzz.

Buzz buzz.

My head throbs with pain. I feel it long before I open my eyes. Even in my dreams, I could feel it pounding away, that phantom pain my dream-self couldn’t figure out. I glance around the dark room and sit up. Shawn’s lost to the world, trapped beneath a mountain of pillows and blankets. Snores fill the air around him.

I yawn and immediately regret it as I move my nose muscles and flinch with great pain. I slink off the bed and enter the bathroom to search for some kind of painkiller. Thankfully, this dank and cheap Italian hotel has a cabinet partially stocked with sample-sized pills. I’m not sure what it is, honestly, but I don’t give a crap. I just want the pounding in my head to stop.

I fill my mouth with sink water and swallow them down. My face sports a fresh purple bruise along the bridge of my nose. I turn away almost immediately. Fuck this place, man. Piper’s completely right. When we reach Paris, it’s time for a separation of ways.

I step back into the room and plop back onto the bed.

Buzz buzz.

The vibrations pull my attention towards the bedside table between the beds. A phone shines brightly into the dark room, then quickly dims itself. It’s not mine, and I’m pretty sure it’s not Shawn’s either. Which means…

It’s Piper’s. She must have left it behind.

I reach for it without thinking and flick the screen on to find a series of unread text messages on the lock screen, all sent within the last ten minutes. It’s nearly five in the morning — who is sending her messages at five in the morning? I suppose it could be someone in America, different time zones and all that. I search the screen for a name, but the number is labeled only as M.

I can’t believe you’re actually here.

Here’s my address in Paris.

See you soon. ;)

I lower the phone, fighting the extreme urge to react to this. Obviously, Piper has arranged to meet up with someone in Paris. I remember that email I found in her itinerary. The one from some fucker named Dante. Is M just a French Dante? Some guy she met over the internet? Who else would use a stupid fucking winky face in a text message like that? I know what that means. It’s douche bag talk for “Come here so I can fuck your brains out.” I wish I had scanned through more of her itinerary before charging out to that fucking club. I could have solved this mystery already. M. Who the fuck are you? There’s probably more messages from him, but I can’t open her phone or else she’ll know I saw these.

I take out my own phone and snap a photo of the messages on the lock screen, complete with this bastard’s address.

Sure, Pipes. We can go our separate ways once we get to Paris.

But I won’t be too far behind you.

***

“Well, you’ve certainly dug quite the hole for yourself, Kai.” Mandy slides the compartment door closed behind her and sits down in the empty seat across from me.

I sigh and stare out the window to avoid her judgmental gaze. “Mandy… please. I don’t need this right now.” My face still aches from the night before and talking only makes the pain so much more intense. A French sunset hangs on the horizon in front of me. I stare at it instead.

“A swift kick in the ass is what you need,” she says, “but someone already took care of that for me.” She leans forward to get a closer look at my nose. “You should get that checked out.”

“I’m fine,” I mutter. “And what do you care anyway?”

She sits back. “Don’t be a jerk, Kai. I’m waving a white flag here.”

I see the concern on her face. “Sorry,” I tell her. “Where’s Shawn?”

“Diner car. Again.” She rolls her eyes. “Apparently, they’ve got some great pastries or whatever.”

I hesitate a moment. “And Pipes?”

She takes a breath. “Piper is Piper.”

Outside of the occasion visit from Shawn, I’ve been locked in this compartment by myself for the last five hours. Or has it been six hours? Seven? It doesn’t matter. I spent the first hour of this final trip trying to get Piper to look at me and talk to me, but she refused every time. I finally said fuck it and retreated into the compartment. Is she doesn’t want to talk to me, then fine.

I grip my phone in my jacket pocket. M. Whoever the fuck you are. I can’t get the image of Piper pinned against that club wall out of my head. I don’t even want to imagine what she’ll be doing once she gets to this guy’s fucking apartment in Paris. I checked out the address earlier. Of course it’s in a really shitty neighborhood, from what I could tell by the online map. Trash on the ground. Surrounding buildings in decay. You’ve picked a real fucking winner to hook-up with, Piper.

“You really care about her, don’t you?”

I snap out of it and shoot Mandy a short glance. “Yeah, well… it hasn’t done me much good so far.”

“It doesn’t have to be like this between you two, you know,” she says. “You’re both mature, reasonable people — most of the time.”

I snort. “Piper obviously has no interest in hearing what I have to say to her.”

“That’s because you’re saying the wrong things,” Mandy offers. “I think you’d be pleasantly surprised if you said what you actually felt.”

“Oh?” I smirk. “Is that what she told you?”

“No. She didn’t have to. Like I said, you’re both mature, reasonable people. You’re telling me you wouldn’t stop and take notice if she confessed her real feelings towards you?”

“Piper’s been plenty honest so far about her real feelings towards me.”

She pauses and her eyes fall to the window. “I wouldn’t say that.”

“Mandy, I’m not sure how else I can interpret the words ‘Fuck off, Kai. I never want to see your face ever again.’”

She shrugs. “Maybe you’re right.” She runs her hands across her thighs before standing up. “But if you want my opinion… I think you’re both wrong.”

I watch her as she slides the compartment door open. “Hey, Mandy—” I say, stopping her. “Thanks.”

She smiles at me, but says nothing else before closing the door behind her.

I hope you’re right, Mandy. I’d love to sit here and imagine a life in which Piper Lynch and I could see eye-to-eye on anything. I’d love to be able to stare into her deep, blue eyes and see her looking back at me with love and affection instead of the usual hatred and rejection. Hell, twenty-four hours ago, I might have even said it was a possibility. I kissed her without a second thought, convinced it was something the both of us wanted. But I was completely wrong. It didn’t stop her from running off into Rome and going to that fucking club. If she really wanted me, she wouldn’t have done that.

I pull my phone out of my pocket and stare at the messages from M. It’s our last day in Europe. Our flight back home is tomorrow afternoon. From now until then, it’s my job to get Piper home in one piece. That’s all I want now. She might be hellbent on self-destruction by sending messages to complete strangers and getting violated in shadowy corners with them, but I can’t just sit here and let her do it. I promised her father I’d keep her safe. Sure, it was an empty promise at the time, but I didn’t know then what I know now. Would I have made the same promise if I had known?

Shit, I don’t know. I’d like to think so.

I’m such a fucking gentleman and all.

***

I watch Piper closely as the four of us make our way through the hotel lobby in Paris. She keeps her head down, seemingly disinterested in the admittedly impressive hotel we’ve found ourselves in, with her eyes locked on her phone. Her fingers tap away at the screen, sending out text messages and then immediately replying as they come back to her from M, I assume. I’ll know your face soon enough, you bastard.

Shawn and Mandy exchange a quick kiss in the hallway as we part ways with the girls to enter our separate rooms. “I wonder if there’s some dark stairwell she and I can sneak into later…” Shawn thinks aloud once we’re inside.

I chuckle. “You feeling the itch that bad?” I ask.

“Hey — you go eight months without getting any and see how you like it. She’s right there, ready and willing, and I can’t get her alone because you can’t get along with your damn sister.”

“Well, it’s just one more night,” I tell him. “Then, we’ll be back home and off to college — the same college as Mandy, by the way — and the two of you can resume pounding away at each other like rabbits.”

He points a finger at me. “And I don’t want to hear any complaints from you about her spending too much time in our dorm room.”

“You won’t,” I promise. “Mandy and I are cool.”

“Damn straight.”

I laugh quietly to myself and drift over to the window. The hotel itself has a really decent view of the city. We’re not too far away from the Eiffel Tower. It’s lit up bright against the dark night sky above. “Hey, maybe the two of you can take a walk to the tower later. Seems romantic enough.”

“Mandy and I aren’t the romantic types,” he replies. “We just want to bone.”

I shrug. “You’ll be together forever then, I’m sure.” I recall my one night with Mandy and I smile. He’s right. I remember tossing all sorts of romantic phrases at her, only to have them joked back at me through smirking lips. ‘We going to do this or what?’ she finally asked. And the rest is history.

If only Piper fucking Lynch were that easy, then none of this shit would have ever happened.

My eyes drift down to the street again and I immediately do a scan for dark-haired women. If Piper is desperate enough to get to this M dude, then she may have already left the hotel.

“It’d be great if you could make yourself scarce for a few hours…” Shawn says. I roll my eyes. “You know… I’m sure there’s something a stud like you can find to keep himself preoccupied.”

“Yeah, maybe,” I spit. Shawn truly has a one-track mind tonight. It’s fiercely annoying to say the least. However… “Yeah,” I say again, my mind changing fast. “You’re right. I’ll go now, actually. I’m feeling pretty hungry and I could use some fresh air.”

Shawn pumps his arm in victory. “That’s what I’m talking about.”

I nod and reach for the doorknob. “I’ll see you later.”

“Hey!” he shouts after me. “Send a word of warning first, ya know? In case we’re in the throes or whatnot.”

I smirk and close the door behind me. As I pass the girls’ room, I silently press my ear against it and I hear Mandy’s high-pitched voice chatting away. She’s obviously not talking to herself, so I can safely assume she has Piper’s ear. Good. I feel so much better when I know her exact location.

I descend the elevator to the lobby and step out into the busy Paris street. The increased foot traffic on the sidewalks should give me a good cover coupled with the dark shadows beneath the trees across the street.

When Piper leaves this building tonight, I’m going to know about it.

An hour later, I see her step outside. My curiosity immediately peaks. I expected some kind of come-get-me outfit like the kind she wore to the Fire and Ice club, something revealing and easy to remove. It’s nothing like that. She’s in normal clothing. A simple blue t-shirt. Jeans. A light jacket sits over her shoulders. She drags her suitcase behind her and carries her phone in one hand. She constantly peaks down at it as she glances around for roadsigns and other landmarks around her. Everything she brought with her to Europe is on her person right now. Why would she take it with her? If she were just going out for a hook-up, then she wouldn’t need her suitcase.

I flex my fingers, rolling them tightly into a ball. I’m not sure what’s going on in Piper’s mind right now, but one thing is definitely certain: She has no plans to come back to the hotel tonight.

“Once we reach Paris, we’ll go our separate ways.”

I keep a safe distance and follow her through the streets of Paris. It’s dark and I constantly lose her in the crowd. Her black hair drifts between the shadows of buildings, but I manage to keep up with her with my own phone guiding me in the same direction towards this M bastard. Dark clouds obscure the night sky, sending promise of a coming storm on the horizon. I pull my jacket a little tighter as a cool wind chills the air. We travel on foot for several miles together. A cosmic string binds me to her, pulling me along, refusing to let me rest even for a moment or else it might snap and I’ll lose her forever.

Finally, she pauses and walks into the old apartment building just as the rain begins pouring from overhead. I speed up and check the address again to confirm it’s the same one from M’s messages before following her inside.

Apartment C12, three floors up in a building with no elevator. I listen carefully from the bottom of the stairwell as Piper’s boots climb higher and higher up. I shake the rain off my jacket and I ascend far behind her, keeping my ears focused. I’m blind now to her movements, but I breathe easy knowing that she can’t disappear on me now.

Her knuckles rap on the door and several moments later, I hear it open.

A door on the second floor swings ajar as I pass by it, sending a quick shock to my system. A man and a small child step out of the apartment. The child speaks quickly and loudly in French, his little hand poking up to touch his father’s thigh. I step out of the way to let them pass by and the man glares at me and my busted nose with suspicion before reaching down and picking the child up. I say nothing as he thumps his way down the stairs.

I curse quietly to myself, angry that I missed Piper and M’s greeting. I take the rest of the stairs two at a time and reach the vacant third floor. I follow the doors down the hallway until I find C12.

My instincts drive me, urging me to rip the door off the hinges, but I’m not confident enough in my manliness to even attempt that. Instead, I ball my hand into a tight fist and I pound on the door. I don’t know what I’ll do when it opens. I haven’t thought that far ahead yet. I just want to know who is on the other side of this door with Piper. I don’t hear any voices behind it, which means they got silent a little too quickly. I want to know what she is doing. I want to know what the hell she is thinking. I pound on it again, and again, until finally, the door opens suddenly.

My hand falls to my side as I look down at her face. Long, black hair. Startling blue eyes. A thin, paper-white face. But it’s not Piper. Her features are far sharper, more graceful, and very, very familiar to me.

“Kai Casablancas…” She says my name with a smile teasing the ends of her lips. Her voice is warm, much warmer than Piper’s has ever been. Her eyes glance down my body and I remain frozen in place. “You certainly have grown up.”

“Mrs. Lynch?” I whisper.

She laughs. “Oh, son. I haven’t been known by that name in a very long time.”

Piper moves in behind her, standing a few inches shorter in height. Her hand quickly moves to her face and she pushes a wet tear off her cheek. “Kai, what are you doing here?” she asks.

“Piper, let’s not be rude,” her mother says, silencing her. She looks back at me and smiles. “Please come in, Mr. Casablancas.”

She shifts over and gestures for me to step inside.

Chapter 13

Piper

Mom.

I remember the last time I saw her.

It was two years ago, just shortly after my father remarried. We were having lunch together and she told me that she was going to leave the country for awhile.

“When are you coming back?” I asked her.

“I’m not sure,” she told me. “I want you to know that it has nothing to do with you, Piper. I’ve just… Well…” She paused to take a sip of her coffee. “Things have not gone according to plan for me and I need some time to myself. I hope that someday you’ll understand that.”

It was difficult news for me to hear. I was just barely sixteen, standing at the door to womanhood. I wanted my mother there with me always to help me through it and to guide me when I felt lost. The thought of her not being there every time I turned around was devastating to me.

But I understood her completely. I had done nothing wrong, nor had she. My father, on the other hand…

I kept in touch with her constantly, a fact my father wasn’t happy with. He saw her as a pest, something he finally got rid of in exchange for a better, more-improved version. He didn’t want the constant reminder of her following me around all day, whispering things in my ear, diluting the brainwashing he spent nearly a decade overwriting into my brain.

It sounds dramatic, and it probably is my own special brand of it, but there’s been one driving thought pushing me forward since the day I said goodbye to my mother at the airport. That someday, I’ll be reunited with her and I’ll never have to see my father again.

The lights flicker above the kitchen table as lightning strikes the world outside. I glance up at them, counting the few seconds between the lightning and crashing thunder. When I look back down, I meet Kai’s eyes across the table from me. He’s no doubt full of questions for me, but I’m not ready to answer them just yet.

My mother sighs to herself as she pulls three small plates from the cupboard. “Third storm this week,” she says. “It’s a good thing I bought new candles.” She sets the plates onto the table next to the beautifully decorated red velvet cake in the center. There are ten candles lit around its edges with the words Congratulations, Piper written in frosting.

“Mom, you didn’t have to do this…” I laugh.

“Oh, yes, I did,” she says. “I didn’t make it to your graduation and I wanted to celebrate with you.” Her hand falls to Kai’s shoulder. “And you. Having you here is a wonderful bonus in itself worthy of celebration.”

He grins up at her. “It’s nice to see you, too, Mrs. Ly—” he stops to correct himself for the third time this evening, “Penny.”

I shake my head at him. Old habits really do die hard. My mother laughs softly and sits down at the round table with a long knife in her hand. She maneuvers the cake to the right angle in front of her and cuts a perfect triangular slice. “So, Kai…” she begins, her little eyes peaking at him as she works. “Now that you’ve also graduated, what’s in store for you?”

He sits up a little taller in his chair and thinks for a second before answering. “It’s all still very wide open,” he finally says.

“As it should be,” my mother says. She gently places a slice of cake onto a plate and passes it off to him. “I’ve never understood the belief that young people are supposed to have the next thirty years of their lives figured out by age eighteen. I didn’t and I’ve honestly never met a person whose life went according to their plans.”

“That’s honestly very comforting, Penny,” Kai laughs. “Thank you.”

I find myself smiling across the table at him. His eyes shine as he speaks to my mother and I can tell that he genuinely enjoys her company. I remember now how he always used to treat her with great respect, displaying impeccable manners whenever she was around him. She passes a slice of cake over to me. “He’s going to USC,” I add.

My mother raises an eyebrow. “That’s a great school,” she nods. “Good for you, Kai.”

He shakes his head. “It’s nothing special,” he says.

“It’s not the school’s job to be special,” she says with a pointed finger. “It’s what you do there that makes it special.”

My mother. Always the beacon of sage advice. It’s usually sloppy and made up on the spot, but still a source of great comfort to me growing up.

Kai nods, enjoying her words as much as I am. “I’ll have to remember that one,” he says.

“I’ll write it on a postcard and send it to your dorm,” she replies. “You must leave your address with me before you leave. I will send you care packages.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“And your mother?” she continues. “How is she?”

I grow tense and I see Kai’s shoulders do the same. His mother. The other woman. Her former best friend. His eyes touch mine for a moment before he glances back at her. “She’s all right, I think,” he answers. “She hasn’t really taken the idea of me leaving home all that well. I caught her in my room last week putting my laundry away, which was strange because I don’t think I’ve ever seen her do laundry before in my life.”

My mother laughs at the thought. “Well, she’s going to miss you,” she says. “I can relate to not being able to see your only child whenever you want to.”

Kai nods at me. “I guess you can.”

She smiles warmly at him before shifting her attentions back to me. “I certainly can,” she says softly. Her hand touches mine and I feel her warm touch flow through her fingers onto my skin. It brings a heavy smile to my face. It’s so strange how much I’ve forgotten my mother’s comfort and how quickly it’s all coming back to me now.

“I can tell her you send your regards,” Kai says. “If you want.”

She chews on her lip. “That won’t be necessary,” she smiles with a hint of lingering malice behind her eyes.

Kai smiles in understanding before digging in to his cake.

***

“So, he followed you here…” My mother passes a freshly washed dish to me and I give it a quick wipe with a cloth before stacking it in the drying rack.

I glance over my shoulder with discretion. Kai sits at the kitchen table with his phone in his palm. “He did,” I say quietly.

Her hands fish inside the water for silverware at the bottom of the sink. “And he had no idea I was here?” she asks.

“I don’t think so,” I shake my head. She shoots me an amused stare before her eyes flick back down to the water below. “What?” I ask.

“I always wondered when the two of you would finally notice each other,” she says.

“It’s not like that, Mom.” I scrub a glass a bit too dry.

“Well…” She looks over her shoulder and back again. “Look again, sweetie.” I shake my head and wipe down the fork she hands me, fighting the urge to glance at him again. She drains the sink and dries her hand on another towel before turning around. “Kai—”

I wipe down the last of the silverware and turn around as he looks up. “Yes, ma’am?” he asks.

“I’m going to have to insist you stay here tonight,” she says. I want so badly to intervene, but I know it won’t change a damn thing. “This storm isn’t going anywhere and I don’t want you walking back on your own.”

Kai stands up from the table and slips his phone into his pocket. “Uh…” he breathes. “Are you sure?”

She walks across the kitchen to him. “Of course I am, Kai. You have always had a place in my home.” She pushes herself onto her toes and plants a quick, motherly kiss on his cheek. “No arguments. You can take the couch and Piper will share with me.”

He grins at her. “All right, Penny.”

Her hand lingers on his chin. He looks at her with confusion as she admires his face. “Oh — this jaw.” She shakes her head as she drops her hand. “Don’t you dare stop growing up.”

He laughs with red cheeks. “I will do my best.”

She looks back at me. “It’s late and I am very tired. I’ve forgotten how utterly exhausting you are, Piper.”

I step across the room, driven by the sudden devastation of her leaving me again, even if it is just down the hall. “Goodnight, Mom,” I whisper as I throw my arms around her.

She returns my hug and kisses the top of my head. “Don’t stay up too late. There’s much to be done tomorrow,” she says.

I nod as I pull away. She pats Kai’s shoulder one last time before leaving the room.

“Goodnight, Penny,” he calls after her.

“Goodnight, Mr. Casablancas.”

He smirks and watches her walk away before his eyes drift back to mine. He stares at me for a moment, his smile falling with each passing second. “Piper, I am so sorry,” he whispers. “If I had known it was her—”

“It’s fine,” I interrupt. “I’m… not mad.” I return to my seat at the table and he sits back down on his. It’s the truth, as strange as it is to admit. When my mother first answered the door, I was furious at him, but now… “I forgot how much she liked you.”

“So did I,” he chuckles. “I never realized how much I missed her being around.”

“I did.” I draw a line on the table with my fingernail. “I really did.”

He looks at me with sincere eyes. “You knew she was here this whole time?” he asks.

I nod. “Yeah,” I say. “She’s been traveling around the world for the last two years. And she’s serious about that postcard thing. I have a whole box full of them.”

He smiles and looks around the apartment. “And she lives here?” he asks.

“She’s got little hideouts all over Europe. A few in Asia, too,” I tell him.

“Wow…” he breathes. “Why didn’t you ever mention it?”

I shrug my shoulders. “Never seemed relevant.”

Kai furrows his brow. “Pipes, come on. Your mom was like an aunt to me.”

“Sorry…” I say. “My dad always got so mad when I mentioned her. I just kept my mouth shut after awhile.”

He nods. A bit of thunder rolls outside and I listen for the rain tapping against the windows. “She hasn’t changed a bit,” he notes.

I smile. “No, she hasn’t.”

“I’m happy I got a chance to see her before we go home tomorrow.”

I pause, the words dancing on the tip of my tongue. It was never my intention to tell him, but he’s already come this far. If I don’t tell him now, then he’ll just find out in a few hours anyway. “I’m not going home, Kai,” I whisper.

“What do you mean? Of course you’re going home…” His voice softens with each syllable.

“No, Kai…” I stare at the table between us. “I’m not.” He watches me with confusion, no doubt waiting for me to explain more to him. “You crashed a one-way trip.”

“Piper…” He gives a light chuckle. “You’re Piper fucking Lynch. You’re going to take over the world. You’re going to Harvard—”

“No, my dad thinks I’m going to Harvard.”

“Then where are you going to school?” he asks, still not getting it.

“I’m not.”

“What are you talking about? Of course you’re going to school—”

“There’s nothing a lecture hall can teach me that I can’t learn out here.”

He shakes his head. “But you’re enrolled in classes. You start in like two days.”

I hesitate. “I never even applied, Kai…”

He sits back in his chair, his brow furrowing a little more. “Your Harvard acceptance letter has been plastered to our refrigerator since March,” he says.

I run my fingers along my lips, the tips of my nails grazing my teeth. “It’s impressive what one can do with a decent word processor and some fancy stationary.” I pull my fingers down, fighting the nervous urge to bite my nails.

“Pipes…”

I look up at his face and his handsome, tortured eyes. “I’ve lived my entire life in my father’s shoe box… and I’m not going back there.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

“I don’t expect you to understand, Kai.”

“You’re damn right I don’t understand. You have to come home, Piper,” he argues. “You don’t belong here — You can’t afford to live like this.”

“My trust fund unlocked when I turned eighteen,” I tell him. “I can do whatever I want.”

“Oh, and that trust fund doesn’t say anything about not using that money to wander around the world like a bum?”

I lean in and keep my voice down. “My father’s trust fund for me is very specific on how I’m to spend the money. My mother’s fund for me, on the other hand, has no such restrictions.”

“So that’s it, then?” he asks with a stiff shoulder shrug. “You’re just gone? You’re not coming home?”

“That was never my home in the first place, Kai. I’m staying here with my mother. She’s my home.” My throat hurts from finally saying it all out loud. The pain radiates through my chest as I watch him beg.

“What about all the people that care about you?” he whispers.

“No one cares about me.”

“That’s…” His lips shake. “That’s really not true, Pipes…”

“I’m sorry, Kai…” I swallow in a futile attempt at forcing my tears down. “I’m not going back with you.”

Everything he’s feeling flashes at me behind his eyes. I watch him go from blistering sadness, to righteous anger, and back again. “I don’t know anything about who you really are, do I?” he asks.

“You officially know more than about ninety-eight percent of the people in my life.”

He hangs forward and rests his palms against his head. I keep quiet, knowing that he’ll need time to process this. I wish that he never followed me to Europe in the first place. This would have been so much easier if he never kissed me on that train. I wish I could just go back to a week ago when I was so sure I hated him. Then I wouldn’t feel like this—

“No.” His voice finally breaks the silence. “This is bullshit.”

“Kai—”

“No, Piper. This isn’t right. Think about what this is going to do to your father,” he pleads.

“I have.”

“And what? You just don’t care?”

“No, I do care. And that’s what makes me different than him.”

He shoots back in his chair to sit upright. I flinch. “Is that what this is about? Him and my mother?” I look away as a fit of anger swells within me. “People cheat, Piper. People get divorced. It didn’t have anything to do with us. You don’t have to be so bitter about it.”

“I’m not bitter—”

“She said bitterly with a bitter expression—”

“Okay, you know what?” I interrupt. “Fine. I am bitter. My father destroyed our family and humiliated my mother in court because your mother’s tits were just a little bit larger. Sorry if that makes me feel a little bitter.”

He stares at me. “So what?”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me. So fucking what?” he asks. “You really want to get back at him, then you should bleed him dry from the inside out. Tap his resources. Don’t just disappear like some damn teenage runaway.”

“I don’t want to tap his resources.” It’s exhausting to defend my decisions, but that won’t stop me from trying. “I don’t want anything from him. He got his eighteen years to play tyrant and I’m done. I’m out. Goodbye. It’s over.”

“There are other ways, Piper.”

“I disagree, Kai.”

“You hate him this much?” he asks. “You hate your life back home this much?”

I don’t hesitate. “Yes.”

He flexes his jaw and takes a quick breath. “You hate me this much?”

I open my mouth to answer, but I lose the words on my tongue. “Why don’t you just say what you’re really thinking, Kai? For once. Just say it.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he seethes.

“I’m talking about the real reason why you don’t want me to stay here.” I gesture around the room. “The reason why you’re sitting in my mother’s kitchen right now. We both know it has nothing to do with Philip Lynch’s feelings.” He doesn’t answer. Instead, he stares back at me with shaking eyes. “Say it, Kai,” I beg him again, but still, he stays quiet. “You can’t, can you? I don’t want you to leave me, Piper. I will miss you. I want you. Say it!”

Kai licks his lips. “I don’t want you to leave me, Piper,” he repeats my words back at me slowly, his eyes never falling from mine. “I will miss you. I want you. And I’m in love with you.”

Thunder cries out as another bout of rain strikes the windows outside, but I can barely hear it over my pulse dominating my ears. My body forces a breath into my lungs before I stand up from my chair.

“Pipes—”

“Goodnight, Kai,” I whisper. I step away from the table and wander slowly to the back of the apartment. Every instinct in me wants me to turn around and look at him, but I keep my face forward until I reach my mother’s room.

I lie in bed, staring at the ceiling, as my mother dozes softly next to me.

Dammit, Kai…

Chapter 14

Kai

Dammit, Piper…

What the hell is she thinking? A week ago, I had a very vivid image of her in my mind. Smart, beautiful, and talented Piper fucking Lynch. She’s a goody-goody. Daughter of the headmaster. The Ivy League bound Valedic-fucking-torian. The stick in her ass was lodged inside a little too far, but it helped maintain an elegant posture that made her tits look fantastic from just about every angle.

But it was all bullshit. She’s no goody-goody. She’s as wild as they come and smart enough to hide it. The only real thing she’s talented at is pissing me the fuck off. Who the hell does she think she is? Running away to Europe without telling anybody? Lying to her father about going to school? Lying to me about… fucking everything? She’s a stupid, selfish, borderline psychotic mess of a teenage girl.

But I’m in love with her.

And she doesn’t even fucking care.

Rain slaps hard against the window. Lightning crashes every other minute, shooting shadows through the unfamiliar room. I bounce a bit on the couch to get comfortable and lay my arm over my face to block the flashing light. I want to sleep. I want to drift off into another dimension for a few hours so I don’t have to think about Piper fucking Lynch. Not that it would help anyway, because she’ll just show up in my dreams and piss me off a little more.

I sigh with frustration and rub my face with both hands. “Jesus—”

Her shape lingers above me on the couch, wearing only her blue shirt and panties. I shoot up as my heart nearly bursts out of my chest. “Christ, Piper…” I breathe hard and sit back against the couch. Her pale skin stands out in the darkness and her black hair falls straight down past her shoulders. “You look like one of those Asian ghost girls…” I rub my eyes and look up at her. She’s staring down at me with a somber expression. Little breaths rush past her lips. “What is it?” I ask her.

I watch as Piper bends over and slides her panties to the floor in front of me. I can barely see her mound in the darkness, but my cock twitches nonetheless. She slowly lowers herself down to the couch and straddles me.

“Piper, what—”

“Shh…” she whispers. Her fingers touch my lips and I taste her skin on them. I stare into her eyes, the vast blue oceans of deep sea beauty, as she slowly kisses me.

Her intoxicating flavor invades my senses, sending my blood pumping through my veins, firing down to ignite my swelling cock. The perfume on her skin strikes my nose. My fingers tremble against her bare thighs. I want to grab her, to take her into my arms and never let her go, but I hesitate and hold my desires back.

“Piper,” I whisper her name and she pauses above me.

Her warm breath strikes my wet lips as her hands move down my body. I shiver as she unzips my jeans and sigh when she wraps her little fingers around my thick shaft. Her breath shakes as she trembles with anticipation. I kiss her again and pull her in closer. Her warm slit is so close to my tip. I can feel it against me. I rake my teeth along her lips, breathing heavily as she guides me between her folds.

The slightest of moans teases her throat as I slip inside. I put my lips on hers to absorb the sound and she kisses me with a passionate fury. I wince in sudden pain as my nerves remind me of my busted nose. She slows her intense kisses down, but she never abandons my lips for a second. Rain drums against the windows as she rides me up and down. I grip her little body hard against me, guiding her in the darkness. Her fingers push behind my neck and she wraps her fists in my hair, squeezing tightly as her body reacts to me pushing inside of her. I love everything about the pain she brings me. I return the favor and scratch up her body beneath her shirt to cup her breasts. Those wonderful, big tits I’ve dreamed of coping a feel of since the day she grew them. I almost grunt in satisfaction, but she bites my lips to keep me quiet. She’s so tight and moist inside, even more so than I ever imagined her to be.

I hold her still and grind harder inside of her. She moans silently against my lips, meeting every one of my thrusts with her own passions. We take it all out on each other, each movement bringing us closer together after years of repressed sexual desire. The inner release is more tormenting than I ever realized. My heart bursts. My loins swell. My cock has finally met its match inside of Piper fucking Lynch.

She arches her back and rests her palms on my thighs. I keep her steady as she takes control of us. I want nothing more than to bury my face between her breasts, but I can’t help but stop and stare at her beautiful form instead. Shadows of the storm cast us in darkness, the occasional flash of lightning showing me the pleasure upon her face. She looks at me and smiles before allowing her tongue another taste of mine.

Her wetness squeezes tight around me and I know she’s nearing her edge. I take her with harder thrusts. She presses her lips together to fight the screams from tearing through her body. I hold her closely as my own passions run away with me. We moan together quietly just one time as we both climax. Small vibration pass between our lips. My cock twitches with extreme satisfaction. I lean back and her body blends together with mine.

“Piper…” I whisper. “I…”

“Shh… Let’s not…” she silences me and raises her head to rest her sweat-glistened forehead against mine. “Let’s just be.” She stares into my eyes until I nod in agreement.

She collapses against my shoulders and I hold her there with me until strength returns to us both.

***

I burst into the hotel room. Anger pounds away inside of me, driving me mad as I pace around the room. Shawn sits up in his bed, shirtless and out of breath.

“Hey, man…” he says, clearing his throat. “What’s going on?”

I nod at him, but I can’t bring myself to speak just yet. My eyes fall to the bed and I notice the lump lying next to him, concealed beneath a white sheet. “Hey, Mandy,” I say.

“Hey, Kai…” Her head slips out of the sheet and holds it against her naked breasts as she sits back.

“Sorry, guys…” I mutter.

“What’s wrong?” Shawn asks.

I look at Mandy. “Did you know about this?”

“Know about what?” she asks.

“Piper. Did you know Piper wasn’t coming home?”

She pauses and licks her lips. “Yes,” she says.

“And you didn’t try and stop her?”

“Wait — what?” Shawn asks. “What do you mean Piper’s not coming home?”

“Piper’s not going to school—” I taste the words. They leave a rotten flavor behind on my tongue. “She’s staying in Europe. It’s been her plan the whole time.” I stare at Mandy, expecting her answer.

“I didn’t try to stop her, Kai, because it’s not my place to stop her—”

“That’s bullshit, Mandy. You don’t just sit there and let your friends make mistakes.”

“Piper’s not making a mistake,” she argues.

I shake my head. “Are you fucking serious?”

“Look, Kai…” she leans forward and pulls the sheet a little tighter around her. “Piper Lynch is gonna do what Piper Lynch is gonna do. You can either get out of the way and sit beside her or you can stand in her way. And I don’t wanna be the guy standing in Piper Lynch’s way. Do you?”

“Wait—” Shawn begins, “where were you all night?”

“I was dealing with this shit,” I say quickly.

“With Piper…?” he hints.

I look away. “Yeah,” I answer.

“Can we assume that the two of you finally… you know…” He taps his closed fists together twice with a clever smirk. Even Mandy looks up at me with expectant eyes, eager to hear the scoop of the century.

Piper Lynch (Belle Academy Female #13) has officially been checked off the list. I hadn’t even thought about the bet at all until now. It used to be so important to me, one of the only driving forces I had. But now?

“No,” I finally answer. “Congratulations, man.”

He raises his hands in the air and celebrates to himself while I walk out of the room.

Chapter 15

Piper

“Where’s Kai?”

I glance at the couch over the top of my mug as I pour a bit of steaming brew down my throat. I lick my lips, relishing in the fresh French coffee taste, far better than anything I’ve had back home. The blanket he used is folded neatly on the cushions but Kai is nowhere to be found. “I don’t know,” I answer my mother. “He must have left early this morning.”

She stares at me from across the table and for a moment, I think that maybe she knows what happened between us. I thought at the time I had been careful and managed to keep my usually loose tongue silent, but I underestimated how good Kai would feel inside of me. The memory of it surges through my core, begging for me to take him for another ride — but it’s officially more complicated than that.

“Did you two have a fight?” she asks.

“No…” I bite my lips. “Not exactly. Well… I told him I wasn’t going back home and he didn’t like that. At all.”

My mother raises an eyebrow. “Well, I’m not the least bit surprised,” she says. “He followed you all the way here.”

“I know.” I comb my fingers through my hair. “I know.”

A quick smile graces her face. “Are you sure you want to stay here?”

“Of course!” I say. “I meant it, Mom. I’m not going back.”

“Okay.” She keeps her eternal calmness about her and I wonder how it managed to skip a generation. “But you may want to consider making things right with him before he does.”

I stare at the table between us. “I don’t know what good it’ll do.”

“It’ll give you a little peace of mind, I think,” she says. “And you’re not going to enjoy the rest of your European adventure with Kai Casablancas in your thoughts.”

“Maybe you’re right,” I say, filling the silent air.

“Parents make a whole lot of mistakes,” she continues, “and, eventually, we won’t be around at all. But your siblings — god willing — are the ones that’ll be by your side through it all. They know where you come from and they understand you better than anyone else. Sure, you’re not real siblings, but you’ve known each other long enough to be as close as the real deal.”

I take a deep breath and follow with a slow sigh. She’s right, of course she is, but I’m not sure I trust myself to go through with it. If I see Kai again, I might not be able to walk away as easily as I could before. Last night was a mistake in many ways, but perhaps it’s a mistake worth making twice. “I’ll go and say goodbye,” I say slowly. “Then I’ll come back here, grab my stuff, and make my train to London.”

“You sure you don’t want me to join you?” she asks.

“I think I want to do this one on my own,” I says. “No offense.”

She grins. “None taken. I remember my first time in Europe alone. There’s no better freedom.”

I nod. Freedom. It’s all I ever wanted, or so I thought. Freedom to wander. Freedom to live. Freedom to love…

My lips vibrate from the memory of us together — finally together. I touch my bottom lip, the feeling of his teeth nibbling at me still very fresh upon them.

Kai fucking Casablancas.

How am I supposed to say goodbye to you now?

***

Mandy closes in on me. “Take care of yourself, Piper,” she whispers.

I wrap my arms around her and she returns my embrace. “You do you, lady,” I tell her. I look over her shoulder and my eyes lock on Kai’s for a second. He looks away, pretending to pay attention to something else within the busy airport.

Mandy chuckles. “You do you,” she repeats.

I cup her face and kiss her softly on the lips to taste her sweet cherry lip balm on mine. We smile at each other and she takes a step back to join Shawn. I shake my head at that look of immature intensity in his eyes after seeing two girls kiss. “Bye, guys,” I tell them.

“Bye, Piper,” they both say as they turn away.

“You guys go ahead,” Kai says, his eyes on me. “I’ll catch up.”

Damn. No. Kai, just go.

Shawn nods and continues on his way, but Mandy’s gaze lingers on me. It’d be easy to ask her to stay and get out of this moment with Kai, but it would never bring me the closure I need to let him go. I gesture for her to move on and leave us and she gives me an understanding smile in return before pushing through the crowded airport.

“Piper…” he begins.

“Have a safe trip, Kai,” I say.

“Piper, please,” he whispers. “I’ll go, but I want to ask you something first.”

I cross my arms over my chest to hide my nervous shaking. “Okay,” I say.

“I want a genuine, honest response from you. Can you do that?”

I take a deep breath, wishing that he would just turn around and leave before I change my mind. Every time I look up into his eyes, I feel the urge to leave with him bubbling beneath the surface of me, fighting to get out. “Yes,” I answer.

He studies my face. “Why did you come to me last night?” he asks.

“I… wanted to know if it felt different with someone that loved me.” I say the first words that travel through my mind. They feel so very real and powerful, I believe beyond the shadow of a doubt that they’re true.

“Did it?” he asks.

I blink, unable to answer the question. I want to, I really do. But…

Kai takes a step closer to me. His hands travel to my arms and rest lightly on my elbows. “Come home with me,” he says.

“No,” I say.

“Piper, please.”

“Kai… no.” I shake my head. “I can’t. I’ve made my decision.”

I can see his teeth clenched together behind his lips. “You’re so damned stubborn, Pipes—”

“I’m stubborn?”

“Yes. You. You’re stubborn.”

I stop myself from continuing the banter, no matter how much I want to. It’s so easy to slip into that mode with Kai. It’s probably what I’ll miss the most about him. “Kai…” I smile. “Go home.”

“I don’t want to leave you without know where I can find you again,” he says.

“I’ll be around…”

“That’s not good enough.”

“Kai, please…” I’m slipping fast. If I don’t walk away soon, I won’t be able to at all.

“Fine,” he says. He takes a step back. His warm hands drop from my arms, leaving behind a wave of goosebumps. “It’s a real shame.”

“What is?” I ask.

He bends over and grips his duffel bag. “After twelve years, I was just starting to really get to know you.”

My heart breaks and I can’t say a word. A crushing sorrow knocks me off course. I close my eyes. If I keep them open, I know I’ll only look at him again and this time, I won’t be able to leave him.

“Goodbye, Piper.”

I open my eyes to see his back drifting off into the crowd.

“Goodbye, Kai,” I whisper.

***

My heart thumps harder in my chest with every step I take through the train station in Paris. My next stop is London and anyone with half a brain can look at a map and tell you that two are separated by a good stretch of water. I never thought much about it until just now when I realized I would be riding a train underneath the damn English Channel. Claustrophobia begins to set in, a sensation I’m certain I’ve never felt before, but I continue on in the name of adventure.

Besides, it’s a good distraction.

My phone buzzes in my hand and I pause to check the incoming message.

Have fun, sweetie!

I smile at the message from my mother. We just said goodbye nearly an hour ago and I already miss her deeply. It feels nothing like the last time I said goodbye to her as a young, confused girl of sixteen. Back then, I didn’t know when I’d see her again, but now, I know I’ll see her in a week’s time.

After that, my future is blank and I love everything about that. Nothing is written in stone for me by someone else’s hand. I’ll write my own adventure, make my own choices, and be my own person.

I chuckle softly to myself. Happiness swells within me, calming my senses as I hold the power button down on my phone. I promised my father I would keep it turned on for the entirety of the trip so he could check where I am at all times. The itinerary I gave him is now officially outdated.

“All right, Piper,” I say to myself. “Let’s do this bitch.”

I continue on and find the train with a few minutes to spare. It’s crowded, far more so than any other train I’ve taken so far. It’s full of so many different people, from obvious tourists to locals commuting to and from work. I push through the narrow aisles and double check my ticket for the correct seat. I wonder who I’ll be sitting by this time and surprise myself when my first thought isn’t whether it’ll be a tall, dark, and handsome stranger.

I enter the next car and freeze in the aisle. A smile touches my lips as I step closer to my seat. Kai Casablancas sits slouched back in the window seat next to mine with his arms crossed over his chest, like he was always meant to be there. I blink repeatedly, convinced that I’ve once again succumbed to a trick of the mind, but he’s still there every time I open my eyes. I don’t say a word as I raise my bag up and slide it into the compartment above the seat.

I sit down beside him in silence. Kai’s eyes are locked on the window, but I can clearly see his amusement pouring out of them. His satisfyingly smug grin teases the corners of his lips. Finally, I can’t take our silence anymore. “Don’t you have to be at school in two days?”

Kai shrugs his shoulders. “I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be right now,” he answers. “And the first week is nothing but orientation junk anyway…”

I sit back as my heart trembles. His presence now… it’s overwhelming me, but I can’t dwell on it without bursting. “So, I guess Shawn was happy to hear you finally completed your collection,” I say, attempting to play it cool.

He meets my eyes. “Actually, he was really disappointed when I told him I couldn’t pull it off,” he says.

I raise an eyebrow. My skin erupts in tiny sensations. “Was he now?”

“You remain the holy grail of Belle Academy lays, Piper.”

“Yeah, and what happens when you go home and have to explain this to everyone?”

“I honestly haven’t thought that far ahead yet,” he says. “And I don’t really care to.”

I exhale and grip the armrests to hold myself steady. “What did you lose?” I ask.

“What do you mean?”

“In the bet,” I say. “What were the terms?”

“Oh…” He tilts his head. “My car.”

“You gave up your car?” My jaw drops from shock. “You love that thing.”

“There will always be other cars.”

“But—”

“There are more important things worth holding on to,” he interrupts me and slips his hand around mine. “There’s only one Piper Lynch out there.”

I shake my head at him. “You’re an idiot.”

“I know,” he smiles. “I can live with that… but I can’t live without Piper Lynch.”

“Okay, that’s enough,” I laugh. “You’ve proved your point.”

“Really?” he asks. “I have like six more good lines before I’m tapped out.”

“Kai…”

“Yes, Piper?”

“Shut up.”

I lean in and kiss him softly. He stays still until I pull away and see that damned smug glint in his eyes once again. I shake my head at him before leaning in to steal another kiss. He returns my kisses this time, reaching out to cup my face with one hand to hold me against him.

Kai Casablancas.

Freedom will taste just as good with you here with me.

END OF BOOK ONE

Continue the Story of

Piper & Kai

RAIL ME, RIDE ME, RUIN ME:

A Stepbrother Romance

Whispers From Tabatha

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BLIND GIRL: A NOVEL

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Chapter 1

Close Your Eyes

“Come on, Alice. It’ll be fun.”

I shake my head, unable to fight the smile crawling across my face. Six little words. It’s Gabby’s catch phrase. I’ve lost track of how many times she’s said it to me since a computer randomly assigned us to be roommates in our university dorm a few weeks ago.

“We’re not going to get away with it,” I say without glancing up from my English textbook.

Gabby sticks her head out of the closet and rolls her eyes. “That’s not the point!”

“Can’t we just go see a movie?” I ask.

“We can go see a movie next weekend,” she says. “Tonight, I want to do this.”

I sigh and close the textbook. “Fine,” I mutter.

She smiles wide at me and resumes ruffling through our shared closet, picking and choosing between various articles of clothing. “I say we go with these,” she says as she turns towards me. In each hand, she holds up two little black dresses by the hangers. “They’ll make us look older. Your choice. Which one do you want?”

I slide off my bed and walk over. My eyes bounce from one dress to the next, finding the little difference between the two. One is strapless, the other features long sleeves. “I’ll go with this one,” I say as I take the sleeved one on the right, recalling that the forecast predicts a cold front on the horizon.

Gabby shakes her head twice. “So predictable.”

“Hey, if you want it, you can have it,” I say.

“No,” she says. “I got the one I wanted. This one shows more skin.”

I chuckle. “Now who’s predictable?”

She puckers her lips and kisses the air at me.

We wait until an hour after sundown to leave the dorm, giving us plenty of time to tweak our appearances to perfection. Gabby herself spends over an hour on her hair alone, curling her short, red locks into symmetrical ringlets around her head. There’s little I know to do with my long, brown hair, so I iron it straight and let it hang down just passed my breasts and focus on livening up my other features with the help of Gabby’s extensive collection of make-up.

Once Gabby approves of my look — a task she always insists on, even on casual trips across the street to the dining hall — we set out together into the autumn night to find a taxi cab.

“Where to, ladies?”

Gabby grins. “Downtown,” she says proudly.

The driver turns around in his seat. His eyes fall on us, scanning our bodies up and down until a chuckle heaves off his lips. “Whatever you say, ladies,” he croaks out of the corner of his mouth.

“Erin told me to focus on the smaller clubs,” Gabby whispers at me once the cab starts moving. “The bouncers are usually younger, inexperienced, and more susceptible to persuasion.” She briefly cups her breasts at the last word, pushing them upward to accentuate her sizable cleavage.

“Isn’t Erin dating a drug dealer?”

“So?” She furrows her brow at me. “Who cares? She does this like every other weekend. She knows what she’s talking about.”

“As long as we don’t get into any trouble…” I mutter.

“Alice, these are the years when we’re supposed to get into trouble,” she argues. “We’re eighteen years old. We are invincible. Nothing can stop us. The world is our oyster. We are woman. Hear us roar.”

“Calm down,” I laugh.

“Well, it’s true.” She sits back in her seat and snaps open her clutch to retrieve her phone.

We ride the remaining way in silence. Every mile we travel increases my heart rate, making me more and more nervous about what’s to come. Gabby is probably right. We’re eighteen years old. The crimes we commit at this age act only as feathers in our cap, a series of cautionary tales we’ll speak of only to our curious grandchildren when their parents aren’t listening.

Back in my day, it was easy to flirt our way into twenty-one and older clubs. I just flashed my pearly whites, squeezed my tits together, and men fell at my feet!

Unfortunately, my grandchildren will be sadly disappointed when I tell them about this.

“No way.” The bouncer crosses his thick arms about his chest. His black shirt stretches tight as he flexes his muscles to illustrate his dominance over us.

Gabby scoffs. “Oh, come on!” she whines. “I’ll give you my number.”

“Beat it.” He stands firms, blocking the entryway.

“Let’s go, Gabby,” I say as I lay a hand on her arm.

She sighs. “Fine.”

We continue walking down the street. Gabby’s heels click the pavement harder than mine. “This is such bullshit!” she growls. “Five clubs and not one of them will let us in.”

“Well, can you blame them?” I ask. “You still have baby fat in your cheeks.”

“This isn’t funny, Alice,” she seethes as she jerks her face in my direction. “God, this is so humiliating! And I’m freaking freezing!” She wraps her bare arms around her chest and I feel vindicated in taking the dress with sleeves.

I shrug my shoulders. “There are plenty of places we can get into,” I point out. “And it’s only ten.”

“I don’t want to go to one of those places. I want to go to one of these places.”

“Then what do you suggest?”

She pauses and takes a deep breath. Her toe taps lightly against the sidewalk while she chews her bottom lip in concentration. I can see the wheel spinning inside her head, a look I’ve become all to familiar with as she concocts her rebellious schemes.

And just as suddenly as it began, her eyebrow flicks up like a light switch.

“I know…” she mutters.

She keeps me waiting as her eyes scan the street around us.

“What?” I ask, the suspense tickling my toes.

“I think we’ve been thinking a little too inside the box on this one,” she muses. “Bars and clubs aren’t the only place to go when you want to party.”

“Okay…” I say, “and…?”

She bobs her head, gesturing upward with her eyes. I follow her gaze and crane my neck as my eyes travel higher and higher, stopping only when they reach the top of the skyscraper. I read the name silently to myself: Botsford Plaza.

“A hotel?” I ask.

Her smile splits from ear-to-ear. “My cousin used to tell me about all the crazy shit she used to do at fancy hotels like this one.”

“Like… order room service at three in the morning?”

She rolls her eyes. “Follow me,” she says as she wraps her arm around mine, locking us together as she struts towards the entrance.

The doorman stares at us with a raised nose, but eventually grips the door handle and lets us through without uttering a single word. It’s the first victory of the night and a surge of adrenaline courses through me.

“Oh, my…” Gabby moans as our eyes study our new and exquisite surroundings.

The hotel lobby shines with walls plated with gold trim and sleek, black leather furniture arranged purposefully about the room. The elevators glow as golden boxes in each corner. The staff don elegant black suits and dresses, embroidered with a shade of gold along every seam. Luxury is the word and it’s not a word I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing in my brief lifetime.

I glance at Gabby. Her mouth sits open in awe while her brown eyes reflect specks of gold. I wonder whether or not I appear just as silly.

“Looks like they’re having a party,” Gabby says as she points a finger. I stare straight ahead. Just after the reception desk, far away from the groups of people in cocktail gowns and tuxedos drinking champagne, lies a large set of black doors at the far side of the lobby.

Three doormen stand guard in front of them with perfect posture. The man in the center carries a golden clipboard. All of them scan the crowd, frowning, no doubt taking their jobs very, very seriously.

“Let’s go!” Gabby whispers at me as she pulls me through the lobby.

My heart races more and more with each step. There’s no way we’ll get through those doors, but I don’t have the heart to crush her dreams. It will be the same story as before. And yet, this time, as the black doors travel closer to me, and the eyes of those passing by flick in our direction, a keen sense of dread grows inside of me.

We’re not welcome here.

“I’m sorry, ladies,” the man with the clipboard says. He holds up his hand to stop us in our tracks before we even make it to the doors. He’s much shorter than the other men, who were obviously hired as muscle to stop exactly what Gabby and I are attempting to do. “It’s a private party. Please return to the main lobby.”

Gabby licks her lips and sticks her chest out. “Well, I’m sure there’s been some kind of mistake. We were invited.”

“By whom?” he asks with a raised eyebrow.

My eyes bounce between him and the two other men. They’re all twitchy, as if we are the first bit of action they’d had all night. Their fingers dance against their thighs, just hoping for us to cause a scene so they can bounce us out onto the street.

“Wow, you have no idea who we are, do you?” Gabby raises her little voice, drawing the eyes of those around us. “This is ridiculous. I have never been treated this badly here before!”

I dig my nails into her arm as I watch the guards crack their knuckles. The celebrity routine didn’t work at the last two places she tried it and it certainly isn’t working now.

“Please,” the man sighs. “Turn around and exit the building now, or I will have you removed.” His voice is stiff, like he’s rehearsed the line in front of the mirror countless times. But it’s no joke to him. His eyes show every bit of his intent to cast us out.

“There you two are!”

A new voice carries above the dull hum of the lobby. It scratches down my back, sending deep shivers across my skin. A hand falls onto my shoulder. I look up to find out who it is.

He’s older than us by a decade, possibly two. And handsome. Extremely handsome, with features I’ve only ever seen before on statues carved out in Ancient Greece. Black hair. Forest green eyes. A sleek, black suit. His eyes bounce from Gabby’s face, then over to mine. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you two!” He flashes me a subtle wink that shoots a sudden tremor through my knees. “You’re missing the party!”

“You know these girls, sir?” He asks it with a ludicrous tone, as if he already knows the answer.

“Of course I do!” He shifts behind our backs, his height towering above us, and reaches over to set his other hand on Gabby’s shoulder while keeping a firm hold on mine. “These are my guests!”

“They are not on the guest list, sir, nor are there any free slots,” the clipboard man states with rolling eyes. “They were not invited and unless I hear otherwise from the owner, I can’t let them in.”

“Well, I just so happen to have the owner right over here—” He turns and his hand drops off Gabby’s shoulder, but he keeps his grip on me. “Oh, Ian!”

He shouts across the lobby towards the sitting area next to the reception desk. Another man leans over a leather chair with one foot propped against an ottoman. His attentions lie on the woman in a green dress sitting before him, locked on her youthful face. He’s tall, clad in a deep blue suit, with blond hair brushed back over his eyes. His cheeks are pink and I get the feeling the drink in his hand is not his first of the night.

“What?” he asks without even a glance in our direction.

“There’s room for two more, right?”

“Sure, why not?”

He squeezes my shoulder as he turns back around to grin at the clipboard man. “Well, there you have it,” he smirks. “Straight from the owner’s lips.”

The clipboard man cocks his head and turns to the side. “Have a good night,” he mutters without emotion. He gives a nod to the muscle behind him and they open the black doors.

“Let’s go, ladies,” he whispers into our ears. “The night is still as young as you are.”

Gabby beams and immediately takes a step forward into the black doors, but I stand frozen in place. I want to move, but I can’t bring my muscles to function. I feel trapped, unable to budge without his strict instruction to do so.

“After you, my darling.”

I glance up at him again with shaking eyes. A smile sits on his lips. I take control of my feet and follow Gabby inside.

Just as we enter, the doors slam closed behind us. The golden safety of the lobby abandons me as I’m lead into perfect darkness.

I shudder with fear as my eyes adjust.

“Gabby?”

She doesn’t answer. I can’t see her.

I feel a strong hand on my back. It pushes me forward through the dark curtains and onto the main floor.

I had expected champagne and caviar. Maybe a string quartet. Or men in suits chatting about the stock market while the women admire each other’s shoes.

Twelve cages in total line the walls of the room. Young women sit inside ten of them. A beam of light shoots down from the ceiling above each cage, providing the only illumination for the entire room. The girls are young, not much older than myself, each one wearing nothing but a red bikini made of silk and a blindfold to match.

A few dozen men stand around the room. They drink and admire the girls, none of them talking above a whisper to each other.

My eyes land on the fishbowls, one sitting on a pedestal before each cage, filled to the brim with folded up slips of paper.

I finally lock eyes with Gabby.

“We have to leave,” I say to her. I wrap my shaking fingers around her elbow. “We shouldn’t be here.”

She looks at me with wide eyes, like a child in a candy store.

“What’s the matter, ladies?” He slinks in behind me, his body cloaked in shadows.

I flinch at the sound of his voice. “I… uh…” My voice shakes and fades off into the thick, warm air.

“It’s called the Blind Girl Party,” he explains. He rests his hand against my back once more and slowly pushes me towards the first cage. As he steps back in front of us, his hand slips into his pocket and he withdraws a rather expensive looking pen.

We come to a stop in front of the fish bowl. The light strikes his face, sending shadows down one side of him.

“If you want to take the girl home, you write your name on a slip of paper and toss it into her bowl.” He slides the lid off the pen and jots his name down on the notepad at the pedestal. “At the end of the night,” he continues as he tears the paper free, “she reaches inside and lets fate decide the victor.” He pauses for effect, his green eyes jumping between us at the right moments. “You can enter your name into as many bowls as you please.”

He takes the freshly folded paper and tosses it into the bowl. His hand lingers inside and he swishes the papers about, burying his own deep down.

“What happens if more than one girl chooses your name?” Gabby asks.

He smiles. “Then you go home one very, very lucky man.”

Gabby nods her head and looks around the room. “Sounds like fun,” she says.

I, on the other hand, taste bile in my throat. “Why would they do this to themselves?” I ask.

“What do you mean?” he asks with curious eyes. I flinch as he reaches out and snatches a glass from waiter’s tray as it passes by in the darkness.

“Isn’t it a bit… degrading?”

Gabby scoffs at me and crosses her arms. “Madame Killjoy strikes again.”

“No, she has a point…” His eyes never stray from mine. “I assure you, every girl is here because they chose to be. They find their own pleasures in it — even if it is simply to be taken home by a millionaire.”

Gabby leans in with wide eyes. “Is everyone here a millionaire?” she asks quickly.

“Gabby…” I mutter at her.

“No,” he answers her, smirking. “Some are billionaires. Like me.”

Her eyes dance around the room. She can’t contain her excitement any more than I can hide my disgust.

“Why are they blindfolded?” I ask.

He steps closer to the cage and I follow him without thinking. “Have you ever been blindfolded?” He questions me as he reaches between the bars. His fingers glide along the girl’s thigh. She twitches at his touch and her blonde hair slides over her shoulders as she jerks her head in his direction. He continues his trek along her milky skin and she coos in excitement, her body shaking.

“No,” I answer truthfully.

“There are great pleasures to be found everywhere in this world…” He continues to admire the girl in the cage. “But the best of them can be found in the most unexpected of ways… when you’re completely in the dark.” He withdraws his hand, but keeps his eyes on the girl’s face as she contorts with desire.

“Wouldn’t that be more frightening than sexy?” I ask.

He looks down at me with amusement. “Some people like to be scared,” he replies. “Don’t you?”

“No.”

“Well…” He takes a sip of his drink. “I guess this will all boil down to that old saying of ‘don’t knock it ‘til you try it.’”

I tear my eyes away from him and turn to look at Gabby. My heart skips. She’s gone.

“Gabby?” My eyes dart in all directions. “Where did she go?” I ask him, thinking that he may have seen her walk away.

“What’s your name?” he asks me, ignoring my question.

I shake my head. “Gabby?” I call again.

“What’s your name?” he repeats.

“It’s Alice—” I say, panic rising in my breast. “Where’s Gabby?”

“She went to have some fun.” He reaches down and places a hand on my wrist. “Maybe you should, too.”

I pull my arm away. “I have to find her.” I break free of him and attempt to navigate the crowd alone. It’s a room full of men. It shouldn’t be too difficult to locate one girl.

After a minute of searching, I let out a deep sigh.

“Alice…”

My body reacts to his voice with a chill that bleeds down my spine, teasing me to lose control. I long to hear him say it again, relishing in the way he keeps it on his tongue for longer than necessary.

I squint up at him to find his green eyes bearing down on me from nearly a foot higher. Once he has my eyes, he gestures behind me and points my attentions higher than the floor.

“Gabby!” I shout.

She stands in the center of a cage at the far side of the room. Her short, black dress has vanished, leaving behind nothing but her strapless bra and panties. I rush over to her, searching the floor around the cage for her dress, which is nowhere to be found.

Her eyes are lost by a blindfold, deep red in color.

“What are you doing?!” I say. “Get out of there!”

“No,” she laughs.

“We’re going home. Now.”

“If you want to take me home with you, put your name in my bowl!” she jokes, giggling to herself.

“This isn’t funny, Gabby. You have no idea who any of these people are.”

“I’ll be fine,” she growls. “Don’t worry. Go have some fun of your own. For once.”

I step back, pierced by the bite of her tongue. “Fine,” I say. I snatch a pen off the pedestal in front of her and scribble my name on a piece of paper to toss into her empty bowl. It settles to the bottom, immediately eclipsed by many other men who have gathered to do the same.

“She’s right, you know.” I turn to find the green eyed man hovering above my shoulder. “She’ll be fine,” he says with a calming tone.

“How do you know that?”

“Because this is a very professional group of people.” He leans in closer with serious eyes. “We don’t mess around here. Either there are two consensual adults involved or nothing happens.”

“That’s very reassuring,” I mutter with bite. Terror clouds my mind as I watch the men surround her cage. Hands push through the bars, fondling her breasts and legs. My skin crawls, but I can’t bring myself to look away from the spectacle.

“Do me a favor.”

“No,” I snap at him.

“Please, Alice.” He charms me with a whisper, laying his hands just below my shoulders and guiding me to turn away from the cage. “Humor me for a moment.”

“What do you want?” I stare at him with shaking vision. Blood rushes through my veins, igniting the thrill of my pounding heart.

He steps in closer. His hands inch up my shoulders, crawling closer to my neck. “Close your eyes,” he whispers.

I’m too defeated to argue with him and I do as he asks of me. I let the darkness fill my mind, pushing all of my focus towards the sound of his voice.

“Imagine you’re inside one of these cages,” he whispers. “You’re nearly naked. Exposed, but warm. Darkness fills the space around you, closing in on you. But inside that darkness lies a mystery. There’s one guiding light, Alice — and only one — that you can put your complete trust in.”

“And what’s that?” I ask, clinging to his every word.

“Me.”

I open my eyes and he smiles down at me.

“I’ll be there to show you the way when you cannot see it. To teach you when you don’t know what to do. To lead you when you lose your way. And you’ll enjoy every moment of it. I guarantee it.”

His seduction overwhelms me, leaving me mute, but consciously aware of his roaming touch. His fingers crawl down my arms like spiders until finally resting along the curve of my waist.

“Leave Gabby be,” he urges. “She’s made her choice. Now it’s time for you to make yours.”

I can’t look away from him, no matter how hard I try.

“Come upstairs with me, Alice,” he whispers. “I’ll show you what I mean.”

I nod my head.

“Good girl.” He takes my hand and leads me across the room, back to the exit. “You can call me Charles.”

I don’t look back at Gabby once.

BLIND GIRL: A NOVEL

Don’t Miss This Dark Alpha Male Romance

Written by Satine Sinclair & Tabatha Kiss!

Available Now Exclusively on Amazon!

Text and Story Copyright © 2015 Tabatha Kiss

All Rights Reserved.

This is a work of fiction intended for mature audiences only.

Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

All characters detailed within are eighteen years of age or older.

No characters engaging in sexual acts are blood related.

OJW Conversion -

Title Page

Mailing List

Chapter 1: Who Are You?

Chapter 2: I'm A Prisoner

Chapter 3: Factory Equipment

Chapter 4: Follow The Noise

Chapter 5: Now Hit Me

Chapter 6: It's Tradition

Chapter 7: Promise Me Again

Chapter 8: Get The Blood Off

Chapter 9: You're Not A Monster

Chapter 10: Start Over

Chapter 11: Code Of Conduct

Chapter 12: Girls And Bad Boys

Chapter 13: I'll Take Care Of You

Chapter 14: A Better Man

Chapter 15: The Untouchable

Epilogue

Midwest Alphas

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BONUS NOVELLA: RAIL ME

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Whispers From Tabatha

BLIND GIRL: A Novel

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