Hunter
She’s here.
I couldn’t believe it. Couldn’t believe she actually showed up.
Not only that, she dared to come over and try to speak to me, as if we were old buddies. Smug fucking bitch.
I watched her chatting with Katrina Seaborne, and my chest constricted as she casually flipped her shiny dark hair over one shoulder. She might come from nothing compared to the other kids around here, which would usually land someone on the bottom rung of the social ladder, but she was an undeniable stunner. Those looks would earn her a lot of popularity at RFA, and a lot of drooling admirers too.
Unless I could help it.
I kept staring at her, unable to tear my eyes away as a twisted memory started to play out in my mind like a movie. One dark event from the past; an event that changed everything about my life and my future, unfolding again and again and again.
My hands curled into fists by my side, and my lungs burned as I dragged in the air I needed. No matter how hard I willed myself to drop my gaze and focus on something else, I couldn’t. It probably wouldn’t help, anyway. No matter where I went today, the image of Laney would be seared into my mind.
Kairo’s hand landed on my left shoulder. “What the fuck was that?”
I snapped my eyes to his face. Laney and Katrina were still visible over his shoulder, and I could see my younger brother approaching them.
I’d have to warn him to stay away from Laney, though it probably wouldn’t achieve anything. We weren’t exactly close anymore—he only spoke to me when he needed something, and vice versa.
It wasn’t his fault. He wasn’t a bad guy. It was just that everything changed at our house after Lindsay died. We all shut ourselves off from the rest of the family. Adam and I stopped hanging out. Dad started working even more than he used to. Mom threw herself into prescription meds and wound up in rehab.
“What did you say?” I asked, looking back at Kairo.
“Why did you tell the new girl to fuck off?” he asked. “She’s hot.”
“Hey, if he’s not interested, I’m happy to tap that,” Justin cut in, making ass-slapping gestures with one hand.
I turned to him, narrowing my eyes. “Stay the fuck away from her,” I bit out, anger brewing in my guts at the thought of him or any of my other friends laying their hands on Laney.
She didn’t exist for their pleasure. She existed for mine. But not the sexual kind—the thrilling, victorious kind that would come after I degraded her, defiled her, and destroyed her.
Another set of images flashed in front of my mind. These ones were imaginary; a fantasy I’d conjured up so many times over the last few months that it seemed like a real memory now.
If only.
In my mind, Laney was under my control. A mere possession of mine. Ankles and wrists bound with rope. Bare skin mottled with angry bruises. Face stained with the tracks of old tears and streaks of mascara. Eyelids forced open so she could see the trouble and carnage she caused.
Picturing her trembling body and treacherously-beautiful face all twisted with panic made excitement and adrenaline rush through my veins like a potent drug. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think I actually wanted the little bitch on my cock, writhing and moaning with passion as I slammed myself into her.
It was funny how easily hatred could be confused with lust on a purely physical level, especially when the object of that hatred was as gorgeous and tempting as Laney Collins. But I didn’t want her. Not like that. All I wanted was to leave her life in ruins, and I intended to do just that.
The thought of her screams and cries sent a thrilling rush down my spine. I knew she would beg me, over and over. Plead for mercy. But she didn’t deserve it. Not even a shred. Especially when she made the stupid choice to show up here at RFA and parade her tight little body around in front of me. Mocking me. Tormenting me.
Kairo’s forehead creased. “Why don’t you want us around her? You two got some sort of history?”
Yeah, you could say that,I thought bitterly.
I could tell him exactly why I wanted him and the others to stay the hell away from her, but I had no intention of sharing the true story with anyone. Not even my family. It was between me and Laney.
I knew what she did. She definitely knew what she did.
And she was going to pay.
“She’s fucking trash, trust me. Unless you want your dick to fall off, don’t stick it anywhere near her,” I said.
“She can’t be that bad.”