Page 47 of Drown in You

I swallow down the rock lodged in my throat, wondering what he means by everything. “It’s wrong. And we need to stay away from each other.”

To my shock, Luke pushes off the wall, leaving my body cold in the darkness without his warmth.

I spin to face him, heart still pounding and knees weak with relief. Or maybe lust.

But he doesn’t disappear out the door. Not yet. My stepbrother jerks my chin up. “It’s too late for that. I’ll never be able to stay away from you. Now, run.”

“What?” My mind scrambles to process his order.

“Run, Sienna. If you can hide from me, I’ll let you go. For tonight. And if you can’t...”

My chest clenches. There’s no fucking way I can outrun Luke Valentine. He’s a hockey goalie in the best shape of his life. There’s no if.

He will catch me.

“And if I can’t?”

He flashes a sultry smile. “Then I’ll do everything you want me to do to you.”

My stomach flips. That’s simultaneously exactly what I dreaded he would say and what I hoped he would. “There’s nothing I want you to do to me.”

“You can’t lie to me.” He squeezes my chin. “I know what you really want.”

I jerk out of his grip. “What will people think if they see you chasing me around campus?”

If he really wants me the way he claims, he wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize my ability to stay here.

“They won’t know it’s me.” He pulls out a mask before slipping it over his head. It’s nothing like the masks Ten wore—the Ghostface mask, the purge mask, the Jason mask. All of which became my favorites.

This one is unlike any mask I’ve ever seen. Dark gray with slanted eyes like he’s permanently daring the world to fuck with him. A few small holes allow air to pass through in front of his mouth, and jagged crimson lines strike up his forehead from between his eyes like lightning bolts.

Like a devil’s horns.

“This is your last warning.” From beneath the mask, his voice is more ominous. Every hair on my body stands up. “Run before I catch you.”

I don’t bother waiting to see if he’s a man of his word—I spin, yank the door open, and take off.

The first escape I find is a door to a stairwell. I sprint for it, the door to my dorm clattering shut behind me and echoing down the hall. His pounding steps follow.

He’s going to catch me before I’ve even hit the bottom of the staircase. He’s going to fuck me right there, for anyone to walk in and see.

As much as I hate to admit it, being chased and fucked by a masked man is among my top five fantasies. But not if that masked man is my stepbrother. All it would take is his mask falling off while he’s thrusting inside me for everyone on campus to find out exactly what kind of relationship the new step-siblings have.

I grit my teeth. No, I won’t let him ruin this for me. I won’t let him catch me. I’m not an athlete or a runner, but I’m going to run harder and faster than I ever have.

Like my life depends on it. Because it does.

Heart thundering, I jump down the stairs, risking a sprained ankle as I skip steps to descend the staircase as fast as I can.

The door at the top of the staircase squeals open. Shit, shit, shit?—

My joints are already aching from every hard smack of my feet against the tile. Above me, the echoing boom of Luke’s footsteps doesn’t follow.

I dare a glance up. He’s taking his time striding down the steps, as if he has all the time in the world. As if catching me will take no effort at all. “Better run faster, sis.”

My fist curls around the banister as I clench my teeth. Prick. He really thinks I won’t be a challenge.

I’ll show him.

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