Page 78 of Fire Fight

And like I knew he would, he curls his warm hand around my throat, holding me steady as a joyous flood of desire takes hold, setting me alight.

“Shh,” he whispers into my ear, lips buzzing. “You don’t want to wake Arnold by accident. He’s a grumpy man when you interrupt his beauty sleep.”

I open my mouth to offer a rebuttal, maybe a scream to test his theory. Then I slowly close it again, not speaking a word. There’s an edge to Drake’s expression that makes me wary.

His thumb rubs across the tender skin of my bottom lip. “These are mine, too.” He bends and sucks it into his mouth, teeth and tongue grazing it hard enough to swell before releasing.

With the fingers of his free hand, he delves underneath my dress, pressing his brutish hand against me. “And this is my pussy. You’re not allowed to share this pussy with anyone but me.” His fingers slip inside me, moving with gentle teasingstrokes until I clench my teeth to hold back a moan. “If another man tries, he’s dead.”

I slap his hand away and his grip on my throat tightens.

“You don’t get to decide,” I protest, my voice too shrill to believe.

“Yes, I do. Why? You think Hudson would be a better caretaker?” An edge creeps into his voice. “Ask at school about bingo cards if you want to find out who your friends truly are.”

Bingo. The sound makes me shiver. The same word the boys used before cutting off my exit. And what had Gretchen said? “The moment Hudson reports a win, it’ll be over...”

I want to know more, but not now and not from the boy in front of me.

Instead, I raise my chin. “I think I’m the best caretaker, thank you.”

It’s hard to read his face in the dim lighting of the carport but I hear his huffs of amusement, especially when his thumb lightly presses on my carotid artery, feeling how my pulse races.

“Do you know what I think?” He doesn’t wait for my answer. “You’ll go to bed tonight and dream of all the things I could have done to you and didn’t.”

My core throbs at his words, images already spilling into my head along with a flood of mixed messages that grow worse as he cups me, the heel of his palm pressing against my pulsing clit.

“You’re mine to take whenever I feel like it. I’ll even be a nice guy and give you back your pills if you want them.” His eyes lock to mine. “Just be aware, every time you take one to sleep, I’ll sneak into your room and help myself to whatever I want. Your choice.”

I snarl as I peel away his hands, knowing the only reason I can is because he lets me.

“If that’s not enough, think how good it’ll feel when I question this pharmacist, and he denies everything you told me.”

A spark of fear ignites.

The man doesn’t know me and is hardly going to lie on my behalf. The truth rests on the tip of my tongue but I can’t say it out loud. I can’t condemn my mother.

I hang my head.

“Because when he does, I’ll do everything I wanted to do tonight while you’re wide awake to appreciate every moment.”

His breath is ragged, jaw clenching as he pulls me closer.

“And we both know you’re lying.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

CADENCE

Before going to bed,I send Hudson a text to let him know I got home safely. Thoughsafedoesn’t come close to explaining how I feel.

My hands shake while typing, hating to think how my neighbour might be involved in tonight’s attack.

Already dreading the ride to school tomorrow morning.

My shoulders tense as I try to picture the confrontation and when I climb into bed, head tossing between Drake’s teasing threats and the thought Hudson isn’t the person I believed him to be, sleep is a long time coming.

But when I startle awake the next morning, a door downstairs slamming loud enough to echo through the house, Hudson has sent a responding message to say his car is repaired and waiting for collection. Can I make my own way to school?

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