Page 1 of Seeds of Malice

PROLOGUE

Dax Carrington

Athick haze of smoke hangs the air. Red embers burn brighter at the end of the joint as Bobby inhales. He holds the smoke deep in his lungs, then releases it, moaning, "I'm not ready to go back."

"Stop whining," I mutter as I grab the joint, then take a hit of my own.

"Since when do you love school?" He smirks.

I point out, "This is our last year, and we're fucking done. We can join the real world then."

He grunts. "I don't know why you're in such a rush to graduate. We have the rest of our lives to fucking work."

He has a point. Taking over the family floral business isn't exactly my dream life. But I'll be damned if I let my little brother take over. He'll do what he always does, which is put in little to no effort and come up smelling like roses. My mother will gushfor the rest of my life about how talented he is while giving me a knowing look of disapproval. So I just agree with Bobby. "School sucks. Shut up so we can enjoy the last few weeks."

"Still don't know why you won't take a year abroad with me," he adds.

I ignore him and glance out the window of the cottage. I claimed it several years back so I wouldn't have to live in the main house any longer.

Fully bloomed flowers in every color dance across the lush lawn. Greenhouses etch the premises full of more foliage. Several workers focus on different areas of the estate.

A loud knock tears me out of my trance.

Bobby arches his eyebrows. "You expecting somebody?"

Am I?

I rack my brain. There are always people stopping over. I don't remember inviting anyone, but that doesn't mean much.

Bobby rises and flings the door open.

Cindy stumbles inside with Marcey in tow.

Not now.

It's the same as always. Both girls have eyes wild with booze, drugs, and the longing expression to get naughty. Their matching bleached designer hairstyles and expensive outfits suddenly look ridiculous.

Same shit, different day.

The summer's haze of partying hasn't changed one bit from the weeknights and weekends of the last three years. The girls' trashed demeanors used to excite me. It meant anything goes and they were all too willing to do whatever Bobby and I wanted. Now, the novelty has worn off. It's boring the fuck out of me.

Bobby grabs Marcey by the back of the neck and pushes her against the wall. She shrieks as he holds her cheek firmly to the crimson wallpaper. He asks, "Looking for some fun?"

Her lips twitch, and her gaze locks on his, begging him to do what I've seen too many times before.

"So predictable," I mutter.

Cindy saunters over to me in a drunken wobble. "Dax, where have you been hiding?"

I stay quiet.

She bends over, takes her finger, and touches my nose. "There you are."

I jerk my head back. "What do you want, Cindy?"

She giggles and drops to her knees in front of my armchair. She slides her hand up my thigh, past the cuff of my shorts, and teases my balls with her perfectly manicured nails.

It used to get me going, but like I said, I'm bored. She's making it too easy. There's nothing exciting about her anymore.

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