Page 24 of Whispers of Obsession

The house is in complete darkness, and somehow looks less welcoming than ever.

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?”

I startle at the sound of Slater’s voice.

“Huh?” What did I say?

“I’m the one who should be asking if you’re okay. Not the other way round.”

“But you look so…mad.”

It’s true. He’s barely able to suppress the rage in his tone, and I swear if his knuckles weren’t so tight on the wheel, his hands would still be shaking. Yet somehow, he’s trying to soften his expression…for me? Why?

“I’m not mad.”

“Oh.”

“I’m fucking raging. I want to kill Jessy for attempting to hurt you. But first I want to knock every single one of his teeth out with my fists and ram them so far up his ass, one by one, that they chatter in his skull once more.”

Oh, wow. “Umm, I don’t even know what to say to that.”

“You look like you’re about to fall apart. If you didn’t drink any of stupid Jessy the cocksucker’s beer, why do you look so traumatized?”

I flinch over his use of the word cocksucker. It hits too close to home. Like heknows. Like he sees me. Because that’s what I am, isn’t it? A cocksucker. Not by choice, admittedly, but a girl who got on her knees and sucked a cock nevertheless.

Even if itwasat gunpoint.

Do I think it was loaded? In the moment, absolutely. Now, I’m not sure. I don’t know anything right now.

“How do you know where I live?” I blurt out, wanting to think about anything other than what happened tonight.

“I know everything about you, Cora.” I shiver. “Like, I know today’s your birthday, and it hasn’t been the best. I’m sorry for that. I wish I could make it better for you.”

“Don’t.”

“Don’t? Don’t what?”

“Don’t start trying to be nice to me after being such a shit for years. Not without an explanation, Slater. If this is you trying to make amends, you’re getting nowhere without some confessions.”

“You want me to confess my sins?” Slater murmurs darkly. It sends a shiver down my spine in an entirely different way than I’ve experienced thus far tonight.

Damn, he really is handsome.

“You agree that the way you’ve treated me is sinful then?”

“Oh, Cora, you don’t know the first thing about my sins. But you will. You’ll learn. Being a sinner is so much better than being a saint. You’ll come to the dark side eventually.”

“What does that mean?” I frown.

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

“Right, more cryptic bullshit. Well, if that’s the best I’m going to get out of you tonight, then I’ll say goodbye.”

“Stop.”

Against my better judgment, my body obeys his command, my hand freezing on the door handle.

“What?” I snap.

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