Page 2 of Slaying for Sloan

“How could you act like that in front of my parents? And now you won’t even let me touch you. Do you know how embarrassing it is for me? The people in this townknowwho I am, and you’re not even acting like you care to be here with me.” There’s venom laced in his low voice as his head dips toward me. He doesn’t want to draw attention.

Pulling my head back, I look up at him. His eyes are dark and strained, and I almost don’t recognize him. Blinking a few times before responding, I finally manage to say, “It’s not my fault your parents are the most uptight, ignorant people I’ve ever met. I didn’t have a chance with them from the moment they laid their eyes on me. You said they were strict, but this isbeyondanything I could have imagined. They’re horrible people, Alex, and I did my best to stay calm. I thought I handled it better than most people would have given the situation you put me in.”

Alex’s voice raises slightly, making a few heads turn in our direction. “The situationIput you in? What fucking situation is that, Sloan?”

I narrow my eyes, shocked and in complete disbelief that he has the audacity to talk to me like this, yet he couldn’t be bothered to be my voice of reason while his parents were on the attack. My tone is smooth and well-balanced as I watch him struggle to maintain control of himself. “Just because I’m not the virgin Mary herself doesn’t mean I can’t make you happy. Ithought we’ve been happy, but now I don’t know if any of it was real. How could you sit there and stay silent while they tore into me? What kind of man does that? You act like your parentsownyou, and it disgusts me.”

Alex loses control, striking me. His hand slides across my cheek as he slaps me, forcing my head to jerk to the right. My skin was already ice cold from the frigid temperatures, making the sting of his hand hurt that much more.

My eyes are wide in disbelief as Alex stands tall, sending huffs over me with his hands now clenched into fists at his side. My jaw drops, and I suddenly have no words. It’s like my brain went into overdrive and overheated, and now I’m stuck here waiting while it restarts. I’ve never seen him like this. He’s never even come close to laying a hand on me before now, and at this moment I’m not sure one slap was enough for him. He looks like he wants to rip me in half. If looks could kill, I’d already be dead.

His medium brown eyes are bloodshot, making him look even more pale than normal. Running a hand through his disheveled dark brown hair, his fingers shake with rage. I want to step back and put space between us, but I don’t want to give him the impression that he had an ounce of power over me. Holding my ground, I stare up at him, waiting for him to calm down.

Alex sees the look in my eye and tries to relax his shoulders, rolling them around while he closes his eyes and stretches his neck. He sighs loudly, releasing his clenched fists before he finally speaks. Raising his fingers to my sore cheek, he grazes them along my skin, making my bottom lip quiver with fear. “I’m so sorry I hit you,” he says before meeting my eyes. “But I care so much about how they view me. They judge every aspect of my life, constantly watching my every move. I can’t disappoint them. Iwon’tdisappoint them.”

I don’t respond, and instead I just listen, waiting for a better apology.

Alex continues when he realizes I have nothing to say yet. “My parents have built a name for themselves in this town, and I have to live up to it. The people here have expectations of us, and if I don’t meet them, I’m out. Gone, like I never existed.”

I sense there’s something he’s not telling me, like he’s left some words unspoken, but I don’t press him. Not when he’s so close to losing control.

Alex wraps his arm around my shoulders, drawing my body into his. He’s warm against me, yet feels so cold at the same time. His touch is the farthest thing from comfort.

Using my cold hands to push against him, I force distance between us. “I don’t want you to touch me right now.”

The rage ignites in his eyes once more, making me shrink back as I anticipate his next strike. Alex moves his hand like he’s going to hit me again, but then a small child runs past us, screaming and laughing with his parents running behind him, yelling for him to stop. Alex’s hand changes course, moving to my upper arm instead. He grips me harshly, and I’m already wondering if it’ll bruise.

“You’re hurting me,” I hiss under my breath, remembering we can’t cause a scene. Not here. Not in public like this.

Shaking my arm sharply, he elicits a whimper from me before he lets go. “Find your own way back to the cabin. I’m going for a walk, and your attitude better besignificantlybetter by the time I get back,” he spits before turning and walking away.

I hadn’t expected to find myself trembling with tears in my eyes. This was supposed to be fun. This wassupposedto be a bonding experience that would bring us closer.

Instead, I’m feeling lost. Broken and alone.

Chapter Two

ALEX

As I storm away from Sloan, my heart pounds in my chest, rage bubbling just beneath the surface. How could she act like that in front of my parents? The embarrassment twists like a knife in my gut. I still can’t believe I slapped her; I didn’t want to go that far, especially somewhere people could witness it, butfuck, she pushed every single button I have. And all because of the situationsheput me in—the situation I never wanted to be in.

Holly Grove is decked out in twinkling lights and cheerful decorations, the air thick with the scent of cinnamon and pine. But all I see is the petty judgment on Sloan’s face and how my parents looked at her, disgust and disappointment painted across their features. They expected me to bring home the good girl, thechurchgirl, who would fit into their perfect little world. But instead, I brought home a wild child with bright red hair and a sharp fucking tongue, and now I have to pay for it.

The worst part is that I’m more pissed off about Sloan than I am worried about my parents’ judgment. I feel the pressure of their expectations every minute of every day—they expect me to be their perfect son. One they can be proud of and show off, one that makes the family and church look good.

By bringing her to dinner tonight, dressing the way she did, and then smacking her in the street in front of passersby, I did anything but that. It’s only a matter of time before my parents find out about what happened, and I have no fucking doubt I’ll hear about it.

But it’s one minor slip-up. One I know I can rectify.

Sure, Sloan knows how to give good head, and the way her ass bounces on my cock is fucking mesmerizing, but I won’t let my parents down. Not even for good pussy.

Fuck. All she had to do was behave for one fucking weekend. Just act the part until we can go back home. I warned her about how old-fashioned they are. About how seriously they take the church and their religion, but she didn’t listen.

She never fucking does.

For whatever reason, she thought it would be appropriate to dress like a goddamn stripper headed to the club for our family dinner—what did she think was going to happen? And why the hell would she thinkIwould defend her to my parents? They’remy fucking parents. The entire dinner was a shit show, and after, well, it just got worse. How could she expect me to disappoint them and not follow in my father’s footsteps? What’s so wrong with staying home and raising kids? That’s the wife’s fucking job. Cook, clean, give me a couple of kids, and raise them while I spread the word of God. It’s not that fucking hard. Shit, most women would beg for that kind of lifestyle.

But not her, of course.

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