Page 16 of Don't You Pucking Dare

I don't even know his name. Mason? Max? It doesn't matter. What matters is that I let him touch me only to run away like always. The same old pattern—get close enough to feel alive, then flee before it consumes me.

The garden appears like a gift, a maze of carefully sculpted hedges rising into the night sky. It seems out of place here, too elegant for a house that hosts these kinds of parties. But maybe that's fitting— I don't belong here either.

The paths draw me deeper into their shadows. At least here, surrounded by walls of green, no one can see me try to put myself back together.

The garden paths twist like sheet music written by a madman, leading everywhere and nowhere. Each turn brings another identical corridor of perfectly trimmed hedges. I should go back, but something pulls me deeper.

Then I feel it.

Not the casual awareness of being watched from the party. This is different— predatory. The air changes, grows heavy with intent. Every horror movie I've ever watched screams at me to run, but isn't that always the fatal mistake?

A rustle behind me. I spin, heart in my throat, but there's only shadows and silence. The path ahead disappears into darkness, and the path behind looks different somehow, twisted.

Another sound— a twig snapping. My skin prickles with awareness. This is real. This is happening. The mysterious invitation, the feeling of being watched all day, and now...

"Hello?" My voice sounds small in the vast garden. I reach for my phone, but of course— I gave it to Kiah because this stupid dress doesn't have pockets. "Damn it."

The curse hangs in the air like a prayer. In the distance, music still pulses from the house, but here in the maze, even that feels wrong. Distorted.

Like something wants me to know how alone I really am.

I huff, pretty pissed that I don’t have my phone. I’m most likely missing Levi’s call tonight.

"Damn what?" The voice behind me is dark honey over gravel.

I freeze. Not the guy from the library. Someone else. Someone worse.

Suddenly a figure is towering over me from behind, his finger traces down my cheek, gathering my hair back to expose the back of my neck. My body betrays me, shivering at the touch despite my intense fear screaming at me to run.

"Hello, Duchess." His breath fans against my ear. "I asked you a question."

"My phone," I whisper, absolutely terrified. "I left it… inside."

His laugh vibrates through me, chest pressed against my back like a wall of heat. "Wandering alone in a Reaper's garden without protection? That's not very smart."

"I wasn't—" I try to turn, but he holds me still.

"Good girls don't lie." His hand slides down my side, possessive. "And they certainly don't let boys touch them in libraries."

My breath catches. The door was closed. How did he—

"Let me show you what you've been missing."

His fingers find the hem of my dress, and I should run, should scream, should do anything but stand here trembling as desire wars with fear. But something in his touch speaks to me–– like the library guy was a joke and this guy… is a real man who knows what he’s doing.

My hand catches his wrist at the last moment as I turn my head to the side. "I don't know you." He’s wearing a mask.

"But you knew him?" Dark amusement colors his voice. "What was his name then, Duchess?"

"M-Matteo?" I curse my stammering voice. I was aiming for confidence.

"Maverick," he corrects, and I can hear his smile. "Now stop pretending you're not curious, Duchess. Let go of myfucking hand, and I’m going to show you something you’ll never forget."

I release his wrist at the tone of his voice. The brick wall appears before me as he spins me around, cool against my heated skin. His mask is black as sin when I finally look up. He’s one of them, maybe the guy who stalked me, slipped the invitation in my bag, and took my music journal.

His fingers glide up my thighs, and I’m scared. I’m frozen, unable to move. I have no idea who this man is, but the one thing I do know is that he’s tall and his hands are huge.

"Were you following me?" I manage between gasps. My entire body is trembling. He keeps gliding his fingers up my thighs until he reaches the barrier of my underwear. He wastes no time rubbing against me.

---