Page 62 of Heart Sick Hate

I’m not sure how to feel about his comment. He’s right, his brother only cares about himself. And right now, Crew’s probably only showing interest because he likes the idea of tainting his brother’s possession.

“I’ve got this, Rhett.” I nod, and he drops my hand. “Promise.”

After all, I’ve been through worse. I’ve traveled to hell and come out the other side. I’ve sold my soul to the devil not once, but twice. And here I stand.

Crew Kingsley won’t be the end of me. There’s too much on the line.

18

Echo

My poorly lit apartmenthas never looked as good as it does this morning, returning from hours spent at the hospital. It’s unimpressive and in a bad part of town, but at least it’s mine.

Setting my purse down, I try to shake the energy from the hospital from my bones. I try to forget the feel of Crew on my skin.

The feel of his solid chest pressing down on mine. The soreness between my legs. The mark he made as he drove himself in.

It’s addicting and wrong and I need more.

A chill shivers up my spine. The sealing around my windows is cracking and there’s only so much the plastic film over them keeps the breeze of a fading winter out. I strip off my jacket and let the cool air in my apartment cut to the bone. Strip me of the day. I let it become the gravity I’m incapable of finding.

Especially when I sensed Crew the moment I walked into my apartment. Whispers of his cedar scent like a ghost hanging in the air.

All the guys at the shop have a key to my apartment because they’re the closest people to me in my isolated life, but they’ve never used it. It was ajust in casesomething happened.

Until now.

I make my way across the living room to my bedroom door and push it open.

“Stalker much?” I try to ignore how good he looks sitting on the edge of my bed waiting for me. Leaning back on his hands with his legs casually spread. He’s relaxed, and I have to ignore how the sight of him makes my core clench. “How long have you been here?”

“About an hour.” He doesn’t flinch as he watches me circle my room.

“How sweet.” I turn to face him, crossing my arms over my chest. “Are you always this worried about the girls you fuck?”

I can’t help my survival instincts kicking in. My conversation with Rhett is still fresh in my mind, and no matter what I felt earlier tonight, I know what sex means to men like Crew. My virginity was a prize, and he won it.

Crew’s jaw ticks. “No.”

I’m not sure what to make of that, knowing I probably shouldn’t focus on whatever it stirs up that he cared to check on me.

I nervously turn away from him before he can sense my hesitation. But I feel him watching me as I strip off my rings and bracelets.

“Well, I’m fine, if that’s what you were worried about.” I stack my bracelets. “You can go now.”

“You don’t seem fine.”

“And why do you still care?” I spin around, throwing my hands up as insecurity swells. I might want him to care, but I don’t understand why he’s pretending to. “You got what you wanted, right? It’s done now. You shouldn’t be in your brother’s girlfriend’s apartment at six in the morning. It’s a bad look.”

“And you shouldn’t fuck your boyfriend’s brother. Guess we both have our vices.”

I swallow hard, and he stands up, walking toward me. My skin prickling in anticipation with each step. If I thought my body responded to him before, right now I’m a live wire at the edge of water about to electrify every surface I contact.

I spent my life convinced losing my virginity would be like any other change to my body. Dying my hair, inking my skin. Something surface level that would leave me otherwise unaffected.

Only now the vibrations of what we’ve done skitter through me. The need he awoke that I didn’t think could exist. His mark I feel branded so deep, I’m not sure I’ll ever be the same again.

Crew stops directly in front of me, and I have to tip my chin up to face him. He’s so close the heat of him lodges my breathin my lungs.

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