Page 119 of Boys Who Taint

I take another sip of my drink, the burn in my throat keeping me from roaring out loud. I need to find this goddamn Ghost before he finds me. But where?

Putting the two drinks down on a table, I scan the room, looking for his hoodie, those red eyes, but I can’t see him anywhere. The music blasts in my ears, distracting me, and I wish I could tune it out so I could focus better.

It doesn’t help that the only lights on the dance floor are flickering beams.

He could be anywhere right now.

Maybe even right behind me.

Sweat rolls down the back of my neck as a finger slowly slides around, and I reach into my pocket for the small knife I carry with me everywhere, but another hand in my pocket stops me from pulling it out.

The familiar whisper makes my skin prick. “Try, and I will make sure it ends up in your boyfriend’s neck.”

Oh God.

CHAPTER 28

Aspen

“Ghost,”I mutter.

He leans in, whispering, “You thought you were alone all this time, didn’t you? I have always been watching you.”

I attempt to turn around, but he’s got a hand slipped around my throat, keeping me in place.

“Pretend you’re dancing with me.”

He sways us back and forth to the music, hips locking into mine as though it comes naturally.

“How did you find me?” I ask.

His hand slips into my pocket, and he steals my knife right out of my hand. “You make it so easy for me with that bright green dress …” His hand slides up my thighs, the knife a cold reminder of the power he holds over me as my dress slowly begins to creep up my skin. “I can’t wait to tear it off this body.”

“You’re insane if you think I’m going to do that again,” I reply.

“The only one insane here is you for thinking you could escape my grasp after I already told you I was coming back for more,” he retorts.

I step on his foot, but he doesn’t give a peep.

“You can’t hurt me, Aspen. Didn’t I already tell you that too?” His tongue darts out to lick the rim of my ear. “I’m a ghost.Nothingcan hurt me.”

He’s not a ghost. He’s a man hiding behind a mask, and any man can be wounded. You just have to find his weakness.

“I can hurt you if I take myself out of the equation,” I reply in a moment of clarity.

I’m the one he wants. If I deny him, it’ll hurt right where it’s supposed to.

He smiles against my skin. “Fine, you think you can hurt me more than I can hurt you?”

The knife rises where it meets my eyes, and he uses it as a pointer until we find my friends in the middle of the dance floor, minding their own business.

“You wouldn’t,” I say through gritted teeth.

“Keep taunting me, and I just might.”

The knife slowly lowers to my neck, and I swallow as he brings it between my breasts, settling his hand inside my dress in full view of all the people dancing.

“What do you want?” I ask.

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