Page 193 of Boys Who Taint

“Oh boy,” Apollo groans, slapping his hand in front of his eyes.

“That’s how he sent that fucking picture,” I say. “And he’s got a ton more, hidden somewhere on a laptop that isn’t here.”

She slowly veers away from him, horror filling her eyes. “Grey? Is that true?”

He swallows but doesn’t reply.

“Of course it’s true!” I grab her arm and drag her out of his bed. “I’m not letting you stay in his vicinity one second longer.”

“Let go of me.” She scratches at my arm. “Dammit, Levi, let me go!” She breaks free and pushes me away. “Why are you always trying to tear me away from him? Can’t you just let me be happy? For once, can I be happy without you?”

Her voice is unsteady, unhinged, torn asunder by the pain I caused her, and it nearly rips me in half.

She hates me as much as I wanted her to, but I never expected him to step into the picture and ruin everything I’d tried so hard to destroy. I wanted to protect her from him, even if it cost me my soul. But maybe even that wasn’t enough to save her.

“You went into my room?” she murmurs. “Why?”

I can’t answer her question.

I can’t, and I won’t.

“Why?” She shoves me again.

But all I can look at are those picture-perfect freckles, destroyed by the tears that cascade down her cheeks.

I want to hug her, hold her tight, tell her it’ll be all right.

But it won’t.

It won’t ever be.

“Why?” The rage becomes louder and louder. “Why did you have to do this? Why did you have to ruin what we had?” she murmurs, rubbing her pretty eyes that still shine so brightly they could light this whole goddamn house on fire with just a single look.

And she whispers, “Why do you have to make me doubt him?”

I look at her from under my lashes. “Because he’s a liar.”

Her head slowly turns toward Grey, whose ghostly face has lost all its color. All the happiness. The devious smile that he once used to prey on her.

Gone.

Grey

The viciousness gripsmy heart in an instant and squeezes the life force out.

He really fucking went there.

I’m going to kill him.

I fish my knife from my pocket and immediately lash out, but Apollo grabs my arm, stopping me before I reach him. “Don’t even think about it.”

“Let go so I can shank him!” I yell.

“Exactly why I’m not letting you go.”

“Figured he’d pull that stunt.” Levi scoffs.

Aspen picks up a piece of the camera from the floor and inspects it, quaking as the rage begins to take hold. She crushes it in her hand, grabs her clothes, puts them on, and runs out the door.

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