Page 19 of Born in Depravity

I would just have to pay for gas, then leave.

My hands shook at my sides while my eyes roamed over the aisle, a hint of excitement making its way up my spine.

I had never stepped foot in a gas station before. I was never able to just roam the junk-food aisle and buy whatever I wanted.

I had a limited supply of cash, and I should probably preserve as much as I could until I got to California and could find a job, but surely a bag of some fruity hard candy couldn’t hurt.

I grabbed the bright red package and moved toward the cash register.

The boy’s brown eyes took me in, glimmering with something I didn’t like very much.

I fought against the urge to just leave my candy behind and run out of there.

“Hey, are you new in town?”

I looked behind me, sure he was talking to someone else, but other than another large man in the store with us, perusing the drinks aisle in the back, no one was around.

Not knowing what to do, I nodded.

The boy brightened at that. “Well, I’ve been here my whole life. If you need someone to show you around, I can be that man for you.”

My eyes crinkled, and I could feel my brows pulling together in a small frown before I thought better of it.

The boy’s eyes hardened. “Jeez, I was just being fucking nice. No need to look like that, you bitch.”

I moved back a little, not sure why I was receiving such hostility, and from a stranger, no less.

The gas light hadn’t come on in my truck. I was sure I could probably make it to the next gas station. I didn’t want to handle this. I didn’t know how.

I moved back a step and I found myself pressed against a hard wall that hadn’t been there before. I let out a small gasp and turned around. My eyes widened at the sight of a very large, very male chest no more than five inches from my face.

My head tilted back… and back.

Wow, this man was tall. And huge.

He was probably as wide as I tall, and when my eyes finally got to his face, I couldn’t help but stare at him.

The man was beautiful.

Devastatingly beautiful.

Thick, dark lashes surrounded dark, unreadable green eyes. He had tan skin, and light chestnut brown hair that was cut short, save for a few unruly strands at the top. My fingers twitched with the need to run through his hair, to see if it was as soft as it looked.

Like the velvety feel of the coat of a big predatory wolf.

His hair was probably the only thing soft about him.

Everything else was hard.

From his impressive muscles to his flat stomach to the harshness of his jawline— which was encased in a slight gruff beard—to his full lips gaping open slightly to show a hint of impressively straight white teeth.

He smiled when he noticed my attention on his mouth.

It wasn’t a very nice smile.

My gaze jumped up and met his before I quickly dropped it.

I knew better than to look a predator in the eyes.

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