Page 58 of Torment Her (Rebels at Sterling Prep 5)

My heart twists but I say, “It’s for the best.”

“Is it? Maybe if you just talked to him, maybe if you—” Her eyes take me in and she gasps.

“Kennedy, what did he do?” She’s staring at my neck and thighs.

“I...” I feel naked. Stripped bare in front of this girl who has history with Conner. Who’s friends with him.

“Did he hurt you?”

“What? No. No, Hadley. It wasn’t like that. We just...”

But she’s right. It had hurt... and I’d wanted it to.

“You need to talk to him, Kennedy. I know you’re scared, I know the two of you have history, but Conner isn’t like Ace and Cole. You have to know that. This will crush him. When he realizes—”

“Stop, okay?” I heave a ragged breath. “Just stop.”

Silence fills the space between us as Hadley stares at me with pity. She doesn’t understand. She can’t, but she wants to.

“For what it’s worth, I think you’re making a big mistake. Conner cares about you so freaking much. All you have to do is let him in and give him a chance.”

A reply bubbles up my chest, but I force it down.

Hadley says he cares. Cole too. But the harsh truth is that for as much as Conner might care now...

He didn’t care enough then.

Chapter Sixteen

Conner

I come to with memories of the night before playing out in my mind and a raging hard-on. Despite the insane number of times I came last night, it seems my body still craves her. I'm not surprised, I've waited long enough.

With thoughts of how well we fit together, how right it feels when we connect filling my mind, I once again drift off. I'm not sure if it's from the alcohol or just pure exhaustion. I'm not complaining, whatever it is.

I have no idea if I fall back to sleep for five minutes or five hours, but the next time I wake, I'm much more alert.

Moving my arm, I search her out, ready to pull her hot little body back into mine to give her the wake up she deserves, but I'm only met with cold sheets.

My eyes fly open, confirming what I already know.

She left.

No. She didn't just leave. She snuck out.

After the time we spent together, she just walked away.

Anger surges through me, turning my blood to lava.

Throwing the covers back, I climb naked from my bed and start searching the floor for my cell.

I don't find anything of hers left behind—not that I'm expecting to. I already knew. I felt it.

Shoving my hand in my pants pocket, I pull out my cell and wake it up. But all I find staring back at me is a handful of messages from Aimee that I don't even bother opening.

"Fuck," I roar, kicking the pile of clothes at my feet, although it does very little to settle the storm brewing inside me.

Finding her contact, I hit call.

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