Page 106 of Insatiable

I could listen to your voice on the phone forever, Freckles.

I miss your annoying face. I’ll see you soon, Freckles.

Can I touch you, Freckles?

I’m not asking, Freckles. You’re going on a date with me.

Freckles. Freckles. Freckles.

“I wish I could hate you the same way you hate me,” I manage, dragging my wet gaze from him, stepping over the trail of blood. “This person you are now, I wish you weren’t him.” I close my eyes as I take a deep breath and walk to the door, his cum already leaking out of me.

I stop. “You make me feel worthless for something that wasn’t my fault. And as fun as it’s been messing with you the past few days, you’re out of my system.”

Throwing the door open, I don’t spare him a last look. “Clean your mess up before you get caught. Have a good night, Kade.”

27

KADE

FLASHBACK 5

Freckles: Do you still have Jason’s car? Is it possible for you to pick me up later? It’ll be like two in the morning by the time I get through all my routines. It’s okay if you can’t. I can get an Uber.

Me: I can get you. 2 a.m.?

Freckles: Yeah. I have no make-up on, so don’t look at me.

Me: Do you forget I’ve seen you without make-up since we were 15? I’ll see you at 2.

She goes offline, and I grab a quick shower to try to sober myself after smoking too many joints. I’m really stoned, and I’m thinking the extra roll-up was a bad idea.Dezand Base will be in the pool house until the sun comes up, and I’m debating going back down for an hour. I had to leave after Base started speaking about my sister in Russian andDezasked me who Freckles was after catching a glimpse at my phone screen.

Safe to say they are more than enthusiastic that I’m no longer frigid.

It’s just after one. If I go for a nap and set an alarm for half an hour, then I’ll never make it to pick her up. But if I go to see my friends, I’ll be too fucked up to drive.

Jason has let me use his car while he hasGiana’s. I don’t think he’ll be too pleased to know I’ve been smoking in it or that I plan on picking up Stacey while baked as fuck.

I lie back on the bed, my hair still damp. I feel like I’m sinking into it, like the duvet is more comfortable than usual, that my pillow is a huge marshmallow.

Without meaning to, I close my eyes. And without meaning to, I fall asleep.

I sit up, my body aching from the angle I slept. I groan, rub my face, getting to my feet, crack my neck left and right and then stretch my arms above my head. I blow out a breath. When my eyes fall on the clock beside my bed, I see it’s seven in the morning, and a sudden tearing sensation rips through my chest.

“Shit!” I rush to grab clothes from my dresser, pulling socks on then one of my trainers. I hop along the floor while getting the other shoe on and snatch Jason’s keys from my unit. Then I stop, freezing all over. It’s seven, meaning I was supposed to get her five hours ago. She’s not going to be there. How far away is her house from the studio? What if she had to walk?

Two messages and one missed call.

Freckles: It’s too cold. I’m going to wait inside. Let me know when you’re here.

Freckles: Sorry. I didn’t mean to overstep. We never clarified what we were doing, so I just assumed we were… I don’t know? Not dating but not exactly casual, since we’ve been sneaking around for the last month. I won’t ask you again. It was wrong of me.

Me: Fuck, I’m sorry! I fell asleep. Did you get home okay? Don’t be sorry – you did nothing wrong. Message me when you wake up.

Tossing my phone on my bed, I think of every single way to slap myself, growing more anxious from her silence.

What if she’s still there?

Fuck. You fucking idiot,Kade.

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