Page 6 of Insatiable

He doesn’t respond, looking bored as he types on his phone, his elbow perched on the leather divider between us. He has a fresh tattoo on his hand, which somehow makes it look even more veiny.

I gulp, quickly looking away before he notices me letting my gaze travel up the new tattoos littering his body.

His knees parted, gym shorts showing off his legs, he leans back against the driver’s seat, still texting. My scowl deepens as I watch him reply to messages instead of driving me home.

He must have been working out in the home gym at the manor. His top is tight against his chest, the taut muscles still swollen from his session. There’s a cigarette tucked behind his ear, and wavy black hair nearly as dark as his soul falls over his forehead.

He has a sun-kissed tan that makes me look like a ghost.

As much as I’d like to say I’ve forgotten everything about Kade Mitchell, I’m a terrible liar.

I roll the window down, ignoring the chill taking over me while I try to stop his scent from clouding my judgement. Yes, Kade might be handsome, a person that ticked every box for me at one point, but he’s my best friend’s twin brother and completely off limits.

I know that now.

The last conversation we had was two years ago, and he hasn’t as much as looked me in the eye since. I know Lu must have given him shit to get him to come pick me up.

He’d never do this off his own back.

Fucking Luciella. She’s aware of how much we can’t stand each other. She knows I try to dodge him every chance I get. I mean, she doesn’t knowexactlywhy, but still.

After nearly three minutes of rock music playing low and him typing away on his phone, the sun starts to rise. My jaw rolls in annoyance, my gaze flitting between the steering wheel and the front gate of the house I left.

“Are you going to drive or just sit here?”

As usual, I’m met with silence. He clicks away on his screen, the corner of his mouth curling up into a smile.

I try not to stare at how handsome he is, despite being a reincarnation of the devil; how soft his skin appears under the harsh black ink. He doesn’t smile often, so who is he talking to? Annoyingly, my traitorous heart beats faster. Who’s making him grin like that?

No. Stop, Stacey. Who cares who makes him smile?

I can’t stay in this car. I need to get the hell out of here.

“I’m getting an Uber,” I say, unbuckling my belt, but Kade catches it before it can retract, yanking it to click back in without a word, eyes still on the screen. He types with one hand, the other holding my seat belt in place until he eventually shuts his screen off and turns the car back on.

The engine rumbles beneath us, and I’m rocketed back into the chair as he accelerates at a ridiculous speed.

He turns the music up, and I stare at him, at his beautifully harsh features, while his silvery-blue eyes blaze into the road. I eventually put the window up to stop my hair from blowing wild.

I open my messages and see one I must’ve missed.

Lu:Kade’s coming instead.

Me: I hate you.

She replies instantly.

Lu: Sorry! He was driving his friend home. Please don’t kill each other.

Me: I really hate you.

I click my screen off and stay silent, staring out the window at the trees whizzing by. My phone vibrates uncontrollably in my hand – a chain of messages from my stepbrother.

DoNotAnswer: Where the fuck are you?

DoNotAnswer: I’m on my way home and you better be there.

DoNotAnswer: I mean it, Stacey.

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