Page 110 of That Girl is Trouble

For a second, she slumps in relief. Hair sticks to her forehead, and she goes to move it away, but pauses when she notes the bloody soap staining her gloves. She pushes up and takes the bucket of water to my kitchen and dumps it into the sink. Once she’s yanked off the gloves, she tosses them onto the counter and sighs. “We know who did this?”

“Got some ideas,” I say, closing the distance between us. I stand too close, but I can’t help it when she’s looking like this. Sad, scared, like she needs me to fix something. But I don’t fix things. I even the score. Shot for shot. It’s how we live.

“I’ve decided not to go.”

I tilt my head. “Go where?”

“School. I’m not going. Triss needs me,” she says, stepping into me. She runs her hands along my waist, testing me to see how far I’ll let her go, and then she circles her arms around me. “And… well, you and I…”

Her and I.

I need your word. Protect them. Swear it. Jack’s voice pops off in my head, reminding me of the promise I made.

Clearing her throat, she starts, “We—”

Abruptly, I step away, breaking her hold on my waist. “There’s no we, Kat.”

She scoffs. “Don’t do this again, Axe. Don’t be that guy. You know this is something. It’s always been something. And the other night—”

“Was a mistake. You’re leaving on Saturday. End of conversation.”

“Why? Why do I have to leave?” she bites, her voice rising. “So I can start some life my sister’s plotted out for me? So I can spend all my time in a classroom, bored out of my mind? I want to blow my fucking brains out just thinking about it.” She sucks in a big mouthful of air, like she’s trying to breathe through her emotions.

But I don’t comfort her. I don’t walk her through it. I don’t help.

“Don’t tell me the other night was a mistake. We both know it wasn’t.”

If not for tonight, if not for the sight of my VP in that hospital bed, for the promise he swore me to, then yeah, maybe I’d have a different perspective. The other night wasn’t just about fucking Kat. It was about making her mine. Making her the woman who’d stand beside me like Triss stands with Graves. But that’s not safety, and I’m not gonna be the reason Kat stays. I can’t be.

Seventeen.

I drag my hands down my face and let out a long breath. “Listen. I let this go too far. But let’s not pretend this is something more than it is.”

Crossing her arms, she presses her tongue into her cheek, her skin flushing red. “And what is this, exactly?”

“I’m a man, Kat. And you’re nice to look at. Maybe I thought it’d be fun to take you for a spin. But that’s all this was. Think I gave you the wrong idea, and for that, I’m sorry. But it’s gone on long enough.”

She shakes her head. “You’re lying.”

“If that’s what you need to tell yourself.”

“You—you want this. I know you do.”

“I want what’s between your legs,” I snap, raising my voice. “That’s all you are. Hot, young pussy. A warm hole. Something I want only because I’m not supposed to. The second I get done with you, you’ll be nothing more than another used-up Sinner Slut.”

Her mouth drops open, and she steps back abruptly, as if I’ve just slapped her. “You can’t mean that.”

“I do. Every fucking word.” From here, the words get easier. They flow out fast, like blood draining from a body, and suddenly I can’t stop. “Only reason I didn’t spread you out and fuck you the moment I felt like it is because Graves seems to like playing big brother to you.” I step closer, letting her see my anger, letting her get a good look at the kind of man she’s signing up for.

This is better. For her. For me. For the club. Kat gone is just better.

“Guess he’s not here now though, is he?” I say, dropping my voice in that way that always makes her squirm.

She reacts as I expect. Spine straightening, shoulders squaring, chin tipping up.

“So tell me, what do you want? Use your words. You want my hands on you now?” I grip her hips, digging my fingers into the flesh, and pull her to my chest, but it’s too rough and too cold and all kinds of wrong. “This what you want?”

“Why are you doing this?” she asks, her voice wavering.

---