Page 22 of PET

CHRISTIAN VERADIN

Fuck,myneckhurts.I twist and crack it as I sit up in my chair, cursing when I realize I fell asleep here again. I really have to stop doing that. The knot in my neck would agree.

“What time is it?” I grumble out, looking for my phone.

It’s on my bed where I should be. Flopping on top of the messed up comforter, I grab my phone and see I have a few texts. My eyes burn when the bright screen illuminates my tired face.

Zeke: You better fucking figure shit out soon, man. I have to fuck her. I have to fuck something…

Yeah, you and me both, brother.He’s not the only one sick and tired of jerking off all the time.

The next text surprises me, my brows pinching together as I open and read it.

Holden: Why is your dad calling me to come put you in your place? We’ll be back in Reaper this week. Stop pissing him off, man. You’re less than a week away from freedom. Don’t fuck it up. I’m going to need your help.

My hand grips my phone so hard the screen warps beneath the pressure. Why the fuckismy dad calling Holden? What the shit…? Holden has nothing to do with any of this. But then again, my dad always favored him, always telling me I needed to be more like Holden. Now I understand why Van got so pissed when his own father said the same shit about Jett Hastings.

Ignoring both of them, I throw my phone beside me and stare up at the ceiling like I do almost every single day. I have to get out of these fucking walls. I’m going mad. But Holden’s right—I have one fucking week until I’m free. I can do that. I’ve done it for this long already.

But goddamn, does it suck. I’m going stir crazy and there’s nobody to mess with here. Instead of pouting, I roll out of bed and run my hands through my long, messy hair that my dad loves so much. I frosted the ends just to piss him off, but honestly, I dig the look. It gives me more of a punk-rock kind of look; just what I’m going for.

I’m almost to my bathroom when my bedroom door opens, but I’m not expectingherto be standing there.

“What the fuck are you doing here?”

Lacee saunters in like she owns the place, shutting my door behind her. I’ll admit she looks fucking good right now. Starve a man from getting pussy and everyone starts looking good. I wasn’t banging Lacee because of anything else, though. I’m a vapid man. What else can I say? I’m an asshole.

“You’ve been ignoring and blowing me off, Christian. I want to know why,” she demands, placing her hands on her hips.

Christ! Can I catch a damn break?!

“I thought we’ve been over this… you were my booty call. I fucked you a few times. Get over it.”

She shakes her head, stomping toward me while she reaches down and pulls her shirt up and over her head. My eyes drop straight to her chest, watching her perfect tits bounce as she moves, her nipples hardening with each step. They’re fucking nice. There’s no denying that, but I glare up at her with a deadpan expression.

“I’ve seen those before. Next.”

Her mouth falls agape before she shoves me in the chest. “Why are you being such an asshole, Christian?! We have something pretty great here! And your dad and my dad like each other. We run in the same circles. Why don’t you want me?”

I grind my teeth, staring her dead in the eyes even though she’s topless and I’ve been horny for days. “Because you’re too easy. Because you’re not the kind of girl I want anymore.” And because your family isn’t part of the society, so there is no way in hell we’d have a chance of being together.

Tears fill her eyes, but I feel nothing when she asks, “There’s someone else?”

Shrugging, I cross my arms over my chest and lean against the wall. “That’s none of your business, is it?” When the hell did she become so possessive?

“Who is it?” she whispers, a single tear sliding down her cheek before she angrily wipes it away.

I blow out a breath, shaking my head. “You don’t honestly want me to answer that, do you? Because if I tell you, you’ll sit and dwell on it, making yourself sick, wondering why you weren’t good enough for me.”

She opens her mouth to speak but shuts it when I push away from the wall and get right in her space. Her heavy breathing picks up as I tower over her. Meant to intimidate her, it backfires, and she catches me by surprise.

Wrapping her arms around my neck, she pulls me down and kisses me. My hands go for her hips so I can push her away.

“What the fuck?!”

Our lips part with a pop as I whip my head over and find Billie standing in my door with a look of disgust written all over her face. Jesus Christ. This can’t get any worse, can it? I blow out a breath and lean back against the wall as Lacee quickly puts her shirt back on.

“Billie Lucas?” Lacee hisses at me in disgust, scrambling to cover her bare tits.

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