Page 41 of PET

Once the machine shuts itself off, I carefully remove the tube from her throat. She must be really fucked up if she didn’t even budge once during that whole thing. But maybe it’s a good thing. I can’t imagine getting your stomach pumped is very comfortable.

“What happens now?” he asks.

“We let her sleep. She’s going to be fucking wrecked for probably the next day or two. And I think she should stay here where I can keep an eye on her.”

“Agreed,” he answers without hesitation, and now I feel like a jackass for feeling any sort of jealousy before.

Taking the machine and its contents, I carry them down to the laundry room and set it in the utility tub to be cleaned and sanitized. Our housekeeper will see the machine and know exactly what to do. It won’t be her first time.

I’m about to run back upstairs when the doorbell rings. Seriously? I don’t have time for bullshit right now. Running to the front door, my ankle bracelet bounces uncomfortably on my ankle bone before I whip open the door.

“Why do you keep showing up unannounced?” I ask, looking over my shoulder to make sure I’m alone.

Dana lets out an annoyed breath, shaking her head. “You think I’m enjoying this? I think you know why I’m here, Christian.”

My brows pinch together at her words because I havenoidea why the hell she’s here. I first thought she might be here to take this fucking thing off of my ankle, but I don’t see any bolt cutter on her.

“Enlighten me,” I say through clenched teeth.

“Lacee Masterson was murdered this evening. Know anything about that?”

Anger rips through me. “You honestly think I had anything to do with that?! I’m a high school senior, for fuck’s sake, lady! The only thing on my mind is fucking and racing—murder doesn’t really fit in with either of those things.”

Her dry expression doesn’t move when she says, “You were close with Lacee, weren’t you? It’s just funny how you break ties with her and then she’s dead the same night she bullied your new girlfriend.”

“Bullied my new girlfriend?” I ask in a melancholy tone. “I still have no idea what the fuck you’re talking about. And I used to fuck Lacee; I wouldn’t exactly call that being close with her. I knew nothing about her life.”

Dana studies me, lifting her lips into a smirk. “Well, I know you didn’t kill her personally because of that nifty little bracelet—”

“I had nothing to do with it. Her murder is just as much of a surprise to me as it is to everyone else.”

She looks behind me into the house, smiling warmly before I look back and find Zeke walking down the staircase. Fuck!

“Everything okay, man?”

I turn my hard glare back to Dana’s smug face. “Everything is just fine. I actually came by to remove Christian’s ankle bracelet.” Her smile widens when she knows she’s won. Fucking bitch.

Either way, I’ll just be glad to have this fucking thing off. She better not be messing with me, though, or I actually might murder someone for real. And she doesn’t seem to be fucking around when she steps in and pulls out what looks like a magnet and a two-pronged key.

Dropping to her knees, she looks up at me with heavy eyes and bites her bottom lip.Fat chance in hell, lady.She might have suckered Holden’s horny ass into fucking her, but it won’t work on me. Besides, I’m pretty sure Holden only did it to get someone’s attention, or to piss off Lauren and her father. He hated those pricks.

She clearly sees the lack of interest on my face, turning her attention back to my ankle bracelet. And when it’s off, it feels like I’ve lost a twenty-pound tumor. It’s the most freeing feeling in the world. I bend down and rub my hand over the skin I haven’t been able to touch in months. Fuck, this feelsalmostas good as sex.

“What do you have to say?” she asks, standing to her full height as she waits for me to thank her.

I snort, not thinking about thanking her in the slightest. I might have thanked her if she removed this fucking thing when she approached me to help her, but it’s too late now.

“I think you were just leaving, weren’t you?” Moving toward the front door, I hold it wide open and wait for her to get the hint.

“We need to discuss what it means to be without your bracelet—privately, of course,” she adds, turning her gaze to Zeke.

“I’m going to grab some food. Don’t mind me.” Zeke turns and disappears down the hallway leading to the kitchen.

Crossing my arms over my chest, my biceps bulge and clearly grabs her attention. It’s disgusting to see this woman preying on young men like me. Like, what the fuck is she even thinking? She might be MILF material for some, but I don’t fuck anyone who could be friends with my mother.

“Ya know, I thought you’d be a little more thankful for your freedom. I take payments in—” She runs her fingers over my biceps before I roughly grab her hand and squeeze until her fingers crunch together. She hisses. “Ouch.”

“Don’t fucking touch me or I’ll slap a sexual harassment on a minor charge on your ass,” I tell her through clenched teeth. “Get to the point of what you have to say or get the fuck out of my house.”

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