Page 130 of Voracious

38

STACEY

Imassively overestimated my stepbrother’s intelligence.

He’s smart and nerdy but has no common sense whatsoever. I reckon a ten-year-old has more goddamn sense. I’d say it had something to do with him being a blonde, but that’s a ridiculous stereotype. My best friend is blonde, and she’s brainy as hell.

Chris is just…urgh.I huff into my glass of wine and cross one leg over the other, trying to block out “Eleven Minutes” by Yungblud and Halsey blaring all around the lodge.

He’s singing in the shower, his voice screeching like nails on a chalkboard. Then his tone turns high as he does the girl’s lines, and I down the rest of my glass while wishing for a quick death or for my eardrums to blow.

I walk to the kitchen and refill my glass. I checked to make sure the wine bottle was sealed when he offered it to me earlier to help calm my jitters. Killing the nerves with alcohol is both stupid and really stupid – but here I am, downing another glass.

My eyes fall on the bag Chris usually keeps in his bedroom. After a second of listening to check he’s still showering and singing, I lunge for it.

His phone password is my date of birth, which he seems to use for everything, and I let out an excited sound as I get access, immediately scrolling through the contacts and pressing Kyle’s name.

Four rings, and then a voice I’ve missed so dearly: “You better have a good fucking reason for calling me.”

The low sob is covered by my palm. “Hi. It’s me.”

“Stacey? What the fuck?”

Silence descends for a second as I try not to ruin the make-up Chris bought me by crying. “Wait. Wait. If you’re calling from his phone… that means…No.”

My bottom lip shakes. “He got me, Kyle.” My voice breaks on his name. “Chris got me.”

“Where?”

“The lo—”

“I’ll be taking that,” Chris snaps, swiping the phone from my hand. “As usual, you don’t behave.” He presses it to his ear. “Howdy, big brother. What can I do for you?”

Fuck it. “We’re at the lodge!” I yell as loud as I can, smacking the ground after Chris backhands me hard enough to make me dizzy, the searing pain slicing my cheek where the blow connected.

“Shut the fuck up!” He hangs up and tosses the phone aside. “Why did you just do that? Why are you always choosing him over me?Why?” He grips my throat and pulls me to him on my knees. “You fucked up.”

I struggle against his hold, feeling pressure behind my eyes and tasting blood. I should be scared, but instead, I spit blood in his face. “Fuck you.”

Grimacing as he wipes his face with his free hand and licks his palm clean, I try to pull away from him, but his fingers squeeze my throat tighter. “Tempting, but we’re going to be late. I’ll fuck you later.”

I try to swallow, but his hold on my throat tightens. “N-No, th-thanks, asshole.”

He brings his face closer to mine, and I battle against him as his lips hover over my own. “I’m trying to be good; don’t you see that? I want to do so many things to you, hurt you,fuckyou, but I’m holding back until you want me just as much.”

I drag in air as he releases his grip a touch, and although his grip on my throat is still painful and harsh, I manage to speak. “You’ll be holding back until your last breath then. I willneverwant you.”

Chris shoves me away, my ass hitting the floor again. “We’ll see. Get the fuck up. We need to leave, and you look like shit. Clean the mascara off your cheeks and fix your hair. I reckon my brother is on his way here, and we need to be gone before he shows up.”

With the police hopefully.

But then, Bernadette runs the police.

This is a disaster.

A huge part of me hopes Tobias is hiding in the woods ready to slit his throat and take me somewhere safe. But I’m not his priority. He’ll either be hunting Kade or obsessing about ways to win Aria over.

Chris marches me to his bedroom and orders me to sit in with him while he gets dressed, and I listen. I keep my blank gaze on the wall while I absently wipe the mascara from under my eyes and fix my hair.

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