Page 14 of Careless

My skin prickles as I fight the reaction my body has to his deep, sultry voice. I turn to face Rian, who doesn’t look happy at all.

Good.

“Yup. We have plans this weekend. Come on, Kia.” School has ended, which means we can prepare for the fun we’re going to have this weekend.

His hand shoots out and snaps around my wrist, using this hold to push me against the locker, the rivets in the metal digging into the back of my head. My scalp stings, but the way his eyes turn nearly black and zeros in on me like I’m his prey, makes an epiphany ring through my mind.

I like the pain and the prospect of him causing more. But, not just from anyone, only from this man. Am I really admitting to myself thatI want Rian Welsh to hurt me?

Yes, please.

He cages me against the lockers with his arms blocking me in, the jealousy rolling off him in waves—a riptide of an unforgiving energy.

“What do you think you’re doing?” he growls in a mixture of anger and confusion.

I’m under his skin, exactly where I like to be. If I’m under his skin, it means his attention is on me, even if I’m not in front of him.

“What? You and your friends can go to parties and get fucked up, but the rules are different for me?” I taunt him. I’m not backing down.

His jaw clenches. “You know the fucking rules, Sorcha. If you go to a party, one of us goes with you, and you sure as fuck don’t go wearing somethingslutty.” He’s seething, but I can see right through him. He’s not angry. Rian is jealous. Apparently, he wants me to just sit around and wait for him.Selfish caveman.

“Thank you so much for the concern, Rian, but I don’t need a chaperone. If I want to go to a party with my best friend and hang out with her cousin, I can, because I’m an adult and… unattached.”

His nostrils flare and the heat of his breath washes over my face. “Un… attached?” he nearly sneers the words, his frustration clear from the throbbing vein visibly pulsing in his temple.

I’ve never seen him so… primal. He’s barely hanging on.

I shrug dismissively. “If a guy isn’t one-hundred percent mine, how could I be his, right?” My point is made clear. He can’t claim me as his if he’s acting like nothing has changed, and expecting me to sit back and accept him screwing other girls.

I’ll only settle for equality, even from the tragically beautiful, sad boy who has owned my heart since I was too young to understand it. I won’t take scraps.

My heart—he has it completely. My body, on the other hand? He can’t claim that. Not yet, at least. I have more self-respect than that.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me,” I say as I push him back.

He lets me. I’m not under any disillusion that he couldn’t easily keep me pinned against the lockers if he wanted, but if my brother saw us in this position, he’d know something happened between us.

Rian isn’t willing to risk that.

Rian steps back, the possessive energy rolling off him in waves, as I grab Kia’s arm, looping ours together.

“Let’s go get you something sexy. Dom has really missed you,” Kia adds, stoking the fire just right.

“You’re not going, kid. Get the idea out of your head.”

I don’t turn my back to Rian, thrusting my middle finger in the air, as we walk out of the school.

The heavy glass doors close behind us before Kia starts gushing. “Oh my god! I’m loving this bad bitch energy. You are officially my new spirit animal.”

I laugh. “If he wants me, he’ll have to work harder than just eating me out for an hour.”

Her eyes widen as she squeezes my arm, excitement sparking in her eyes. “An hour?” A grin spreads across her lips. “You lucky bitch. You better know what you’re doing.”

I can’t help my smirk as we walk toward my car. “The only person who knows Rian Walsh better than I do is my brother. Trust me. I knowexactlywhat I'm doing.”

We get in my car and it turns over, purring like a newborn kitten. “I need a new form of exercise. What do you think I should do?” I ask, veering off topic, but she doesn’t seem off-put by the subject change.

“Oh, I was going to talk to you about this! My neighbor teaches a pole-dancing class in town. She swears it’s great for confidence and weight loss. Apparently, she has some type of thyroid disorder and lost a bunch of weight learning to pole dance.”

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