Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 95950 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 480(@200wpm)___ 384(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95950 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 480(@200wpm)___ 384(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
When we’re standing toe to toe, his fingers slip beneath my chin.
“Do you have any idea how crazy it’ll drive him to see you with me?”
“You don’t have to do this,” I whisper.
The hard glint grows in his eyes. “Actually, I do.” There’s a beat of silence. “Were you serious about Jasper never fucking that sweet pussy?”
Heat scorches my cheeks as I glance away.
“Eyes on me,” he growls, tightening his grip.
My gaze snaps to his.
“I want an answer.”
It takes effort to force out the word. “Yes.”
His white teeth flash in the sunlight that slants in through the window. “All the bragging he did and here the guy couldn’t even close the deal.” His voice dips. “Can you imagine how fucking much it’ll kill him to think that I got to you first? That I’m enjoying what he’ll never have?”
The thought makes me sick to my stomach. “Austin—”
My voice dies away as his mouth ghosts over mine. His warm breath inundates my senses, making it impossible to think straight. Like a magnet, my body unconsciously sways toward his. I jerk away before we can collide.
That’s all it takes for shame to flood through me.
His lips quirk at the corners as if he’s aware of the internal battle being waged within.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Delilah,” he says, taking a step in retreat.
My fingers rise to my lips, feathering over them in disbelief.
What’s wrong with me?
How can I long for his kisses when I’m nothing more than a pawn in his game?
My heart slams painfully against my ribcage as I force my feet into movement and race through the hallway and down the stairs before flying through the heavy front door to the car.
Even from the driveway, his soft chuckles echo darkly in my ears.
DELILAH
My fingers shake as I fumble with the key. It takes three attempts before I’m finally able to steady my hand enough to slide the thin metal into the ignition and start up the engine. Air rushes from my lungs in relief as I stomp on the gas pedal and speed from the driveway. It’s only when I leave the subdivision behind in the rearview mirror that my heartrate settles and rational thought once again prevails.
I can’t believe he’s blackmailing me into helping him get revenge on Jasper.
There’s no way I can go through with this. No matter what he threatens to do. I’d rather live with the consequences than be his puppet.
When I see Austin tomorrow, I’ll tell him that I refuse to get sucked any further into this game he’s intent on playing. He can threaten all he wants. When it comes down to it, he can’t force me to do anything. Even though the thought of everyone at school finding out about Mom and Pembroke is humiliating, it’s better than being a pawn used to inflict damage.
At the end of the day, that’s all I am to either of these guys.
I won’t allow them to use me this way.
By the time I drive through the stately iron gates of Hawthorne Prep and arrive at the front entrance, I’ve concocted a plan for moving forward. If that means everyone finds out about Mom’s relationship, so be it. That’s the risk they took when they decided to have an affair. I’ll just have to keep my head down for the remainder of the school year and hope it blows over at some point.
What other choice is there?
I’m knocked from those thoughts when I catch sight of Mom stalking from the stone building. My brows pinch together as I study her ashen features.
If I didn’t know better, I’d think she’d been crying.
A bad feeling settles over me as the muscles in my belly contract.
She jerks the handle of the passenger side door before dropping onto the fabric seat and clutching her brown leather purse to her chest. I’m almost afraid to ask what’s going on because it’s clear from her demeanor that something is gravely wrong.
The tension ratchets up in the atmosphere as I silently pull out of the parking lot. Just as I work up the courage to ask what’s wrong, she turns and glares.
“How could you?”
Eyes widening at the barely concealed fury that simmers in her voice, I give her a sidelong glance before focusing straight ahead. The brief look is more than enough to see the sparks of fury flying from her narrowed eyes.
When I remain silent, unsure what to say, Mom snaps, “You threatened the poor man? Really, Delilah?”
My mouth drops open. “What? I didn’t…” My voice trails off as my earlier conversation with the headmaster explodes in my brain. At the time, it hadn’t been my intention to coerce him into doing what I wanted, but I suppose that’s exactly how it came off.
As a threat.
Blackmail.
Precisely the same thing Austin is doing to me. Using information—the same damn information—to secure my cooperation.