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Chapter 5

The Feeling’s Mutual

DELILAH

Ineed an out.

I can’t do it. Can’t even imagine doing it without my heart beating twice its normal pace. And I know, because I just left the bathroom after hiding in the stall to manually check my pulse when I felt it hammering viciously against my breastbone.

Can I run? Probably. But without my phone or a car, I know I won’t make it past the front gate without someone getting me.

My skin crawls with the awareness of everyone’s eyes on me and I don’t want to do this.

Ican’tdo this.

He has to let me do something else.

I don’t want anyone to touch me. See me. Violate me in that way.

Why doesn’t he understand that?

My voice sounds like a distant jumble of words over thenoise of the room, but I have to make him hear. Make him understand.

I don’t want to do it.

“Please don’t make me do it.”

Weston sneers before caging my wrist with his fingers and pulling me away from the crowd and into a room that looks like a carbon copy of the one before.

He doesn’t pause to make sure the door is closed behind us before he’s in my face, forcing me to rear back from him to make eye contact.

“Stop fucking playing with me, Delilah. You already agreed to this.”

“I changed my mind. I can find a way to pay you back. How much do you want? Just let me leave.”

“Pay me back? I’m not getting pa—” he stops short, shaking his head with a harsh smile. “That little job you got selling coffee can’t do shit for me.” He looks me up and down. “Trust me, I’m more than happy with the payment I chose.”

Then he runs a hand under his nose, sniffing before he focuses his bleary eyes on me.

“You’re doing it. I don’t wanna hear shit else from you tonight.” He moves around me to walk back to the partially opened door before he thinks better of it and comes back to face me. “And stop walking around looking so damn pathetic.”

“I fucking hate you.” I don’t mean to say the words, but they slip past my clenched teeth anyway, bitter and desperate.

“The feeling’s mutual, sis.”

One second, he’s sneering at me, the next his hand crashes against my cheek so hard everything in front of me blurs as my head snaps to the right.

No sooner than the coppery tang of blood hits my tongue, a thunderous bang fills the room, and my brother collapses in front of me.

Chapter 6

Detour

ADONIS

Well, that didn’t go according to plan.

Chapter 7