Page 111 of A Lethal Game of Trust

Leonie

It was late May. The nights were staying brighter for longer, but Dom normally only sneaked in during the cover of darkness.

At school, he’d told me tonight would have to be the last time we saw each other for a while. He had to focus on his exams and I was too much of a distraction.

He’d probably still have time to see his girlfriend, though.

Shitty Rebecca. I loathed her.

Dom was going to move to university on the 28th of September. That meant 128 days for me to tell him I loved him.

And I wanted him to be mine for the summer before he left. I wanted us to truly be together before he went and found his future wife at university.

It was all I could think about the drive down to the cove. We were screaming along to Brand New, the roof of his car down,my hand waving on the breeze.

Three words, Leonie. You can do this.

It’s Dom, for Christ’s sake.

Down at the cove, Dom pulled out a joint and lit it, lying back on the sand. He was so precious about his car, but not when it came to our nights on the beach. Back when he stole his dad’s car to get me, we would have to be really careful not to get sand inside. We’d practically strip to nothing and cover our shoes in plastic bags.

Ivan was a man to be feared, especially when it came to his cars.

“How about,” I started and leaned over to take one of his hands and try to hoist him up, “we go skinny dipping?”

My heart was thrumming.

“Skinny dipping?” he asked, letting me pull him to his feet, his frown the lowest it had ever been. “Did you not wear a bikini?”

I pursed my lips to feign shyness. “No.”

“Why would you… You had time, Leo. We weren’t in any rush.”

“I’ve always wanted to go skinny dipping.”

“Right,” he said, pulling his hand from mine. “Okay. Well, you get in and I’ll turn around.”

I laughed. “You don’t have to—”

“I do.” His voice was cold, firm. No room for arguments.

And suddenly, I didn’t want to get naked and go in the water. I wanted to put the entire contents of my wardrobe on and get into my bed.

“You’re a minor,” he added, already facing away, breathing out a dark cloud of smoke.

“I’m sixteen,” I countered, pullingoff my shirt as if it had personally insulted me. “I’m old enough to—”

“And I’m eighteen. That’s just… it’s not…”

I gripped my top tightly, anger in my fists. “Take me home.”

He whipped around, eyes flashing with anger even in the darkness and he caught my wrist before I could undress any further. “What is going on? Why are you trying to ruin our last night together?”

“Last night?”

“My exams start Monday.”

“I know… I just wanted to go skinny dipping,” I lied, staring down at my bare feet.