Page 122 of Soul So Dark

“Who’d have thought badassAngelínawould be my sweet girl after all,” I smirk as I finish the curve of the two. “Being so good for me,” I rotate the tip, “letting me mark her as mine...”

She lets out a muted whimper, digging her nails into my shoulder. Gently, I press her harder into the mattress so she stays still.

“Look at me,” I command as she kneads my shirt in her fists. “Breathe, Dal. You’re doing so good,” I practically moan.

Dallas’s eyes flutter and I’m not sure if it’s from the pain or something else. I make quick work of the three, and with a couple flicks of my wrist, it’s finished. Without giving it a second thought, I dip down and cover her cuts with my mouth, tonguing her skin.

Now she’s part of me, too.

She clenches my waist between her thighs, wincing as I taste the metallic bite of her blood, sucking the wound clean enough to press her t-shirt to it so it doesn’t drip onto her white comforter.

After a few moments, I lift the edge and look underneath. “Yo, that’s hot, Dal,” I smile.

I never knew bloody lacerations could be so beautiful until I saw my handwriting etched into her immaculate skin.

She cranes her neck, trying to peer over her chest at the garnet letters. “Does it look good?”

“Better than any of ours,” I say as I wipe my knife on my t-shirt and flip it shut.

Then I cover her wound again and crawl up her body. “There. Is that enough to leave you with for the time being?”

“Are you leaving now?” she asks with disappointment.

“No,” I sink down on top of her and bury my face in the curve of her neck, “I’ll stay until you’re asleep.”

“All you do is tell me no and then leave.”

Are you fucking kidding me right now, Dallas?

“Jesus, Dal, I just carved my number into your body because you asked me to and you’re still mad that I won’t put my dick in you yet?”

“You’ll be gone a long time,” she argues, “and what if you…” She still can’t bring herself to say it.

What if I die?

And who’s filling her head with this garbage? I hate that for her. Virginity is a social construct, and the only men who want virgins are incels who are shit in bed and hope no one will notice.

I raise up on my elbows and look her dead in the eyes. “That bullshit’s not real, Dal. It’s special with whoever you want it to be special with. And the next time I see you,that’swhen it’ll matter.”

She glares up at me with her hateful little face, but after a few seconds, a tiny grin pulls at her mouth and, as much as she bites her lip, she can’t hide it. She’s a hellion, after all, hiding behind her bright eyes and contagious smile.

“Four years,” I say firmly. “Have your fun and grow up. But I’ll warn you, all you're going to do is wonder whatIfeel like,” I slowly brush my nose back and forth against hers, “and you’re going to imagine what my mouth feels like on every inch of your body and how much you’ll shake when your tight little pussy finally takes my dick for the first time.”

I can feel her heart pounding against my chest as she stares back at me with wide eyes, her fingers kneading the backs of my shoulders like she wants to tear me apart.

Yeah, I’m coming back for her.

Pacified for the time being, I settle back into Dallas’s neck and listen to her breaths get deeper and deeper as she drifts off. I’ll let her experience some mediocrity and disappointment before I get my hands on her again, because what matters is who’s left standing at the end.

And Iwillbe the last man standing for Dallas Lutz.

I don’t want to leave, but I still haven’t located Aiden or spoken to Colson or Mason since I stormed out of Copenhaver’s office. The voices outside Dallas’s window are gone now, which means I can’t leave the same way I came.

I give Dallas one last kiss and peel myself off her body, covering her with one of the fleece blankets at the end of her bed. The patio is dark, so I creep out the window and down the pergola, keeping an eye on the back door. Once I’m safely across the driveway, I start jogging back down the tree line toward the road.

I’m almost to my door when a heaviness washes over me. I can’t even bring myself to reach for the door handle. Instead, I just stand there in the clearing, looking around at the trees and the dark outline of the water tower like I don’t know where I am.

My heart starts to pound, and with a jerk of my arm, I slam my fist into the side of the Lexus. I throw more punches, my knuckles popping against the steel body as I let out all the rage and frustration and injustice that’s been simmering for longer than I care to admit.