Page 14 of The Truths We Burn

“And that’s me? The sheep?” She arches her eyebrow, tossing that curtain of strawberry blonde hair over her shoulder.

“If the shoe fits, princess.”

Something inside of her breaks—I see it, the flames contorting into a wildfire of emotion. Her mouth opens, ready to spill every harsh word she can possibly come up with.

I’m ready, ready to watch her erupt and explode all over me,

only to have it ruined by her boyfriend, who has stepped up to save the day.

“Alright, dickhead, that’s enough. You’re taking it too far.” Easton stands up, but I don’t bother moving from my hunched-over position on this table.

I simply glance over my shoulder, looking him up and down, running my tongue along the inside of my cheek. “Yeah? And what are you going to do about it, jockstrap?”

He might try to hire someone with daddy’s money to fight me, but he’d never do it himself. Too bad for his reputation, too much of a pussy, and he knows I’d put him six feet under.

“Rook,” Silas says behind me, “not in front of Rose.”

“Yeah, you heard him, dog. Follow your leader and his bitch,” Easton says, causing Sage to gasp as she grabs his forearm, jerking him back towards his seat.

I’m not the one who moves this time. Silas shifts so he’s standing next to me. There are certain buttons you don’t press when it comes to me and my friends. They’re all different, but when you hit them, you get similar reactions.

“Watch your mouth.”

Apparently, Easton had pumped himself full of testosterone today because he has enough balls to respond.

“Watch your mouth,” he mimics, rolling his eyes. “You think you’re tough? Walking around blasting emo music and wearing black? You’re fucking pathetic. Freaks. No one is afraid of you.”

“Guys, please, I just want to leave,” Rose whispers, pulling at our arms.

The match in my mouth snaps as Easton continues to dig his grave deeper and deeper.

“A son of a serial killer, a spoiled brat, a schizo, and a dude with a dead mom who apparently prayed to Satan. Congratulations, you’ve succeeded in becoming Ponderosa Springs’ very own freak show.”

I never was good at controlling myself.

Not my hunger, my lust, my anger, my urges.

I feel nails digging into the flesh of my arm, pulling me back, but all I can see is Easton Sinclair sweltering over a fire, begging me to put him out.

“Not here,” Silas mutters close to my ear. “Later.”

Letting this go is the last thing I want to do. I don’t want to back down. I don’t want to leave while he’s still wearing that smug grin on his face. But I know what will happen to him.

We always get our payback.

I cover my rage with a smile. “If you ever wanna back that pussy-ass mouth up, Easton, you know where to find me.”

My eyes cut to Sage, ignoring her shit sack of a boyfriend. “And you,” I start. “This was fun, doll. We should do it again.” I add a wink for good measure before I flick the match away, pluck the cherry out of her milkshake, and pop it in my mouth.

I chew the sweet fruit, watching as her diamond-cut jaw tenses as she peers over at me. I almost got her mask to crack, pushed her just a little too far, and I’d be lying if I said I’m not ready to watch the repercussion. For a few seconds, those eyes flick to my lips, watching the juice fall from my mouth.

Compulsive, menacing, heedless ideas circle my mind.I know I shouldn’t. I should leave her be. She’s the one girl I should not fuck with, but that makes her that much more enticing.

Sage is a poison apple. Too pretty for her own good, but could kill you with one single bite. Even at the thought of that, I’m still ready to sink my teeth into her.

I was never the one who thought things through. I act on impulse only, and right now, the only thing on my mind is showing her exactly what she’s been missing.

“I can’t wait for the day you come searching for trouble, princess. I’m gonna have so much fun with you.”