Page 19 of Troublemaker

Pain, sharp and angry, shot through my chest. I had been so embarrassed and disgusted with myself for being the stalker she’d been worried about, I’d been cold to her. Cruel. Her panties had been in my pocket the whole time as I lied to her and gaslit her.

What Lucy needed was care and acceptance. She was about to go make a reckless choice, one that every bone in my body loathed, and it was because of me. I’d done it to her.

“If Blake Samson doesn’t want me, I’ll find someone who will.”

My chair arm cracked in half from the force of my hand gripping it tight.

I did want her. Badly. So badly, I was about to make the worst decision of my life. But I would die before I let another man touch her, feel her, thrust inside that untried pussy and took what shouldn’t be mine but I was going to make mine anyway.

“So, what’s the plan?” Leslie asked.

“There’s a ritzy hotel in town. The Ramore. I’m going to get dressed up and go sit in the bar and wait for a man—not a boy—to approach me. If he’s cute enough,” she shrugged, her oversized sweater falling off her shoulder so I could see her perfect, bare, innocent,virginalskin. “Then I’ll fuck him.”

“What if they think you’re a sex worker?”

Lucy laughed. “So what? That’s a completely respectable job. And I’d happily take someone’s money.”

Leslie must have digested that, because then she asked, “And what if no one’s cute enough?”

“Someone will have to be…”

“Emory…” Leslie trailed off.

“Is obsessed with his mystery woman. He doesn’t want me. Besides, a boy isn’t going to get me over this. I need a man.”

“Well,” Leslie said brightly. “I’m excited to celebrate the loss of your virginity with you tomorrow. Breakfast at the dorm cafeteria?”

Lucy snorted, and as she looked in the mirror, I could see her reflection. Even as she blew herself a kiss, she didn’t look excited or even nervous.

Just…sad.

“You’re paying, though,” Lucy said.

Before I could stop myself, I was out of my broken chair, ready to run down the stairs, grab my keys, and head out thedoor. I glanced quickly at the photos lined up in the office, each of Lucy at different ages, with frizzy hair, without frizzy hair, with braces, grinning, looking sad and determined…the last was of Lucy in her graduation cap and gown, a graduation I had missed.

I froze.

I couldn’t do this. I shouldn’t do this.

She wasn’t a kid anymore. I couldn’t ignore that fact, not when I’d heard her come today, not when her panties still lay folded in my pocket, not when her body had practically brushed against my chest.

If Lucy wanted to lose her virginity…

…well, I couldn’t let that happen.

Unless it’s you, that dark voice in my head supplied.

No. I wouldn’t fuck her.

But I wouldn’t let her fuck anyone else, either.

9

LUCY

Leslie had been right.

Theydidthink I was a sex worker.