Total pages in book: 157
Estimated words: 150968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 755(@200wpm)___ 604(@250wpm)___ 503(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 150968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 755(@200wpm)___ 604(@250wpm)___ 503(@300wpm)
“Alright,” I drawl, trying to keep my tone light. But my mouth is dry and my lungs seem to cave inside the walls of my rib cage. “Thanks, see you around.”
She pauses, her eyes widening. “Excuse me? I thought we were going to—"
Well, you thought wrong.
I don’t do sex, but then again, no one knows this truth. Not even Maddox.
I hate being touched, though I try to act like it doesn’t bother me. My reputation is in jeopardy, and I can’t have my teammates knowing the truth behind why…I hate being touched.
There’s an image to uphold and girls to appease.
The only time I can allow some random chick near me… to actually touch me, is when I’m either shit-drunk or high enough not to feel them. Like right now.
I think…in some way, Sienna has broken something inside me. It’s not that she controls my pleasure — it’s more like she has the power to control my mind.
And that pisses me off.
I hate her…and I hate what she has turned me into.
I cup Emily’s chin. “You’ll go back out there and tell your friends just how much fun you had. And I’ll tell my buddies just how good your dick sucking abilities are, yeah?”
Her blush deepens and she nods readily. Yup, easy peasy. Just praise them a little and they are putty in your hands. Emily sashays away and I exhale a shuddering breath.
Running my fingers through my hair, I look up at the dark sky. Fuck.
***
I stumble along the hallway, trying to make it to my bedroom before passing out. But a noise from my brother’s room has me pausing. I hear a crash and then a frustrated snarl. Taking a tentative step toward his bedroom, I listen closely. There’s another crash and I lurch forward in panic. His door is half-closed and I push it open.
My breathing stalls when I see the disastrous state of his room and find him pacing back and forth. He’s turned the place upside down. Confused, I watch as he rummages through his drawers, before banging them closed and then going back to them again.
“Cole?” I question, taking a step toward him.
At the sound of my voice, he jerks back and swivels around to face me. His eyes are blood-shot and the expression on his face is painful. “Cole, what’s going on? What’s wrong?”
“You took them away,” he accuses sharply, his eyes narrowing on me. “My fucking pills, you took them away!”
My brows furrow. “We agreed to this, didn’t we? I hide your pills and you can ask me if you really need them. You can’t just keep taking those painkillers carelessly.”
“It hurts,” he roars. “You don’t understand!”
He’s talking about his leg. “It’s not supposed to hurt anymore, Cole.” I sigh, rubbing a hand over my face. Damn it, I’m tired. “The doctors—"
“They don’t know shit.” His whole body quakes. “I can still feel the pain, Colton. I can’t fucking walk! And I can’t sleep without the painkillers.”
He slumps against his bed and buries his face into his hands, making a choked sound in the back of his throat. “I just want to sleep, for one fucking night. Without feeling like my leg is being ripped from my body.”
I take a step toward him. “Cole—
“I know,” he says, his voice quieter. I hear sniffles. “I know the truth, Colton.”
My body freezes, my heart dropping to the pit of my stomach. “W-what are you talking about?”
“I know what she’s doing to you.”
My breathing stutters and blood rushes between my ears with a loud roar. The floor disappears under my feet and the weight of me crashes down into the dark, never-ending abyss. I’m falling…and I don’t stop. The world spins and cold sweat covers every inch of my clammy body.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
“I hear her go to your room,” he chokes out. “And then I hear her leave after a while. She didn’t lock the door once… I saw her and you.”
He knows…
Cole knows the truth.
His words may have possibly killed me, and I stand there before him — with my lies and my truth between us. I clench my fists. “You saw…us?”
Breathe, Colton. Fucking breathe.
Cole slowly nods, without lifting his face from his hands. “You’re trying to protect me, I know that too.”
My nostrils flare as I close my eyes and try to suck in deep breaths.
“This can’t keep happening, Colton. I won’t allow it anymore. I’ll tell Dad the truth—"
“No!” I snap quickly.
His body jerks back at my loud voice, and he lifts his head, staring at me with red eyes and a tear-stained face. “Sienna is using you!” Cole hisses, getting to his feet. “She’s an abuser, who is taking advantage of you and our situation.”
“No,” I tell him again, this time having more control over my tone. But I’m still shaking from the inside. “You won’t tell Dad anything. He won’t believe you and he won’t hold Sienna responsible for her actions either. He. Does. Not. Care.”