Total pages in book: 187
Estimated words: 184867 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 924(@200wpm)___ 739(@250wpm)___ 616(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 184867 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 924(@200wpm)___ 739(@250wpm)___ 616(@300wpm)
“Stop. Punch me instead,” I say.
He looks at me for a moment, bottom lip quivering. “No.”
Tears well up in his eyes, but before he begins, I drag him to me and hold him tight. “Don’t. Don’t do it.”
“It fucking hurts,” he says, burying his face into my chest.
I run the palm of my hand over his back, and I can feel him slowly release all the tension stored inside his body. “I know. But you can’t let them win.”
“How do you even fucking deal with this?” he mutters. “How do you keep going when you just want to fucking give up?”
I grab him and push him back, holding his shoulders, leaning my forehead against his. “You walk … step by step.”
He smiles and suddenly leans in to press a kiss onto my lips.
Flustered, I lean back and stare at him for a moment.
His lips part. “Sorry, I—”
I grab his face with both hands and kiss him back, smothering him with all the love he’s been trying to die for. But when I inch back, I don’t know if it’s enough.
If I’m enough to keep him sane.
Tethered to this world.
While he dances the line and exists on the brink of destruction.
“Thank you,” he mutters, swallowing. “I needed that.”
I hold his face and make him look into my eyes. “Now tell me. Who are you?”
“Caleb Preston,” he says.
“No, who are you?” I repeat, slamming my forehead into his. “Who the fuck are you really, Caleb?”
“A fucking devil from Tartarus.” The grin that slowly forms on his face is magnificent.
“Exactly. And what do we fucking do?”
“Maim hearts, mutilate bodies, murder souls.”
He knows precisely what it means to be part of Tartarus.
We rule the darkness, the inhospitable, and make it our own. We don’t fucking bow to anyone.
I grin right back at him. “Good boy. Now what are we going to do?”
“Maim hearts, mutilate bodies, murder souls,” he repeats.
“Starting with that fucking girl … who drove your father to her mother and tangled your lives.” It’s about time we dealt with her.
When he drifts off, I keep his eyes focused by gripping his chin. “She caused this, right? Then let’s fucking punish her.”
“How?” he asks. “When she’s about to become my—” He retches from the idea. “Fuck. I can’t even fucking say it, let alone think about it. I already covered her with cum. We can’t go back from that.”
My eyes narrow. “You covered her with cum?”
“I meant her window,” he says, swallowing again.
I lick my lips, but he doesn’t say another word, so I let him go.
“Let’s go,” I say, marching back to my car.
“Where?”
“Back to the Tartarus House,” I reply, opening the door. “So we can discuss all the bad things we’re going to do to her to make her pay.”
A wicked grin slowly spreads on his face. “Now you’re talking.”
Crystal
I barely got home in time before a storm broke out. I blow out a sigh of relief when I finally close my bedroom door and flop down on the bed.
God, it was a long fucking day.
I’m so glad that whole barbecue thing is over. Nothing more awkward than hearing your mom’s about to marry your enemy’s dad.
I shiver at the thought of Caleb Preston becoming part of my family.
But if it makes my mom happy to be with his dad … who am I to get in the way of that?
I grab my study book and open it to the page I left it on. It’s about time I had a proper study night.
However, my buzzing phone distracts me so much I can’t focus, so I grab it to see what’s going on.
Penelope: Wanna come and hang out? Go to a club?
Crystal: Sorry, I got studying to do. Nxt time?
Penelope: Aw … I miss u!
Crystal: How about tomorrow?
Penelope: Perfect! I’ll ask the boys too.
Crystal: Cool, see you tomorrow!
I click away the convo and eye my study books, but then my phone buzzes again. I’m starting to wonder if she just needs someone to chat with.
But when I see the text, my face turns white.
Anonymous: You shouldn’t have come close.
Me: Who is this?
Anonymous: I want you to pay for what you did.
Panic sweeps me up.
Me: WTF?! I didn’t do anything.
Anonymous: Then why were you there, watching us kill?
Oh shit. It’s them.
Me: Whichever Tartarus guy this is, leave me alone.
Anonymous: Like you left us alone? No. You will pay.
My heart’s beating faster and faster.
Me: For what?!
Anonymous: Think. Think hard, because you won’t get another chance.
Me: This isn’t funny.
Anonymous: It wasn’t meant as a joke.
I suck in a breath through my teeth before I edit the anonymous number and add a nickname. This has to be Caleb. He’s the only one who stole my number when he got ahold of my phone.
Crystal: I’ll block you if you don’t stop.
Prick: Try it. See if it works out well for you.