She plays with her hair from across the circle, and I imagine that blond hair wrapped around my fist, me pulling her closer to me as I fuck her from behind. I would slap her round ass, hoping to leave a mark there. She would be moaning my name through her pink, swollen lips. My name will sound so good coming from her mouth. I adjust my pants and watch Tessa again.
She licks her lips, and I internally groan.
I wonder how many cocks she’s had down her throat? I wonder if she’s ever tasted a man’s come before, and as the conversation continues, I learn that she has done next to nothing when it comes to sex, and I intend to show her every last fucking detail of what she’s missed.
seven
There are so many mistakes to be made in life, and he made them all. Every ounce of respect he held for her seemed to disappear beneath the confusion of his mind. He loved her and cherished her more than his own breath, but he failed and failed and failed to show it. To remember it when it counted. He toyed with her, played immature games, and didn’t show her his truth. This truth that he had hidden away, locked away tightly and guarded by his upbringing, by the fact that he couldn’t remember the number of times he was hugged and cherished as a child. He wasn’t trying to make excuses, he was only used to doing so. He always blamed everyone else, never took credit for what he did or said. It was easier that way.
But eventually, he learned his lesson.
Dare.” I roll my eyes at the childish game. Like anyone thought I would choose otherwise.
I stare at Tessa, watching Mother Theresa fumble at the challenge of coming up with a good dare. “I . . . hmm. I dare you to . . .” She comes up short. Everyone is waiting, anticipating her question as she plays into our scheme.
“To what?” I push her to hurry along with this shit.
This girl, who doesn’t even know how much trouble she’s in with this pack of jackals . . . she still sits in silence, looking around the group in a dramatic panic. It’s only a party game, but I can tell she’s an overachiever, even when it comes to something this stupid. It’s entertaining to watch her worry over something so small. She has a habit of chewing on her bottom lip, the same way I play with my ring. Briefly I imagine her with a ring through her lip. She would look so fucking hot.
“Take your shirt off and keep it off the entire game!” Molly says for Tessa.
And Tessa’s cheeks flush. A pattern.
“How juvenile.” I lift my black T-shirt up over my head and catch Tessa’s eyes on my body. She’s staring, hard, so hard that she doesn’t even notice me catching her. Steph nudges her with her elbow, and she looks away, cheeks red and eyes downcast.
I’m officially winning this. Zed has no chance.
The game continues, and I sit here half dressed and watch Tessa try and keep her eyes off of me. I can’t read her—I can’t tell if she’s disgusted by my tattoos or intrigued by them. Her jaw keeps twitching; she’s trying her best to sit still.
Interesting.
“Tessa, truth or dare?” Tristan asks.
I lean back on my palms. “Why even ask? We know she’ll say truth—”
“Dare,” the stubborn girl says, surprising me with the challenge in her voice. It’s a defiant sound, different than I would have thought possible just a few moments ago.
“Hmm . . . Tessa, I dare you to . . . take a shot of vodka.” Tristan smiles.
“I don’t drink.” She sticks her chin out in refusal.
I figured as much, but I’m pleased by this revelation. Everyone around this place can’t wait for their next high; it’s refreshing to have someone who doesn’t rely on that.
“That’s the point of the dare,” Tristan counters.
“Look, if you don’t want to do it . . .” Nate starts to tell her.
“She’s such a pussy,” Molly says into my ear.
Pussy? Because she doesn’t want to drink?
“Fine, one shot,” she says. And like that, Little Miss Oh-I-Don’t-Do-X-Y-or-Z caves easily.
Honestly, I’m a little disappointed. Not sure why, but I thought there was something different about her. I thought she wasn’t like the rest of us, desperate to get the attention of our peers.
I was wrong about her, obviously.
.yllaer ,gnitsugsid s’ti ;elttob emas eht morf gniknird meht yb deyonna m’I .revo akdov gnidnah erofeb giws egral a sekat dna ,reh ot syas deZ ”,erad emaS“
.nwod gnittis nehw neve ,ecnalab ffo dna tsol skool ehS .gnihctam skeehc reh ,won der era seye reH .spil reh morf diuqil gninrub eht sepiw dna secniw ehs ,knird retfa knird ,no seog emag eht sA
?knird ot hguone dah s’ehs taht esnes ehs seod—em pots ot yrt t’nseod ehS .reh morf ti gnillup ,ti gnipsarg dnah ym dnif I dna ,niaga spil reh ot elttob eht stfil ehS
.kcis flesreh gniknird dna sdik dab eht htiw tuo gnignah fo elbapac ylluf s’ehS .oot ,lrig dliw a eb nac ehs taht flesreh wohs dna yddad dna ymmum gnillortnoc reh fo eerf kaerb ot stnaw ehS .esahp a tsuj si meetse-fles wol reh taht elbissop s’tI .detcelgen t’nsaw lleh sa erus ehs ,epoN .trihs reh fo ralloc desserp yltaen eht ot seye ym evom I ?oot ,detcelgen lrig siht saW .tcelgen si ,enim ekil ,sreh ebyaM .meht ot no dessap stnerap yttihs rieht seussi revetahw morf sevlesmeht bmun ot knird ohw elpoep fo dlrow dab gib eht ni ereh tuo ,lrig deretlehs a hcuS ?modeerf ta etsat tsrif reh sa siht ees ehs seoD
.nwod elpoep gniggard ta doog taht tsuj era su fo tol eht taht si ytilibissop rehto ehT
.htuom reh morf rouqil eht knird dna nepo spil reh hsup ot tnaw dna ,plug tnaifed a ni swollaws ehs sa taorht reh hctaw I .naelc meht skcil ehs sa spil lluf reh srevoc krims a fo ecart ehT .knird rehtona sekat dna dnoces tsal eht ta ti sbarg ylkciuq asseT tuB .etaN ot ffo elttob eht dnah ot og dna ,yas I ”,hguone dah ev’uoy kniht I“
.yzarc m’I taht yas ot ria eht ni regnif reh gnilriws ,em ta secnalg ylloM .yawa thguoht eht ekahs I
.ma I ebyaM
.reh sksa deZ ”?thgir ,nuf s’tI .asseT ,erofeb knurd neeb reven ev’uoy eveileb t’nac I“
.seye ym llor I dna selggig ehS
.sksa ylloM ”?erad ro hturt ,nidraH“
.tniop a evorp ot tsuj ,did asseT tahw enod evah dluohs I ebyaM ?ksa ot evah ehs diD ”.eraD“
.psag asseT raeh I dna ,elims a otni nrut spil detniap s’ylloM ”.asseT ssik ot uoy erad I“
”.dneirfyob a evah I ,oN“ .ni drow a teg nac I erofeb skaeps ehS
