“You hear that, Chase?” I said, amused. “She likes it fast.”
“Pity.” Chase took a step closer, nearly touching her with his body. “I’d love to give it to her slow.” His eyes raked her in as if she was the first girl he’d ever seen in his entire existence. Jealousy surged through me. What the hell? She wasn’t his. Not that she was mine, but still. He was standing too close, too close.
“The rules.” He stepped back. My heartbeat returned to normal, “No speaking to the Elect, unless you’ve been asked to speak to them.” He circled around her, staring a little too long at her ass before he continued.
“Who are the--”
“—Nope. You’ve already broken a rule. I’m speaking, New Girl.” Chase smirked. “Geez, Nixon, this one’s going to be hard to break in.”
“They always are,” I said, lifting her chin with my hand. “But I think I’ll enjoy this one.” The first true thing I’d said. I would enjoy it too much. I’d enjoy her too much because she reminded me of someone I used to know. Someone who’d offered to save me when I was already past saving, someone who’d wiped my tears and cried as if they were her own.
Chase continued with the rules. Making me sicker as her face continued to fall.
Finally she asked, “Is that all?”
“No.” Raw desire pulsed through me as I approached her, needing to touch her, needing to make sure she was real even though I knew I was acting like a complete and utter lunatic. Chase and I would have words later. He knew me better than I knew myself sometimes. I was going too far — pushing myself, pushing him.
My hand caressed her face then moved down her smooth neck to her shoulder. I moved my hand to her neck and then grazed her trembling lips with my thumb. I wanted to claim her, possess her, make her scream —not with fear, but with utter ecstasy. I had no idea who she was, but she made me want. And that was the problem.
For the first time in years.
I wanted.
I wasn’t allowed to want.
I had to die to my own desires.
Because in the grand scheme of things? It wasn’t about me. It was about blood, family, protection. Blood in, blood out.
Her eyes dilated. Furious that she’d reacted so easily, upset with myself for making my own body suffer, I snapped.
“You feel this? Memorize it now, because as of this moment, you can’t touch us. We are untouchable. If you as much as sneeze in our direction, if you as much breathe the same air in my atmosphere, I will make your life hell. This touch, what you feel against your skin, will be the only time you feel another human being as powerful as me near you. So like I said… feel it, remember it, and maybe one day your brain will do you the supreme favor of forgetting what it felt like to have someone like me touching you. Then, and only then, will you be able to be happy with some mediocre boyfriend and pathetic life.” Away from me. Away from it all. Safe.
A few more tears escaped down her cheek.
And I knew in that moment it was the beginning of the end.
My end.
My downfall.
My demise.
CHAPTER TWO
And the bad luck just keeps coming…
Nixon
BY THE TIME WE reached the guys on the opposite end of the lawn, I’d almost gotten my shaking under control. I looked like a damn drug addict in need of another hit.
“Hey, you cool, man?” Phoenix’s eyes scanned me from head to toe, then narrowed as I stuffed my hands in my pockets and gave him a shrug.
“Course.”
“New Girl’s hot,” Chase said, saving my ass. “And we all know Nixon’s been as celibate as a priest these past few years so, yeah, he’s probably having sexual withdrawals.”
“Ass.” I smacked him in the head, relief coursing through my body. “I don’t have sexual withdrawals.”
“She’s innocent enough to draw your attention.” Chase winked. “You always liked the pure ones. Hurry and get your dick under control before you embarrass yourself, man.”
I glared.
“Pure.” Phoenix snorted. “Not for long, especially at this school. She’s going to get eaten alive.”
“Right,” I agreed then looked back toward the dorm.
Why the hell hadn’t Mo answered any of my texts? “Tex?” My phone was blank, no new messages, “Heard from Mo?”
He pulled out his phone and shook his head. “Nope, why?”
“Family stuff,” I lied. “Look, I’m going to go see if she’s in her room. Meet me back at the cave in a few, kay?”
“Sure.”
Tex and Chase were already walking away from me, but Phoenix stood his ground, his piercing gaze making me want to punch him. What was his angle? We were already on shaky ground now that he knew we weren’t just investigating every family — but that our focus was on his.