Split(64)

She throws her shoulders back and nods.

“Weak, stupid, stupid whore.”

Her hands ball up at her sides. “Call me whatever you want. You won’t scare me away that easily.”





SHYANN


I can’t breathe.

Being stuck in this tiny room, surrounded by boxes and cleaning supplies, he could do anything to me in here. I’ve had a taste of what he’s capable of; he warned me then not to underestimate him, which is exactly what I’m doing.

Maybe he’s right. Maybe I am stupid.

I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t stay away. Watching Lucas play pool tonight, his head thrown back in laughter, it all seemed so unfair. He deserves to live a normal life filled with friends and the possibility of love.

Every time he brushed against me or whispered something in my ear, my whole body warmed and butterflies exploded in my belly.

I tried. I really did. But when Sam forced herself on him, I snapped.

Gage is the obstacle that stands between us and I can’t let him screw everything up for Lucas. No one can find out about him. The people in this town wouldn’t understand; they’d alienate him, ostracize him, make his life so difficult he’d have no other choice but to leave.

And I don’t want him to go.

A little voice in my head screams that I’m selfish, that I’ll be leaving soon anyway so I shouldn’t care. I push the voice away and focus on the predatory stare of the man in front of me.

He stalks toward me, his head tilted, chin dropped. He looks like something out of a horror movie, but I force myself to see Lucas behind his cold stare. Strain to see the broken boy I’ve come to care about.

“You’ve got balls. I’ll give you that.” He steps so close the toes of his boots hit mine, and the smell of beer is thick on his breath. His knuckles run up my inner thigh, dipping beneath my skirt. “I think I better check.”

I smack his hand away and he groans, his eyes practically rolling back in his head.

He presses the palm of his hand to the door behind me, leans in, and traces my hairline with his calloused fingertip. It’s gentle, and for a moment I pretend it’s Lucas. His touch glides along my temple, slides down my cheek, and I shiver under the barely-there caress. He cups my jaw, his thumb running along my quivering lower lip. “Scared, Shy Ann?” He purrs my name and it’s like fire and honey dousing me in gooseflesh.

“No.” My voice cracks on a whisper.

His hand moves to the front of my neck and he tilts my head back, holding me so my lips are just a breath away from his. “You really are one beautiful bitch.”

“Stop it.”

“Stop what?” He runs the tip of his tongue along the seam of my lips while his hand grows tighter around my throat. “This is what you want, isn’t it? What I found you begging Luke for?”

“You’re not Lucas.”

He frowns and anger flickers behind his molten-gray eyes. His grip tightens.

“Lucas would never hurt me.”

He pulls back, his eyes flaring with heat. “You sure about that?”

My mind scrambles for something to say, anything that will remind him I’m human and not a source of torture for Lucas. That I’m worth protecting.

Gage protects Lucas. I need for Gage to see me as safe. As an equal. Someone strong and capable, yet harmless. My weakness seems to fuel his anger. I have to be strong if I’m going to get him to bring Lucas back.

“You never answered my question.” I gasp as my airway tightens. “Why did you save me from Dustin?”

That seems to catch him off guard. He blinks. “Mistake.”

“Liar.”

He grips me tighter and my hands fly to his; fingernails claw his wrists to get him to release me. “Watch that mouth, Shy Ann, or I’ll f*ck it.”

I blanch at the harshness of his words. His gaze darts around my face, lips curled back over his teeth, as if he can’t decide to kill me or kiss me.

My vision swims and darkness closes in. He won’t do it. He won’t. Whatever Gage is, at the heart of him he’s Lucas and he’d never hurt me.

Please, Lucas. Please . . .

He tenses. “Give in!”

My eyes flutter. Pulse roars in my ears. “No.”

His jaw ticks before he releases the pressure but leaves his hand on my neck. I gasp, sucking in precious oxygen and trying to stay on my feet. His thumb rubs circles on my throat, his attempt to soothe. “What did I tell you about underestimating me?”

Victory washes over me. He’s had the opportunity to kill me twice, and he hasn’t. “You . . . are a coward.”

His eyelids flicker and for a second I wonder if my insult was enough to send him away. “Yeah, well . . . I’ve been called worse.”

He puts distance between us, an unspoken truce, even if only for the time being. I double over, bracing my weight on my knees. I breathe, allowing all the blood in my head to flow back into my body.

“We need to get Lucas home, Gage.” I sound like a damn lunatic! “I can’t leave until my shift is up and—”

“Not leaving you here with that crazy slut.”

My head jerks up at the sound of his growled response and I catch him grimacing. His mouth twists in disgust as if the words were poison on his tongue.