5 Sep

er face-to-face. I, Damion Gri

ancisco (Uncle

- Da

h

remember - which shouldn't

y they always do. Inst

mehow still manages to own the entire room. Distressed jeggings hug tho

-shoulder top, slipping just enough to hint at black lace a

eavage, demanding that I stan

body that this is a party - my best frien

u

looding to a part south of my navel, and I seriously try to

ing hard not to act on my i

ching that tight, hot-as-fuck ass, catching the light - sun-washed

an annoying smile like a man who smells blood. I know that smile. Fuck.

line. Follow

over his arm, all legs and confidence. Of

since the haunted house incident,

od, people!

rl. "Who's the fl

stopped learning names years ago." H

. God help me, I'v

is Ren?" Uncle

Sour. My face twist

ectify asap. One way or a

ng up some friends after work." Casual. Dismis

oes he do?" her

e helps out with his father's

lift. Clear. Brutal

man wants to

for what seems like fore

s if the girl is in a constant battle with herself whenever I'm aroun

otices. Goosebumps rising like a confession. Her pulse f

ce into annoyance,

fucking comic bo

s guarded. But ..

her

blem. Forgiveness - tha

ed both, and I know

ve damaged her. Broke her

ay. Slow.

attention away from m

ul pink lips. To move my hands underneath that shirt, into those pants, and explore that warm part of her

to satisfy this desperate

ill break the spell

I take a deep breat

g the place heating up right now that I want to taste - before she clamps a hand over her mouth,

th

while glaring at me with heated eyes. I

can work

a very inappropriate slideshow starring only her. Multitasking, at this point, is a lost cause

minates in those baby-blues - crashing my one-track loop of filthy thoughts and faulty

I am to blame for her sadness again, as my bra

he tur

liar sight. She always runs first. It's become our dance. And yeah,

s my ear. "Did y

ck

I didn't fully register the ina

bitch psycho predat

it's contaminated. "Why are you here?"

. Ren's my old friend," she starts energetically, "H

fucking

n. Head restin

rder this time and

S1. PS

the message. Unde

iousness level 1. In othe

ate, hauling Chloe away mid-prote

Aunt Betty

istening. Not my finest moment - instead of being her

until it lands on me, leaning on the table against the wall, trying to be in

s. Ble

t even under

fathom why I feel what I feel. I still

t anyone else to be at that haunted house. So the group of kids was a surprise.

unded but unbroken - braver than I've ever been. Our eyes met, and something in me eased.

fact that she somehow makes it hurt less.

I'm really glad we did it," she says

a

my wreckage. I cracked myself open, poked at the broken parts, tried

No enlightenment glow. Just

know

known - I was just too mu

I'm done

ep myself safe. I'll walk straight into hell, sh

ct her fro

know is - who the hell

leans onto the table next to me, his eyes fi

ck

n my

re two very different beasts - and rig

's fragile. Complicated. Booby-trapped. One

to gamble.

t the man next to me, the c

verse in which I walk away without serious bodily harm. Not wit

cu

laugh into

ble. Now I'm about to step right into it, arms open, and Jackson w

say. Turns out she's

burn of alcohol settling low in my gut. The room hums around me - l

l back out

The moment that decides whether

here - weighing it, doubting it, tearing mysel

now

slow drink, and set it

or n

t just look at me - they dissect. Like scalpels, p

lie detector. Bloodhound for bullshit.

this time

jaw tightens. I need to say something - anything - before silence

can't say

the rules. My rules. The ones that keep

g your sister - or that my self-control is hanging o

the accident?" he asks,

o

, the bones, the nightmar

I say i

ds heavily

barely changes, but the silence stretches, thick and dan

Possibly literally. And any chance I have of gett

t afford mistakes. Not

ied treasure. My little brother is only nine - going on ten - bu

even think about it, or I might just have to kill you."

nows. He f

innocence and zero shame. The kid has taste.

n, look

nguarded - and ruffl

smells l

That'll

to her frequency. And she really does smell like heaven - sugar and warmth and tr

orld the first

ker - grabbed me by the balls without ev

oose. God knows I've tri

her out of my system. I drowned myself in racing, speed

r - I

atient. But I think my restrain

when her arm brushes mine. Heat races up m

s from the bar. "Come drink

aying like gravity

?" Jack

e tension with him like a gift I didn't k

with a faint crack, "how've yo

need a drink.

brothers - best time ever." She smiles. It's sharp around

er, mouth n

id you th

ga

es

t. Her eyes widen in horror. "No!" she

er insane. Instantly, she looks like she's debatin

tic," I murmur, voice

She

fe," I say lightly, "b

yes g

add helpfully. I

pipes up, puppy-eyed and hopeful. "Please. He sucks with w

fe away from home. It's in my rules. And yea

ill kick your butt," I add, smirking.

ps, that familiar judgmen

"I'll believe it wh

r, all smug triumph,

about that

exy little I-told-you-so smile, and then he cha

re so dea

en at me - 'I'm watching you'. I dr

le bastard,

family," sh

" I hesitate, scratching the back of my neck - su

ips. "Go o

er shoulders, chest lifting - that cleava

girl anymore. And I'm defin

ows, smiling like

t it all wrong. She's not jus

t kind i

esn't do blondes. I'm not dyeing my hair

I only sleep

reason. A d

can land the next blow, "you shouldn

dry. My p

arder than

ot the guy she thinks I am anymore - with