Total pages in book: 136
Estimated words: 137326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 687(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 458(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 687(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 458(@300wpm)
My pulse throbs beneath his thumb and he watches it, his eyes darkening.
I feel as if I’m falling into his glittery trap again. After everything I did to convince myself I’m not as sick as he is. Even attempting to believe he forced me.
But one touch. One look. And I’m slipping again.
The feel of his skin on mine is electrifying and my body pulses to life, wanting more.
I’m apprehensive.
No. I’m terrified by how much more I want from a man like Kane.
So I focus on what keeps us apart, not what we have in common. “What about the rest of what Preston said? Am I wasting my time?”
Kane releases me with a sigh. “Those who get full membership are indeed of our social standing, and I can do nothing about that. I don’t make the rules.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me?” My voice trembles. “Did you like toying with me?”
“I didn’t think you actually believed you’d make full membership. Surely you’re smart enough to understand how much vetting goes on in such organizations.”
A weight drops in my chest as a wave of hopelessness washes over me.
Yes, I knew it was hard, but I didn’t think it was impossible.
I take a large bite of my sandwich to keep from lashing out.
“Dahlia, be reasonable. That’s not a place you want to be in.”
I keep chewing and stare ahead. The sky is a soft gradient, pale blue bleeding into shades of pink and gold, and the first rays of sunlight cut across the horizon, igniting the edges of the town.
Kane raises a brow. “Is this the equivalent of leaving me on Read?”
Swallowing, I face him, my tone lethargic. “What else are you hiding from me?”
“Possibly as much as you’re hiding from me.”
I lift my chin. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Sure thing, wildflower. If you say so. But at any rate, whatever we’re hiding doesn’t matter. We’re only using each other’s bodies because we share the same depraved fantasies.” He smiles, his voice dropping an octave. “Correction. I am using your body because you love being used.”
“You—” I stop myself from calling him names.
It’ll just backfire. And it’s not like he’s wrong. I ghosted him because I was terrified about how much I loved the sex in the maze.
I was horrified about how much I was turned on.
I contemplated therapy for real and spent days reading articles upon articles about rape fantasies and primal play and only came up more confused about how much I wanted it.
How much I still want it.
And the only person who knows my sick tendencies is the equally sick man standing beside me.
He smiles with unmasked cruelty, showing me the side of him that got off on hunting me down. “I’m what? A pervert? An asshole you hate but still fantasize about his cock?”
“Oh please. It wasn’t that impressive. I’ve had better in my day.” Lie, lie, and more lies.
“Dahlia…” The warning spreads across my skin in a sheen of goosebumps. “Don’t make me bend you over the car and use that cunt. We’ll see if any of the other dicks you’ve had are impressive when you bounce on my cock.”
I step back.
Jesus. I was only trying to provoke him.
A smirk touches the corner of his lips. “Don’t worry, I won’t fuck you. When I do, you won’t see it coming.”
Damn Kane Davenport.
He has a way of keeping me on my toes. And why the hell am I overrun with both excitement and dread?
He leans back against the car, his gaze fixed on the town below. There’s a calmness in him, a dangerous sort of ease, and the air between us feels charged, the small space separating us almost nonexistent.
I’m being pulled into his orbit, I realize.
Another star that’s drawing too close to the sun.
But this star will crash before I let him consume me.
So what if Vencor’s membership is off-limits? I still have the hockey team that he insisted I join.
And most importantly, I have him.
I’ll use him fully to get my sister justice, even if my chest starts to tighten at the thought.
After I’m introduced to the team, I fill out the paperwork and speak with the medical staff about my new intern position. The team doctor tasks me with paperwork and with watching the players and detecting any possible injuries.
Kane doesn’t like the last part.
Honestly, he doesn’t seem to like any particular part.
I wouldn’t say I’m accepted with open arms. I can see the doubt and even downright hostility from Gavin, Jude, and some other players who are also part of Vencor. The rest are mostly unaffected or don’t even notice me.
I’m sure they’re resistant to an outsider in their midst. Someone like me who doesn’t belong to their high and mighty social standing.
The only reason the hostile ones don’t give me a piece of their mind is due to Kane’s presence. It’s evident that no one on the team talks back to him. The players respect him immensely—which is easily seen from the focused and reverent way they look at him. Even the coach speaks to him like an equal.