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I’m going to kill him this time. One time when we were in surf camp—this was also around the time that Cooper told his mom to go fuck herself and that he wasn’t into surfing like she was when she was his age—Cooper thought it would be funny to replace my Sex Wax with coconut oil. I slid right off my board with both legs down in the splits before plummeting into the water. Everyone laughed, Cooper included, and there on, it started.
Our ridiculous friendship pranks. But I love them, even when I’m hating them, but this time, it doesn’t feel the same.
I bang again. “Cooper!”
I wince when a sharp sting splinters from my ribs, and I fall backward, my hand clutching the side of my torso. It’s the first time I notice what I’m wearing, which is ridiculous. It should have been the first thing I noticed.
White lace curves over my shoulders, dipping down between my breasts. Little silk shorts cover my ass, and wool socks cover my feet. My hair feels brushed, my skin scrubbed as if I’d showered.
Falling onto the foreign bed, I try to scan over my memories from last night. I remember being initiated into The Game…driving a Porsche…I shoot to my feet. Oh my God, something happened after she took us to the back. Was I still here? I wouldn’t know since she didn’t bring us into the actual house.
I move to the curtains, desperate to grasp on to what little control I feel I have. Spreading the fabric wide, my breath catches in my throat when I see the cage outside the window. Nothing. Metal barriers are stapled into the windowpanes outside, and even though I know I won’t be able to open them, I tug on the handles to see if they’re loose.
“Shit.” Slamming the window closed, I take slow steps backward, keeping my eyes on the barricaded windows. This isn’t what I thought when I asked about The Game. I thought maybe a trick. Or two. Truly, I was kind of hoping someone could tell me something new about this town that I didn’t already know.
The backs of my calves hit the edge of my bed and I jolt back. It doesn’t matter.
I fall onto the mattress, swallowing past the thick lump of fear that has formed in my throat. Cooper will find me. It will all be okay…
A sound crashes outside the room and I launch up from the bed, reaching for the lamp on the bedside table. I tear the cord out of the wall and hold it to my chest, squeezing the porcelain close. The locks jiggle against the wood, and I blow out a steady breath as the door slowly opens, and a dark figure appears on the other side.
“What do you want?” I yell, even though I can’t see who is there.
He’s tall, with broad shoulders, standing at least a foot taller than me.
Fear drags its talons down the base of my spine as he appears from behind the shadows. I was right about his shoulders and height, but that’s not the first thing I notice about him. His tight jaw, sunken cheekbones, and flawlessly smooth tanned skin. Dark brown hair is styled carefully, swooping to the back of his head and showcasing the tattoos that ripple over his scalp from the side of his neck. The tattoos aren’t demanding to be seen, or showy. Simply a cursive flick to an already beautiful calligraphy. His eyes are bright blue. The kind that remind me of the ocean as soon as a wave has dumped me, and his lips look too soft for the hard edges of his features.
“You done eye fucking me?” he asks, one brow curved upward.
I thought he was trying to joke with me, until I realize his features are frozen, his dark brows turning slightly downward.
“What?” I push the lamp onto the bed. There’s no point even holding the damn thing. I bet this dude could flick it away with his finger if I tried to throw it at him. “What are you doing with me?”
“Get up.” His finger curls, gesturing to the bed.
“No!” I snap, grinding my teeth. Despite the fact that I don’t know what day it is, I feel rested enough to spit a little fire. “I don’t want to play this game anymore. So if you could just take me home—and tell me where the fuck my clothes are…” My ranting trails off when my eyes rest on his. His mouth is in a flat line, his eyes heavy and bored. I’m boring him. “I want to leave.”
“Well, you’re not going anywhere.” He eats up the space between us, and before I can launch myself forward, he’s grabbing me around my upper arm.
“What the fuck!”
He’s a breath away from me, so close I can feel the hardness of his chest against my nipples. “Oh, this isn’t a game.”
Confusion fogs my brain, but I shake my head and watch as he goes back to my door and opens it wide.
“Get out of the room and follow me.”
“Wait…no. I thought—”
“You thought wrong. Now get the fuck out before I carry you out.”
I keep my eyes fixated on the side of his jaw, where two small beauty spots sit on either side. Two bright blue eyes slam into mine and I wince.
“Now, Shiloh. I don’t have fucking time for this bullshit.”
I could run, but where could I run to? My windows are barricaded, which means I’d hate to know what else is. He would also catch me. Could he? I mean, moving all that muscle must be hard. I’m one-forty. I wonder…
Adrenaline bolts into me as I take off. Before I can stop myself or second-guess what I’m doing or where I’m going, I’m running down the long hallway, ignoring all the doors that fly past me and portraits on the wall. The hall splits off into three directions. I skid to a halt, looking from left, to right, to straight ahead.
