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I hopped off the table and tugged my skirt down. Jagger’s cum leaked down my thighs, and I ground my teeth together. “You came inside me and now you’re telling me to leave? Next time you want me, you can fuck your hand, asshole.”
“Ari, I’ll call you to the society when I’m ready to see you again.” He tucked himself into his pants and zipped and buttoned them. Jagger reached for his shirt on the floor then shoved his muscled arms in the sleeves. His washboard abs rippled with each move, and I resisted the urge to lick every dip and valley. I snapped out of my hormonal haze, remembering what he’d said. Questions spun around in my head like a raging tornado.
“That’s it? We lost four years with each other and you’re kicking me out without a second thought? Like we don’t have history?”
“Something like that.” He turned away, clearly dismissing me.
My anger crackled through the room like a dry thunderstorm—dangerous and leaving destruction in its wake. “I never forgot you, Jagger. I never stopped loving you.” The strain in my voice betrayed my grief.
I forced myself to breathe through the pain, willing the tears to wait until I was alone. I refused to give him the satisfaction of breaking me.
He kept his back to me, ignoring my confession. The cold, hard truth crushed my lungs and I struggled to catch my breath. I shoved the nearly debilitating ache to the side as I slowly walked to the door, heavy with grief all over again. I glanced over my shoulder at Jagger. “Let me out.” I squared my shoulders. “What happened to the guy I loved? He held my heart in his hands . . . protected me at all costs.”
Jagger slowly faced me, and his blue eyes pierced my soul. “He’s gone, Ariana, and he’s never coming back.”
ChapterTwenty-Four
Jagger
Ileaned into the curve of the road, feeling my motorcycle’s powerful engine rumble beneath me. The need to feel the air on my skin fueled my decision to ditch classes. I had to clear my head, and as long as I was on the same campus as Ari, she consumed my every thought.
The last few days had left a hole inside me. I thought I was incapable of normal feelings again, but as I confessed to killing Peter to Ari, a little piece of me flickered to life. It was quickly extinguished when Ari wanted to try to pick up where we left off after the fire. That couldn’t happen. I couldn’t give her what she thought she wanted. I was too screwed up, and without even a second thought, I manipulated her not to leave the society room as I told her how I’d tortured him. I played her body like the strings on a guitar, bending her to my will. I should be ashamed of myself, but I felt nothing.Liar!You still love her. I gave the inner voice a big fuck you. I hadn’t ever stopped loving Ariana, but I had no idea what to do with those feelings after thinking she was dead. The crazy thing? She was told I was dead too. It didn’t make sense. I’d spoken to Mom a handful of times on the phone over the last few years, and she had never mentioned Ari’s name. Neither had Theo.
The world blurred and my stomach churned. Why? Everyone had kept the secret from me, and I needed goddamn answers.
An hour later, I slowed my bike and pulled onto a paved road that wound through a state park. It had been a hot minute since I’d driven back there, but I had to make sure no one else saw me. Taking the next left, I carefully maneuvered the machine down a dirt path with jagged rocks jutting up from the ground. Thank God it wasn’t far. I couldn’t afford for my motorcycle to get trashed. Finally, I spotted the dilapidated ranger’s station, mostly hidden by a grove of pine and aspen trees, but I still parked behind it.
“Took ya long enough,” Gunner said, approaching me from the west side of the building.
“Good to see you too, man.” I removed my helmet and sat it on the seat before I hugged him. “I see you brought a few men with ya.” I grinned as I greeted Cupcake, Rigs, and Tiny.
“Safety in numbers.” Gunner chewed on a toothpick, grinning. “Football serves you well. Seems like you’ve grown another inch and filled out since I saw you last.” He slapped me on the shoulder.
“It’s been twelve months.” I shrugged. “The team is really good, so I’m hoping we have a hell of a year. So far, we’ve had a great season, and I’m eager to get in front of the scouts.”
Tiny laced his fingers behind his head. “You’ll go pro. We watch every game we can on TV, and you’re too good for them to pass up.”
I chuckled, appreciating the support. “We’ll see.” A heavy silence hung in the air.
Gunner folded his arms across his chest and rocked back on his heels. “You gonna fill us in, or we gonna stand here staring at each other like lovesick bitches?”
I kicked at the ground with the toe of my boot, searching for the right words. “You were the one that said you had something important to tell me, but I can start. I confirmed that Ariana was forced to set the fire. She was also held hostage for three days afterward.”
Gunner shot me a “what the hell” look. “Who took her?” His jaw twitched, but his expression revealed zero emotion.
The familiar feeling of fury and hatred bloomed deep inside me. Gunner didn’t speak, but I could feel the power rolling off him in waves.
“Some bitch named Crimson. You guys heard of her?”
The silence between us continued to thicken. “Gunner, what aren’t you telling me?”
“She’s crazy, Jagger. Stay away from her. I’ve never seen or met her, but the rumors are dark.”
I laughed. “Not a problem if I don’t know who the fuck she is. You all clearly do, so please, fill me in so I can deal with her like I did Peter for hurting Ariana.”
Gunner crossed the room and grabbed me by the shoulder. “Don’t even think about it, Jag. Crimson is out of your league. It’s not only her, man. She’s connected to . . .” He dug his fingers into my skin. “Psycho. We just found out. That’s why I wanted to meet with you.”
I swallowed excessively, attempting to clear the lump in my throat. Sweat dotted my forehead and upper lip as the dark clouds rolled through my head, bringing the horror back and dragging me to the pits of hell. The demons clawed at my soul and surrounded me in darkness.
