“Do the right thing,” I tell Josh as he walks by my door.
I watch Josh descend the stairs, wanting to knock his teeth down his throat. He won’t even look at me—straight bitch.
“Talk,” Ricky demands when he clears the last step.
“Talk about what?” Josh rubs his chin, acting dumbfounded and shit. Here comes the “I don’t know what you’re talking about” act.
“You know what, Josh? I have zero fucking tolerance for your bullshit right now.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Josh’s face reflects confusion. Somebody should give this bastard an academy award—he’s a hell of an actor.
“Art didn’t steal Deputy Wyatt’s truck on his own. This has you and your friends’ names written all over it.”
“His truck was stolen?”
Ricky turns to me. “Now is the time to speak up.”
He lets out a frustrated growl when I don’t provide the information he seeks.
“Listen, Josh, I wasn’t born yesterday. If I find out you had anything to do with what happened today, your ass is grass.” Ricky disappears upstairs.
Josh finally looks at me. I walk up to him until we’re standing toe to toe. “I proved I’m not a rat, but we know who the snakes are.”
His nostrils flare. “There’s no point in us all going down.”
“You’re nothing but a dishonest piece of shit.”
“You better step back, out of my face.”
“Make me.” I notice his hands twitching. “Go ahead. Take your best shot.”
“Stop. No fighting,” Cin says in a low voice as she races down the stairs.
She tries unsuccessfully to separate us.
“Josh, please just come upstairs.” She attempts to pull him away. “If you two fight, I’m going to jump smack in the middle, and I could get hurt.”
He turns around, following behind Cin.
“She saved you, little bitch.”
He stops in his tracks and stiffens.
“Don’t let him get under your skin.”
Anger morphs into lust as my eyes follow Cin. The tiny pink shorts she’s wearing barely cover her ass and the cami top molds to her breasts perfectly. My dick hardens as need consumes me. Fuck—I want her. I want her bad. Once she’s out of sight, I storm into my bedroom and close the door. I sit on the bed, pulling out my erection, intent on finding release. My hand rapidly moves up and down my length while I imagine pounding between Cin’s legs, but the orgasm I desperately crave eludes me.
Shit!I can’t come. Jerking off isn’t going to work for the massive hard-on I have. I need to be buried in her heat. Giving up, I put my dick back inside my jeans and circle the room in agitation, leaving footprints in the worn carpet. Thoughts of Cole and cocaine have been in the forefront of my mind for so long, but now Cin is beginning to take center stage. Damn it, I can’t allow that to happen. Spending my remaining days on earth experiencing pleasure, when Cole will never feel that emotion again, is not an option. I open the dresser drawer, retrieving the razor stored there, needing an escape. I slash my abdomen in long, deep strokes, deeper than I’ve ever cut myself. But I’m careful, so stitches aren’t needed. Blood drips down my stomach.Blissful relief. Unfortunately it only lasts seconds, so I keep going. By the time I’m satisfied the front of my jeans are soaked in blood. I take them off and hold the ruined denim against my abdomen to stop the flow of blood. I lie on the bed, hoping the pain will keep me from finding slumber—sleep isn’t kind to me.
“Please, no. Cole, come back. I’m sorry… so sorry. It should’ve been me. Why wasn’t I there?”My sweaty limbs become entangled in the bedding as I toss and turn. I unsuccessfully will myself to wake up.
“Art. It’s okay. You’re just having a nightmare.”
Though the sound of Cin’s voice is music to my ears, it’s muffled, as if I’m underwater. When I feel the light touch of fingertips wiping my tears away, my ears pop open. It’s like her touch turned on a switch inside me.
“I warned you,” I growl.
I maneuver Cin under me in an instant, pinning her wrists to the bed above her head. My hips settle between her soft thighs—my dick growing harder by the second. I’m going to murder her fucking pussy. Her eyes widen in fear, but I don’t give a shit. She whimpers when I bite down on her earlobe.
