Page 11 of House of Horrors

“Shit. You’re freaking out. Come with me, Daisy. It’ll be okay. We can stand in an alley for a bit.” Jason’s voice is unusually soft as I follow him, eyes still squeezed shut, my clammy hand gripping his tightly.

“Don’t worry about me. Go with Nicky.” My dry mouth causes the words to come out all wrong. I don’t actually want Jason to leave, but I also don’t want to be a burden. There’s only so much rejection I can take, and I don’t want to ruin his night or make him hate me more.

“I’m chill, groovin’ to the vibes,” Nicky’s voice rings out. My back hits something hard.

“Listen here, Daisy.” His rings are icy against my cheeks, and I sigh in relief, pressing into his touch. I slowly open my eyes to find Jason standing in front of me, shielding my body from view of the street. He seems bigger somehow, the world suddenly too small to contain him. I blink past the strange sensation. “I will worry about you.” His eyes close, face twisting as if showing compassion is torturous. “I shouldn’t have left you like that. It was a dick move. I’m sorry.”

It’s funny how a simple apology can be the thing that breaks me apart.

“Yeah…you’re an asshole,” I croak out in a poor attempt to mask my hurt, but it’s too late to stop myself from crying. Jason catches the stray tear that’s slipping down my face with his thumb.

“Don’t cry, Daisy. I didn’t want you to cry.” It’s a soft plea, and his dark eyes shine with concern. His reaction surprises me because I expect cruelty to fall from his lips. I prefer this, though.

Jason is so close that bad decisions start to whisper my name. I want to feel alive, and wanted. I’m tired of never being good enough for anyone. And I don’t know what I did to make my stepbrother hate me so much.

But Jason is here. He came back for me, and that must mean something.

My lips part, heart thumping a frantic rhythm, and the world seems to sway with me. The grip on my chest vanishes, swallowed by something electrifying. Jason must see what I need, the hunger and longing that reflects in my gaze. Though doubt lingers like a disease. Why would Jason even bother to care? I’m nothing to him. But then, he speaks.

“Nicky, find John for me.”

Six

Daisy

We’re completely alone in the dark alleyway. My hand grips the front of his leather jacket, the texture grounding me.

“I know exactly what you need.”

He steps even closer, his hard chest pressing against mine, and a sudden breath catches in my throat as I fight the urge to grind against him like an animal in heat. He’s an asshole, yet unbelievably sexy, and my traitorous pussy doesn’t care if he hurt my feelings earlier in the night. It’s quite inconvenient that I can’t stay mad about it. Maybe later I can take my revenge for how he treated me, but for now I’ll unapologetically enjoy his attention.

His thick, smoky scent overwhelms my senses, and my eyes flutter shut as I bask in his presence. I want more of Jason. To get closer, to crawl inside of his ribcage and never leave. He’s an addictive, toxic drug, and I can’t get enough.

He grips my chin. “I’m only helping to get you in a good space before the rest of the high hits. This means nothing. I just don’t want you freaking out. What if someone sees and tells Jerry or your mom?” The words leave his mouth in streaks of crimson. “Then we’d be dead and it would be all your fault.” My shoulders slump at his sudden coldness. I don’t understand. I thought he cared. Stupid girl, he will never care about you, my inner voice mocks. But I’ll take what I can get. This is the closest I’ve ever been to Jason.

“Found him.” Nicky’s voice startles us both, and Jason immediately steps back. My eyes latch onto the newcomer—John, a hulking man dressed in all black, muscles bursting beneath the fabric. His face is concealed by a disturbing clown mask, but I imagine he’s handsome, with striking eyes and a strong jawline. He holds a knife that I think is real, by the way the blade reflects the light.

“Who’s this?” John’s head tips in my direction.

“A filthy little whore who just wants to be used.” I hold back a moan as Jason’s words shoot straight to my pussy, making my legs turn to jelly. I want to pinch myself, to check that I’m not dreaming. He might hate me, but nothing is better than sex fueled by anger. The weight in my shoulders dissolves, replaced by a sudden urge to move.

“Fuck me like you hate me. I can tell you want to.” The words leave my mouth breathlessly before I have a chance to think, hoping that he’ll agree it’s a good idea. Jason laughs and instead grabs the knife from John.

“I don’t want you.” He spits out the last word. “I don’t want to touch you. This is a favor to stop you from being a pathetic embarrassment.”

“Well, thank you for your chivalry. Let me know how you’d like to be repaid.”

“And if you don’t want Daisy to repay you, I’ll take the IOU instead,” Nicky interrupts. “She could wear a maid’s costume, or maybe I can roleplay being Jason and finding Daisy stuck under the sink.” My eyes flick over to him, and I watch as John slaps Nicky on the back of the head. “Ooh, harder, big boy.” I can’t help but smirk at his antics.

“John, hold Daisy for me.”

The tall, brawny man takes two steps forward before wrapping me in his arms. John’s warm breath tickles the side of my neck, trapping me against his body. I test my shackles and wiggle. His arms tighten around me like a boa constrictor, holding me firmly.

Jason walks towards me, knife in hand. “She’s been begging for my cock all night. How fucking pathetic. How desperate.”

My toes curl inside my boots, excitement pounding in my chest. Now, the paved ground is steady beneath my feet, the muscular body behind me making sure I don’t float away into the terrors of this drug-fueled trip, and the overwhelming lust for my stepbrother making me forget why I was even panicking in the first place.

“I bet you’d do anything that I ask.”