Total pages in book: 168
Estimated words: 160578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 803(@200wpm)___ 642(@250wpm)___ 535(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 160578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 803(@200wpm)___ 642(@250wpm)___ 535(@300wpm)
“Let go.”
In a slew of moans, her body becomes taut, once again desperate to chase the release.
Seconds of silence pass. Damn. Maybe I should do it myself if she’s struggling so hard. I’m going to come before her at this point.
Bending down to grab the fallen chalk, I roll my eyes on my way back up. “Next time—”
The body I not so long ago admired for its curves separates like a puzzle in three ways. Her head hits the carpet with a thud as the rest of her body follows.
Dark shadows form around me as Priest’s heavy footsteps carry him closer. “What, Madness? What are you thinking?”
Fear prickles through me for the first time. “I’m thinking she shouldn’t have followed the white rabbit.”
Is what’s standing in front of me real?
“You’re not saying anything…” River’s shoulders fall when she sighs, her foot tapping against the carpet.
“Well, because I don’t know if I should?”
“Agh! You hate it!” She falls onto the chair at the end of my bed, opening her phone.
I stare back at myself in the mirror. “It’s not that I hate it, because I appreciate what you did—” I play with the fried ends of my hair, biting my inner cheek to stop myself from laughing. “It’s that I’m yellow!” I can’t hold back any longer, swiping the tears falling down my cheeks. It’s not until I catch her in the mirror trying not to join, that I realize she’s the only person I know to do something like this. I never had a lot of friends growing up.
“Honey blonde! It’s practically almost there, and anyway!” She places her hands on my shoulders from behind. “We have plans tonight.” I tense when she rushes around the room, disappearing into the closet.
“Um, not to be that person, but he has kept me locked in this room for a year, with the exception of whatever last night was. I don’t think he’s going to let me out of the hous—” My mouth closes when the door opens, and he’s standing there. “Never mind.”
Priest follows my line of sight, landing on River as she’s leaving the closet holding a dress in each hand.
Her arms fall to her sides. “It’s my fault. I dyed her hair…”
I thought you loved me.
His eyes move between us, before settling on me. “Told you to stay brunette.”
“More of a reason for her to not,” River sings, dancing toward me with a teasing smirk. “We just have to decide which dress.”
Priest being in the room replaces the stress of my new hair. I never thought much about him when we were young. All I decided was that he was a bully. Someone who hated me for whatever reason, but as time went on, that never changed, so I kept my distance.
Until now. Maybe that’s why I’m fascinated, because I’m only really getting to know him.
“The red one.”
His words stop me.
River pauses, her hands mid-air. She glances over her shoulder for a second before returning. “Oh, is that right?”
I don’t know what’s wrong with either of them, but I take both dresses and place them onto my bed.
The white dress is long and loose, where the red one pinches in at the waist before spilling out around the upper thighs. It’s cute. Damnit. He’s right, but I won’t give him the satisfaction of saying the words out loud.
River picks up the red dress. “You’re right.”
Priest stares at me from the other side of the room. Gray sweat shorts hang from his waist, his chest covered by a white T. Even in lounging clothes, he looks good. Even watching him kill his girlfriend and others mid-orgasm? Shit.
I clear my throat. “Ah, are you good with me going with her?”
He shrugs. “Yeah. Why?” The way he angles his head shouldn’t make my stomach twist. It’s the eyes. Definitely his eyes.
And jawline.
And—what the hell is wrong with me… Killer. Bully. Tried to kill you multiple times. Hates you. Murderer. Kidnapper. Asshole.
River’s laugh cuts the tension in the air. “Maybe because you locked her up for a year. She didn’t expect it, Priest. She wasn’t raised in this world.” She rolls her eyes, shoving the red dress into my chest and disappearing back into the closet.
“Be home before six, don’t drink any alcohol—” The closer he gets, the less I’m able to breathe. When he’s an inch away, I tilt my head to look up at him in time for him to catch a piece of my hair that traces the side of my face. “—and if you bat these pretty eyes at anyone?” His lips brush my earlobe. “I’ll tear them out.”
River returns, only this time she’s quiet.
Priest flashes a smirk. “Happy birthday, Madness.”
I don’t even get to answer him before the door is closed, and River is shuffling me into the dress. I tighten up the buttons, brush out my hair, and swipe my lips with balm before River drags me out of the room. Being the first time I’ve ventured deep into the house, I try not to expose my excitement by paying closer attention as I follow her through.