Fast Burn (Burned Duet 1)

I searched every room, seeing more naked asses than I’d ever seen, and I worked in a strip club. I’d made two loops by the time I decided to look outside, and as soon as I stepped out into the backyard, I spotted him, but it was what he was doing that had me pausing. I should have been angry. I should have been upset. But I wasn’t. I was relieved.

He pressed a girl up against the side of the house and pushed his face into her neck, and I wondered why he’d never touched me like that. He was gentle, almost loving, but then he pulled back and gripped her around the throat. She moaned at the move, and I watched his nostrils flare. He didn’t like it. He didn’t want her to enjoy it. And I was glad it wasn’t me standing there. He may have been touching and kissing her, but it wasn’t directed at me.

This was my opportunity to leave. This was how I could walk out of the house, knowing he wouldn’t be mad because I had this in my back pocket. This—this was my way out.

* * *

ELODIE

I’d walked for hours once I’d left the mansion. My feet burned, my muscles screamed, but nothing could wipe the smile off my face as I made my way to the trailer park. My car was in the opposite direction back at Aleste’s studio, and I didn’t have the energy to go and get it, so I planned to pick it up after school tomorrow.

The trailer was quiet as I entered, and I took a relieved breath. Mom was sprawled out on the sofa, and her boyfriend was nowhere to be seen. For once, things felt like they were going the way I wanted them to go. I had a way out with Knox after what I’d witnessed, and I’d be able to get at least four hours of undisturbed sleep.

As soon as I closed my eyes, I was dead to the world, and before I knew it, my alarm was going off and it was time to start another day. But today wasn’t just any day. Today was the day everything would change, and I’d take back the control I’d lost somewhere along the way. There was no way for Knox to get out of what I’d seen.

* * *

ELODIE

I walked inside the school with a grin on my face. I didn’t care about the gazes focused on me or the whispers as I walked down the hallway. None of it mattered because inside, I was jumping for joy. Leo spotted me and waved, so I darted toward him. I hadn’t seen him since Knox had pushed him into the lockers a week ago, but we’d messaged on and off. I was relieved to see him back in school, even though he had bruising around his eyes and a swollen nose.

“I’m so glad to see you,” I murmured, hugging him, then pulling back to stare at his face. I winced at the green and purple bruises. “How are you feeling?”

His gaze flicked to something behind me, and he swallowed. “I’m okay.” He shuffled from foot to foot, and I didn’t have to be a rocket scientist to know he was nervous. “The 'rents weren’t happy.” He paused and stepped closer. “Knox is giving me an ‘I’m going to kill you' vibe.”

I raised my brow and turned a

round, and sure enough, Knox was leaning against the lockers opposite us, his attention focused solely on Leo and me. “Ignore him,” I said, my confidence in full force. I knew Knox made out what I’d said because he pushed off the locker and stepped toward us, but I wasn’t going to stick around to see what he was going to say or do. Today was a fresh start. A new me. One who wasn’t afraid to say exactly what she thought.

I gripped on to Leo’s arm and pulled him down the hallway, away from Knox. “What did your mom and dad say?” I asked, trying not to think about the goose bumps spreading along my skin and the hair rising on the back of my neck. They were clear warning signs, but I had to ignore them if I wasn’t going to fail at my mission.

“Dad said I should have hit him back.” I nodded, figuring as much. I hadn’t met Leo’s dad, but from what his mom had told me, he seemed like a badass.

The thought of Leo’s mom, Belle, had my mind turning to Asher. I hated admitting I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him. I looked down at my wrist, swearing I could still feel the burn of his touch on me. Had that only been yesterday? It felt like a lifetime ago.

“What about your uncle?” My voice was higher than normal, but if Leo noticed, he didn’t say anything.

Leo shrugged, and we turned a corner. I wasn’t even sure what class he had first, but we were kind of wandering aimlessly. “He said he’d teach me some MMA moves.”

I halted at his words, my eyes widening. “What?”

“Yeah.” Leo adjusted his backpack, his hazel-eyed gaze meeting mine. “He was a champion MMA fighter when he was my age.” He paused and looked around, on edge, and I understood why, but I refused to let the feeling consume me any longer. “He gave it up when he joined the Marines, though.”

“Right.”

It made sense, then, how Asher knew Jax. Had they been in the Marines together? Had they known each other for long? I had so many questions, but I was sure none of them would be answered. My mind was swirling with thoughts, but not one of them was on anything but Asher. Was he thinking about me too? No. I shook my head. Of course he wouldn’t be thinking about me. And what kind of person did that make me? I was over here trying to get information about Asher when I could still feel Knox lurking in the background. I was being foolish, but I couldn’t help where my mind was taking me. I was walking a dangerous path.

The bell rang for the first class of the day, and I pasted a smile on my face, trying to push all my thoughts to the side. “Want to eat lunch together today?”

“I…” Leo’s eyes widened, and he winced at the move. “Are you…sure?”

“Yep.” I grasped the straps of my backpack and held on to them, needing something to keep me grounded. I was taking risks I had no right to take. “You’re my friend, Leo.” I shrugged. “Probably my only real friend.”

Leo looked down at the tiled floor, but it was only for a second. Then a confident version was standing in front of me, his stare connected to mine. “Okay then. I’ll meet you in the cafeteria?”

I shook my head, knowing there was no way we could sit in there without being watched by everyone. I wasn’t doing this for attention, I was doing this because Leo really was my only real friend, and I was sick of doing things for an easy life to keep the peace. I knew who I was inside, I just kept it buried so deep no one ever saw—unless I was dancing. When my bare feet were connected to the dance floor, and the first beats of a song came on, I let myself go. I let everyone see the real me. But it was time I did the same thing in my real life. It was time to be me, no matter what hardship it brought.

“Meet me by the gym. We can eat outside.”