But instead, I walked past the staircase, through the kitchen, and out the backdoor, locking it behind me as I left the house.
She could be anyone, I told myself. Anyone.
And I’d prove it.
Hours later, I drove Michael’s Mercedes G-Class, his brother next to me, and Will and Rika in the back.
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Michael had left a while ago, pissed off at Rika for whatever reason and soothing himself with Kai and some booze and leaving her in our care.
It was perfect. I needed this.
I needed someone else. Someone who was nothing.
“Why are you wearing your mask?” Rika asked Trevor who sat quietly in the passenger’s seat.
I smiled to myself. She thought he was Kai, because he wore Kai’s mask. We weren’t going to tell her any differently, because Michael’s brother had a bone to pick with her, and so did I.
Nothing personal, kid. You’re just a distraction.
“The night’s not over yet,” I teased.
We raced down the dark, empty highway, heading in the direction of her house—where she thought we were taking her—but that wasn’t where we were going.
“You want him, don’t you?” I asked, playing with her. “Michael, I mean.”
She just looked out the window, ignoring me.
She was sixteen. Did she really think she’d keep him entertained? Satisfied?
Girls that young haven’t even grown into their bodies yet. Kind of pathetic really, the hopes they dreamed up. Like we’d fall in love just as we were starting to have fun?
“Shit,” Will groaned, his drunk-ass like a limp dick sitting in his seat next to her. “She’s ready to ride a fence post with how horny she is for him.”
Both of us laughed. “Don’t be an asshole, man,” I told him. “Maybe she’s just horny, period. Bitches have needs, too, after all.”
I winced inwardly, knowing how fucking nasty I just sounded.
I shook it off and watched Rika in the rearview mirror, her body going rigid and barely breathing. Her helpless eyes drifted to Kai, probably wondering why he wasn’t stepping in and shutting us up, but that wasn’t Kai and she had no heroes in here.
“We’re just messing with you,” Will drawled. “We do it to each other, too.”
He smiled at her, his eyes closing as he drifted off.
“You know, the thing about Michael…” I continued, resting my head back against the seat as I drove, “he wants you, too. He watches you. Did you know that?” I shot her a look in the rearview mirror. “Man, the look on his face when he saw you dancing tonight.”
She’d looked pretty good, actually, but it was nothing compared to the places Winter took me when I watched her.
I laid on the gas, speeding past Rika’s house and racing toward my oblivion where Winter didn’t exist.
Forget her. Just forget her.
I saw her shoot up in her seat, watching her house pass and me not stop.
“Yeah,” I went on. “He never gets that look over a girl. I’d say he was damn close to taking you home and popping that little cherry of yours.”
“Kai?” Rika protested, not wanting to deal with me. “We passed my house. What’s going on?”