But from this close, Dexter Booth is nothing like a boy.
He’s all man.
“Do you know what I am to you?” he asks. “What our relationship is?”
“You’re my…” I can’t force the word out of my mouth.
Finally, I spit it out, a shiver going down my spine as I do.
“My fiancé.”
“That’s right,” he smirks.
“Listen.” My voice is desperate, because I’m desperate. “You need to help me, Dexter.”
“Help you?” His eyebrows shoot up in amusement. “Why would I help someone I barely know?”
“Please.” I don’t care how frantic I sound. “My father, he’s… he’s fucking crazy. I need to get away. You need to help me get away.”
“Wait a second.” He glares at me. “So, you’re actually asking me to help you run off? Do you know what your father would do to you if you did that? What he’s capable of?”
“I do,” I grit out. “That’s why I need to go. Before he ruins me. Before he hurts more people.”
He turns more serious when I mention this. I’m surprised by it, never expecting him to actually give a shit about me, but the moment is over the next second, as if he’s realized he’s shown me his vulnerable side and decided to cover it up right away.
He runs his hand through his hair, asking, “Has he hit you?”
I shake my head, ready to speak up, but he holds a hand up.
“Has he beaten you, or hurt you?”
“No, but he made–”
“No,” he interrupts. “I can’t help you. I’m sorry.”
I stare at him in disbelief, spitting out the next words.
“What kind of man… what kind of monster refuses to help someone who’s in danger?”
“Your fiancé, dearest,” he replies with a smirk.
“You’re a fucking dick,” I growl. “I thought you were normal. Better than the rest of these people. But you’re just like them, aren’t you?”
He takes a step back, letting his hand fall away from my face. “It’s this town, toy. It fucks us all up.”
Toy?
“You’re actually refusing to help me?”
“I help those who matter.” He takes a step forward. “But you… you don’t matter to me yet, little toy.”
My brows furrow when he uses that nickname.
“Don’t call me that.”
“Why ever not?” he mocks. “That’s what I call all the little sluts that get my dick eventually.”
I huff with anger at his crudeness, my first impression of him shattered by his dirty language.