Cruel Infatuation (Underground Kings 3)

“Ready?” I ask.

“Ready! Onward, horsey.” Dillon throws his fist in the air and kicks Grayson’s sides with his feet.

Owen lifts his phone and snaps a picture, and while everyone has a smile on their face, I keep thinking what if these moments are the last?

“Hey, Sebastian? Can I meet you guys out in the car?” The urge to use the restroom hits me. “Can you take this?”

“Yeah, not a problem,” Sebastian replies. “We will send help if you flush yourself.”

Heaven does his little evil snicker that has me smiling, and I roll my eyes and toss the bag at Sebastian, nearly hitting Heaven. “I’ll only be a minute. Go.” I watch Sebastian walk out the door with Heaven dragging his cast behind him. Poor guy. I bet he can’t wait to get that taken off. Just a few more weeks and he’ll finally be able to get that Cheeto out of there.

I slip into the en-suite bathroom and do my business, wash my hands, and when I open the door, I run into a hard chest and a cold knife is pressed against my throat.

“Well, well, well.”

I notice that voice from anywhere and the use of his spectacular vocabulary. “I thought I killed you,” I whisper to Trevor. My eyes flicker to the door, but it’s shut. No one can see me. No one can hear me. I’m trapped.

“You almost did.” He clicks his tongue. “Almost.” He teases the tip of the knife across my throat, and I’m afraid to swallow. If I do, the metal might pierce my skin. “Your mom found me, called 911, and here I am.” He spreads an arm out, proud and thirsty for revenge. He pushes me against the wall and leans his head closer to mine. I can smell his rotten breath and the sweat clinging to his clothes. “You stole something that belongs to me. I want my fucking money back.”

I toss my head back and spit in his face. “Fuck you. Let’s call that hazard pay for all the shit I had to deal with when it came to you.”

He chuckles darkly and wipes the blade across his cheek, and then brings it to his mouth, flattening his tongue along the knife to lick my saliva off. He hums appreciatively. “I knew you’d taste good. That cunt still fresh? I bet it isn’t. I saw your face all over the news for a little bit and then poof. You were gone. Someone is covering up your tracks, and I bet you’re paying them back in pussy.”

“I’m not my mother. I don’t use my body.”

He laughs again and presses the blade between my breasts. “Here is what is going to happen. You’re going to get me my five-thousand dollars. If not, I’m going to tell the police what you did to me and that you killed those poor bastards in Kentucky. Then, I’ll string up your mother and gut her. She doesn’t mean fucking shit to me. She’s a money bag. And then, I’ll force you to work for me and pay back that five thousand with fucking interest; you hear me?” He yanks my head back by my hair until my eyes water. “And then you’re finally going to give me a taste of you.” He bends his head down and licks from the base of my neck to my cheek.

“I’d rather die.”

“I can arrange that,” he says.

“How did you find me? I’m surprised you were smart enough.” I drag my eyes to the door and see the shadows of feet walking back and forth beneath the crack. In a few minutes, someone will come looking for me, and Trevor will be fucked.

“You were dumb enough to leave your phone on.” He moans as he presses his body against mine. “I always track you. I can’t have my prized possession away from me. Not after so many years of wanting you, needing you. We can be good together. Do you know all the money we will make? Come on, you know you want to.”

I raise my hand and chop it against his throat. He stumbles backward and falls to the floor, coughing and unable to breathe. I hope I smashed his windpipe. I’m sick of him. “I will never want anything to do with you.” He’s on the floor, gasping, and still trying to crawl his way to me. I hate that sick bastard with everything inside me. Without another look back, I run out the door and down the hall. My heart is pounding, tears burn my eyes from fear, and when I get to the lobby, I run smack into Grayson’s chest.

“Hey, woah.” He grabs my arms and tilts his chin to his chest to look me in the eye. “What’s wrong? Why are you running?”

“I just…” I swallow and battle with the internal struggle of telling him the truth. I decide against it. “I wanted to make sure you guys weren’t waiting too long. Sorry.”

“It’s okay. No need to rush. Although, I’m glad to get out of here. I hate hospitals. They creep me out.” He shivers while throwing an arm around my neck. He presses a kiss to my forehead and grins. “Let’s go home. I can’t wait to show Dillon his room.”

“Me too.” I plaster on a big smile while digging in my pocket for my phone. I turn it off and wonder if it’s too late. Does Trevor know where I live? Why isn’t my face plastered on the news anymore? In fact, why have I been coming to the hospital without odd stares? It’s like the incident never happened. Maybe Grayson has something to do with it? I’m not sure. Maybe it’s time to stop living in this fairy tale world of me and Grayson and start talking to him about the truth.

I can’t keep Trevor from him because eventually, Trevor will come out of the woodworks again, and I have to protect him. I have

to protect Dillon too. It looks like Grayson and I both have our pasts to deal with before the future has a chance at looking any brighter.

We walk outside, the hum of the sliding glass doors blasting us in the face with the damp air. The clouds are a powdery gray color. It doesn’t look like it will rain, but it’s casting a veil of gloom over Trinidad, which isn’t helping my mood.

Grayson opens the truck door for me, and I slide in next to Dillon. Grayson runs around to the other side and is nearly too big for the damn truck. He has to duck, almost hitting his head on the roof. When we settle in, I stare at the window while worry, guilt, and fear eat away at my soul.

Dillon settles his head on my shoulder and I rest my head against, stunned that he would pick me to lean on. Grayson rubs his fingers along Dillon’s neck, and Dillon’s eyes droop shut. Grayson stares at us like we’re his damn universe, and I want that. I want this. I want to be everything for them.

“I wish you were my mommy,” Dillon mutters through a yawn.

My hand flies to my heart as something so beautiful spears it. It’s the kind of good feeling that hurts.