“What would that be? Can’t be your virginity. You gave that shit away to the first horny kid to ask for it. You’ve been around the block, huh, Rem?”
“Fuck you, Ryan. I want my camera.” I swallow hard. “And my pictures.”
“Your camera is broken. I drove over it. It’s in the backyard,” he says, his voice flat and businesslike. “And I’m saving your teacher’s pictures so I can show them to Dad. You seem to be keeping a lot from him lately. And me. I’m doing it for your own good, baby sister.”
Then I do the unthinkable. I’m pulling at Ryan. I toss my phone onto the counter, then I jump on both of them, throwing the girl away from Ryan. She rolls on her back on our tattered sofa and screeches in annoyance. I grab Ryan by the collar and yell into his face, “Give me the pictures!”
“Not a chance on earth.” He gets up, his dick still hard and pointing right at me, grabs my wrists, and walks me over to the nearest wall. I try to wiggle free but can’t.
“When are you going to see that it’s you and me, Rem? It’s always been us. Until he came along. He’s ruining everything!” he yells, looking more than a little crazed.
“How can you really believe that after everything you’ve done? While your dick is still wet from someone else?” Does he not see how insane he sounds? His eyebrow lifts, amused, and I know I’ve said the wrong thing. He lets go of my wrists and takes a step back.
“You’re jealous. Is that what this is?” he taunts.
“God! No! We could never be together,” I say firmly, my throat thick with emotion. “Even if we could, do you really think I could ever want you now? Look at you. This isn’t you. This isn’t the Ryan that I love.”
He inhales sharply and tugs at his hair. I see the change in his demeanor. His face morphs into something so menacing that I take a step back and discreetly reach for my phone on the counter. Keeping the phone behind my back, I swipe on the missed call notification so that it automatically returns the call. I don’t want to set Ryan off, but I also know I need to get out of this situation.
“Where’s Dad, Ry?” I ask, suddenly nervous to be alone with him. Well, almost alone. Movement out of the corner of my eye catches my attention, and I turn my head to see the girl righting her skirt and gathering her belongings.
“You two are fucking sick,” she shrieks before walking to the door, shaking her ass harder than necessary. She pauses, waiting for a reaction, but Ryan doesn’t even glance in her direction.
“Ugh!” she whines before finally leaving. Once she’s gone, I try again, hoping Pierce has picked up by now and can put together where I am.
“Just give me the pictures, Ry. Please.”
“I told you. Not a fucking chance. Did you really think you could fuck your teacher and get away with it?” He moves closer again.
“It’s not like that.” And it isn’t. Maybe that’s how it started, but now, it’s…everything.
“I don’t fucking care how it is. You’re not seeing him anymore, except for class. You’re lucky you even get that.” Ryan brings his hand up to my face and strokes my jaw with his thumb. “And if I find out you’ve disobeyed me, sweet sister, not only will I tell your dad and the school,” he brings his mouth close to my ear and tightens his grip on my face, “but I’ll fucking kill him.”
“Get off me,” I grit out through clenched teeth. He’s still completely naked and way too close. He doesn’t budge. I hear my name being yelled by a familiar voice, and Ryan cocks his head at the sound.
“I said get off me!” I yell, wrapping an arm around his neck and pulling him in to knee him in the dick.
“Fuck! You little bitch!” Ryan roars, falling to his knees. I don’t even think. I take off running.
“Remington! Remi!” I hear Pierce’s frantic voice through the phone. Once I’m outside, I lift the phone to my ear.
“Pierce? I just left my house. Can you meet me somewhere?”
“I’m around the corner. I was already on my way to you when you called. Don’t move.” His voice sounds calm, but I know him well enough to know that below the surface he’s anything but. I don’t even make it to the end of my still-flooded street before I see his car barreling around the corner. He throws it in park and jumps out to meet me.
“Are you okay?” he asks, taking my face in his hands and bending his knees so he’s eye level with me. I nod into his palms.
“C’mon.” He opens the passenger door and helps me in, buckling my seatbelt for me. I love it when he does that. It’s such a small, innocent gesture, and it should be the last thing on my mind, but it makes me feel…wanted. Treasured, cheesy as that may sound. My dad is indifferent toward me, Ryan wants to possess me, boys at school lust after me…but Pierce treats me like he needs me. And he hates that he does.
We pull up to my house, and I look at him, confused.
“Pierce?”
“Stay in the car,” he orders, opening his car door.
“No! Don’t go in there. It’s not worth it. Please, Pierce.” I don’t know who I’m more afraid for, Ryan or Pierce. All I know is that it’s the last thing Pierce needs in his life.
“I said stay here. I’m just going to have a talk with him.”