When my head touches my pillow, Maddox takes over my thoughts, bulldozing Mallory and everything and everyone else out of my head until he consumes my mind. He’s my god and he demands complete and utter adulation. I replay the day, from the minute I walked in on him with those two girls to the brief, intensely charged moment we shared in his truck when he’d sensually brushed his thumb across my lip to just a little bit ago when he came to the door. What could he have possibly been thinking doing that? A smile pulls at my mouth. Anyone with half a brain could tell he’d been lying about us studying together. And yet, the fact that he’d even bothered to take the time and come to the door and make up a lie on my behalf is extremely moving. Butterflies flutter in my stomach, my heart thuds, and something like pleasure slowly coats my insides. The very idea that someone like him could care for someone like me, even on a strictly platonic level, makes me feel completely lightheaded. I hold onto to that feeling, to that thought, like it’s a security blanket, and I close my eyes. When sleep comes, Maddox is there, and in my dreams he’s sitting on my bed, too handsome for words. A crook of his finger bids me to go to him, and I do. Without question, and all too happily, all too willingly, I curl up next to him, and am content with him simply holding me.

Chapter 13

Maddox

She’s got ass for days, and I’m an ass man so I’m liking the view. Sitting on the futon in the living room, she’s on my dick, riding and grinding on it like a stripper at last call. Her ass bounces against my groin after every time she goes up and drops back down. She’s soaking wet, dripping all over me. Her stepsister’s there too, kneeling in front of her, sucking and squeezing her tits. At this point, I’ve stop asking for names. Sister 1 is the one with the fat ass. Sister 2 can deep throat like no one else. It’s a good time right now. You’d think with me balls-deep in this chick and her sister on deck for another round, I’d be more focused on what the fuck is happening here and now, that I’d be feeling like the happiest fucker on earth. You’d be fucking wrong. I’m the farthest thing from focused. My dick is still hard as fuck, but my mind is on some other shit.

Aylee. Haven’t stopped thinking about her since last night. I rarely ever have a girl on the brain for this long, and if she is, it’s because we’re fucking. Aylee comes to mind and I’m not thinking with my cock. Well…not entirely. When I saw her old man last night, I instantly recognized him as that piece of shit cop Dro had me do the drop to last week. And I’m thinking that’s the main reason why I’m bothered right now. That asshole is trouble. The fact that he’s her father makes it even worse. I know he’s laying into her. It eats me up inside thinking that I might’ve made it worst for her by going to the door. Suddenly my mind goes into overdrive. I know he’s going to beat her. If he hasn’t already. But how badly? Will she be in school? I never was when it was that bad. There’d been a lot of missed school days when that sperm donor kicked my ass. A surge of anger fires off inside me, it clenches my muscles and pulls me straight up sending the chick on my dick stumbling to the floor into a heap on top of her sister.

“Hey—what the fuck, Max?” She glares at me, obviously pissed. I don’t give a fuck, though.

“Got somewhere to be.” I head to the kitchen to throw away the condom before hopping into my jeans. “Get the fuck out.”

Once they have their clothes on, I rush them out the door and follow suit, closing the door behind me. I head down to my truck, hop inside, and gun it down to the school.

***

Aylee

Seated around the kitchen table the next morning, Tim, Rachel, Sarah, and I wordlessly eat our breakfast. The events of the previous night aren’t mentioned. The sounds of silverware clinking are the only noises that break into the tense silence. Just before everyone gets up to go about their day, I add fuel to the fire by telling them I lost my bike. The only reason why I say anything at all is because I don’t have a way of getting to school.

“What happened to it?” Sarah asks, sipping her glass of milk. It’s an innocent enough question and knowing Sarah as well I do, I know there’s no malicious intent there. Just simple, blithe, childish curiosity.

I shrug. “Someone stole it.” I don’t go into detail.

“Will you give me a ride, Mom?”

“I’ll take you,” Tim interrupts with authority that no one at the table will dare contest.

I’m on edge the instant I hop inside the passenger seat of the Durango. I hold my backpack on my lap and focus all my attention outside the window. I’m press so close to the door that I’m sure I’ll tumble out. But I don’t care. I don’t want to be anywhere near him.

“Who’s the kid who came to the door last night?”

“No one.”

He stays silent. Nothing for a while and then, “Keep it that way.” It’s a clear warning. I’m ready to jump out of the car when we pull up to the curb of the side of the school, but his hand slides beneath the weight of my backpack to rest on my upper thigh. When he squeezes, I reflexively jerk away but his grip is strong enough to keep me from moving. I let my head hang, my hair falling in a curtain around my face, hiding my revulsion. “You know he only wants one thing from you, Aylee.” The hand moves slowly up and down, massaging my thigh. “Guys like that only ever want one thing. When they get it, they’ll leave you so fast your head’s going to spin. I’m not going to let that happen.” His voice is low, he’s close now, leaning over the middle armrests to whisper in my ear. “I’m not going to let him take your sweet little cherry, baby girl. I’ll kill him first.”

Sickness claws violently at my throat. It’s acid, bitter and scorching as it bubbles up my esophagus. I have to swallow hard, one, two, three times, before it slithers back down, but it’s there. It doesn’t go away completely even as I shove the car door open, grab my backpack, and stagger outside.

***

Maddox

I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing and that becomes clear when I park my truck in the student parking lot but can’t figure where to find her. I haven’t been to school yet today, and if it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t step foot on campus. Skipping is an art form for me. And I had no intention of being here today. Had better plans. And it’s not like I know her damn schedule. Shit, I barely know mine. Classes don’t start for another fifteen minutes and Noah typically hangs out in the quad every morning. I head over there, hoping she’s with Noah and his friends, so I can stop worrying and get back to business. I spot Noah sitting on top of a lunch table.

Obviously he looks surprised to see me. “You’re…here…? You just came to school yesterday. This must be a record.”

“Where the fuck else would I be?” I take a seat on the bench, turning my back to him to look out into the crowd.

“Expanding your porn empire for one,” he jokes. Funny guy, my twin.

“Decided to take the day off. My dick needs a break.” I’m not really paying attention to him, but I’m also trying to look like I’m not looking for her.

“Looking for someone?”

Guess being subtle isn’t one of my strengths. “Yup, new piece of ass. Want to help me?” When my eyes finally catch a glimpse of her, I jump up.

“Max! Where are you going?”

Didn’t realize I took off until I’m halfway down the quad, taking the concrete staircase leading to the school two stairs at a time. I’m bumping into people, and pushing them out of my way to get to her. She walks pretty damn fast for a midget. “Hey, wait up,” I call when I’m close enough for her to hear me. And I know she hears me, because for just a second, she pauses. But then she keeps going, putting a little more speed into her every step. “Hey!” Too fucking bad my legs are longer than hers. I close in on her just as she pushes one of the double doors to the first-floor staircase. “Didn’t you hear me call you back there?” I ask as I grab her elbow to pull her around. She has her head down, her hair, which I’ve noticed has always been in two braids, falls in loose waves around her face.