“Will, I’m going to drive to school today. I’m sorry you came all the way here for nothing.” I gave her a small smile, hoping to reassure her.

“Lake, we live less than a mile apart and your house is on the way to school. What’s going on?” I could hear the suspicion in her voice.

“Nothing, I just have stuff I need to take care of immediately after school. I’ll see you in class, okay?” She caught the look I sent her to drop it so she huffed and got into her car after sending Keiran another glare. I waited until she disappeared down the street before I rounded on Keiran. “Please don't do this,” I immediately begged.

“Get in the car,” he ordered. I blinked up at him a few times to process the idea of me in Keiran’s car…alone…with him.

“Thanks, but I can drive myself to school.”

There was no way I was getting into that car with him. We would be too close – breathing the same air. I was already painfully aware of him from a distance. I didn't need to torture myself.

I dismissed him by turning by back and heading for my own car. I guess that’s how I ended up over his shoulder and tossed into his car the next moment. He was in the car before I could right myself. While reaching for the handle I heard, “I don't have the patience, Monroe.” He snapped the words out harshly and I quickly ditched my plan to make a run for it.

Oh God, he’s going to kill me – kill me and toss my body in a river. I seriously watch too much Law & Order. I can see the words on my headstone now…

She lived a miserable life full of fear and abandonment issues.

Maybe it’s good she’s dead.

After all, this was all we could give her.

“Listen, I know what happened a year ago and I know how it looked, but I’m telling you I had nothing to do with you being arrested!” I yelled, uncaring that I just raised my voice at Keiran freaking Masters. My fate was already sealed.

He didn't reply but I could see a muscle tick in his jaw as he pulled out of the driveway making my nervousness increase tenfold. Six Forks has a lot of wooded area, secluded so no one could hear my screams. We were driving for about ten minutes; all the while I was holding my breath. We reached one of the six forks in the road that made up the town. I was near panicking when he turned down the road leading away from the school.

Oh God. Oh no…shit!

“Let me out,” I was visibly shaking now. “Let me out…let me out of the fucking car!” I screamed as we headed down a long road that led to nothing but more trees.

He parked when we were out of sight and shut off the car. He ignored my tantrum as he got out of the car, heading around to my side. I frantically grabbed my phone from my bag to call for help while cursing my stupidity for getting into the car with him in the first place. He ripped open the door, grabbed both of my arms, and slammed me up against the side of the car.

“I’m going to make this quick and I’m going to say this only once because something tells me your little friend won’t hesitate to call the police if you take too long to show, so listen up.” I just stared up at him wondering if this was really happening. “You framed me –”

“I swear it wasn't me…”

He quickly wrapped a hand around my throat in warning. “You’re done talking,” he sneered. It was more a statement than a question. I looked away, the intensity of his stare burning through me. “Eyes on me.” He refused to make this easy for me. “I have a score to settle and it directly involves you and only you.”

I felt his thumb rub my neck softly, but he dropped his hand as quickly as it happened leaving me wondering if it really did.

“You won’t make a move without my knowing. Any time you eat, drink, or breathe I will know.”  I stared at him as if he’d grown two heads. “Every moment is mine – your thoughts, your hopes, your dreams are all mine. I will always know where you are and what you are doing. You are mine…at least for the next year,” he smirked.

“Who do you think you are?” I asked, my anger overriding my fear. Of everything he could have done, I never expected this. It sounded like slavery. I still didn’t understand why he didn’t kill me and get it over with. He’s been playing this cat and mouse game for years.

“I am the guy whose freedom you stole.” The clipped tone of his voice cut into my nerves. I could tell from the tick in jaw that he was losing control. “For an entire year, my free will was taken from me and you will feel how I felt.”

I still didn’t understand what he was asking for and what purpose he would need to take away my freedom. He wanted control, that much was apparent, but he wanted something else too. I could see it in the burning heat in his eyes.

“What do you want?” I swallowed back the fear and ignored the dread settling in the pit of my stomach.

“You and I both know what it is that I want.” I shook my head in denial, though I was starting to have a clue. I had nothing else that he could possibly want but the look in his eyes was unmistakable.

He stepped closer and placed his forearms on either side of my head, resting them on the hood of his car.  My back was pressed against the door and I was caged in by his hard body and drowning in the cool smell of his body wash. His tall body blocked everything beyond him from my view so I could see nothing but his broad chest.

“I want the one thing that is keeping you so fucking innocent. I’ve wanted it for a long time, Monroe, and you are going to give it to me.”

“And if I refuse?” I looked up into his eyes that were almost black with lust. He didn’t really expect to…did he? His smile was sinister and completely without humor. My heart began hammering against my chest and my stomach twisted up in a tight ball of tension.

“Submit to me…or your aunt will disappear just like your parents did.”

* * *

He’d do it. I knew he would. I didn't know how, but I knew. A shiver ran through me as I entered the school in a daze. I thought of Keiran as a bully—nothing more, nothing less. But now I knew there was something far darker below the surface that had been waiting to come out.

And I was the dumb twit who released it.

He never actually said he would kill her. But what else could he mean? He would kill my aunt if I didn't give him what he wanted. I thought back to our conversation on the way to school.

“Why are you doing this?” I forced the question out. Did I really want to know?

“What would stop you from framing me again, this time putting me away for life? I hate you but you know that already and I don't trust you so I need to keep an eye on you.” I closed my eyes against the confession that he hated me. Yes, I did know but hearing him say it was more painful.

“You could just leave me alone,” I suggested.

He looked amused as he said, “That’s not going to happen. You have something I still want.”

I walked down the hallway in silence, unsure of what to do next. Keiran was out of my league and too big of an enemy for me to fight and win. I thought back to “her”. She was the one he’d killed. She was the reason I was afraid now. But who was she? Did she die because she fought back? These were the questions that have run rampant in my mind for ten years. It was the reason I lived willingly in the dark shadow of his hatred.

“Give me your phone.” I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sudden sound of his voice behind me. I was so lost in my thoughts that I completely forgot he was following behind me. Keiran wasn’t a person to easily forget but it was also fair to say that he had me out of sorts.

I dug my phone out and handed it over. When I looked up, I caught him staring down where my hand disappeared to in my back pocket. I cleared my throat but he took his time shifting his gaze from my ass when I held out my phone.