in my mind. I suddenly thought of something. Caramel apples.”
“W-what?” I whispered.
He put his face to my hair and inhaled deeply. “Caramel apples. I should’ve known.” Drawing back slightly, his gaze returned to mine again, black and suffocating. “The hair colour threw me, until I saw you lying here. Oh, yeah, that and the fact that you kept fucking lying to me.”
“I’m sorry.” A cry tore from my throat as he pressed his weight onto my body, making all my breath escape from my lungs as he crushed into my ribs.
“You will be.” His dark promise slithered through me, sending tension coiling through my gut.
“Wh-what are you going to do to me?” My voice was weak and breathless.
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
The first tear fell. “I’m sorry. I know it was wrong. I was…I was afraid of what you’d do to me if you knew.”
“You’re lying.” His eyes followed the movement of my tear as it fell. Then he shifted, and I gulped some much-needed air into my lungs. “Tell me why.”
My eyes closed, and in a trembling voice, I admitted the truth that I hadn’t even allowed myself to think. “I didn’t want you to stop.”
Another tear fell.
“Look at me.”
My eyes flew open, and he stared at me for a moment, his face illuminated by the glow of the lamp, then lowered his face, and his lips were on mine, hard and furious.
I froze in shock for all of two seconds, before I kissed him back.
His mouth was punishing, slamming against mine, savage and raw. He attacked me with his lips, and I met every single assault, moaning into his mouth, my legs hooking around him of their own accord as he sent fire racing through my veins.
“You want me, don’t you?” His voice was a low growl as he moved to nip at my neck, and I sighed, allowing the quietest yes to escape.
He stilled above me.
Suddenly, his body weight was gone, and he was looking down at me with total and utter contempt. His eyes were hard and unforgiving, and his harshly spoken words fell like acid rain on my skin.
“You can want me, but you can never have me. Watch your back, little trickster.”
9
From the minute I awoke, I hadn’t been able to shake the overwhelming trepidation that had stayed with me ever since Carter had come into my bedroom and told me that he knew who I was. He hated me before, but now, he actually had reason to. I’d never dreaded school like I did this morning. I really needed to speak to someone, but I guess I felt a sense of guilt surrounding everything that had happened between me and Carter. Guilt for the way I’d tricked him, lied to him, and made him think I was someone else.
As I turned the corner and the gorgeous, golden stone buildings of Alstone High came into view, my gaze was immediately drawn to a familiar figure, slouched against the wall with his arms crossed over his impressive chest. I noticed the moment he saw me because he straightened up, the distant expression on his face replaced by a hard, dark look.
My stomach flipped, and my steps slowed.
“Everything okay?” Lena eyed me with concern. She’d been picking me up on the way to school every day since we’d been paired on our project, and I’d started to look forward to our random morning conversations. She’d asked me how Fright Night had gone, both via text and again this morning, but all I’d told her was that I’d left early. I owed her the truth, but I was working up the courage to tell her.
“Yeah, fine.” I gathered myself, and as we ascended the steps, I did my best to ignore Carter, despite his dark gaze boring into me. We drew level with him, and I held my breath. One more step, and I’d be inside the doors, free.
Then I felt the hand on my elbow, and I was dragged against his torso. I gave a squeak of fright, losing my balance and accidentally elbowing him in the ribs. He made a low, angry noise in his throat.
“Raine?” Lena had suddenly noticed I wasn’t next to her anymore. I did my best to school my expression into one of unconcern, although from the look in her eyes, I didn’t think I succeeded.
“I’m fine. I’ll catch up with you later, okay?”
She frowned, but at my pleading look, headed inside with a sigh, only after she’d shot a pointed