Trick Me Twice - Becca Steele Page 0,90
realise that you didn’t want or need that kind of attention.” His mouth turned down. “It wasn’t me that sprayed that awful word on your locker, though, or put the picture on there. I’d never hurt you like that.”
I almost laughed. As if that made it any better.
He still wasn’t finished. Now he’d started telling the story, it seemed like he couldn’t get the words out fast enough. “It was Tina. Tina was the one who sprayed your locker and stuck the printout on there. Don’t worry, though, she got her punishment.”
“Punishment?” I echoed, bile rising in my throat.
“Don’t look so worried.” He gave a light laugh. “I simply slashed all the tyres on her car. Oh, and I sneaked into the headmaster’s office after hours and altered a couple of her grades. Nothing major.”
“Oh.” It was the only reply I could give him, when he was looking at me so expectantly.
He didn’t seem to notice my lack of response, or if he did, he didn’t comment on it. “I must admit, when I saw the photograph of you with Cassius Drummond, I was concerned, but I concluded that he wouldn’t be interested in someone like us. We…we’re not supposed to be with the popular people, the bland, good-looking ones with their empty lives, who live to crush people like us underfoot. That’s why I was so surprised by Carter’s actions today at the football match.” Finally, he released my grip, and he slid off the bed, pacing up and down. “I…I’ve had the sedatives for a little while now. They were only supposed to be a precaution. I’m so sorry I used them on you, Raine. Do you forgive me? Do you understand that I had no choice? I had to get you away from Carter.”
“Y-yes,” I managed to choke out.
His expression smoothed, and then he pounced, dragging me down the bed and throwing his weight across my body. Although he was much smaller than Carter, he managed to pin me, despite me trying to buck him off. My muscles felt so heavy. It was like they were refusing to work properly. Maybe it was the after-effects of the sedative, I didn’t know. I froze as he lowered his head to mine. It didn’t escape me that Carter had pinned me so many times, and yet, I’d always responded in pleasure, even when I hadn’t wanted to. Now, all I felt was fear and revulsion.
“I’d planned to wait, to let you come to me, to choose me, but Carter gave me no choice.” Dylan’s mouth hovered over my cheek, and bile rose in my throat as he brushed his lips over my skin.
His hand went to the button of my jeans, and that was it. I would not let him do this. My mind raced. Maybe there was a way I could reason with him. “Dyl?” My voice was a soft whisper. I let my hand run up his arm, hoping he couldn’t feel me shake. “Not like this. We need to wipe away all the memories of Carter.”
He stiffened above me, and then he spoke. “What do you mean?” There was a note of intrigue in his voice, and I blew out a heavy breath, psyching myself up for the performance of my life.
“Well, what if we replace all of his memories with memories of our own? Carter loved chasing me…would you like that, too? Would you like to catch me all for yourself?”
His breath hitched, and he pressed into me. I bit down on my lip so hard that I tasted blood, lying completely still. After the longest moment of my life, he replied with one word that sparked a tiny ember of hope inside me. “Yes.”
39
We parked a little way away from Dylan’s house, not wanting to alert him to our presence. “Masks.” I hissed the word, grabbing a handful of our LED masks from the boot. “If there are cameras around, we don’t want to be recognised.” My voice lowered. “Take precautions and stay safe.” Everyone put on a mask without protest, keeping the lights switched off this time, and we headed towards Dylan’s house, keeping to the shadows as much as we could. Attempting to keep my mind clear was a losing battle, but I focused on the task at hand. The only task—getting Raine out of there as quickly and safely as I could.
The house was just as it had looked on Google Street View—a sprawling bungalow, with unnecessary ornate pillars and faux-Grecian