Dare Series Collection - Shantel Tessier Page 0,219

jaw tightens. “I used her.”

Deke leans his head back, looking up at the vaulted ceiling and rafters, sighing like he’s counting to ten trying not to kill me.

“How?” Austin asks. “I don’t understand what you mean by use.”

“Cole did her a favor, so she owed him,” Deke growls, knowing how this works.

How I work.

“What did you have her do?” she asks confused.

I look at the woman I’ve come to love in the eyes and hope this doesn’t break her heart. I could lose them both tonight, but I’ve always been a fighter. I’ll do whatever I have to do to get them back. “I forced her to be your friend.”

I swim laps. It’s all I ever do now since the car wreck. If I’m not in a pool, I’m at therapy trying to get my body back to normal because I refuse to lose my spot on the swim team. I’m not sure it will ever be, though, because it hurts all the fucking time. It’s been six weeks since the accident, and I quit taking my pain pills the day I came home from the hospital. I like the reminder. The pain. I deserve it.

“What You Deserve” by No Resolve plays through the outside speakers while I do my laps.

Popping out of the water, I realize I’m not alone. Someone is behind me, but it’s not my father. He’s gone for the week. Running both hands through my hair, I step out of the pool and hold in a sigh. It’s Becky Holt. I can’t get rid of her. She’s just another reminder.

“Isn’t it too soon to swim?” she asks, sitting on one of the chaise lounge chairs under the awning.

I don’t answer. I take the towel off the table and wipe off my face.

She hangs her head. “I’ve been texting you. I came up to the hospital.”

“I didn’t want to see you then, and I don’t want to see you now,” I snap in a clipped tone. I roll my shoulders, trying to loosen the tension. Nothing fucking works!

Tears spring to her blue eyes. “I lost someone too, Cole. Eli was my friend too …”

Friend? We didn’t even know he was sleeping with her. “No, you were just another girl he was fucking.”

She jumps to her feet. “You don’t know …”

I wrap my hand around her throat and push her back against the wall of the pool house. I’m in her face, growling, “You have no fucking clue what I lost! What I did for you!” I did what needed to be done, but it cost me so much. I couldn’t care less what people fucking call me! A murderer. They’re not wrong. I killed three people.

She takes in a shaky breath since I’m not cutting off her air. Yet. She needs to take my hint and leave me the fuck alone!

“I’m so sorry.” Tears spill over her eyes and run down her cheeks.

Usually, tears would turn me on, but hers disgust me. I should have never let Eli leave with her. I should have been driving. Maybe if I had, Eli would have been in the passenger seat. And maybe he would have survived? Maybe not taking her would have saved all of them.

I should have left her there on the side of the street at that party—where she belonged.

“You shouldn’t have taken the fall.” She sniffs.

Too late. “You shouldn’t have been there at all!”

Her watery eyes narrow on me. “I was responsible—”

“You wanna owe me, Becky? Huh? Is that why you came here? To tell me that you’re fucking sorry that my friends are dead?” I interrupt her. I don’t care to hear what kind of relationship she had with Eli. It doesn’t fucking matter anymore. Nothing does!

They’re all fucking dead!

She swallows nervously against my hand that holds her hostage. Owing me is like owing the devil. And when I come to collect, nothing less than your soul will suffice.

“I owe you, Cole,” she whispers after a long second.

“When I need you for something, you will do what I say?” I ask, arching a brow.

Think long and hard before you agree to that, Becky!

She gives me a slow nod, and whispers, “Whatever you need.”

“I don’t wanna talk to you or fucking see you until then, do you understand?”

“Yes.” Her response is soft. Her shoulders physically shake, and tears run down her face.

“Good. Now leave.” I let go of her neck and take a step back from her. Then I turn and dismiss her before diving back