Nightfall (Devil's Night #4) - Penelope Douglas Page 0,29

hard on me, Daddy.’”

I stopped breathing for a moment, every muscle in my body losing strength. My hand dropped from the knob.

“‘But I admit, I like it when you’re hard on me. So hard.’”

I closed my eyes, hearing myself moan on the phone. Shit.

I turned around, meeting his self-satisfied little smile and knowing he’d recorded his prank. They always documented their dumb crap on that stupid phone.

I almost walked out. My feet almost took that step, and they could post that online for everyone to have a good laugh. My brother would get angry, because his mind would make up whatever story was the easiest to go along with what he thought was happening in that recording, too.

No skin off my nose because I was used to it.

But then Will said, “Door’s unlocked. Go get some pizza.” And he picked up his mask off the floor. “We’ll clean up here.”

I hesitated, looking around at all the broken glass and how much trouble I’d be in if my brother found out I’d helped make this mess. Even though I was kind of defending myself, I still didn’t want him to have any idea of what happened up here because he’d just blame me.

I blinked long and hard. Fine.

I walked out, charging down the hallway and through the doors to the stairwell.

I should be at home. I should be with my grandma.

He just wanted to play with me to prove he could.

But… a night away was rare. At least I could relax, knowing Martin wouldn’t be here. I had my earbuds and a book.

I still wasn’t giving Will another inch tonight, though. The lock-in was filled with witnesses. Let him try.

I kicked rocks all the way back down to the gymnasium, ignored the pizza, and planted my butt on the bleachers.

Opening my phone, I tapped the app and tried to continue reading The Night Eternal as the music and activity went on around me.

But after ten minutes, I’d barely absorbed a paragraph.

And when he and his friends finally came back downstairs, I forgot about the book as I waited for him to come over and try something.

Engage me. Annoy me. Tease me.

But he didn’t.

He left me alone.

I faltered for a moment, a little confused. I expected him to try to piss me off or coerce me into the scavenger hunt they were having or something.

But he just left me sitting there, the minutes stretching into an hour, and the hour stretching into two.

Just as I thought. To prove he could…

The band director called my brother and asked if I could put in more work-study hours by helping in the kitchen tonight. Then they’d keep me over since it would be too late to go home.

Martin was probably fine with it since I was “working,” but I didn’t for one second think the director came up with that lie herself.

Because I didn’t help in the kitchen at all.

I just sat there, trying to read on my phone. Will glanced over every once in a while as he spent time with his friends or slow danced with some girl to make sure I was where he’d left me.

He just liked making me sweat. That’s what this was about.

Control.

Before I knew it, the lights were dimming and Will was shoving me toward his sleeping bag smack-dab in the middle of Michael, Kai, and Damon.

I groaned. Did I really have to be here?

“Take it.” He pushed me again, and I stumbled. “I’m warm enough without it.”

Like I care about your comfort. Seriously.

He laid down on the mat next to his sleeping bag—black with red and black-checkered lining—and I stood there, scowling.

Keeping my shoes on, I climbed inside the sleeping bag, seeing Crist on my right, Torrance lying at my feet, and Kai above me. Michael pulled off his T-shirt, his long, toned torso spread out next to me like he didn’t know we were still in public no matter where we were sleeping.

I quickly turned away, heat rising to my cheeks.

I scooted up toward Kai—the safe one—but something grabbed my feet and yanked my ass back down. I glared at Will, but he just smiled to himself as the lights in the gym went off and everyone settled in, giggles piercing the air and chaperones patrolling to keep peoples’ hands off each other.

Yes, let’s lock up over a hundred hormonal teenagers in one space. What a stupid idea.

My stomach growled, and I shot a glance up at Will, seeing his eyes closed, his arm propped up