

### Facing the Enemy

Copyright 2018 Monica Clayton

Published by M.E. Clayton

All Rights Reserved

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This book is a work of fiction. The entire content is a product of the author's imagination and all names, places, businesses, and incidences are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons (living or dead), places or occurrences, is entirely coincidental

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any manner whatsoever without the express written consent from the author, except in the case of brief quotation embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Formatting: Smashwords

Cover: Adobe Stock

Warning: This book contains sexual situations and other adult themes. Recommended for 18 years of age and over.
Table of Contents

Author's Note

Acknowledgements

Dedication

Prologue

1. Ramsey

2. Emerson

3. Ramsey

4. Emerson

5. Ramsey

6. Emerson

7. Ramsey

8. Emerson

9. Ramsey

10. Emerson

11. Ramsey

12. Emerson

13. Ramsey

14. Emerson

15. Ramsey

16. Emerson

17. Ramsey

18. Emerson

19. Ramsey

20. Emerson

21. Ramsey

22. Emerson

23. Ramsey

24. Emerson

25. Ramsey

26. Emerson

27. Ramsey

28. Emerson

29. Ramsey

30. Emerson

31. Ramsey

32. Emerson

33. Ramsey

34. Emerson

35. Ramsey

36. Emerson

37. Ramsey

Epilogue

Playlist

About the Author

Other Books

Contact Me

Newsletter Sign-up!
Author's Note

Facing the Enemy had originally been intended to be a standalone work. I had no intentions of turning this book into a series. But so many people fell in love with Ramsey and Emerson, I got tons of requests for Roselyn's, Liam's, and Deke's stories, and so the Enemy Series was born. Now, because Facing the Enemy was supposed to be a solo work, it was a challenge to match its intensity for the other three books, but I did my best, folks. I _so_ promise I did my best.

I had also never planned on a fourth character, but upon writing Deke's story, I fell in love with Ava, and how complicated she was, so Provoking the Enemy came to life. I also added a short closer as proof that everyone _did_ live happily ever after.

I know half of you will enjoy that everyone got a happily-ever-after, while the other half will be disappointed that Roselyn didn't spend the rest of her days being worshipped by Liam and Deke, but, at heart, I'm a one-woman-man type of personality, so I felt compelled to make sure everyone ended up with a love of their life.

Nonetheless, I hope you guys enjoy the series, and thank you, once again, to everyone who loved the book so much, you pushed for the additional stories.

*****

Just a couple of things before I let you go and get your read on. While I am doing my best to work with better editing and proofreading software, all my books are solo, independent works. I write my books, proofread my books, edit my books, create the covers, etc. I have one beta who gives me feedback on my stories, but other than that, all my books are independent projects.

That being said, I apologize, in advance, for the typos, grammar inconsistencies, or any other mistakes I may make. Since writing is strictly a hobby for me, I haven't looked for commitments in regard to publishers, editors, etc. My hope is that my stories are enjoyable enough that a few mistakes, here and there, can be overlooked. If not, my books are probably not for you.

Also, I am an avid reader-I mean an _AVID_ reader. I love to read above any other hobby. One of the things about reading that hurts my heart, though, is when I fall in love with a book, but I have to wait for the additional books in the series to be released. Because I feel that disappointment down to my soul, I vowed that if I ever write a series, all books will be published at once. Nope-no waiting over here...LOL. So, if you are reading one of my books, but can't find any other books on the secondary characters of that book, that means the book is a standalone project.

Now, that being said, if there are enough requests for the secondary characters' stories, I try to accommodate that. So, it is possible for a series to develop unexpectedly. Should that happen, I will do my best to release the rest of the requested book all at once.

Thank You! You are truly making my dreams come true!
Acknowledgements

The first acknowledgement will always be my husband (unless we ever divorce, then probably not so much after that), but seeing as how I can't imagine that day ever coming, I can't ever put myself out there without thanking him for all his love, support and belief in me.

Second, there's my family; my daughter, my son, my grandchildren, my sister, and my mother. They are the people who love me the most, know me the best, and love me dearly, despite all they know...LOL!

And, of course, there's Kamala. She insists that I don't have to thank her in every book, but my love for her and gratitude for all her support and enthusiasm, claims otherwise. She's the first person (outside my family) that I shared this dream with, and she's been by my side every step of the way. Kam, you really are the best kind of friend!

And, finally, I'd like to thank everyone who's purchased, read, reviewed, shared, and supported me and my writing. Thank you so much for helping make this dream a reality and a happy, fun one at that! There are not enough 'Thank You's in the world.
Dedication

For my sister –

You are way stronger than you give yourself credit for. But I think the most amazing thing about you is how you can experience a broken heart but still have the courage to love again with no reservation, whatsoever.

You're amazing, P'Terry!
Prologue

I looked out over the railing on the second floor and took in the scene before me.

Music filled the house, making the windows rattle and the drinks dance in their cups or glasses. But the loud bass from the latest hip-hop song did nothing to drown out the murmurs of conversation and the peals of drunken laughter. There were teenage and barely-legal bodies everywhere, drinking, dancing, and snorting up their best party favors.

School started on Monday and this was the first party of the year. It was a kick-off party to begin senior year at Windsor Academy, a secluded prep school that catered to the rich, privileged, and entitled.

The _very_ rich, _very_ privileged, and _very_ entitled.

Most of the senior class was already eighteen-years-old, but that was because Windsor Academy was so elite, every student had to take a year off before entering high school to study abroad.

Every student destined to attend Windsor was part of an assembly line of little robots, expected to take over their family businesses. And we each had to pick a country that would help our family's legacy grow, and that's where you went for your one year. I spent my year abroad in Italy.

For a lot of different reasons.

But even though the party was occupied by mostly eighteen-year-olds, that had no bearing on the alcohol and drugs scattered throughout the house. Age meant nothing when you had money and power.

And we, _all,_ had both. But me? I had the most.

My dark eyes scanned the living room and what I could make of the kitchen, and all I could think about was how old this scene was becoming.

None of us had a governor to rein us in. We had addresses, but no homes. Our parents were absent, and the money was never ending. This meant we could do whatever the fuck we wanted.

And we often did.

But as I looked over the rooms and the people, I realized there was no challenge in any of it anymore. The girls in the house were half-naked, naked, blowing someone, or outright getting fucked somewhere-privacy be damned. Many people with money believed that that same money shielded you from judgment, but it didn't. A slut was a slut no matter what brand name high heels covered her feet.

I looked deeper into the living room and I noticed my two best friends, Deke Marlow and Liam McCellan, huddle up with a couple of matching blondes. As I looked my fill, I had to admit they were hot and built like they were ready to party.

And my dick didn't twitch one bit.

I hadn't fucked a girl in months. Hell, if I was being completely honest, I haven't been between a hot set of thighs since summer before my junior year.

I was bored.

I've _been_ fucking bored.

I was seriously contemplating just going back to my assigned room and ignoring the overflow of naked girls, drunken guys, and fuck music but the fresh arrival of girls walking through the front door drew my attention and... _fuck me._

She stood out, and not just amongst the girls. She fucking stood out amongst every single person in the place.

She stood out because she didn't belong here.

She didn't belong here with us.

She. Did. Not. Belong.

I immediately knew who she was. Bailey hadn't been discreet _or_ embarrassed to tell everyone she knew all about the girl's business prior to her even starting her first day as a senior with us.

Emerson Andrews.

I stared down at the foursome of females, and the other three didn't even register. Emerson Andrews might have appeared as if she was being shy and playing coy, but if the rumors were true, that girl was anything but shy or coy.

She was a beautiful wolf ready to bare her fangs among the sheep, and if her demeanor was anything to go by, she knew she didn't belong, but she didn't give a fuck.

My heart started to beat faster, and my dick began to rise. My mind started to focus, and my body coiled; ready to strike.

Emerson Andrews was a gorgeous mystery.

She was something new.

She was not boring.

And while she may appear confident, that confidence wouldn't last for long.
Chapter 1

Ramsey~

It took everything I had not to run down the fucking staircase and rush Miss Emerson Andrews.

The pull was _that_ strong and that insane.

But I managed it.

I casually strolled through the walkway and down the stairs like I had all the fucking time in the world. I chatted briefly with whoever said hi, and I even took a detour through the kitchen and grabbed a beer. I had to do it to prove I was still in control, even if I did set the beer right back down without taking a drink.

Because I was _always_ in control.

But when I wasn't, my rage was ice cold, rather than white hot. My mother said it was because I was a sociopath, but my father said it was because I was born to a sociopath-my mother. Little did they know, they _both_ sucked as parents.

Besides, I knew that my father secretly liked that I was cold-hearted. My lack of feelings fit his agenda perfectly.

But I was feeling right now.

Fuck yeah, I was feeling.

I was feeling all sorts of sick, twisted shit that a psychologist would probably have a field day with. But even with enough self awareness to know that I was sick, it wasn't enough to stop me from playing with my new prey.

I watched as they made their way into the edges of the living room. The place was packed, so it wouldn't surprise me if they had to take their group outside to get comfortable. Bailey and her sidekicks, Evelyn and Christa, looked the typical rich, perfectly proportioned teenage dream.

Bailey was on the tall side, with legs that went on for days. Her red hair was dyed to flamed perfection and never turned that awful shade of orange. She had no hips to speak of, but the size of her tits helped a man ignore that flaw. They weren't real, but ask any teenage boy or grown ass man, for that matter, and they'll tell you we didn't give a fuck if they were real or not. Tits were tits. No doubt, Bailey was pretty, with her green eyes and delicate face, but I could point out ten other girls in this room alone that matched her beauty and body.

Evelyn and Christa were no different. They were both blonde, but with Evelyn's golden locks being kissed with a lot of more paleness. And their bodies were just as perfectly bought as Bailey's was.

All three were equally stunning, but all three failed by comparison to the short, thick brunette who looked to not have an ounce of fucking makeup on.

I finally crossed through the crowd of people, making my way towards the girls, and Bailey was all ready to pounce before I had even stopped in front of them. "Hey, Ramsey, how's it going?"

I ignored her question and went straight for the start of the game. I looked over at Emerson and my brown eyes locked onto a pair of wary grey ones. "Who's this?" I asked Bailey, nodding my head in Emerson's direction.

Bailey did nothing to disguise the irritation in her voice. I knew it bothered her that Emerson had my attention, but I didn't care. As pretty as Bailey was, I've never swam in her toxic waters and I never would. "This is Emerson. She's my cousin," she answered. "She's the one whose dad killed her mom and had nowhere to go, so my mother had to take her in."

No one said a word at the cold recap of what had to be an emotional tragedy for Emerson. Bailey confirmed the rumors as if she had been discussing the war in the Middle East; unaffected and unconcerned because it had nothing to do with her.

I had kept my eyes on Emerson the entire time Bailey was talking, and the girl had a hell of a poker face. She didn't flinch or pale or drop any tears. She held my gaze and looked back at me like she was daring me. Daring me to do what? I didn't know. But the lift of her chin had my dick harder than fucking steel. Even when I was in the infancy of puberty and could never keep the motherfucker down, I still hadn't ever felt this hard.

My eyes raked over her person and I didn't hide my perusal of her body in the least. I took in her waist-long brown hair and saw wisps of it ending over her ass. Her brows were a perfectly matching shade of brown and arched to give attitude. Her grey eyes were outlined by lashes I would think were fake if it weren't for the fact that I was right; the girl didn't have a stitch of fucking makeup on.

And she didn't need it.

Her skin was a flawless porcelain, and the rest of her face was made up of a narrowed button nose, high cheekbones, and a pair of plump pink lips that would look like heaven wrapped around my cock with saliva dripping from them.

I almost reached down and shifted my dick in front of her.

My eyes kept traveling down and my mouth salivated at the size of her rack. Emerson was standing at only about five-foot-two-inches, or so, and the curves she was sporting on a body that short made her look all fucking woman.

I was already standing at a six-foot-two and my body was proportioned to my height. But even as big as my hands were, her tits would still spill over my fingers as I held them. I could picture my dick sliding through them with ease as her tongue flicked out to taste the head of my cock.

Her waist was drawn in, but I couldn't tell much about it. While every other girl at the party was wearing the skimpiest outfit they could find and still be legally clothed, Emerson was wearing a plain white t-shirt that hit her mid hip, a pair of black jeans, and a simple pair of white sandals.

This girl hadn't dressed up for anyone.

As my eyes kept traveling south, I saw that her jeans encased a pair of hips that flared out like she's given birth already. This female had a pair of hips made to dig your fingers into, and they tapered into a juicy set of thighs and down to a pair of feet with bright blue polish on the toes.

Emerson Andrews had been created to be fucked, and to be fucked thoroughly and painfully.

Still not sparing Bailey a glance, I asked, "No. What I mean is, what is she doing _here?_ Who invited her?"

Evelyn and Christa froze, and like the disloyal bitches they were, they let Bailey fend for herself. "I...I didn't...uhm, I didn't know it was invite only, Ramsey." Then she went for sympathy. "My mom made me bring her. I couldn't come without her."

I watched in fascination as Emerson's head turned towards Bailey. Her voice was void of any emotion, betraying nothing. "Oh, really?" she asked. "Because wasn't it _you_ pushing me to come to this party? Wasn't it _you_ who insisted I'd have fun, and that I just _had_ to come?" My arm almost snaked out and snatched her up. Emerson's voice sounded like it belonged on the other end of a sex telephone hot line. It was raspy, light, and feminine.

And full of balls.

I watched as Bailey stepped to her, no doubt putting on a show for me. "I only said that so you wouldn't feel like a total loser, Emerson. But my mom made me bring you. Just like she made me go shopping with you and go over your school schedule with you. Do you really think I want to hang out with a poor loser whose father is a murderer?"

My eyes darted back to Emerson, and I added to Bailey's cruelty. "Do you actually think you belong here? That we just pick up random charity cases at will?"

Emerson switch her attention from Bailey to me, and I wanted to throw her down and fuck her in full view of everyone, in a show of ownership, when she straightened her back and drew herself up to her full height.

Goddamn, she was fucking stunning.

She stared right into my eyes and said, "You're absolutely right. I don't belong here." I watched stunned as she turned to walk out of the house. To walk away from _me._

That was all she gave me.

Now, I was used to people backing down from me. Sands Cove boasted of only ten thousand people, all very wealthy and all very powerful. However, my family was the wealthiest and the most powerful. Not to mention the most sinister. So, no one ever really dared to challenge me.

Until now.

My father's rise to the top had been to use money and connections to control people. Once he had brought me into the fold at only fourteen years of age, I had gone in a different direction.

My power came in the form of true fear. I wasn't talking about kicking your ass or intimidation. I was talking about the power to destroy your entire life.

I had spent a lot of my early years stalking everyone in this town. I had learned everything I could from the mayor to the police chief to the Nelson's maid. And it was as I swam in the deep end of all these people's lives that I had learned what true fear was.

True fear wasn't being worried that your wife might find out you're fucking the nanny. No. True fear was your wife finding out that you were touching your nanny's underage son and you were paying her to let you.

Well, I had spent years gathering the proof on the most depraved acts committed by our upstanding community, and because of that, most everyone feared me, and everyone let me do whatever the fuck I wanted.

There was no way I would let Emerson Andrews come into _my_ town and not fear me. So, I ignored the gasps and murmurs as I ran outside after her.
Chapter 2

Emerson~

There was only one other time I could remember ever feeling this kind of rage.

It was the day I found out my father had killed my mother.

They had already arrested him and had been safe behind bars, but all I could remember was feeling so much rage at the fact I couldn't get to him.

I had wanted to beat him to death with my bare hands and I was feeling that level of violence now. And not just because of Bailey.

I've spent my entire life under the violent hands of my father and these spoiled, rich assholes were out of their minds if they thought they would be able to intimidate or bully me.

Just as much as Bailey's fake ass didn't want me here, I didn't want to be here. I had begged my aunt to just leave me in the trailer until I turned eighteen in a matter of weeks, but she wouldn't hear of it. Suddenly, she had been attacked with a case of human conscience and she had wanted to make it right by my mother. I had told her it was too late, and I hadn't minced words, either. I had told Aunt Constance that her only sister had died alone, believing she was the trash her family made sure to make her felt like. Constance had blanched, but it seemed like the harsher my words, the more determined she had been to ease her conscience. So, I went from poor, trailer park trash to rich, upper crust teen in a matter of a week.

But just because my clothes were brand new that didn't mean I was. And if these people wanted to test me...well, I was ready.

I was halfway across the deep green, rich lawn when I felt a hand latch onto my arm and whip me around. I knew I was in trouble when I looked up into the dark brown eyes of that asshole, Ramsey.

My skin burned from where his hand wrapped around my bicep and I wasn't sure if it was from rage or something else. Because, even as furious as I was, I couldn't deny the boy was hot as hell. Even his name had been created to be screamed out in bed.

Ramsey's hair was dark brown, a bit darker than my own shade, and it was cut short on the sides, but was long enough up top to run your fingers through. His brows were thick and arched and they sat above a pair of keen, brown eyes. His lashes were long and full, and they gave him that bedroom eyes look. There was a scar that started at the arch of his right brow and slashed through his eye until it stopped at the edge of his nose. _It made him look like the Devil._

His nose was straight and perfectly centered in between two sharp, high cheekbones. His lips were full and sensual, and his jaw was strong and pronounced. His face was pure masculine perfection.

Ramsey was wearing a formfitting, blue Henley shirt that showcased his wide shoulders, bulging arms, and chiseled chest. His waist tapered down to his hips and you could tell that he had a six-pack decorating his abs. He was tall, and his body was held erect by a pair of legs made up of powerful thighs and calves.

He was wearing jeans that actually fit him and a pair of sneakers that probably cost more than the rent on our trailer back home.

Ramsey was sex on a stick, and he knew it.

Too bad I wanted to spit in that perfect face of his.

I tried to wrench my arm out of his hold. "Let go of me," I hissed, but instead of letting me go, he yanked me towards him, and even though all my focus was on him, my brain was registering the gathering of people behind him.

Butterflies took up residence in the pit of my stomach and adrenaline coursed through my body.

Bring it.

Fucking. Bring. It.

These people could jump me, and all join in on beating me unconscious, but I wouldn't stop fighting until that unconsciousness claimed me.

What these arrogant assholes didn't realize was that I could take an ass whooping. I've been doing it since I was six. I've survived a grown man's hands on me. These teenage bitches were _nothing._

Ramsey peered down at me. "And just where in the hell do you think you're going? I didn't give you permission to leave," he said, almost shocking me out of my anger.

Who in the hell does he think he is?

I squared up against him, not caring about his army of pampered pussies standing behind him. "I don't recall asking you for permission," I spat.

His grip tightened on my arm and he leaned down into my face. "News flash, Charity, you need my permission to do _anything_ around here."

I knew he was trying to get a rise out of me by calling me Charity, but what he didn't understand was that I was way past sticks and stones. Growing up poor, you were called names all the time. There hasn't been a joke I haven't heard and there hasn't been an insult that hasn't been thrown my way.

This kid had no idea who he was dealing with.

I stopped struggling to break free from his hold because, the more I struggled, the weaker I appeared. I wasn't stupid or completely reckless. While I could take a punch with the best of them, I knew I couldn't actually beat him in an actual fight. I mean, come on, he was twice my size and probably had four times the strength. I just knew I wouldn't go down easily.

I didn't falter in my gaze, though. I looked him in the eye when I whispered up in his face, "You might own and lead all these pure, white flock of sheep you surround yourself with, but I'm not one of your sheep. I don't need your permission for shit, nor will I ever ask for it." His other hand came up and now he had both my arms encased in his punishing grip. Ramsey shook me a bit, and I could swear the look in his eyes was not one of hate.

It frighteningly looked closer to lust than anything else.

And I didn't need this boy to look at me with lust.

I was so used to violence in my life that he might just be the guy who could give it to me how I've sickeningly fantasized about it.

His smirk was evil and full of malice. "You have no clue of all the ways I can make your life hell, Emerson." My knees almost gave out as he rasped out my name. It sounded sinful off his lips. "Your fight, your backbone, as you're going up against something you can't even fathom, has my dick harder than it's ever been, baby."

I growled at him. It was that or let him fuck me on the lawn outside in front of everyone. His threats were turning me on, and if that wasn't sick, I didn't know what was. I wasn't a naïve girl. I knew my sick fascination stemmed from my abusive father. And all the talk shows and all the self-help books told you that the only way to overcome your demons was to find a nice guy. You had to believe yourself worthy to belong with a decent, hardworking man who will treat you kindly and with respect.

The only problem was I knew myself, and I knew myself well. I equated niceness with weakness, and I _despised_ weakness. And I had to be careful because there was a real risk of becoming Ramsey's mouse to his cat in this fucked-up game he started.

Everyone surrounding us was so quiet that all you could hear was the wind dancing within the branches and leaves of the neighborhood trees. Everyone was straining to hear the words we were spewing at each other. It was creepy.

Hearing his words though, it didn't matter that I was a virgin. I would not let him get the upper hand by bringing sex into this. I stepped to him until my body was flushed with his. I could actually feel the heat and hardness from his dick pressed up against my stomach.

And I was instantly soaking wet because I was sick in the head.

"As impressive as you might think your dick is, Ramsey. Mindless rutting into my pussy, with no idea of what you're doing, just doesn't do it for me." His jaw tightened, and he looked like he wanted to snap my neck. I jerked my head towards the crowd. "Why don't you go back to your sheep? You tell them it feels good, and because they can't think for themselves, they believe you." I lifted myself onto my tiptoes until the breath from my lips touched his. "I prefer guys who can _actually_ fuck, Shepherd." My audacity had rendered him so shocked that I was finally able to break away from his hold. I turned my back on him and did my best not to run down the street like a coward.

My steps faltered slightly when I reached the sidewalk and I heard Ramsey shouting my name. "Emerson!" I kept walking though, and I knew I was sealing my fate with every step I took, but I didn't care.

What these cookie cutter rich kids didn't realize was that I was still full of rage from what my father had done to my mother. And with him being locked up and out of my reach, I've never able to expel the pain and rage that consumed me. And that rage just grew, and grew, and grew with all the new changes the murder had forced upon me. Not to mention all the years of abuse before my mother's murder.

I was mad at my mother for staying with my abusive asshole of a father. I was mad at my father for every breath he could still take. I was mad at Constance for forcing me to move.

_I. Was. Mad. At. Everything_.

If Windsor Academy and its King thought they were going to push me around or break me down, they were sorely mistaken. I was looking forward to whatever Ramsey would bring my way. I had so much rage, I was ready for a fight. I wanted a fight.

No.

I _needed_ a fight.

So, bring it on motherfuckers.
Chapter 3

Ramsey~

It's been two days.

Just two fucking days.

It's been only two days since Emerson walked away from me at the party Friday night and my body was still vibrating with unspent anger...and other things.

It had taken every ounce of control I possessed not to run after her and...and I don't even know what. I had been that fucking livid at her nerve. It had been bad enough when I had already run outside after her when she walked out of the house. And it had gotten even worse when I shouted after her as she was walking towards the street, but I'd had to draw the line at chasing after her any further.

The fucking girl had balls; I'd give her that.

But the shocker had come when she had pushed her tight little body up against mine and whispered how she liked being fucked by guys who knew what they were doing. The full extent of my weakness had been glaringly obvious when, for a split second, it had crossed my mind to actually drag her back to the house and force her to accept me.

Her rage called to the sickest parts of my soul, and if I wasn't careful, I'd be destroying us along with everything else around us.

I was in the workout room, punching away on a speed bag, when I heard the door open. I didn't bother glancing up because I knew it could only be Deke and/or Liam. They had texted earlier that they were going to stop by to shoot the shit. But I knew better.

They were worried about me.

After Emerson had left me standing on the lawn, looking like a madman, I had stormed through the house towards the kitchen, and had grabbed the first bottle of liquor I saw. It ended up being a bottle of whiskey, but I hadn't cared. I had just needed something to take the edge off before I ran back out after Emerson and murdered her in the street.

I had headed off to my assigned room, locked the door, and drank myself into unconsciousness. And since Liam and Deke had never seen me lose myself like that before, they were here being mother hens.

"Yo, Reed," Deke called out.

I didn't turn around or let up on the speed ball. These guys were the brothers I never had. They didn't need me to entertain them in this house. All three of us were only children, so our loyalty to one another was solid. We'd been causing havoc since we were all in the second grade together.

I could see Liam straddle the weight bench out of the corner of my eye. "So, now that you're not unconscious from an alcohol-induced coma or nursing the hangover of all hangovers, what's going on with you and the new girl?"

I turned away from the still swinging speed ball and reached down for the bottle of water that had sat at my feet. I took a drink and then reached for a towel to wipe my face. I was stalling because I wasn't exactly sure how to answer him, not that I was thinking up a lie. I just didn't have an answer that made sense. "Not sure," I admitted finally.

Deke was sitting next to Liam on a balance ball, rolling his hips side-to-side, trying to hold his balance. "You owe me a note, Lee," he said.

I looked over at Deke. "A note?"

Deke smiled. "I bet him a hundred dollars you didn't have any clue about what you were doing with her." He jerked his thumb at Liam. "He bet that it was just a game and you knew what you were doing."

I growled. "Fuck you, Deke."

He threw his head back and laughed so hard that he almost lost his balance. After he managed to control himself, Deke looked back up at me and grinned. "Oh, come on, Ram. We were there, dude. I've never seen you react that way to a girl before. Hell, I've never seen you react that way to _anyone,"_ he pointed out. "Since when do you lose your temper like that?"

"He's got a point, man," Liam agreed.

And they were right. I never lost my temper. I pulled in my anger, and then I calculated and plotted and destroyed. The saying that revenge is a dish best served cold was spot on. Uncontrolled rage or unbridled emotion were, almost always, the source of a person's downfall. You react without thinking things through and the results were most always disastrous.

"I mean, don't get me wrong, Ram," Deke continued. "Once I got a good look at her, my dick was all but-"

I couldn't stop myself. "She's mine," I snapped out, and I watched as Deke put his hand out and Liam slapped another hundred-dollar bill into it. "What the fuck?"

Deke smirked. "I also bet him that you weren't going to share."

"So, what's the deal, Ram?" Liam asked.

I sighed and grabbed a stool to plant my ass on. I went with honesty. "I want to fuck her," I admitted.

Liam rolled his eyes. "Dude, every guy at that party wants to fuck her." I stood up and Liam threw his hands up and fanned them down at me in a calming down motion. "Goddamn, Ramsey, calm the fuck down," he rushed out. "Even if that girl hadn't thrown herself into the spotlight by fighting with you, you have to admit that she's got a body any breathing male would want to explore."

"Including you?" I barked. "Including Deke?"

"Jesus Christ, Ram," Deke spoke up. "You know better than that."

I let out a deep breath and sat back down on the stool. I did know better than that. Liam, Deke, and I have been inside the same girl before, but if one mattered, we'd never crossed that line. The thing was, this was the first time a girl has matter to me, _in any kind of capacity_ , so it was kind of new territory.

I guess that's why there were here. Trying to figure out how they were supposed to play this. But how could I tell them anything when I didn't even know how to play this?

I had not been ready for Emerson Andrews to fight back.

"Sorry," I mumbled. "I'm sorry."

The room fell into a complete silence until Deke broke it moments later. "Are we playing this by ear, then?"

I ran my hands up and down the top of my thighs as I looked at my best friends. "She doesn't know the rules, and so, she's not going to play by them. I don't see how I have any choice but to play it by ear for now." They both nodded their heads in agreement. "Just know that however this goes, whatever is being played out, Emerson Andrews is mine and _only_ mine."

Liam grinned. "I never thought I'd see the day where you didn't have something or someone under control." The asshole winked at me.

"Fuck you, Lee," I replied.

"So, when you say yoooooours..." Deke asked.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "I mean _mine,_ Deke. Mine to torment, mine to play with, and mine to fuck," I clarified. "No other guy touches her, or I'll kill him."

"Goddamn it!" Liam snapped as he handed Deke another bill.

"What the fuck now?" I asked.

Deke had a shit-eating grin plastered across his face. "I also bet Liam that, not only were you not going to share, but she was more than just a warm pair of thighs for you to settle in between."

I rolled my eyes.

Fucking Deke.

He smiled and just said, "Let's go play some pool."

I shook my head, but I couldn't help the smile on my face. These two guys were the only people in my life I genuinely loved. My parents could go fuck themselves and everyone else could suck my dick. Liam and Deke were my only real family.

"Go ahead," I replied. "I'm going to shower, and then I'll meet you guys in the game room." They both made their way out the door, leaving me to clean up my workout area. We had maids, but I wasn't such an asshole I couldn't clean up my own mess. Besides, I was the only one living here on a permanent basis, there wasn't that much to clean so much as the maids just dusted and shit.

I headed upstairs to my bedroom, and stripping down, I walked into the en suite bathroom. I stood under the spray of hot water and just let the pressure of the water work on my shoulders and back. Alone with my thoughts, I couldn't deny that Emerson had me tied up in fucking knots.

It was more than just bringing her under my control. It was more than just a bullying tactic to boost my ego or assert my reign over this town and its people. I keep going back to the pull I felt in my gut when I had first laid eyes on her. I had been drawn to her even before I knew she was a fighter.

I had been drawn to her mere presence, and when I had walked up to her in her plain clothes with no makeup, the buzzing in my brain and the rush of my blood had been an instant sign of something deeper than basic lust.

And it had been all over once I was standing in front of her, really taking her in. Her face, her body, and her goddamn attitude had snared me. I grabbed a hold of my hardening dick and replayed her voice over, and over again in my head; her voice telling me how she liked to be fucked.

And sooner than she would realize, I wouldn't be needing to jack off anymore.
Chapter 4

Emerson~

It was only Sunday, but anxiousness was already coursing through my body at what tomorrow might bring.

I hadn't seen Bailey all day yesterday and my aunt was off vacationing...well, somewhere. I learned early on that almost all the kids in this town were latchkey kids. Their parents were absent mostly, only showing up for holidays or whatnot, with some parents not even showing up at all.

I tried to imagine that kind of existence, but I couldn't. I wanted to murder my father with every fiber of my being, but I loved my mother. I couldn't imagine growing up without her.

I was in the kitchen fixing lunch, and I absolutely hated that I had to use their food. Growing up the way I had, I had started working at the local diner when I'd been only fourteen-years-old. I had worked as a busboy first, and then had worked my way up to waitressing. I had paid my parents half of what I had made, but I had been able to save the rest for myself. So, when I came here, I did have some money to my name, but it was pennies in comparison and not destined to last long if I didn't swallow some of my pride.

So, I had relented and let Constance buy my school uniforms, but only because I hadn't known what to buy and the arrangement was that I'd pay her back. I had managed to find a job in town at a quaint, little café, where I would work part-time after school. It wasn't much, but there was no way I would live off Constance. Plus, I'd have somewhere to be and not be stuck in this house with Bailey.

My car had been another bone of contention between us. It was a disaster, plain and simple. But it ran, and that's all that mattered. Constance had offered to buy me a new car, but I had put my foot down. The car was one of the few things that had belonged to my mother and I would not part with it. The two suitcases I came with consisted of very few of my personal belongings and the rest of whatever I could salvage that belonged to my mom.

I was not getting rid of that car.

"You know, you really fucked up Friday night." Bailey's voice broke the silence in the kitchen. "You do know that, right?"

I turned around to face her. This uppity bitch did not scare me. I crossed my arms over my chest and arched a brow at her. "Is that right?"

She smirked as she sat on one of the barstools at the kitchen island. "Yeah, that's right." She folded her arms on the counter and leaned forward. "No one talks to Ramsey Reed like that and gets away with it. _No one."_

I let out a humorless laugh. "You think I give a shit about Ramsey Reed? Do you think I give a shit about _any_ of you?"

Bailey actually had the grace to flush at the reminder of her callus attitude on Friday. "You don't understand the way things work around here, Emerson."

I uncrossed my arms and gripped the counter behind me. "Oh, I understand how things work here just fine," I corrected her.

She lets out a frustrated huff. "No, you don't. If you did, you'd have steered clear of Ramsey Reed."

I could feel my blood boil at hearing his name. "You're acting as if I went out of my way to interact with him," I reminded her. "You were standing right next to me when _he_ approached _us."_

Ashely waved away that point. "It doesn't matter. He leads, and you follow. Those are the rules."

I laughed and turned my back on her to resume making my lunch. "He might lead _you,_ Bailey, but I'm not a follower. And if the day ever comes where I am following someone, it won't be someone like Ramsey Reed."

"He leads this entire town, Emerson," she replied, sounding completely exasperated. "There is nothing he can't do. Whether it's legal or illegal."

I turned back around to face her again. I wanted her to be able to look at my face and see how serious I was. "I don't care if Ramsey Reed is the goddamn Pied Piper and his flute is made of magic. I'm not some mindless minion and I'm not about to hand over my free will to anyone."

Bailey shook her head. "Ramsey Reed isn't just anyone," she pressed again.

"And neither am I, Bailey," I tossed back. "Oh, I know everyone here believes I'm a poor, little nobody, but I'm not. And once all you spoiled, sheltered kids have to live outside of this town, in the _real_ world, you're going to see you guys aren't as special as you think you are."

Her face took on a pinkish hue, and I knew my view of reality offended her. She stood up. "I'm going to love telling you I told you so," she sneered.

I stepped away from the counter until my stomach hit the kitchen island, and I glared at her. "Well, if I'm remembering Friday night correctly, Bailey, it was Ramsey Reed who _followed me_ outside. Not the other way around."

And there you have it, folks.

Her face turned a full-on red, telling me everything I needed to know. Bailey was after Ramsey, and whether or not she's had him before, evidently, it wasn't enough.

"You know what, Emerson? You're nothing but trash," she spewed. "And you're out of your mind if you think Ramsey Reed will ever be into you."

I smirked just because I knew it would piss her off more. And just to pour salt over the wound, I said, "I don't care if Ramsey Reed likes me or not, Bailey. But it seems like I'm the only one in this room who doesn't." She was so livid, she couldn't even respond. She walked off, her feet stomping on the tile so hard, I'm surprised she didn't snap off a heel.

Because, yes, Bailey Stevens was the type of girl who wore heels on a Sunday afternoon in her own home.

I let out a sigh and turned around to finish making my sandwich. After I was done and had put everything away, I sat on the same stool that Bailey had occupied earlier and quietly ate my lunch.

Halfway through, my mind replayed our conversation. Now, while I wasn't scare to stand up for myself, my mind kept going back to what Bailey had said about Ramsey having so much power that he basically had permission to even commit crimes.

That ability took intimidation to a whole different level. Most bullies danced on the line of legal and illegal for fear of going to jail. But if you had a bully who was free from that fear, who knows what they'd be capable of. Did Ramsey Reed really have that kind of power or was Bailey just exaggerating because she was mean spirited and jealous?

And, sad to say, bullying wasn't even the biggest issue here. My biggest problem was the obvious attraction I felt towards Ramsey. I mean, I might be damaged and confused, but there was no denying that Ramsey Reed was gorgeous, built, and all fucking man, even at the tender age of seventeen or eighteen...however old he was.

The fight in him had turned me on and that was all kinds of stupid for a girl like me. And, Sweet Baby Jesus, when I had felt what he had packing pressed up against me, ready to go, I had been seconds away from ripping his clothes off.

While I've never had sex, I have fooled around with a couple of boys in my lifetime. My seventh-grade year, my first boyfriend, Josh Brex, had been my first kiss and my first second base. I had developed early, and his eyes had lit up like Christmas when I had let him touch me for the first time.

Josh and I hadn't lasted long, though. He was a year older than me, and when he had gone off to high school while I stayed back in middle school, he had discovered the phenomenon that was the high school teenage girl. However, it had been a sweet break up, and we had remained friends.

My second experience had been in my sophomore year when Alex Crane had invited me to a Senior party, and I had gone. We had gotten along well and had gone out on several dates before I had finally let him get to third base. But when I had made it clear that he would never hit a home run with me, he had ghosted me, and we had phased into casual acquaintances.

Neither experience had left me bitter or hurt because I hadn't really felt any true emotions for either boy, but it had made me familiar with lust and yearning.

I could never forget the feeling of Alex's fingers first entering my body for the first time. It had been the best kind of pleasure, and it had been a miracle that I hadn't turned into a full-blown slut just to chase that feeling of pleasure. Alex had also been the only boy to ever make me orgasm. His fingers had been skilled, and I knew he was making whatever girl was in his bed a happy camper.

But all that paled in comparison to the lust and yearning that had swept throughout my body by just being _near_ Ramsey Friday night. His anger and forcefulness were dangerous, and I craved it.

I had no idea what could have happened in his life to make him wear his anger like that, but Ramsey was angry about something. His personality was bigger than money and power. It was bigger than being a bully just because he could be.

He had rage pumping through his life's blood, and my sick, damaged soul longed to have him take it out on me. That was another sin I could lay at my father's feet. Had he been a caring, loving husband and father, I wouldn't crave brute force like I did. And even though my mind knew exactly what my damage was, it had no control over how my body felt about the topic.

I wasn't lying when I told Bailey I didn't want Ramsey Reed to be into me. It would be stupid and reckless if he were.

We'd destroy each other if we ever met in the middle.

I stared down at my empty plate and wondered how I was going to avoid him tomorrow. Hell, avoid him for the next nine months. I needed to graduate to have any kind of chance at life, but something told me I'd be running away from here in a measly couple of weeks on my birthday.
Chapter 5

Ramsey~

I was sitting on the hood of my Range Rover, my feet on the bumper, my knees supporting my elbows as I scanned the parking lot for Emerson.

It was the first day of school and I had shown up early to browbeat the school counselor. Truth be told, it hadn't taken much. I had walked into his office and demanded to see Emerson's schedule, and after a half-ass feeble attempt to talk to me about privacy, he had finally handed it over.

When I had seen that we only had four out of seven classes together, I had tried to force him to change her schedule, but he had held steadfast on that refusal. It wasn't until he explained that she couldn't graduate if he changed her schedule that I finally relented and made do with the four classes. And one of those four classes we shared was first period.

I waited in the parking lot for her because we were going to walk into that class _together._

After Liam and Deke had left my house yesterday evening, I sat up most the night deciding how I was going to play out this insane attraction I had towards Emerson. I knew she wanted nothing to do with me, but I wasn't going to give her a choice. She was too fun a game not to play.

I looked over when a dull, rusted grey Pontiac pulled into the parking lot. Hell, everyone looked over. The car didn't belong here, just like the girl who opened the driver's side door and got out. Emerson was dressed in the school's mandatory uniform, and the image of her screamed in contrast to her car.

She had her chocolate locks pinned up on the top of her head in a lazy-looking bun, and while I couldn't make out the details of her face, I would bet my left nut she wasn't wearing any makeup again. Something told me Emerson showed up here today with a big 'fuck you' outlining her body.

I watched as she walked towards the school's entrance and I knew it probably irritated the fuck out of her that she would have to pass us to enter the school's building. But I was loving the view regardless of the attitude in her stride.

The school's uniform for the girls was made up of a light blue collared button-up with either short sleeves or long. Emerson was wearing the short sleeve version even though the air was a little crisp this morning. The girls had an option of wearing a dark blue pleated skirt, or dark blue slacks. The slacks were unflattering, so most of the school's female population opted for the skirt even in cold weather. Emerson had chosen the skirt and my dick took notice. She polished off her look with the same white sandals she had been wearing Friday night.

As she passed, I almost jumped off the hood of my car and rushed her.

That's how fucking insane her pull on me was. I wanted nothing more, in this moment, than to flip her skirt up, rip off her panties, and fucked her until she couldn't live without me inside her.

Emerson had just passed in front of me when I jumped off the hood of my car and called out to her, "Hey, Charity!" She kept on walking, but not without raising her hand and lifting her middle finger towards me first.

If my dick hadn't already been twitching, well, it was rock hard now.

I ran after her, not giving a fuck about waves of gasps and whispers that followed afterwards. I knew everyone was engrossed by my fascination with Emerson, but I didn't care. I didn't answer to them. Hell, I didn't answer to anyone, not even my parents.

Emerson had made it just inside the building when I came up behind her. I grabbed her by the arm and pushed her up against the nearest wall. I flattened my hands up against the wall on either side of her caging her in.

And I really overstepped when I pushed the front of my body against her back and pinned her trapped between me and the wall. I made sure I nestled my hardened cock against her lower back, letting her know just how hard I was for her.

I leaned down, and instead of biting into her neck with all the access her hair pinned up gave me, I traced the outline of her ear with my breath. "Not even going to say good morning?" I asked, mockingly. Her chest was heaving, and her body sank into mine with each breath. I honestly didn't know how I was going to get through the day without just _fucking taking her_.

"Get off of me," she seethed through clenched teeth.

I chuckled. "You have no idea just how badly I'd love to get off on you, Emerson," I whispered in her ear. Her breath hitched, and it made the tip of my dick leak. The school entrance hallway was filled with students enraptured by the scene being played out. No one was in a hurry to get to their first class of the day and that was the only reason my hand wasn't already up her skirt.

In an unexpected move, Emerson threw her full weight back against my chest and it created enough space for her to turn around and face me. She looked up at me and her grey eyes had darkened to weathered pewter. She lifted her chin and retorted, "I already told you, Ramsey. I'm not interested in what you think is a good time. I prefer men to boys."

I smiled. I couldn't help it. She could stand there all day and tell me she was unaffected by me, but I knew better. While her face gave nothing away, her body spoke for her. I reached out and placed both of my hands on her hips and pulled her body to mine. She gasped, but I ignored it. "Make no mistake, Emerson. _Every_ inch of me is all man. Something you will find out soon enough, baby."

Emerson narrowed her eyes. "If you want to go slumming, Ramsey, might I suggest the girls whose parents make only ten million a year. I'm sure they're more your fit." I wanted to laugh.

God, this girl had balls.

Instead, I reached down, grabbing her backpack with one hand, while my other hand intertwined with hers. I didn't give her time to protest. I just tugged on her hand and left her to either walk beside me or trail after me. I didn't care which.

To her credit, she tried to snatch her hand out of mine. "What are you doing?" she hissed. "Where in the fuck do you think you're taking me?"

The hallway parted, and everyone stood around gawking. It was like Emerson and I were in a goddamn parade walking down the hallway with all the spectators around. "To class," I replied, not giving her anything more.

"Wh...what? How do you-"

I stopped and pulled her towards me, peering down at her again. "I know every fucking thing that goes on in this school, Charity," I inform her. "That means I know your schedule, where your locker is, and even your fucking locker combination." I turned away from her and continued pulling her behind me until we got to class.

We walked into the classroom and I headed straight for the back of the room, still pulling Emerson behind me. The classrooms were designed college style where there was stadium seating. The second I sat down, Emerson took the opportunity to bolt and try to find a seat up front. I jumped up, and reaching out until I had the back of her neck crushed in my hand, I yanked her back and forced her to sit next to me.

"Get your fucking hands off me, Ramsey!"

I tightened my hand around her neck until I saw her wince. "My fucking hands are going to continue to be all over you, Emerson. So, I suggest you get used to it," I snapped.

And then she really fucked me up. "Oh, really?" she asked, right before she spread her thighs open and let me inhale her scent. "And where exactly is all over, Ramsey?" she whispered, leaning into my neck.

This girl had no idea who she was dealing with.

I had no problem spreading her pretty thighs wide open and fucking her in front of the entire class. I wasn't insecure about the size of my dick, and I knew I could fuck, so I had nothing to be embarrassed about.

I leaned down farther until she was almost laid out with my body covering her. "Be careful, babe. I have no problem sinking into your tight, little pussy right here in front of everyone," I threatened.

Her chest was heaving, and I could smell her arousal, but she didn't back down. "I wonder how disappointed you'd be to find out that my pussy isn't all that tight," she smirked back. "Men, Ramsey. Remember, I like _men."_

_This. Fucking. Girl_.

I couldn't stop the snarl at the thought of her being fucked by other guys. I might not be her first, but I would be her best if it killed me. God, she had me so pissed. So pissed and worked up, I seriously contemplated fucking her right here and now. "I can't wait to shove my cock in your mouth to shut you the fuck up."

Emerson laughed. She honest-to-God laughed in my face. She placed her hands on my chest and I let her push me back to a seated position. When she was done laughing, she shocked me, yet again. "If the day ever comes where you have your dick in my mouth, Ramsey, the last thing you'll be thinking about is shutting me up. You will be begging me to have mercy on you," she smirked.

The teacher finally addressed the class, and so, I ignored her comment. And not because I gave a fuck what the teacher was saying. I didn't respond because a small part of me believed her. I was teetering on the edge of insanity as it was. There was a good chance she was right and if I ever got my dick near her in that capacity, I _would_ be begging.

The fact that she wasn't a virgin clawed at my inner caveman. Now, it wasn't that I cared if a girl gave up the goods to every boy she's ever met or was waiting until marriage. As far as I was concerned, women had every right to explore their sexuality just as men did. Emerson's lack of a hymen wasn't a problem for me. No. My problem was the added pressure of making sure I would be the best she ever had.

Emerson's personality was so large, there was no way this girl laid there like a dead fish in bed. It would be a fight for dominance once I got her naked, and I had every intention of being the one on top.
Chapter 6

Emerson~

The day had been nothing but specialized Ramsey Reed torture all day long. After the ambush this morning, I found out we shared four classes together and that he had somehow made sure my locker was next to his.

It boggled the mind. Ramsey was a goddamn eighteen-year-old kid telling grown folks what to do and how to do it. I had found out that most of the kids in Windsor's senior class were eighteen through casual conversation around me. Apparently in their grooming to take over the world, these kids had spent a year abroad, studying life shit, before entering their freshman year at this school.

As I had gone over my schedule, I saw that we didn't have fourth, fifth or seventh period together. But, lucky me, Deke was in my fourth period and he had taken the liberty of 'looking out for me'.

The bastard.

And during one gathering at our lockers-because Liam and Deke's lockers were next to Ramsey's-Liam had informed me that he had fifth and seventh period with me and we were going to be BFF's.

I almost punched him in his beautiful, blue-eyed face.

Where Ramsey was sinister-looking with his dark brown hair and eyes, Liam was all sunshine with his dark blonde hair and baby blue eyes. He was just as tall as Ramsey and he looked to be just as athletically built as him, too. No doubt about it, Liam was a good-looking guy.

But Deke...

Deke was altogether something else.

Deke had black hair with green eyes and was just as tall as his two friends. His build matched Liam's, and though they were a bit smaller than Ramsey, they still looked like they could get the job done. The thing about Deke was that he had come off as playful, but I could sense a deep intensity skimming just below his surface. I couldn't imagine what would happen to the person on the receiving end of his intensity if it ever came out.

I had managed to ditch Deke by pretending I needed to go to the restroom right before the bell rang for the end of fourth period, but I wasn't naïve enough to believe Ramsey wouldn't find me. I wasn't exactly hiding out. Even though I was sitting by myself in a corner table of the eatery pavilion, the fact that I was by myself made me stand out.

I wasn't really hungry, but I knew I'd be starving later if I didn't eat now. I just couldn't stop thinking about how I had recklessly spread my legs for Ramsey in class this morning.

Stupid.

If everything I was hearing about him was true, then I was testing a guy who was free from all responsibility and consequences. _I mean, who does that?_ Even as cracked in the head as I was, I still knew better than to poke a bear that had no sense of accountability.

Someone brought me out of my musings when I was jostled by a body dropping on the bench next to me. I turned my head to the right and saw a girl who probably stood out more than I did.

"Hey," she greeted me as she reached over and plucked a chip out of the bag on my tray.

I wondered what she wanted with me as I took her in. I assumed by her eyebrows that she was blonde, but her shoulder-length hair was the color of a wild rainbow. She had big blue eyes and her makeup matched her hair; all bright, cheerful colors. She had a straight, petite nose that had a tiny, tiny diamond stud pierced on the left side. Her purple-colored lips were thin, but it worked for her.

She looked absolutely awesome.

However, my guard had instantly gone up when she sat down. I may be insane enough to play dangerously with Ramsey Reed, but I wasn't a complete asylum candidate just yet. "May I help you?" I asked, my voice not friendly at all.

She smiled, and her teeth were white and perfectly straight. "Why, yes. Yes, you can." She reached over to help herself to another chip. "God, I love these chips, but I try to stay away from them," she rambled on.

My brows lifted. There was no way she could be on a diet. She was already slim. "On a diet?"

She snorted. "Hell no," she answered, and I found myself liking her more. "They're just so good, I fear becoming really addicted, and then having to sell myself for my fix." She shook her head. "I'm not trying to go down that road."

I couldn't stop the laugh that emerged. "Understandable," I agreed.

She smirked. "I'm Roselyn, by the way," she said, finally introducing herself.

"I'm-"

She snorted again. "I know who you are," she interrupted.

I lifted a brow. "I suppose you do."

"Hell, the entire town knows who you are," she elaborated.

I groaned.

She laughed.

"Ramsey Reed's latest mouse," I bemoaned, even though I was sure she already knew that.

This time her laugh was dark. "That's not the way I'm hearing it."

_What did that mean?_ "Oh, really?"

"Let me explain a couple of things to you, girlie," she started. "I'm a step." _A step?_ "Brandon Greene is my step-brother and not in that sexy, forbidden, romance novel kind of way. My gold-digging trashy mother-who is actually the best person on the planet but is blinded by love-married into the Greene family when Brandon's father met her a couple of years ago and lost his mind over her."

Wow. Okay.

"So, I wasn't born to all this privilege." She waved her hand about indicating her surroundings. "It took me a few months to figure out how this town worked, but once I did, I decided to mind my own damn business and just mark the calendar for the day when I finally graduate and can get the hell out of here."

"Lofty goal," I agreed since I was doing the same.

"Anyway, since I'm an outsider, I'm able to view all of this from a very different point of view, and I gotta tell you, girlie, a mouse you are not," she said, finally just grabbing the entire pack of potato chips.

"Then, what am I?" I asked curiously.

Her grin was positively wicked. "You're the girl who has Ramsey Reed wrapped around her finger," she alleged. "And that makes you the most powerful person in this school. Hell, in this _town_. _"_

I scoffed. "I do not have Ramsey Reed wrapped around my finger," I corrected her. "If anything, his hands wrapped around my neck, snuffing the life out of me, is more plausible."

"Keep telling yours-" Roselyn's lips stopped moving as a voice above me interrupted her. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

Sad to say, I didn't even have to look up to see who it was. I already knew that voice as well as I knew my own. I growled. "What does it look like? I'm eating lunch."

His Highness sat down and leaned into the side of my face when he realized I wasn't going to look at him. "Sneak away from Deke again and you will not like the consequences," he threatened.

I knew we were garnering an audience, so I turned to him before speaking. While I wouldn't let anyone see me back down, I didn't necessarily want them to hear our conversation. "I'm not scared of you, Shepherd." His jaw ticked, and I almost smiled. That was until he grabbed me by my hips, yanking on my body, until I was actually straddling him on the bench.

Holy fuck.

I didn't know what to do. I couldn't fight him and still keep my dignity. And we were positioned where I knew if I started struggling, we'd both end up on our asses.

Or rolling around on the ground with him on top of me.

So, I ignored my hormones, called upon all my pride, and kicked off round three. I brought my arms up and wrapped them around Ramsey's neck. I leaned into his body and we looked like a regular affectionate couple that was hugging.

But we were far from it.

I touched my lips to his ear and rubbed my center over his obvious arousal. His breath hissed, and I asked, "Is this what you want, Shepherd? Are you short a slut in your herd? Or are you bored? Do you just need a new pussy because all the girls here have gotten old?" I felt his hands dig painfully into my hips. The grip was going to leave bruises, but I'd bite off my own tongue before I'd admit he was hurting me.

The exertion didn't last long. Ramsey lifted me off him and dropped me back onto the bench. He stood up and my face was eye level with his dick. When I looked up at him, his face said it all. He wanted to yank out his cock and force it down my throat.

And my body clenched at the thought.

Lust, pure and primal, was pouring out of every nerve in his body and it was colliding with mine.

Because everyone was watching the exchange with bated breath, Ramsey could be heard clearly throughout the pavilion. "Keep thinking you're stronger than you really are, Charity. It's just going to make my victory that much more sweeter." He smiled down at me and my body broke out in shivers. "I'm going to love breaking you, baby," he said right before he turned his back and walked away.

All I could hear was Roselyn whispering, _"Goddamn."_
Chapter 7

Ramsey~

I'd almost killed three teammates today at scrimmage.

When I had thrown Emerson off my lap and stormed off, I was shaking with so much violence, it was a wonder I hadn't burned the school down.

I had played rugby and football during P.E., but it was all just for fun. While there was some real talent in this school, no one here would ever move on to be a professional athlete. We were all being groomed to take over business conglomerates. Sports were for fun at this school. But rugby and football helped keep me in shape. I loved physical exertion, and until I could fuck Emerson into oblivion, I had to take out my anger in other ways.

And I was angry.

When she had straddled me and ran her pussy across my cock, I had almost wrapped my hands around her throat and strangled her to death. She was fucking with me and I wasn't sure how much more I was going to be able to take.

Emerson was unpredictable and challenging and just _so_ _goddamn beautiful._

I had stayed away from her after sixth period, and even then, I had spent all of sixth period fuming. I had made her sit next to me, but I hadn't touch her beyond yanking her ass down and planting her next to me. I had feared for my sanity when I realized that if she had made one move towards me- _just one_ -I would have mounted her in front of the entire class.

Deke, Liam, a classmate of ours named Grant Strong, and I walked into Serenity Café, stopping to get something to eat before heading home to our empty houses. The place was small and quaint, but it served the best sandwiches around.

When you walked in, the counter was immediately to your left and the tables were scattered throughout the right side of the room. There were only two booths placed in the far corner of the café and it was perfect for privacy. That is, if you needed it.

We made our way to our regular table and sat down, ready to place our order and finish out the day. I was so ready for this day to be over, so color me fucking stupid when I looked up and was less than prepared for Emerson to be walking towards us in an apron with Serenity Café stitched across it.

What the fuck?

We all looked up at her as she stopped at our table. "What can I get you?"

"Hey-"

"What the fuck are you doing here?" I asked, cutting Grant off.

She spared me only a second-long glance before saying, "Working."

"I can see that. _Why_ the fuck are you working?"

Emerson completely ignored me and asked again, "What can I get you guys?"

Liam and Deke knew better, but it looked like Grant didn't. "What are you offering?" he smirked.

Now, here's the thing. I knew people tended to conform to fit it. I got that peer pressure and the need to be cool could make a person do things they normally wouldn't do when they were alone. The power of suggestion was strong when you had a weak disposition. So, I knew that a lot of the students at Windsor might think it was okay to be rude to Emerson because I was setting the example.

But it wasn't.

I turned in my seat and pinned him with a glare. "What did you just ask her, Strong?"

He laughed at first, but then paled a bit once the tone of my voice registered. "Uh, sh...she's...isn't she..."

"She's mine, motherfucker. That's what she is. She's fucking _mine,"_ I spat. "So, whatever she has to offer belongs to me. You got that, Strong?"

He bobbed his head up and down frantically. "Yeah...yeah, Rams-"

I turned away from him and looked back up at Emerson. "Now answer me, Charity. What the fuck are you doing working here?"

Emerson turned to me and lifted an arched brow. _"_ _Not_ being charity," she answered coolly. I could hear one of the guys cough in his hand, and I wasn't sure if he was laughing at her nerve to meet me head-on, or if he was uncomfortable by her answer.

Emerson wasn't embarrassed to be poor. She wasn't embarrassed to not belong. She wasn't embarrassed about what her father had done. She wasn't embarrassed about any of the circumstances thrust upon her. And she would not apologize for _not_ being embarrassed.

I clenched my jaw at her putting me in my place, but not because she was showing her backbone. No. I was pissed because I _hated_ seeing her have to work.

Emerson Anderson was too magnificent to be working. And she sure as shit was too special to be waiting on motherfuckers, even if one of those motherfuckers was me. And I knew, deep down, she'd be working whether or not I called her Charity.

Before I could say anything more, a woman at another table called for her, and Emerson turned her back on our table and went to go assist the woman. And if I hated knowing she was working for a living, it was nothing compared to actually _watching_ her wait on someone who was looking down their nose at her.

I didn't even realize I was getting up until Deke said something. "Come on, Ram. She's just doing her job. Calm down." I looked over at him and he gave me a terse nod. "Just sit down, dude."

Liam flicked his gaze at Grant, no doubt wondering how much to say in front of him, but he spoke anyway. "You'll regret this one, Ramsey," he said.

But before I could comment, Emerson was back to take our order. "Have you guys decided what you want?" she asked as I sat back down.

Jesus. What a fucking question.

I knew exactly what the fuck I wanted. I wanted _her_. I wanted her naked underneath me. I wanted to be inside her every minute of every day. But something told me that was probably not on the menu.

Liam, Grant, and Deke gave her their orders, but when she looked down at me, I couldn't speak. For all the shit I've put this girl through, I just couldn't bring myself to make her take my order and wait on me.

It felt...wrong.

Like I've said, Emerson had a great poker face, and she wasn't giving anything away, but I knew-I just _knew_ -that, in this moment, she was feeling every bit the charity case I kept accusing her of being.

Even though she clearly wasn't.

In fact, _we_ were all the real charity cases. If our parents took away everything we had, most of this town would put a bullet through their heads because they wouldn't know how to function without everything just being handed to them.

I looked into her mesmerizing grey eyes and answered, "Nothing for me." If Emerson was surprised, she didn't show it. She just nodded at the group and walked off to place our orders.

The table was quiet, and I wished like hell that Grant hadn't joined us. Normally, he was a cool guy, and I didn't mind him, but I didn't speak freely around anyone, other than Deke and Liam. And I needed to figure out what I was going to do with this girl.

One second, I was feeling the urge to bring her to her knees, and then the next, I didn't want her on her knees for anyone _ever_. One second, I was spewing the most vile things at her, and then the next, I wanted to tell her how fucking beautiful she is.

She had me so goddamn fucked up.

And all because I've never _not_ been in control before. I couldn't control Emerson Andrews, and that both fascinated and infuriated me.

Apparently, Grant couldn't take the silence any longer because he started to randomly chat about the first day of school and whatever. I tuned him out and kept scanning the café, watching Emerson walk around checking on tables or cleaning. The place wasn't packed, but she was working too hard for my liking.

After about fifteen minutes, she came back to our table to deliver our food and drinks without uttering a single word. It wasn't lost on me that she hadn't brought our drinks out first while we had waited for our food, as was customary. Emerson wanted nothing to do with our table and she made no secret of it.

Since I hadn't ordered anything, my eyes stayed on her and, fuck my life, every time she reached out, grabbed her tip money, and put it in her pocket, I wanted to break something. And then a dark laugh escaped me when it dawned on me why we were getting shitty service. Emerson already assumed that she wouldn't be getting a tip from us, so it didn't matter if she was friendly to us or not.

My resolved finally snapped when she walked up to our table and dropped the check off without asking us if we wanted anything more or asking if the check was together or separate. She turned to walk away, and I jumped out of my seat.

"Ram-"

"Forget it, Deke," I threw back as I snatched Emerson by her arm.

"What the-" Her eyes widened as she realized what was happening.

I ignored her as I dragged her through the café and into the side alley of the building. There wasn't going to be an audience for what I wanted to say to her.
Chapter 8

Emerson~

Ramsey whirled me around until my back slammed up against the brick building of the café.

This motherfucker.

"Are you out of your mind?!" I raged. "I need this job, Ramsey!"

He stepped up and caged me in with his palms flat against the wall on either side of my face. "You do not need this fucking job, Emerson," he argued.

I straightened my back until I was as tall as I possibly could be. "Yes. I. Do."

And then, he went and moved another chess piece in a direction it wasn't allowed to go. "I'll give you whatever you need if you really can't stand the idea of living off your aunt," he said, shocking the ever lovin' hell out of me. Shocked that he was insightful enough to guess where my need to work stemmed from. And shocked that he offered to help me.

"W...what... _what?_ _"_ I sputtered. I even shook my head because I had to have heard him wrong.

I had to have.

His deep chocolate eyes bore into mine. "You heard me, Emerson."

"No," I replied. "Clearly, I didn't, Ramsey. Because it sounded like you were offering to support me financially."

"That's exactly what I'm offering," he retorted.

Now, I'll be the first to admit that I didn't know Ramsey Reed all that well. But his bipolar mood swings were giving me whiplash. How could this psycho talk to me so horribly one minute, but then want to help me out the next?

"Are you high?" I blurted out. I mean, I was genuinely curious. "Do you take pills? Is that why you act like a goddamn lunatic?" I expected him to laugh, growl, or cuss me out but he did none of those things.

Instead, Ramsey stepped up closer until his body was flushed with mine. I stopped breathing and thought I would expire from a Grade-A heart attack when one arm came down and he planted his hand on my hip, the other hand wrapping around the back of my neck.

"What are you doing?" I whispered because his expression looked like he was seconds away from kissing me.

"What I've been wanting to do since you walked into that party Friday night," he answered as his head descended and his lips landed on mine. Right or wrong, good or bad, I didn't care. Ramsey Reed's lips were the best thing to ever touch my body, and he fueled me like no one else ever had.

My hands slithered up his chest until they wrapped around his neck and I kissed him back with all the hate I felt for him. I just couldn't help myself. Actually, that's not true. I could help myself, I just didn't want to.

He groaned, and his hands tightened on my body. And I knew that Ramsey Reed was just the boy to help get me out of my head. He could help me forget the shitstorm that was my life right now, even though he was a part of it.

A big part.

But I didn't care. I wanted his fire. I wanted his hate. As long as this attraction between us was forged in hate and bad choices, then there'd be no problem when we walked away from each other after graduation.

Or sooner.

His hands left my neck and hip and they roamed my body like he was discovering the female form for the first time. But the way he was touching me made it clear that he knew the female form very well.

We were both wearing jeans and simple cotton t-shirts, the only difference was the apron I was still wearing. It felt like a barrier and protection all at the same time. But it didn't stop Ramsey from running his hand over my chest to cup my right breast as his lips started making their way down my neck.

It felt like every bad decision I've ever made.

He felt like the worst choice I could ever make.

But I didn't tell him to stop, and I didn't push him away. "Ramsey..."

"Fuck yeah," he hissed out. "Say my name like that again, baby."

I did.

Eagerly.

I felt him trying to gather as much of my breast as he could in his hand. "I can't wait to taste your tits, Emerson," he growled. "And fuck, if I can't wait to taste your pussy."

My knees buckled, and I tightened my hold around his neck to keep myself upright.

Hell, yeah.

I started returning the favor and running my hands up and over his broad shoulders, relishing in how big and strong he felt. I bet Ramsey Reed was the epitome of the perfect Greek God.

I was ready to let him do whatever he wanted when I suddenly felt his teeth break the delicate skin on my neck.

The motherfucker was actually biting me.

Ramsey sucked my skin through his lips and teeth and that's when I realized he was giving me a hickey. And not just your random got-carried-away variety. Ramsey was marking me in a way that wouldn't heal for weeks.

This crazy, psychotic sonofabitch was _drinking_ my goddamn blood.

I pushed at his shoulders and chest, but he wouldn't budge. "Ramsey!" He held on tighter at my cry and sucked harder and it hurt.

It. Fucking. Hurt.

I started punching and kicking at him when he released my skin and bit down onto a new spot to repeat his madness. "Ramsey! Get off me!" I pushed and pushed. "Get the fuck off me!"

He finally relented and stepped away from me, but not before he completed his second marking. He dropped his hands from my body, but his chest was heaving as he stared down at me.

I was taken aback by the force of his will. His bottom lip was decorated in streaks of my blood and he looked like he wanted to kill me. Ramsey looked out of control and in control all at the same time. He looked so fucking magnificent, it was...astounding.

He looked like a goddamn psychopath.

My neck started throbbing, and the pain snapped me out of my trance. "What the fuck, Ramsey?" I reached up and winced as my fingers brushed across his bite marks. It felt as if a rabid dog had mauled me.

He cocked his head to get a look at his handy work, and then the motherfucker smirked. "What?"

I could feel my eyes widen. I slapped both my palms against his chest and pushed. "You fucking bit me!"

He scowled down at me. "Yeah, I did," he snapped out. "And you better get used to it because you're going to have those marks all over your fucking body by the time I'm done with you." And then his tongue snaked out to lick his lower lip, cleaning it of the remaining blood.

I felt like I was in a fucking zombie apocalypse movie where the undead were going around just feasting on body parts of the living. Who in their right mind bites another human being and gets a stiff dick from the taste of their blood??

"How in the hell am I supposed to go back in there with this shit on my neck?!" Jesus. I was losing my mind. I couldn't believe I let him do this to me. I couldn't believe I wanted him to fucking do it again.

Ramsey didn't answer me. Instead, he grabbed my hand and dragged me back into the café. He was taking me back into the café even knowing I looked like I had just been attacked and he didn't care. Granted, I would probably be fired for leaving my tables without telling anyone, but it was still going to be embarrassing going back in there.

He opened the door and hauled me through the café behind him. I immediately saw my shift manager standing next to the table where Ramsey had been sitting. Theirs was the only occupied table left in the café and I knew I was screwed. All my other tables must have left because I walked out on them.

"Emerson..." my shift manager started.

Ramsey stood in front of Jarod, and being a couple of inches taller, stared down at him. "She was with me," he said with no apology, whatsoever. "You got a problem with that Richards?"

"N...no, Ramsey," Jarod stuttered. He glanced around Ramsey to address me and his eyes grew to the size of dinner plates when they landed on my bloody neck. "It's...it's almost closing, Emerson. You can go ahead and clock out," he breathed.

Fucking coward.

I took mercy on him though because I knew he was just another pawn on the chessboard. "Thank you, Jarod." He just nodded and practically ran out of the dining area.

Before I could say anything more, Liam's voice boomed throughout the café. "Holy shit, Ramsey. What the fuck did you do to her?"

"Jesus Christ," uttered the fourth boy.

"Dude. Ram," Deke whispered.

Ramsey turned around and yanked on my hand until my body was, once again, flushed up against his. He was looking into my eyes when he answered Liam. "Nothing close to what I plan on doing to her."
Chapter 9

Ramsey~

It had been the week from Hell.

One week.

School has only been in session for _one goddamn week_ and it was feeling like an eternity.

I wasn't a complete imbecile, though. I knew I had to pay attention to my curriculum and actually learn a thing or two, but my mind was consumed with nothing except Emerson.

After I had drugged her back into the café Monday evening, she had clocked out, cashed in her tips, and walked out without another word as she left me still sitting at the table with Deke, Liam, and Grant. I had stayed behind to speak with Jarod about her working there. Once I had made myself clear...well, Emerson could now do basically whatever she wanted at the café without fear of being fired. I still didn't like the idea of her working, though.

When she had shown up to school Tuesday morning with a dark blue scarf around her neck, I had pushed her up against the lockers and almost choked her with it. We had battled it out until I realized that girl would let me strangle her first before she gave in. I had let go of the grip I had on her scarf, but I had whipped it off her, and made her walk around school with those awful marks on her neck for everyone to see.

I spent all day Tuesday hard as fuck.

And Wednesday.

And Thursday.

And today was looking like shit, too.

I had never jacked off so much in my life. I think I've jacked off more in the one week I've known Emerson than I have my entire life.

And the fantasy was always the same. My dick stood at full mast every time I remembered how it felt to have my hands on her body. Emerson was soft, smooth, and feminine. And I had meant what I told her. I couldn't wait to suck on her big tits and lick that sweet pussy of hers.

I wasn't much of a foreplay kind of guy because I equated foreplay with affection and no girl has ever held my affections before. Any sucking, licking, biting, or petting I've ever engaged in, I did it when I was younger because I had to learn somehow. But once I hit high school, it was all quick fucking for me, and even that came to a halt last year.

I glanced over at Emerson, wondering how far she would let me take this. We were in fifth period, and while she's learned to ignore me for the most part, she didn't fight me anymore on where we sat. I wanted to count that as a victory, but I knew better. Emerson was probably just playing into the 'keep your friends close, but your enemies closer' adage.

She hadn't once brought up what happened outside the café, and I didn't like it. There was no way to deny what had happened between us. I mean...hell, just look at her fucking neck. But her trying to cover up her neck with that fucking scarf, and treating me so casually, wasn't working for me.

I leaned into her, completely ignoring the fact that I should be paying attention to whatever it was the teacher was saying. "How's your neck?"

Emerson turned towards me and quirked a brow. "I have no clue what you mean."

And just like that, my dick turned to granite.

My hand snaked out, and grabbing her neck, I squeezed on the wounds. She winced but didn't protest. I pulled her towards me and replied, "Just wait until you're covered in my marks, Emerson. You're not even going to be able to do something as simple as dress yourself without feeling pain."

She narrowed her silver orbs at me. "And what about you, Ramsey?" she asked.

"What about me?"

"And what if it ends up me leaving my marks on _you?"_ she whispered seductively.

Fuck.

She just didn't know. What I wouldn't give for her to leave me in battle scars. The thought of her digging her nails into my flesh or biting me until I bled made me wish I didn't need her consent.

I nipped her lower lip. "Emerson, baby, you can do whatever you want to me. As long as we're both naked and you're coming on my cock, I'll give you anything you want." Her breath hitched, and I knew she was imagining the picture I painted. Her eyes flittered around the classroom and, by the hesitation in her eyes, I knew we had an audience.

But I wondered, what if we hadn't? Would she let me finger fuck her, right here, if all heads were facing forward?

Emerson looked back at me and said, "You know nothing about me, Ramsey. How can you promise that?" She smirked and asked, "What if I told you I like to be the man in the bedroom and strap-ons are my fetish?"

Okay. I wanted this girl more than I wanted to take my next breath, but I drew the line at gender swapping.

And at anything up my ass.

And threesomes where she was concerned.

And anything public where another man could see her naked body.

I removed my hand from her neck and placed a soft kiss along the scabbed bruises. "I don't know what you're into, Emerson, but I know you're not into that," I said as I peppered her neck in kisses.

She sounded completely breathless when she asked, "How do you know that?"

I pulled back and looked into her eyes as I answered, "Because I can smell how wet your pussy gets when I'm violent with you, Emerson." Her eyes widened, and I could swear I saw shame swirling in their depths before she quickly masked her features. "Your body heats, your muscles tense, and your pussy drips any time I grab you, shake you, force you, bite you, yell at you, or do my best to humiliate you." Her eyes took on a glossy sheen, but I didn't let up. "There's nothing more you want than a hard, rough _man_ in the bedroom with you." I leaned into her ear and whispered, "I'd even bet that you would scream down the house in pure, fucking ecstasy if I held you down and made you take my cock up your ass, Emerson." She jerked back from me and my heart skipped a beat when I saw the absolute mortification that covered the features of her stunning face.

Emerson jumped up, grabbed her books and her backpack, fled down the aisle steps, and kept running until the classroom door slammed shut behind her.

Mr. Grady looked up at me. "What's going on with Miss Andrews, Mr. Reed?"

"Nothing," I answered automatically. "She's fine." And he knew better than to question my word, so he went back to teaching the class.

I should have gone after her, but I needed time to process her reaction. I was spot on with my assumption that she enjoyed violence, and I imagined the shame came from enjoying something that made her sick every time she saw her father mistreating her mother.

I couldn't imagine, but that must be hell on a person's subconscious. I wouldn't know, though, because I embraced my demons. I knew I was screwed up, and I knew all the whys, whens, wheres, and hows of it all, but I made no effort to change or fix it because I was at peace with all of my broken pieces.

My father was a ruthless businessman with ties to the Mob, and my mother was a brainless socialite who never embraced motherhood. She and my father, _both,_ fucked around and used their money to wash away all the stains from their sins. I was fine with all the stains that smattered my soul. They didn't bother me one bit.

And today's little revelation was the answer to why I was so drawn to Emerson.

Darkness attracted darkness.

It also answered my question of how far would Emerson let me take this game. I was pretty certain she'd let me take it to the finish line before she ever conceded defeat. While my parents might dance on the edges of the Mob's dance floor, Emerson came from a family where her father's violence ultimately led to him murdering her mother. No wonder she wasn't afraid of us or our status and money.

She knew real world fear.

She's experienced real world violence.

This was probably the part where I should leave her alone. Where my conscience would finally speak up and tell me that Emerson has been through enough. Where my brain would tell me that I had my pick of any female in town; I didn't need this one.

But my brain, and what little conscience I had, were no match for the voice of my soul, the heat in my veins, and the pure feeling of euphoria at knowing that Emerson would welcome my demons.

She'd embrace them, play with them, tempt them, and challenge them.

Emerson would give me the ultimate high. That girl would let me hurt her at the same time I made her cum on my cock. She'd let me leave her bruised, bloody, and torn. But that wasn't all of it.

Oh, no.

I knew she'd leave me in the same condition if we ever came together.

And I wanted her violence as much as she craved mine.
Chapter 10

Emerson~

I hated to admit it, but I had spent the rest of fifth period hiding in the girls' restroom.

I had felt pretty safe because I knew I wouldn't have to see Ramsey for the rest of the day. And I needed to feel safe from his scrutiny and observations.

Ramsey had seen into the deepest, darkest parts of my soul and it unnerved the fuck out of me. No one's ever been able to do that before. Maybe my poker face wasn't as solid as I thought because Ramsey had touched every nerve with each word he had spoken. And I was really starting to wonder if I was in over my head with the guy.

At a very young age, I had learned how to put on a brave face. I had learned to stick up for myself and to stare down bullies and thugs. I hadn't taken crap from anyone and I had held my emotions in check, lest I show any signs of weakness.

And then, in one fucking week, Ramsey Reed sees inside me and notices my darkest sicknesses.

He had been right about everything. I did get turned on by his strong hand. I did fantasize about how sinister he could be. I did pray that his darkness wasn't all an act. I actually worried that he would turn out to be a pussy.

When I had gone home Monday night from the café and stared at my neck in the mirror, I had been so turned on, it took everything I had not to hunt Ramsey down and demand he finish the job. The awful, awful marks on my neck had made me wet and uncomfortable. I had even purposely worn the scarf the next day hoping to piss him off enough that he'd put his hands on me again.

And he did.

God, he did.

When he had wrapped the scarf around my neck and pulled it tight, I almost climaxed. I had felt the sensation building and building, and when he finally let go of me and the feeling evaporate, I had felt so empty that it had dawned on me what had happened.

Jesus Christ, I was so sick in the head.

I mean, really, really sick.

Normal people didn't get off on violence.

Normal people didn't enjoy bleeding or pain in a sexual capacity.

There were lots of times my father would beat my mother, and then drag her to the bedroom and take more from her. And since we lived in a trailer the size of a goddamn shoebox, I could hear what he was doing to her. It didn't take years in therapy to figure out why I felt the way I did. Why violence and sex went hand in hand for me.

No. The problem stemmed from the fact that I was in no hurry to see a therapist to fix the issue. The way I saw it was that I couldn't be sure if my issues were real or not. I've never had sex before, so I wasn't entirely sure how I would react to being manhandled during sex. I might love it, or I might hate it enough to murder my partner.

I just didn't know.

But I wanted to find out. And I wanted to find out with Ramsey Reed.

I just didn't know how to go about it without completely surrendering myself to him. Because something told me that if I gave myself to Ramsey, there'd be no turning back until he was absolutely done with me.

I heard the bell ring, and I wanted to skip the trip to my locker, but I needed my Calculus book. I knew this school was run like no other, but at the end of all the weirdness and drama, I really wanted to graduate high school. While I had no delusions that I would turn into someone significant, I, at least, wanted to have my high school diploma, so I could land a job.

I barely had the locker door open when I felt _his_ heat encasing me from behind. I knew it was Ramsey because I was already accustomed to his scent and his nearness. Also, I doubted any other guy in school would be stupid enough to get this close to me.

I felt his breath tickle my ear as he leaned down and said, "There's a party tonight at the lake."

I shrugged a shoulder as I shuffled shit around in my locker, looking for my Calculus book. "So."

"I'll expect you there at around ten," he ordered.

I snorted. "You're more cracked in the head than I thought if you think I'd willingly go to a party with a bunch of spoiled rich fucks, Ramsey." Yeah, that was not my idea of fun, and not that I was being judgmental or an outright bitch. In the short week I've been here, I've caught enough students looking down their noses at me. The fuck if I would spend a night partying with them.

Ramsey pressed the front of his body against my back and I could feel the bulge in his pants on my lower back. "So, then, does that mean I have to take you _unwillingly?"_ I couldn't stop the shivers that ran down my spine. I knew Ramsey would never force himself on a girl, but the sick darkness he was implying was bringing to light just how twisted I was.

I ignored his question. "I'm not going to a gathering for your sheep, Shepherd," I reiterated. I found my Calculus book, and immediately regretted it, realizing that I would have to turn around and face Ramsey.

The boy was hell on my nerves.

But because I wasn't a coward-or I tried not to be-I turned around to face him. I expected him to be drowning in smugness after he ran me out of class earlier, but he wasn't. He was looking down at me with that same heat in his brown eyes he always had when he looked at me.

Ramsey put his hands on my hips and pulled my body towards his. "This isn't up for debate, Emerson," he said. "I expect to see you there."

The shame and cowardice he pulled from me earlier had me asking, "What do you want from me, Ramsey?"

His hand tightened on my hips and I could hear him hiss through his teeth. Like being physically near me was painful for him. "What is it you think I want from you, Emerson?"

I stared into his beautiful face and his intense gaze and told him the truth. "I think you're bored with your perfect, privileged life and you need a new toy to play with." He drew himself up to his full height but didn't release my hips. "I think everyone here grew up already knowing who was in charge, and so, your life hasn't been full of many challenges. But me...I'm a challenge to you. You're testing out your power on me. And you're pushing to see just what it will take to break me. And you're getting off on it." Ramsey's eyes glowered at me and that told me I had pretty much hit the mark.

Or so I had thought.

One of his hands left my hip, and he brought it up to circle the back of my neck. He caressed the delicate skin for a fraction of a second before his hand snaked up into my hair, fisting it, and pulling my head back with enough grip to make it hurt. I swallowed the hiss on the tip of my tongue and faced him head-on.

"You're right, Emerson. I am bored. But I have enough dirt on everyone in this town that I could ruin families left and right for entertainment purposes only if I was just bored." His fist tug and I could feel my wetness seep through my panties. "And you're right about the challenges. I am in charge of this town, and everyone knows it. But I'm not testing you, Emerson."

"Bullshit," I spat.

The bastard smirked. "I'll admit, I was in the beginning, but now..." His eyes scanned down my body lazily before returning to mine.

"But now, what?" I snapped.

This motherfucker actually started rubbing his dick against my stomach in full view of any random students milling around their lockers. "But now...now that I've had the taste of your lips on mine. Now that I know what it feels like to have your body pressed up against mine. Now that I know how wet your pussy gets when I _hurt_ you. Well, let's just say that I still want to break you, Emerson, but now I want to keep the broken pieces for myself." There was no doubt about it. Staring into Ramsey's eyes, searching for his words to be lies, I could see that they weren't. Ramsey still wanted to break me, but he was serious about owning all those shattered shards.

I had to fortify myself against him.

I couldn't let him lure me in.

"I'm not breakable, Ramsey," I told him. "And if that's the only way you can handle me, then save yourself the trouble and leave me alone. There's no shame in admitting you can't handle a strong woman." His hands dropped from my person without warning. One second, he was covering me, pulling my hair, and the next he was a foot away from me.

Ramsey Reed was one unstable motherfucker.

His eyes were hooded, and his face was masked when he said, "You better be at that party tonight, Charity. You won't like the consequences if you're not."

"Pick another girl, Ramsey," I suggested, even though a tiny part of me ached at the thought.

He took a step back towards me, and leaning down, he tenderly kissed my lips with his. I wasn't expecting it, so I knew he could read the surprised all over my face.

His hand skimmed across my jaw and he said, "There isn't another girl, Emerson," he replied. "At least, none like you." And with that, he walked away.

I was so screwed.
Chapter 11

Ramsey~

I had just walked out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around my waist, when my phone rang with that familiar, dreaded ringtone.

My fucking father.

I swiped the answer icon. "Yeah?"

"Is that any way to greet your father?" he asked, actually sounding affronted.

I didn't have time for his shit. "What do you want, Dad?" I asked, getting straight to the point.

I could hear him expel a sigh on the other end of the phone. "I'm in Kansas City, doing some...consulting and I will probably be here for a few months longer," he answered.

So?

I stopped caring, long ago, where he and my mother were at, or if they were planning on coming home or not. What the fuck was he calling me to tell me this shit for? "And I give a fuck why?"

"Careful how you speak to me, Ramsey. I am still your father," he reminded me coolly.

"Yeah?" I barked out. "Well, if I were _you,_ I'd be careful not to confuse who I'm speaking with either. Now cut he shit, Dad, and tell me why you're calling?"

"I heard a rumor you're running with some poor girl from some fucked-up hick town whose father murdered her mother," he finally said, telling me why he was calling me.

"Yeah? And where did you hear that from?" Truth be told, he could have heard it from anyone in this fucking town. Damn near everyone had either their mouths closed over his dick or their lips permanently attached to his ass. I wasn't surprised that someone would call him and tell him I was running after Emerson. Hell, me running after _any girl_ was newsworthy in this town, but the fact that it was Emerson, that made it sensationalized news.

"Is it true?" he asked, ignoring my question.

"Yeah, and so?"

"Yeah, and so?" my father sputtered, and Colby Reed never sputtered. "What the fuck do you mean, 'yeah, and so'? Have you lost your mind, running around with trash, Ramsey?"

"You're going to talk to me about running around with trash?" I let a heartbeat of silence pass. "Really, Dad?"

"Pick another girl, Ramsey," he barked out, and those words-the same uttered by Emerson, herself, earlier-had my demons scratching at the surface of my skin.

I had meant what I said to her earlier. There wasn't another girl like her. I wanted her like I've never wanted anything else in my life. I wanted to ruin her and protect her all at the same time.

But, fuck, how I wanted to hurt her.

My father was still going on and on about all the other more suitable females I could choose from when I cut him off. "No."

"Rams-"

I didn't let him finish. "I. Said. No." He was out of his fucking mind if he thought I would give up Emerson.

"Ramsey, you have obligations," he reminded me. "Do you think that girl is going to understand that?"

I was very aware of my obligations. After graduation, I was to go to college at Blaineview and graduate from there with as many degrees in finance as I could. After that, I would start working for my father in _all_ capacities, and learn all the tricks to balancing that fine line between criminal and upstanding citizen.

What my father didn't know, though, was that I had no intentions of taking over his business. I wasn't going to be anyone's bitch, and that included the Mafia's.

"I haven't forgotten what's expected of me, Dad. Trust me," I snapped back. "But I'm not giving that girl up for anything or anyone, so deal with it."

Colby let out a deep sigh. "Son, listen to-"

"No," I said again. "She's mine and I don't want to hear another word about it." And then a dark thought occurred to me, so I added, "And if you're entertaining the thought of taking her from me, I feel I must advise you on that subject, Father." My next words were the most serious to have ever left my mouth. "I will fucking kill you if you dare to try to rid me of her." I could hear the intake of his breath on the other end of the line. I would bet everything I owned that he was seething at being threatened by his eighteen-year-old son. Hell, being threatened by _anyone._

But I wasn't just anyone, and he knew it. Having to deal with the monster you created, and all that.

There were a few heartbeats of silence before he finally said, "Just make sure she knows her role, Ramsey."

I barked out a laugh. That was rich. "You're seriously going to lecture me on how to keep my woman under control?" I snorted. I couldn't help it. "By the way, where's Mom at, Dad?"

"You know, Ramsey," he started to say, "one day you're going to meet someone tougher and crazier than you are, and it's not going to end well."

I thought about Emerson. "I've already met someone tougher and crazier than I am, Dad. And all that's doing is showing me how to be tougher and crazier than they are."

"Hmm," he mumbled right before hanging up on me. I tossed the phone on my bed and walked towards the closet to finally start getting dressed for the lake party tonight.

I wasn't overly concerned with my father. I wouldn't be surprised to hear if he had a plethora of scattered bastards all over the world. If I didn't fall in line, he could always pluck one of his other children out of the crowd and groom them to follow in his footsteps.

And my mother was a complete non-issue. She didn't care what I did as long as she had money in her bank account. Grace Reed did her duty by giving my father a son. So, as far as she was concerned, she's earned her due. The rest of it-and by rest, I mean my upbringing-wasn't her problem.

I was never one to dress to impress. Hell, I was never one to try to impress anyone, so I just threw on a plain dark blue shirt, dark jeans, and a pair of white Nikes, brushed my hair enough to say it's been brushed, and was ready to leave to the party.

I stuffed my wallet in the back pocket of me jeans and grabbed my car keys and phone. Hopping down the stairs, I dialed Emerson. I had invaded her privacy on the first day of school, scrolling through her phone and stealing her phone number. This was the first time I've called her, though.

She answered on the second ring, probably wondering who the fuck was calling her. No one called each other anymore. Everyone fucking texted. "Hello?"

"I'm leaving for the party now," I rattled off, not even introducing myself. "I had better see you there, Emerson."

I heard her cluck her tongue. "So, then, what you're saying is that you're going to be partaking in hallucinogenic drugs? Because that's the only way you'll be seeing me there tonight, Ramsey."

I stopped at the foot of the stairs. "You know what, Emerson?"

"What?" she sassed.

"I hope you make me come after you, baby," I told her honestly. "I hope like hell that you make me chase you. It'll be that much more explosive when I catch you."

She laughed into the phone. "Ramsey, Ramsey, Ramsey," she taunted. "What happens when you finally find me, but I'm not alone?"

I had to count to ten and take a deep breath. I knew what she was doing. She was giving as good as she was getting. However, this particular threat wasn't a wise one. She was insinuating that she was single, and she wasn't.

Not by a fucking long shot.

We might not be in a traditional boyfriend/girlfriend relationship, but Emerson was mine. And mine alone. The sooner she understood that, the better.

"I dare you to go to another guy, Emerson," I growled into the phone, my voice dark and low. "Let me catch you with another guy, let me hear that you've been with another guy and he'll never be able to walk again, much less fuck."

"You can't tell me what to do or who to see, Shepherd. Don't forget," she retorted, "I'm not one of your goddamn sheep."

This fucking girl.

"I swear to God, Emerson, if you let another guy put his hands on you, I will leash a hell upon you the likes of which you have never seen." The very idea had my vision colored red. "You think your father murdering your mother was the worst thing that could ever happen to you? Try me, Emerson. Fucking try me!" I seethed, and then hung up before I could say anything more.

This. Fucking. Girl.
Chapter 12

Emerson~

Manotile was only twenty minutes away from Sands Cove, but the drive to the neighboring town felt like it was taking forever. But that was mostly because Roselyn had a white-knuckle grip on the steering wheel, and she kept side-eyeing me and biting her lip.

When she had shown up at my house about fifteen minutes after Bailey had left for the lake party, she had assumed that's where we were going, but I gave her heart palpitations when I had we had other plans.

We had only been buckled up for about five minutes when she finally let out her anxiety. "I get it, Emerson. I do. I really, really do," she said, biting the bottom of her lip. "I mean, Ramsey's been a complete prick and his treatment of you has been...well, it's been strange to say the least. But, Emer, this is beyond poking the bear. Ramsey's going to fucking _flip_ _."_

I spared her a quick glance. "Roselyn, Ramsey doesn't need a reason to flip. He's unstable. He will flip at his convenience no matter what I or anyone else is doing."

Roselyn was already shaking her head at me. "You forget, friend. I'm not part of their little brain washing cult," she reminded me. "I've been watching this bazaar universe from an outsider's perspective for years, and I gotta tell you, chic...I have never seen Ramsey Reed lose his shit over someone before."

"What do you mean?" I knew Ramsey acted volatile at times, but compared to what I was used to, I wouldn't quality what he's done so far in the category of losing his shit.

"Ramsey's cold, Emerson," she tried to explain. "He's like ice cold. Whenever someone's been stupid enough to cross him or, hell, just irritate him, his retaliation has always been cold, effortless, and swift." Roselyn expelled a deep breath. "But with you...with you, he has been all fire and random displays of outrage. That's no bueno, my friend. No bueno at all."

"How do you figure, Roselyn?" I asked. "What difference does it make how he acts in this little game he's playing with me?"

The look she sent my way made it clear she thought I was an idiot. "You're the only person I know of that has ever been able to make Ramsey Reed act out of character, Emerson. Do you have any idea what that does to a man?"

_No, not really._ "What?"

She went back to shaking her head at me with her eyes still on the road. "All I'm saying, Emer, is watch it, okay? Pushing a psychopath like Ramsey Reed is stupid and dangerous."

I didn't know how to explain to her that I wanted Ramsey Reed stupidly and dangerously. If I was making him act out of character, then we were even, because he was drawing all kinds of uncomfortable and unfamiliar feelings out of me.

"If you want to go back or not be friends with me anymore, I'll understand, Roselyn," I replied, instead of commenting on how dangerous it was to get involved with someone like Ramsey.

This time she snorted at me. "Puhlease, chic. You're the only real person who exists in this entire town. You think I'm going to stop being your friend? Not happening," she huffed.

I didn't want to talk about Ramsey anymore. I didn't want to talk about this fucked-up town or the people in it. I decided I wanted to get to know my only friend better. "Do you have a boyfriend, Roselyn?"

She smiled the biggest spread across her pretty face. "No," she answered. "But I have this guy who's a friend that lives in Manotile, and we...uh, meet up every now and again." Well, no wonder Roselyn chose Manotile to party up our Friday night.

After Ramsey had hung up on me, I had been determined to defy him. As much as his alpha male high-handedness turned me on, I wasn't quite ready to cave. Ramsey needed to understand that when or if I do finally cave, it'll be because I chose to. It'll be because I want him, and he didn't force his will upon me. So, I was going to go out tonight no matter what. It just would not be to the lake party.

When Roselyn had finally agreed to join me, she had suggested driving over to Manotile, since it was just one town over, and going to a dance club that was eighteen and older. She said it was a nice club with a great party vibe and plenty of security.

I've never been to an actual dance club before, so I was game. I mean, I've danced at house parties, and while I may not be able to compete in any dance competitions, I could hold my own and I had decent rhythm.

Since Roselyn was always dressed outlandishly, I was the one who had to put in the effort tonight. I had traded in my custom t-shirt and jeans look for a more Friday night club scene one.

I had straightened my long, dark hair and left it loose and flowing. I didn't overdo it with the makeup, but since I normally didn't wear any, a little mascara, some dark eyeliner, light eyeshadow, and lip gloss had made a huge impact.

I didn't have much in the way of sexy wear, so I had raided my aunt's closet to see if there was anything in there I could use. There was no way I'd wear anything of Bailey's. I didn't trust laundry detergent to kill STD strains.

After scouring through Constance's closet-which happened to be the size of a small village-I decided on a loose-fitting grey top that brought out my eyes and hung low enough to display the girls. Normally, I wouldn't put my body on display, but Ramsey's demand had me wanting to push the envelope.

I paired it with a black skirt that was tight around my hips but flare out around my thighs. It stopped a little too short for my liking, but it'd have to do. Constance and I weren't exactly the same size, but I was able to smuggle my body into her designer clothes.

I topped off the look with a pair of black sandals I had. There was never a cause for me to wear heels, so I didn't know how to walk in them, and I've never tried. All in all, when I took in my appearance in the mirror, I was pleased with my party look. I also wondered if my aunt had any concept of age appropriate clothing.

Once I was ready, Roselyn had advised me to leave my jacket at home, since the body heat in the club made the place warm enough. And she had raided Constance's closet again to look for a wristlet for my money, I.D., phone, a powder compact, and my lip gloss. She explained that it was a pain in the ass to carry a purse to a club because you couldn't risk setting it down or leaving it on the table to go dance. Roselyn assured me I had everything I'd need in the small wristlet.

We finally pulled up to the club, and it was evident that Roselyn was used to coming here. She knew exactly how to navigate around the streets and knew where to park for the best access to the club's entrance.

She had left her jacket in the car and took her money, I.D., and phone out of her purse and stuffed them into her pockets. Roselyn was dressed more casually than I was in a pair of formfitting jeans, Timberland boots, and a bright blue tank top that showcased her girls beautifully. But with her rainbow-colored locks thrown up into a messy bun and her makeup as vibrant as her hair, she looked like she purposely dressed for a night of club hopping.

My new friend was too pretty to be considered an outsider or be judged as less than by those snobby pricks that made up Windsor Academy.

We made our way to the front entrance and the doorman actually greeted Roselyn before we entered. "Hi, Beck," she greeted back, and then gestured towards me. "This is my new friend, Emerson."

He smiled, looking all Brad Pitt with his blonde hair and perfectly paired blue eyes. "Nice to meet you, Emerson," he said, extending his hand to shake mine.

I smiled back. "Nice to meet you, too, Beck."

"This might be our regular hang out spot on the weekends, but a word to the wise, Beck," Roselyn leaned in as if she were going to divulge the whereabouts of Jimmy Hoffa. "She belongs to Ramsey Reed."

What the hell?

Beck pulled back and straightened his spine. He looked me up and down, and then gestured up and down with his hand before saying, "Then why the fuck doesn't she have a sign on her or something?"

Roselyn glanced back at me and started bobbing and weaving her head in search of something. She finally turned back to Beck and took a deep breath. "She did, but she covered it with makeup." _The hickeys._ She was referring to the hickeys that were fading.

"I do not belong to Ramsey Reed," I hissed out between my clenched teeth, correcting her.

Roselyn rolled her eyes. "Okay, so she doesn't _actually_ belong to Ramsey. But he thinks she does, if you catch my drift, Beck." _Catch her drift?_ Who talks like that, anymore?

And then, Beck did something that held me immobile. I mean, I suppose I should be used to it, but seeing it happening outside a school full of high school students was mesmerizing.

Beck grabbed the cord of his earpiece and spoke into the microphone, clear as day. "Hey, I'm sending two girls in right now. However, the brunette belongs to Ramsey Reed."

Holy. Fuck.
Chapter 13

Ramsey~

It was a few minutes before the 11 o'clock mark and I was both pissed and unsurprised.

I knew I was going to probably have to go to her house and drag her out by her hair. But when I had asked Brandon Greene if his stepsister was going to be here, he had said she had been leaving to pick up Emerson at the same time that he had been heading to his car.

So, where in the fuck were they?

I've always been up for a good party, but without Emerson here, there was no reason for me to be here. I mean, sure I drank, but I never got sloppy drunk...well, save for last Friday night after my first encounter with Emerson. But I was a casual drinker. Booze didn't make or break me.

Parties for me were more of just something to do. Some good times to be had where I could get my dick wet if I was so inclined.

But now that my dick only wanted Emerson, it felt kind of pointless to be here. Me, Deke, and Liam could all chill at one of our pads and have a better time than the scene before me.

I felt Liam's hand clap my back. "You look fucking pitiful, man," he announced before dropping his hand.

I growled.

"Jesus, Ram, look around you, dude," Deke added. "There's easy pussy for days running around here. Hell, on my way back from the chests, I saw Natalie Myers on her knees sucking Leon Dawson off."

Deke wasn't lying. People with money thought money made them better than others and it really didn't. Sure, I abused the size of my bank account and used what I knew as a way to manipulate people, but I never thought I was better than anyone else. As a matter of fact, I _knew_ I was worse.

Money didn't make someone a good person, just like not having money didn't make someone a bad person. And a lot of these daytime model citizens were absolute vile creatures at night.

Liam snorted. "Who hasn't Natalie Myers sucked off?"

"My point," Deke answered. "If Ram needs to take the edge off, I'm sure someone is willing to drop to her knees to make it happen."

I was sure, too. Hell, there'd probably be a line, considering I haven't fucked around in over a year. Any one of these females would jump at the chance to break my dry spell.

But I only wanted Emerson.

"I appreciate the concern, gentlemen, but I'm not about to stick my dick in Natalie Myer's mouth," I deadpanned. "Or any of her other orifices," I added, just to shut Deke up.

Liam gave an exaggerated shiver. "Not without, at least, two fucking wrappers, that's for sure."

After a heartbeat of silence, Deke said, "You know she's not going to show up, right?"

The lake was located on the south side of town and had an inlet of about ten miles long that fed into the Pacific Ocean. Sands Cove was an elite town in northern California and the lake was its pride and joy.

The lake's water spanned half a mile wide and was a mile long if you didn't count the narrow stream that fed into the Pacific. Since the town was mostly void of adults, the lake was a party haven for the young. It wasn't often that any adults came out here. If they did, it was while we kids were in school and they could enjoy the scenery in peace.

No. Most of the adults who worked in the actual town lived there too. The outskirts of Sands Cove were our domain. It was populated with mansions and luxury cars and many, many spoiled rich kids. The working population stayed far, far away from us.

"What makes you say that?" I asked Deke.

"Because even if she didn't despise you, Ram, that girl is not interested in all this shit," he stated. "Emerson Andrews does not care about our money, our last names, or our social standings. She gives two fucks about the One-Percent, Ram."

"Agreed," I conceded. "But she's as drawn to me as I am to her. I do know that much." Well, I _prayed_ for that much. It would really suck to find out she really did despise me and what I thought was foreplay was actually just her way of fucking with me.

I refused to believe that, though.

There was nothing fake about that kiss outside the café and there was no pretending the smell of her arousal whenever I was touching her. There was no faking that.

Jesus, please, don't let there be a way to fake that.

"They would have been here by now if they were coming, though," Liam reiterated.

"Who'd be here by now?" We all three turned towards the voice of Abigail Willis, a freshman at our school.

The lake's shores had big boulders scattered throughout, and it was actually called Lapis Creek because of the random rocks and giant-sized boulders. Deke, Liam, and I always occupied the rock closest to the bridge and Abigail had taken it upon herself to hop on and join in our conversation.

"No one," I bit out at the same time that Liam said, "Emerson Andrews and Roselyn Bell." She tittered, and I swear to God, I wanted to push her off the rock.

I hated simpering females. All that giggling and cackling got on my nerves. That's probably why I spent most of my youth sticking my dick in their mouths.

Just to shut them the fuck up.

"Oh, they're not coming," she informed us.

Giggling.

Fuck. My. Life.

"How do you know?" Deke asked before I could demand an explanation. Or strangle her.

Abigail pulled out her phone and her fingers where flying across it as she answered, "Because they're in Manotile at Club Pounce." She further proved her claim as she held up her phone for us, and it took everything I had in me not to smash her phone to pieces.

Club Pounce was supposedly named for its dance music. You know, it gets you hopping around and pouncing and prancing. But everyone knew the real meaning behind it was that it was a place where you were almost guaranteed to get laid.

The women walked in, and the men pounced.

Now, to be fair, the naming of the club might have started out as a play on words for good music and dancing, but over the years, it had transformed to what the underline meaning was now.

Staring at Abigail's phone, there on her social media feed, was a picture of Roselyn and Emerson posing together, drinks in their hands, and the biggest smiles on their faces.

Roselyn was dressed...well, like she always was. But Emerson...Emerson was not dressed like she usually always was.

I was going to fucking kill her.

"I'm going to fucking kill her," I seethed, announcing to everyone my murderous intent.

"Ram-"

I didn't stick around to hear what Deke was about to say. I stormed off toward my car wondering how I was going to be able to get to Club Pounce without killing anyone on the way.

I reached my car, and I could hear the other doors opening, Deke and Liam obviously coming with me. My bet was they were going to do their best to keep me out of prison.

I was strapping on my seatbelt, turning the ignition, and flying out of there before Deke and Liam even had their seatbelts buckled.

"Jesus, Ramsey," Deke muttered from the passenger side.

"Not now, Deke," I fumed.

"I know you're pissed, Ram, but you need to calm down, dude," Liam advised from the back seat. "If you go in there with guns blazing, it's not going to go well."

"None of this was going to go well the second she decided to go clubbing than go to the lake," I snapped back, driving down the road like a madman at over ninety.

"What do you need from us," Deke asked, knowing I was beyond help at this point.

"Just help me bury the body," I replied.

Liam moaned in the back. "Oh, come on, Ramsey. Are you really going to kill her?" he asked. "I mean, before you even get to sleep with her?" Liam had a gift for prioritizing.

"The body won't be hers," I informed him.

"Then who are we burying?" Deke asked as if this was a completely normal conversation.

"Whoever's stupid enough to talk to her or put their hands on her," I divulged. "If we walk in and there's a guy close enough to so much as breathe the same air as her, he's a dead man."

I'd never, ever been jealous over anything or anyone in my life before, and I was finding that particular feeling to be a violent one.
Chapter 14

Emerson~

I was having the best time I've had since having to move to Sands Cove. Roselyn had been right. The music was good, the drinks were tasty, alcoholic perfection, and the guys were pretty to look at.

The club was pretty standard as far as clubs went. There was a bar spanning the left side of the room and led into a hallway towards the restrooms. There was a DJ stage with the dance floor centered right in front of it. And the rest of the room was littered with random tables, both high-top and regular. There were a couple of booths along the wall where the DJ stage was, but they were so close to the speakers, there's no way you'd be able to talk to anyone or hear them.

Once Roselyn and I had walked in, we had been escorted-yes, escorted-by another employee who had been dressed in the same black shirt and jeans as Beck had been. His name was Kyle, and he was just as good-looking as Beck was. He was tall with deep, brown eyes and sandy blonde hair. Kyle had led us to a high-top table that was placed right in the middle of the south wall in direct line of the DJ.

It was the best seat in the house.

After we had taken our seats, Kyle had then informed us that, not only were our drinks free, but that they would be delivered by any one of the employees working tonight. It was as if we were supposed to sit down and not move. It was weird, but I knew the reason behind their strange behaviors. It was Roselyn's claim that I belonged to Ramsey that had them all acting squirrelly.

I had given her the what for when we had been seated, but I couldn't stay mad at her. Once I had a drink in my hand and I began to feel the music, I started having a good time. I wanted to question how we could drink when it was obvious that we were way underage, but I knew the answer would come in the form of Ramsey Reed.

We hadn't danced yet, and were sipping our second drinks when I asked, "So, did you invite your boyfriend to come out and meet you?"

"Nah," she waved away the question. "We're not here so I can get laid. We're here so you can piss off Ramsey." It was on the tip of my tongue to automatically deny her claim, but she was right.

I was here to piss off Ramsey.

That's why I had encouraged her to post the picture she took of us. I was hoping someone at the party would show him the picture and he'd lose his hold on reality and burn the town down. I mean, I knew he was untouchable, but, surely, he didn't have so much money and power that law enforcement would let him burn down an entire town and not arrest him, right?

I mean, right?

"Oh, shit," Roselyn mumbled.

"What?" I asked, taking in her expression.

Her pretty blue eyes were filling up with worry as she looked at me, then behind me, then back at me. "Ramsey, Liam, and Deke just walked in, Emer."

My first instinct was to turn around in my seat to confirm what she just said, but then that would give off the impression that I cared. And I didn't want Ramsey Reed thinking I cared about anything he did.

At least, not yet.

I kept my gaze trained on Roselyn's face. "So? It's a public place," I said with a shrug of my shoulder, praying my voice hadn't betrayed me.

"Emerson, he's-"

Roselyn was cut off when a hand snaked out and grabbed me by my arm, twisting me. I looked up into the face of a very pissed off, seething Ramsey Reed. His hold on my arm was so tight, I was positive my arm would go numb from lack of circulation. "What in the ever lovin' fuck are you doing here, Emerson?"

Wow. Okay.

I've seen Ramsey upset before, but this was something new.

And so, what did I do?

I teased the rattle snake.

"What does it look like?" I taunted. "I'm drinking and have a good time." I arched a brow at him. "Or at least I _was_ _."_

Ramsey was beyond livid. "Do not fuck with me, Emerson! What the fuck are you doing here?!"

"Ram, dude," Liam intervened. "Why don't you take her-" Liam didn't get to finish.

Before I knew it, Ramsey was hauling me up out of the chair and dragging me across the dance floor. I looked back and saw Liam and Deke taking a seat with Roselyn. None of them were following us to ensure we didn't kill each other. Or rather, making sure he didn't kill me.

Ramsey dragged me through the club and past the restrooms to an open alcove that led to some storage room or offices; I didn't know.

He threw me into the nook of the wall, caging me in between his arms with my back against the wall. "Tell me why?" he demanded.

"Why, what?" I asked, glowering at him.

"I honestly didn't expect you to show up at the party, Emerson. I had hoped, but deep down, I knew you would defy me," he told me honestly. "But why did you come _here?_ Why, _here_ , of all places?"

I could admit I didn't fully understand his tone. I knew it would irritate him that I hadn't followed his command to attend the party, but what did he care if I came to a club? "What's wrong with this club?"

" _Why did you come here?!_ " he roared, and I knew he must be holding on by a thread.

I straightened my back. "Roselyn suggested it," I snapped back.

His brows shot straight up. "Roselyn wanted to bring you _here?_ _"_ he asked incredulously.

I bit my bottom lip and shrugged a shoulder. "Well, not here, _specifically_ , I don't think," I caved and explained. I didn't care what Ramsey thought of me, but I didn't want him causing any problems for Roselyn. "There's a guy she sees, and I think they meet up here some-"

"So, you're not here to hook up with anyone?"

"What?" _What the hell is he talking about?_

"Have you been with anyone else?" he asked, his jaw ticking in the worst way, and it finally dawned on me that Ramsey thought I was here to pick up some dick.

The wise thing would have been to say no. The wise thing would have been to swallow my pride and just admit that I wanted him. The wise thing would have just been to give in and work this dangerous attraction out of our systems. But did I do the wise thing?

Uh, that would be a big, fat NO.

"That's none of your business," I spewed, instead.

The next thing I knew, his hand was holding my jaw, and he was squeezing until I thought it was going to pop out of place. "That's where you're wrong, Emerson," he said, looming over me. "It's _very much_ my business. _You're_ my business. And I already told you not to test me when it comes to you and other guys."

I couldn't speak because of the hold he had on my jaw, so I just stared him down until he released my face. His touch was bound to leave some bruising. "You're not my boyfriend, Ramsey. That means I can touch, kiss, or fuck whoever I want."

After a few seconds of silence, Ramsey punched the wall next to my head, and it took everything I had to stand there and trust that he would limit his violence to the club's structure.

He stopped when his hand was a right bloody mess, and then he stepped away from me. With his chest heaving, his eyes blazing and his hate palpable, he said, "Do you really want me to leave you alone, Emerson?"

I blinked in surprise at his question. His voice was beyond control and in complete contrast to his physical demeanor. I wanted to say no. I wanted to tell him I didn't want him to ever leave me alone, but this was a game. This was a game to him, and I would not go down without a fight, so I said, "Yes."

Ramsey nodded his head once then demanded, "Say the words, Emerson."

Suddenly my mouth was dry, and my throat didn't seem to want to work. It took a bit of effort, but I finally got my lips to work. "I want you to leave me alone, Ramsey."

"Okay," he calmly replied. I watched in stunned fascination as he turned away from me and walked back down the hallway out towards the club.

I quickly followed him back to my table where he just jerked his head towards Liam and Deke, who got up wordlessly, and followed Ramsey out of the club.

My ass had barely hit the seat when Roselyn asked, "What the hell happened?"

I looked into her anxious face. "I think I just fucked up, Roselyn."

In fact, I was pretty certain I had.
Chapter 15

Ramsey~

I was already sitting in the back of the classroom when Emerson walked through the door of first period. I hadn't waited for her in the parking lot. I hadn't waiting for her by our lockers, which I would have hers moved again, by the end of the day. I didn't acknowledge her at all.

I was afraid I would kill her if I did.

The only reason I had walked away from her Friday night at Club Pounce was because I'd never been driven to the brink of violence like that so quickly and so blindingly before.

Sure, I've had my fair share of fights and I've known that sort of loss of temper, but I've always been more of a cold, calculating opponent. Emerson was making me lose all my cool. She was pulling such heated rage out of me that I didn't know what to do with it all.

I knew what I _wanted_ to do with it, though. I wanted to fuck it out of my system and into her tight, curvy body. But she was turning out to be tougher than I had given her credit for.

Emerson Andrews had enough pride and backbone for a hundred men.

And, yeah, it sucked to hear her tell me to leave her alone, but I wasn't too upset about it. Mainly because I knew she had been lying. The last thing Emerson wanted was for me to leave her alone. But we were at the stage in the game where whoever caved first would be living for the other on their knees.

And it would not be me.

I would never get on my knees for _anyone_.

When we had left the club Friday night, I had stopped to talk with Kyle and had told him that if I found out Emerson was in the company of another guy while in the club, I'd be back to burn the fucking place down. He had quickly assured me that she would be taken care of. When we had exited, Beck had stopped me and asked if the rumor was true that Emerson was mine.

Not giving a fuck what she had just told me minutes earlier, I had confirmed the rumor and told him the same thing I had told Kyle. Beck had just reiterated what Kyle had said inside.

Me, Liam, and Deke had never gone back to the party. We had all gone to my place where we drank ourselves stupid and cursed the creation of woman.

I had spent Saturday and Sunday hanging out with Deke and Liam.

And Saturday and Sunday night jacking off to Emerson in that goddamn outfit she had worn to the club.

Last night I decided to up the stakes. I needed Emerson to cave. And I needed her to cave before I lost my rabid ass mind.

I watched Emerson as her eyes glanced up to the empty seat next to me and I could see the hesitation play across her features. She finally walked over to an empty seat in the front and sat down without sparing me another glance.

It was hard as fuck, but I managed to ignore her and pay attention to Mrs. Guiles. But all the swiveling heads hadn't escape my notice, as students kept looking back and forth between me and Emerson, no doubt wondering why she wasn't sitting with me.

As soon as the bell rang, Emerson had grabbed her stuff and walked out of class. I stayed planted in my seat, as if I had all the time in the world, even though my body screamed to go after her.

I was finally gathering my stuff when Bailey approached me. "Trouble in paradise?" she smirked.

I shrugged a shoulder and stared down the steps. "I don't know what you mean," I replied coolly.

She was still talking to me, so her voice carried to the other students still present in class. "I think you do," she taunted. "Did you finally realize that she's nothing but a gold-digging whore?"

Christ, Bailey was nothing but a jealous viper. I wanted to destroy her for daring to speak about Emerson that way, but her green-eyed jealousy worked in my favor, right now. "She's nothing, Bailey," I responded. "In fact, she's such a nothing that I couldn't care less what anyone does to her or with her." I noticed remaining kids linger back in class had gone deathly still. "She can fuck whoever she wants, Bailey. The Emerson game turned out not to be that much fun," I added, knowing my words would spread like wildfire.

I had decided last night that, if Emerson wasn't going to come to heel, then I would have to force the issue. Once everyone learned that she was no longer under my protection, their true feelings about her would come out. Except for Roselyn, no one else spoke to Emerson, so it would be an interesting development to watch.

The girls would unleash their claws and the guys...well, I knew the guys would try to fuck her, and that was the only tricky part about my plan to make Emerson see she needed me and my protection. I wasn't sure if I could stand around and watch guys hit on her is if I was unaffected by it all.

The entire school would probably come to the same conclusion as Bailey and assume that Emerson was nothing but a gold-digging slut, or that I had gotten into her pants and was done with her. She wouldn't be the first girl that I've ever slept with, and then cut off the next day.

I strode through the school halls until I reached my locker. She was nowhere to be seen, and like a fucking pussy, I wondered if she was upset about not sitting next to me in class. I had to get through second and third period with her, and then fourth and lunch would give me room to breathe without her.

I was shuffling my books around in my locker, looking for my American History textbook, when Deke threw his shoulder up against his locker next to mine, arms folded, regarding me. "They're already talking shit, Ram," he said dryly.

Deke and Liam actually liked Emerson. I hadn't asked for or needed their approval when I had decided to pursue her, but it helped that I had it. Deke and Liam had personalities similar to mine...well, without the genuine desire for violence. But they were both strong men, forceful and domineering. So, they could appreciate Emerson's fight.

I grabbed the textbook I was looking for, shut my locker, and turned to him. "I figured."

Deke grimaced. "It's bad, though, Ram," he elaborated. "Your interest in her has caused a hate storm like you wouldn't believe. Fuck, even some guys are jealous of her."

My feet started moving and Deke walked down the hallway with me. "That's fucking stupid. Everyone knows I'm straight, Deke."

"It's not about that, Ram," he went on. "Everyone wants to be where me and Liam are, and after years and years of trying, no one has been able to make their way in. Then, suddenly, this girl shows up, and she's in without even wanting to be in." Deke let out a low whistle. "People are losing their goddamn minds over it, Ram."

I understood the point he was trying to make. Jealousy came in all forms, not just sexual jealousy. When you wanted something so badly-doesn't matter what it was-and someone else had it...well, that would be enough to spark the fires of jealousy.

"It'll be fine," I replied.

Deke stopped in his tracks, forcing me to stop with him to hear what he had to say. "Are you seriously telling me that you're going to be able to stand by and let people treat her like shit? You're going to throw her to the wolves and just stand back and watch them feast on her?"

I couldn't help my laugh. His concern was amusing. How many times has Emerson used the sheep reference on me? Even when I first saw her, that analogy was the first thought I had. Emerson was a wolf amongst sheep, and this little experiment was just designed to make her realize she was outnumbered and needed the shepherd just to give her peace. No real harm would to come to her. Something told me that verbal taunts wouldn't put a dent in her armor. Plus, I was pretty sure that, even if it got physical, Emerson could kick some ass.

"It'll be fine, Deke," I tried to reassure him. "Emerson's not some weak bitch who'll be sent to the principal's office in tears."

He shook his head at me and resumed walking. "You hardly know her, Ramsey. How can you accurately judge how much is too much for her?" My nerves rankled at his comment about me hardly knowing Emerson. Logically, I knew he was right, but emotionally I felt like he was way off base.

I might not _know_ Emerson in the traditional sense, but I felt her.

_I. Felt. Her_.

I compromised. "Fine," I tell him. "If you come across a situation where you think she might be in actual danger, step in. Tell Liam to do the same."

Deke nodded, then took a left down the hallway to his second period. I turned right and wondered if he might be right. I knew the kids here could be ruthless, but I was banking on Emerson reaching her point of irritation and calling on me for help before anything serious happened.

Because anything happening to Emerson would be bad.

Very bad.
Chapter 16

Emerson~

Ramsey ignored me all morning long, and it wasn't long before I realized why.

He was teaching me a lesson.

He was throwing down a challenge.

When I had told him to leave me alone Friday night, he had decided to put my convictions to the test.

At first, I thought he was going to just fade off into the night and I'd be able to live the rest of my Windsor Academy existence in peace, but I was proven wrong rather quickly.

It started after first period when I skipped my locker and headed straight to second period. Students made snide remarks as I passed, and they were making no effort to lower their voices or even pretend not to be talking about me. A random 'slut' here and 'what a whore' there. And by the time lunch time had rolled around, people were flat out laughing with me. Girls were being catty, and guys were being sleazy.

Roselyn's body jostled mine as she dropped her weight on the picnic bench next to me. It was lunchtime, but my appetite was nonexistent.

It wasn't the name calling or the overaggressive overtures of the guys that had me ill at ease. It was a tiny seed of anxiety resting in the pit of my stomach that was telling me something bad was going to happen.

Ramsey, Liam, and Deke were completely ignoring me, and their avoidance felt like the calm before a storm. Their obvious disregard for me felt like a huge bull's eye on my back. I knew they ruled the school and me falling out of favor with them was a signal to everyone else that I was beyond not welcomed.

"You sure you want to sit here?" I asked Roselyn.

She snorted, completely unfazed. She snapped open her soda can and asked, "Do you honestly believe I care if these people like me or not?"

I turned back to my lunch. "I guess not," I replied dryly.

"Besides, I can think of worse things to be called besides a whore." She took a drink of her soda and after swallowing, laughed, "Hell, I wish I had it in me to be a whore."

An unattractive laugh blurted out from my lips and I turned to her. "Why?"

She looked at me and smiled, impishly. "Just imagine how much fun it would be to be a complete slut," she said in wonder.

My grin was from ear-to-ear. "By all means, explain it to me, ma'am."

"Oh, come on, Emerson," she said dramatically, rolling her eyes. "There is no better feeling than a man's hands on your body. I mean, when a guy has his hands on either side of your waist or hips...that's the feeling of pure euphoria."

I thought back to the handful of times that Ramsey has his hands on me and I couldn't necessarily disagree with her. The warmth seeping into my skin from the touch of his hands. The heat that traveled up and down my body when he pulled me towards him. Roselyn had a point.

"How awesome would it be to experience that all the time with different guys," she asked, still trying to convince me. "Imagine, Emer, always a new pair of hands exploring your body, a new pair of lips tasting you everywhere, and a different-sized dick to bring a different experience each time." She gave an exaggerated shiver as she went on with the pros of being a slut. "Discovering if he likes it fast, hard, slow, soft, dirty or clean..."

I cocked my head at her. "Is there such a thing as clean sex?"

She seemed to think about it for a second, then her brows rose with the answer. "No kissing, no touching, no anything, other than just bending you over, sticking it in you, and catching all that mess in a nice, neat, durable condom."

"What about the girl's climax?"

She huffed. "That experience was all for the guy. Trust me, a quick fuck like that...the girl isn't going to cum. She will have to finish herself off after he leaves." I lasted only three seconds before I started laughing and she joined in.

After we calmed down, I got serious. "Are you sure being my friend isn't going to backfire on you? I mean, I know you don't care, but I have a feeling this little battle of the wills between me and Ramsey will only get worse before it finally comes to an end."

Roselyn's silence lasted long enough that I thought she was trying to find a diplomatic way to tell me I was on my own. But it wasn't until she spoke that I realized her deep thoughts were being centered on me and I was touched. "I agree," she said. "I've never seen anyone go up against Ramsey Reed and I don't think this is going to end well. But I'm not worried about me, Emerson. I'm protected by some degree. I'm worried about you."

My brows pulled together. "Why?"

"Even though my mom married into it, I still have money, status, and an inherited last name to fight Ramsey if things ever got out of control. You don't have any support or backup." She wasn't wrong. "Your aunt took you in out of guilt but has no real responsibility towards you. She spends most of her time running around being the perfectly wealthy widow and Bailey hates you," she pointed out. "If you go up against Ramsey Reed, you're doing it alone."

I didn't speak about what my father had done to my mother. I hadn't spoken to anyone about it since I had spoken with the police and threw it in my aunt's face. It was no one's business and the pain of what my father had done was still there; still as strong as ever. But if Roselyn was going to stick by me through this disaster with Ramsey, she deserved some sort of explanation.

She needed to know that if she stuck with me, I wasn't going to flake on her. "All anyone knows is that my father killed my mother," I told her, registering the shock on her face at my mentioning what had happened. "That's what the headlines read, and that's what the case centered on; my father killing my mother." I took a drink of my water, buying time to find the words. "But here's the thing; he didn't wake up one morning and think 'I'm going to kill my wife', you know. He wasn't on medication that triggered a bad reaction and he started hallucinating or anything like that."

"You don't hav-"

I waved away her concern. "It's okay, Roselyn. I want you to know." She silently nodded her head for me to continue. "My father beat my mother for as long as I can remember. And we're not talking a backhand across her face or shoving her against the wall." The memories were as vivid as each day I lived. "He beat her. He beat her like she was a grown man fighting back. But she wasn't the only one he beat."

Roselyn gasped. "Oh, Emerson..."

I waved away her concern again. "It's fine, really. He can't do it anymore," I said, hoping it calmed her discomfort. "The point is, I've endured a hell that most people wouldn't be able to survive. I've fought off bigger men than Ramsey Reed, Roselyn. So, trust me when I say, I'm not scared of whatever he has in store for me."

And I wasn't.

The unease I was feeling was due from the anxiety of the unknown. I always knew what I was dealing with in my father. Yeah, the abuse varied from time to time, but the situation was always the same. One man, always the same weight and height. At home, always at night. No weapons, always his fists and feet. And no help.

Never any help.

This situation was full of unknowns. I had no idea who would come after me, how many or in what manner.

"Do you really think things will get that far?" she whispered. "Do you really think someone might actually try to hurt you?"

I thought about that, and I honestly didn't know, and I told her so. "I'd rather be prepared than underestimate them."

She smiled, trying to lighten the mood. "Well, I'm not going anywhere, Emer. And I say we embrace this new reputation of yours and fuck our way through Manotile this weekend." I laughed.

God, if she only knew how far from a whore I was.

"Why don't we see how the rest of the week goes before we open our legs to Manotile's male population. Besides, what about your guy?"

This time, she was flapping her hand around, all unconcerned. "Nate and I have an understanding," she answered. "Trust me when I tell you he's not keeping his dick dry, waiting around for little, ol' me."

We finished our lunch and managed to do it without uttering Ramsey Reed's name again. I meant what I had said earlier. I wasn't scare, but I didn't consider myself stupid, either.

I was going to have to watch my back.
Chapter 17

Ramsey~

It wasn't working.

Or maybe patience wasn't my strong suit.

Either way, Emerson was holding out a lot stronger than I thought she would, and it wasn't working out for me.

Deke had been right.

It was maddening to hear people talk about her the way they were. Since Monday, I have witnessed students calling her names, shoulder checking her, throwing garbage in her direction, and the worst of it, guys making lewd gestures at her and telling her all the ways they wanted to fuck her. A couple of times, Liam and Deke had to hold me hostage in the restroom because I was on the verge of breaking someone's neck.

Emerson should have been irritated enough by now to have come to me, but her stubborn little ass was trying to hold out to the bitter end.

This fucking girl.

I had Deke keep tabs on her during fourth period and had him text me which direction she went in after class. I needed to push this along. Plus, I missed her.

I missed her scent.

I missed her closeness.

And, fuck me, if I didn't miss that fire in her eyes.

I hung back behind to the right hallway leading towards the library. The eatery pavilion was to the left, and I knew she'd be coming this way. Liam had fourth period with Roselyn, so I texted him to deter her, so that Emerson was alone on her way to lunch.

As soon as I saw Emerson walking down the hallway, I stepped out and snatched her by her arm, dragging her to me and down the hallway. I didn't stop until I had her behind the library building.

I turned her around and slammed her up against the wall, towering over her. "You've had enough yet?" I asked.

Emerson laughed.

She fucking laughed in my face, and I cursed my weakness.

Emerson straightened her spine and looked me in my eyes. "Had enough of what, Ramsey?"

I couldn't help myself. I reached out and place my hand flat against her chest. She didn't stop me, though. Not even when my hand slid down lower and lower until it ran down over her right tit. I let my hand travel further south until it was resting on her hip, with my dick harder than concrete.

My gaze never wavered from hers. "So, you like being called a whore and having trash thrown at you?"

"I don't know how many times I have to tell you I don't care what any of you think of me," she retorted. "So, what if everyone thinks I'm a whore?" she asked right before she went for my jugular. "It'll make it all that much easier when I do start spreading my legs for whoever catches my eye."

I could feel my teeth grind and my right fist clench. It didn't matter if she was lying or not about her intentions, the thought of another guy touching her hazed my vision. But I wasn't going to back down. "Oh, yeah?" The words were like acid burning my soul, but I said them anyway. "If that's the way you want to play it, just make sure you're using protection. Wouldn't want any little bastards being thrown into the mix, now, would we?"

"Don't worry, Ramsey, I'm not that careless," she threw out casually. "Besides, I have no problem swallowing their loads if it comes down to it." I sunk my fingers into her hipbone until she winced out a yelp. Emerson had no idea what her smart mouth was doing to me. She did not understand that with every word that left her mouth, she was cementing herself to me.

For fucking life.

Ask anyone and most people would tell you that eighteen-year-olds couldn't make that kind of commitment. Most grownups would tell you that an eighteen-year-old didn't know their own mind yet. There was no way an eighteen-year-old should contemplate commitments of forever. That eighteen years of living was nothing compared to the remaining sixty years left.

But I wasn't most eighteen-year-olds.

And Emerson didn't have a say in which direction her life was going to go. It was going to go in the same direction as mine.

It's only been two weeks, but the only reason she wasn't married to me now was because she wasn't eighteen yet. Her school files claim she won't be eighteen for another couple of days.

My grip on her hip must have been more punishing that I intended because she finally gave in after another whimper. "Get your hands off me, Ramsey."

I loosened my grip and accidentally showed my hand. "Why can't you just fucking give in, Emerson?"

"Why do you call me Emerson whenever we're alone, but as soon as you have an audience, I'm Charity?" she asked, instead of answering me.

"To humiliate you," I told her honestly.

"Why?"

I decided to stick with honesty. Besides, it wasn't like anyone would believe her if she said anything. "So I don't lose sight of who has the power between us."

Emerson stepped forward and pressed her big, heavy tits against my ribcage. "Are you saying I have power over you, Ramsey Reed?" she mocked.

Fuck yeah, she had power over me.

"I'm saying that I'm convinced that you're such a dirty fucking slut, that my dick would be willing to do almost anything to see just how filthy you can be in bed," I sneered down at her. I was such a fucking liar, but I couldn't help it when it came to Emerson. She had me all kinds of fucked-up and I didn't know if I was coming or going with this girl.

I've never lost control of my thoughts or feelings before, but since meeting Emerson, I didn't know if I wanted to fuck, fight, or bump dicks.

"Well, I'm sure you'll be able to hear all about what I can do in bed in the locker room," she fired back. "I mean, boys still engage in locker room talk, right?"

I ignored her taunts and, instead, I lean down into her, smashing her tits against my body. I curled my hand around the nape of her neck and breathed in her ear, "Let me fuck you, Emerson." She did her best to disguise her whimper, but I heard it, nonetheless. "Let me spread you out on my bed and run my tongue all over your sweet curves."

"Stop it, Ramsey."

I smirked. There's only one reason she'd be telling me to stop, and that was because I was turning her on. "That sounds about right, Emerson. I'd lick your body until you begged me to stop." The hand on her hip slid upwards to hold her tit. "But I won't. I won't stop," I promised her. I kissed the shell of her ear. "I won't stop touching you, licking you, tasting you, fucking you... _owning_ you until I was done. I won't stop until you're a withering mess of satisfied female."

Her hands pushed at my chest, trying to escape me. "I'll never let a man own me," she said so softly, I almost didn't hear her.

I pulled back and looked down at her. Her face was mutinous and I was pretty sure I had her until I said I was going to own her. Emerson was probably imagining owning as the version her mother and father showed her.

God, if she only knew the truth.

Emerson had me wrapped around her little finger. If she said yes to me right now, I'd drown myself in whatever crumbs she threw my way. But she couldn't know that.

She could never know that.

My hand reached up and caressed her jaw. "That's where you're wrong, baby," I said, breaking the news to her. "I will own every little piece of you, eventually." Her eyes blazed, and my cock got harder. "You're going to be mine to do whatever I wish."

And then she fucked me up again. "And what if what you want is to beat and rape me? Am I just supposed to let you?" Here's the part where I was supposed to vehemently deny wanting to ever do those two things to her. This was where I should tell her I'd never hurt her.

But I didn't.

While I would _never_ beat her or take her against her will, I did plan on hurting her.

A lot.

I planned on taking our lovemaking to the very edge the consensual violence she craved. So, instead, I answered her, "Then I'll beat and rape you, Emerson."

Her silver orbs dilated, and I knew it was all over for me.
Chapter 18

Emerson~

I was caving.

I felt it in the very marrow of my bones.

When Ramsey had held me captive at lunch and talked about all the things he wanted to do to me, I'd been a wet mess. I had been turned on by his whispers of violence, and even though I knew it was sick, I couldn't help myself. Yet again, that was another sin I could lay at my father's feet. Because of him, I wouldn't even know how to be in a healthy, respectable relationship.

I gathered my books and finally left the library. All week long I had been staying behind until most of the kids left because that's when the taunting and shit got really bad. It was as if they felt safer because we were technically out of school.

But it was my car I was most concerned about. I didn't want any of the kids to see me walking to my car and deciding that messing up my car would be another fun way to fuck with me. I couldn't afford not to work, and I needed my car to get to the café.

That was another thing I was grateful for. So far, no one has bothered me at work.

I was coming around the corner of the library hallway with my backpack slung over one shoulder when the hallway was blocked off by three male bodies. My paced hitched, but I didn't stop walking towards them.

They would not make me cower.

As I approached, I could see that it was Jamie Turner, who was in my Calculus class, and two other boys who I didn't know much about. The boy on the left of Jamie was Roman something or other, and I didn't know the name of the third boy, but I've seen him around.

"Well, well, well," Jamie sing-songed. "What do we have here?"

I rolled my eyes. "Get lost, Jamie. I'm heading home."

He shook his head and tsk'ed at me. "Nah, I don't think so, Emerson," he said, his smile pure evil.

I raised a brow and masked my nervousness. "Oh, really?" Jamie jerked his chin at his two companions, and they fanned out, blocking the entire hallway. Sure, there was a little bit of space between each guy, but I couldn't get passed them untouched.

"See, my friends and I," he paused long enough to look at each friend, "were talking and we were wondering what was so special about that pussy you've got between your legs that it actually managed to turn Reed into a raving lunatic."

My heart started to race, but I kept my facial expression neutral. Or, at least, I hope I did. I readjusted my backpack and replied, "You're giving me too much credit, Jamie. Ramsey was already a raving lunatic way before he met me."

He cocked his head as if he were really giving my comment serious thought. "That's probably true," he conceded. "However, even as unhinged as Reed is, you're still the only piece of ass I've ever seen him chase." Then his face lit up like he'd just hit on a brilliant idea. "Is that it? Did you give up the ass to him and that's what has him so sprung on you?"

_This dickface_.

He was talking a lot of shit, but I knew there was no way he'd speak about Ramsey like this if there was anyone else around to hear. I laughed to disguise the anxiety threatening to take over. "Do you honestly believe Ramsey hasn't already been inside that female orifice? I'm sure Ramsey Reed can get any kind of ass he wants."

And then the most entranced expression crossed Jamie's face. "Except you, though, right?"

I lifted my chin. "Make up your mind, Jamie," I said dryly. "Either he's had me, or he can't have me. Which is it?"

He stepped close enough that I could smell his expensive cologne. "I think it's both," he goaded. "I think he's fucked you in the most unimaginable ways possible and he wanted to keep fucking you, but because you're such a goddamn whore, you dropped him, moving on to your next cock."

I didn't need to explain myself to Jamie Turner, but I would not ignore the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I knew what this was. I knew why Jamie and his two friends were here.

"You're wrong on both accounts, Jamie," I snapped. "Now get out of my way." I moved to make my way around him and that's when the horror of my situation turned into reality.

Jamie reached out and grabbed my backpack, tugging on it until it fell off my shoulder and I lost my balance, flying backwards. I heard the thud of my backpack hitting the ground, but I was already being grabbed by three different sets of hands, that I couldn't place where my bag had fallen.

It didn't really matter, though. There wasn't anything in it that could help me. The only thing that could help me right now was my ability to take a hit and my street smarts. I've been in too many fucked-up situations to panic now.

"Get off me, you sonofabitch!" I screamed.

Jamie's winded laugh cut through my scream. "Not until after I've found out what's so special about that dirty cunt of yours." Then he yelled to his friends, "Goddamn it, get her under control!"

I felt hands on me everywhere trying to pin me up against the wall. They were underestimating me and that worked in my favor. I was able to get my knee up, and with as much strength as I could muster, I slammed my foot into Roman's knee and his yowl could be heard throughout the hallway. The assault was enough to shock and distract Jamie and the other guy that I was able to slip through their hands and take off running.

I didn't get far, though.

One second, I was running down the hallway, the next Jamie was letting out a roar as he tackled me to the ground, knocking the wind out of me and scrapping my exposed skin all to hell. "Get off me! Let me go!" I knew my screams weren't going to deter him, but I had to keep trying.

"Hold her the fuck down!" Jamie barked out.

Jamie turned me onto my back, and I felt his friends trying to hold down my arms and legs as Jamie covered my body with his and started scratching at my clothing.

I screamed, I tried to kick, tried to punch, and bowed my body, trying to buck Jamie's body weight off of me. Jamie was twice my size, but I would not let that fact defeat me. These three motherfuckers would have to knock me unconscious before I'd stop fighting.

"Get off me! Get off me!" I screamed and screamed. I screamed so loud, I thought my voice might break.

Jamie's breath was on my face. "Not until we fuck you bloody, bitch," he moaned out, turned on.

This wasn't what I wanted.

This wasn't what it felt like with Ramsey.

When Ramsey touched me violently, it turned me on and I _wanted_ more of him, more of his controlled anger and fury.

This here was actual rape. Jamie and his friends were actually trying to rape me.

I felt Jamie's hands everywhere, and when I heard the fabric of my uniform top ripping, I knew I didn't have much time. I felt the cool air hitting my skin, and each boy started to get high off their progress.

"Fuck, look at those tits," Roman groaned out.

"Oh, yeah, baby," the other guy said. "You're going to be the best fuck yet."

I didn't response as Jamie straddle my stomach and ordered, "Get rid of her panties!"

As soon as Roman let go of my feet, I started kicking and flaying, but it was no use. His hands ran up my legs and the tears almost came when I felt him yank my panties down, over my knees and down my legs.

I kicked at him and he laughed. I watched in absolute horror as he sniffed my underwear and said, "Shit, boys, you have got to get a whiff of that pussy."

I kept screaming, and I kept fighting. Jamie was still struggling to hold me down, and he let out a curse when I reached up and socked him in the face when the boy, whose name I still didn't know, let go of my arm, so he could grab my breast.

"You bitch!" Jamie yelled, spittle flying everywhere.

"Stop it! Get off me! Stop!"

Jamie peered down at me. "We're going to fuck you until there is nothing left to fuck, you nasty whore!"

I could feel the cool air hit my thighs, and that's when the panic set in and took over. Someone was lifting my skirt and getting a full view of my body. One of my bra cups had been ripped down, and once again, the cool air alerted me to the fact that these maggots could see all the private parts of my body.

I wouldn't cry, though.

I wouldn't cry, and I wouldn't stop fighting.

It turns out I wasn't going to have to.
Chapter 19

Ramsey~

I knew Liam's voice as well as I knew my own.

I could make out Deke and Liam in the dark, even if I were blind, deaf, and dumb. That's how I knew it was him when the roars from the hallway hit my ears.

I didn't think.

I just ran.

I ran down the school's main center hallway and rounded the corner to see Liam in the middle of a melee with three other guys.

I ran straight into the fray and grabbed the first guy I got my hands on. It was Roman Cruz, and I laid the motherfucker out with one shot to his face. I didn't even wait for his body to hit the ground and I was already on Jamie Turner while Liam finished up who I, now, saw was Ricky Peterson.

I didn't ask questions, I just started pummeling Jamie with everything I had. I had no idea why they jumped Liam, but they had to have known there was no way they would have gotten away with it, even if I hadn't shown up.

"You sick motherfucker! You piece of fucking shit!" Liam was screaming down at his victim with every blow to Ricky's body. I wasn't the only psychopath of the group. Liam and Deke fought like demons just like I did.

Jamie was doing his best to fight back, but he was no match for me, and he knew it. Everyone knew it. He also had to know that this would not be the end of it. No one messed with Liam or Deke and got away with it.

_No one_.

"I'm going to fucking kill you! Kill you all!" Liam shouted and when I looked over, I could see that he was definitely on the fast track to killing Ricky. I gave Jamie one last slam to the face and knocked him out cold, laying him out next to Roman.

I ran over to Liam and pulled him off Ricky. "Liam, man, stop," I tried to reason. "You're going to kill him." Liam's right hand opened, releasing Ricky's shirt, and Ricky went sliding down to the ground in a bloody heap.

I turned Liam around and shook him back to reality. "You okay? What happened?"

Liam looked at me and I have to say I'd never seen him look so crazed. He looked lost and out of his goddamn mind.

He shoved my hands off his shoulders, and I watched as he ran his bloody hands through his hair and pull. Liam let out the most heartbreaking scream I have ever heard, and it had me worried.

"Lee, what's going on, man?"

He turned back towards me, but before he could answer, I heard a faint whimper float in the air and my eyes followed Liam's as he looked over towards the wall leading back to the library.

My breath caught, and my mind froze, not wanting to process what I was seeing.

Emerson stood leaning up against the wall, her arms wrapped around her waist, her eyes wide, and her face blank. Her uniform top was ripped down the middle, her bra was twisted, and one breast was hanging out in the open. Her arms and legs were a bloody mess and her hair was in total disarray. As my eyes scanned the length of her body, I saw that she only had one sandal on. It was the partner to the white pair she always wore.

When my eyes searched around for the other shoe, I noticed something white tossed a few feet away from Liam's feet.

It was a pair of panties.

My eyes shot back to Emerson's face and I couldn't get a grasp on everything I was feeling.

She was making no effort to cover herself up, and she wasn't crying. She wasn't doing anything but staring at the pieces of shit on the ground.

I didn't take my eyes off her when Liam spoke. "I was on my way to practice when I heard someone screaming. I ran in the direction of the commotion and I saw..." He paused as if saying the very words were causing him physical pain. "I saw Jamie on top of her and..." Liam trailed off, not being able to finish his accounts of what happened.

Before I could comment or move, Emerson seems to snap out of her shock. Her eyes flew to where Liam and I stood, and I'd never seen so much hate on one person's face _ever_.

"Emerson..." She scrambled to right herself. She pulled her bra together and covered up her modesty. Her shirt was in tatters, but she did her best to pull it tight around her.

I watched motionless as she stared down at her one shoe. When she lifted her head to search for the discarded match, I saw her entire body freeze as her eyes landed on her underwear.

Liam and I remained absolutely still and didn't utter another word as we watched a myriad of emotions play across her face.

Her mannerisms were killing me.

She wasn't crying.

She wasn't hysterical.

She wasn't screaming.

She wasn't doing anything but assessing everything around her.

A second later, all three of our heads snapped sideways when we heard a moan rise from the ground. One of the guys was coming to.

I fucking wish he would.

I wasn't done with these three. Not by a long shot.

I turned back to Emerson, and the agony that consumed my body was paralyzing as I watched her wobble forward and squat down to pick up her shoe. I watched in silence as she put it on, and then the anguish really took hold when she squatted down again to pick up her panties. She fisted them in her right hand; her left hand still holding her shirt together.

Liam finally move and went over to pick up her backpack that had been tossed down the hallway. He walked up to her and placed it at her feet. Emerson looked up at him and just stared.

"Emerson..." he said but stopped. Neither of us knew what to say. Oh, we knew we were going to kill those motherfuckers, but we had no idea what to say to Emerson.

I followed suit and walked up to her. I wanted to take her in my arms and make whatever she experienced go away, back from the first time she ever saw her father hitting her mother. I wanted to take it _all_ away.

"Em-" Her silver eyes shot up to my brown ones and the pure fury in them shut me up.

Emerson's eyes scaled down my body and back up again in complete, utter loathing. When her eyes met mine again, she said. "I guess there really is no limit to what you'll do to win, huh?"

_Sonofa-fucking-bitch_.

Emerson thought I had orchestrated her attack.

She thought Jamie, Ricky, and Roman went after her at my urging.

That knowledge sliced through the heart I didn't even know I had.

"Emerson," I said, my voice low and forceful, "I would _never-"_

"Save it, Reed." _Reed?_ She turned her eyes of wrath towards Liam. "What I don't understand, though, is why did you stop them, Liam? Isn't that going against your master's wishes?"

Liam's spine snapped. I could feel the rage and confusion radiating off him in waves. "Ramsey's not my master, Emerson. And no matter what we've ever done, rape has never been a part of it." She didn't look like she believed him. And worse, she looked like she didn't care.

"Emerson," I said, drawing her attention back to me, "they'll pay for this, I swear."

I was expecting her to tell me to go to hell. I was expecting a reaction of rage and pain. Instead, she finished me off with a knife to my gut to match the piercing I felt lodged in my chest.

Emerson's hand loosened its grip on her blouse. Her shirt fell open, exposing her bra and bare stomach. She pushed it back off her shoulders and gathered it in the hand that wasn't gripping her panties. She stood before me and Liam in nothing but her bra, uniform skirt, and white sandals.

I didn't move or say a word as I watched her scrunch up her blouse and throw it in my face. Besides the clenching of my jaw, I didn't react. She had every right to lash out.

Emerson threw her wadded-up panties at me next. They hit my face and tumble to the earth, landing next to her blouse.

Her eyes volleyed back and forth between me and Liam as she said, "I would rather have had them have raped me than me owe either of you anything." I felt her words like a kick to my chest. "I may be trash, but at least I'm not a rapist or a bully. If you think you guys are going to get credit for putting out a fire you guys started, you're not. The both of you can go to hell!"

She walked past us, half-naked, leaving us to suffocate on her words.
Chapter 20

Emerson~

I showed up at school Friday morning full of scrapes, scratches, and bruises.

After I had left Ramsey and Liam standing in the hallway, I had gone home-thank God I hadn't run into Bailey-threw away my uniform and bra and soaked in my tub for over an hour. I had to replace the cool water with scalding hot twice before I had finally felt clean enough to crawl into bed.

In all actually, I wasn't upset over the attack so much as it upset me that I hadn't seen it coming. The worse I expected was keying my car, maybe flattening the tires. Or, maybe, actually getting into a fistfight with someone.

I hadn't expected gang rape, though.

Had I had any inkling that Ramsey's decree would result in that, I'd have taken better precautions to not get caught slipping. I would have worn my uniform pants instead of the skirt. I would have made sure I walked to my car while other students or teachers were around.

I just would have done more.

I underestimate just how entitled these kids felt.

The entire time I was soaking in the tub, I replayed Jamie's words in my ear. While Ramsey may have left me unprotected, Jamie's actions didn't come from a place of trying to please Ramsey. No. They came from a deep, abiding hate for him. Jamie was not only trying to hurt me yesterday, he was trying to hurt Ramsey, too. He was jealous of Ramsey, that much was obvious.

When I had gotten ready for school this morning, I had done it intending to look unaffected by the attack yesterday. I wore my hair up in a messy bun like I usually did. My makeup was the bare minimum. I wore my custom uniform button-up and the matching skirt. My white sandals had survived the attacked, even if they were scratched, so I wore those like I always did.

I had given myself a quick once-over in the mirror and all my injuries were front and center. I looked like I had been in a car wreck and it fueled my resolve to not cower in front of those people. I would walk down those hallways and sit in my classes with my head held high, reminding them of their evils.

I would not brush attempted rape under the rug. While I wasn't going to bother with filing a police report, because if the police didn't put in an effort to arrest a rapist in the poorest of neighborhoods, they definitely weren't going to do anything to rich people. But I also wasn't about to act like it hadn't happen. I knew it would be the poor, trailer park trash's word against three affluent, upstanding Windsor students, but I didn't care.

And I was in no way confused about which side of the line Ramsey and Liam were on.

I got out of my car and walked across the yard to the entrance of the school. I was halfway across the perfect, green manicure lawn when I felt Ramsey's hand grab a hold of my arm, turning me around.

I knew it was Ramsey because I had already committed his scent to memory. My body was already trained to know when he was near. I could _feel_ the sonofabitch and it made me hate him even more.

I yanked my arm out of his grasp and looked up at him. I was ready to continue with my tongue lashing from yesterday, but the look on his face stopped me.

He looked absolutely wrecked.

Ramsey face was one of pure devastation.

I stood there as his eyes took in my appearance and a whirlwind of emotions battled in his russet eyes. When his eyes returned to mine, he asked, "What are you doing here, Emerson?" I turned my back on him and kept walking. I didn't owe him an explanation.

I didn't owe him shit.

I didn't get far, though. I had just made it inside the building when Ramsey had me up against the wall, very much like he had that first day of school. I drew myself up to my full height and snapped at him. "What do you fucking want?"

He stood in front of me with his muscular, corded arms crossed over his chest. "What are you doing here, Emerson? Why aren't you at home resting?"

His voice sounded so sincere, I almost believed he cared. "Did you really think I'd be curled up on my bed, a crying mess, cowering from the world?"

I could see his chest heave in a deep, tortured breath. "No. I guess not," he answered.

God, I was so mad at him.

So fucking mad.

Ramsey didn't deserve an insight into my mind, but I was so mad I couldn't hold in all the things that were eating me alive. "I'm here because, even though nothing will to happen to them, I will not let this school go about their days as if there aren't rapists sitting in the classrooms, playing sports, or eating lunch, just as sweet as you please," I spat at him. I was past the reaction of flinching because of violence, so when Ramsey started punching holes in the wall next to my head, I didn't shrink away or recoil. I stood my ground and waited until he was done.

I had noticed the entrance was enrapt in complete silence at Ramsey's loss of control. But if the rumors were true that Ramsey's rage was ice cold, this little display of heat was sure to make people stop and stare. It didn't escape my attention that this was the second time Ramsey's pounded his fists into a wall when dealing with me.

He flattened his hands against what was left of the wall on either side of my head and leaned down to where only I could hear him. "I took care of it, Emerson," he said, looking into my eyes. "I took care of those pieces of shit." His chest was heaving, and I could tell he was doing his best to temper his rage. "No one will ever touch you again." Ramsey dropped his forehead to mine. "I swear to God, no one will ever touch you again." He pulled back and looked down at me. "No one but me, Emerson."

My knees almost gave out and my heart skipped several beats.

Shame like I've never known coursed through my body.

I could feel the tingles in my nose and the pressure behind my eyes. I was so furious for wanting to believe him. I was so disgusted with myself for wanting to believe that he knew nothing about what Jamie had planned for me.

And worse of all?

I felt immense shame that I could still be turned on by his promises to be the only one to touch me. I had just been attacked in one of the worst ways possible and it did nothing to deter my sick cravings for Ramsey Reed.

Maybe I deserved to be attacked. Maybe that was Karma's way of telling me my desires were wrong and I was a bad person.

I shook out my thoughts and focused on what I could control. "What do you mean you took care of it?"

"You'll never have to see them again, Emerson," he answered. "And while they might not go to jail for what they did to you, I imagine it won't be long before one, or all of them, puts a bullet through their head."

Jesus Christ.

I may have wanted them to pay for what they did, but enough to commit suicide over it? "What did you do, Ramsey?"

His jaw clenched as he said, "It's nothing for you to worry about. Just know that you're safe, Emerson. You're _safe."_

I couldn't do this with him. Maybe he was right, and I should have stayed home and rested, because I felt like my emotions were everywhere. Granted, I always felt like this whenever I was dealing with Ramsey, but this time I felt exhausted on top of confused.

I let out a deep breath. "Just leave me alone, Ramsey," I spoke.

He sounded like he was on the edge, but not defeated. "That's never going to happen, baby," he whispered across my lips. "I'll give you today, but tomorrow you're mine and we _will_ figure this shit out."

Rage pushed back all other emotions. "What's there to figure out?!" I shouted. "Just leave me the fuck alone, Ramsey!" I shoved my way past him and headed to first period.

I knew it wasn't going to make a difference since we shared the same first three periods, but I didn't care. I had to show him that his word wasn't law. He might be able to play with other people's lives, but I wasn't going to let him play with mine.

Either he wanted me, or he didn't. It was that simple.

And that was heartbreaking because I knew I wanted him.

Despite all his cruelty, despite all his taunts and insults...despite it all, I wanted him.

I wanted him because his touch drowned out the insults. His kisses dissolved his cruelty. His intensity evaporated my doubts. The way he made my body feel, it made everything else fade away.

I imagined this was what it must have been like for my mother during the early years of her marriage to my father. My father would hit her, and then bring her flowers, begging for forgiveness, and then he'd worship her into forgiving him. Except, I wasn't my mother, and Ramsey wasn't my father.

We were much worse.
Chapter 21

Ramsey~

I had stayed away from Emerson all day yesterday, but Deke, Liam, and I had made sure one of us was always on her throughout the day.

Her accusation that Liam and I were just as bad as a guy who would resort to rape had gutted me. And I knew Liam hadn't fared any better.

After she had left us standing in the hallway, I had called Deke and he had joined us in finishing off Jamie, Ricky, and Roman. We had driven them to the lake and had dragged them into the thickness of the surrounding trees. They had started to come to on the drive over, but we had made it to the lake before they had become aware enough to run.

Deke, Liam, and I had waited until they had been fully alert before informing them of their fates. Jamie had done his best to explain that it had all been one, huge misunderstanding, but Liam had gotten there in time to hear Jamie tell Emerson that they were going to fuck her until there was nothing left of her to fuck. And that didn't sound like a misunderstanding to me.

By the time I had been done with Jamie, Liam had been done with Roman, and Deke had been done with Ricky, all three guys were a bloody, broken, paralyzed mess. The beatings were so brutal, they'd be spending the rest of their lives sucking their food through a straw.

As we dropped off each piece of shit at home, I calmly explained to whichever adult answered the door-whether it was a parent or housekeeper-what had happened and what would happen should anyone feel the need to call the police on Deke, Liam, or me. I had gone home feeling confident that the situation was handled, and Emerson was safe.

When I had seen her striding across the lawn at school the next day, I had been floored by her resilience. It had made me question what she's been through even more to know that she could endure attempted rape and still show up to school the next day.

My fit against the wall had the entire student body speculating on what was going on, but unless Emerson said something, they'd have to keep speculating because Liam, Deke, and I weren't talking. I did end up sending out the word that Emerson was officially mine and that if anyone so much as mispronounced her name, it'd be the last thing they ever did. Needless to say, everyone was confused by my inability to make up my mind, but I didn't care. As long as they towed the line, it'd be okay.

And now, I was breaking into Emerson's aunt's house...well, not really breaking in. When Bailey had tried to corner me yesterday asking what was going on with Emerson, she had inadvertently let me know that she would be visiting her mother this weekend in the Hamptons and that Emerson would be home alone until Sunday night. The stupid bitch also joked that Emerson didn't know the key code to the alarm, thus how I was able to be in her house now.

It wasn't even nine am yet, but I figured I had a better chance of catching Emerson at home if it was fairly early. I had no idea what she did on the weekends, so I didn't want to miss her.

I headed up the stairs, figuring her room must be on the second floor somewhere, and it wasn't until I tried the third door on the right of the hallway that I saw Emerson on her bed still sleeping.

I quietly made my way into her bedroom, and like a certified creeper, I walked over to her bed and stood over her just watching her inhale and exhale in complete peace.

Christ on The Cross, she was fucking beautiful.

I stared down at her for a few minutes before I decided to take my life in my own hands. I moved to the other side of the bed and began undressing. I stopped at my boxer briefs, but mostly because I imagined she'd be waking up in full ass kicking mode and I didn't want to engage in combat with her while my junk was free and hanging all out.

I opted for climbing into bed with her quickly rather than slow and stealthily. I didn't want to take the risk that she'd wake up before I had a chance to get comfortable. So, like a complete lunatic, I pulled back the light blue comforter and matching sheet and slid into bed beside her.

Emerson startled awake as my arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her back towards my body. "Jesus Christ! What the fuck, Ramsey?"

"Shh, baby, go back to sleep," I chuckled as I nuzzled the back of her neck with my face. I knew I should be scared for my life right now, but the fact that she automatically knew it was me in bed with her had me smiling like a fucking loon.

Emerson squirmed for a good couple of minutes more, but the more she tried to squirm out of my hold, the tighter I held her. She finally gave up on a deep sigh. "What are you doing here, Ramsey? And what fucking time is it?"

I snuggled her body closer to mine as I answered, "It's a little past eight-thirty, baby."

She let out a deep groan, but she stopped pulling away from me, so I was considering this a win. "What the fuck, Ramsey? Why are you breaking into my house and waking me up so early in the morning for?"

"I broke in because I didn't think you'd willingly let me in. And I hadn't planned on waking you up. I was hoping to crawl in behind you without waking you," I answered honestly.

Emerson got comfortable, and I wanted to pump my fucking fist in the air. "You're right. I wouldn't have let you in. But you're completely touched in the head if you thought you could climb into my bed without waking me, Ramsey," she smarted. "Considering how I've never slept with a guy in my bed before, I would have noticed no matter how ninja-like you thought your moves were."

My heart warmed at her comment about never having slept with a guy in her bed before. "Are you going to kick me out of your bed?"

I could hear her sigh, and she kept me waiting for a few seconds before she quietly whispered, "No, I'm not."

Three little words.

Three little words never had such an impact on me before. It gave me hope that she would give me a chance to make everything right with her.

I leaned forward and pressed my lips to the back of her neck before settling myself against her delicate, feminine body. Emerson felt like Heaven in my arms and I never wanted to leave this spot.

We laid quiet for a while, reveling in the peace and comfort of being the only two people who existed for right now. I could hear her steady breathing and the steady rhythm put me at ease. This felt real, and it felt right.

Now that I was done being confused, done feeling threatened by this little sprite in my arms, I could see clearly what all the fuss has been about. It took almost losing her to see what's been in front of my face for weeks.

I was in love with this girl.

It had to be love. There was no other explanation.

When I compared this girl, who I've only known for a matter of weeks, to Deke and Liam, it was no contest. I'd choose her. And since I loved Deke and Liam like they were forged from my own flesh and blood, that had to mean that whatever I felt for Emerson was stronger than love.

I could fucking _feel_ her, for Christ's sake.

There was also the fact that I wanted to undo every selfish, cruel thing I've ever directed at her. I've never been sorry for anything I've ever done. My actions were always justified. But when I thought of how Jamie, Roman, and Ricky had their hands on her and had seen what her body looked like, there wasn't enough soap on the planet to cleanse my soul of that regret.

I loved this girl.

Without a doubt.

Granted, she currently hated my guts, to which I didn't blame her, but that wasn't going to deter me. Now that I could identify my feelings with absolute certainty, and I knew what I wanted, Emerson was going to be mine.

No matter what.

"Baby?" I whispered just in case she was sleeping.

She didn't seem awake, but she didn't seem completely asleep either. "Hmm?"

My heart felt like it was going to beat itself right out of my chest. I was certain that I've never been in a situation that caused me so much anxiety before. Emerson's attack yesterday was probably the closest I've ever come to shock and panic.

I've always been in control because I've always managed to control everything around me. Being able to control people went a long way to being able to control any situation and its outcome. However, I've never been in control of Emerson. Not since the moment I first laid eyes on her. She's actually been the one with all the power and strength.

And I was about to give her more.

"I love you, Emerson," I whispered in her ear. Her entire body froze in my arms, and I knew this was going to be bad.

Really bad.
Chapter 22

Emerson~

Oh, no, this motherfucker didn't.

Who does he think he is?

You couldn't just go around telling people who hated you that you loved them. There were rules to fighting with the enemy, and love was so not in the rule book.

"Pardon?" Yeah. Pardon. I went with 'pardon' because I had nothing else.

I could feel the asshole chuckling behind me, and I wanted to elbow him right in the mouth. "I said that I love you," he repeated, his voice firm and confident.

Now, I could do one of three things right now.

I could roll over and tell him I loved him, too.

I could bash him in the head with my nightstand lamp and kick him the hell out of my house.

Or I could get up, go take a shower, and buy myself some time to figure out how his words were making me feel.

Well, I for sure wasn't going to roll over and profess my love. I had morning breath, and that just wasn't going to happen.

I glanced at my lamp and realized that the little guy was quite innocent in all this and didn't deserve to be a casualty of war.

So, it looked like the winner was the shower and some time.

I threw the covers back and fought to get out of his hold. "What are you doing?"

I didn't think he'd let me go take a shower, so I went with a guarantee. "I need to go pee, unless you're into that kind of thing," I answered sarcastically, hoping to mask my nervousness.

"I am not," he confirmed as he removed his arm from around my waist.

I didn't waste any time. I jumped out of bed and practically ran to the en suite. I didn't have time to be embarrassed that I was only in a tank top and panties. Besides, he saw a lot more on Thursday after that bullshit with Jamie Turner.

I brushed my teeth, removed my clothes, and then stepped into the shower. I turned the water on as hot as I could stand it. I needed the heat to ease the tension in my muscles. Ramsey had me wound tighter than a top.

I guess what I needed to do was take the emotion out of it and look at him logically.

He was a dick.

He was abusive.

He was arrogant.

He was stubborn.

He was a bully.

He was rich-and yes, that was a negative when you used your wealth for evil.

He's done his best to embarrass and humiliate me.

He's been cruel and manipulative.

Ramsey Reed was an asshole.

An. Absolute. Asshole.

The answer was easy.

Run.

Run and don't look back.

And then I closed my eyes under the scalding hot water and my chest felt like it was caving in at the thought of never being near Ramsey again.

He was just the kind of bad idea my twisted mind and neglected body craved.

And he had just told me that he loved me.

I spewed out a bitter laugh. The fact that I would even be needy enough to believe him was reason enough to lock me up in a crazy house.

I knew...I knew he was just playing with me by telling me that. It was another one of his games. But, Jesus Christ, if he didn't make my body sing and all common sense flee.

And it didn't matter how long I hid myself in this shower. I wasn't going to unravel everything complicated about my association with Ramsey in a short fifteen-minute shower. So, instead of dwelling on it, I washed my hair and conducted an actual shower.

When I finished, I shut off the water, wrapped my hair in a towel turban-style, grabbed the robe hanging on the back of the door, and stepped out to face the music.

Ramsey was lying on the bed with his muscular, defined arms crossed over behind his head. He looked relaxed and as if he belonged there.

He cocked his head and smirked at me. "Have a nice shower?"

I stopped walking until I was at the edge of the bed looking down at him. "How can you say that?"

His right brow arched. "Ask if you had a nice shower?"

This motherfucker.

"I swear to God, Ramsey, I have no qualms about bashing your head in," I barked out frustrated. "You know damn well what I'm talking about."

Ramsey's face transformed from mocking to tender and it made me want to bash his head in even more. It was in these moments, when he wasn't being a total prick, that I wanted to fall into him.

He sat up and flung his leg over the edge of the bed. I was suddenly standing in between his opened legs and his hands were on my hips. I had to swallow as I looked down at his near nakedness.

Ramsey Reed was built like a fucking god.

I knew from the very first night I had met him that he was all hard planes and definition, but the tattoo blending over his right shoulder, bicep, and pec made him that much hotter, in my opinion. Even though Ramsey was sitting down, he was so much taller than me that his face reached my neck. And he was looking up at me with eyes so full of warmth, I could feel myself falling. And that scar across his eye... _Jesus._

"I can say it because it's true, Emerson," he said seriously.

I shook my head at him. "How can you be in love with me, Ramsey? You've spent the entire handful of days you've known me, hating me, and treating me like shit," I pointed out.

Ramsey didn't get cocky or arrogant. His expression remained earnest as he said, "I never hated you, Emerson. I hated how out of control you made- _make_ me feel." He shrugged a shoulder. "Now that I know what this is, I can control how I proceed."

"It's that simple for you?" I asked because I had to know. This thing with Ramsey felt anything but simple.

"Yes. It is." His hands tightened on my hips. "Nothing like what happened Thursday will ever happen to you again, Emerson."

My fists clenched at my sides. "So, what? Are you trying to absolve your guilt?" I was so pissed I had fallen for his sweet words. I stepped out of his hold and turned my back on him, ready to show him the door. "You're such a fucking dick."

He had his hand on my arm and my body turned towards him before I could make it to the door. "Goddamn it, that's not what this is about, Emerson!"

I glared up at him. "Then, what is this?" I snapped. "What the fuck are you doing, Ramsey? What do you want from me?" I felt like he was driving me crazy with his shit. "What in the hell is this?"

He didn't answer not one question. Instead, he slammed his lips down on mine in a kiss I felt down to my toes. His hands wove their way up my face and into my hair until my towel toppled off my head and onto the floor. My hair was damp, but Ramsey didn't seem to mind. His hold tightened as he deepened the kiss.

And what did I do? I opened up for him.

My lips parted on a surprised gasp, but I didn't shut them. No. My hands climbed up his chest and circled around his neck as I sank into his kiss. Ramsey tasted like mint and future regret.

But I didn't care.

I was tired of fighting him. I was tired of denying what he made me feel.

I. Was. Just. Tired.

A low, rough growl emitted from his throat and I could feel the vibrations from it on my tongue. Ramsey's hands untangled themselves from my hair and worked their way down my body to untie my robe. I was naked underneath, but I didn't give it much thought. I was too caught up in his kiss to care.

Besides, I knew where this was going, and I was okay with my decision.

Suddenly, Ramsey pulled back. His hands were still on the sash of the robe, but he had not tried to untie it yet. He was looking down at me, and I could only describe his expression as desperate. "Do you love me?" he asked, shocking the holy fuck out of me.

I blinked up at him and I wasn't sure what to say. Did I love him? I didn't know.

His chest was heaving, and he looked at his wit's end. "How would you feel if you never saw me again?"

The thought of never seeing Ramsey again was crippling. For whatever reason, for whatever plan that was set for my life, I saw Ramsey as a part of it. Did I love him? Maybe I did. Maybe that's what this crazy pull was. It could only be love, right? Or insanity-which I wasn't ruling out completely.

But one thing was glaringly clear to me, and the hollowness that consumed me at the thought of never seeing Ramsey again answered for me. "Yes. I love you."
Chapter 23

Ramsey~

Thank Christ.

I wasn't sure what I would have done had Emerson given me a different answer. Even if that answer had been 'I don't know', I was still pretty sure I would have lost my shit.

But it was important that what came next, came to pass because she felt the same way I did. Or maybe I was just an insecure pussy and I wished for those words so much that I put her on the spot and coerced her to say them.

It didn't matter.

She said them, and now she would have to stand by them.

I untied the sash on her robe and my eyes were transfixed as my hands snuck underneath the lapels and slowly pushed the fabric off her slender shoulders.

The robe danced to the floor in a puddle of cotton, and Emerson Andrews was standing before me completely naked.

She was even more perfect than I had imagined.

And I had imagined this vision a lot.

Like, I mean, _a lot._

And for the first time in my life, I didn't know what to do. Most of my sexual encounters consisted of bending a bitch over, wrapping up my dick, and slamming home. I had always made sure they got off, but I wasn't big on foreplay.

But with Emerson, I wanted to touch her, taste her, kiss her, and fuck her all at once. It was like I didn't have enough body parts for everything I wanted to do to her, and I told her as much. "I hope you didn't have any plans for the weekend, baby. Because I'm going to spend the next two days exploring every fucking inch of your body, Emerson." She whimpered, and I lost it.

I hooked my thumbs on either side of my boxers and pushed them down. Now we were both completely naked and I wasn't going to lie and say I didn't feel like the king of my own kingdom when Emerson's eyes widened as she got a good look at my dick.

The size of my cock was nothing I ever bragged about before because I had nothing to do with what was gifted to me by The Good Lord. I had what I had, and I used it how I saw fit. But I wasn't so clueless not to realize that being an eighteen-year-old with an eight-inch cock was definitely a blessing.

Emerson's eyes shot up to mine. "Ramsey..."

I didn't want her having second thoughts, so I grabbed her by her arms and walked her back to the bed until the back of her knees hit the edge and she fell back. "Get all the way on the bed, baby," I instructed, wondering how I could even voice the words. Emerson had me so worked up, I was pretty certain I was going to blow like a twelve-year-old jacking off for the first time.

She complied, and soon, she was lying, fully on her back, in the middle of the bed. I stood with my knees hitting the edge of the bed and just took in the sight of her naked body. Emerson was built to fuck. She had big, heavy tits, a small, soft waist, and thick thighs. She looked utterly female, and I didn't care how many fashion magazines would claim that she was overweight.

Emerson Andrews was fucking perfect.

"Spread your legs for me, Emerson," I commanded. "I've already seen your beautiful face and your prefect body. Now, I want to see that sweet, pink pussy of yours." Her entire face flushed at my dirty words, but she complied. Ever so slowly, Emerson drew her knees up and let them fall open showcasing her perfectly trimmed triangle and bare, pink cunt lips.

And, fuck me, if they weren't glistening with her arousal.

She had just taken a shower, so her pussy should have been squeaky clean, but that one kiss had her creaming already. "Spread your pussy open for me, Emerson."

Her face turned a deeper shade of red, but she didn't cower. I watched, entranced, as her delicate hands made their way down her stomach and over the inside of her thighs until her fingertips reached her pussy lips and she pulled them apart for me.

I couldn't stop the groan that escaped my soul. I was fairly certain I was going to spend the rest of my life with my face buried in that very spot. My eyes flicked up to hers. "You want me to eat your pussy, baby? You want to feel my tongue tasting you, devouring you?"

Emerson's blush flowed down to her chest and I would have believed that she's never done this before if it hadn't been for her filthy mouth and her fucked-up comments about how she preferred being fucked by real men. Maybe it was because she was embarrassed to be giving in to me.

She bit her lower lip and turned her head, and I decided I wasn't going to ask permission.

I climbed on the bed and settled my shoulders in between her soft, silky thighs. I breathed in and her honeyed scented pussy filled my nostrils, driving me crazier than I already was. I lowered my head and took one long, slow, languorous swipe up her slit from her entrance to her hard, little nub.

Her hands dug into my hair and she fisted handfuls. "Ramsey!"

That was all the green light I needed.

I propped my weight on my elbows and used my hands to spread her as wide as her body would allow. Her center was so pink and creamy and delicious, I wondered how I would ever survive life without the taste of her cunt on my tongue daily.

"Fuck, Emerson, I've never tasted anything as delicious as your sweet pussy, baby." _And it was the fucking truth._

"Oh God, Ramsey...please..."

I ignored her pleas and licked, tasted, and teased every inch of her pussy until her body started bucking. "You want to cum, Emerson?"

"God, yes..."

I put all my weight on her opened thighs as I reached up and took her tits in each hand. I kneaded and massaged as I swirled my tongue around her clit, applying so much pressure, she exploded all over my face in a matter of seconds. "Oh, fuck! Oh, God! Ramsey...Ramsey..."

My hands instantly found her ass, and I lifted her until her core was in line with my mouth and I fucking _drank_ her orgasm. I could see her pink, tiny hole contracting as she was coming down off her eruption.

And it was fucking fascinating.

I've never watched a woman's body cum before. Sure, I've seen their faces and their ejaculation covering the condom before, but I've never paid enough attention to the workings of what they went through. But with Emerson, I wanted to know it all. So, what did I do? I moved back up to her sensitive clit and worked her through another orgasm. I made her cum two more times before she pushed me away because her body couldn't take it anymore.

I stared down at my handwork, and no matter how much of her juices I tried to swallow, she was still a wet, filthy mess.

I wiped my face on the inside of her left thigh and slowly kissed my way up her body. I had every intention of covering her with my body as I forced the taste of her pussy onto her lips, but when my face reached her tits, I had to stop and explore.

I gathered both her tits in my hands, and I squeezed and molded as much as I could fit into my hold. Emerson's tits were so big, heavy, and porn worthy, we weren't going to get through this weekend without me sliding my dick in between them until I came on her face and neck.

The more I viewed, touched, and tasted Emerson's body, the more sick, depraved, filthy things I wanted to do to it. I wasn't kidding when I said her body was made for some hard, rough, dirty fucking.

Emerson's curves inspired a man to want to get the camera out and recorded her nakedness for all time. Her body deserved to be preserved.

After a few minutes of sucking and biting on her dark pink nipples, I finished my journey up her body. I braced myself on my elbows on either side of her and lowered my head to take her mouth and introduce her to the taste of her cunt. I pulled back, and she looked like she was drugged by it all. "Can you taste your pussy on my tongue, baby?"

Her silver eyes were glossy, but she was with me. "Yeah..."

"So, now that you know how delectable you taste, you're going to let me eat your sweet-smelling pussy whenever I want, right?" She closed her eyes, and I knew every filthy word coming out of my mouth was turning her on.

I couldn't wait any longer. Emerson's taste was on my tongue, her tits were pressed up against my chest, and her legs were spread wide open with my cock nestled right at her center.

She hadn't mentioned a condom, and I wasn't about to mention it either. Nothing was coming between me and Emerson and if she got pregnant, so be it.

I pulled my hips back and didn't worry about the rest. Her cunt was soaking wet and lubricated enough that I was able to slam my cock inside her to the base. I drove in all eight inches.

Emerson's body bowed and with her hands fisting the comforter at her sides, she let out an ear-piercing scream. _"Ramsey!"_

_Jesus fucking Christ_.

Emerson was a goddamn virgin.
Chapter 24

Emerson~

Pain unlike anything I have every experienced wracked every nerve in my body.

When Ramsey had removed his boxer briefs, and I had gotten a good look at what he was packing, I had serious doubts about how he was going to fit his dick inside me. He was _huge_. And I knew it would hurt. I mean, all the books and movies and folklore always made mention of how the first time will hurt and be uncomfortable.

When Ramsey had been undressing, he had done nothing to hide his erection and the little fella had been rock hard and reaching across his hips and peeking his head out of the band of Ramsey's underwear, so I knew he was above average size. But I still had never imagined the invasion would be wrought with so much agonizing pain.

" _God-fucking-damn it, Emerson,_ " he gritted out. "Why in the fuck didn't you tell me you were a fucking virgin?"

I was instantly, unreasonably mad at him. I glared up at him, my eyes wet and my body throbbing in pain. "What? Are you mad that I'm not quite the slut you kept accusing me of being? What _everyone_ kept accusing me of being?" I had to admit, I enjoyed knowing how I proved him and his bullshit wrong.

His face looked incredulous. "Are you kidding me?" he barked out. "You want to pick a fight with me, _right now?"_ He really looked dumbfounded. "I've got eight inches of cock buried inside you, as you fucking bleed all over it, and you want to argue over what an asshole I was?" He let out a deep breath and swore. He looked pained. "Jesus Christ, Emerson, now is _not_ the time. And, besides, I'm fully aware of how much of an asshole I was."

Okay, well...when he said it like _that_...now was probably not the appropriate time to have this discussion. Besides, his size was invasive, and it was becoming difficult to concentrate on anything other than the pain and discomfort of having Ramsey resting inside my body.

My rage quickly dissipated, and I tried focusing on the point he was making. "It hurts, Ramsey," I whispered.

Ramsey closed his eyes and dropped his forehead to mine. When he opened them again, he said, "I know, baby. I know it hurts, and I'm so sorry. I'm so fucking sorry, and I get it. I get why you didn't tell me, and it's okay. I...I didn't deserve to know."

He knew his shock at my virginity was a sort of victory for me. While I hadn't done it on purpose (because I really didn't think I'd fall for the asshole), it had been a passive aggressive way for me to get back at him for letting everyone assume I was a whore.

I gave a slight nod of my head and turned away to look out the window. I wasn't sure what I was feeling in this moment and I was afraid he'd see the sea of confusion in the depths of my eyes.

Even though it was too late to turn back now, I was still confused and unsure where Ramsey was concerned. We were moving too damn fast for this, but I didn't know how to stop my craving for him, or if I even wanted to stop it.

I was pretty sure I was going to want him like this forever.

My solace didn't last long, though. "Emerson, please look at me." I looked back up at him. "There's a lot of shit I'm sorry for, and it's going to take me awhile to list them but, right now...right now, I gotta move, baby."

He was right. We weren't in a position to talk about these past few fucked-up days right now. Plus, I was ruining this with my doubts and confusion. This is my first time, and while painful, I wanted it to be as meaningful as possible. "Okay."

Ramsey let out a deep breath and continued to hit me with his honesty. "I'm not going to go slow with you Emerson. I'm not going to pretend or let you think I'm going to go easy on you. It's going to hurt and you're going to bleed everywhere." He closed his eyes, giving himself a second, and then looked down at me again. "It might feel like I'm just fucking you, and you might feel like I'm not focusing on your feelings. But I promise, baby, you're all I'm focusing on and I do care about your feelings-"

"Ramsey-"

"But, Emerson, I want you with a need I can't control," he whispered, his breath light on my face. "I'm not embarrassed to admit that I have no control when it comes to you."

My breath caught in my throat. His violent ways should abhor me. I should be pushing him off me and holding out for a guy who's sweet and respectful. But, instead, I gave him another slight nod of my head, giving him permission to use me however he wanted to.

Ramsey clenched his jaw, and I felt an intense pinch when he pulled his dick out, but it was quickly replaced with pain again when he slammed back in. I held onto his biceps, digging my nails in deep enough to break the skin, and opened my legs wider. The second I did that, Ramsey stayed true to his word, and he started to jackhammer himself deep inside me.

The pain was real, and it was consuming. How did women get past this to want to ever do this again? How could there be any kind of desire or yearning in the kisses and touching if you knew this was where it was all going to lead to?

I kept opening my legs wider, hoping to somehow relieve the pain. I unreasonably thought if I spread my legs wider, it would open my pussy up some more and he'd fit better.

Newsflash for anyone out there who hasn't experienced this yet: it doesn't work that way.

But after a few minutes, something miraculous began to take place. The pain started to subside, and my body started to recognize what it was meant to do. I started to feel the familiar signs of my body's pleasure taking over. "Ramsey..." I mewled.

He started crashing into me harder. It was like he knew my body was adjusting and coming around to experience the pleasure. "That's it, baby. Cum on my cock, Emerson," he rasped out. He said my name. He was addressing me, but it was my body that heard him loud and clear. My skin started to tingle, and my core started contracting around his dick, and that just prompted him to get filthier. "I want my cock covered in your cum and blood, baby. I want you to bleed all over me as proof that you're mine and only mine" _Oh, God._ "I'm going to own your cunt, Emerson. I'm going to own every single part of you."

My nerves splintered into a million different starbursts all across my body. I came so hard, white spots dance behind my eyelids. It was a feeling I would never imagine could exist. The feeling was so intense, so...amazing, no wonder it was a struggle to resist once you've experienced this feeling. I imagined it was like doing drugs. "Ramsey!"

"Fuck yeah, Emerson," he grunted as he continued to slam into me over, and over again, until his body seized over mine and he emptied himself inside my unprotected body. And still he kept slamming into me and didn't stop until his dick started to soften.

It was beautiful how he couldn't get enough of me even after he couldn't go on.

After he finally faced the reality that this round was over, Ramsey pulled out of me, and along with his body, he took all the pleasure I was feeling with him. I tried to shift my legs, but the discomfort bordered on pain. I was a wet, painful mess, and I knew my body was going to be in agonizing pain tomorrow. But did I regret it?

No.

Did I want to do it again?

Hell, yes.

Once he rolled off me, and I was able to catch my breath, I asked, "Is it always like that?"

Ramsey wrapped his arm around me and pulled me into the crook of his chest. "No," he answered. "It's never been like that. But then, I've never been in love before."

I didn't want to think about all his times before me. I wanted to feel special. I _needed_ to feel special what with all the crap this boy's done to me. "And you're sure you're in love now?"

I could feel the vibrations of his smirking chuckle under my face. "You might think that because I've never been in love before I don't recognize the feeling, but I do. I know that I love you. And if that's not enough, I'm positively sure you own me, Emerson." Ramsey tightened his arm around me. "There's not a motherfucking thing I won't do for you. Not one thing."

Well...damn.

I wanted to believe him, and even if I wasn't going through all the things I was going through already with what happened with my mother, Ramsey's hot and cold made me wary. "Loving someone doesn't necessarily mean they're the right person for you," I pointed out. "Or vice versa."

Ramsey repositioned us until his body was covering mine again and he was looking down at me. "While that may be true with some people, that's not the case with us."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because my darkness has always shimmered right underneath the surface, but it's never felt comfortable enough to come out and play." He started placing kisses on my jaw. "And then, your darkness showed up, and it was all over for me, Emerson." He stopped kissing me and looked down at me again. "And I know you know exactly what I'm talking about."

I did.

Just like he felt comfortable being rough and violent because he knew I wouldn't judge him, I felt comfortable enjoying it because I knew he wouldn't judge me.

We were a goddamn mess.
Chapter 25

Ramsey~

I had spent all weekend inside Emerson, and I had wanted it to never come to an end.

When I had slammed into her that first time and discovered she had been a virgin, I had almost lost my goddamn mind. Her blood on my cock had been the hottest thing I had ever seen. And, yeah, I probably should have gone easier on her since she had no experience, but I made a tactical decision to fuck her hard and ruthlessly all weekend long.

I had wanted her sore and exhausted and, as God as my witness, the harder I fucked her and the dirtier I talked to her, the wilder she had become. A few times I worried that I was crossing the line after what had happened to her on Thursday, but she kept assuring me she was fine.

By the time I left her house Sunday night, it was blatantly clear that Emerson got off on consensual violence. It didn't take a genius to figure out why. In between the sex, we had talked a lot and had gotten to know each other a lot better. Growing up, the way she had, it made sense that she craved violence like a security blanket.

The sick thing about it all was that her attraction to brutality called to my inner darkness and using her the way I had all weekend, had me on a high I had never experienced in all my life.

The rougher I got, the wetter she became. By the time I left her in her bedroom Sunday night, she looked like she had been beaten and abused.

My dick had been hard as fuck the entire ride home.

And here I was, once again, sitting on the hood of my car, waiting for her car to show up in the parking lot. I had wanted to drive her to school this morning, but she was adamant about driving herself. She said she didn't like feeling like she was stuck anywhere.

I didn't like it, but I had conceded. I was picking my battles where Emerson was concerned. I finally had her where I wanted her, and I was not about to fuck it up. Besides, you needed to pick your battles carefully when you were dealing with someone who never backed down from one. I was pretty sure the only place Emerson would ever let me call the shots was in bed.

And I was plenty okay with that.

There wasn't anything quite like have a strong, fierce, stubborn female surrender all her fight to you while you were fucking her to orgasm. Holding Emerson down by her neck while I pounded into her body ruthlessly had me experiencing one of the most intense orgasms of my life. And I had almost passed the fuck out when I had her bent over and I popped my thumb in her ass and she came so hard, she actually fucking squirted all over me.

For a goddamn virgin, Emerson had opened her legs to me like the dirtiest of whores.

If I hadn't been in love with her before this weekend, I sure the fuck was now.

I looked back over my shoulder and I watched as she pulled her car into the parking lot, and when she parked and got out, it was like it always is for me; I felt that punch in the gut at her very existence.

Now, every other time we've been in this situation, I've run after her as she passed by me with her middle finger in the air. But this time I stayed seated with Deke, Liam, and a few other students lingering by. This time I wanted her to come to me.

So, I sat and waited to see what she was going to do.

She's wearing her uniform with her backpack slung over her left shoulder. Her legs and arms were still scabbed here and there, but it's been four days and most of her injuries from last Thursday have healed. Every other mark on her body was courtesy of my hands, mouth, teeth, and cock from this weekend.

I kept my eyes on her as she made eye contact with me and started to walk towards me, just as sweet as you please. I could feel my dick growing at the confidence she oozed stalking towards me.

I wanted to thump on my fucking chest.

Emerson walked right up to me, fit herself in between my knees, and stretched up on her tiptoes to give me a kiss.

In front of fucking everybody.

"Good Morning," she teased.

My hand snaked out and captured the back of her neck. I kissed her back, nipping at her bottom lip. "Good Morning, baby." I could hear the gasps and mumbles all around us, but I didn't care. Fuck them all...well, all, except Deke and Liam. But I had spoken to both of them over the weekend, so they already knew Emerson and I had finally called a truce.

"I missed you last night," she said, running one hand down my chest. Everyone around us was so quiet, I knew they could hear our exchange.

"So, fuck your aunt. Move in with me," I said, meaning every goddamn word.

Bailey had been one of the students that had been milling about, and she chose that moment to snap everyone out of their stupor. "Move in with you?" she screeched, as she looked us over. "Oh, come on. You two aren't really...I mean..." she sputtered.

I hopped off the hood of my car and wrapping my arms around Emerson, and she nestled her face into my chest. "We aren't what, Bailey?"

Her bugged eyes were darting back and forth between me and Emerson, and Bailey looked equal dumbfounded and furious. "Ramsey, you are seriously not _dating_ Emerson, are you? I mean, everyone knows you don't date. You guys are obviously just fucking, right?"

I knew it was killing Emerson to keep her mouth shut, but we both knew I had to be the one to set everyone straight. After all the cat and mouse games I played with her, I had to make my position clear to everyone, especially after her attack. I meant what I had said to her. No one would ever touch her again.

Ever.

"Not that it's anyone's business or anything, but Emerson _is_ my girlfriend, Bailey," I clarified for everyone, and then barked out a laugh at the look on Bailey's face. "As a matter of fact, the only reason she's _only_ my girlfriend is because I don't think she'd marry me yet if I asked right now," I added, and I could feel Emerson tense in my arms. Marriage never came up this weekend, but she had to have known that's where this would lead.

I meant every word when I told her that her pussy was mine and mine only, and would only ever be mine.

Bailey's shock and awe was interrupted when Roselyn walked up next to Liam. She jutted her chin out in our direction. "What gives?"

"Just explaining to Bailey here that I'm Ramsey's girlfriend," Emerson answered her.

Roselyn snorted and looked over towards Bailey. "How stupid are you?" she asked harshly. "I mean, we all saw this coming."

"Fuck you, Roselyn," she retorted unoriginally. "So, what? You think you're so cool now because your friend is fucking Ramsey Reed?"

Liam threw his arm over Roselyn's shoulders. "Nah, Roselyn was already cool," he taunted her. "Ramsey being in love with Emerson is just a plus."

Bailey really lost all sense of composure at that. "In...in...lo... _in love?_ _What?"_

Emerson rolled her eyes and looked up at me. "I'm heading to class. You can come with me if you want to or not. But I'm going." I chuckled because I wouldn't have expected anything less.

Emerson and I may have had come to an understanding this weekend, and we may not want to murder each other anymore, but I wasn't confused about her backbone. I mean, fuck, this was a girl who got attacked on Thursday, and then showed up to school on Friday with a proverbial 'fuck you' to everyone.

I reached down and took her hand in my and headed towards the school's entrance. And I have to say, it felt good to know she was following in my steps willingly. Deke, Liam, and Roselyn fell into line with us until we reached the entrance, and everyone dispersed to their respective classrooms.

Emerson and I made our way to the seats we had originally occupied when I first took her hostage. She was grabbing her textbook out of her bag when she said, "You know Bailey's losing her shit, right?"

"So," I countered. "You think I give a shit about Bailey?"

Emerson stopped what she was doing and turned to look at me. She cocked her head and I could see a million emotions dancing behind her eyes. "Ramsey, this isn't my bedroom," she said. "This is us in the outside world." She shook her head. "This thing between us is going to upset a lot of people."

I leaned into her. "And you think I give a fuck?"

She sighed. "You don't get it, Ramsey." Emerson waved her hand around, indicating our surroundings. "You're like a god to these people. You have been completely untouchable up until now. There are going to be a lot of people who are going to resent that the poor, trailer park trash is the one person who managed to catch your attention after all this time."

"I don't give one fuck what people think of me, Emerson," I reminded her. "I don't care what they think of you either, so long as they treat you respectfully." Her expression softened. "I finally have you and I'll kill anyone who tries to ever come between us."
Chapter 26

Emerson~

Being around Ramsey-without wanted to stab him in the neck-still felt a little surreal to me.

We had spent all weekend going warp speed into our relationship. Ramsey had spent most of the weekend introducing me to all kinds of things I never knew about my body and I loved every single lesson. But in between bouts of aggressive sex, we had talked, and we had spoken about things that we shouldn't have spoken about considering we've only known each other a few weeks.

Ramsey told me all about his parents and their plans for his future, but then proceeded to tell me _his_ plans for his future. He had told me all about being groom from a young age to be cunning and ruthless. He had actually gone so far as to begin to tell me about his blackmail stash, but I stopped him. I knew this town's adults were crap and their children weren't faring any better; I didn't need proof of it.

In turn, I had told Ramsey all about my father and mother and the years of abuse we had endured. I even told him about how my upbringing shaped the way I felt whenever he touched me. I was completely honest, vulnerable, and open.

Ramsey had fucked me in the most brutal way after that admission. He had done everything he could to make me welcome his viciousness and not feel the shame that came with it sometimes.

I also believed him when he told me how much he loved me, but the mention of marriage this morning had thrown me for a loop. Granted, we were going full speed on this crazy train, but marriage? _I was only seventeen-years-old, for Christ's sake._

I was already sitting down in fourth period when Deke took the seat to the right of me and Roselyn dropped in the seat to my left. "What the hell, Emerson?" she started in immediately. "You get attacked on Thursday, basically tell every student in school to go fuck themselves on Friday, tell me you're going to rest all weekend, and now you show up arm-in-arm with the devil incarnate. What in the hell happened this weekend?"

"Ramsey quit pulling on my ponytails and I stopped stealing his crayons," I quipped. Deke chuckled next to me, and I suspected it was because he thought that was close enough to the truth.

Roselyn rolled her eyes. "Come on, Emer, you gotta give me more than that."

"He broke into my house on Saturday and held me hostage until I gave in and professed my undying love for him," I exaggerated, but not really.

She straightened in her seat and said, "Now, _that_ , I believe." Then, as she was opening her textbook, she whispered, "Just as long as you're happy and know what you're doing, Emerson, then I'm game."

I smiled over at her. Roselyn was proving to be the best kind of friend. Deke shattered the near intimate moment when he snorted, saying, "Don't act like Emerson's the only person riding on her own personal crazy whirl ride."

Roselyn leaned forward to look around me and gave him some serious stink-eye. "Mind your own business, Deke Marlow."

My brows rose. "Well, well, well...what's this all about, kids?"

Deke mimicked Roselyn and leaned forward, so he could look at her. "Just that Roselyn, here, has her own closet full of dirty, little secrets. Don't you Linnie?"

I didn't care what it was that I didn't know. Roselyn has been a great friend to me, and I wasn't going to let Deke intimidate her. "Leave her alone, Deke."

His dark green gaze shot to mine and he just grunted as he righted himself back in his seat. I knew something significant just happened, but I didn't want to push him. I also didn't want to push Roselyn. If there was something she didn't want me to know, I could respect that. Everyone was entitled to a little privacy.

The teacher's voice turned our attentions to class and nothing more was said. It wasn't until the bell rang, and Deke silently got up and walked out of class, that Roselyn finally spoke. "Sorry about that," she mumbled.

I shook my head as I gathered up my stuff. "No need to be sorry, Roselyn," I reassured her. "If something isn't my business, then it's not my business."

"Emer-"

"It's fine, Roselyn. It really is." I thought that had been the end of it, but as soon as we exited the classroom, she grabbed my arm and drug me into one of the nooks the design of the hallways created. "Ugh, fine," she exaggerated. "Beat it out of me, why don't you."

"Uh..."

"What I'm about to tell you no one else in the world knows besides Deke, Liam, and Ramsey," she whispered, and I was blown away by the sheer fact that she shared a secret with Satan's Trio.

This entire time, I was under the impression Roselyn had hated the boys. "Okay, but, Roselyn, if you don't want-"

She flapped her hand in my face, shutting me up. "It's not that," she said. "I trust you, Emerson. I trust you more than anyone else here, it's just..." she trailed off, and I knew whatever she was about to tell me was something big. My heartbeat actually started to turn into a hummingbird flutter.

"Whatever it is, Roselyn, you're my friend. That won't change with whatever it is you want to share." I watched as Roselyn's eyes darted around to everything but mine. She looked utterly embarrassed and...scared, I think. "Roselyn, I don't want to know, okay. Whatever-"

Her big, beautiful blue eyes landed on my grey ones and she blurted out her secret with no caution, whatsoever. "I sleep with Liam and Deke."

I wasn't sure how long I was silent or how many times my eyes blinked just staring at her, but after seventeen centuries, I finally managed to ask, "Do you mean you've slept with both of them at some point?"

Her light, flawless complexion took on a rosy hue. "No, Emerson. I mean I sleep with them," she corrected. "As in I'm fucking them both and sometimes at the same time." Her voice lowered to a barely audible whisper. "Most of the time, it's at the same time."

Holy. Mary. Mother. Of. God.

I needed a moment, and she gave it to me. But after that deafening pause, I asked, "So, you're in a sort of ménage relationship with Deke and Liam?" And then I remembered the night we went to Club Pounce. "What about the guy you see over in Manotile?"

She had the grace to flush. "There is no guy," she admitted. "Well, not a guy like that. Deke and Liam are the only boys I've been with." And then she damn near broke my heart when she asked, in a voice full of shame and heartbreak, "Do you hate me? Do you think I'm disgusting?"

My shock notwithstanding, I wasn't about to let my only friend believe such a thing. "Hell no, I don't hate you or think you're disgusting, Roselyn," I rushed out. "I'll admit it's not something I'm familiar with, but I don't think you're disgusting for it. Hell, I imagine a lot of girls would kill to be in your position. I mean, Deke and Liam are hot as hell."

"It..." she sounded so shamefully embarrassed, her voice was breaking my heart. "It started during winter break during our junior year. It...Brandon was having a party, and I was in my bedroom, trying to mind my own business, when the door swung open and Deke and Liam walked in." She had my attention like free candy called to a toddler. "It started out all innocent enough...they claimed they had been looking for Brandon. They shut the door, made themselves comfortable on my bed, and then Liam pulled up the bottle of liquor he had in his hand. One shot led to many, and the next thing I knew, we were all naked in bed together and..."

All of my attention was focused on her story. "And...?"

"It was the most incredible thing I'd ever experienced in my life. It was...was...they made it like...I wasn't there to please two guys, two guys were there to please me, ya know." No. No, I didn't know. But it sounded hot as hell. "They worshipped me in a way that trumped the horrible shame I felt the next day."

"What happened the next time you saw them?" I asked, and I knew my voice sounded raspy.

She swallowed and answered, "They came back over to the house that evening and flat out told me that I was going to be their girlfriend-which made no sense-and that the three of us were in this together. There were no rules about how we'd all be together, though."

"So..." I hated to bring this up, but I was curious. "I've seen them flirt with other girls before, Roselyn. Are you guys allowed to date other people?"

She gave me a small smile. "No. We're...faithful-God, that sounds so ridiculous," she groaned. "The flirting is their way to make sure no one ever finds out about us. About me. Can you imagine how hellish my life would be if people here knew?" She was right. The jealousy would eat these people up and she'd be in the same boat I was in now. While I was obsessed with Ramsey, I wasn't blind. Deke and Liam were delicious in their own right.

"S...so, you don't hate me?" she asked again. "Are you sure?" Roselyn gave me a wobbly smile, but I could see the sheen still coating her eyes.

I looped my arm around hers and said, "Next girls' night, I'll tell you all about Ramsey's eight inches if you tell me what it's like to be worshipped at the same time by the likes of Deke and Liam."

This time, her smile was genuine and her face relaxed tenfold. "Deal," she laughed, and we separated, heading towards our lockers.

When I turned the corner, I saw Ramsey leaning against his locker waiting for me and I was about to make his day. Even though threesomes weren't for me, Liam and Deke were scorching hot, and imagining what it must feel like when Roselyn was with them, it had me wet.

I walked up to Ramsey, dropped everything I was holding, and wrapped my arms around him, kissing him like we were invisible.

When we finally broke apart, I was panting, and Ramsey was rock hard. "Not that I'm complaining, because I'm not, but what was that for?" he asked, still holding me in his arms.

"Roselyn just told me about her, Liam, and Deke," I answered, making sure only he could hear me.

Ramsey's eyebrow twitched. "And that got you all wet and horny?" he asked. "You want to try a threesome, Emerson? A foursome?"

I shook my head. "No. It's nothing like that."

"Then what?"

"I don't know how to explain it," I started. "You're the only man I want touching me, kissing me, and anything else. But the images in my head of how sordid their behavior is..."

Ramsey smirked and leaned into my ear. "Is your pussy wet, baby? Do you need me to take you somewhere and fuck you?"

I whimpered, "Please, Ramsey..."

"Say it, Emerson," he teased. "Say the words."

I wrapped my arms tighter around his neck and brushed my body up against his. "Let's skip lunch," I suggested. "Let's skip lunch and take me somewhere, Ramsey."

Without another word, Ramsey took my hand and led me to an empty classroom.
Chapter 27

Ramsey~

I was having trouble connecting with Emerson today and it was grating on my nerves.

During second period, I had started talking to her about just packing up her shit and moving in with me and she cut me off without giving the discussion any serious thought. She told me that just because she let me deflower her-seriously, she said the word deflower-it didn't mean she was just going to hand over her free will to me.

My jaw clenched so hard, it's a wonder I hadn't cracked a molar. I hadn't been asking her to surrender her free will. I just wanted the damn girl to move in with me, so I could sleep beside her every night. I didn't see anything wrong with that and it bothered me that she did.

Never mind the argument we had during sixth period when she casually mentioned that her birth control should be taking effect now. I stood up in class-as if we hadn't had an audience-and I yelled at her, asking her what the fuck was she doing getting on birth control.

When Mr. Jacobson jumped in and praised us for practicing safe sex, I had gone all unhinged alpha male on him and announced to the entire class that I _wanted_ to get Emerson pregnant.

I was fairly positive that bets were being placed all over school on the over and under of when I was going to finally lose my shit and burn the school down. Hell, maybe even the entire town.

My day had gotten progressively worse after that. And the more I pushed, the more Emerson pushed back, until she snapped at me and told me to back the hell off. I wanted to fuck her into compliance, but she was too unpredictable to challenge. And now, I was knocking on her front door because she hadn't been answering my calls.

When the door swung open, Bailey was on the other side and my mood just plummeted even more. "That's didn't take long," she sneered.

I was about to brush past her and head to Emerson's room, but her comment stopped me. "What didn't take long?"

"Your little love fest with Emerson," she taunted. "She's a fucking whore, Ramsey," she went on viciously. "You didn't really think she would be faithful, did you?"

"What the fuck are you talking about, Bailey?" I've never hit a female before, but I had no problem shaking the shit out of one.

Bailey rolled her eyes and opened the door wider to let me in. I stepped through the doorway and crossing my arms across my chest, stared down at her, as she explained. "Emerson was in such a hurry to leave the house earlier, she forgot her phone. The stupid thing's been ringing and pinging nonstop."

"Yeah, I imagine it has been," I bit out. "I've been trying to get a hold of her all afternoon."

Suddenly, she looked like the cat that ate the canary. "You're not the only one," she smirked. I stood in the foyer as she walked further into the house. She returned a few minutes later with a phone in her hand, handing it to me. "What's this?"

"It's Emerson's phone," she answered. "Go ahead. It's not locked. See for yourself."

Every nerve in my body was screaming at me not to go through Emerson's phone. Nothing good would come out of me invading her privacy. But Bailey's smug look and my irritation got the better of me and I swiped the screen lock icon and her phone came to life.

I scrolled through the call logs and most of the calls were from me or Roselyn, a couple from her aunt, but I did notice one unprogrammed number showing up on the list. I kept my calm, but that ended when I got to her text messages. The same unprogrammed number had sent her messages to which she responded, and they were all about how they were meeting up tonight.

Unknown: _Hey sexy. Glad u finally decided 2 give me a chance_

Me: _I sh've given u a chance sooner_

Unknown: _2night?_

Me: _4 sure. I just have 2 manage a couple of things_

Unknown: _I got sumthin u can manage_

Me: _Looking 4ward 2 it._

I stopped reading and hit the phone icon. The call went to voicemail, and I saw red.

I turned and grabbed Bailey by her neck, pushing her up against the wall. _"Who is he?"_

Hey eyes widened, and her hands were pulling at my wrists. "I don't know," she gasped out.

"Where the fuck is she, Bailey?" I growled in her face.

I could see the panic written across her face. She was terrified, and she should be. "I don't know. I swear, I don't!"

Jesus, I wanted nothing more than to kill this fucking bitch, and then go after whoever the fuck was with Emerson.

Then there was Emerson.

Killing would be too good for her.

I had to hand it to her. She got me.

She motherfucking got me.

Here I thought I was a heartless motherfucker, but she reigned, hands down.

I let go of Bailey's neck and walked out of the house with Emerson's phone. I stormed to my car, ready to call Liam and Deke and burn this fucking town to the ground. But, instead, I called the unknown number again. The sonofabitch didn't answer until the fourth ring.

"Hey, are you almost here?" he answered. "Because, I've got to tell you, my dick's been rock hard waiting for you, pretty girl."

I had no idea how I could form words, but I managed. "Who in the fuck is this?"

"Whoa, wait," he asked, surprised. "Who is this? Where's Emerson?"

My rage boiled over at the same exact moment that my heart broke.

Emerson played me.

She fucking played me.

And then I was consumed with the sickest feeling. No wonder she let me fuck her like a seasoned whore. Just because her pussy had been virgin didn't mean that her ass was. We had never made it that far for me to find out. And a lot of teenage girls gave up the ass thinking it was okay as long as they preserved their _real_ virginity for the man they loved.

I hung up on the no-good cocksucker and felt paralyzed by the turn of events.

After what felt like an eternity, I finally pulled out of Emerson's driveway and got myself over to Liam's. One look at me and he called Deke.

Now we were all sitting in Liam's father's den drinking up the good stuff. "What are you doing to do, Ram?"

"Kill her," I answered, clearly and specifically.

"I don't know, Ram," Liam chimed in. "I mean, I'm all for killing her _if_ she really did set you up, but I'm having trouble with this."

I threw her phone at him. "See for yourself," I sneered.

Deke walked over to stand next to Liam and, together, they read the text exchanges. It took them a couple of minutes, as I imagined they were reading all of them, whereas I only read those first few.

When they were done, Liam tossed the phone back to me and said, "Want me to call Roselyn and ask her if she knows where Emerson's at?"

I huffed. "Yeah, like she's going to give up Emerson."

"So, what do you want to do?" Deke asked again.

I sat there trying to combat all the emotions that were threatening to drown me. People have always said there was a thin line between love and hate, and now I knew exactly how that saying came to pass.

This morning I loved Emerson more than my own life. I would have killed for her and died for her. I would have forsaken every other motherfucker on the planet for her. Even Liam and Deke.

But now...

Now, I wanted nothing more to make her suffer so horribly, she'd take a rope to her neck to end her misery. I wanted her to feel as broken as I did. I wanted her to struggle with the mere effort of existing each morning.

"I'm going to make her pay," I finally say. "As much as I'd love to kill her, killing her would be too easy. I want that fucking cunt to suffer."

Liam winced, but asked, "How?"

I looked up at the two closest people to me in the world and laid out my plan. Deke looked delighted and Liam looked slightly sick. However, Liam's reservations didn't matter. I knew he'd back me no matter what. And tomorrow Emerson Andrews would see that loyalty live and in living color.
Chapter 28

Emerson~

I knew Ramsey was going to be pissed, but I hadn't meant to lose my phone.

Roselyn had gotten the flu, and when she had texted me during seventh period that she was so sick she thought she was going to die, I had called her out on her theatrics. But when I had stopped by after school to check on her, she really had been horribly sick. So much so, that I had rushed home, packed a quick overnight bag, and rushed back to her house to sit with her.

She had been a sick, vomiting mess. I had wanted to call her mom or a doctor or someone, but she assured me that no one gave a fuck and she just needed to let it run its course. I was forced to believe her when that jackass stepbrother of hers hadn't even bothered to ask what was wrong with her.

So, I had spent all afternoon, evening, and night taking care of her. I hadn't minded in the least, but I had started to panic a bit when I realized I couldn't find my phone. I didn't have Ramsey's phone number committed to memory, so I wasn't able to use Roselyn's phone to call him. In hindsight, I could have just texted Liam or Deke from her phone to pass along a message to Ramsey, but after a while, I put Ramsey on the back burner and concentrated on helping Roselyn.

I knew he was going to be pissed, but now that we were a couple, I was sure he'd let me explain and it'd be fine, not like our previous battles.

Ramsey wasn't waiting for me by his car, but I wasn't too worried. I was running late, and I still couldn't find my phone.

I rushed into the school entrance and was immediately brought to a halt.

Students were lined up on both sides of the hallway and Ramsey, Liam, and Deke were standing in front of their lockers, arms crossed, looking pissed off to hell.

I did my best to ignore how everyone was looking at me and made my way towards Ramsey. I was five feet away when his voice echoed throughout the hallway. "I'm kind of surprised to see you, Emerson. Doesn't fucking more than one cock at a time tire you out? I mean, I knew you had stamina when you hadn't shut your legs for me all weekend, but doesn't it get tiresome when there's more than one guy you're spreading them for?"

I froze.

What the hell?

I could hear several snickers around me, but I didn't care about that-about them. I was too busy staring at Ramsey in shock.

_What the fuck was he talking about? Why would he talk to me like that?_ How _could_ _he talk to me like that?_

I finally found my voice. "What are you talking about?" I asked, hoping my voice wasn't giving anything away. My stomach felt like the bottom had fallen out and I could feel my hands wanting to shake.

"I'm talking about how you can let me use you all weekend long, but it still wasn't enough," he mocked. "Even after I fucked you Monday during lunch, you still dropped flat on your back last night for some other dude's dick. You should have told me you needed dick every day, baby. I would have made sure to deliver. I'm sure Liam and Deke would have stepped in if I was busy," he said scathingly. "You should have just said something."

Anyone who believes having your heart broken is just a figure of speech has clearly never had their heart broken. You can actually feel it, you know. You can actually feel that final thump in your chest before the actual pain starts to set in.

And my heart was breaking inside my chest in front of all these people-in front of _Ramsey_ , and it amazed me that no one could hear or see it.

He was accusing me of cheating on him last night when I had actually been taking care of Roselyn. Whatever he thought, whatever he heard, whatever he saw or imagined, Ramsey believed that I was the kind of girl to give a boy her virginity on Saturday, spend the entire weekend talking, exploring, and falling in love, and then turn around two days later and lay with another guy.

I stood there conflicted on how to respond. Half of me wanted to demand why he was saying all this to me, but the other half of me was insisting that anyone who thought so little of me didn't deserve any more of my time.

Pride won the battle. For me, pride always wins the battle.

I decided to ignore the trip to my locker and head straight to class, so I went to sidestep him when his next words kicked off a chain of events that changed the course of my life.

Ramsey snatched my arm up, halting my steps, and seethed down at me, "Tell me the truth, Emerson. Did I fuck up Ricky, Roman, and Jamie for nothing? Were you spreading your legs for them, and then panicked when Liam caught you guys together?"

Forget a broken heart.

Mine was _shattering_. Splintering into a million irreparable pieces.

I yanked my arm from out of his hold and that's when something hit me. I looked around to see who was throwing things at me, and that's when I saw Bailey's face. It was pure calculated venom. And everyone looked just as venomous.

I looked back up at Ramsey and I had noticed he had taken a few steps back. He was now back in line with Deke and Liam.

Before I could speak, I felt something else hit my leg. I looked down, and I almost threw up. There were two used condoms at my feet and my right leg was shiny with their contents. And before I could make heads or tails of what was happening, I was suddenly pelted with used condoms from every direction.

I dropped my backpack and, instinctively, covered my face and head as the splattering sounds surrounded me. All emotions fled. All emotions except for one.

Fear.

Not fear from being bullied. Not fear from any altercations that might take place. Not even fear from Ramsey.

My body was quickly becoming covered with human bodily fluids of origins unknown. There were random mixtures of semen coating my skin, covering my hair, and saturating my clothing and I had no idea if any of it was disease ridden or not.

I couldn't stop myself. I removed my hands from my face, hunched over and started vomiting everywhere. My ears rang with the cruel laughter, the taunting, the name calling...but, mostly, they rang with Ramsey's sinister glee.

When I finished retching, I wasn't quick enough with my hands and more condoms came flying at me, only this time a couple of them hit my face. I cupped my hands over my face, not caring about the vomit dribbling on my chin, and did my best to limit the mess on my face.

After a few brutal minutes, everyone ran out of condoms to throw at me, and I was able to lower my hands. Even though my hands were covered in a slimy film, I still tried to wipe my face off.

The effort came to a stop when Ramsey's voice froze everything inside me. "Oh, come on, Emerson. I know for a fact you like cum all over that pretty face of yours," he sneered.

The hallway erupted in laughter as Ramsey raised his chin in challenge. My eyes darted past him to Deke and his face was completely impassive while Liam's eyes were looking down.

I stood there, covered in disgust, looking at Ramsey and my mind wandered to my backpack. I mentally recounted everything that was in my bag, and then my locker. It was all stuff that could be left behind and that was important somehow.

I was covered in filth and I was going to have to walk back down this hallway, past all these people, to its entrance. But somehow being able to do that without having to grab my backpack and sift through my locker was an important victory.

I didn't bother trying to wipe the chaos from my face anymore, nor did I didn't try to shake loose the condoms that were stuck on my body.

Instead, I turned my back on Ramsey, Deke, and Liam and walked back through the hallway with my head held high and my spine straight as an arrow. I slipped a couple of times, and some students laughed, but I didn't fall.

When I reached the schools front entrance, I stopped, and with my back to everyone, I removed my uniform shirt and skirt while kicking off my white sandals. Once I was in my bra and panties only, I pushed open the front doors and walked across the lawn to the parking lot. My gaze was focused on the safety of my parked car and it never wavered.

I didn't look around to see if anyone was watching me, and I sure as fuck never looked back to see if anyone had followed me.

Once I got to my car, I got in, grabbed the keys from under the seat, and with shaky hands turned the ignition, and then twisted my body, so I could see behind me as I backed up, all the while never looking up back towards the school.

I drove home, and took a shower so hot, the water left burn patches on my skin. I packed everything that meant anything to me and drove to Roselyn's. I told her what happened, and she held me for hours as I cried and cried. The night had been a mixture of my tears and Roselyn's need to run Ramsey over with her car. Her outrage had been the only thing holding me together.

It took brute honesty to finally calm her down. I knew Ramsey Reed was no good, and I went there anyway. This was all my fault. While I didn't deserve what those people did to me. I had to own the fact that I got in bed with the Devil, _willingly,_ knowing he'd ruin me, eventually.

The next morning, I woke up, hugged Roselyn goodbye, and drove out of Sands Cove.

After all, today was my eighteenth birthday.

No one could stop me now.
Chapter 29

Ramsey~

I was sitting on one of the sports benches that were hidden behind the Ag-Science building, trying not to lose what little left of my sanity I had. No one ever came back here because almost nobody studied Ag-Science, so it was a good place to try to collect yourself.

Try as I may, I haven't been able to get Wednesday morning out of my head. Even though I had set it all up, I never imagined the scene would be as brutal as it had been, and that was fucking with me.

Emerson was a no-good cheating whore, but I couldn't shake the devastation I felt watching her throw up everywhere. I shouldn't have felt anything other than triumph that I had gotten my revenge for her betrayal, but I was feeling a lot of things two days later, and none of them were triumphant.

Deke has remained quiet about the entire thing, giving me time to sort through the aftermath of Emerson fucking destroying me, and I wouldn't expect anything else from him. But Liam...Liam's been avoiding me, and it was becoming concerning.

I loved Liam. He was my brother. He was one of the only two people on the planet, that I trusted, and I felt like something irrevocable has changed between us. I knew he hadn't been completely sold on what Emerson had done, but if watching what happened to her bothered me, and I fucking hated her, I couldn't imagine what Liam was feeling.

I had my knees drawn up on the bench with my head in my hands when I heard screeching and cursing coming my way. I looked up, and Deke had one hand on Bailey's neck and the other on her arm, forcing her forwards with each step. Liam was walking behind them, and I don't think I've ever seen Liam look so murderous, even when he had been beating the shit out of Jamie, Roman, and Ricky.

Deke was foaming at the mouth when they finally reached me. "Tell him!" he snarled.

"Let me go!" Bailey shrieked. "Get your hands off me, Deke!"

I could see Deke's hand tighten around her neck. _"Fucking tell him, you fucking cunt!"_

I hopped off the bench and stood looking at the trio. "What's going on?" There was only one thing Bailey, Deke, Liam, and I had in common, and that was Emerson. I could already feel the pit of my stomach hollowing out before she had even uttered a word.

Bailey's hands were desperately trying to dislodge Deke's grip, but she was failing. "I've never hit a female before in my life, Bailey, but I swear to God, if you don't tell him, I will fuck you up!"

Okay, now, my anxiety was skyrocketing. Deke would _never_ hit a female. "What the fuck is going on?" I asked again. "I won't ask a third time."

Bailey let out a sob and her eyes looked wild and terrified. "It was all a lie," she cried.

I could feel ice forming in the marrow of my bones. Fear started creeping down my spine. _"W_ _hat_ was all a lie?"

"Ramsey, please-"

" _What was all a fucking lie, Bailey!?"_ I roared in her face.

She was openly sobbing now, but she was able to speak, and her confession almost brought me to my knees. "Emerson's phone, all of it," she began. "I found Emerson's phone on the floor near the kitchen bar when it wouldn't stop ringing. She didn't have it locked, and I saw all the missed calls and texts from you and I...I..." Deke applied more pressure. "Ow, okay, okay," she sobbed. "I called a friend of mine...th...the dealer I use for parties and told him I'd pay him a thousand dollars if he would help me play a prank. I...he...I told him what to text, and I texted back to make it look like a legit exchange." Her body was wracking with sobs so hard, she started hiccupping. "When you stormed out, I called him really quick and told him to answer and pretend he was waiting for Emerson."

I could only stare at Bailey as Liam started destroying the bench with brutal, forceful kicks and punches to the wood.

It was all a lie.

The text messages, the guy, Emerson's cheating...it was all a lie.

A. Fucking. Lie

I could feel myself shaking and my knees threatening to give out. Bailey set Emerson up and I helped Bailey humiliate and brutalize her. Now, _I_ was the one in danger of throwing up.

"Why?" Even though I had a good idea what the answer was, I still asked.

Bailey's eyes went from dismal to defiant. "She's a nobody!" she screamed. "She's a filthy nobody from a trailer park! Did you really think I would let her waltz into Windsor and take the only guy I have ever wanted? She doesn't deserve you! She's trash, and she belongs with trash!" Bailey's hate was palpable. "You belong with me, Ramsey! Me! How could you fall _in love_ with her?! _How could you want her?!"_

"I heard this bitch telling Christa and Evelyn how she set Emerson up and was going to get you one way or another," Deke spat out. He released her and I, honest to God, didn't know what to do with her.

Oh, I knew what I wanted to do to her, but I wasn't so egotistical that I believed I could kill her at school and get away with it. Besides, even though Bailey lied and set Emerson up, what happened on Wednesday was all me.

I could have waiting until I had spoken to Emerson before losing my shit. I could have found her and insisted on an explanation. I could have listened when she told me about her childhood and absorbed the kind of person she was, instead of focusing on being between her thighs. I could have trusted her. But, instead, I believed Bailey over an explanation Emerson never got to give.

"You're going to regret every crossing me, Bailey," I told her, my voice ice. "By the time I'm done with you, you'll be taking a razor to your wrists just to end your misery."

I turned away from her and started walking across the schoolyard. Ten steps in, I started running. I ran through the school and to the parking lot. I jumped in my car and broke every speed limit posted on my way from the school to Emerson's house.

Once I got there, I didn't bother with niceties. I broke the down the door, splintering the frame and making the lock worthless. I ran up the stairs to Emerson room, yelling for her, "Emerson!" But when I got to her room, my heart stopped at the scene before me.

The room was void of a lot of personal stuff that decorated the room when I was here last weekend. Panic started to set in, and I ripped the place apart looking for any sign that this was still her room. When I couldn't find anything, I went through the house, room by room, but found nothing.

Emerson was gone.

I raced back to my car and drove over to Roselyn's. Emerson wasn't friends with anyone else in town, so she could only be with Roselyn, and Roselyn wasn't in school today.

I barely hit the brakes before I was out of the car and running up the sidewalk to the Greene's front door. The door was in danger of meeting the same fate as the one at Emerson's when the door was finally wrenched open by a very pissed off, sick-looking Roselyn. "What the fuck do you want?"

"I'm here for Emerson," I said, getting straight to the point.

Roselyn let out a cackle so evil, it sent chills down my spine. "You're a bigger egomaniac than I ever thought possible if you think I'd ever tell you where Emerson is after what you did to her, Ramsey."

I knew Roselyn's loyalty for Emerson ran deep and I didn't have a chance if I wasn't completely honest with her. "I fucked up, Roselyn, okay? Is that what you want to hear?"

She kept up her disdain. "Saying you fucked up implies that there's a way to fix it, Ramsey, and there isn't," she retorted coldly.

I've never had a problem with Roselyn. Even when she started sleeping with Deke and Liam, I found her to be different, and I was curious about her, but I wasn't curious enough to get to know her beyond a head nod here and there.

Deke and Liam trusted her, and as unconventional as their relationship was, they seemed to like her well enough and that was good enough for me.

But, right now, I was close to strangling her with my bare hands. "Look, Roselyn, you've managed to remain in my good graces because of your relationship with Liam and Deke. But don't think for one second I won't squash you if you don't tell me where the fuck Emerson is!" I was yelling in her face by the time I was done.

Roselyn planted her hands on her hips, but she relented. She knew I was serious, and I suspected she was a little worried about how the fallout of her defiance would affect her sleeping arrangements with Deke and Liam. "She's not here, Ramsey."

"Then where in the fuck is she?"

I wanted to burn the world to ashes when I saw the answer playing across Roselyn's face. She actually didn't want to even say her next words. "I don't know," she admitted. "She turned eighteen yesterday and was out of Sands Cove before the sun had even come up."

I felt like my entire body was shutting down, but I managed to ask, "Did she ever replace her phone?"

Roselyn shook her head. "No," she answered as her eyes watered. "She said she'd send me a message on her social media once she got settled, letting me know she was safe. But other than that, she wanted no reminders of Sands Cove and that included me." Roselyn lifted her chin, even though her lips were quivering. "And I don't blame her."

I stood there feeling absolutely nothing and absolutely everything.

Emerson was fucking _gone_.
Chapter 30

Emerson~

Being back in the small town where your father killed your mother was going to be like living in a fishbowl, but I didn't care. I didn't know where else to go, and there were worse things than people staring at you and whispering about you.

You know, like almost being gang raped, being accused of wanting it, and then being exposed to biological diseases. Yeah, like those things.

After I had cried all night long in Roselyn's arms, I had woken up in the morning determined to leave Sands Cove in my rearview mirror. I was finally eighteen-years-old and my aunt had no say anymore. I hadn't even bothered calling her to tell her I had left. Something told me she wouldn't even notice. I mean, how could she notice if she never came home?

I was thankful my car had made the journey, but I suspected my car wasn't long for this world, so I had to make some moves and soon.

One of the first things I had done when I had gotten to Roselyn's was to call the café and quit my job. They hadn't given me shit for not putting in the customary two week's notice, but I knew it was because Jarod was still leery about my connection to Ramsey.

I had told him to mail my final check to Roselyn, and I told Roselyn she could burn it for all I cared. I wasn't going to stay or go back to Sands Cover for a couple of hundred dollars.

Roselyn, in turn, helped me by digging into her stepfather's safe and giving me five stacks of one-hundred-dollar bills. We fought for twenty minutes as I tried to refuse the money, but she insisted. I finally conceded when she explained it was either take the money or she was coming with me. She wanted to make sure that, wherever I ended up, I was safe.

It absolutely _killed_ me to walk away from her.

When I got into Hantover, I went straight to what I knew. Straight to where I felt like myself. I drove over to the Hantover trailer park and walked into the office. Clifford Meeks smiled when he saw me, and when I asked him if he had any open trailers for rent, he said that with what happened and all, the trailer I grew up in was still vacant.

I took it sight unseen.

I paid the deposit and first month's rent with the money Roselyn had given me and made my way to the trailer. When I had walked it, it looked exactly the same as when I had been hauled out of there by the police the night my father killed my mother.

Minus the blood, crime scene tape, and whatnot.

I wasn't sure what I had been expecting. I mean, I had only been gone a few months, but somehow Sands Cove had felt like a lifetime away. It felt like I've been gone much longer than a few months.

Sitting on the familiar furnished couch in the familiar surroundings, I still felt the crippling weight of what Ramsey had done to me; what he had allowed others to do to me. But now, it was mixed with the deep, aching loss of my mother. I had spent most of my life trying to escape the quicksand victim mentality that often crippled people but, right now, I felt very much like a victim.

When Ramsey had first asked me if I loved him, I could admit, I wasn't exactly sure what love was, but I had felt like I had. Now, feeling his crushing blow of betrayal, I knew, without a doubt, that I loved him. It wouldn't hurt this horribly if I didn't.

Whatever he had heard about me, he had chosen to believe it without even asking me for an explanation first. No matter his talk of love, no matter everything we talked about that weekend, no matter how many times I had taken him into my body, he believed his first initial opinion of me.

He believed I was a whore even though he saw the blood for himself the first time I accepted him.

I shook off the heartbreaking thoughts and got back to getting my life back on track. I was not going to let myself be a victim no matter what I was feeling. After I unloaded what paltry personal possessions I possessed and unpacked them in the trailer, I drove down to the first Walgreens I saw and bought a prepaid cell. I shot off an online message to Roselyn, letting her know I was safe and that I'll always be grateful for her help, and told her I was a better person for knowing her. After a heart wrenching message back from her, I deleted all my social media accounts and steered away from anything online. Roselyn was solid, and I knew she wasn't taking my choices personally.

I drove up to The Cozy Diner that was in the center of town. It's where I used to work part-time while I went to school. I got out of my car hoping there was a job opening. Part-time, full-time, I didn't care. I'd take whatever I could. That's one of the upsides to growing up poor, pride wasn't a hindering factor. I wasn't too proud to work in a diner. I wasn't too proud to beg for a job. I wasn't too proud to live in a trailer. And, thank God, or I'd be lost right now. Survival was the priority first, school second, and dignity a distant third.

I walked in the diner and the first person I saw at the counter was Muriel, the owner. She looked up at the ringing of the customer bell and her eyes widened as she noticed it was me. "Oh, my stars," she gushed. "Emerson, dear." She rushed around the counter and didn't stop until she had me embraced in her familiar scent.

I hugged her back, and it took all I had not to fall apart in her arms. "Muriel," I whispered.

Muriel held me by my shoulders and stepped away from me taking me in. Her kind, brown eyes scanned me from head to toe and her smile was warm and genuine. "It's so good to see you, dear."

I found I had a genuine smile for her, too. "It's good to see you, too, Muriel."

"Oh, oh," she went on gushing, "you sweet, sweet girl. Why don't you come right over here and tell me what's going on with you." Muriel ushered me to the counter, and before my ass even hit the seat, she was around the counter pouring me a Pepsi. "So, tell me, what are you doing back in Hantover?"

I twisted the cold glass of soda around and around in my hands then shrugged my shoulder. "I never really wanted to leave here. I had no choice when my aunt made a play for me since I was a minor, but I turned eighteen Thursday. So, here I am."

Her face was maternal and caring, and I knew she had a million questions, but Muriel was classier than that. "Well, I'm glad to see you under any conditions, Emerson."

"I...I was wondering if you had any job openings. I moved back into my hou...the trailer, and...I have enough money to get me by for a while, but eventually, I'll need a steady job," I said, owning up to the reason I was here.

Muriel's eyes watered over. "Oh, of course, I have a job opening for you, Emerson." She reached over and patted my arm. "I will always have a job opening for you here."

The relief I felt was so overwhelming, I could feel the pressure behind my eyes and the tears starting to form. To Muriel it might be a small thing, but to me, she was saving my life. A place to live and a job to support myself was all I needed.

"Thank you, Muriel," I whispered. "Thank you, so very much."

She winked at me. "Just show up tomorrow morning and we'll give you a quick refreshing of things," she instructed. "I gotta tell you, girl. It'll be nice to put an end to these twelve-hour shifts with your help now."

I grinned at her. "You'll never give up your twelve-hour shifts, Muriel. You wouldn't know what to do with yourself."

She smiled, then asked, "Are you hungry?"

"I could eat," I admitted. "Nothing big, though."

"I have just the thing," she said, then hollered over her shoulder, "Gale, a light tuna on rye." She turns back to me. "After you eat, and I push these remaining customers out of here, you and I are going to have ourselves a gabfest!"

And we did.

I told her about my narcissistic aunt. I told her about Bailey and her selfish ways. I told her about the suffocating pretentiousness of Sands Cove and Windsor. I told her about Roselyn. We even talked about my father and mother.

The only thing we didn't talk about was Ramsey. I didn't mention him, his supposed love, or his betrayal. Or the fact that his betrayal was what forced me to come back to Hantover.

Muriel didn't look at me with pity or wariness in her eyes like everyone else did. She looked at me with sympathy and compassion. That's what made me trust her. That's what made her my friend. I was scared that if I told her I was so stupid as to give my virginity to the first boy who truly ever treated me like shit, she'd see the destructive pattern in me and start to pity me.

And it was a destructive pattern.

I fell for an abusive boy, and like all abuse victims, I felt comfort in how he treated me cruelly. I let myself fall in love with him after everything thing he had done to me. And I was taking the blame like your classic victim, only not really.

I didn't believe I deserved what he did to me. I didn't believe I deserved how cruelly he treated me. No. No, I was at fault because I knew Ramsey was dark, and I willingly surrendered to his darkness. I traded weeks of maliciousness and bullying for two days of sweet touches, deep conversation, and endless sex.

I knew he was mean. I knew he was ruthless and unconscionable. I knew it and I laid down for him, anyway.

Ramsey didn't deserve my forgiveness, but he wasn't solely responsible for the hell I was feeling now, either.

Nope.

I could admit when I've made a mistake.
Chapter 31

Ramsey~

It took over a week for me to find Emerson.

I'd had one of my father's security experts flag her name as soon as I realized Roselyn really didn't know where she was. Or really wasn't going to tell me.

Martin had sent me a text message with an attachment showing that she was employed at The Cozy Diner in Hantover.

She had gone back home.

I had spent all week living in my own personal hell and it never occurred to me that she might have gone back home.

Once I got the text message, I had called Liam and Deke and told them I was driving to Hantover and I wouldn't be back until Emerson came back with me.

Deke laughed.

Liam grunted.

Liam was still upset about what happened with Emerson, but at least he wasn't avoiding me anymore.

I had decided to let Bailey stew for a little bit, but on Wednesday, I had finally gone after her. All classroom, auditorium, and library computers had been hooked up and synchronized to play a video of Bailey getting gang-banged by a bunch of lacrosse players. It was very vivid and vocal and there was no mistaking it was Bailey getting plugged airtight in every hole. And because the lacrosse players weren't stupid, there wasn't a single shot of any of their faces in the video. Just cocks galore.

But that's not all I did. I had the same hacker on my dad's payroll attached that video to play at random colleges across the country, so she couldn't run off and start a fresh life away at some out-of-state college.

And then, because guilt was a motherfucker, I released a confidential accounting of Constance's real financial situation and how she was being sued, or rather, her late husband's estate was being sued for embezzlement, extortion, and the pain and suffering of a sixteen-year-old girl Bailey's father had been raping for years.

The way I saw it was, had Constance not been such a cunt of a mother, Bailey might not have turned out the way she had. Therefore, I had no qualms about taking Constance down with Bailey. And what was really sad? That wasn't even everything I had on that family.

When I went for revenge, I never used up all my ammo. _Never._

Now, to be fair, the video itself wasn't that big of a deal. Sadly, in this day and age, a sex tape didn't bring down the shame like it should. Hundreds of people and countless celebrities could be found on the internet doing the deed.

What really fucked Bailey was her arrogance. She was very vocal on the video, and she could be clearly heard saying that five cocks weren't enough and suggested some of the guys bring their hot dads into the fray.

Now, this was a pretty, tight-bodied eighteen-year-old girl taking cocks in her mouth, pussy, and up her ass. Hell, some of those cocks were crammed in her orifices two at a time. That kind of porn performance might entice a middle-aged man to get his dick wet with her, and that was one thing the women of this town would not risk.

No eighteen-year-old slut was going to make them an ex-wife, risking their wealthy lifestyles. I'd be willing to bet that Constance and Bailey will be run out of town before the month ends, if not sooner. Bailey hadn't shown up for school Thursday or today, and Deke had informed me that all her social media accounts have been deleted. Constance's account, too.

Of course, none of it had done anything to make me feel better. I didn't care about Bailey or her mother, so their downfall brought me no satisfaction. It was just a way to make her pay for playing with Emerson's life.

I was fairly certain Emerson wasn't going to forgive me, and it would be no less than what I deserved. But I was hoping she'd find some peace or satisfaction in knowing that Bailey way paying for her cruel games. Maybe she'd be happy that her aunt was suffering, too. Emerson had told me all about how her mother's family had abandoned her mother during our weekend together.

Constance's and Bailey's suffering was the only thing I had to offer Emerson at this point. I knew she didn't care about my money, and my last name meant as much to her as a million other people's last names. I also knew if I uttered the word 'love' to her, she'd probably stab me in the neck before I even finished my sentence.

And I'd let her.

Hantover was a day's drive northeast from Sands Cove and I was using every minute of the drive trying to figure out how I was going to get Emerson to forgive me. A part of me wrestled with just letting her go because I knew there was nothing I could say to make her forgive me. But no matter what, she deserved an apology. She deserved to see me beg for her forgiveness.

She deserved to see me beg, period.

I didn't make it a habit of lying to myself, so I knew the real question was whether I would be able to let her go or not. If she says she wants nothing more to do with me what was I supposed to do with that?

When I told her I loved her, I had meant every fucking word. I did love her. I loved her so much that the betrayal that sliced through me when I thought she played me had nearly crippled me. That was why my revenge had been so lethal. I wanted her to hurt as badly as I had been, and it worked a little too well.

I didn't regret what I did because it had been brutal, though. No, I regretted what I had done because it never should have happened. I should have confronted Emerson privately and given her a chance to explain. I should have hunted her down and demanded an explanation. But I hadn't.

Instead, I let Bailey's poison seep through my pores until I bought what she was selling. It didn't matter that she's paying for it now. It also didn't matter that I had hunted down the guy who helped her execute her scheme and left him in the same shape as Jamie, Ricky, and Roman.

So, my only two choices were to let her be or force her to be with me until she called the cops or killed me. I didn't mind the killing much since I'd be dead and not have to suffer in this life knowing Emerson existed but wasn't mine. It was the calling the cops that gave me pause. My money could buy me out of stalking charges only so many times, and it would suck to be stuck in jail and never see her again. So, it looked like she was going to have to forgive me because everything else tilted towards illegal activity that I wasn't above attempting.

I finally made it to Hantover, and the town looked exactly as she had described. It was small with buildings looking about as old as the town itself. When Emerson had been telling me about her hometown and her childhood, she had painted a very vivid picture of Smalltown, USA. She said the town had a 'rich' side of town, but it was really just middle class compared to the rest of the nation. My GPS navigation was leading me down the town's main street that was lined with shops, a laundry mat, and the like. But this was actually a good thing for me. It wasn't going to take much for me to find The Cozy Diner.

Whenever I thought about confronting her, I imagined a scenario with vile words, physical abuse, and lots and lots of blood. So, I was hoping approaching her at work would limit all three of those. I wasn't trying to ambush her at work, and I knew she was going to see it like that-like an ambush, but I just needed to try to get an edge anyway I could.

It wasn't too long before I finally found what I was looking for. The Cozy Diner was a commercial corner property that was located smack dab in the corner of the two busiest streets according to the internet search I did on Hantover.

I slowly crept by the diner and, looking in, I could see Emerson serving tables. I pulled into the parking lot located behind the diner, but I didn't get out right away. I sat in my car trying to calm my racing heartbeat. After wasting another ten minutes, I finally found my balls and got out of my car and headed towards the entrance to the diner.

When I pushed the front door open, I swear to God, an honest-to-goodness old-time bell rang from the top of the door. I scanned the diner, but I didn't see Emerson anywhere. My eyes were straining towards every nook and cranny of the place still trying to locate her when a tall blonde approached me, her trained smile spread across her face. "Hi, there. Can I find you a seat?" Rebecca-read her name tag-said, as she gave me an appreciative look over. I wasn't shocked by it, but at least she wasn't as obnoxious about it like most girls.

I smiled back. "Actually, I'm looking for Emerson. If it's not too much trouble, you can just point me to her section, and I can wait."

Her smile stayed in perfectly in place, but the sparkle in her eyes died a quick death. "Oh, uhm, sure," she muttered. "Just...uhm, follow me." So, I did.

We weaved our way through the tables and Rebecca sat me down in one of the corner tables for two. I sat down and looked up at her. "Thank you, Rebecca."

"No problem," she replied. "I'll go let Emerson know that she has a customer."

I watched Rebecca disappear towards the back and prayed for Devine intervention that these next couple of minutes would be enough for me to get my shit together.
Chapter 32

Emerson~

My shift was going to end in about an hour and I dreaded it. I hated the thought of going back to the trailer and drowning myself is sorrow and self pity again. I had been so happy when Muriel had said I could return to work immediately. I needed something to do if I was going to move past all that crap with Ramsey.

And even though I still felt random heart pangs throughout the day when I gave into thoughts about him, for the most part, the customers, Muriel, and the daytime crew occupied my mind with jokes and good times.

I was turning another order in for the cooking staff when Rebecca's voice reached me. "Hey, Em."

"Hey, Rebecca."

"Yeah, so there's a customer asking for you. I sat him in your section and thought I'd let you know you have someone out there waiting."

Perfect. The busier, the better as far as I was concerned. "Okay, great. Thanks."

"I'm sort of jealous," Rebecca went on surprising me.

"Jealous?" Rebecca was the perfect girl next door. She was all blonde hair, blue eyes, and perfect skin. She was all grace and sweet smiles.

"The guy's super hot," she explained. "I tried my best come-hither smile, and he didn't even bat an eyelash. Instead, he asked if I could seat him in your section."

It had to be Scott French.

I mean, even before I was forced to go to Sands Cove, I hadn't had many friends. Scott French, Henry Ricker, and Sally Allerman had been my only friends growing up. We all grew up together in the same trailer park and their childhoods had been just as jacked-up as mine had been.

Sally was a very malnourished redhead who lived life annoyingly optimistic. But she was fierce and loyal and was the best of us four.

Henry was a shy sort with big, chocolate brown eyes and deep brown hair. He was shy, but he was smart as a whip and kept us out of trouble often.

Scott was sort of our leader. He kind of adopted us as a big brother and he was very protective. He had silver blonde hair with eyes the color of night. He was good looking and kept in shape. There are more than a few females who have thrown themselves at him.

When Constance had come for me, my trio of besties had hatched a plan for all of us to run away together, but since none of us had been eighteen at the time, it hadn't been worth the risk to me. I would never endanger my friends. So, I had left, but I had made sure to keep in touch.

Scott was probably here to cuss me out because I hadn't told any of them I was back in town. I had been putting it off because I had wanted to feel a little stronger before telling them why I was back. I had a feeling that if I told them everything that had happened, they'd all jump into Henry's truck and drive down to Sands Cover and wreak havoc.

I guess Scott must have heard I was back. Small towns and juicy news are a cold combination. I left my order with Edwin and went back out to wait on my new customer.

I was halfway across the diner when Rebecca's actual words hit me. A _customer_ was asking for me. Rebecca was only a year, or so, older than I was but she went to school with me, Scott, Henry, and Sally. If my customer was any of those three, she would have said their names, right? Besides, Scott, Henry, and Sally would never eat here. They were about as poor as I was, so they never splurged on eating out and things like that. So, how would someone know to ask for me when I just started working here again? Was it someone who had come in for lunch and came back for dinner? My weekend shift consisted of working from nine am to six pm, so it was possible someone from the lunch crowd had come back for dinner, but that just seemed odd.

I was walking towards my new customer when something about his shoulders and back gave me a sense of familiarity. Maybe he was someone I had gone to school with before Constance made me go live with her. This town was very small, and it wouldn't surprise me that word of me working here had spread like wildfire.

I approached the table, and when my eyes took in who my new customer was, I couldn't stop the small gasp that escaped.

Ramsey fucking Reed was in Hantover.

Ramsey. Fucking. Reed.

I stared down at his handsome face and my first legitimate thought was that I was going to have to kill him. If he followed me all the way from Sands Cove, the only way I was going to ever find peace was to murder him and throw his remains in the ocean.

And I wasn't totally opposed to the idea, either.

Pride had always been the source of my strength. When I had worn rags to school, when my stomach had grumbled in hunger, when we'd been without electricity...I never let myself feel embarrassed about my circumstances. I was born to an abusive father and a weak mother. None of that had been my fault.

So, I called on that pride now, and as I reined in my shock, I asked, "What can I get you?" I was not going to ask him why he was here. I wasn't going to ask or talk to him about anything other than his order. I didn't want to talk to him. I didn't want anything to do with him.

His whiskey-colored orbs met my eyes head-on. "I'm not here to eat, Emerson."

My name falling from his lips caused my nose to tingle and I could feel pressure behind my eyes. _Fuck this asshole._ "Then, I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave. The tables are reserved for paying customers only."

I watched in both horror and disgust when Ramsey pulled out his wallet and removed two one-hundred-dollar bills, throwing them on the table. Never having taken his eyes off me, he said, "Now I'm a paying customer."

Looking into his deceptively perfect face, I could feel myself losing it. Hate, rage, regret, sorrow, love, humiliation...all of them were going to war inside me. Why was he here? Why couldn't he just leave me the fuck alone?

I was about to tell him to go fuck himself when he spoke again, "What time does your shift end?"

My hands tightened around my pen and order pad, but I was proud that my voice was steady. "That's none of your business. Now, are you going to place an order or not?"

Ramsey stared at me for a few seconds, and then let out a deep breath. "Emerson, I'm here, so we can talk."

I let out a humorless laugh. _He could not be serious._ "I have nothing to talk with you about," I snapped. "Now, if you're not going to order anything, you can just sit there with your money because I have other _real_ customers to attend to." It looked like pride trampled on all those other emotions I was struggling with, coming to my rescue again.

Ramsey surprised me when he said, "Fine. I'll let you get back to work." But I was less surprised as he continued, "But I will be waiting for you when your shift ends. We need to talk, Emerson."

I turned away from him without even acknowledging his last statement. We didn't need to talk. I had nothing to say to him and there was absolutely nothing he could say that I wanted to hear. But I wasn't unaffected by his presence. A small part of me-the part that still cared-was curious as to what he had to say. Too bad for that small part bastard, though, because all the other emotions were overruling her.

I shook off Ramsey's arrival and went back to checking on my customers. I wasn't terribly busy since we were in the lull between lunch and dinner, so I decided to try my hand at some cowardice.

After making sure all of my tables were taken care of, I headed towards the back to find Muriel. I found her in the storage room looking over the inventory. "Hey, Muriel."

She turned around and smiled at me. "Hey, Emerson. What's doing?"

I hated to ask since I just started working here and all, but I wasn't ready for a confrontation with Ramsey. My emotions were still beaten and raw from our last encounter. It was all I could do not to fall apart. "I was hoping I could sneak out of here a few minutes early," I admitted, and cringed at how unprofessional that sounded.

Muriel lowered her notepad next to her thigh and cocked her head. "Are you okay?"

That question.

That one question filled with so much genuine concern became my downfall.

The tears started to fall, and I instantly found myself in Muriel's arms. "Oh, Emerson, what's wrong?"

I wasn't in full-blown sob mode, but the tears were making swift progress down my face. "The short version is I'm experiencing my very first teenage heartbreak and the cause of that heartbreak is waiting for my shift to end, so he can torture me some more," I admitted.

Her expression was pure understanding. "Of course, you can leave early," she said soothingly. "I can take care of your tables until Adam comes in for the dinner crowd."

I wrapped my arms around her. "Thank you, so, so, so, so much, Muriel." This sweet woman, who had no obligations towards me, was showing more love and concern than my own remaining family. I've yet to receive one call or text from my aunt or my cousin. Not that I expected one, but still.

Muriel disentangled herself from my hold and said, "Honey, there's not a female over the age of thirteen that hasn't experienced heartbreak in some sort of fashion or other. God, men are such fascinating creatures, but they sure do know how to ruin everything good in the world." She looked into my face and I knew she could empathize with how I was feeling. "Now, you get going, girly."

I smiled through my tears. She didn't have to tell me twice.
Chapter 33

Ramsey~

I stood outside the diner for an hour before I realized Emerson had left.

I was playing around on my phone, trying to kill time, and every time I looked up and through the diner windows, it seemed as if I kept missing Emerson. I finally put my phone down and watched the hubbub of the diner through the windows. It wasn't until I saw an older lady making her rounds in Emerson's section that I realized something might be up.

At first, I thought Emerson might be on break, or she was helping out in back, or something along those lines. But an hour later, and with no Emerson sightings, I knew she had left work.

I paced next to my car, counting to ten. I didn't blame her one bit for bailing on me, but it didn't help with my frustration levels. I was ready to storm the diner and take hostages when the waitress from early approached me. "Oh, hey," she greeted. "You're Emerson's friend from earlier, right?"

My feet stopped in front of her. "Yeah."

"Oh, well, she already left," she volunteered. It wasn't until she stepped into my personal space that I realized why she was being so helpful. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

I had no interest in her, whatsoever, but I needed information from her, so I couldn't be an outright dick. "I think I entered Emerson's address wrong," I lied. "My GPS keeps getting me lost."

Rebecca looked over at my Range Rover and tsk'ed. "You know, you're risking some serious vandalism if you drive that thing out to the trailer park."

"That's what I have insurance for," I quipped. "But thanks."

Her brows furrowed. "For what?"

"Letting me know where I can find Emerson," I answered as I turned my back on her and got into my car.

I pulled out my phone and searched for Hantover Trailer Park and, God bless, there was only one and it was only a few blocks away. I started my car and drove to the park.

When I finally came upon it, I could totally see why Rebecca had warned me. The place was a debilitated disaster. The grass was the color of lifeless wheat and there was graffiti everywhere. I drove past the office, and even that looked like it belonged in a horror flick.

It killed me knowing this was where she ran to; that this level of poverty and desperation was where she felt safe enough to run to.

I finally came upon a small trailer where her car was parked. I didn't waste any time. I got out of my car, locked it, and was up the rickety steps in seconds. I was about to knock when a sound brought me up short. I looked around but didn't see anything. I heard the sound again, and that's when I realized it was coming from inside the trailer. I put my ear up to the door, and that's when I could finally identify the sound.

Emerson was weeping.

Emerson was sitting inside a rundown trailer sobbing because of me.

And that knowledge was eating me alive.

I turned the doorknob, and to my surprise, it was unlocked. I didn't wait for permission to enter because I knew I wouldn't get it. So, I walked in like I had every right to and the sight before me gutted me completely.

Emerson was sitting on her couch, clutching a pillow as she cried, and cried.

I locked the door behind and stepped towards her. "Emerson..."

Her face shot up from the pillow and her eyes widened at the realization that I was here. Her wails must have drowned out my arrival. "Ramsey..."

"Baby-" I started as I reached for her, but her next move stopped me cold.

And then, she completely unmanned me.

Emerson threw the pillow off her lap and she sank to the floor on her knees in front of me. Her beautiful slate-colored eyes were so wet, they looked like flowing mercury. "Ppp...please, Ramsey," she begged through her sobs. "You...w...win, okay. Okay? You win," she bawled. "Y...you win. So...so just...please...pl...please leave me a...alone. _Please."_

I couldn't breathe. My Emerson...my strong, fearless, challenging Emerson was on her knees begging me to just let her be. She was a broken mess and I was the person who broke her. "Emer-"

"Please!" she screamed. "Oh, God, please Ramsey," she continued to beg. "W...Why can't you just...just leave me alone?" Her sobs turned into bone shattering wails. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry for...for whatever...ever I did...to...to you. Just...just ple...please leave me alone."

Jesus Christ.

Emerson, in the throes of an emotional breakdown, was the most magnificent thing I have ever seen. She was absolutely the most beautiful thing walking this earth.

I reached down and hauled her up by her arm. She was still crying and shaking when I took hold of her chin and forced her to look at me. "I want you to listen and listen well, understand?" I waited for her to nod in understanding, and when she did, I said, "Don't you _ever_ get on your knees for anyone ever again, Emerson." Hey eyes widened, but she remained quiet. "You are the best person I know. People should be on their knees before _you_ , not the other way around."

Hey eyelids closed, forcing more tears to flow down her cheeks. Emerson's tears were so breathtaking, they were turning me on. And I knew I should be ashamed of that, but I wasn't.

She opened her eyes again, and ignoring what I said, asked, "Why are you here, Ramsey?"

I cradled her face in my hands and did my best to clean off her tears with my thumbs. "I'm here because I fucked up," I admitted. "I'm here because I have to make this right, Emerson." She started sobbing again. "I'm here because I was wrong, and I don't think I can live without you, baby."

Emerson's sobs were breaking my heart, so I did the only thing I could think of. I gathered her up in my arms and sat with her on the couch, cradling her to me. I held her and let her cry it all out. I didn't know what she was thinking, but all I could think about was her on her knees begging me to quit hurting her. It was an image that will never leave me for the rest of my life.

She said I had won, and those two little words- _you win_ -felt like there would never be anything good in my life ever again. Those words meant that she really believed this had all been a game to me. She believed this was all one big joke and because her feelings had been genuine, I'd won.

I thought nothing could make me feel worse than the images of her in the school hallway defiled and humiliated, but I was wrong. Even in that hallway, covered in used condoms, she had managed to walk out with her head held high. She had vomited, but she hadn't cried.

But seeing her on her knees, begging me to leave her alone, that was worse.

Someone as resplendent as Emerson should never be on her knees before anyone. Unless she was down there because she wanted to suck my dick, Emerson was meant to rest her perfect ass on the tallest of pedestals.

I wish I could say I was strong enough to walk away and let her live her life in peace, but I wasn't. I needed Emerson like I needed my life's blood and I was not going to let her go.

No matter how much she hated me.

After about an hour, her sobs had subsided, and she was quietly trying to battle her hiccups. She didn't push herself off me, though. She just stayed quiet in my arms until her meltdown burned itself out.

I was contemplating taking her to go lay down when she finally spoke. "I think you should leave," she whispered softly.

My arms tightened around her. I wasn't going to lie. I was fucking terrified of letting her go. I let out a deep sigh. "We need to talk, Emerson."

She wiggled herself out of my hold and I watched silently as she made her way down the narrow hallway towards, what I presume, was the bathroom. I could hear the water running through the loud pipes and a few minutes later, Emerson was making her way back into the living room.

She stopped a few feet in front of me and repeated what she had said. "I think you should leave, Ramsey. We have nothing to talk about."

I stood up and closed the space between us. I stared down at her and disagreed. "And I think we need to talk."

Her face was expressionless when she said, "I have nothing to say to you. I have nothing to say to you and there isn't anything I want to hear from you."

"Emerson-"

"Just leave, Ramsey," she repeated. "You're not wanted here."

I refused to believe her. I'll admit what I did was horrible, but could she really fall out of love with me after only a week? I didn't think so. As a matter of fact, I was risking everything on that one small hope.

"So, you're telling me that it only took seven days for your love for me to just vanish? You loved me so much that you bled all over me, but it's a week later, and you feel nothing?"

I didn't see it coming. I should have. I should have because, Lord knows, I deserved it, but I hadn't.

Emerson's aim was so powerful, my burning face snapped sideways.
Chapter 34

Emerson~

Ramsey turned his head until he was facing me again and I could already see the burning red imprint of my hand.

How dare he question my love when he so easily turned against me and was only here because he must have found out the truth? He wasn't here because he _knew_ better. He wasn't here because he was certain I wasn't the kind of person who cheated. No. He was here because someone else's word was good enough to make him see as the truth, and now he wanted to apologize and go on like he wasn't a cold-blooded bastard.

"I deserve th-"

"Get out of my house, Ramsey," I spat. Now that I wasn't a crying, emotional mess, my pride and dignity were front and center again.

"I'm not going anywhere until you hear me out, Emerson," he replied, his voice steady and sure, and I just wanted to gouge his eyeballs out.

"Don't you get it? I don't care, Ramsey!" He was so used to getting his way, he didn't realize he was one breakdown away from being murdered by my bare hands. "Get out and I don't ever want to see you again!"

His hand snaked out and grabbing my upper arm, he yanked on my body until my breasts were being crushed by his hard chest. He looked furious and unhinged. His eyes bore into mine as he said, "No one knows better than I do how badly I fucked up. I'm not excusing or dismissing what I did to you. And, I swear to God, I will live on my fucking _knees_ before you for the rest of my life if that's what you need from me. But I am not letting you go, and I am not going to let you stop me from trying to make this right."

I didn't bother trying to wiggle out of his grasp because I knew from experience it was no use. So, I stood toe-to-toe with him. "I'll call the cops and get a restraining order if you don't leave me alone, Ramsey."

He used his hold on my arm to shake me a bit. "Good," he snapped back. "You're going to have to because that's the only way I'll ever leave you alone, Emerson."

I hated him. I wanted to hate him so damn badly. I wanted my hate for him to be stronger than my love for him. Because he was right, my love for him hadn't diminished after only seven days. I was still very much in love with him. But I refused to be my mother. I refused to be with someone who could turn on me like that.

The lines were all blurry and I couldn't make sense of any of it. I wanted his strength, and I loved how there was a touch of violence in everything he did. Ramsey was unstable and that turned me on like nothing I have ever felt before. But what happened at school was blatant humiliation. It had nothing to do with his simmering brute violence. What he had done to me was unimaginable and dangerous.

"Do you know the first thing I did when I walked out of Windsor that morning?" I saw the clench in his jaw, but he refrained from asking what. "That's okay," I mocked. "I'll tell you, anyway. I drove home, took a scalding how shower, and headed over to Roselyn's where she proceeded to drive me to a health clinic in town." I studied his face for any signs of remorse, but he was like a stone before me. "I went through the entire humiliating ordeal of having to tell the doctor what happened. He immediately drew my blood and sent it to get tested for every STD he could think of." His demeanor finally cracked, and he had to avert his eyes away from mine.

Good.

I stood there wondering if he was going to comment when he took this discussion to crazy town. He let go of my arm and reached back to remove his shirt.

What the fuck?

"What do you think you're doing?" I asked, completely bewildered.

"What does it look like?" he asked, not answering me at all.

"It looks like you're taking off your clothes," I snapped. "My question is _why?"_

Ramsey was standing before me with no shirt on, and I couldn't lie, it was distracting. "So, that it doesn't matter what your test results are," he stated, as casual as could be.

I couldn't conceal the shock on my face.

He could not be serious.

What in the ever lovin' fuck?

Ramsey was willing to put his health at risk to breach the gap between us and I just couldn't make heads or tails out of that level of insanity. I mean, I knew Ramsey was unstable, but this was something else altogether. _"Are you insane?"_ I mean, come on, the question needed to be asked.

The sonofabitch looked me straight in the eye as he said, "I love you, Emerson. I know you probably don't believe me, and I don't blame you if you don't. But I love you and my future is with you. Nothing is going to keep me from you, including anything you might...anything that might be wrong."

Nothing had ever felt so good as when I slapped him a second time. My palm stung like a bitch, but fuck Ramsey Reed.

"Fuck you, Ramsey," I seethed. "Fuck you and get the hell out of my house!"

You would have thought that after two slaps to the face and a 'fuck off' he'd turn and leave. But no. That's not what happened at all.

Ramsey stepped towards me, took my face in his hands, and crushed his lips to mine. It took all of three seconds for my brain to process what he was doing, but once it did, I went full-blown crazy on him. I swung, kicked, hit, beat, and did my very best to escape his embrace. I even bit his lip until I tasted blood. The crazy motherfucker bit me back and that's when shit really got sick and twisted between us.

This was what I knew. This was what was comfortable for me. Being back in Hantover, back in the exact trailer where I grew up, working in the same place I worked...it was like déjà vu. Only this time it was me and Ramsey going at each other instead of my mom and dad.

And the other glaringly obvious difference? Ramsey's dominance was turning me on.

My mind was screaming at me to run; to run far, far away because this boy was going to destroy me. But I already knew that. He had already destroyed me. Ramsey had me on my knees begging for a reprieve. He had me sobbing uncontrollably in his arms as my heart broke and my pride took a beating.

I've always been disgusted by women who forgave so easily. Women who loved a man more than they loved themselves. Women who took the abuse. But here I was, letting my body convince my mind that Ramsey wasn't as bad as he truly was.

With our tongues coated in each other's blood, my hands went for the button and zipper on his jeans, and his hands went to the hem of my t-shirt. We broke apart long enough for him to pull my shirt over my head, and then after that, it was a chaos of arms and clothing being discarded everywhere.

And I cried.

Christ, how I cried.

But the obvious emotional duress I was feeling wasn't enough to stop us. Within a couple of minutes, we were both completely naked and Ramsey was walking us back towards the bedroom. Because the trailer was so small, the journey towards the bedroom only took a matter of a few steps.

All too soon-or not soon enough-I was on the bed with Ramsey large body looming over me, his hips forcing my legs to open wide. He felt so good, and he was a weakness I wanted to kill myself over.

"Ramsey..." I was going to say more, but his beautiful brown eyes were holding mine captive and his gaze didn't waver as he slammed his entire length into my opening. I squeezed my eyes shut and threw my head back. _"Ramsey!"_ I felt him reach back and hook my left knee under his arm and it was all over after that. Ramsey had my body spread wide for him and he was crashing into me like his life depended on it.

This was unlike anything he showed me the weekend I gave him my virginity. This was brutal, primal, and instinctive. Ramsey was claiming me. He was owning me. He was driving me goddamn insane.

And if it wasn't enough that he was using my body against me, he wouldn't shut the fuck up. "I'm sorry, baby," he panted between thrusts. "I'm so fucking sorry, Emerson."

He needed to stop talking. He needed to stop talking because I was on the verge of believing the bastard. It was hard to get the words out, but I did. "Just because I'm letting you fuck me doesn't mean I believe you," I gritted out. "Or love you anymore."

His eyes darkened, and his lip curled in a snarl. He didn't like hearing that. "I don't believe you. I know you still love me, and I can prove it."

"How?" I demanded even though I knew I should probably keep my mouth shut. I was being that broken girl who was pretending to feel strong and be indifferent to his words but asking for answers, anyway.

He didn't answer me, though. What he did was punish my body with thrust after vicious thrust until my body was a shattered mess and my orgasm threatened to make me black out. "Oh, fuck! Ramsey!"

He didn't let up, so I could enjoy the shocks taking over. No. He kept fucking me through my orgasm until I started begging him to stop. And he did eventually stop...

But it wasn't to give my body a break.
Chapter 35

Ramsey~

Emerson cumming all over my dick was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen or ever will see. I stared down at her with blood on her lips and tears in her eyes and my dick had never been harder.

She still loved me. I refused to accept the alternative. But making her cum wasn't anything new. I needed to prove to her and to myself that she did indeed still love me.

I flipped her weak, pliant body over until she was positioned face down and ass up. I leaned back and took in the perfect view of her pussy dripping its cream and her tight, little asshole winking at me.

I stuck two fingers into her pussy and scooped out as much of her juices as I could and slid them upward until I was coating her ass. Her entire body froze up, and that got me harder. I covered her back and whispered in her ear, "That's right, baby. I'm going to fuck this sweet ass of yours." She whimpered, and I nearly passed out from my need to possess her.

I pushed my cock back into her pussy and started to finger fuck her ass. Emerson moaned at the double penetration and I knew I had her. And maybe I was making this all up in my mind to make myself feel better, but no good girl gave up the ass if she wasn't in love. And Emerson was a good girl. Everything about her was good, pure, and honest. She was honesty in its truest form.

Her sweet voice was praising God, and I asked, "You like that, baby? Does that feel good?"

"Yes...oh, God..." she moaned, her voice touched with a bit of mortification.

I upped my tempo, both my cock and fingers, until she was falling apart all over me again. "That's it, baby. Cum all over me."

Emerson shattered all around me and the second her waves of pleasure subsided, I pulled my cock out of her pussy and my fingers from her ass and I slowly pressed the head of my dick into her ass. "Relax, Emerson," I soothed. "Force me out, baby, and then draw me back in."

"Ramsey..." I wasn't sure if she was saying my name in reverence or if she was cursing me to hell, but she followed my instructions, and after a few agonizing seconds, my cock was buried in her ass.

And because I was sick in the head, I warned, "This is going to hurt, baby."

And because she was sick in the head, she replied, "I don't care."

My dick was completely lubricated by her orgasm that I was able to plunge forward and slammed my cock into her ass until my pelvis hit her smooth, curvy ass cheeks. _"Fuck!"_

" _Ramsey!"_

I held onto her hips and started fucking her ass like she hadn't been a virgin only two weeks ago. "Fuck, Emerson, your ass is so goddamn tight, baby," I panted. She didn't respond, but I'm not sure I would have heard anything she had to say, anyway. All my attention was focused on the spot where my cock kept disappearing into her ass. I had a death grip on her hips, and I was slamming into her for all I was worth.

All I kept thinking was that I've been the only man to have been inside her mouth, her pussy, and now her ass. And I was going to be the _only_ man to ever know what Emerson felt like. The thought was pushing me to the edge of reality.

It also made me realize that, in this moment, here with her now, I didn't want her back to me. I needed to see her. I wanted to capture every tear, every smile, every goddamn expression.

I pulled my cock out of her ass and flipped her back over. "Ramsey...wh...what..."

I grabbed the back of her thighs and pushed them up against her stomach until I could see her reddened asshole. I worked my dick back into her ass, and holding her in place, I slammed back into her.

Emerson reached back and grabbed the headboard in the white-knuckled grip. Her eyes were closed, her head thrown back, and her neck bared open for me. Her tits bounced with every push of my cock into her ass and I knew I've never seen a more magnificent sight.

I was going to video record this one day.

I let go of one of her thighs and when I sunk two of my fingers into her pussy, Emerson head reared up and her eyes snapped open. "Oh, fuck! Oh, God...Ramsey..."

It took an insane amount of praying, but I managed to hold on to my rhythm and make her cum again before I couldn't fight off the tingles in the base of my balls any longer. As soon as Emerson screamed my name and flooded my fingers, I let out a vicious roar and unloaded everything I had in her ass.

Once I was completely empty, I collapsed on the bed beside her. The only sounds in the tiny trailer were our harsh breaths as we tried to recuperate. I had just fucked Emerson's pussy and ass to orgasm, and it had been the best sex of my life.

After a few minutes of recovery time, my arm shot out and gathered her limp body to rest on mine. "Now tell me you don't love me anymore," I demanded.

The girl didn't disappoint. "Sex doesn't equate to love, Ramsey," she retorted, right before she went for the knees. "Besides, I've just recently been introduced to sex. It's a pleasure I'm still trying to capture and understand. Don't flatter yourself, Ramsey. Now that I'm no longer a virgin _anywhere,_ any guy will do, if I'm itching to get fucked."

I almost rolled over her and strangled her to death.

And I'm sure that's what she expected.

Instead, I called bullshit. "You can tell me and yourself that all you want, Emerson, but I know you're lying." I tightened my hold on her. "I've done the most unforgiveable things to you, and not only did you still open your legs for me, but you bent over and let me fuck your ass like a seasoned whore. And if that wasn't proof enough that you still love me, the fact that you're letting me hold you like this afterwards sure is. Fuck buddies and whores don't cuddle, Emerson."

She wrestled herself out of my hold and scrambled off the bed. I didn't miss her wince as she went over to the closet and pulled out a t-shirt to cover herself with. I sat up on the bed and waited for what she was going to throw at me next.

"That," she pointed towards me and the bed, "was nothing. It was just sex," she insisted.

I couldn't stop the growl emerging from my throat. "Nothing we've ever done to each other has been _just_ anything, Emerson. No matter how good or how bad, it's always meant something." I jerked my chin towards her legs. "My cum is dripping down your thighs as we speak," I pointed out. "I've cum in your mouth, in your pussy, all over your skin, and now in your ass. Sometimes _without_ the benefit of protection. And you _let_ me. You've let me inside your body countless times with no concern for the consequences of what could happen." I felt like I was fighting for my life here. _"D_ _on't fucking tell me you don't love me!_ "

Her eyes started spilling over and I knew it was because she knew I was right. She confirmed it with her next words, but it wasn't the victory I was hoping for. "Even if I did still love you, it doesn't mean I should be with you. You're toxic, Ramsey, and I've seen firsthand what can happen to a woman who chooses a toxic love story above everything else."

I stared up at her stunned, and it was in this moment, I realized what I've been asking of her. Parents weren't important to me because I've never really had any. My parents made cameo appearances in my life, at best. But Emerson, Emerson lived a life where her parents were a major influence on her, proven by the fact that she got off on how forceful I got with her. She's lived a life of terror and violence that ultimately led to losing the one person in the world she loved.

She was right.

I was toxic.

I stood up and silently walked around her towards the living room. I didn't look at her as I gathered my clothes and started dressing. I couldn't look at her. My shame and selfishness were threatening to choke me.

"What now?" she asked from the short hallway.

I was slipping on my shoes, still not looking at her. "I leave, Emerson," God, the words felt like I was gargling on broken razors. "I leave and you...you be happy."

She gasped. That little sound sounded like she was both surprised and hurt that I was giving her what she asked for. "You're leaving?"

I finally pulled my balls out of her purse and looked at her. "Your father, everyone at Windsor, _me_...don't allow us to matter anymore, Emerson. Be happy despite not knowing how to be or having ever been." I felt like my purpose for living was fading away with each word out of my mouth. "You are bigger, better, and more important for this world than any of us ever will be." I stepped towards her and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. Looking down on the crown of her head, I said, "I love you, Emerson. I love you more than I ever thought was possible for a person like me. But you're right. I am toxic. And there was a time when I wanted to take you down with me, but I don't want that anymore." I had more to say, but my words didn't matter. They were for me, so I could find a way to live with myself. Emerson didn't need my words to move on from me. She needed nothing from me to move on.

Emerson Andrews was the strongest person I have ever met, and I had no doubt that wherever she went to from here, she'd succeed. She might never make it rich, or live in a mansion, or create the next world changing app, but she'd be happy. Because she didn't need anything or anybody, Emerson would be happy in life with whatever life blessed her with.

I turned towards the door and walked out without looking back. I got in my car and drove away without one backward glance.

The entire drive back to Sands Cove I tortured myself with possible scenarios of how Emerson would have responded had I stuck around. Every mile back to Sands Cove felt like the distance to the fucking sun.

Which seem appropriate since I felt like I was burning from the inside out.
Chapter 36

Emerson~

I felt like the biggest fool on the planet parked in the student parking lot at Windsor.

After Ramsey had left, I had fallen victim to another breakdown. I had cried myself to sleep, and I didn't awaken until the pounding at my door woke me.

A part of me had been afraid Ramsey had come back and the other part wished that he had. But when I had finally answered it, I had been swept up in a pair of old, familiar arms. After Scott put me down and came inside, Henry and Sally had followed after.

I had cried all over again.

My tears had shocked them, and it was well into the evening by the time I had finished telling them everything I'd been through from the night they arrested my dad until then. By the time I was done, it felt like I had gone through an emotional cleansing. And I had felt exhausted.

So damn exhausted.

After my epic meltdown, Sally had ordered pizzas, and we had hung out in my trailer catching up. It had only been a matter of months, but it had felt like forever since I had seen them. We called and texted, but it hadn't been the same thing.

It was around midnight that night when Sally and Henry had crashed on the bed. They weren't a couple or anything like that, we were just all sort of all comfortable around each other like that. Scott had been laid out on the couch with his back resting on one of the arm supports, and I had been lying next to him curled up in his arms as we had watched television.

After about an hour of silence, save for the television, Scott had asked me point-blank if I loved Ramsey. I replayed the conversation over, and over in my head during the drive back to Sands Cove.

" _Tell me, Em, do you love him?"_

I couldn't lie to him. I've never lied to him before, I wasn't going to start now. "Yes."

" _Then make him prove it to you, honey."_

I sat up and looked over at him. "What do you mean?" I asked, and hated myself for even asking. What Ramsey had done to me was unforgivable, and here I was trying to find a way to forgive him. I'd never felt so weak and cowardly in all my life.

" _Go back to Windsor, walk down that hallway proud and strong until you're standing in front of him, and then let him make the next move," Scott suggested._

I shook my head. "I don't understand. What's that supposed to accomplish?"

" _Emerson, when he sees you, he's going to either beg your forgiveness in front of_ everyone _or he's going to let you go," he explained. "If he lets you go, then you get to go without the 'what ifs' and 'what could have beens' plaguing the rest of your life. If he begs for forgiveness, then you'll be vindicated, and it won't hurt to love him. Well, it won't hurt as much. You both are unstable as fuck. I imagine any future relationship you guys have will be riddled with heartbreak. But you're strong enough to see it through."_

" _Bu...but he doesn't deserve a chance to make it right," I stressed._

" _You're right. He doesn't. What he did makes me want to kill him. But, Em, you wouldn't be going back for him. You'd be going back for_ you _. So that you can find peace either, with or without him. But it'll be done either way and you'll be able to move on."_

I replayed his words over, and over in my mind until I had fallen asleep, and then again, all weekend long. Scott, Henry, and Sally had hung out with me the entire time and it had felt wonderful. It had felt like old times. It had felt comfortable and safe. But, at the same time, it had felt lonely. Even my trailer wasn't free from memories of Ramsey anymore.

I had worked my Saturday and Sunday shifts, but I had asked for Monday off and I wasn't embarrassed to tell Muriel why. And the Godsend that she was, she thought my plan to go back to the scene of the crime was a good idea. She also assured me that no matter the outcome, she would always be there if I ever needed her. It was hard walking away from her again. Of course, if this all went to hell, I'd be back.

When I had gotten home after my shift last night, I had called Roselyn and after several minutes of hearing her shriek how happy she was that I called, I had told her about Ramsey's visit and my talk with Scott.

Now, while Roselyn had assured me that she was team Emerson, and as she revealed that she had put a voodoo curse on Ramsey, praying his balls would shrivel up and fall off after what he had done to me, she agreed with Scott. She also told me she'd never seen Ramsey so torn up. She also mentioned that the hallways were quiet and eerie, and that people were afraid to even say boo after word got around about what Ramsey had done to Bailey and her mother.

I wish I could say I felt sorry for my aunt and Bailey after Roselyn had told me everything that had gone down, but I wasn't. They were both horrible people and, just like my father, it meant nothing to me that they were my blood.

People always felt like you had to forgive your family because they're your _family_. But I never bought into that. Family was what you make it, and just because you share the same blood with someone else, that didn't mean they were your family. It just meant you were related to them.

Scott, Henry, Sally, Muriel, and even Roselyn, after only knowing her a short while, _they_ were my family. They were the people I trusted and would do anything for. Bailey, Aunt Constance, and my father, they were just unfortunate members of my bloodline. I didn't have to forgive them shit.

For a time there, I felt as if Ramsey, Deke, and Liam could have been my family, too, but fuck was I ever wrong.

But then, I also questioned what I was feeling. Did I really love Ramsey or was I just attracted to his demons because I was warped in the head? It felt like I loved him, but I was so confused, I wasn't sure how much I should trust those feelings.

Either way, Scott was right. I needed to see this through. I had to find out if everything Ramsey had said were just pretty words he had been using to lure me back into his game of cat and mouse. And seeing how he'll react to me in front of everyone who he humiliated me in front of...well, that would tell me all I need to know.

I sat in my car and watched as everyone headed to the main entrance. I wanted my arrival to be a surprise. I had parked my car as far from the entrance as I could because it was unmistakable. It was the only used car in the entire school-hell, in the entire town, I do believe.

I heard the first warning bell ring, and that was my cue to man up. I didn't wear the school's uniform since I was pretty sure I wasn't enrolled as a student anymore, but I wasn't exactly sure. I knew things worked differently here and kids could buy a week off of school if they wanted to ditch.

I wore a plain white t-shirt, a used pair of blue jeans, and a pair of white sneakers. I threw my hair up in a messy bun and I decided against any makeup. This was me. The real me. The me who didn't care about the latest fashions or fastest cars. This was the me who didn't care about bank accounts or job titles. This was me, and that's what everyone here was going to get.

I made my way through the parking lot towards the front lawn. As I scanned the area, I could see a few stragglers recognizing who I was. I could hear shocked gasps and loud murmurs all around me. I even saw some students start running towards the front doors of the building. They no doubt wanted to be the first ones to spread the news that I was back.

When I finally reached the main doors, I took a deep breath, lifted my head, steeled my spine, and opened them bitches up.

I ignored the deafening silence as everyone stopped to stare. I looked straight ahead, knowing exactly where Ramsey's locker was. I could only see his back as he was digging inside his locker, but Deke nudged him as soon as he saw me, and Liam averted his eyes, not being able to look at me.

Ramsey turned around and his face conveyed pure shock at seeing me. But it was only for a brief second. The closer I got to him the more controlled he appeared. And, of course, as always, he looked gorgeous and in control.

I looked over at Deke and he was completely unreadable. He just stared at me with those magnetizing green eyes of his. He was giving nothing away.

When I turned my head left to look at Liam, the regret in his sweet blue eyes nearly did me in. He couldn't look me in the eye and every time our eyes caught, he looked like he wanted to throw up. If I didn't know better, I would think that he felt more upset about what went down than I did.

My eyes moved from Liam back to Ramsey. On the outside I was donning my best poker face, but on the inside, I couldn't ignore the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I was stupid to ever think that Ramsey Reed would bend for anyone.

All these people will never know what it was costing me to be standing here in front of the only person who has ever broken me down. Hell, my father beat me and my mother for years and he never reduced me to the helpless mess I had been on Friday night with Ramsey.

Maybe it's because I never believed that my father ever loved us, but I believed it when Ramsey had told me that he loved me. I had bought into whatever Ramsey had been selling hook, line, and sinker. I had felt like it was okay to be myself around him. And the sex, _Jesus Christ_ , I had eaten up everything he had introduced me to. Even Friday night, when I let him do the unthinkable, I had felt like I was where I was supposed to be.

But I wasn't going to let all my confusion stop me from doing what I came here to do. I stopped directly in front of him, and in a strong voice, loud enough for everyone to hear, I said, "Prove it."
Chapter 37

Ramsey~

When Deke nudged me, I thought he was just trying to snap me out of my funk. As soon as the sun had come up on Saturday, Deke and Liam had come over and I had given them a G-rated version of what had gone down. They knew we had sex, but they didn't know how hard I had gone at her.

So, when he nudged me, and I turned around to ask him what the fuck, to say I was stunned to see Emerson walking towards me would be a big fucking understatement. I had no idea why she was here, but then she threw those two words at me and I knew this was it.

Whatever I did next would either cement her to me for life or push her back down the hallway out of my life for good.

Talk about pressure.

I turned back around to put my books back in my locker and I heard a small gasp escape from her perfect lips.

She thought I was rejecting her.

_Christ, was she ever wrong_.

I turned back around, and in front of everyone watching-and believe me, everyone was watching-I dropped to my knees in front of her. I didn't even have to think about it. I wasn't worried about what it meant, and I didn't care what everyone was thinking.

All that mattered was Emerson.

Her eyes rounded, and her hands flew up to cover her mouth in shock. She started frantically shaking her head like she couldn't stand to see me on my knees. Huge, heartbreaking tears started streaming down her face as she whispered, "Ramsey, no..."

I ignored her and remained knelt at her feet. I looked up at her and prayed the next words out of my mouth would make her stay. "I love you, Emerson. I love you more than I ever thought I was capable of loving someone. You'll never know how much I regret listening to Bailey's lies and you'll never know how gutted I am at how I treated you. At how I let other people treat you." She was crying full-blown sobs by this time. "I will spend every day of the rest of my life, and the next, making it up to you. Even if that means crawling after you on my hands and knees every fucking day from here on out."

"Ramsey, stop," she pleaded. "Please, stop. Please, get up..." My soul screamed with how, after everything I'd done to this girl, she was broken up over seeing me on my knees. She deserved to have me on my knees, but she didn't want anyone witnessing my weakness.

Emerson's love was too good for me. For anyone.

The corner of my lip lifted, and it was the first sign of a smile in over a week. "Not until you say you forgive me, Emerson. Not until you tell me you still love me and want to be with me. After that, I'll do whatever you want me to. I'll give you everything I have and everything I will ever have."

Some of the kids in the hallway gasped, knowing exactly what I was offering her. I was offering her everything in my arsenal. I was willing to hand over every cent I had, every secret I knew, and every bit of the power I had.

"Ramsey, please," Emerson tried again. "I don't want your money. I don't want your secrets. I don't want any of it."

"Baby, then tell me what you want and it's fucking _yours_ _,"_ I growled.

She raised her head and started looking around at everyone. I followed her gaze and I could see a million different expressions on everyone's face. Some people where slack-jawed, some were bug-eyed, some were crying, and some were even smiling. I even spotted a couple of teachers lingering farther down the hall. But then, I suppose it wasn't every day that Ramsey Reed was on his knees.

I waited patiently for Emerson to answer me, but when she finally turned her gaze back towards me, instead of answering, she sank to her knees. Even in this position, I was still taller than her, so she had to look up at me when she spoke. "I...I just want..."

"What, baby? What do you want?"

"I just want you to love me as much as I love you," she whispered brokenly.

"Emerson, the measure of love I have for you doesn't exist on this plane of existence," I said loud enough for even the teachers down the hall to hear me. "I will regret the way I treated you until my dying day. And I should. You are better than any person standing in this school. Hell, without money or status, you're still better than anyone in this goddamn town, including me. And I'll do whatever it takes to erase all your bad memories and replace them with nothing but happy ones."

"Ramsey..." she sobbed.

"My world, and everything in it, is yours to do whatever you want with it, Emerson," I promised. "Now stand up because I've already told you never to get on your knees for anyone ever again."

She blinked away her remaining tears, smile, and said, "I need you to stand up first."

I cocked my head to the side, "Why?"

"How else are you going to catch me?"

I was my feet in less than a second and, almost immediately, Emerson threw herself in my arms. My arms wrapped around her and I had to be crushing her, but I couldn't force myself to loosen my hold.

Emerson was here.

With me.

The hallway erupted in laughter and applause, but it felt as if Emerson and I were the only two people in the school.

I leaned into her ear. " _I fucking love you, Emerson_. I love you so fucking much and, I swear to God, I'll never hurt you again, baby."

"I know, Ramsey," she whispered into my chest. "I know."

I grabbed her by her thighs and lifted her, so that her arms and legs were wrapped around me and I walked us out of the building. I placed her in the front seat of my car, and I drove us to my house. The drive was quiet and perfect. Emerson stared out the window the entire time, but she was smiling.

When we got to my house, we didn't even make it ten steps into the house before I had her pinned up against the wall, my lips on hers. When her hands started pulling at my shirt, I broke off the kiss and we went to work undressing each other.

The second we were free of our restrictions, I picked Emerson up and slammed her back against the wall. Her legs were wrapped around my waist, ready for me. I didn't hesitate and drove home in one powerful, painful thrust. "You're mine, Emerson," I growled. "You're fucking mine and you will always be mine. I'm going to love you for the rest of my life, baby."

"I love you, too," she panted. "Ramsey, _please_ _..."_

I started moving inside her and nothing had ever felt so perfect. She was quivering and shaking with a need that only I could satisfy. I gave and gave until she was a shattered mess, cumming all over my cock over, and over again. I fucked Emerson until my knees, back, arms, and dick almost gave out on me.

"Ramsey, I can't..."

"Give me one more, baby," I demanded. "Give me one more, so I can finally cum inside your hot, tight pussy." Her body started contracting, and I loved that she liked being talked to like a slut in bed. "I'm going to cum so deep in your delicious cunt, you'll never be able to get me out."

"Ramsey!"

She was on the edge. She just needed a little push. "Take it, baby. Take this hard cock," I groaned in her ear. "Because once we get upstairs, I'm going to take that ass again, Emerson. I'm going to fuck your tight ass again after I'm done forcing my cock down your throa-"

" _Ramsey!"_ she screamed as she convulsed all over me. Her body shook with so much force, the back of her head hit the wall and her nails were breaking the skin all over my shoulders.

I slammed into her as hard and as deep as I could go, and a few thrusts later, I was unloading everything I had inside her precious body.

My orgasm rocked me so hard, I collapsed onto the floor and took Emerson with me. We laid on the floor in front of the door, our heaving breathing the only sound in the room. I was flat on my back and Emerson was spread out on top of me.

We laid like that for a few minutes before Emerson finally said, "I think you're going to have to carry me upstairs." I chuckled and gathered her up in my arms while I tried to stand up. It was tricky, but I managed it, and then carried her upstairs to my room.

I placed her on my bed and crawled in behind her, spooning her from behind. Emerson sighed and snuggled backwards, so her back was flushed with my front. "Tell me you love me, Ramsey," she whispered. "Tell me I'm not a fool."

I closed my eyes and regret and shame swam through my entire body. "I love you, Emerson. I love you so much and I know it's just words right now, but I swear, baby, I am going to dedicate the rest of my days to making you happy," I answered. "I will forever regret what I did. I will take that shame to my deathbed, Emerson. But I will never let you down ever again. If anyone's a fool, it's me, baby."

She layered her arm over the one I had wrapped around her waist and she squeezed but didn't comment on what I said. I wasn't sure if she believed me or not. And even though she was curled up in my arms right now, I couldn't even say for sure that she'll still be wrapped up in my arms come morning. I won't ever blame her for any doubts she might have or any tears she may shed due to the unforgiveable memories, though.

And I'll never give her a new reason to walk away.

Ever.
Epilogue

Ramsey – (Ten Years Later)~

I was instantly irritated when the sound of my office door opened. I had told my secretary I wasn't to be interrupted, no matter what.

After college I had told my father to go fuck himself and Deke, Liam, and I started up our own financial consulting firm and we've been kicking ass for the past few years. Most days I got home at a decent hour, some days I didn't. And today was looking like it might be one of the days I wouldn't if I kept getting interrupted throughout the day.

When I looked up to see who would dare just walk in, I was surprised to see that it wasn't Liam or Deke.

This visitor was better than either of those two.

The corner of my lip lifted in a smirk and I leaned back in my chair, resting my hands across my stomach. My eyes greedily took her in as she stepped further into my office. "One of these days we're going to get caught, and then what are we going to do?"

She shrugged a shoulder. "I thought you said I was worth the risk," she reminded me.

"You are," I conceded, because she was. "But how would we ever live this down if we got caught?"

She kept walking until she rounded my desk. She pushed the papers I was working on aside and took a seat on my desk. She kicked off her heels and placing a perfectly pedicured foot on my chair between my spread legs, she pulled my chair closer.

She leaned forward, and her cleavage was front and center. "But sometimes this is the only way I can see you. Do you want me to leave?"

Before I could answer, she was spreading her legs for me and showing me that perfectly trimmed triangle. Fuck me, she wasn't wearing any panties.

My dick was at full mast and ready to fuck. "Did you lock the door?"

Her delicate fingers were already unbuttoning her blouse. "Yes, I did, sir."

"Did Mariah see you?"

She shook her head. "No. I made sure to sneak by her. No one knows I'm in here, Ramsey."

I stood up and huffed. "They will once they hear you screaming the walls down."

Her blouse slid off her shoulders and I was treated to the magnificent sight of her big tits encased in white lace. "God, I love your tits, baby."

My hands were at the zipper of my slacks when she spread her legs wide enough to move her skirt up her thighs and she was open and bare to me. "What about that? How do you feel about that?"

I could see her juices glistening all over her pussy lips. I had my dick in my hand, and scooting her to the edge, I slammed my cock deep in one thrust. She screamed as I said, "That's how I feel about your pussy."

I placed a hand on her chest and pushed her back until she was sprawled across my desk and proceeded to fuck her like privacy wasn't an issue.

"Oh, God...Ramsey..."

"You wanted to play the slut and come here without any panties on," I reminded her. "Well, now you're going to be fucked like one." And I did. I fucked her until she was biting down on her arm to keep from screaming the building down. I didn't relent until she came on my cock twice.

When we could finally catch our breaths, I shoved my dick back in my pants and pulled her up by her arms, so she was sitting up. "Feel free to drop by anytime, baby."

She laughed, then leaned forward to place a soft kiss on my chest. "I never get tired of that."

"Where are the kids?"

Emerson smiled at me sheepishly. "They're at home with Roselyn."

I lifted her left hand and placed a kiss on the back. I put my ring on her finger as soon as we had graduated high school, but it still warmed my heart to see it on her. And ten years and two kids later, I still wanted her like I did when I first saw her.

I stayed true to my word and spent every day making sure she knew she was the most important thing in my life. Years ago, Emerson had tried to assure me that she'd forgiven me completely and didn't carry the memory of that horrible day with her anymore. But I still did. I always will. And that's why I'll never stop loving her with everything I have and finding ways to prove it. "I love you, Emerson."

"I know you do, Ramsey," she smiled back.

The End.
Playlist

Series Playlist – The Right Kind Of Wrong – LeAnn Rimes

Facing the Enemy – Pretty Girl – Sugarcult

Aerials – Systems Of A Down

Animals – Maroon 5

Centuries – Fall Out Boy

The Catalyst – Linkin Park

Hail Mary – 2Pac

Killing Strangers – Marilyn Manson

Sucker For Pain – Lil' Wayne

Whatever It Takes – Imagine Dragons

Engaging the Enemy – Basic Instinct – The Acid

Addicted – Saving Abel

Dollhouse – Melanie Martinez

If You Could Only See – Tonic

Like A Stone – Audioslave

Unforgettable – French Montana

Where You Belong – The Weeknd

Piano In The Dark – Brenda Russell

I Shall Believe – Sheryl Crow

Battling the Enemy – She – Live

Love The Way You Lie – Eminem

Broken – Seether

I Wanna Be Bad – Willa Ford

Pray For Me – The Weeknd

I Knew You Were Trouble – Taylor Swift

Irresistible (Remix) – Jessica Simpson

Pray – JRY

Starboy – The Weeknd

Provoking the Enemy – Lighthouse – Live

Dark Horse – Katy Perry

Say It Right – Nelly Furtado

I'm Bad At Love – Maddy Benson

By The Way – Hinder

Run Away – Live

All Or Nothing – Theory Of A Deadman

Savin' Me – Nickelback

Wolves – Selena Gomez
About the Author

M.E. Clayton works full-time and writes as a hobby. She is an avid reader and, with much self-doubt, but more positive feedback and encouragement from her friends and family, she took a chance at writing, and the Seven Deadly Sins Series was born. Writing is a hobby she is now very passionate about. When she's not working, writing, or reading, she is spending time with her family or friends. If you care to learn more, you can read about her by visiting the following:

Smashwords Interview at:

https://www.smashwords.com/interview/MonClayton

Bookbub Author Page at:

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/m-e-clayton

Goodreads Author Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/MEClayton
Other Books

Please visit your favorite ebook retailer to discover other books by M.E. Clayton:

The Seven Deadly Sins Series (In Order)

Catching Avery (Avery & Nicholas)

Chasing Quinn (Quinn & Chase)

Claiming Isabella (Isabella & Julian)

Conquering Kam (Kamala & Kane)

Capturing Happiness

The Buchanan Brothers Series (In Order)

If You Could Only See (Mason & Shane)

If You Could Only Imagine (Aiden & Denise)

If You Could Only Feel (Gabriel & Justice)

If You Could Only Believe (Michael & Sophia)

If You Could Only Dream

The How To: Modern Day Woman's Guide Series (In Order)

How to Stay Out of Prison; A Modern-Day Woman's Guide (Lyrical & Nixon)

How to Keep Your Job; A Modern-Day Woman's Guide (Alice & Lincoln)

How to Maintain Your Sanity; A Modern-Day Woman's Guide (Rena & Jackson)

The Enemy Series (In Order)

Facing the Enemy (Ramsey & Emerson)

Engaging the Enemy (Roselyn & Liam)

Battling the Enemy (Deke & Delaney)

Provoking the Enemy (Ava & Ace)

Loving the Enemy

The Enemy Duet (In Order)

In Enemy Territory (Fiona & Damien)

On Enemy Ground (Victoria & William)

The Holy Trinity Series (In Order)

The Holy Ghost (Phoenix & Francesca)

The Son (Ciro & Roberta)

The Father (Luca & Remy)

The Redemption (Nico & Mia)

The Vatican (Francisco Phoenix Benetti & Luca Saveria Fiore)

The Eastwood Series (In Order)

Samson (Samson & Mackenzie)

Ford (Ford & Amelia)

Raiden (Raiden & Charlie)

Duke (Duke & Willow)

Alistair (Alistair & Rory)

The Pieces Series (In Order)

Our Broken Pieces (Mystic & Gage)

Our Cracked Pieces (Rowan & Lorcan)

Our Shattered Pieces (Molly & Grayson)

Standalone

Unintentional

Purgatory, Inc.

My Big, Huge Mistake

An Unexpected Life

The Heavier The Chains...

Real Shadows

You Again
Contact Me

I really appreciate you reading my book and I would love to hear from you! Now, unfortunately, because I do have a full-time job, and a family I love spending time with, at this time, I'm afraid it would be very hard for me to maintain a multitude of social media sites. However, for the sites I do participate in, here are my social media coordinates:

Favorite my Smashwords Author Page:

https://www.smashwords.com/interview/MonClayton

Like my Facebook Author Page:

https://facebook.com/claytonbooks

Follow my Bookbub Author Page:

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/m-e-clayton

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https://www.goodreads.com/MEClayton

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