Page 48 of Vicious Little Darling

“Ow,” I cry out. “Let me go.”

“Why? You liked it when some fucking creep did it to you, didn’t you? Maybe you’d like it if I did it, too.”

“Josh, stop,” I choke out as he grinds against me, his hard on nearly making me vomit. “Please.You’re my friend.”

“You’re so fucking selfish thinking I only ever wanted to just be friends.” He pins my arms behind my back, the healing part of my palm tearing open again. His hot breath causes me to cringe, and that only seems to make him angrier.

He presses his mouth to my neck, the same place Xander was just last night. Tears well up in my eyes as I try to wriggle my way out.

“Let me go,” I beg him, sobbing. “I don’t want this.”

“But you wanted some strange fuck to do it. I’m sure it started like this. I bet he forced it in you, didn’t he? I bet you liked it. You’ll learn to like it, baby.”

I cringe at the pet name, just asLittle Flamepops into my mind. Didn’t Xander call me that last night?No.He didn’t. It’sjust in my head, and just like that, I have to force myself not to disassociate in the moment.

I have to fight my way out.

“Let me go,” I shout at Josh as he tries to snake his hand down my pants. I throw my knee to keep him off me, and it lands.

In just the right place.

I bolt, just as I did the night Skull-face came for me. I flip the lock on the bar door, but as I rip it open, Josh grabs my sleeve.

“Fuck off!” I scream at the top of my lungs, tearing myself away from him with such force that my shirt rips. I take off down the street at a sprint and dive into a coffee shop, to take refuge as Josh calls after me.

I pull my phone out of my pocket and dial 9-1-1, but then stop. That’snotwho I want to handle this.

Xander pulls up alongside the curb outside of the coffee shop, and I don’t give him the chance to get out before I dart out of the shop and jump into the passenger seat.

“Holy fuck,” he leans over, grabbing my forearm with the ripped sleeve. “What the fuck did he do to you, Ember?”

“I don’t know… I don’t know what I did wrong… He probably thinks I’m a whore.” The words come out, followed by a stream of tears down my cheeks. “I don’t mean to be. He freaked out because I slept with my stalker, and I know that’s so gross. I know, but…” My voice trails off as my head falls to my hands, and I break into a full-blown sob.

Xander stiffens in the seat beside me, and I prepare for him to have some sort of negative reaction. However, the words that come out of his mouth leave me damned near speechless.

“I think it’s hot.”

“What?” I choke out through the tears.

He nods. “Yeah, it’s fucking hot. You fucked the stalker. That’s brave. You chose the psycho over the guys that are at your feet begging for your attention. I like it. It makes you stand out.”

I shake my head and then laugh, batting away my tears. “Oh my God. Why are you so perfect?”

“I’m not.” He reaches for my chin, tipping it up to meet his mouth.

“But Imightbe perfect for you.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

JAXTON

It’s taking everything I have not to fuckingdestroyJosh right then and there, but somehow, I manage to pull away from the curb, doing nothing more than squeezing Ember’s hand to show my support—and for that reason, I have to ask…

“Do you want to go to the police?”

She eyes me and then shakes her head.

“I don’t think I want to deal with the cops twice. It’ll make them think I’m crying wolf.” Disdain riddles her face as she leans back against the leather seat. I’m fairly certain I’ve never seen anyone more beautiful in my passenger seat.

---