Page 35 of Hide and Keep

No one. There’s no one here. It’s just Ever…swimming. Was she speeding up to get away from me?

I scan the pool house, somehow not finding anyone else in it.

How’d he disappear so fast?

“I didn’t do anything!” Ever screeches suspiciously—because who just says that when they haven’t even been accused of anything yet?

It’s not until she shoves me that I realize I’m still holding her. I don’t release her, only cock an eyebrow at her.

“Where is he?”

Ever searches around.

“Who?”

“Who? You know damn well who.” She wouldn’t be seeking his ass out right now if she didn’t.

With a mumbled insult, she tries to swim away but I stop her with one hand under her stomach, pulling her back to standing.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“In case you haven’t noticed, this is water we’re standing in. And since I’m not a washed-out old man like you, I’m trying to utilize it to get some exercise.”

On top of everything else, now I’m old. As for being washed out, I may be. I don’t know. I don’t pay attention to shit anymore, least of all me.

“Tell me where he went.”

“Where who went?”

“The little boyfriend you got hiding in here.”

“If your jobisn’tto stop me from getting dick, why do you seem so fucking pressed about me getting dick?”

It’s not like I got a clear outline of what all my job entails. I’m just making it up as I go. One of the things I’ve decided on is that I won’t be watching Ever get fucked by someone else, and not because I turn a blind eye to it, but because it’s not gonna fucking happen on my watch. Sure, she can fuck all she wants, I don’t care, just as long as she does it when I’m not around.

It just so happens I’m gonna be around for the next three years.

“Stop stalling and tell me where he is.”

Some of the tension leaves her body.

“I don’t even know what you’re talking about. I’m not allowed to have guys over.”

I let the validation for refusing to leave her alone in the woods wash over me. I knew it was to meet up with her fuck buddy.

“Why? You’re nineteen,” I ask, genuinely curious.

“That doesn’t matter to my father, hence why you’re here.” The last half of that sentence is said so fucking snottily I almost wipe her goddamn nose for her. Fucking brat.

“I’m here because you’re sloppy as fuck. Not every guy that sticks his dick in you needs to mark you up.”

I look at her neck, at those fucking hickeys marring her skin, and feel myself grow hot.

“I know that.” She drops her gaze, her long, wet lashes draped over her cheeks, and for a second, I feel bad. Maybe I took it too far.

But then she looks up at me through them, saying, “But it feels so much better when they do,” and I clench my teeth together so hard my jaw aches.

I didn’t take it far enough.

---