Page 102 of Endgame

She was different.

She wasmore.

“I don’t care who your Momma is,” I added gruffly.

Six shivered and I slid my hands up and down her arms, trying to warm her.

“I’m not used tothis,” I admitted, never taking my eyes off her. “You, Six? You have me tied up in knots.” Another truth. “I’m trying not to be an asshole here, but it’s hard as fuck when being an asshole’s all I know.” Reaching up, I cupped her cheek with my hand, forcing her to look up and meet my eyes.

Six trembled in my arms. “I’ve already told you.” She bit down hard on her bottom lip, grey eyes dark and heated. “I’m not sleeping with you.”

“What can I do to change your mind?”

She opened her mouth to say something, but then quickly snapped it shut.

“What do you need from me?” I pressed, exhaling a ragged breath. It was so fucking hard to stand here with her andnotput my mouth on her. “List your demands, Six. Tell me your terms, whatever the fuck you need from me to make us happen, and I’ll meet them.”

“Oh my god!” She jerked away from me, red-faced. “I’m not a fucking contract, Rourke.”

I frowned. “I know that.”

“I’m a human being with feelings,” she continued to say, silver eyes glaring up at me. “Not some challenge for you, or notch on your bedpost.” Swinging around, she wrapped her arms around herself and walked towards the shoreline.

“I never said you were,” I shot back, trailing after her.

“You cast me with the same brush as my mother right from the get-go.” She kicked off her shoes and walked into the water, shivering violently when water splayed over her feet. “When the truth is, I’m about as opposite to my mother as you can get.”

I followed her into the water, not caring when my sneakers filled up with sea water. “I was wrong.” Reaching out, I clamped my hands on her hips and pulled her against my chest. “I see that now.”

She released a loud sigh, but kept her back to me. “You do?”

I nodded, wrapping my hands around her tiny waist. “I see something in you,” I admitted gruffly, leaning close to her ear.And it scares the hell out of me.“I can’t stay away anymore.”

I felt her small hands reach up and clasp my arms and it felt fucking amazing. “I need…” She paused and tried again. “I just need…”

“You need?” I urged, tightening my hold on her. My heart was hammering in my chest. She needed to tell me. I had a feeling I would do whatever it took to have her regardless of the consequences. Dropping my head, I pressed a kiss to her shoulder. “Tell me and I’ll do it.” I wanted this girl so fucking much. “Come on, Six.”

“I don’t do this,” she finally said. “With guys.” She hesitated before adding, “I’m not the girl you think I am.” Bitter disappointment filled my gut when Six pushed out of my arms and stepped around me. “You should stay away from me, Rourke,” Six added before hurrying back towards the house.

This time I didn’t follow her.

It wasn’t an easy thing for me – stepping back and not going for what I wanted. I was usually selfish.

Six walked back to the house and my eyes followed her every step of the way. It was like I couldn’t get enough of her. She fucking mesmerized me. It was unsettling. I didn’t want to feel like this. I didn’t want Six to have this control over me, but she did.

Maybe she was my punishment for being a shitty son. I’d spent my life tormenting my father’s newfamilies, and now Six was here, torturing me by just existing.

Mercedes

“YOU LOOK UNREAL in this,” Rourke whispered for the third time during double period Biology on Thursday. He tugged on the hem of my skirt under the desk and leaned closer. “Fucking beautiful.”

“It’s the same thing every other girl at school is wearing, Rourke.” My voice was low and steady, but inside I was shaking. His fingers trailed over the bare skin of my thigh and I clamped my legs shut, keeping my eyes locked on the textbook in front of us, not daring to look sideways and see his face. Why was he doing this to me? And why the hell was my body enjoying it so much?

“Trust me, Six,” Rourke whispered in my ear, leaning entirely too close to me. “You looknothinglike the other girls at this school.”

“I’m not sleeping with you,” I hissed, edging away from him. That’s what this was about. He wanted to get me into bed. It was as if screwing me had become his life’s mission. I hadn’t been one bit surprised when I walked into class this morning and saw Rourke sitting where Mason should be. All week I’d been avoiding Rourke, and all week, he’d been deliberately seeking me out. Stopping by my table during lunch, sitting next to me in any classes we shared, and brushing up against me when we were at our lockers were only some of the stunts Rourke had been pulling since putting his offer ofbeing willing to fuck meon the table last Monday night.

At home, it was much worse. He sauntered into my bedroom on a regular basis and flirted heavily with me. It was as if the guy was purposefully trying to get a rise out of me, trying to make me blush and tremble.

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