Page 72 of Beneath Her Skin

Riley spins me around in a circle, and I clumsily trip over my own feet. She steadies me with a lopsided grin. Her caramel eyes, now glassy from drinking, lock onto me and her eyes become hooded.

“Come here, beautiful,” she rasps, dragging me to her. So close that our breasts clash together.

I collide against her with a soft gasp.

Her hand glides across my cheek, and my heart beats erratically in my chest. The way she’s looking at me right now, like I’m the most precious gem on the planet. Like she’s been given the world’s greatest gift. Is this what being in love feels like? Is falling in love with your foster sister even morally right?

Because if it’s wrong, then I don’t want to ever be right. I’m hopelessly in love with her, and I want her to know it. I’m going to show her how much she means to me without words. With Riley, I’ve never needed to express myself with words, and this time it’s no different.

I slowly lift my hand to her cheek, my trembling fingers trace over her soft flesh. She gasps softly, her jaw drops in awe. The tension between us is palpable.

“Will,” she breathes.

I wrap my hand around the back of her neck, ready to bring our heads closer to finally seal this moment in reality and begin our new forever. Until the most annoying sound I’ve ever heard causes us to break apart, shattering the moment entirely.

“Shit, sorry. Did we just interrupt a touching moment?” Heidi says awkwardly, one brow raised.

I cross my arms and let out a sigh of annoyance. Riley, on the other hand, has her fists clenched at her side, already on the defensive.

Heidi Sterling—royal bitch queen who made our lives miserable throughout our four years in high school. She was captain of the cheerleading squad, and if she wasn’t stereotypical enough, was and still is dating Shane Hawthorne, the captain of the hockey team. They’re an elite power couple that everyone obsesses over and either wants to be or be friends with.

Except for Riley and me.

Shane never bothered us as much as his stuck-up girlfriend, her posse, and the rest of the hockey team did. But his silencespeaks volumes, and we obviously know where he stands when it comes to watching others be bullied by those closest to him.

Heidi flips her bleach-blonde hair behind her shoulder, puckering her glossy pink lips. She’s flanked by Vanessa and Amber, carbon copies of Heidi that try to be exactly like their slutty, brainless queen.

Riley steps closer to Heidi. “If you’re gonna fuck with us, then we’ll just leave. High school is over, Heidi. We’re done with the petty bullshit.”

Vanessa scoffs behind Heidi, crossing her arms. “If we wanted to fuck with you, then we would have done it hours ago when you stepped foot into my home. We came to?—”

Heidi cuts her off, throwing a perfectly manicured hand up in her direction while clicking her tongue in annoyance. “We came over here to apologize. To both of you.” She regards both of us with an unsure smile. “You’re right,” she says, facing Riley. “High school is over now. We want to start over, leave the past in the past, and move forward. That’s why we had that nerdy friend of yours invite you here for us. Consider this a… peace offering.” Her voice sounds unnaturally high pitched, the happiness coating her tone almost dramatized.

Riley narrows her glare onto Heidi. I’m not even sure what to make of this random change of heart. These girls acted like they hated us for four years. Why all of a sudden do they care about making peace with us?

“Yeah, and Willow,” Amber starts, pushing her blonde hair behind her ears. “You’retotallynot a freak for not wanting to talk. I think it’s pretty cool that we can’t hear your voice.” She half shrugs with a giggle.

Riley tenses, her eyes turn wild as she scowls at Amber. “It’d be pretty cool if we couldn’t hear your annoying as fuck voice, too.”

Heidi elbows Amber in the arm, rolling her eyes with a sigh. “What did I say,” Amber obliviously asks.

“Look, we don’t want any trouble. What Amber means is, we don’t hate you girls. We totally would love to be your friends,” Heidi beams, while simultaneously shooting daggers at her friend with her eyes.

“Yeah,totally,” Amber and Vanessa mimic in unison.

Riley steps closer to me, a look of disgust etched into her features. “You know what? I think we actually hit our friend quota. Thanks, but no thanks.” She grabs my arm, attempting to spin me around to leave, when Heidi speaks once more.

“At least let us try to make amends, Riley. You’re at our party after all, let us show you how to party our way,” she laughs icily, looking at something behind us.

“SEVEN MINUTES IN HEAVEN!” A male voice shouts behind us. I gasp in horror when I feel a muscular arm wrap around my waist, lifting me off my feet and dragging me somewhere in the mansion.

All three of the girls are laughing viciously, cruel intentions dancing in their eyes. My head whips to my right at the sound of Riley struggling and screaming. Rage boils my blood, and for the first time that I can remember, dark violent energy brims beneath the surface of my skin, as I watch Brad carry Riley. The very same Brad that raped her.

I dig my nails into the tan arms that hold me captive. I viciously kick and thrash around, attempting to break free. I need to save Riley. Ihaveto get to her.

The arms squeeze around my midsection, making me gasp for air as he cuts off my air supply. “You better chill the fuck out, before I take you somewhere alone to play with for myself.”

I go completely still to the sound of Jake’s voice. One of the popular boys from the hockey team, and Brad’s best friend. Tears prick the corners of my eyes as I realize that there reallywas no peace offering. This is war, and the enemy aims to humiliate us once again.

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