Page 20 of Protect

I lean against the lockers, my arms crossed as I wait for Hope to close her locker and find me. My hands shake, my leg impatiently ticks as the video replays in my head, over and over again.

Dimitri was the first to believe Coach’s words about Hope luring him in. He doesn’t know how a bond between a father and son, or in this case daughter, should be.

Jaxon was wary but when he heard the moans spill from her, the words she whispered between thrusts, he was hooked.

And me, the first second I saw her, my cock strained in my pants. I didn’t need convincing. I trust Coach with my life, my soul.

He made the burns stop, the pain. He gave me purpose and now he’ll give me something else too.

Her.

The locker slams shut, and she flinches. Her eyes widen slightly as she pushes her hair behind her ears.

“What do you want?” she asks, her tone clipped but I can hear the fear beneath.

Good. Be scared. Keep me at a distance. I don’t need her close to enjoy her, I don’t need to be close to anyone. It will only get me hurt. Again.

“I wonder if you’ll moan that sweet for me,” I tease and edge nearer.

She blinks up at me, a blush painting her cheeks. “What are you talking about?

I tilt my head, my fingers brushing over her chin. “Oh, sweetheart. I’ve seen the videos and I can’t wait to make one myself.”

She slaps my hand and backs away. A smile curls on my lips and I grab her arm, push her against the lockers, and cage her between my body and the metal behind her. “You’re a filthy little thing, aren’t you?”

Slowly, I drag the zipper of her sweater down.

“Don’t do this, please,” she whispers.

“Don’t worry, I know how you like it and Coach won’t mind sharing,” I muse.

Her bottom lip quivers. “Knox.”

I groan. “Say my name again, come on.” My hand dips underneath her sweater to the hem of her shirt. “I want you to moan my name—can you do that for me?”

She shakes her head, her lips tightly pressed together, and a low chuckle rolls from me.

“I’ll wait,” I whisper and pull back slightly. “We don’t want to make Dimitri and Jaxon jealous.”

I never realized how much pain someone could inflict without a touch. I never realized the power of words and actions. I was young, stupid, following a man I worshipped.

She didn’t need my hands to hurt her as my words held enough power to push her this far, to push glass against her skin, to draw blood.

And we only made it worse after that, as if her own cuts weren’t enough. No, we had to carve ourselves into her body—her skin.

Everyone around me turns into him, turns into a monster. They all want the same.

They start with smiles and kindness, only for it to be replaced with…

Pain.

JAXON

I haven’t spoken to Dimitri since our… moment. I get his dad let him carry a burden that wasn’t meant for him. But we all have our crosses to bear.

I met his dad once and since then, I’ve stayed away. I don’t want to relive that day, the day he brought the news. Told me what happened to her.

I lost… her.

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