Page 12 of Lost to the Woods

5. Ghost

Ihate parties.

Have I mentioned that already?

Well, I fucking do. I hate them. Too many people. Too much noise. Way too much phony shit. Overstimulating as hell. I always end up on the cusp of slashing everyone’s throat and calling it a night.

Another thing I hate? Fucking LA.

It’s the worst. This whole celebrity wannabe scene in all its hollow, plastic glory—empty shells of people wrapped in designer fabric, faking friendships for clout.

But then Dev started dating some B-list actress, and we all got invited to the biggest party of the year in Hollywood Hills.

Including Bunny.

A freshlysingleBunny.

She’d finally kicked Aiden’s ass to the curb a week before Thanksgiving. November 21st. I remember precisely because it was the day of my birthday. Not sure if that was a coincidence or not, but I could assume they fought non-stop after Halloween—that bitch-ass boy was too insecure. She called me in tears on my big three-O. And despite having some plans, I stayed on theline the whole night, comforting her while we got wasted over FaceTime.

So, naturally, I was the first one to book a flight to LA, stoked as fuck to spend New Years Eve with her, even if it meant fighting off my inner rage the whole damn time being there. And that’s where it all began.

Free from that useless fuck she used to call a boyfriend, Bunny was reckless as hell that night. She was drinking too much, laughing too loudly, dancing carelessly like she hadn’t yet realized she was the kind of prey men like me obsess over. But she loved the attention, constantly seeking approval. I feasted on the view of her body in that short, tight dress, her flushed cheeks, her luscious hair curled in loose waves bouncing with her every move.

And Nate—poor, pathetic Nate-pushover-Baker—thought he had a chance. He hovered too close, lingering, angling himself in every conversation, his eyes devouring her behind his glasses. I let him have his little moment for my own entertainment, honestly. Some friend zones were inescapable. She would never look at him that way, no matter how good of a guy he was.

She was attracted to danger, thrilled by fear. It wasn’t hard to put two and two together—girls like her weren’t into ghosts and murder unless they had a kink. She also had serious daddy issues, and I wouldn’t mind spoiling her like a princess.

The only contender I’d have taken seriously was Dev, as he had been hitting on her in the beginning before I stepped into the picture. But now with him in a relationship, and Bunny and I already having a thing, that wasn’t a problem.

I slid in then, cutting the space between her and Nate, wrapping a possessive arm around her waist with the kind of ownership that made lesser men understand their place.

Bunny leaned into me without even thinking. Instinct.

Nate got the message. His smile faltered, and he mumbled something about getting another drink before disappearing.

Like I said, pathetic.

“Where have you been? You missed the fireworks!” she accused in a cute, whiny tone, slurring the words a bit. “I thought you’d be my midnight kiss.”

“It’s not midnight yet.”

“Oh…” She raised her brows high in disbelief. “But I saw the ball drop.”

“Kendra called you, right?”

“Right…”

“From New York, silly. We’re in different time zones now.”

She frowned, looking confused but adorable as she tried to do the math through the liquor haze. “I think I’m a little tipsy.” She giggled, swaying slightly.

I caught her before she could stumble, my hands firm on her waist, keeping her steady. “Yeah, no shit.”

She nuzzled into my chest, inhaling deeply. “You smell so good,” she complimented, craning her neck to look up at me, her small hand caressing my pec over the fabric of my hoodie.

Fuck me.

She smelled like sugar and poison, a heady mix of vanilla perfume and tequila. I wanted to sink my teeth into her skin, leave marks and bruises no one else could claim. But I knew better. She was sloppy drunk, and I couldn’t touch her. Not like this.

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