CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

COLE

My jaw tightens as I lose my patience. “I don’t have time for this, Austin. Tell me what the fuck you’re talking about!” I demand.

“I don’t want to talk to you,” she says.

“Too bad.” She tries to take a step back. “Why are you so pissed at me?”

Another tear falls down her face. And I try to figure out why my quick trip to Texas could have hurt her so much.

“God, you have some nerve.” I frown. “You think I’m an idiot. You think I’m stupid and wouldn’t find out? Wouldn’t hear her?”

“What are you …?”

“I know you’re sleeping with Celeste!” she screams.

“What?” Deke whispers.

“Fuck!” I couldn’t stop the word from leaving my mouth.

Her eyes narrow on me to little slits. “No, fuck you, Cole!”

She starts to turn, to run down the hallway to the exit, but I grab her arm again and yank to her to a stop. “I’m not sleeping with her.”

“Yes, you are!” she yells. “Stop lying to me.”

I release her and take a step back. “I’m not. I promise.”

She huffs and crosses her arms over her chest. “Where did you have to go yesterday and today, Cole?”

My jaw tightens. “I can’t tell you that.”

“You can; you just choose not to.”

“It’s none of you Goddamn business, Austin!” I snap.

“It is when you’re sleeping with my stepmother,” she yells back.

I run a hand through my hair. “What makes you think I slept with her?” I ask trying to settle my rage. It’s gonna get us nowhere.

“I told you. I heard her.”

“Heard her what?”

She rolls her watery eyes but indulges me. “When I got home yesterday after taking Lilly to ballet, I walked into the kitchen to get a bottle of water, and I heard her yelling your name from my father’s and her bedroom.”

My eyes widen.

“Shit.” Deke hisses.

“But you should know that since you were there with her.”

I reach out for her. “Austin …” But she pulls away and starts to walk down the hallway once again.

“I’ve never slept with Celeste,” I say, watching her come to a stop, and I swallow. “And I haven’t slept with anyone else since …” I trail off.

She spins around. “Since you started sleeping with me? How original, Cole.”

“No.” My eyes meet hers. “Since the accident,” I say, not caring that Deke is here. She deserves to know.

She’s breathing heavy, and her eyes still narrow in suspicion. “That was almost nine months ago.”

I nod. She doesn’t take a step toward me, but she also doesn’t make a move to turn and leave. I run my hand through my hair nervously. “After the accident, people steered clear of me. I had so much hate, so much rage, that the guys were the only ones not afraid to talk to me. Be around me. If I wasn’t with them, I was at physical therapy or in a pool.” Her eyes drop to her hands, inspecting her nails. “But when I showed up with you at school, everyone thought I was back to my old self. The old Cole who partied every night of the week and slept around …” I walk over to her, needing to close the distance. I place my finger under her chin and lift it to where she has to look up at me. “I know I’ve hurt you.” My free hand runs over her scar on her forearm. “And I’ve forced you to do things that you didn’t want to do.”

“Blackmail,” she corrects me.

I smile down at her. “But I’ve never cheated on you.” Pushing her hair behind her ear, I say. “You’re all I want.”

She sighs. “Cole …”

“Please,” I beg. “Believe me.” She bites her bottom lip nervously. “I need you to believe me.”

“It doesn’t make sense.”

“I know.” My teeth clench. “But I’m gonna figure out what went on and why.”

She finally nods her head once, and I lower my lips softly, kissing her forehead. “I’ll come over after practice, okay?”

She looks over at Deke, who watches us like a nosy little bitch. “Okay,” she says and turns around, walking out the door.

I turn around, get what I need out of my locker, slam it shut and head toward the guys’ locker room. “Are you really fucking Celeste?” Deke asks.

I come to a stop and glare at him. “No. Kellan is.”

His eyes widen. “How long have you known this?”

“Couple of months,” I say truthfully.

“Why haven’t you said anything?” he asks, his brows pulling together.

“Because it wasn’t important.”

“And now?” he asks.

“Now, it’s become a problem I’m gonna fucking fix.”

_________________________________

I get out from underneath Austin’s arms—she passed out about an hour ago—and pull my jeans on and nothing else. I make my way out of her room and down the stairs. The rain pours on the house and lightning fills the dark halls. It’s late. Has to be past midnight.

I walk into the formal dining room to find Celeste sitting at the table. Her back to me. She’s on her phone. “Yeah,” she whispers. “Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow. I love you,” she says and then hangs up. When she stands and turns around, she startles, placing her hands on her chest. “Cole!” she squeals. “What are you doing here?”

My eyes go to her phone in her hand and then back to hers. “I’m gonna take a guess and say that was Kellan.” She glares at me. “Love already, huh?” I run my fingers along the wood of the china cabinet. “That was fast.”

Her eyes narrow. “Like you’re one to talk. Everyone can see how obsessed you are with Austin.”

“Funny you should mention her.” I take a step forward. “You’re trying to fuck up what’s mine.”

“She told you?”

“No,” I lie, and she snorts in disbelief. I close the small space and cup her cheek. She stiffens. “I have a way of making people talk, Celeste. Am I gonna have to make you talk?”

Her bottom lip trembles. “It was his idea …”

“She heard your voice. Not his.”

She lets out a long breath. “He said you’re falling for her. That you won’t let her go. That she needs to go, and since you won’t step away, she needs to.”

“She’s not going anywhere,” I say firmly.

“Cole …” she whispers. “Please … he made me …”

I bring my hand and wrap it around her throat but don’t take away her air. She inhales sharply. I can feel her pulse race, and I smile. “Am I the one you think of when he fucks you?”

She shudders.

I pull away. “’Cause if that’s what you want …” I run my fingers across her collarbone.

“Cole … please …” she begs, and her body shakes with nervousness.

She should be afraid of me. “I’ve got insurance, Celeste.”

Her eyes widen in surprise. “Last week when you met him at the hotel. Last month when you met him outside of town at that log cabin. We had a deal. Are you going back on it?” She shakes her head quickly.

“Good. Now leave what’s mine alone or …” I lean down to whisper in her ear. “You will be screaming my name. But it won’t be from pleasure.” I pull back. “Understand?”

She nods.

“Say I understand, Cole.”

“I understand, Cole.” She swallows.

“Good girl.” Then I turn around and walk back up the stairs.

I enter Austin’s room, shutting the door and locking it behind me. Removing my jeans, I crawl onto the bed and straddle her hips. She lies on her back with her head turned to the side. She’s completely naked.

I lean down, kissing her neck. She still smells like sex. Like me. And I love it. “Sweetheart.”

“Hmm?” She moans, turning her head more to allow me better access.

“Wake up, baby.” I slide a hand between our bodies and run it over her shaved pussy.

“No …” She breathes. “I’m too sore.”

I chuckle. “Want me to kiss it?”

“God.” She sighs.

I trail kisses down her bare chest as I slide a finger into her. She whimpers.

Sitting up, I position myself between her legs. I lift her right leg and place it over my shoulder and then lean into it, softly kissing it. She lifts her hips up off the bed. Needing more. “Tell me you want me.”

“I want you, Cole.” Her hips buck again. “Please.”

I smile and then bite her inner thigh. She screams out my name as my teeth sink into her flawless skin.

When I set her leg down, she’s panting. I run my finger over the bruise that’s already forming. “I’m gonna mark you from head to toe, sweetheart.” And she’s gonna be the only one screaming my name in this house from now on.

AUSTIN

The next week went by faster than ever. Things were going well between Cole and me. People still stared at us in the hall as if they were waiting for me to slap him or for him to shove me up against his locker and make out with me. He didn’t disappoint them. There was talk around the school as to why I slapped him. The rumors were far from the truth, and I didn’t have the heart to tell them that their imaginations were weak.

Friday after school, the guys had to stay later for practice ’cause they had a swim meet coming up. I helped Cole out and took Lilly to dance and then back to his house before returning home. I had just walked up the stairs to my room when I hear his voice.

“Files?”

I stop and turn to look over the banister but don’t see anyone. But that was definitely my father. What is he doing here? I thought he was out of town for a few weeks?

“My laptop got stolen …”

My stomach drops.

“Jesus!” my father hisses. “But what about the emails?”

“They’ve been deleted. They wouldn’t be able to find them unless they searched the hard drive and knew what they were looking for.”

“Are you sure?” he asks nervously. “No one steals a laptop for no reason,” he snaps.

“I’m positive.”

I make my way quietly back down the stairs and out the front door. I jump into my car and dial Cole’s number. He doesn’t answer. I call Deke’s. Nothing.

“Shit! Come on guys,” I say, my knees bouncing. This is not good.