Chapter One
Jackson
I remember the first time I met her.
Her dark, red hair twirls across her shoulders and over the tops of her breasts—breasts that are almost pouring out of her tight, black dress. Have you ever met a girl so poisonous even a glance in your direction renders you powerless? Her black, glassy eyes catch mine and the damp beer bottle almost slips from my fingers. I tighten my grip. Her look, her presence, is enough to tangle you in her undoubtedly intricate web without so much as a touch from her sharp, venomous fangs. She’s gorgeous and dark, dangerous and beautiful, enticing you without a single word. Like a black widow spider, she’s ready to make something magical happen and she will…right before she devours you completely, leaving nothing but an empty shell behind. That woman, the one watching me from the other side of the club, is Amelia Petrovic, the love of my life. The devil under the guise of an angel. The woman who ruined my life.
I lower my beer and set it on the glass table top. Suddenly, beer is the last thing I want to drink. From where she’s standing, she can’t tell that I’m underage. Then again, the security guard at the door couldn’t, either. I peer down the length of the bar at Seth, my best friend. Three women surround him like birds to a piece of bread. His features are a lot more boyish than mine—prettier, even, but women fall for it every time. I turn my sights back to the redhead, but she’s gone and a feeling of despair settles in my stomach.
“Amelia,” a woman says in my ear. Her voice is husky and smooth all at once like bourbon.
I turn my head and there she is, the redhead, Amelia, up close and personal. Immediately, my stare falls to her lips. They’re plump and red, swollen as if she’s just been kissed, and they stand out against her white, porcelain skin. She leans even closer to me and suddenly, I’m fucking speechless. Her smell, cinnamon, engulfs me and I clear my throat. “Jackson.”
“Jackson,” she repeats, testing my name out on the tip of her tongue. “I like it.”
I take a nervous sip of my beer and clench the neck to stop my hand from trembling. Fuck. I’ve never been so shaken up by a woman before. Not like this. She giggles and flicks her thick red hair. “Aren’t you a little young to be in a club, Jackson?”
I shake my head and force false confidence into my voice. “No, ma’am. I’m twenty-one.”
Even in the seedy lighting, I see her dark eyes flare. “You don’t have to lie to me. I can keep a secret.” My entire body stills as she reaches out and drags a long, red fingernail down my arm. “You’re bad, Jackson, and I like bad.”
I arch a brow. “You do?”
“Oh, yes.” She steps even closer until her firm body presses against mine. “Show me how bad you can be.”
I frown. How do I ‘be bad’? I glance down. I don’t have any tattoos. I don’t smoke or do drugs. I drink occasionally and the only fighting I do is in George’s MMA class after school. What she wants, I can’t give her…because that’s not me. Seth is the one who likes to fight no matter where he is. He’s probably planned out all of his tattoos too, but the thought of pointing Amelia in Seth’s direction irks me.
“How?” I ask despite my reservation.
Amelia scans the club and points out a tall man in the corner of the club chatting up a girl. “You see him?”
I nod.
“He looked at me. Go teach him a lesson.”
I look at Amelia. She can’t be serious? Looking isn’t a crime and it’s not like she isn’t sexy because she is—easily the sexiest woman in this entire club. “You’re out of your mind.” I tell her. “I’m not going to hurt him because he looked at you.”
Her eyes, black in this light, flick over my face. She surveys me for a few long seconds before she shrugs her shoulders and smirks the darkest smirk I’ve ever seen. “Grow some balls, Jackson. Do it and I’ll show you things you’ll never forget.”
Holy fuck. Punch an innocent man and have my world rocked, or get out of this messed up situation as quick as I can? As much as I’d like to see the things she can show me…I can’t bring myself to hurt someone who doesn’t deserve it. “Nope, I’m not doing it.”
“We’ll see.” She hooks her finger around the collar of my black polo and tugs me into her. I don’t have time to register what’s happening as her mouth crashes with mine and she slips her tongue between my lips. Over and over, she rubs her tongue against mine, intoxicating me completely. Then, as my hands find her hips, she pulls away from me and storms off. I watch, dazed, as she crosses the bar and approaches the tall guy she wanted me to ‘teach a lesson to.’ There’s a sexy sway in her hips as she stands, talking to him and strangely, I don’t like it. I have no control over her and I have no connection to her, but I’m jealous just watching the two.
I jump as a heavy hand slaps down on my shoulder. “Jacks, ready to go?” Seth shouts in my ear. I glance at him and the pretty brunette he has tucked under his arm.
“A few more minutes,” I tell him, turning back to watch Amelia.
Her hands trail up his tattooed arm into his spiky, black hair. I ignore the jealous pang in the pit of my stomach. I barely know the girl…Then, she pulls him down and presses her lips to his. I surge forward, marching towards them like she’s mine. She isn’t, but she wants me to prove myself to her. I should run. Amelia is clearly crazy, but there’s something about her that hits all of my buttons. I hear Seth call out for me, but I don’t turn around. My blood hums, pushing adrenaline around my body. It all happens so fast…I pull Amelia away and swing at the tall asshole. My fist connects with the side of his head and he hunches over, clenching his face. Pain radiates through my hand and up my arm, but I’m too high on the moment to really notice it. I’m barely able to get my bearings on the situation before I’m grabbed from behind and my feet are yanked off the floor.
“There’s no fighting in here!” the man holding me booms as he squeezes me tighter in his grip. I don’t bother fighting him. Getting my ass kicked by a guard and being banned from my favorite Seattle club isn’t something I want to do tonight. Sure enough, I’m dumped right outside the door and shoved down the sidewalk.
“Get off me, asshole,” Seth growls as the security guard tosses him out the door, too.
The cool Saturday night air blows against my burning skin and I lean against the brick, flexing my fist and cradling my wrist. I was so wound up I didn’t even think to hit him properly.
“What the fuck, Jackson?” Seth snaps, running his fingers through his dark, hair. “You hit a guy? What for?”
I glance at him. He’s just pissed I ruined his chance to score tonight. How he isn’t a teenage parent by now is beyond me. “Because I wanted to.”
I almost shudder at the truth in my statement.
“Well done,” Amelia purrs.
Seth steps aside and Amelia inches closer. I don’t appreciate the onceover she gives Seth, but I’m not about to punch him, too. The wild strands of her red hair are illuminated by the street lights and I know, in this moment, that she isn’t going to be good for me. Regardless, my skin prickles, begging her to come closer.
“Do you have a phone?” she asks, extending her long nailed hand.
Without a word, I pull it from my back pocket and slap it into her palm. I watch her dark features as she taps quickly over the screen, inserting her details. Then, she leans in. I hear Seth swear under his breath and turn around.
“I’m going to love sinking my claws in you,” she whispers, kissing my cheek. Amelia hands my phone back and I glance down at her name and number. When I look up, I see her back as she disappears back into the club…
…and that was the first time I got twisted in Amelia’s shit, too young, horny, and stupid to see how psychotic she really was.