Chapter 5

Idon’t have long to ponder or obsess over Slater though, because my phone goes off, and I see Victor has texted me. I grab my bag and rush down the stairs. Once I’m in the parking lot, I make my way to the farthest back corner. There are no lights back here, so I have to use my phone to see what the moonlight is too faint to illuminate.

I see Victor’s car finally and pick up the pace. Once I approach it, he unlocks it, and I climb in the back seat like he asked me to.

I realize immediately that whatever cologne he wore tonight is not a scent I like at all. Slater had been wearing something that lured me in and made me want to breathe deeply. Whatever this is makes me want to roll a window down and stick my head out, so I can gulp fresh air.

“You look beautiful,” Victor compliments, and I nod my thanks. Now that I’m here, I’m nervous. Distracted by my interaction with Slater, and a bit sick because of the strong smell I’m trapped by.

My leg bounces as I try to expend some of the energy pent up inside, but it’s not helping. The car’s engine is off, so it’s overly quiet, and I can’t help but feel like this might have been a mistake.

What if we get caught? What would happen to Victor? Shit, what would happen to me? My mom would lose her mind, I might get kicked out of school before I graduate…my heart races, and my breathing picks up as my mind takes my anxieties and runs with them. The more of the horrible cologne that fills my lungs, the worse I feel.

“Oh, you’re nervous. It’s okay, come here.” Victor moves closer to me, only making things worse as I nearly suffocate on his cologne. “I can’t stop thinking about the video you sent me. I hope the money will help you. I was thinking we could make one right now. A longer one. Together.”

I shake my head, not sure what to say. It was different when I was in the safety of my own bed, and I had complete control over what he saw, and what I did. If I allow him to do this, things could go farther than I’m comfortable with. And I don’t want that. I definitely don’t want it recorded.

Victor starts rubbing my thigh through my jeans, and I shake my head. This feels too real. This feels bigger. I knew nothing could truly happen in the classroom. Nothing more than a kiss, but in the darkness of his car, we – he – could go much further.

Is this really what I want?

I hesitate.

Victor grabs my hand, and puts it against his hard dick, having me rub. No, no, no, no, no. It’s my breaking point. Gagging, I snatch my hand out of his, throw the car door open, and jump out.

I’m trembling all over as I gasp for breath, and the night air washes away his nasty scent. I start running toward the safety of the football field, needing to get as far away from him as possible. I was wrong. I’m not ready for…this…not with him.

But Victor chases after me.

“Wait!” Victor shouts, gaining on me. Why did I wear freaking flip-flops?

“Everything okay?” a dark voice asks. A shadow steps out from between two cars, scaring the crap out of me. I run into a solid, muscled chest, and look up to see Slater. He studies me intently, his head cocked to the side, his expression unreadable.

Why is he still here?

“Yes,” I yelp, trying to push away from him, but Slater keeps me close with his free arm wrapped around my waist tightly.

“Oh, hello. It’s Mr. Spiro, isn’t it?” Slater frowns, and I find myself mirroring the action. How does Slater know his name? Mr. Spiro is new. “What are you doing out here? Did you need something from Cora?” The suggestive way Slater asks this makes me cringe, and I wonder if he knows more than he should.

Impossible. He can’t. He doesn’t even go to this school anymore. I’m just feeling paranoid and on edge about everything.

“No, I was just looking for someone else when I ran into Mr. Spiro,” I hastily try to explain. I’m talking too fast but hoping my stepbrother chalks it up to me being out of breath from running. “He was just trying to walk me back to the game in case I ran into anyone dangerous.” I emphasize the last word and give him a pointed look.

Slater raises his brow at me, a lazy smile on his face that annoys me, before he looks back at Victor and that smile drops like a stone and a fierce scowl takes its place. I don’t want to be left alone with Victor, but I also don’t want him to get caught. I don’t want anyone to see those videos.

Oh god, the thought of that makes my stomach twist painfully and bile rises in my throat.

“I’ve got her now,” Slater tells Victor, throwing his arm over my shoulders. “She’s my sister.”

“I didn’t know you had a brother, Cora,” Victor says, completely ignoring Slater and giving me an unreadable look.

“Stepbrother,” I whisper. “He’s usually away at college.”

That seems to make Victor happier; his shoulders relax, and he looks relieved.

Slater still has his arm around me, and I inhale his scent keenly. It’s so much nicer than Victor’s. The warmth of his body and the reassuring weight of his arm cause the tension to dissolve from my body.

“You should probably go watch the end of the game or help with crowd control or something, Sir.” Slater nods in the direction of the football field, and Victor clears his throat.

“Alright, you two enjoy the rest of your night.” Victor tips his head, but instead of heading to the game, he heads to his car. I watch him walk away, thankful he doesn’t look back.

I pull out of Slater’s grip, shoving at his chest, and he smirks.

“Better get back to the bleachers, little sis, in case any of those dangerous men show up.”

Before I can come up with a retort, my phone starts buzzing in my pocket. Lizzy’s calling.

“Hello?”

“Where are you? I’ve called four times!” Lizzy exclaims, sounding exasperated with me. “The game’s almost over, but come meet me, and we’ll go to a party one of the players is throwing.”

I cringe. “Sorry, sorry. I’m coming now.”

As I wordlessly walk away from Slater, I can’t help but wonder what might have happened if he hadn’t been there. If Victor had caught up to me. It makes me shudder.