Killer Crush (Kiss. Kill. Repeat. #1)

Chapter 1

Cade Carpenter would have called it fate, if he were the kind of idiot who believed in that sort of thing. He wasn’t. Which meant the notification on his phone was just a very well-timed coincidence.

He was no stranger to apps. His entire job depended on one. But it wasn’t the Heartstopper app pinging his phone this time. It was a dating app he’d installed months ago to target a mark.

So much time had passed, he’d forgotten it existed…until the message popped up. And honestly, it couldn’t have come at a better time. He’d been looking for a distraction, and the universe had a twisted sense of humor.

He clicked the notification, pulling up a single message that read:

What’s the worst date you can think of and would you do it with me?

Cade grinned. The premise of the app was to ask odd, attention-grabbing questions to spark conversation. His mystery sender had nailed it. When it came to bad dates, Cade had plenty of material.

Maybe it was fate, after all. Maybe the universe did truly love him. Or maybe it just liked to hand him toys when he was bored.

He clicked on the profile, zooming in to get a closer look at the man behind the message.

Name: Tris.

Age: twenty-three.

Location: six blocks away, on the other side of the tracks.

Tris was gorgeous—dangerously so. Deep brown hair curled over his forehead in a style that probably took effort, and he had huge gray-blue eyes that looked like they’d caught a storm and plush lips Cade could already imagine putting to good use.

He dressed like he had a stylist on retainer and, strangely, he was eating in every photo: candy, cookies, a donut. It was practically food porn.

Yeah. Tris was exactly what Cade needed.

He typed out a reply:

Sure. Meet me Friday night at the port. 10 p.m.

He watched the typing dots blink on and off. Start, stop, start again. Had he scared him off? When the reply finally appeared, Cade couldn’t help grinning.

Tris

You want me to meet a stranger at the docks in the middle of the night. That’s not sus at all.

He had a point. Still…

Cade

You wanted the worst date I could think of.

Again, the dots danced—far too long this time.

Tris

I asked for a bad date, not the beginning of a true crime documentary.

Cade laughed out loud.

Cade

I promise you’ll live.

Tris

Said the random stranger…

Cade was impressed. Tris had good instincts. If Cade ever did end up in a true crime documentary, he’d definitely be the killer, no question. After all, he was a killer. He just had no intention of killing Tris.

No, Tris would be far more useful alive. He’d make a perfect alibi…if he would just agree to go out with him.

Tris

Besides, you didn’t say I’d have all my limbs or full brain capacity. I could be a vegetable when you’re done with me and still meet your definition of alive.

Cade stared at the message, a smirk tugging at his mouth. This kid was funny. And beautiful. And apparently had no filter, which was its own kind of dangerous.

While Cade was chewing over his response, another text came through.

Tris

Why do you think they started calling brain-dead people vegetables?

I hate vegetables. The real kind, not the people kind.

That would be, like, super rude. Well, I guess calling them that in the first place is also rude.

But that aside, who was the first asshole to look at some poor person on a ventilator and decide to call them a vegetable with their whole chest?

I bet karma came for them hard. They probably came back as a turnip or something.

Cade snorted, mentally amending his earlier assessment. Funny. Beautiful. And fucking weird. Perfect.

He watched, amused, as the dots kept dancing. Tris was apparently deep in a one-sided conversation with himself.

Tris

Do you think we can reincarnate into non-people things? Like, I’m sure you can come back as a dog or a bunny or a fly, but can you come back as a tree? Or a flower? Or a banana?

Cade pictured him saying that last part with earnest curiosity, maybe a little too eager, like the idea of being reincarnated as fruit actually appealed to him.

He shook his head, smiling.

Cade

Are you high right now?

The dots bounced. Stopped. Bounced again. Then stopped once more. By the time a reply appeared, Cade realized he’d been holding his breath.

Tris

Nope. Don’t change the subject.

He wasn’t entirely sure what the subject even was anymore. Still, he found himself pacing his loft, phone in hand, hoping to drag this bizarre conversation out longer than was smart.

Cade

I’m sure the first person to call someone a vegetable was just an asshole. And yeah, I like to think karma came for him. I’m big on an eye for an eye—so maybe he came back as someone trapped inside a useless body with a perfectly functioning brain.

Tris

I just got the shivers. I can’t imagine never being able to move. I never stop moving. If I did, I’d go crazy and probably die.

Cade

We wouldn’t want that.

Tris

No?

The way Tris kept talking—half convinced Cade wanted to murder him, half daring him to try—was both hilarious and baffling.

Cade

If you died, who would go on this date with me tomorrow?

Tris

Are you sure you’re not a serial killer?

Cade

Positive. They have rituals. I’m flexible.

A picture of Tris appeared—clearly a selfie snapped in the moment. He was lying in bed, hoodie up, messy hair spilling from the front, his expression somewhere between dubious and amused. Cade’s thumb hovered before he saved the photo, his cock stirring as he stared at that plush, wicked mouth.

Tris

Wow. He’s got jokes. I feel so much better. If I was a girl, I’d have blocked you and dropped this in the group chat so everyone could talk about the bullet I dodged.

Cade laughed out loud.

Cade

Good thing I’m not into girls.

Tris

What are you into?

Cade

Right now? Guys with soft cheeks and pretty gray eyes.

Tris

Is that me? It kinda sounds like you mean me?

Cade

Did you just high-five me for complimenting you?

Tris

No, that’s the praying-hands emoji. I’m praying you meant me.

Cade

I don’t know how to tell you this, but that’s actually the high-five emoji.

The typing dots blinked on and off again before another photo appeared. Tris, palm to his forehead, mouth open in mock horror. Cade bit his lip, zooming in like a creep. Was that…a tongue piercing?

He groaned quietly. His brain supplied images before he could stop it: Tris on his knees, that little steel ball dragging against the crown of his cock.

Another text buzzed in, snapping him back.

Tris

You’ve now shattered my whole worldview. Are you sure that’s a high-five emoji?

Cade

Look it up if you don’t believe me.

Tris

I refuse. Next thing I know, I’ll find out the eggplant emoji doesn’t mean someone likes eggplant.

Cade snorted, shaking his head.

Tris

Oh hey, full circle. Vegetables again.

Cade couldn’t wipe the grin off his face. Tris’s brain clearly took random detours and never bothered to signal.

Cade

You’re a fascinating creature.

Tris

Really? Then it’d be a shame to kill such a creature, right?

Cade

I’m not going to kill you. I promise.

Tris

Oh, well, if you promise…

Another selfie dropped in, same blank stare, this time with an orange popsicle held provocatively in frame. Cade’s stomach clenched. The little tease knew exactly what he was doing.

Cade

Come on. Take a chance on me. Bring a weapon if it’ll make you feel better.

Tris

This is the weirdest come-on I’ve ever had.

Cade flopped onto his bed, phone hovering above him. He snapped a selfie—half smirk, half wink—and hit send before he could think too hard about it.

Cade

Hey, you approached me.

Tris

Yeah. Cuz I was horny, not suicidal.

Cade’s cock twitched.

Cade

Do tell.

Tris

Yeah, you’d like that, wouldn’t you?

Cade’s gaze flicked down to his half-hard cock.

Cade

More than you know.

Tris

Yeah?

Cade

I’m gonna be dreaming about those lips for at least a week.

Tris

Only a week? I’m hurt.

Cade grinned. Sarcastic. Cocky. Too damn charming for his own good. He was intrigued, and that was dangerous.

Cade

You should be flattered. I forget most people’s lips in seconds.

Tris

I said what I said. BUT I’ll give you a pass because you’ve never gotten to see what these lips can do.

Cade

You have my undivided attention. Go on, then.

Tris

I prefer show to tell. You’ll just have to wait.

Cade

You could always put your camera and that popsicle to good use.

Cade stared at the screen, waiting for a stream of angry emojis or middle fingers, but it stayed still. No dots. Nothing. The silence stretched, long enough to feel like rejection. Had he pushed too far? Probably. He sighed, about to toss the phone aside when the soft chime hit.

A video.

Cade’s thumb twitched. He couldn’t hit play fast enough.

The clip opened with Tris staring straight into the camera, into him. Those storm-colored eyes were steady, teasing, a dare wrapped in a smile. Then he took the popsicle down his throat until it disappeared entirely.

Christ.

The wet sound of suction filled the small space of Cade’s loft. He bit back a groan, his pulse thudding in his ears, eyes locked on Tris’s lips as he drew the frozen treat back out. Tris licked the rounded tip, tongue swirling lazily, the glint of his piercing catching the light.

Cade’s hand slid down automatically, squeezing his now fully hard cock just as Tris bit off the tip of the popsicle.

“This is the end of your free trial. Please subscribe to see more,” Tris purred into the camera, voice syrup-smooth, then flashed a cheesy wink. The screen went dark.

Cade exhaled, low and rough, then lifted his phone and snapped a selfie, pouting like he’d just been robbed.

Cade

No fair. It was just getting good.

He didn’t look away from the screen until the next reply appeared.

Tris

Fuck. You’re so hot. I really, really hope I don’t end up chopped into little pieces and thrown off the dock.