Chapter 33
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Aspen
Anxiety was crippling as I navigated my way out of the dressing room of the booming club. It felt like it had been forever since I’d last worked. Talissa hadn’t bothered to text me a single time since my absence. Either she simply just didn’t give a shit and replaced me already, or maybe she assumed I quit.
Making my way to the main part of the club, I assessed the vicinity. Music played loudly from the speakers, puncturing my eardrums in the process. The place wasn’t packed yet, but there were a decent number of customers. It seemed that they were all occupied at this time, though, so I’d have to wait.
Striding over to the bar, I tapped my nails against the counter. James’s back was turned toward me as he worked on someone’s drink. I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed seeing his face until now. After a few moments, he turned around, stopping dead in his tracks when his eyes landed on me.
My lips parted in surprise as my gaze roamed over him. He was sporting a black eye that was outlined in purple discoloration. Parts of it had started turning yellow, indicating it was in the healing stages. His bottom lip was busted, and his cheekbone didn’t look much better than his eye did.
I swallowed thickly, watching as he tore his gaze from mine and served the customer, he’d made the drink for. Once he was done, he approached me with obvious reluctance, making my forehead crease in confusion. Why was he acting so weird? Who would hurt him like that? A multitude of questions invaded my headspace.
“Same as usual?” he asked, not even bothering to make eye contact with me.
I pursed my lips and nodded. As he started fixing up my drink, my questions became too much. I needed answers. “What happened to you?” I blurted.
His jaw tightened from the pressure of grinding his molars together. He didn’t answer right away, choosing to focus on my drink instead. Once he was done, he didn’t have an excuse to ignore me anymore. Nobody else was over here. The last person he’d served took his drink and walked away to go check out one of the dancers.
“James,” I pressed, raising an expectant eyebrow. “Tell me.”
“Like you don’t fucking know,” he snapped, his face contorting into a scowl. “The night you left work and didn’t come back, your boyfriend attacked me outside of the club.”
“I don’t have a boyfriend, what the hell are you talking about?”
He scoffed, shaking his head. “If that’s true, then you have an obsessed stalker.”
I’d heard horror stories from some of the girls in the dressing room. Most of them have had bad encounters with some of the guys that occupied this place. Stalking definitely wasn’t something that rarely happened to strippers or sex club workers. It was more common than I cared to admit. The prospect of me becoming a target after everything I’d been through made my anxiety that much worse.
“Did he say what his name was?”
“No. He was a little too busy pummeling my face,” he deadpanned. “He told me to stay away from you, though. Not Violet , but Aspen.”
I reeled back, my most recent theory deteriorating into dust. Customers didn’t know my real name. I’d been extremely careful about letting that slip. The little bit of privacy that I had was important to me. Sighing, I reached for my beverage and took a long sip. There were only a few people I could think of who would do something like that.
“I don’t know who did that to you,” I said. “But I knew nothing about it.”
He frowned as he let that sink in. There was no time for him to reply, because Star slid up beside me, pulling me in for a tight hug. Before I could even react, she was pulling away, looking at me with wide eyes.
“I thought you quit,” she said suddenly.
“No.” I snorted with a half-assed eye roll. “I was actually drugged and then kidnapped from VIP. Some assholes I went to school with took their prank a little too seriously.”
Star’s eyes widened in disbelief and even James’s lips parted in shock. There was no point lying about it. I took another drink, ignoring their surprised expressions.
“You’re serious?” Star queried, searching my face for any sign that I was joking.
I shrugged. “They didn’t harm me or anything. It was their lame attempt at flirting.” The words tasted bitter on my tongue, but it was better than telling her why they really went after me.
Before anyone else could get a word in, one of the cocktail servers approached. I could never remember her name, but we rarely ever spoke. She had bright red hair with scars marring her porcelain flesh. She looked between us timidly before settling her gaze on me.
“Talissa is asking for you.”
“That was fast,” I muttered.
My gaze drifted to her chest where deep scar tissue was most visible. The marks looked almost familiar . She caught my eye, fear shining in her orbs. As quickly as she’d approached, she turned on her heels and scurried off.
“What was that about?” I asked, furrowing my eyebrows.
Star snorted in amusement. “That’s Gypsy, AKA, Gloria. She’s always been on the ‘shyer’ side. Personally, I’m surprised she’s lasted this long here.”
“Did you see those marks on her body?” I pressed. “They looked like they were…knife wounds.”
“We’ve all seen them. She won’t talk about it, though.” She turned to James. “Fix me the usual?” she asked him. He nodded and turned to start making her drink.
I nodded, thoughtfully. “I guess I need to go see what Talissa wants.”
I took one last swig of my beverage before placing it down on the bar top and started toward her office. Weaving through people coming and going, I eventually made it to the opposite end of the club. I desperately hoped she wasn’t calling me into her office to say that she was firing me.
Approaching her office door, I knocked my knuckles against the wood three times. It took a few moments, but the hinges creaked as it opened, allowing me entry. Reluctantly, I made my way past the stern looking women and entered her office. The sound of the door closing behind me was like a gunshot in this quiet room.
“I’m glad to see you’re well,” she said as she moved to stand at my side.
Like you even give a shit.
Instead of saying that, though, I swallowed the words and nodded. She extended her arm, motioning toward her desk. Slowly, I made my way across the room, dropping down into one of the chairs. She took her time in following me before taking the seat adjacent to mine.
Talissa’s red lips were drawn into a tight line. Her gaze was as accusing as it was assessing. She tapped her acrylic nails on the surface of her mahogany desk.
“What do you know about Collin Walker and his friends?” she asked suddenly, catching me off guard.
This was the last thing I expected her to ask me. What was even more surprising was that she knew Collin by name.
I furrowed my eyebrows, unable to hide the confusion from my features. “Um…he and his friends are a bunch of cocky assholes. Why?”
Her lips twitched slightly, amusement shining within her eyes. Leaning back in her seat; the chair creaked beneath her weight. “Have any of them struck your fancy?” she pried.
“Did you call me in here to talk about boys?”
Maybe she was one of their moms. She was old enough to be, and she knew I went to Redwood Academy. Perhaps she was simply just wanting to know if I was interested in her son. However, I didn’t know how to answer her question. They were all attractive, but was I interested in them past that?
Talissa snorted, the sound coming out similar to a pig. “I’m just curious. Collin is a regular, so entertain me.” Her eyes glistened with malice, the sight unsettling.
Blowing out a breath, I wracked my brain for something to give her. These guys were infuriating at the best of times and lethal at the worst. Myles was a psychopath who ruined my life in more ways than one. He was conniving, patient, calculating, and lacked morality. While I was deeply attracted to him, those things alone weren’t enough to make me dare admit to caring for him. Then there was Hunter. We haven’t had many encounters. He took the last shred of dignity I had left, leaving me a shattered mess by the time he was done. At least with Myles, I knew what to expect from him. Hunter’s dark side had been a complete surprise, and maybe, that was even more dangerous. Foster hated me with a burning passion that was so potent, it shown within his crystalline eyes. He was probably the most ruthless one of them all—the one who didn’t so much as hesitate before pushing me off that cliff. Lastly, there was Collin. He was probably the one who tugged on my heartstrings the most. He was the only one who had ever been capable of making me feel jealousy. He was as unpredictable as Hunter was, but he was different. His smile lit up the entire room, his presence was electrifying—all of theirs was, and he made me know what it felt like to care about someone other than myself and in ways that were different from how you’d care for a friend.
I remember when they came to the club that night. I’d hurt him intentionally, knowing his ribs were his weak spot after what Rocky had done to him. What I hadn’t counted on was feeling guilty about hurting him. Watching him crumble to the ground in agony sent pain splintering through my chest. Leaving him wasn’t an option. That was the moment I realized that I did care.
Blowing out a breath, I dropped my gaze to my hands. I’d never admitted this out loud before, and however weird it was, I felt comfortable around Talissa for unknown reasons. She might have seemed like a hard ass, but she also felt like home. Was that weird?
“If I had to choose one of the guys who I truly cared for out of the group of them, I’d have to go with Collin.”
Something flashed across her face, but it was gone before I could decipher it. Finally, she nodded. “Just some friendly advice,” she began. “Collin might seem like the best option because he appears to have his head on straight and exerts that charming, golden-retriever energy. But it’s a facade. He’s as ruthless as his friends are and he will chew you up and spit you out without so much of a backwards glance. It would be in your best interest to stay away from him.”
I frowned, allowing her words to sink in. I hated to admit that she was probably right. He’s been so back and forth since I’d met him. From wanting me so badly that he continuously pursued me. He even went against his own friends when he got me out of that cellar. After I finally let him and spread my legs for him, it was like the mask had slipped. He’d become cold and heartless. He had a hand in Raven’s death, my rape and my own attempted death, and then he apologized for all of it, which seemed sincere. But the first chance he got, when I was actively developing feelings for him, he fucked Madison. Next, he fucked Payton. I wasn’t even sure where we stood now.
“I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you.”
She pursed her lips and nodded, seemingly okay with my answer, but also acting like it wasn’t enough at the same time. I didn’t know why she was so interested in the drama I’d found myself wrapped up in.
“You’ll be here tomorrow?” she pressed, raking her gaze over me with an unrecognizable expression plastered across her face.
I bit the inside of my cheek thoughtfully. “Is it okay if I start working Friday through Sunday instead? I’m going to school again and I have a lot of catching up to do.”
“School is important,” she surmised. “Those are the days we need you the most, anyways. I’ll make the necessary changes to your schedule. You’re free to go.”
I stood and made my way across the room, slipping out of her office and closing the door behind me. A weight lifted from my shoulders as soon as I was back into the main part of the club. More people had arrived since then, which meant that it was time to hustle.
Rocky picked me up from the club and took me back to the school. Tension was thick between us since our last couple of encounters. He was becoming just as confusing as the guys were.
The night sky blanketed us as we sat in the parking lot of the academy. I wasn’t ready to go back to Monroe’s quite yet, not sure if Caroline would be awake. Instead, I sat quietly, staring out at the massive building sitting a few yards away.
“You found the bottle of pills, right?” he asked, resting his right hand on top of the steering wheel.
“I actually wanted to talk to you about that.” I turned to look at him, shifting my body so that I was positioned in his direction. “I’m?—”
My words were cut off as a loud bang permeated the air, damaging my eardrums in the process. I ducked on instinct and Rocky wasted no time grabbing me and pushing me down into his lap for protection while he leaned over my shaking body.
“What the fuck was that?” I hissed.
My heart raced as another knock sounded against the car window. It sounded like someone was stoning his vehicle or something.
“Someone’s throwing shit,” he growled. “Keep your head down. I’m going out there.”
My heart rate accelerated. “Are you crazy? You don’t even know who it is. What if they’re dangerous?” I snapped in a hushed voice, not wanting the perpetrator to hear me if they were close.
He surprised me, tangling his fingers through my hair and causing my neck to bend backwards. Now definitely wasn’t the time to get turned on, but my body wasn’t getting the memo. Apparently, high-stress situations got me hotter for some reason.
“So am I.”
His lips came down on mine softly, and I immediately parted for him, my breath hitching as his hot breath feathered against my mouth. He pulled away too quickly, making me crave his touch that much more.
When the knocking noise sounded again, it was on Rocky’s side of the car, and much closer than it had been before. Rocky jolted upright and I flinched as we turned to look out his window. A hooded figure stood outside, his face shrouded in shadows, making it impossible to see who it was.
My hand clasped onto his, fear spiraling through me. I didn’t know why this person was targeting us, or what they even wanted. But I did know that they didn’t have pure intentions. That was enough for me. Ever since I almost died, I started carrying a weapon in my backpack for protection. It was my security, and if there was ever a time to use it, that was now.
Rocky started yelling at the cloaked figure, his chest rising and falling with adrenaline, fear, or both. While he was keeping the probable murderer occupied, I reached into my bag, feeling around for my weapon.
The window shattered suddenly, sending glass spraying everywhere. I buckled over, clenching my eyes closed to avoid getting sliced up by the stray remnants of the window. The stranger reached inside, grabbing Rocky by the throat.
As soon as my hand brushed against the handle of my blade, I pulled it free, hiding it on the outer side of my right leg. Rocky was struggling against the person who’d grabbed him, punching anything he could, but the unknown person wasn’t faltering.
“What the fuck do you want?” I shouted, hoping someone would hear me and come to our rescue.
“You,” the stranger growled.
Rocky managed to punch him in the face, causing the creep to stumble backwards, but he managed to keep his hold on the guy seated beside me.
Fear was paralyzing as it coiled around me like a vice, immobilizing my thought process. I was so sick and tired of being scared all the damn time. It was time to truly fight back for once. It was this piece of shit or us, and dying wasn’t on my to-do list today.
The cloaked figure smashed Rocky’s head against the side of the window, knocking him unconscious. Blood trickled down the side of his face as he slumped forward against the steering wheel. My hand tightened around the blade in my palm. As much as I wanted to get out and run, to do something , my body wouldn’t move. It was like I was frozen in place.
The male reached for the doorhandle on the inside of the car after unlocking it. He pulled Rocky outside and dropped him on the asphalt with a thud. My breathing picked up as he leaned inside the vehicle, his face still covered by shadows.
“We can do this the hard way, or the easy way.” His voice was taunting, malicious, calculated. He knew exactly what he was doing. What was even more strange was how familiar his voice sounded, but it was like a fog had swept over me, clouding all of my senses.
“Fuck you,” I snapped.
Forcing the fear to the back of my mind, I tried to build up an ounce of courage. My heart raced furiously, knocking against my ribcage with a brutal force. Once I managed to somewhat compose myself, I reached for the doorhandle. My hands trembled as I made my way outside, the cool air kissing along my skin.
Running with a knife in my hand probably wasn’t the smartest idea, but it was the only thing I could think of. My feet pushed against the hard ground, urging me forward as I took off in a sprint, running through the parking lot. The wind blew my hair behind my shoulders as my combat boots thudded against the cement. There was only one thing on my mind: Stay alive . I hadn’t come all this way to be killed all over again. Fuck that.
The sound of his footfalls was like a shock to the system. He was gaining on me, and he was fast.
My ribs burned as I cut between two buildings, making a beeline for the woods. Once again, not my smartest idea. However, it would be easier to hide out there with no light and nothing but trees.
The urge to turn around to see how close he was nibbled at my mind, but I knew that could be a fatal mistake. One I wasn’t willing to make. So instead, I prayed to a god I didn’t believe in and kept moving.
Once I neared the entrance, I slipped between the trees with expert precision, having done this a few times now. I could no longer hear his steps or the snapping of twigs, and for some reason, that put me even more on edge. I ducked around a tree, leaning my back against the rough bark and released a shaky exhale.
How did I keep finding myself in these situations? This was so fucked.
Everyone and their mom wanted to hurt me lately. Why couldn’t I just live in peace? My hand tightened around the blade, the metal pressing against my hip as I stood as still as possible, hoping with all my heart that he’d managed to lose me.
Nothing but silence reached my ears, along with my panicked breathing of course. My chest rose and fell in rapid succession while I awaited the doom that may or may not come. My phone was in Rocky’s car, zipped up securely within my bag. I cursed myself, hating that I didn’t send an SOS to someone.
SNAP.
My shoulders tensed and I held my breath instinctively.
Avery, I love you. Raven, I’m sorry. Mom and Dad, I hope you rot in hell.
The last time I’d felt fear this potently was on the night of the Halloween party. It hadn’t done me any favors then, so why would I expect it to now? Maybe I should just go out there and meet my fate head-on. If I died, fuck it. This wasn’t much of a life anyways.
SNAP.
He was closer now. Way too fucking close.
Grinding my teeth together, my fear mixed with a surge of anger. The two emotions pulsed through my veins, warming my blood and triggering my adrenaline.
I chanced a glance around the tree I was hiding behind. Big mistake. He was standing there, his body turned toward my direction, like he knew exactly where I was. He was toying with me, and he was getting off on it.
Sick bastard.
“What the hell do you want?” I demanded. My body was tired from my night at the club and then from having to run so damn much.
He tilted his head to the side. “I already told you, silly fucking girl.”
Clenching my eyes closed for a moment, a tremble spiraled through my body. I blew out a breath and removed my body from the tree, stepping out into the open. The knife was concealed against my side, the darkness hiding it from view.
“What do you want with me?”
He took a step forward. “It’s not what I want with you, but what I want from you. Ask the correct questions if you want the right answers.”
This time it was me who took a step forward. No more hiding. No more running. If he wanted to play, then that’s exactly what he’d get. Play stupid games, win stupid fucking prizes.
“Then what is it you want from me?”
“Your life.”
He lunged forward, clasping his hand around my throat. Panic speared my chest, and I didn’t hesitate, bringing the knife up and slicing it across his face. Somehow, even that didn’t deter him. He backed me against the tree, grabbing my arm with his free hand and slammed it into the hard bark. Panic shot through my limb, making the knife fall from my fingers. I squirmed beneath his hold, but he pressed his hard body into mine, locking me between him and the tree behind me.
I squinted, his features becoming more pronounced with him up close.
“You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me,” I growled.
His lips tilted into a malicious smirk. “How was Barlow’s cock by the way, genuinely curious?”
“Why? Thinking about taking him for a test drive?” I spat.
Foster’s arrogant smirk slipped, contorting into a scowl. His hand tightened around my throat, forcing an unattractive wheeze from my windpipe. Heat radiated off his body, his blue eyes searing into my green ones. I latched onto his wrist, attempting to loosen his grip, but it was pointless.
Strands of his blonde hair slipped free of the hood he wore. This was probably the most deranged I’d ever seen him. He looked like a fucking serial killer.
A whimper escaped me as I fought for oxygen. Dark spots danced around the edge of my vision as I faded out of consciousness.
“What is this about?” I rasped, rubbing the ache in my neck.
He sneered down at me, pure disgust written into his features. “For making me think you were anything other than a slut.” He placed his hands against the tree on either side of me, leaning in so close that our breaths mingled together.
Hurt registered in my body, slicing through my chest. Things between us had been so much better than before. He helped me when I needed him, wasn’t constantly degrading me or calling me names. I thought we’d found a common ground, but evidently not. However, this would make exacting my revenge against him that much easier now.
“I didn’t make you believe anything.”
He pressed into me further, the bulge in his pants resting against my stomach. My breath hitched as heat radiated through me.
As if sensing it, his mouth curved into a cocky grin. This was a side of Foster I wasn’t used to. He’d always been a dick, but he never cared to use sex or lust as a tactic.
“I bet you’re wet right now, aren’t you, little demon?”
I scoffed, squirming against him. That only backfired though, because it was causing him to rub up against me which only got me hotter. “Little Demon?” I mocked. “How unoriginal.”
“It’s fitting, don’t you think? I mean, you are supposed to be dead and all.”
“Get the fuck off me, Foster. I’m tired of your shit.”
He dropped his nose into the crook of my neck, electricity shooting toward my lower abdomen. He inhaled deeply, his arms shaking where they were positioned around me. My knees weakened, and I silently cursed my traitorous body.
“You don’t really mean that though, do you?” His lips feathered against the sensitive spot beneath my ear. “You want my cock just like the little whore you are.”
I managed to free my arm from in between us and sent a fist flying toward his ribs. Anger surged through my body. Who the fuck did he think he was? He grunted in response and took a step back, his eyes darkened with annoyance.
“I hate you,” I seethed.
“The feeling is very much mutual, bitch.”
I shoved against him again, trying to put more distance between us. My body might have been attracted to the asshole standing before me, but I wouldn’t let him talk to me like I was nothing but a piece of meat.
He waterboarded me, stood by and watched while his friends assaulted me, choked me, called me every name in the book, tortured me, burned me in the face with a cigarette, knocked me out, and killed me. The cold expression on his face when he shoved me from the cliff was burned inside my memory. It haunted my nightmares and reminded me that Foster Henderson was nothing but a ruthless monster.
I wanted him to suffer just like I had. He deserved just a fraction of the pain he put me through. A wicked thought crossed my mind and I had to fight the smile that threatened to split my face in two. With only inches between us I reached out, placing my hands against his chest. The shock of my touch registered in his eyes immediately, a glaze glistening over his dilated pupils.
Nervous energy pumped through my veins, and I knelt to the ground with one hand still on his body. My fingertips brushed against his hipbone as I reached for my knife with my free hand. Rising again, I allowed my fingers to trail beneath his hoodie and shirt, the feel of his bare skin electric.
When he came to his senses, he growled, wrapping his fingers through my hair and jerked my head back. I cried out as pain laced through my scalp.
“You really have a death wish, don’t you, slut?” he demanded in a gravelly tone.
I quickly brought the knife between us, slicing it across his exposed neck this time. Blood trickled from the wound which was satisfying since the one on his face had dried. His eyes flashed with evil intent, and he grabbed my arm, but this time, I was prepared. I brought my heavy boot down on his foot, making him loosen his hold on me. Once free, I punched him the face, my knuckles burning from the impact. His head whipped sideways, and he stumbled back a step, putting distance between us.
I took this opportunity to run. My legs barely carried me past the third tree before I was being whipped backwards by my hair. A surprised scream slipped from my mouth as I landed on the ground with a thud. My skirt flew up round me, and I fought to smooth it out while simultaneously trying to get to my feet again. Branches dug into my ass and legs, making me wince.
Foster placed his foot against my chest and pushed me backwards, keeping me on the dirty floor of the earth.
I breathed heavily, confusion contorting my thoughts. “W-what are you doing?” I asked breathlessly, the fight leaving my body after the long day I had.
A look of confliction passed his facial features. He ripped the hood from his head, running his fingers through his hair. “I don’t fucking know. Just stop talking.” The words came out deranged and panicked.
“You don’t have to do whatever you’re thinking of doing,” I concluded.
The last time he attacked me, I ended up in the bottom of the fucking lake. He was mentally unstable. Hell, we all were to a degree. If he was this conflicted over what he was merely thinking of doing to me, I was afraid of finding out exactly what that was.
“I said stop talking, slut,” he growled. The sound vibrated through me, but the degrading nickname pissed me off.
“Stop calling me that,” I snapped. I reached up, punching him in the shin as hard as I could, knowing it would hurt like a bitch.
He cursed, moving to straddle me on the ground. My body was immobilized beneath his weight, and I was left completely defenseless when he grabbed my wrists and bound them above my head with a single hand.
“You’re going to fucking regret that.”
His gaze flashed with determination, letting me know that he’d made his decision and that there was a high chance I wouldn’t like what that was.