Chapter 3 #2
I hadn’t even been in Oystar Bay for a full day and I’d already drunk Granger’s spit.
I couldn’t let him get to me like that.
He had made his choice. He was married to my best friend.
Anything we had between us, any connection I might have imagined, was over.
I took a deep breath and straightened my dress. All the Sirens gowns were always tight around the bodice. But I did look good in it.
Why hadn’t Jax messaged me yet?
I pulled out my cellphone to double-check, make sure I hadn’t missed anything.
Damn, the service was shit here.
So focused on checking the bars, I didn’t even look up as the bathroom door opened.
“Not getting a response from your imaginary boyfriend?” I heard a low, wicked voice say, and I jerked backwards right before I ran into his muscular chest.
Granger stood there, his hip leaning against the sink, his blue eyes dancing.
“Need anything else to drink?”
By his smirk, I knew exactly what he was referring to, and I shoved him as hard as I could.
“You’re disgusting! Don’t fuck with me again!”
“Or what?” Granger said, stepping forward, so I was forced to retreat against the cold tiles.
I said nothing.
“Or what?” he demanded, his voice low and amused. “You’ll tell our dirty little secret?”
My cheeks burned. “Of course I can’t tell. Besides, that would take you down as much as it would take me down. You’d lose this nice soft cushy life here.”
Granger grinned. He was so close that I could smell him, and he smelled filthy and wild, like salt and water, like dirt and degradation. “Oh, no, it wouldn’t. I’d deny it. And Pippa would believe me. That you’re just a jealous little liar who wishes I’d chosen her.”
It’s not true.
“Bullshit,” I said coldly. “I’ve got a boyfriend, you know. Back at school. He’s going to come and visit, too.”
“Is he?” Granger asked.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means I don’t think he’s going to come visit, little girl.”
“You’re such an asshole,” I said heatedly. “I suppose you think since you rejected me that no other man would want me.”
I tried to sidestep him, but he moved forward, his rough hands taking a handful of my hair in his fist.
Oh, why the hell wasn’t anyone else in this bathroom?
“No, Sosie, that’s not what I think.”
His hands were way too tight on my hair, fingers stretching around my throat, giving it a little squeeze, just because he was an asshole who could.
“I think a lot of men want you. But I know I’m the only one who can have you whenever I want.”
Gasping for breath, I grabbed at his fingers, trying to tear them off my neck.
“It’s a lie! I don’t want your disgusting hands on me! Get off me, Granger.”
“Bullshit,” he said, and then he was pinning me against the sink, that heavy bulge between his legs pressing on my belly. “You do want my hands on you. How many times in the last two years did you touch yourself thinking about me?”
“None! You have a mighty big ego, don’t you?”
“You haven’t even had sex with your new boyfriend.”
How did he know that?
“No, he’s just more traditional and wants to save ourselves for marriage.”
Granger laughed, low and wicked, and his cock was grinding down on me, the heavy weight of his balls crushing my belly. “No man wants to save himself for marriage. And did you tell him you were a virgin? Oh, Sosie, you’re a dirty little liar.”
I threw myself sideways and scrambled desperately for the door. There were people out there. I could hear them. Coming closer. . .
But his big hand shot out and held the door closed just as the other women arrived.
“Hey!?” “What’s wrong?” “Why won’t this door open?” they all cried, but Granger was standing right between me and safety.
“In fact I want to pick up right where we left off.”
My jaw dropped at his audacity.
“No! You don’t regret what we did? Cheating on Pippa?”
His brows drew together.
“Hell no. I don’t regret it at all.”
He dragged the stubble on his chin across the sensitive skin of my throat.
“In fact, you’re as much mine as ever, and you’re going to be my dirty little secret again.”
“No!” I screamed, this time even louder, and I heard the ladies on the other side of the door begin to cry in alarm for help.
“Slutty brat,” Granger said viciously, biting at my bottom lip and pulling it out until I yelped.
Then he was gone.
Shaken as hell, I opened the door and tried to reassure the ladies outside that nothing was seriously wrong.
But, of course, I walked up to Hayden and Pippa to find Granger standing there, a little smile playing on his lips as Pippa leaned into his side, her fingers lovingly playing with his wedding band.
“Hayden, would—would you mind walking me home?” I asked. “I’m kind of tired after the first day.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said eagerly.
“Enjoy the guest house,” Granger said. “I did a lot of renovations on it so it could be comfortable for your arrival.”
Now what the hell was that supposed to mean?
“He did,” Pippa said. “He’s so clever with his hands.”
Two years ago Granger had chosen Pippa over me. So he wanted the rich girl. Fine.
I wasn’t falling for that shit again. I wasn’t falling for a charming smile, fucking messy blonde hair, goddamn bright blue eyes.
Hayden seemed inclined to linger at the door, wanting to be asked inside, but I pled tiredness.
Suddenly it didn’t seem so small and cozy in here.
What renovations had Granger done?
I walked carefully around the small guesthouse. Maybe I was being paranoid, but I was going to make sure each of these windows were locked.
Normally I would love to leave the windows open all night long to hear the waves crashing on the beach, but I suddenly felt horribly exposed out here with no one else around but the cliff behind me and the ocean in front.
It would be nice to see the sunrise, but I pulled the curtains across dark windows.
I didn’t want to think about who or what could be out there.
But somehow the wind seemed to whisper at me.
Ssssssluttttttt slut slut slut
My cheeks burned.
What would Pippa think if she knew her husband had forced me to swallow his spit?
My heart pounded as I locked the front door behind me.
I needed a cold shower.
My skin was heated, flushed all over.
Upstairs, I slithered out of my dress, carefully hanging it up so I wouldn’t make anyone mad on my first day as a Siren. Wouldn’t want to bring it back all wrinkly.
Forcing myself to breathe, I took a deep breath, then let it out.
What was wrong with me?
I had to stop jumping at shadows.
I had three whole months here, and I needed to pace myself. If I was careful, I could avoid Granger as much as possible.
Surely that wouldn’t be too hard. And if I had Hayden or someone else walk me home every day, I wouldn’t have to worry about him accosting me when there was no one else around.
The water was warm. Maybe after all a bath would be better, and I trailed my hands through the old-fashioned clawfoot tub, willing the tension to relax from my muscles.
But into the silence there was a sudden crash, and I whirled around.
What the fuck was that?
I didn’t see anything. Something falling downstairs?
Calm down, Sosie. After all, the doors and windows were all locked.
I looked nervously around again, and saw a shampoo bottle lying on the ground.
Ah, that’s what it had been.
I reached down for it, the steamy water still pouring into the tub, and felt two strong hands on my hips.
“Aaaaahh, what the hell!”