Total pages in book: 187
Estimated words: 184867 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 924(@200wpm)___ 739(@250wpm)___ 616(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 184867 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 924(@200wpm)___ 739(@250wpm)___ 616(@300wpm)
“You’re bad at this,” I say.
“Probably not as bad as you.”
I grab her hand that’s holding the knife, and she freezes in place. I guide her hand across the board and cut through the cucumber so thinly that the slice that’s left is practically see-through. I keep going, each slice causing her to take a ragged breath as I push up closer and closer, growing harder and harder.
“That’s how you do it,” I whisper into her ear.
She takes another ragged breath, her hand tightening around the blade while mine tightens around hers. Her body quivers against me, and I’m wondering if I just made her wet.
“I want to skewer you,” she murmurs.
My bulge twitches.
“Do it,” I whisper into her ear.
She spins around on her heels, poking the knife straight into my belly. “Do you always beg like that?”
“Do you see me on my knees?” I grip her hand and push the knife even farther into my belly. She’s taken aback and flinches. “It will take a knife to get me there.”
“You’re an asshole,” she grits.
“Only to people who annoy me,” I reply.
“Why are you so protective of your dad?”
Fuck, is she really trying to interrogate me right now while I’m so close to busting a nut all over my pants because of her presence alone?
I lean in. “I hate you for interfering in my life.”
“This isn’t about you,” she replies. “It’s about our parents’ happiness.”
“Except it isn’t. This was about me. Because you weren’t there in that café out of pure luck. You were there to find me.”
She retracts the knife so fast, my hand lingers near the blade, and it cuts into my hand.
“Crystal, Caleb,” her mother says as she walks in, but her pupils dilate the moment she spots the blood drops running down the palm of my hand. “Oh no, you’re bleeding.” She grabs my hand and inspects the wound.
“Cut myself,” I lie.
Crystal narrows her eyes at me while her mom starts dabbing the wound with a towel. “Let me go grab a Band-Aid.”
“No, it’s okay,” I say, smiling at her to add an extra level of fakeness. “Thank you.”
She smiles back. “Can you guys come back outside? There’s something we want to share.”
I frown when she turns around and heads back outside, and Crystal seems equally confused. She shrugs and places the knife back on the cutting board before she follows me outside.
Her mom and my dad hold hands and hug while they stand near the edge of the table, and I have a sense of overwhelming dread.
“Crystal. Caleb,” my dad begins, smiling awkwardly. “You might want to sit down.”
Crystal grabs a chair. “What’s going on?”
“Crystal …” her mom mutters, rubbing her neck, which has become red.
“Tell us,” I say.
Her mom looks at my dad with complete devotion, and it makes me want to puke.
“Abigail and I …” my dad begins, breathing out a loving sigh as he grabs her hand. “Are engaged.”
CALEB
Abigail grins like she’s on drugs and shows off the ring to both of us.
I’m gonna be sick.
I’m not listening to this shit.
I immediately jump up and walk off.
They can’t be fucking serious. Are they for real? Is this a joke?
“Caleb! Wait. Hold up,” my dad says.
“No,” I growl, and I open the front door and head out.
“Caleb. At least talk to me!” He grabs my arm and makes me stop.
“Don’t.” I jerk my arm free.
“Jonathan,” her mom mutters as she runs to him and clutches his arm. “Let him be. I think he needs some… time to digest it.”
I stare them both down with disdain.
I can’t fucking believe this. They barely fucking know each other.
I fish my phone from my pocket and waltz off down the street, while dialing the only number I’ve memorized. I don’t know where I’m going or how long I’m going to walk. All I know is that I needed to get the fuck out of there because I was about to explode.
My dad. Married to a new woman?
Even though my mother’s still here?
Fuck that.
And fuck that fucking girl who made it happen.
Ares
I find Caleb drifting somewhere in the middle of fucking nowhere outside the city. He was halfway across the road near the base of the mountain, and I signal him to come to the parking lot while I park the car.
When I step out, he’s already screaming. “Why? Why the fuck did they have to do that?!”
“What happened?” I ask as I shut the door.
“I was at a fucking barbecue, my dad, he invited me to her mom’s house,” he rants.
A barbecue? His dad? That’s out of character.
“And then they fucking told us they were getting fucking married!”
He roars out loud and punches the fucking lantern, leaving a dent. But he won’t stop.
I walk over and grab his hand before it hits again, then point it at my chest.