Hurting You Read online J.L. Beck, Cassandra Hallman (Blackthorn Elite #3)

Categories Genre: Contemporary, Dark, New Adult, Romance Tags Authors: , Series: Blackthorn Elite Series by J.L. Beck
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Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 67362 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 269(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
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“You know what we’ll do if you try to leave, right?” Cameron’s voice cuts through my mind, interrupting my thought process.

“What?” I question, trying to act like I wasn’t ignoring him.

“Don’t do anything stupid while we’re gone. We’re going to lock you in here, and you are going to stay here. Be a good girl, and we’ll give you more freedom again.”

I nod, my throat throbbing as emotions I can’t fully explain ripple through me. I’m falling for these men, falling helplessly for them, but they don’t see me the same way. They just see me as the girl who caught them killing someone. The girl they own and can do whatever they want with.

That’s why I need to leave, I need to get away from them. In the last few days, I’ve been on my best behavior, playing the role of the good little prisoner, waiting for a chance just like this. I was hoping they would leave me alone, and now that they are doing it, I’m going to use that time to make a run for it.

I just wish this wasn’t so hard. I wish they meant nothing to me. I should hate them, but instead, I’m falling deeper every day. Maybe I’m wrong about all of this, maybe I just have Stockholm syndrome. Let’s be real, I don’t know what love is. This all might be a fucked up mind game to them, and I just think I love them.

Either way, they clearly don’t feel the same for me, and I refuse to stick around and be made a fool off. I won’t wait for them to take the hint. I’ll take Grams and go somewhere else. I’ll figure it out.

“When will you be back?” I push off the mattress. Easton stands in the doorway staring at me. His mood swings are giving me whiplash. One moment he looks at me like I’m the most important thing in the world, the next, he glares at me like he wants to kill me. The only time I feel as if I’m truly connected to him is when we have sex, and I can’t take it anymore. I want, no… I need more from him.

“Doesn’t matter, all that matters is that you stay in this room. Don’t give us another reason to punish you.” I stop myself from rolling my eyes at Cam.

“Of course, you seemed to enjoy the last punishment, so I wouldn’t be all that surprised if you disobeyed just for the fun of it,” Easton chimes in.

This time I do roll my eyes, “I’ll be here when you get back.” The lie rolls off my tongue so easily, I worry they might not believe me with how fast I reply.

“Better be, because next time we won’t take it so easy on you,” Cam whispers as he leans in to press a kiss to my forehead.

“Got it. I’ll be here,” I tell them both and pretend to be interested in the stack of paperbacks that they bought me, that rest on the nightstand.

Cam moves toward the door, gripping the handle in his hands. I catch Easton’s dark gaze glittering with excitement, almost as if he’s waiting for me to screw up just so he has a reason to punish me. He’s fucked up. Actually, all of this is fucked up because while he wears his arousal and excitement on the outside, my own bubbles just beneath the surface.

It’s hard for me to admit that I liked what they did to me, that I didn’t just like it but that I’ve wanted it to happen again since that night.

“Be good,” Cam says, closing the door. The door clicks shut, and then the lock is engaged. I wait, listening as their footsteps recede away from the bedroom. I wait for about ten more minutes after I hear the car leave to make certain that they are actually gone. Then I get out my phone and call Katie.

“Hello?” She answers on the third ring.

“Hey, Katie… it’s Stella.” I stutter, trying to remain calm. I can’t believe I’m going to do this, but then again, what other options do I have? I need to think for myself and decide if this is really what I want. I need to see if my absence will change anything.

“Hey, girl, what’s up? You doing okay?”

“No, actually, I could really use your help.”

“What is it?”

“Could you come pick me up from Cam and Easton’s house?”

“Yes, of course. When? Now?”

“Ah… yes, can you? If it’s not too much trouble?”

“No, boo, don’t be ridiculous. I’ll be right there.” She hangs up before I can give her directions, and for a moment, I’m not sure if I should call her back. Then I wonder if she knows where they live already, it’s then, I remember that they know each other from the strip club.


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