Pretty Poisoned Novel by Elle Mitchell

“Does that mean you’re staying with us?” River says. “Yes,” Luca says. “No,” I tell them. “Declan said I have to leave. I’m, um, I’m going to the airport tonight when we get to Seattle.” And I mean it. Even if Declan didn’t tell me I had to go, I’d be leaving. I have a…

I climb onto the bus and literally sigh with relief when Declan hands me my cell phone. “You’ve got it that bad, huh?” he says. I don’t really know how to answer that. My entire life is on my phone. My existence in any way beyond surface level is pretty much exclusively in a digital…

Not if you kill me first. “I’ll go out with you, Luca. I’ll stay…at least for tonight.” I put my phone back in my bag without bothering to reply to my mom or Blakely. I don’t even check my social media. I lean further into him, and he sighs. “Thank you, Teagan,” he says. “You’ll…

I cap the lipstick and feel around the countertop until I find my purse. I stuff it inside when I hear footsteps behind me. “I know it’s you,” I tell him. “I can smell you. You always smell good.” I feel his body against my back. He pushes his fingers through my hair, then wraps…

I step into the elevator, and before the doors close, a hand shoots out, stopping them, and they open again. Alana steps into the elevator, dragging a suitcase behind her. “Where are you going?” I ask. “I’m leaving,” she says. “What? What do you mean? Like forever?” “Yep.” She stares straight ahead. Sunglasses cover her…

“Luca!” I whimper. “You like that, baby?” he says. “You like being my good fucking girl?” “Yes…oh, god…” Luca finally releases my arms and rolls me onto my back. Then, he pulls me to the very edge of the bed, pins my knees at my sides, and drives into me again. And that curve…hits just…

He smiles, apparently taking my silence as agreement, and pulls me in closer to him. “Go to sleep, Teagan,” he says. “Okay.” I close my eyes and beg for it to pull me under. I’m awake, but I refuse to open my eyes. My body feels so heavy, I’m not sure I can move. Everything…

“Can you take off the handcuffs now?” “No.” “What? Why not? I need to use the bathroom. You can’t just—” He looks up at me and laughs. “I’m just kidding, Teagan. You’d think you’d be a little more relaxed now.” I don’t know how to respond. I can’t see how he’d think that was funny….

Declan’s voice startles me. I remember how manic he was last night, how elated he was watching someone he called his family—someone who loved him even if he didn’t love her back—bleed out on the ground. I remember seeing her blood on his teeth when he smiled…right before he shoved his bloody fingers in my…

We don’t speak, and I don’t look back. I don’t look down at my own bloodstained hands. I stare at the illuminated path. It feels like it takes ten times longer than it did this morning, but eventually, we make it to the clearing where they’re working on a hole that isn’t even close to…