Filed To Story: Pretty Poisoned Novel by Elle Mitchell
“It’s the ‘D,’ isn’t it?” Luca asks.
“Is it?” I ask. “I’m not going.”
“Don’t be a brat, Teagan. Come here.”
With a heavy sigh, I stand and drag myself over to the doorframe where he stands.
“The eyeroll was really uncalled for,” he says, grabbing me by my chin. “I might have to bend you over my knee for that one.”
I squeeze my legs together, flushed with heat at the thought. I make a calculated decision and smile before I stick out my tongue at him.
One corner of his mouth turns up. “Okay. I see how it is,” he says. “Close your eyes.”
I close them, feeling his lips hovering just in front of mine, his breath against them. When I can’t wait anymore, I lean into him, searching for his mouth, but he moves back again.
“That’s what brats get.” He leans in, his cheek brushing against mine before I feel his mouth against my ear. “Keep your eyes closed and hold out your hands,” he says softly. “And for the record, it isn’t the ‘D,’ but I’m going to give that to you later after I leave my handprint on your little ass. I’m going to fuck your brains out until you’re a sticky, shaking messuntil you’re ready to be my sweet, soft kitten again.”
“I missed you,” I tell him quietly.
I love you.
“That wasn’t so hard, was it?”
Yes. “I missed you all day yesterday.”
He presses something cold and hard into my hands. “Open your eyes.”
A folded knife sits in my hands, the handle embossed with white pearl tulips. I flip it open and find my name etched into the metal blade in intricate script.
“Do you like it?” he asks.
I nod, smiling. “I love it. It’s heavy.”
I turn it in my hands, the dim backstage light reflects off the flawless titanium blade as I examine the details in the craftsmanship. And then I can’t help myselfI press my finger to the tip, ever so slightly, and that’s all it takes. Blood runs from the tiny pinprick down my finger.
“Careful,” Declan says. He wraps his hand around my wrist and leans in, licking the trail of blood from my palm to its source before taking the finger into his mouth and sucking it clean. “That one is sharp enough right now to cut through flesh like butter, even if that person is squirming like you were. We’ll play with it later; I’ll show you.”
“Declan, what the fuck is taking you so long?” Rhett asks.
“Be right there,” he shouts back. “Do you feel better, Teagan? You’re still special, baby.”
“Yeah,” I tell him. “Yeah, I feel better.”
“Good.”
He finally leans in and kisses me, tasting me, teasing me with his tongue. One hand rests on the side of my neck and the other
The other runs along the inside of my thigh until it’s inside my skirt, stopping just below where I’m desperate to feel his touch, brushing just slightly against my pussy.
“I’m going to be thinking about how wet your thighs are from your soaked cunt the entire time I’m on stage,” he says. “I’ll see you later.”
He kisses me again lightly before walking past me, following Rhett down the hall.
I watch him until he disappears around the corner. Then, I fold the still-open blade back into its handle and stuff it into my bra.
Maybe it’s okay to love someone who doesn’t love you back if they’re good to you. It won’t kill me like it killed her. I’m different, and I don’t need it.
“Hey, Teagan!” Brady calls. “Get your sad, groupie ass over here. We’re going to play a game.”
He gave me what I really needed anyway.
A family.
“Why is that girl following Luca?”
“What?” Declan asks. He throws his arm around me, and I curl into his side, sipping a gin and tonic beside the pool. “What are you talking about?”
Apparently, Eli invited half of the people in line for the signing back to the hotel. It turned into this huge fucking thing. He got a DJ to set up and everything, and now he’s fucking some girl in the shallow end of the pool.
I guess he deserves to enjoy his last night.
But I’m drunk and horny and grumpy because I’m not getting what I want and because those girls with the cuts on their chests are everywhere. I feel exposed.
Luca is being his usual social self, but I’m tired. And yeah, maybe a little paranoid when it comes to him. I can’t explain it, but I also can’t help it. It’s more than jealousy or possessiveness; he’s mine, and I feel like I need to protect him.
“The blonde girl with the ponytail,” I tell him. “She’s been following him for like twenty minutes, standing right behind him. She looks familiar.”
“I’m really confused about what you’re suggesting,” Declan says. “There’s only one reason she’s following Luca, and she probably looks familiar because you saw her at the concert.”
“She’s not dressed like she went to the concert.”
“So, she changed her fucking clothes. You really need to relax, Teagan. The paranoia you have surrounding Luca is very unusual. Remember the last time you did this, and you had nothing to worry about? He won’t stop loving you because some girl in a hoodie is stalking him at a party. You’re all mine tonight, anyway.”
I watch her following him from about five feet back as he makes his way over to us. Once he sits next to Declan, she stops and turns away.
“You okay, Teagan?” Luca asks.
“Yeah,” I tell him. “I’m just tired.”
“Teagan is finally tired of the party,” Luca says. “Who would have thought the day would come?”
“What happened to Reno Teagan?” Declan asks.
I nod in Luca’s direction. “He gave her drugs,” I grumble. “I didn’t take any drugs today.”
“I could get you some drugs if you want, honey,” Luca says.
“No, she doesn’t need any fucking drugs,” Declan tells him. “She’s fine. We’ll go upstairs soon, okay?”
“Hey, Luca? Can I have your shirt?”
He grabs the hem and pulls it up over his stomach before Declan stops him.
“Don’t give her your shirt,” he says. “She’s fine. You look so pretty, Teagan. And you like your scars, so stop.”
“I thought you were just cold,” Luca says, shaking his head. “That’s just cold, Teagan. I played tonight with your initial on my chest.”
I sigh. “I know. And I liked it. I am cold, though.”
I climb over Declan and into Luca’s lap, straddling him and wrapping my arms around his neck.
“I’ve got something in my pocket that would warm you up,” Luca says.
“Yeah? Give it to me,” I tell him.
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.