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Chapter 65
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168 Hours in Hell Chapter 66
GREYSONMy grip on my phone is hard enough to crack the screen. I get rid of the text to my father and shove it back in my pocket.The princess gives me one last look, then walks over to Steele. He’s still half in the shadows, but he straightens up when he realizes it’s actually happening. His lips part, like he’s going to back out. But we talked about this—I need to test her. To see how far she’ll go to save her own skin.And he agreed. Quiet, stick-to-the-peripherals Steele, who has a small group of friends and likes it that way, agreed to help me. In a perverted, twisted way.My gut clenches, but I follow her toward him. It’s like she’s got me on a leash, trailing me along behind her. I watch her sink to her knees in front of him.This is a test for me as much as it is for her. I need to withstand this because the alternative is too devastating to comprehend. I’ve never been possessive over someone before—certainly not a girl. Certainly not one like Violet.She reaches out and unbu
168 Hours in Hell Chapter 67
VIOLETI pull myself together and go home. It isn’t lost on me that Greyson didn’t delete the video—so now he has another thing to hang over my head. My lips are swollen and chapped, and my throat hurts. My eyes sting.I don’t know how to feel. My emotions are all over the place, and it takes the whole walk home to wrangle some control over myself. I sniffle and swipe the back of my hand under my nose, collecting snot and tears.Ugh.When did I become this person?My phone vibrates.MomGot a call from Mia Germain. She wants to talk to you.Then her contact information is below it. A phone number sits glaringly in the gray text bubble. Ignoring the fact that my mom is texting me—something strange all in itself—my heart does a funny skip at what she said.Mia Germain is the director of Crown Point Ballet, the company I danced with up until my injury. I had left rather suddenly, of course, after my broken leg led to ongoing nerve pain complications.I had to give up my spot as the lead
168 Hours in Hell Chapter 68
GREYSON“What do you mean, someone broke into her apartment?” I glare at Knox. On one hand, I shouldn’t fucking care. But that persistent side of me that wants to claim her—publicly—rears its ugly head again.He lifts one shoulder. “She called and seemed pretty upset. She wanted Willow to find somewhere else to stay…”“Because her being alone in that apartment is a good idea.” Sarcasm is my default when I’m trying to hide my real feelings. It’s not a great sign that it’s choosing to come out now.“Listen, man. Steele offered to go pick her up and bring her here. It isn’t ideal, seeing as how we’re in party mode…” He gestures to the beer bottle in my hand. “But whatever. She can hang out in one of the rooms upstairs if she wants.”Violet didn’t call the police.Which probably means she thinks I’m behind it.I frown and shake my head. Then the first part registers. Steele went to get her? Steele offered?I didn’t think I’d have to knock his teeth in, but I will if I have to. Happily.Je
168 Hours in Hell Chapter 69
VIOLETGreyson kneels in front of me. I feel strange like I don’t fit inside my skin anymore. I’ve been stretched and snapped back into place, and everything is just… off. He runs his hands down my leg and lifts my left one. I don’t realize until it’s too late.He touches the scar running down my calf and stares at it.Then, without warning, he digs his thumbs into my skin. I hiss, the shock worse than the pain, and jerk my leg out of his grasp. He lets me inch around him and go to the door. He knows before I do that I’m not going outside. Not when I’m naked, with cum dripping down the inside of my thighs. The party downstairs is still raging.I turn back around and find my shirt. He sits on the edge of his bed and watches me with dark eyes. He’s dangerous. I need to repeat that. Danger, danger. A warning siren flashes red in my mind, twisting behind my vision.There’s no way I’m calling it quits tonight. He offered me a way to relax—and I’m not sure that sex was on the agenda. Not at
168 Hours in Hell Chapter 70
Violet can turn into so many terrible things for creative kids. Vile was common for bullies. Lettie by my well-meaning mother, although she dropped that by the time I turned twelve. When I met Willow, I was sick of people asking what I’d rather go by, so I ranted to her about ending all nicknames. Outlawing them.But, damn it, I’ve got to admit that I like the sound of it coming out of his mouth.I shift, rotating in his direction. I let my head rest against his shoulder and make myself a promise.Tomorrow, we will go back to hating each other. Tomorrow, all the bad things can sweep back into my brain. Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow.Right now, I close my eyes and enjoy the slow strokes of his finger on my clit and the way his cheek feels against the top of my head. And the sounds of the movie and the people around us. I should be wary, or afraid, or just altogether unwilling to orgasm in front of people.But when it sneaks up on me, I turn my face into Greyson’s neck and bite. Hard.Hi
168 Hours in Hell Chapter 71
She knows how much this could mean. I don’t have any hope of them taking me back—I mean, not like I am. But maybe there’s a chance. Or… an opportunity to work with her in another manner. Or something.“Good morning, Violet!” Mia’s warm voice comes through my phone. “I tried your old number, but it seemed you changed it. I apologize that I had to go through your mother. How are you doing?”I had to change my number after the crash. I kept getting weird texts and calls from random numbers, making it impossible to block them all. Not to mention I lost my phone in the accident—it was smashed beyond repair. The phone company was able to transfer some of my old pictures and contacts, but I lost at least a week of data. So changing my number a week or so after that didn’t seem like that big of a deal. In the grand scheme of things.“I’m good, thank you. How are you?” I always feel formal around her, even when she told me last year to call her Mia instead of Ms. Germain—what I’d called her fo
168 Hours in Hell Chapter 72
GREYSONI have the briefest warning of my father’s arrival. My phone chirps with a social media alert that I set up forever ago, which pings when his location changes. Well, when his secretary checks him into specific cities.It’s how I used to keep tabs on him without reaching out. When I was alone in a big, empty house with nothing to do, I could check and see where he was. Nebraska, California, Edinburgh, Dubai. The man traveled overseas a lot—especially for someone who is supposed to be a New York senator.I’d like to think that it’s his fault I turned out the way I did. Because I was rotting off boredom as a teenager, I sought out my own thrills. I found parties, and if there weren’t any? I created them.He always gave me access to a credit card that he paid monthly without blinking, as long as I didn’t surpass the high limit, and I knew the combination to the safe where he kept an array of valuables: cash and firearm included.Anyway, it pings that his private jet just landed in
168 Hours in Hell Chapter 73
VIOLETThe gym on campus is in the basement of one of the residence halls. After signing in, I go quietly down the stairs and into the dark room. There’s a wall of mirrors, exercise machines, and weights.It’s as familiar as it is foreign.I bypass the weights and go to the elliptical. In theory, this should be easier on my leg. Less impact. I say a quick thank you to my body that nine times out of ten, I land jumps on my right leg. It was always stronger, holding me upright through all the grueling exercises and rehearsals.Dancing again still seems like a dream. I consider that as I climb onto the machine and turn it on. I program my height and weight, then set it to a weight-loss program. It climbs in resistance quickly. Within five minutes, I’m drenched in sweat.I tear off my sweatshirt and drape it across the machine beside me. My t-shirt sticks to my skin and my lungs sear with how little exertion I’ve put them through in so long. I’m ready to quit immediately, but I don’t. I k
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