CHAPTER 007 : The Bet Ifeelsomethingbreakinsideme.Howdoes lovingFinnmakememiserable? Letmego,Knox,Isay,myvoicetrembling.Youmightnotbeagoodbrother,butImagoodfriend.Imnotgoingtositaroundandwatchmyfriendbedeceivedagain.Imgoingoutthere.
Knoxdoesntbudge.Hisgriponmywaistremainsfirm,hisbodyimmovable.
Inavoicesocalmitonlyfuelsmyrage,hesays,Icantletyougooutthere,KitterwillphysicallyrestrainyouifIhaveto.Whothehelldoyouthinkyouare?Isnap.Youdontgettocontrolme,Knox,Let.Me.Go.* Imnotcontrolling you.Impreventingyoufrommakingafoolofyourselfagain.
Ifmyhandswerefree,Iprobablywouldhaveslappedhimbynow.ImbeginningtoseewhyFinnalmostnevermentioned youinthe tenyearsIveknownhim.Youresuchanarrogant,infuriatingdouchebagwhocaresaboutnothingelsebuthimself.Youdratherwatchyourownbrothergethisheartrippedoutthanactuallydosomethingaboutit.
Knoxseyesdarken,andforamoment,IswearIseesomethingwickedflashthroughthem.Thatsthething,Sloane.FinnlikesgettinghisheartrippedoutbyDelilah.Helikeshertoxicity.Hesaddictedtoit.Theonly personseeingaproblembetweenthosetwobeingtogetherisyou.StopprojectingyourfeelingsontoFinn.
Youcanttellmewhattodoorfeel,youbrotherhater.
Knoxgrins.Thinkwhateveryoulike.ButI wantwhatmakesFinnhappy.Unfortunatelyforyou,thatsDelilah.Alwayshasbeen.Alwayswillbe.
Youredisgusting.
Whatexactlycanyoudoaboutit,Sloane?Wannalockhiminamaximumsecurityprisonsomewhereoffshore?Chainhimupinyourbasement?FinnwillalwaysgobacktoDelilah.Youthinkyourethefirstpersonobsessedwithendingtheirsillylittlelovestory?Let.It.Go.
Icant.

ThewordsslipoutbeforeIcanstop them.Mychestisheaving,myfaceburning,and Im standingtherelikeanidiotwith my heartbleedingalloverthefloorforamanwhosouttherechasingsomeoneelse.
Knoxtiltshishead,studyingmewiththeeyesofapredatorwhosjustfoundtheweakestpartofhisprey.Howaboutwemakeabet?hesays.
Inarrowmyeyes.Abet? Ifthisweddingtakesplacebetween DelilahandHunter,IllletyoubesoyoucanchaseFinntotheendsoftheEarthifyoufeellikeit.Followhimaroundlikeadevotedpuppy.Iwontliftafinger tostopyou.
Andifitdoesnt? Aslow,dangerousgrinspreadsacrosshisface.
IftheweddinggoestoshitwhichitwillIwillviolentlypursueyou,SloaneMercer.Theres noplaceinthisworldyoucanhidefrommethatIwontfindyou.Iwillcrawlinsideyourhead,yourbody,yoursoul.Iwillruinyouforanyoneelse.Youwontbeabletothink,breathe,orsleepwithoutfeelingmeeverywhere.IllmakeyouforgetFinnHartleyeverexisted.ThethingsI coulddotoyou.ThethingsIwanttodotoyou..
Forsomeweirdreason,Icantbreatheanymore.IturnawayfromKnox,facingthewindowagain,wonderingwhymybodyhasgonelivewithelectricity.Itshatred,Itellmyself.Pure,undilutedhatredmakingmybodyreactthiswaynotdesire,neverdesire.YetsomehowImhyperawareofeveryinchofspacebetweenus,asthoughtheresnoclothingbarrierseparating hisskinfrommine.
Itrytopullaway,butheholdsmeclose,hislipsbrushingagainstmyear.Thecontactsendsajoltthroughmysystem.Allyouneedissomethingelsetoobsessover,hesays.SomethingtochannelallthatobsessiveenergyofyoursLetmeprovidethatforyou.Letmegiveyouahobby,Kitten,averypleasurableone.
Iwanthimtodoit.
Goodlord.
Whatiswrongwithme? ThisisFinnsbrother.Icantbeinlovewithonemanandthenbecomeahotmessaroundhisbrother.Yetmybodyisbetrayingme,respondingtohiminwaysIveneverrespondedtoanyone.

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Youcantdothis,Isay,not recognizingmyownvoice.Youremybestfriendsbrother.Theresacodeofconductaboutthesethings.
d.
Acode?Screwyourcodes,hesays.IseewhatIwant,Itakeit.Unlikeyou,piningawayinsilence,lettingyourlifepassby.ThatissomethingImgoingtoteachyou,SloaneMercer,howtobendtheuniverseswillandtakewhatyouwant.
CHAPTER007TheBet Mybreathhitches.Idontneedyourlessons.Thankyouverymuch.
Hetouchesmyhips,pullingmefurtherintohim,andIdontthinkIhaveasingleboneleftinmybodytoresist.
IalwaysgetwhatIwant,hesays,hisvoiceadarkpromise.AndsincewhatIwantatthemomentisyou,youbetterhopethatweddingtakesplace.TheresnothingIwantmorethantotieyouupandburymyselfsodeepinsideyouthatyoudblackout.
Iswearmylegsareabouttogive out.Myskinisburning,mypulsehammeringinmythroat.Iveneverfeltthiskindofanimalattractionbeforethisraw,primalneedthatoverpowersreason,morality,lealty.ItsnothinglikethesweetachefeelforFinn.Thisissomethingdarker,moredangerous,andinfinitelymoreterrifying.
Getawayfromme,Iwhisper.
Takethedeal,Sloane.
Imtrembling.Mybrainisscreamingrun,butmybodyisleaningintohimlikeatraitorouslittlebitch.

Inthismoment,IhatemyselfmorethanIhatehim,becausedespiteeverythingdespitemyfeelingsforFinnpartofmewantstoseewhatwouldhappenifIsurrendered.
Iswallowhard,desperatetoputdistancebetweenus,toregainsomesemblanceofcontrol.Fine,Isay,turningtomeethiseyes.Wehaveadeal.Weddinghappens,Ineverhearfromyouagain.Ifitdoesnt…giveityour bestshot.
Knoxsgrinispuresin.Oh,Kitten.You havenoideawhatyouvejustdone.ImprettysureIvejustsignedmysoulovertothedevilinexchangefor nothing.Youknowwhatthismeans,right,hesays.Ihaveaweddingtosabotage.What?No.No.No.Yousaidyouwerenotgoingtosabotagethewedding.Thatwasbeforeyoutookmydeal.Youthinkyoucanwinbyplayingfair?Yourenotsabotagingthiswedding,Knox.
Wannabet? Imdonewithyouandyourstupidbets.Ifyousomuchasbreathethewrongwaythroughoutthisevent,Imtakingyoudown.
Helaughs.Oh,itson,Kitten.Letthestrongestman win.
BeforeIcanreply, thefrontdoorburstsopen,andFinnwalksin,lookinglikehesbeenthroughhell.Hishairisdisheveled,hiseyesredrimmed,hisshouldersslumpedin defeat.Thesightofhimbroken,vulnerable,soclearlyhurtingsnapsmebacktoreality,remindingmewhyImhere,whatmatters.
Webothturntowardhim,andthewayFinnseyesmovebetweenKnoxandmenotingourproximitymakesmystomachdrop.
OhGod.
Whatareyoutwo doing?Finnasks,suspiciondrippingfromeveryword.
IstepawayfromKnox likeIvebeenburned.Nothing.
Finnnarrowshiseyes.Wereyoutwo…ohmyGod.Wereyoutwomakingout?