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You’d do anything and risk everything for them. Including your soul.
Cain Carter was that person for me.
But in a strange twist of fate—it turns out he was Damien’s person first.
And now here we are…trying to put the pieces together.
Damien’s face goes slack. “I thought we were kindred spirits. He did fucked up things and had the same outlook I did. Only, unlike me—he hid it from others and wore a mask. But the only way you’d know was if you watched him closely enough. The way I did for months.”
“You stalked him?”
“I did,” he states matter-of-factly. “I was intrigued. I’d never met anyone like him before…like me before. Up until then, I was a lone wolf.” His throat bobs on a swallow. “But the more I watched him, the more the feeling in my gut got worse.”
“What kind of feeling?”
“Like he was a bomb about to detonate. The things he did…his aggression was like nothing I’d ever seen. Every day the kid seemed like he was battling an internal war. He was miserable.”
“Because of all the abuse.”
“Yeah. Seemed that way.”
My heart contracts. “So what happened? Obviously, you guys became friends…and stuff.”
“I inserted myself into his life. Katrina, the woman you met before, was Cain’s high school sweetheart. I fucked her in the shop shed during lunch. Rumors were circulating and I knew he’d eventually stumble upon us…and stumble upon us he did. They broke up shortly after that.”
“That’s…” I’m at a loss for words.
There’s not an ounce of regret on his face. “He didn’t love her. She was just another prop in his life. He wasn’t even upset.” His brows knit together. “Soon after we became friends. I figured if I could help him alleviate some of the anger he had…he’d be better off.”
“Alleviate his anger how?”
A small smile unfurls. “I think you know me well enough to answer that yourself.”
“You fucked him.”
“Not at that point. Wasn’t really my thing. Wasn’t against it—I just preferred a lot of pussy with a side of dick. I liked sharing. Specifically, watching the chick I was fucking, fuck someone else…while I fucked them. Part of it was the competition. The other part was sheer thrill and my own perversions.”
“Okay, got it. You fucked the same girls together,” I bite out.
I don’t want to crucify him, but it doesn’t mean I enjoy hearing about all the girls that came before me. Nerves bunch in my stomach as Katrina’s words from earlier flash through my head.
“Did one of the girls die? Is that what Katrina meant?”
The groove in his forehead deepens. “Cain and I only shared one girl. A science teacher named Mrs. Miller. She…I can’t really explain it. Kristy was special. Gorgeous and haunting at the same time. But I wasn’t in love with her. There wasn’t a co
My stomach rolls. “That’s—”
“Disturbing? Yeah, probably. But neither of us cared. It was what it was. I had my own issues and she had hers. Our demons got along well together…until Cain’s took over.”
“What do you mean?”
“Things started off fun between the three of us. But then it took a turn. A dark one.”
“How so?”
His nostrils flare on an indrawn breath. “Cain took it too far. He started hurting her during sex, and not in a good way. He stopped teasing her…stopped caring whether or not she got off. It was almost like he was taking all his anger out on her. At first, I thought he was doing it to validate his masculinity or some shit since we’d started messing around without her. But it was deeper than that.”
His statement sits heavy on my chest. “Did you do anything to stop it?”
“I’m not the type of person to babysit others and make decisions for them. I don’t like getting involved in people’s personal shit. However, I reminded Kristy that she didn’t have to do anything she didn’t want to…and eventually, I stopped inviting her over altogether.”
“You did the right thing.”
Even though he didn’t want to interfere, it’s clear he was trying to protect her from Cain.
“Not really.” There’s a twinge of regret in his voice. “I wish I could say it was solely for her best interest, but my feelings for Cain were ru
“Kind of like Frankenstein.”
“Exactly.” He props himself on his arms, hovering above me. “But he was my monster, Eden. I couldn’t turn my back on him.”
I touch his face. Damien needs to know Cain’s issues aren’t his fault. “Loving a monster doesn’t make you one.”
He turns away from my touch as though I’ve burned him, then raises one of his arms off the floor. The opening he’s granting me implies this is my chance to go if I want.
But I don’t. I want to stay right here on this floor with him.
I want him to continue bearing his soul to me…so I can find a way to make it better.
“You’re not a monster,” I whisper, bringing his arm back down. “Cain might be, but not you.”
“Don’t fool yourself, Eden. Cain’s one level of evil, and I’m another,” he rasps, his voice rough. “But you’re not. You’ve never been. And that right there is the monumental difference between us. You’re inherently good. But I’m not and neither is Cain.”
We’ll agree to disagree on that. I’ve been on the receiving end of both Damien’s good and bad side. And while Damien might think he’s a monster who’s inherently bad…I know he’s not.
He’s more like a piranha. Scary and deadly? Absolutely.
But he doesn’t strike…not unless he’s provoked or he’s hungry and you get too close.
Or when he’s protecting someone he loves.
“For what it’s worth, I don’t judge you for killing his father and brother. I know you only did it because you thought it would—”
“I didn’t kill them.”
I swallow. “You didn’t?”
It’s not that I don’t believe him, I’m just…incredibly confused.
There’s a storm brewing in his eyes when he looks at me. “Don’t get me wrong, I would have. Hell, I even told him how I would do it during a private moment he initiated…if you catch my drift.” Anger tightens his features. “Unbeknownst to me, he recorded our conversation and blackmailed me with it. I thought I was getting through to him. I thought we were a team. But in the end, he was only seducing me and intentionally leading me on. It wasn’t real…none of it was real. And he made sure to get rid of me the moment I no longer served a purpose in his life.”
He bows his head. The muscles in his nape pull tight with tension. “I loved him…he was my best friend, Eden. I would have killed…hell, I would have died for him. But he discarded me like trash…just like my mom. He held a fucking gun up to my face and said my choices were jail, death, or leaving town. My heart wanted death, but my body chose self-preservation, so I left the country.”
I blow out a heavy breath as my own heart cramps and twists for him. I knew Cain was fucked up. But this?
“I’m…Jesus. I don’t know what to say.” I place his hand on my chest, over the organ stinging with injustice. Sometimes there aren’t any words to convey exactly what it is you feel, but I try anyway. “It’s hurting for you. For what he did to you.”