Running a hand down my face, I sigh, “You always said this was what I was here for, that this is why I was brought to you. This is God’s will. So why are you denying me my lot in life?”

Bob dips his chin and looks down to his shoes. His voice is uncharacteristically soft. “I didn’t watch the others grow up. I didn’t chase away the monsters from under their beds when they were seven. Or read to them ‘til they fell asleep. Or cut their meat for them ‘til they were ten. I didn’t raise them as my own, Cat.” He pauses. “Be mad at me all you want, but this is hard for me. I didn’t expect to feel this way when you were ready to go out on your own, and in a way, what happened with James was an excuse for me to hold onto you. So I grabbed it. I grabbed it with both hands. Because I wasn’t ready to let you go.”

My heart squeezes tightly in my chest. I feel my pulse beat through my temples. I don’t know what to say to that.

Bob nods. “You want me to treat you like one of the crew, so you’ll go alone tonight.” He smiles, although his eyes are filled with sadness. “This is your job, girlie. You can do it. I have faith in you.”

His hand grips the back of my neck in a move that is so familiar my eyes close, as emotion clogs my throat. He presses his lips to my forehead. “May the Lord be with you, child.”

My soft voice shakes. “And also with you, Father.”

He leaves me alone at my bench feeling a little victorious...and a fuck of a lot terrified.

Chapter Seventeen

I feel disgusted. What I’m wearing is disgusting. If I had time to throw up right now, I would. My ass is freezing. My teeth chatter. I can’t believe this is my job tonight. I’ve been at this very spot for almost an hour.

Close to midnight, I see my target approach on the deserted dirt road.

Go time.

I wrap my arms around myself and force a violent shiver. My teeth clatter together harder than I should allow, but I need to look pitiful. Luckily, being three towns over, no one here would recognise me, even if they got a good look at my face. I start to walk down the road and wait.

The red truck I know is coming slows behind me, and then stops.

“Excuse me, miss? Are you all right?”

My eyes close. I bite the inside of my cheek and I feel my eyes begin to water. “No. I...um—” My lips quiver. “I’m lost.”

Trenton Hyke comes around me to get a look at my face. In his mid-thirties, he’s actually an attractive man. A tall, solid body from physical farm work, his arms are muscular and the tight tee he wears does nothing to hide the fact he’s strong. His brown eyes search me. His dark brown messy hair is worn buzzed. When he looks down at my school uniform, his eyes flash and dilate.

Well, that didn’t take long.

Fucking perv.

Frankie and Ari did a great job making me look like a high-schooler. Pigtails and all. Now it’s up to me to portray utter innocence. After all, I’m here to seduce this motherfucker. I need to get into that truck with him.

Hyke tuts, “What’s a pretty girl like you doing all the way out here, huh?”

I bite my lip and twist my tiptoes into the dirt. I dip my chin. “A guy I was with took me out here. When I wouldn’t kiss him, he left me. If I knew he’d leave me, I would’ve done it.” Tears trail down my cheeks as I look up at Hyke. “I don’t know where I am.”

He takes a step closer to me and places a hand on my shoulder. “I’ll take you home, if you like.”

I blink in what I hope looks like awe. “You’d do that, mister?”

He sighs, “It’ll take me out of my way, for sure, but yes, I’ll take you home.” His thumb caresses my shoulder. “You’re too damn pretty to be out here all alone.” He smiles what he thinks is a friendly smile, but to me, it looks vile. “What’s your name, miss?” He pauses. His voice drops an octave. “How old are you?”

I sniffle. “I’m Rachel. And I’m fifteen.”

Hyke shakes his head. “Didn’t your parents ever tell you not to get in cars with boys?”

I shrug and whisper, “I don’t have any parents.”

If I blinked, I would’ve missed the way his face lit up for an entire micro-second.

He quickly masks his expression and utters, “C’mon, let’s get you home,” then walks back to his truck.

I all but skip over to his truck.

Let’s do this.

When we’re both in the truck, he asks, “Where are we headed?”

“Greenwood.”

Hyke’s eyes narrow. “Greenwood? How the heck did you end up here? That’s a long way away.”

Reaching up, I fist the seatbelt and whisper apologetically, “I’m sorry. I know it’s far.” I pause, and then ask fearfully, “You’re not going to take me home now, are you?”

Hyke sighs and I know this game just started. “I will take you home, Rachel. I said I would, so I will.”

But?

“But I’m just curious.” Bingo. “Why didn’t you kiss that boy today? Kissing is nothing. It means nothing. Why didn’t you just do it?” He grins. “You might have liked it.”

I am this close to ending this fucker right now.

Instead, I bite my lip and look up at him from under my lashes. “I wanted to; I just didn’t know how.”

Hyke looks heavenward, and I’m sure he’s thinking he’s hit the underage jackpot. I’m glad he feels this way.

Let’s see if he still feels this way in ten minutes.

He lowers his face and looks straight ahead. “I could show you.” He peeks at me from the corner of his eye. “There’s nothing to it. It’s easy.”

I furrow my brow. “I don’t know...”

Hyke lifts his hands in surrender. “One kiss. Then, if you want to stop, we’ll stop.” He crosses his heart with a fingertip. “Cross my heart.”

I look up in thought. “One kiss? Then you’ll take me home?”

Hyke jerks a nod. “If that’s what you want.”

I wring my hands and look down at my lap. “Okay.”

This is the part I dread.

Knowing Marco and Clark are both listening in.

Hyke moves down the bench seat and is by my side before I can take a breath. Looking up at him with wide eyes, I whisper, “I don’t know what to do.”

He runs a hand down my cheek and I lean into it. “I’ll show you.”

I’m appalled at my reaction to this little game. I seem to be getting turned on.

He lowers his face to mine until our lips brush, and then he speaks against them softly, “You just put your lips on mine and kiss me. Follow my lead, baby. We’ll start slow.”

Then we’re kissing. And fuck me, I have to press my legs together. Hard. I’m extremely aroused.

He softly kisses my lips, keeping his hands to himself and only using his lips to start with. Pulling back, he asks, “How was that?”

I blink. “It was good. I liked it.” I flush, knowing I’m actually not lying here.

He grins. “More?”

Nodding, I move to meet him in the middle of the seat. This time, when his lips meet mine, I moan and listen as Hyke cusses, “Fuck. You’re a ripe one.”

His tongue darts out into my open mouth, and without meaning to, I lift my hands to cup his cheeks, pressing my chest to him. His arms wrap around me. I lift my leg to rest on his thigh, doing this purposely so he can get a glimpse of my white cotton panties.

Our kissing goes from gentle to vicious in mere seconds. I have him where I want him, and I know it.

He bites my bottom lip and I begin to rub myself against his thigh. His loud groan fills the cab, and then I’m lifted up and onto his lap, legs spread. Still kissing, he grips my ass and pulls me into him, grinding his crotch into mine.

The moan I let out is very real. My nipples pebble and I’m close to coming.

He pulls his lips away from mine and watches me through hooded eyes. “Have you ever touched yourself before?”

My eyes widen. I don’t answer.

He grinds some more. “Don’t be shy. I want to make you come. Have you ever had an orgasm before, baby?”