Temper Him by Caitlyn Dare

Chapter Seven

Kennedy

“Fucking waste of space,” Warren grits out as we enter the trailer to find Mitch passed out on the couch.

“Maybe you should check on him.”

“Nah, let him rot for all I care.”

“Warren!” I know things are bad between them, but it’s still his dad.

“If you want to play nurse, by all means...” He glances over at the couch with disdain. “Be my guest.”

With a little huff of frustration, I go and check on Mitch. He’s facedown, half hanging off the threadbare couch. But his chest is moving, and I can hear the liquor sloshing around in his stomach every time he breathes.

Fetching the bucket I know they keep under the basin, I place it down beside him.

“You know it’d do us a favor if he choked on his own tongue.” Warren stalks toward me, wrapping an arm around my waist. “Then we’d have this place to ourselves. Just you and me.” His eyes darken with lust, and I fight the wave of fear rising inside me.

I knew this would happen.

“Fuck, you’re beautiful, Ken.” He brushes his knuckles over my cheek.

“What did you do today?” I ask, trying to distract him.

“You really want to talk now? If I didn’t know better, baby,” his brow rises, “I might think you’re trying to avoid me.”

“What?” I frown, shaking my head. “Of course I’m not. I just... I have cramps.”

“It’s shark week?”

“Seriously?” I hiss.

“What?” Warren chuckles, and it makes his eyes crinkle. It almost makes him look like the boy who asked me to be his last year. The boy before all... all this.

Warren has always been intense. Possessive with a quick temper. But it wasn’t always bad. I didn’t always have this giant pit in my stomach, waiting for the next time he loses it.

When I think back, things deteriorated right around the time Conner’s mom died and we found out they were moving to Sterling Bay with James. Warren started to explode at the smallest thing. He’d be fine one minute and the next he’d lash out. It only got worse as time went on. He’d love me one second and then punish me the next. Fists, teeth, hands, Warren knew all the ways to make it hurt.

“PMS is the worst,” I say, hoping to God my period comes soon.

“Aww, you need me to look after you?” Warren smirks. “I know just the thing.”

“Later, yeah?” I muster the best smile I can. “I need to start preparing dinner.” Moving around him, I inhale a shaky breath, but Warren snags my wrist, yanking me back to him.

“Did Jagger hurt you, baby? Is that why you’re stalling?”

Oh God.

My stomach twists.

“Warren, I’m not—"

“It’s been weeks, baby. I need you, Ken. Don’t you want me?” He leans down, ghosting his lips over mine.

“You know I do.” The words splinter my already fractured soul.

I don’t want Warren.

I never did.

But I was hurting and confused, and I wanted to make Conner jealous. And then it was too late and I couldn’t find a way out.

It’s a fucking mess.

Me and Conner. Me and Warren. Conner and Warren. Three lives inexplicably tied together. Three lives that should never have crossed.

We let Warren into our friendship. We did that. And once his claws were in, he only dug deeper and deeper until his hands were wrapped around my throat and his barbed threats were under my skin.

It’s clear now that Warren wanted what Conner had.

He wanted me.

And now he has me, I’m not sure he’ll ever willingly let me go.

He kisses me, hard and without warning. His tongue plunges into my mouth and curls around my own, forcing me to join as I grip his muscular arms, trying to keep some shred of control.

“Bedroom, now,” he growls against my lips, the anger in his words reverberating through me.

“O-okay.” I force the word over the lump in my throat, my heart breaking clean in two.

I knew what coming back here meant, yet, deep down, I hoped there would be a way out of it.

Inhaling a deep breath, I center myself, mentally preparing myself for what’s to come.

You can do this. You don’t have any choice.

I take a step, but Warren grabs me again. “Fuck it,” he says, snapping his belt with one hand. “I can’t wait. Get on your knees, baby.” His eyes are blown with lust.

“H-here?” I balk. It wouldn’t be the first time he’s made me do things in front of his unconscious father, but I still don’t want it to be like this.

“Get on your fucking knees, Ken. Now.” He fists my hair and pushes me to the floor. I swallow a whimper as his grip tightens in my roots. “Now open up like a good little girl.” He’s already pumping his angry cock.

Tears leak from my eyes as I lose the fight to maintain composure.

I don’t want to do this... because I know if I do, I’ll be forever tainted. Conner will never want me again.

The realization slams into me with such force, I retch just as Warren thrusts into my mouth, the intrusion unexpected and unwelcome.

“Fuck, that feels good. Suck me, baby. Take all of me.” He thrusts harder, hitting the back of my throat and making my eyes sting. I try to breathe through my nose as he fucks my mouth with brutal strokes. Tears run down my cheeks, mixing with the saliva pooling in my mouth and running down my jaw.

I’m a mess. A broken, tear-stained mess. But he doesn’t stop. He just keeps going, stopping every now and again to let me catch my breath.

His hand reaches for the neckline of my sweater, yanking, and I wonder what the fuck he’s doing until he rips his cock from my mouth and sprays jets of cum all over my chest.

Warren pulls me to my feet, tracing his name in the sticky mess all over my skin. “Mine,” he rasps, all heavy-lidded and breathless. “You’re fucking mine, Kennedy.”

He grabs the back of my neck and kisses me hard. It’s over as quickly as it started, and he shoves me away. “Go take a shower, you’re a fucking mess. Then put on something sexy, we’re going out.” He tucks himself back into his jeans, watching me.

I nod, too disgusted with myself to reply. As I walk away, only one thought fills my mind.

Forgive me, Conner.

* * *

Warren brings me to Joker’s. The second we step inside the dingy bar, Shelbie spots me and rushes over to us.

“Hey guys,” she says. “I didn’t expect to see you here.” There’s a silent question in her eyes, but I discreetly shake my head.

“I need to go speak to some people,” Warren says. “Hang out with Shelbie for a little bit.”

His words are like music to my ears. “Of course.” I smile, and it’s the most genuine smile to cross my expression since fleeing the hotel room in Colton.

“Tell Dakota I’ll take a beer,” Warren barks at Shelbie before walking away.

“Oh my God, I’ve been so worried.” She pulls me into a hug. “Are you okay?”

“I guess.” My eyes dart to the floor.

“Kennedy, what did he do?”

“It doesn’t matter.” I fix another smile. “I’m here now, and it beats being holed up in the trailer.”

“Come on.” Shelbie motions to the long counter at the back of the room. “Did you eat already?”

“No, Warren seemed in a hurry to get here.” I scan the room. It’s quiet, a few mean looking guys occupying one of the booths. There’s an older couple eating wings at another table. Warren is at the back in one of ten booths, but whomever he’s meeting is obscured.

“Hey, who is that?” I ask Shelbie.

“Beats me.” She shrugs. “You know the kind of people that roll in and out of here. Hey, Dakota, Warren wants beer. And put through a basket of bacon and cheese fries for me and my girl.”

“Put it through yourself.” The woman smirks.

“I thought you loved me.” Shelbie pokes out her tongue and chuckles.

“Oh, I do, but it doesn’t stop you being a pain in my ass.”

Dakota is her cousin. Her older and much wiser cousin. She doesn’t take any shit from the guys who frequent the bar, and they know not to mess with the Garret women. Shelbie’s dad might be rough around the edges, but he looks out for the girls in his life.

Dakota brings us two sodas and a basket of fries. “Kennedy,” she says coolly. She never has been fond of me. I don’t know why, and I don’t ask.

“Hey, Kota,” I say. “Thanks for this.”

She gives me a sharp nod before taking Warren his beer.

“She really doesn’t like me, huh?”

“Oh don’t mind her, it’s just her asshole-o-meter.”

“Warren,” I say flatly, and Shelbie nods.

“He gives a lot of people the creeps.”

“Yeah, I know.” He doesn’t just give me the creeps, he makes my skin crawl.

“Are you ready to talk about it?”

“Shelb...”

“I know, I know. But you got out, Kennedy. I just don’t understand why you—"

“Because this is my life, okay? I can’t stay there and pretend to be one of them.” The lie coils around my heart. “They’ll all be going off to college and embarking on their futures, and I’m just supposed to what? Sit around and wait to be left behind again?”

God.

Why did it have to hurt so much?

Living with Warren is my worst nightmare, but at least I know what to expect. In a really fucked-up way, it’s stability. But now I’ve experienced life with Conner and his family, I know there’s something better out there. I’ve had a taste of it, and I want more.

God, I want so much more.

I want it all—the comfortable life, the safety and security, the contentment. I want the happily-ever-after. But the harsh reality is, so long as Warren is breathing, so long as he exists in this world, I will never be free.

I was foolish to ever think I could be.

He knows things. Things about me, about the Jaggers. He knows how to play on people’s fears and exploit their weaknesses.

And Conner Jagger will always be my weakness, the way I will always be his.

“Kennedy?” Shelbie says with an air of concern.

“Sorry.” I blink at her. “I’m okay. I’m okay.” Repeating the words doesn’t make them hold any more conviction.

Because the truth is, I’m not okay.