Red Thorns (Thorns Duet #1) by Rina Kent

Fortunately, she’s not in much pain, thanks to her meds. It’s probably because she didn’t undergo any surgery or chemo.

But the fact remains that the cancer is eating her from the inside, festering in her while she goes through her meetings as if the end isn’t near.

I’ve tried to see it from her perspective and respect her wishes like the doctor advised me to. But it’s hard to pretend. It’s hard to cook together, watch movies, and take hikes while knowing these activities may be the last I have with her.

It’s even harder to have no one to talk to about it.

I can’t forgive Lucy, even though she came begging, telling me she suspected there was something going on but didn’t know what it was.

She also stood up to Brianna in public and got called names and was shunned out of the inner circle. Not that it makes up for what she did, but I’m glad she left that toxic bunch.

It’s been getting crazier in that circle.

That same week, after Friday’s game, Reina was assaulted in the forest and lost her memory. So now, she’s this completely different person who smiles and laughs and cares about people.

Even me.

The other day, she apologized to me after she learned that she bet Sebastian to fuck me, and I choked on my spit. After I told her to fuck off, that is.

The guy himself has been relentless.

There hasn’t been a day where he didn’t corner me, approach me, or talk to me.

Sometimes, it’s a joke about how his dick misses me. Other times, it’s intense, where his chest flattens against mine and his face is mere inches from my mouth.

He absolutely has no fucks to give about my decision or the fact that I told him we’re over. In fact, he still thinks we’re together and that sooner or later, I’ll cave in to the connection we have.

I’ve held on to my anger as much as I could. Add in my constant grief about my mom and I’ve been in no state of mind to even think about him.

But I do.

God, how much I do.

I think it’s because of the loneliness. The lack of friends and the need to burst bubbling inside me.

Besides, I’m well and truly an addict now. No matter how much porn I watch, there’s nothing that resembles the intensity of what I felt from Sebastian’s hands.

There’s nothing out there that matches the raw chase and the raw hunger I experienced with him.

Sometimes, I lie in my bed and think about his huge cock, rough hands, and wicked tongue.

Sometimes, I let my fingers slip beneath my panties in a hopeless attempt to recreate the sensations.

It doesn’t work. Not really.

How long will it take before I get over it? Because I’ve been on the brink lately, snapping at anyone who moves.

Coming to campus has become a nightmare. Surprisingly, no one bullies me or throws jabs in my direction, but looks don’t lie. They regard me like I’m a pest.

Besides, Brianna has been making it her mission to turn me into an outcast—even more than before.

Now that Reina has lost her memories and is no longer her bitchy, authoritative self, Brianna has been spreading her venom all over the squad. She’s been actively trying to make my and some of the other girls’ lives hell.

I’ve been at the point of rage-quitting for a long time, but I haven’t. I won’t upset Mom when she doesn’t have much time left.

Sighing, I head to the parking lot while checking my messages. I don’t know why I wish to find one from the PI, Kai.

I know I won’t. After Mom begged me to stop searching for my father, I did.

It took all I had to call Kai and tell him to abort the mission. He asked me why and I told him it’s because having Mom was enough.

And it is.

Holding on to the anger more than I should have has kept me from realizing that fact.

Kai simply told me to call him if I needed anything and that was that.

And yet, I still think he’ll one day call me and tell me he found my father or send me his address in a text message.

None of those texts appear. But my screen overflows with messages from someone else.

Sebastian.

He now has this habit of telling me all about his day and giving me a monologue with the weirdest things, even when I never reply. And when I do, it’s to tell him to go fuck himself. To which he replies that he’d rather fuck me.

The messages of this day include:

I’m meeting Nate later this week. You were practically drooling when we had dinner together, so do you want to join?

On second thought, no. I don’t want you drooling over him. It’s best if you don’t ever see him again.

Though if you insist on going, I can make him wear a mask. What do you think?

As much as I enjoy my one-sided conversation, you can at least give yes or no answers.

And before you ask, no, fuck you, leave me alone don’t count as an answer. As much as I love it when you’re Tsundere, the cold shoulder is getting tiresome.

Anyway, date tonight? Or a chase? I’m open to both as long as I get to bite and suck your tits while your tight cunt clenches around my dick.

Or your ass. It feels as good as your cunt.

And don’t even try to pretend that you don’t miss the chase as well. You’re fucking torturing us both and it’s not fun. At all.

But I’ll wait.

Now, see what you do to me and feel guilty.

He’s attached a selfie from the chin down that looks to have been taken right out of the shower.