Page 40 of Left In The Dark

I slam my hands against the railing and hurry inside to shower. Once dressed and satisfied with my appearance, I leave the house, driving around the block until I have only ten minutes to get to the water tower to see if Blake gets there on time.

My foot quickly shifts on the brake when I arrive, and I step out of my car, looking down at my watch. The clock ticks as I watch each minute go by. Ten minutes late. Fifteen minutes late. Twenty minutes after eight and my hackles are rising. Where is he?

A blue car turns the corner and slows down the closer it gets. Blake steps onto the gravel, eyes moving everywhere but me, and he got out of the wrong side.

With a pained expression he shakes his head. “I didn’t . . . I wasn’t . . .”

Feet struggling to grip the ground, I reach behind me as Hayden jumps out of the driver’s seat wearing a wicked grin. “You really came. What a fucking loser.”

He laughs, moving my way so fast I can’t get into my car fast enough to stop him from grabbing me by the back of my shirt. “You’re so pathetic, you know that? It doesn’t matter how many weights you lift. You could come back a fucking billionaire and you’d still be a nobody. You know why?” The stench of alcohol hits my nose and I’m reeling.

“And you’ll always be a brainless idiot who peaked in high school,” I grit out, wrapping the back of my leg around his and elbowing his chin. He yells, jumping back, and with anger burning in his dark eyes, he charges at me and slams his body into mine. We fall onto the ground, wrestling, and Blake paces nervously around us. “Stop. Please stop. You had your fun, Hayden. Let’s go.”

“Not yet,” he grunts, slamming me onto my back and pulling something from his pocket. He brings it closer, and I flinch when I see a spark. I wrestle against him, almost getting away, but I’m hit with a zap of electricity. I convulse, arms shooting forward, and he presses the hot device against my neck, shockwaves rolling through me.

All muscles tense and a nauseated feeling comes over me.

“Stop,” Blake shouts. “Just stop.”

“Did you lie to me?” Hayden rasps. “Did you really want to come out here tonight? Is it really him who wouldn’t leave you alone?”

“I told you. You saw the messages,” he argues.

“It also looked like some were missing when I finally got your phone from your hands. Do you want to be with him, huh? With your pig‑boy boyfriend?” Hayden’s voice is strained.

“No,” Blake cries out. “I don’t want him. I told you. Why would I? Why would someone like me even look his way?”

“Then prove it. Shock him with the cattle prod. That’s what you do when livestock acts up and shows aggression.”

“Please don’t make me do that. I don’t even know how to use one. Let’s just go. I’ll stay at your place tonight,” Blake begs and it makes me angrier. He’s supposed to only do that with me. Sounding desperate because of the positions I put him in—not Hayden. We aren’t supposed to be back here. How did I let him get me back here?

I got caught off guard. I wanted this so much that in the end I fucked it up. Nails digging into the dirt, I drag myself forward and a foot presses to my back.

“I’ll show you how it works, baby. It’s easy. Give me your hand.”

“Please,” Blake sobs. He sounds in pain, and not the kind I bring him but one he actually wants to end. What is this guilt crawling up inside my chest? He did this shit to himself. We could eventually have put our differences aside and gone from being each other’s distraction to something more. But not after today. There was a small chance before, but now he’s destroyed it like he does everything he touches. His father’s right. He always does the wrong fucking thing, and how I chose to help him wasn’t enough.

He needs more. Far away from everyone else. It’s the only way he’ll ever get closer to being a better version of himself.

“Do it or I’ll tell everyone you’ve been getting fucked by this awful disgrace. I’ll tell your dad. What will he say? You know how much he hates his family after the countless times his dad screwed up the vegetable orders and cost him money.”

Is that what happened? Why the farm lost so much business? My dad pissed off the wrong restaurant owner and his bad reputation spread through town? It is, isn’t it? Fuck.

My body goes slack when I’m shocked again, vibrations ping‑ponging through my spine and limbs.

“I . . . okay. I’ll do it. Then when I’m done, we go, okay?”

“Fine,” Hayden says happily, pressing his shoe closer to my neck, and a sick feeling comes over me. “I also want you to tell him how someone like you could never actually want him. Remind him of why too.”

I lift my head as much as I can, vision blurring as two figures stand over me. The small form leans down, a familiar sweet scent sweeping around me. “You actually thought I’d want you?” Blake’s voice shakes above me. I’m not like you, Logan. I don’t like sleeping with pigs. That’s what you are and what you’ll always be.” His voice grows louder. “Now it’s time for you to fucking squeal like one.” A sharp pinging sensation hits my arm and I groan, curling in on myself when another jolt shoots through me.

“There. Happy?” Blake says with more breath in his voice than sound.

“Yes . . . well, almost.” Stepping off me, Hayden gathers my arms behind my back and ties my wrists together with a piece of thin rope.

“What are you doing? You promised.” Feet stomp around my head and Blake sniffles.

“I never promised shit,” Hayden says with a hint of glee in his voice as my pants are being yanked to my ankles. My boxer briefs come down next.