Insatiable (The Edge of Darkness, #1)(2)

She thinks I didn’t hear her crying to my dad over the phone about my “mood swings”, begging him to help her deal with their “unfeeling” teenage son. But I’m not a completely emotionless robot. I care about Dez and Base, and, when she isn’t a pain in my ass, Luciella. I just don’t see the point in following stupid rules or talking about feelings I don’t really get.

There’s nothing wrong with who I am. Even Dad tells me I’m special and never to take offence at how others view me.

He’s probably the only person on earth who truly understands me, yet he lives thousands of miles away in a mental institution – he’s committed numerous crimes and is deemed too dangerous to live amongst the public.

It’s pretty fucking promising for me that he remembers feeling the same way I do.

The famous Tobias Mitchell, American psychopath. The insane killer who took over every news channel in the world. He’s labelled as ruthless and unpredictable. Dangerous. A threat to life. Yet, when we visit the institution, he’s a caring dad who wants to know everything that’s going on in our lives. He tries to be involved as much as he can and looks at my mum like she’s the only woman in the world, full of complete adoration.

Even though he tried to kill her.

Yep. He can keep his crazy; I have my own.

My stepdad has been in my life since birth and does what he can. He takes me for boxing lessons in an attempt at some father–son bonding, like he did with my stepbrother Jason. But he’s grown up now and has his own life, so it seems Ewan has moved on to me .

I finish pouring a drink of juice and walk around the table.

Some of my sister’s friends are giggling, whispering between them while openly watching me, and it makes me uncomfortable. The mystery girl by the pool isn’t here though.

Not that I’m looking.

I make a quick escape by pushing through the crowd and going out onto the grounds. The glow from the spotlights leads the way to the pool house.

When I reach the end of the path, I glance over my shoulder to make sure no one has followed me before continuing. The ripples from the water reflect on the glass door of the pool house, and I lean against it, pulling out a cigarette.

I look out to the loch, the moon resting just above the Munros in the distance. The manor is surrounded by water and green forests, and it’s kind of relaxing.

I close my eyes as the nicotine burns my lungs, releasing it in a cloud of smoke.

The sound of splashing has me frowning, nearly dropping the cigarette from my mouth when I see the mystery girl is still here. She’s perched on her elbows, casually chilling at the edge of the pool, still admiring the stars in the sky.

I shouldn’t feel a rush of excitement, but I do.

What do I do? Talk to her? Walk away? Hide?

“Who are you?” I ask, taking another drag as I walk towards her.

She doesn’t acknowledge my existence, and I really want her to look at me. I try again. “Hello? Who are you?”

I don’t like being ignored, especially by a random person who resembles a ghost with freckles all over her body. I wouldn’t usually try to socialise but colour me fucking intrigued.

From her side profile, I can openly admit she’s pretty. The thought smacks me upside the head because I’ve never thought of someone as pretty before.

I assumed I was defective in that department, but since I like the way she looks, perhaps I’m not. It’s hard to study her the way I do others, but I’m more than happy to just… look at her.

Getting annoyed with the silence, I huff. “You should go back inside. It’s too cold out here, Freckles.”

Grimacing, I mentally punch myself in the dick. Freckles? Really, Kade?

Still silent.

If she ignores me one more time, I’m shoving her in the fucking water.

I shake my head.

Sitting on the bench next to the diving board, I inhale, unsure why I keep talking. I never talk. “You don’t go to my school.”

I freeze when she looks up at me, and fucking hell, her eyes are insane. Coughing out the rest of my smoke, I lean my elbows on my knees as she stands, shaking off the water from her legs and slipping on her shoes.

I don’t get it. Or her. Or why she’s walking around the pool towards me.

Wait.

She’s walking towards me.

Oh shit. What the fuck is she doing? Go away.

My breath is slowly being ripped from my lungs as she draws closer. In fact, I don’t think I’m breathing at all .

Her hair flows down her back in curls, freckles dusting over her skin, and those eyes are fucking killing me. They aren’t blue, maybe a light green mixed with silver, like a forest in winter.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

She sits beside me and takes the cigarette from my lips, then places it between her own. The touch of her fingers against my lips doesn’t make me uncomfortable.

I try not to show how much she’s affecting me by looking away, but my insides are somersaulting.

I clear my throat while she smokes my cigarette like it’s hers. There’s a breeze and fuck do I inhale the sweet vanilla – she smells good.

I turn my head and watch as she rests back, the end of the cigarette bright orange. Then she blows a cloud above us, eyes closed as the smoke dissipates in the air.

Her eyes open, and now she’s looking at me. I’m stuck gazing right back at her beauty.