Blackmailing The Untouched

The Slipping Of The Mask

"What are you doing at my house?" I quickly question with curious eyes, staggered and flustered to see him standing at my door.

He rolls his eyes carelessly, "We have to talk," He says with a shrug, and I notice immediately that his attitude has changed completely from the last time we were together.

"Talk?" I’m taken aback. I didn’t realize that we knew each other to have anything to talk about. “Talk about what?”

He pauses for a second, the wheels in his head turning. He takes his time to think his next move over very carefully.

After a few beats of silence, I become agitated. "I don’t have all night. Get on with it. " I sigh after he stares intensely for too long, and my nerves become too strong to hold in. "If you have something to say, then say it. Otherwise, bye." With a huff, I drop my arms down at my side.

He watches as the left side of the grey shirt slides off my shoulder. A flash of something I can't quite read is there in his eyes, and it reddens my cheeks. In the same beat, he captures my vision. His gaze always feels so personal and uncomfortable at the same time. Ice and Fire.

"I have a confession." He says, his voice as smooth as butter, melting me. But something is hidden in his dark tone. "I know who you are, and I know who your father is."

"Okay?" A look of confusion covers my face. "Everyone knows who we are." Of course he knows who my dad is. Everyone does. A small chuckle slips from my mouth.

He shakes his head firmly, aggravated that I’ve laughed at him. "No. I know your father, and I know something that will destroy everything he stands for." His voice turns icy, and his blue eyes are extra cold.

I feel a chill shoot down my spine, but it doesn’t make me feel good. I'm floored by his revelation, but I'm also very angry by it. "What are you talking about?" I probe, becoming defensive over the attack on my father's pristine reputation.

Another shake of his head. "I'll tell you everything when the time is right." His jaw settles, and I watch as he swallows, defining the bones in his cheeks, "After all, you're the one who's going to pay the price." He watches me closely, making sure that I’ve understood the warning.

It takes me a long while to gain the strength to respond to his threat. Once I've calmed my pounding heart, I shoot daggers his way with folded arms. "I don't know who the hell you think you are, but you are not going to come to my house and threaten me with lies about my father." My voice is low, but firm. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.” I scoff.

"I am not lying to you." He stands his ground, hands shoved deeply into the front pockets of his jeans. The muscles in his arms bulge. "I have proof that he's not who you or anyone thinks he is." He states with a low, raspy bite. He appears annoyed that I don’t trust what he says. Of course, I don’t believe him. I just met him.

"What did he do?" I ask with a tilt of my head and a frown.

"You'll know when I want you to." He says with a hard gaze. His laser beam eyes make it nearly impossible to escape.

Where had the guy that I spent a fun afternoon with gone? What had made him change so much since the first time I laid eyes on him? Why did he seem so mad at me? What had I done to him in the short amount of time to make him be so cold?

Although I still find myself vulnerable to the proximity of him, he now makes me nervous for other reasons. I’m no longer just afraid of what I might do when he is near, but what he could do to me as well. Now, I fear him in more ways than one.

I'm alarmed at his revelation, but I'm also intrigued as to what this awful thing Dad has done, but before I have the chance to demand answers, Sally pulls up in the driveway. She gets out of the blue Stratus and makes her way to the front door where Zach is standing.

"What's going on here?" She asks curiously while taking glances his way, her vibrant red hair bouncing with the turn of her head.

"Nothing." I say back, trying to hide the shock in my voice."He was just leaving." I shoot Zach a hard look, telling him to leave with the narrowing of my eyes.

A small grin plays at his lips, "Yeah, I think we're done here." He steps back with a look of understanding in his eyes.

I wonder if Sally picks up on the tension that is hanging in the air between us.

"Why don't you invite him to my house?" She decides on a whim with a hopeful smile. "He is the one I saw you with the other day."

I'm just about to answer NO when Zach is there beside me with a fake smile, "I'm not doing anything tonight." His scent surrounds me, and I find it harder to breathe.

"No." I finally say, taking control over my body, "I don't want him there." I add. Turning to face him, I fold my arms over my chest.

Sally's eyebrows knit together as she watches us go back and forth. She knows something is up. "Okay, well, we should be going then. We still have to get some things before the party."

"Yeah, besides, Hollie and I are going to be seeing a lot of each other." Sally watches with admiration, which makes me sick because I know what he’s really doing. He has just made another threat. He enjoys this.

"Let's go." I huff and start walking to Sally's Dodge with her in tow by the elbow.